Improvements in or relating to the Production of Two Line Initial Letters or other Characters on Linotypes, and in Apparatus applicable therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 28th Sept.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Production of Two Line Initial
Letters or other Characters on Linotypes, and in Apparatus
applicable therefor.
A communication by OTTMAR MERGENTHALER, of Baltimore, in the County of
Baltimore and State of Maryland, United States of America.
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 31 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
There are now in general use in the printing art, metal bars or slugs known as
Linotypes, each bearing on one edge the characters to print an entire line. Hereto-
fore these characters have been constructed with characters of uniform or
substantially uniform size, trom one end to the other, and in no case have the
characters been higher or larger than the thickness of the body of the linotype.
In certain classes of printing and particularly in the short or "want" advertise-
ments of newspapers, it is desirable to use initial letters or other characters larger
than the body faces, commonly known as two-line type.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple ineans for producing these
two-line initial letters on linotypes.
To this end, linotypes in pairs or series are provided, one of them provided with
an additional letter, which is wider than the body, so that it overhangs the body on
one side, while the other is provided with a depressed blank surface adapted to
underlie and give support to the overhanging portion of the initial letter. It will,
of course, be understood that the initial letter may be of the width of two or
three or more lines. In the case of a three-line initial letter, it may be located on
the intermediate linotype, so as to overhang those above and below it.
As a simple means of producing these initials, is employed in connection with an
ordinary linotype machine, such for instance as that represented in Letters Patent
of England to Ottmar Mergenthaler, dated September 16, 1890, No. 14582, special
initial matrices adapted to produce the two-line character.
In proceeding to carry out the invention, at the end of the first line of matrices
in course of composition, the matrix for the two-line character is inserted, after
which the ordinary matrices to complete the line are assembled or composed.
In
When the composed line is presented to the face of the mould, the two-line
character will overlap or overhang the face of the mould, leaving a cavity into
which the metal may flow, to produce the enlarged character overhanging the side
of the linotype. The linotype is then produced in the ordinary manner.
composing the next line, at the front a blank matrix or space, corresponding in
width to the two-line character and adapted to fit flush against the face of the
mould is inserted. This is followed by the rest of the matrices in the line as
usual.
The casting operation is then performed in the usual manner, producing a second
linotype, having at one end the depressed surface formed by the blank matrix.
When the two linotypes thus formed, are laid together side by side, the extended
character of one will overhang the face of the other.

page_text: The details of the mechanism may be modified at will, and the invention may be
carried into effect by a machine of any suitable character.
The aim of this invention is to produce the two-line initial letter.
Two successive complementary linotypes, each having type characters in the
upper edge are denoted for the sake of description No. 1 and No. 2. They may be
in all respects like the ordinary linotypes, except that No. 1 is provided at one
end with a large initial letter, which projects beyond or overhangs one of the
vertical sides; while No. 2 is provided with a flat, depressed surface, of corre-
sponding width, so that when the two linotypes are brought together in operative
relations, the projection of the one will extend over and be supported upon the
surface of the other.
There may be also a three-line initial, projecting on both sides of the central
linctypes, and supported on those next adjacent.
When a line of ordinary matrices is presented to the mould, their characters or
matrices proper, are of a width equal to or less than that of the mould slot, in which
the linotype is cast.
The matrix containing the two-line characters whether at the end of the matrix
line or elsewhere, will, on presentation to the mould, overhang the same, leaving
opposite the front face of the mould a cavity, into which the metal overflows to
produce the projection.
When the blank matrix or space is presented preparatory to casting the second
linotype, it will lie flat against and across the face of the mould, above the level of
the characters of matrices proper, thus producing on the linotype the depressed
surface.
When the two-line matrices are used in the ordinary Mergenthaler machine,
they may be provided with a full complement of distributing teeth and delivered
into the sorts box, or made wholly without teeth and delivered before reaching the
distributor.
One of the trimming knives between which the linotypes are delivered, will be
cut away or suitably formed to permit the passage of the overhanging letter.
Of course, the initial letters may be used at either or both ends of the line, in the
middle, or elsewhere, as preferred.
Dated this 18th day of December 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Production of Two Line Initial
Letters or other Characters on Linotypes, and in Apparatus
applicable therefor.
A communication by OTTMAR MERGENTHALER, of Baltimore, in the County of
Baltimore and State of Maryland, United States of America.
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, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County
of Warwick and 31, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
There are now in general use in the printing art, metal bars or slugs, known as
Linotypes, each bearing on one edge the characters to print an entire line:
Heretofore these characters have been constructed with characters of uniform or

page_text: substantially uniform size, from one end to the other, and in no case have the
characters been bigher or larger than the thickness of the body of the linotype.
"
In certain classes of printing, aud particularly in the short or want" advertise-
ments of newspapers, it is desirable to use initial letters or other characters larger
than the body faces, commonly known as two-line type.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple means for producing these
two-line initial letters on linotypes.
To this end linotypes in pairs or series are provided one of them provided with
an additional letter, which is wider than the body, so that it overhangs the body on
one side, while the other is provided with a depressed blank surface adapted to
underlie and give support to the overhanging portion of the initial letter. It will,
of course, be understood that the initial letter may be of the width of two or three
or more lines. In the case of a three-line initial letter, it may be located on the
intermediate linotype, so as to overhang those above and below it.
As a simple means of producing these initials, special initial matrices adapted to
produce the two-line-character are employed in connection with an ordinary
linotype machine, such for instance as that represented in Letters Patent to Ottmar
Mergenthaler of England, dated September 16th, 1890, No. 14582.
Referring to the accompanying drawings :-
Figure represents printed advertisements such as it is the object of the
invention to produce.
Figure 2 represents a pair of linotypes constructed in accordance with the
invention.
Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of the preceding figure, showing the
linotypes assembled for use, and illustrating the manner in which the overhanging
characters are supported.
Figure is a perspective view showing a composed line of matrices with a
two-line initial matrix at one end.
Figure 5 is a similar view, showing the next line of matrices, with a blank
inatrix at oue end and to produce the depression in the linotype.
Figure 6 is a cross section showing the two-line matrix presented to the face of
the mould and illustrating the cavity in which the overhanging initial is formed.
Figure 7 is a smilar view, showing the manner in which the blank matrix is
presented to the mould to produce the depression in the linotype.
Figure 8 is a section showing the relation of an ordinary inatrix to the mould.
Referring to Figure 1, a and b represent two lines of print and c the two-line
initial letter, which it is the aim of the invention to produce.
In Figure 2, A A' represents two successive complementary linotypes, each
having type characters in the upper edge. They may be in all respects like the
ordinary linotypes, except that A is provided at one end with the large initial
letter d, which, as shown, projects beyond or overhangs one of the vertical sides;
while A¹ is provided with a flat, depressed surface e, of corresponding width, so
that when the two linotypes are brought together in operative relations as shown
in Figure 3, the projection d of the one will extend over and be supported upon the
surface e of the other.
On the right hand, in Figure 3, a three-line initial is represented projecting on
both sides of the central linotypes, and supported on those next adjacent.
When a line of ordinary matrices is presented to the mould, their characters or
matrices proper, f, are of a width equal to or less than that of the mould slot C in
which the linotype is cast.
The matrix containing the two-line characters, whether at the end of the matrix
line or elsewhere, will, on presentation to the mould, overhang the same, as shown
in Figure 6, leaving opposite the front face of the mould the cavity h into which
the metal overflows to produce the projection d.
When the blank matrix or space is presented preparatory to casting the second
linotype, it will lie flat against and across the face of the mould, as shown in

page_text: Figure 7, above the level of the characters of matrices proper, which are indicated
by dotted lines, thus producing on the linotype the depressed surface.
When the two-line matrices are used in the ordinary Mergenthaler machine
they may be provided with a full complement of distributing teeth and delivered,
into the sorts box, or made wholly without teeth and delivered before reaching the
distributor.
One of the trimming knives between which the linotypes are delivered, will be
cut away or suitably formed to permit the passage of the overhanging letter.
Of course the initial letters may be used at either or both ends of the line in the
middle, or elsewhere, as preferred.
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. Complementary linotypes, one having an enlarged overhanging character, and
the other having a space to receive and support the same.
2. A linotype having on its upper edge a series of type characters, one or more
of which project beyond the vertical side face of the body.
3. In a linotype casting mechanism, the combination of a mould and a series of
matrices, one or more of which has its character or matrix proper arranged to
overlap the front face of the mould.
4. The herein described method of producing complementary linotypes with
two-line characters, consisting in presenting to the mould a line of matrices, one or
more of which have characters of abnormal size to overlap the face of the mould,
and producing a linotype therefrom; and also presenting to the mould a second
line of matrices, one of which has a blank surface above the level of the characters,
and casting a linotype therefrom.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.