Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Forming or Producing Linotypes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 13th May, 1893
CUBI LEIE DIBUITIVATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Forming or
Producing Linotypes.
A communication by CHARLES SEARS, of No. 1,221, Lexington Avenue, Cleveland,
in the County of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America,
Gentleman.
:
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described;
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
This invention relates to the production of linotypes, that is to say, single types
each of which bears on its printing edge all of the characters which are to appear
in a single line of printed matter.
1
Several machines adapted to produce linotypes have been devised in' which
independent matrices, each bearing a character, are assembled in line, after which a
mold box is moved against said assembled matrix line which closes the open edge
of the mold box, and molten metal is injected into the mold, thereby producing the
linotype. The Mergenthaler linotype, and the Rogers typograph are machines,
now well known, of this general character. But with these machines and with all-
other machines for casting a linotype, with which my correspondent is acquainted,
the entire linotype, body and printing edge is cast at one time. In order that these
linotypes may be cast successfully, the mold must be so warm that it will not
prematurely chill the molten metal and thus prevent the proper filling of the mold.
For this reason, and for, the additional reason that the linotype contains quite a
large body of metal, the hardening of the said metal. takes a long time, by
comparison with the method hereinafter described; and, clearly, the linotype must
be hardened before it can be removed from the mold and the matrices distributed.
In all machines which assemble matrices, the loss of time due to this cause is, in
the aggregate, large; and it is especially serious in machines like the Rogers
typograph, in which the assembling operation must cease until the linotype is cast
and the matrices distributed. So also the loss of time which results from the
necessity for using a warm mold into which the molten metal is injected and the
waiting for the large body of metal composing the type to cool, is serious and very
objectionable in cases where the linotypes are cast from a specially prepared matrix,
as for example, a matrix formed in wood, wax or other material.
The primary object of this invention is to save time in the manufacture of
linotypes, although other obvious advantages result from the use of the invention.
The saving in time results in the employment of a very small quantity of metal which
is injected into a cold mold, said mold containing a previously prepared hard body or
slug, and being in contact at its open edge with the line matrix, whereby the printing
characters and a thin integral backing are cast against, and attach themselves to;
said slug. The smallness of the space to be filled by the molten metal and the
forcing of the metal simultaneously, through numerous small orifices, into this.
space are both important factors which make it possible to fill the space
instantaneously and before any part of the molten metal so sets and hardens as to
prevent the filling of the said space, while at the same time the quantity of metal
employed is so small that it becomes hardened and ready to be removed as soon as
the mold is filled:
J.
This improved method, hereinafter described and claimed, for forming linotypes
3.

page_text: may be employed with any kind of line matrix, whether made in one piece, as for
example the wood matrix, hereinafter referred to, or from a series of independent
matrices assembled together. And certain parts of the machine shown and
described, or even the entire machine with slight modifications, may be used with
any kind of matrix line. In the specific form shown, however, the machine is
especially adapted to automatically make linotypes from an accumulated supply of
the wood matrices herein before referred to.
Referring now to the drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, to be hereinafter described, with
which the improved method may be practised;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is an end view partly in section, at the point indicated by line 3-3 of
Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 (seen in Figure 2) through the matrix
and its holder, slug and its carrier, when the matrix and slug have been moved
close and parallel to each other, and the space between them has been enclosed;
Figure 5 is a top view of the slug carrier, the upper clamp thereof being partly
broken away, and the means for closing the ends of the space between the matrix
and slug;
Figure 6 is a side view of the same parts;
Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view (enlarged) of the lower knife edged plate
of the slug carrier ;
Figure 8 is a plan view of said plate ;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the completed linotype;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the wood matrix with which this machine is
especially adapted to be used.
The frame of the machine shown consists of a top plate A, a base plate a' and
the connecting standards a a, in which the driving shaft J is journalled. Upon the
upper side of the top plate A, two hoppers hand i are secured, the first adapted to
hold the prepared wood matrices H, and the other adapted to hold the prepared
slugs I.
The length of the slug I, (which may be of type metal, or any other suitable
metal) is equal to the length of the desired line. The thickness of the slug is
equal to the height of the letters plus the "leading" or the space desired between
the lines. The width of the slug is so much less than the height of the type, tlat;
when the printing characters and their connecting backing are cast thereon, the
resulting linotype is type high. The matrix H is a trifle longer and thicker than
the slug, for reasons which will hereafter appear. Its width is immaterial,
provided it fits the matrix holder.
Pivoted to the under side of the top plate by means of the bolts 61 c¹ are the
swinging arms B C. In the upper side of the top plate A are formed transverse
ways or channels, in which the matrix holder and slug carrier travel. The arm B
is slotted longitudinally, while the plate A is slotted transversely. A pin & passes
through the slots in the arm B and top plate last above referred to, and is connected
with the bottom plate D of the matrix carrier.
The arm C and the top plate A just above it are similarly slotted, and a similar
pin e passes through said slots and is connected with the bottom plate E of the
slug carrier.
Keyed or otherwise secured to the driving shaft are the two disks F and G.
which have cam grooves in their faces, in which grooves the lower ends of
the pins project, which pins pass through the slotted arms B and C
respectively.
1. When the shaft revolves, the arms B and C are caused to oscillate upon their
pivots by reason of the engagement of the pins &c in said cam grooves. The
oscillation of the arms B C causes the plates E and D to move toward and from
each other.
Pivoted to the plate D is a bent lever K, one end of which lies over the plate D
*
:
:
:
J

page_text: and is connected with a clamping plate d. The other end of the lever Klies.
against the side of the disk F which is in the form of a cam. A similar lever K¹
is pivotted to the plate E and is connected at one end of the clamping plate e;
while its other end bears against the side of the disk G. represents a shoulder
upon the plate D against which the bottom edge of the matrix rests. The
plate E is provided with a similar shoulder e' against which the bottom edge of the
slug rests.
Secured to the top of the plate E is a thin steel plate equal in length to
the linotype to be formed, and secured to the under side of the clamping plate e is
a similar plate e³.
"
The outer edges of both these plates are sharpened, thereby forming knife edges.
The meeting edges of the plates D and E are cut away beneath the slug, thereby
forming a slot between them approximately as long as the slug.. Directly beneath
the slot between these, plates D and E is a slot as in the plate A. Bolted to the
plate A so as to discharge into said slot a³ is the spout L of the melting pot M,
through which the molten metal is forced from said melting pot, in the manner.
hereinafter described. The plate es is provided with numerous small jet openings e
directly over the slot between the two plates D and E. a³ represents a plate, equal
in thickness of the slug, which is attached to the plate A. a is another similar
plate also attached to the plate A. The distance between the proximate ends of
these plates is exactly equal to the length of the linotypes. Each of these plates
is provided with a sharpened knife edge, which faces the matrix when the same is
in its holder. The plates Ees on one side, the plates e e² on the opposite side, the
two end plates a' a' together with the shoulder constitute the mold within which,
the line slug is held during the casting operation, and the open face of said mold is
elosed by the line matrix, as hereinafter described. a' represents a transverse slot.
through the plate A through which passes the block P. To the upper side of said
block, a pusher plate R is attached, which plate is adapted to slide under the lower,
edge of the hoppers and i and to engage with and push out of said hoppers the
lowermost matrix and slug therein contained. A bent lever S is pivoted to the
bottom plate A One arm of this lever extends upward, and a pin p which is
secured to the block P passes through a slot in the arm of the lever; the other
arm of the lever extends to a point where it will be engaged with a pin g² on the
disk: G, as the shaft revolves, thereby moving the arm of the lever so engaged
downward. The spring s is arranged to move the lever in the contrary direction.
when the movement of the pin permits it.
The melting pot contains a pump, by means of which the molten metal is forced
through the spout L and thence through the jet openings e¹ into the mold, that is
to say, the enclosure space between the matrix and slug. The specific construction
of this pump is not material to the invention. Any suitable pump may be employed.
Pivoted to the top of the melting pot is a lever m, by means of which the pump
piston is operated. The outer arm of this lever is provided with a pin which
engages in a cam groove in the face of the disk T which is rigidly secured to the
driving shaft J. This cam groove (shown more clearly in Figure 1) is quick
acting, and only about a quarter of the time of one revolution is required to
operate the lever m through the entire range of motion, that is to say, the motion
which forces the metal into the mold and withdraws the surplus.
The operation of the mechanism herein before described is the following:
The wood matrices H are placed in the hopper h with the edge in which the
matrix is formed facing the hopper i. The previously prepared hard metal slugs I
are placed in the hopper i. The edge of said slugs upon which the molten métal
is to attach itself should be roughened or provided with tongues or grooves as the
case may be, around which the molten metal may harden. It is preferable to use
a slug having a tongue on its edge, substantially as shown in Figure 9.
The shaft, J is now set in revolution. The first action in the process of forming
the linotype consists in operating the lever S so as to move the pusher, plate R
forward, thereby forcing the lowermost matrix and lowermost slug out of their

page_text: respective hoppers and into their respective carriers, that is to say, between the
plates Ee and D d respectively.
Mounted on the pressure plate and extending through an opening in it are the
obliquely set rollers W which are pressed down by the spring W₁ which bears
upon their axle. As the slug is being pushed between the plates E and e, these
wheels, which have roughened edges, are revolved by the friction, and in their
revolutions they force the slug against the shoulder e¹. Similar wheels V, similarly
formed and similarly pressed down by the spring V₁, are mounted upon and extend
through a pressure plate d, and force the matrix block against the shoulder . As
the shaft continues to revolve, the cam grooves g and respectively swing the
arms B and C upon their pivots. This causes the movement of the matrix holder
and slug carrier toward each other.. The knife edges of the plates e e³ are forced
into the edge of the matrix block, and so also are the knife edges on the plates a³ a,
thereby enclosing the space between the matrix and slug. Just before the matrix
and slug arrive at the position shown in Figure 3-that is to say nearest together,
the cams on the edges of the disks F and G move the levers K K¹ and cause the
pressure plates d and e to press firmly down upon the matrix and slug respectively.
Immediately after the space between the matrix and slug is closed, the cam T
operates the lever m of the pump, the molten metal is thereby forced through the
spout L and through the small jet openings thus completely filling the mold
with molten metal. The quantity of metal necessary to fill the space is so small
that, as before stated, it hardens almost instantly, and, when the lever m is moved
in the reverse direction, the surplus metal, still molten, is drawn back toward the
melting pot. The continued revolution of the shaft causes the plates D and E to
be moved apart, thereby separating the matrix block and linotype which has been
formed. The clamping pressure upon the plates d and e is then released. The
lever S is again rocked and the pusher plate moved forward, pushing in front of it
a matrix block and a slug, into position between the plates D d and Ee respectively,
as before explained. These new matrix blocks and slugs push before them the
matrix block last used and the linotypes formed into the slides X and Y respectively,
by which they may be carried to any convenient and desired point. The operations
above described are performed automatically, and all the attendant has to do is to
see that the machine runs correctly and that the hoppers are kept supplied. One
of these machines is capable of forming linotypes about five times faster than the
matrix blocks can be prepared.
.
The linotype produced in the manner above explained consists of previously
formed metal body, having the printing characters 2 and their connecting backing i¹
firmly attached to its edge. My correspondent is aware that he is not the first to
make a linotype having a hard body and an attached edge bearing the printing
characters. The St. John (United States) Patent No. 435777, dated Sept. 2nd.
1890 shows and describes such a linotype. He does not therefore claim that
the article itself is new. The method proposed by St. John for forming said
linotype is, however, entirely different from the method herein before described.
As has been before stated, the machine herein shown and described is particularly
adapted to be used in forming linotypes from matrices formed in the end fibre of
wood blocks, but the machine may be easily adapted to form linotypes from any
sort of matrices whether made in a single piece or formed from independent matrices
assembled in line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :
1. In a machine for making linotypes, a mold box having a plurality of small
openings through one side thereof, mechanism for automatically pushing a line slug
into said mold box, and mechanism for closing the face of the mold with a line
matrix, combined with a melting pot, a conduit through which molten metal may
be forced from the melting pot to and through said small openings in the mold, a

page_text: pump for forcing the molten metal through said conduit, and mechanism operating
said slug-feeding mechanism, mold closing mechanism and pump, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
2. In a machine for making linotypes, a movable matrix carrier, a movable slug
carrier, two receivers for holding the matrices and slugs respectively, feeding
mechanism whereby said matrices and slugs are fed one by one to their respective
carriers, the knife-edged plates of the slug carrier, and the end plates as a², com-
bined with a melting pot, a conduit adapted to conduct melted metal from the
melting pot to and to discharge it into the space between the matrix and slug, a
pump, a driving shaft and suitable connections between the shaft and the movable
parts herein named whereby the same are operated, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
3. In a machine for making linotypes, a movable mold adapted to contain a metal
line slug less than type high, mechanism for automatically feeding said slugs one
by one to said mold, and mechanism for moving said mold against a line matrix,
combined with mechanism for injecting molten metal into said mold, mechanism for
automatically ejecting from the mold the linotype thereby formed, and a driving
shaft by which said movable parts are operated, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
4. In a machine for making linotypes, a transversely movable matrix holder, a
transversely movable slug carrier having top and bottom knife-edged plates, of
which the bottom plate is provided with a plurality of jet openings, and mechanism
suitably connected with a driving shaft for moving said matrix holder and slug
carrier, combined with knife edged end plates, an automatic feeding device, a
melting pot, a pump, a conduit through which the molten metal may be forced by
a pump
from the melting pot to and through said jet openings, and a driving shaft
operating the movable parts, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a matrix making machine, a matrix carrier, a slug carrier, and mechanism
for moving them toward and from each other, combined with two receivers adapted
to contain prepared matrices and slugs respectively, and automatic mechanism
adapted to push one matrix and its slug from these receivers to their carriers
respectively, means for enclosing the space between said slug and matrix when
they are nearest, and mechanism adapted to inject molten metal into said space,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 11th day of January 1893
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.