IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SETTING OR COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING PRINTING TYPES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isidore Delcambre, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SETTING
OR COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING PRINTING TYPES."
Sealed the 20th November 1866, and dated the 29th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isidore Delcambre at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
May 1866.
I, ISIDORE DELCAMBRE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR SETTING OR COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING PRINTING TYPES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the machine called piano type used for the com-
position and distribution of the printing types. The said machine works, as
is known, by means of a finger board. The operative reading the print first
strikes one of the keys of the finger-board which causes a letter to pass into
a trench or spout; another key is then struck on an inclined plane and the
letter descends to the reservoirs. These trenches or spouts are straight if the
distributor is separated from the composing machine, and in this case they
place them simply in the cavities of the composing machine, but when the
machines are joined together the letters fall directly and range themselves in
the straight or curved reservoirs of the compositor.

page_text: In my improved machine I have retained only half of the original inclined
plane and have substituted for the other half two conical cylinders placed
one to the right and the other to the left of the inclined plane. These
cylinders called letter reservoirs can, according to their size, contain all kinds
of letters and in an indefinite number, and in consequence of dispensing with
half of the inclined plane the letters have half the distance to travel and are
less subject to encounter each other, and consequently the finger-board can be
worked at a much greater speed without inconvenience. The conical reservoirs
are each composed of two distinct parts; first, of a cylinder pierced with
small holes, in each of which passes a small rod provided with a spiral spring
employed in connection with a lever to push away the letter which is
wanted; this cylinder is connected to a vertical shaft, and is in contact with a
collar on the shaft.
The second part of each of the conical reservoirs consists of a cone also
connected to the shaft before mentioned, and resting on the cylinder. In its
surface there are several grooves intended to contain the printing types, and
at its base there are small sheets of copper or other metal to separate cach
groove, and in the interior of the cylinder there is a spout or shoot which
receives the letter when it falls from the conical reservoir and conducts it to
the inclined plane.
In the ordinary distributor certain parts of the machine hide from view the
letters on the inclined plane; I prevent this inconvenience by placing all
the machinery in the interior of the framework of the distributor, so that the
letters shall be visible which permits an error to be immediately rectified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 2
by the said Isidore Delcambre in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ISIDORE
DELCAMBRE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Isidore Delcambre, Her special licence that I, the said Isidore Delcambre,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Isidore 3
Delcambre, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SETTING OR COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING PRINTING TYPES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Isidore Delcambre,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same.
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Isidore Delcambre, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
First, Mr. Isidore Dcambre maintains half of the inclined plane of his
type-setting machine already patented in England (18th October 1856..
No. 2444) for the current type, and replaces the other half by two cones,
placed one on each side of the machine, and containing all the additional type
required for composing. This new system allows him to add all kinds of
type according to the size of the cones. Each cone or type-holder might be
made to hold an indefinite number of type; moreover, the type most used
having only half the distance to run are not so liable to meet on the inclined.
plane, consequently there is no inconvenience in moving the keys with great
swiftness.
Second, he bas also essentially modified the T-levers for starting the type
towards the inclined plane.
Third, Mr. Delcambre uses variable type-holders which allows the use of
the machine for the various sizes of type.
Fourth, his former type-distributing machine has been improved so as to
renew its system entirely..
DESCRIPTION OF THE TYPE-SETTING MACHINE.
The conical type-bolders consist especially in a truncated cone with grooves
in which the type are placed, and from which they are led on the inclined
plane through an outlet in the base of the cone. The cone as it is repre-
sented (Part I. Fig. 5) is formed of two discs of different radius perpendicular
on the
cach having equal number of grooves in which are placed
,
I

page_text: the reservoirs (the cones can also be made solid). A third disc is placed
under the reservoirs in such a manner that the pile of type rests on the solid
part of the lower disc. Each reservoir has a corresponding lever which moves
nearly horizontally on a vertical
and has for object to push the type
from the solid part of the disc into the outlet cut out of said disc. This lever
is kept in place by a stop and a spring, see the Figure (Part II., Fig. 5);
when pressed from right to left it pushes the type.
'
The height of the reservoirs above the lower disc depends on the size of
type employed, and may be modified so as to admit a different size, the reser-
voirs being made independent of the cone. From the outlet the type slides
through a groove leading to the inclined plane. The upper part of the
groove is fan-shaped so as to insure better the receipt of the type.
Second, the T-levers have been modified so as to require less pressure on
the keys, and this by lengthening slightly the former dimensions of the arms
and by changing the points of the connection rods between the levers and the
keys (Part A, Fig. 1).
Third, the reservoirs for the current type cast solid are more advantageous
than the former system; on the other hand, independent reservoirs might
admit type of different size by changing the height above the valves where
the T-levers play (Part B, Figs. 3, 4).
TYPE-DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.
Before describing this machine it is proper to indicate by which means the
type are brought in their respective reservoirs.
Supposing it is required to replace the type which has formed the compo-
sition of a book, what we are going to state may be applied to any mixture of
type belonging to that category. Let a pack of type be placed into the
slanting gally slice (Part A, Figs. 1, 6). A screw lowers or raises the pack
so as to bring each line in succession on a level with the horizontal part of a
groove (which curves afterwards) and in which they are brought by a turning
pusher B, and afterwards into the curved part by a sliding pusher C (where
they are kept by a spring) which resumes its place by a spring so as to make
place for a new line; this will be continued till the groove is filled up; then
the type will come to a stop D which is underneath that part of the groove,
both sides of which have been cut open, one opening corresponding with a
small inclined plane which conduces to the main one, admitting only the
passage of one type at the time, and in the other opening works a lever; the
type are kept in their position by the weight of the column until the lever
pushes them one by one through the first opening.

page_text: A series of levers under the incliued plane in connection with rods bearing
in their upper part pistons each marked by a letter and on the other end with
valves opening on the inclined plane, then the type being brought on the
inclined plane are turned to the right or to the left of the central groove in
their respective reservoirs through the valves corresponding with the reading
pistons (Part A, Figs. 4, 5). A series of hammers moved downwards and
upwards by an excentric and back springs are at the lower end of the inclined
plane (Part A, Figs. 2, 3).
The type coming down the inclined plane into the reservoir where it is
stopped by a spring, if it is the first one, or by the column of type already
introduced; then the hammer pushes it further down so as to make place for
the coming type. A pusher placed under the inclined plane and worked by an
excentric pushes each successive type to the further end of the reservoir
(bottom), so that the type in the whole column comes regularly down (Part B,
Fig. 2).
A few particulars about the different parts described above:-The pack
of type is placed inside of a gally slice, the width of which is variable, by the
way of a moveable side plate borne by two screws and the resting part of the
pack on a metallic plate corresponding to the adopted width; this plate is
supported by a screw, on the lower part of which is a disc perpendicular on
the
is disposed in such a manner by divisions in its circumference
that at each contact of a division with a spring stop each line of type is raised
or lowered. When the groove has been filled with type so as to come to a
stop then commences the distribution.
In front of the lower part of the groove and in sight of the operator is
placed a magnifying mirror (Part D, Fig. 1) in which the operator reads the
words in their regular order of spelling; then with a pedal be acts on the
excentric and with the right hand on the reading pistons, then with the left
on two levers, which we are going to describe.
One of these levers (Part F, Fig. 7) drives the type from the base of the
column through the opening which leads to the inclined plane; the second
lever modifies the opening so as to admit only one type at the time to start
to the inclined plane by the action of the first lever (Part G, Fig. 7).
For the ordinary thickness of one size of type the lever must not be acted
upon; for the thin type like i and 1, &c., the column of type has to be raised
Ly pressing on the second lever, and for the thick type like m, w, &c., tho
second lever has to be lifted. For some of the type the most employed the
lever is self-acting through the action of their reading pistons on to a lever in
communication with the last one (Part II, Figs. 2, 3, 4,) clearly shows the

page_text: action of the piston rods on the valves of the inclined plane. The advantage
of this disposition consists in the facility of repairing, and also to prevent
obstruction.
The same observations applies to our system of hammers and pu-hers (Part
A, B, Figs. 2, 3). These advantages become more evident when the type-
setting and type-distributing machine are built on the same frame.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isidore Delcambre, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ISIDORE DELCAMBRE. (L.S.)