Improvements in Linotype or Type Casting Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 13th Feb.. 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Linotype or Type Casting Machines.
A communication by PHILIP TELL DODGE, of Loan and Trust Building,
Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of America, Attorney.
1, 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 to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to the so-called "
in which molten
Linotype Machines
metal is delivered intermittingly by a pump into a 'mould where it forms type-bars
or linotypes.
The object of the invention is to maintain a constant and substantially uniform
supply of metal in the pot without requiring attention on the part of the attendant
except at long intervals, and to this end it consists in automatic mechanism whereby
the solid metal is delivered to the pot at a proper rate of speed. As it is the
practice to remelt the type-bars or linotypes after they have been once used, and
as, therefore, the metal will be mainly in the form of such bars of linotypes,
this mechanism has been constructed with special reference to the feeding of
these bars.
The essential feature of the invention consists in combining with the machine a
feed mechanism, the action of which is dependent upon or bears a due relation to
the casting operations of the machine in order that the metal may be supplied at
practically the same rate of speed at which it is delivered to the mould.
In the accompanying drawings are illustrated the device as applied to the
machine represented in numerous Letters Patent of Great Britain heretofore issued
to Ottmar Mergenthaler.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure is a vertical section from front to rear through the melting-pot, mould
and such adjacent parts as are necessary to an understanding of the invention, on
the line 1-1 of Figure 4.
Figures 2 and 3 are similar sections in outline showing the parts in different
positions.
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction
indicated by the arrow.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a vertical section with the feed devices in another form, the equivalent
of those first described.
Figure 7 is a detailed view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for operating. the
feed devices of Figure 6.
Referring to the drawings-
A represents the melting-pot sustained by tall legs a turning at their lower ends
on horizontal pivots a' whereby the pot is permitted, under the influence of the
operating gear, to swing forward and backward to and from the mould. The pot
is provided with the delivery mouth or spout a' and with the pump a³ to expel
the molten metal therethrough. At its top the pot is covered by a fixed metal
lid a*.
B represents the mould-wheel arranged in front of the pot and having the mould
cell, into which the molten metal is delivered from the mouth of the pot when
the latter is swung forward in contact with the mould.
indicated by the arrow.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a vertical section with the feed devices in another form, the equivalent
of those first described.
Figure 7 is a detailed view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for operating. the
feed devices of Figure 6.
Referring to the drawings-
A represents the melting-pot sustained by tall legs a turning at their lower ends
on horizontal pivots a' whereby the pot is permitted, under the influence of the
operating gear, to swing forward and backward to and from the mould. The pot
is provided with the delivery mouth or spout a' and with the pump a³ to expel
the molten metal therethrough. At its top the pot is covered by a fixed metal
lid a*.
B represents the mould-wheel arranged in front of the pot and having the mould
cell, into which the molten metal is delivered from the mouth of the pot when
the latter is swung forward in contact with the mould.

page_text: D represents the line of matrices arranged in front of the mould and acting to
close the same and produce the characters on the edge of the bar cast therein.
The foregoing parts may all be constructed and arranged to operate as usual.
In applying the present improvement in the form shown in Figures 1 to 5, an
upright tube or magazine E, adapted to receive a column of the type-bars or
linotypes F, lying on their sides, is erected directly over the melting-pot. This
magazine is open at both its upper and its lower ends in order that the bars may
be introduced at the top and delivered at the bottom. The magazine is sustained in
any suitable manner. As the most convenient means is recommended the rigid
arm or bracket e, bolted to the arm G, forming a fixed part of the main-frame.
The column of type-bars is sustained within the magazine by the lid or top of the
melting-pot on which the bottom bar rests. It will be observed that the top of the
pot swings forward and backward beneath the magazine.
The magazine is provided at the rear side with an opening e¹ between it and
the top of the pot, through which the bars may be delivered one at a time.
On the top of the pot is formed a rib e² of a height somewhat less than the
thickness of the type-bar and in such position that, as the pot swings backward
away from the mould, this lid acting against the lowermost bar in the column will
drive the same backward through the opening e' out of the magazine. As this
occurs the next bar will descend until it rests upon the rib e, so that it engages in
front of the ejected bar, as shown in Figure 2, the bar lying at this time on top
of the pot. At a suitable distance from the shoulder, the pot is provided with an
opening e. When the pot swings forward the ejected bar is held at rest and as
the opening e is brought beneath it, it falls therethrough into the pot. Thus it
will be seen that the pot serves as an automatic feeder to deliver the bars from
the magazine to the melting-pot within. It will also be observed that the metal
is delivered into the pot only when the pot is swung to and from its casting
position, and that as a fresh bar is delivered into the pot each time that a bar
is cast, the molten metal will be maintained at a substantially uniform level.
In that form of the mechanism represented in Figure 6, the magazine E, is in
the form of a hopper fixed on the top of the melting-pot containing in one side
an endless chain H, travelling around supporting rolls and ', at its upper and
lower ends, and provided with teeth which act to lift the bars one at a time from
the top of the hopper and drop them successively through the opening into the
melting-pot.
The parts may be driven in any suitable manner but my correspondent recommends
the employment, as shown in Figure 7, of a ratchet wheel, fixed to the shaft of
the upper roll h, in connection with an actuating pawl ³ carried by a lever h*,
mounted to turn loosely on the roll shaft and connected by a link 4, with the
lever, which actuates, as usual, the pump for delivering the molten metal from
the top of the mould.
The parts will, of course, be so proportioned and timed as to secure the delivery
of a linotype from the magazine or hopper into the pot each time that a linotype
is cast in the mould.
The essence of the invention lies in combining with the casting mechanism an
automatic mechanism for delivering the solid metal to the pot at the same or
substantially the same rate that the metal is consumed by the casting mechanism,
and it is to be understood that the invention may be modified in many forms the
mechanical equivalents of those herein mentioned.
Dated this 21st day of December 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Linotype or Type Casting Machines.
A communication by PHILIP TELL DODGE, of Loan and Trust Building,
Washington, in the District of Columbia, United States of America, Attorney.
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 so-called "Linotype Machines" in which molten
metal is delivered intermittingly by a pump into a mould where it forms type-bars
or linotypes.
The object of the invention is to maintain a constant and substantially uniform
supply of metal in the pot without requiring attention on the part of the attendant
except at long intervals, and to this end it consists in automatic mechanism whereby
the solid metal is delivered to the pot at a proper rate of speed. As it is the
practice to remelt the type-bars or linotypes after they have been once used, and as,
therefore, the metal will be mainly in the form of such bars or linotypes, this
mechanism has been constructed with a special reference to the feeding of
these bare.
The essential feature of the invention consists in combining with the machine
a feed mechanism, the action of which is dependent upon or bears a due relation
to the casting operations of the machine in order that the metal may be supplied at
practically the same rate of speed at which it is delivered to the mould.
In the accompanying drawings are illustrated the device as applied to the
machine represented in Letters Patent of Great Britain Nos. 9115 and 10525
of 1886 and 5582 and 14582 of 1890.
In the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification-
Figure 1 is a vertical section from front to rear through the melting-pot, mould
and such adjacent parts as are necessary to an understanding of the invention, on the
line 1-1 of Figure 4.
Figures 2 and 3 are similar sections in outline showing the parts in different
positions.
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated
by the arrow.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a vertical section with the feed devices in another form, the equiva-
lent of those first described.
Figure 7 is a detailed view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for operating the
feed devices of Figure 6.
Referring to the drawings-
A represents the melting-pot sustained by tall legs a turning at their lower ends
on horizontal pivots a whereby the pot is permitted, under the influence of the
operating gear, to swing forward and backward to and from the mould. The pot
is provided with the delivery mouth or spout a² and with the pump a to
expel the molten metal therethrough. At its top the pot is covered by a fixed
metal lid a.
B represents the mould-wheel arranged in front of the pot and having the mould
cell, into which the molten metal is delivered from the mouth of the pot when the
latter is swung forward in contact with the mould.
D. represents the line of matrices arranged in front of the mould and acting to
close the same and produce the characters on the edge of the bar cast therein.

page_text: ▼
The foregoing parts may all be constructed and arranged to operate as usual.
In applying the present improvement in the form shown in Figures 1 to 5, an
upright tube or magazine E, adapted to receive a column of the type-bars or lino-
types Flying on their sides, is erected directly over the melting-pot. This
magazine is open at both its upper and its lower ends in order that the bars may be
introduced at the top and delivered at the bottom. The magazine is sustained in
any suitable manner. As the most convenient means, is recommended the rigid
arm or bracket e, bolted to the arm G, forming a fixed part of the main-frame.
The column of type-bars is sustained within the magazine by the lid or top of the
melting-pot on which the bottom bar rests. It will be observed that the top of the
pot swings forward and backward beneath the magazine.
The magazine is provided at the rear side with an opening. e' between it and the
top of the pot, through which the bars may be delivered one at a time. On the top
of the pot is formed a rib e² of a height somewhat less than the thickness of the
type-bar and in such position that, as the pot swings backward away from the
mould, this lid acting against the lowermost bar in the column will drive the same
backward through the opening el out of the magazine. As this occurs, the next
bar will descend until it rests upon the rib e², so that it engages in front of the
ejected bar, as shown in Figure 2, the bar lying at this time on top of the pot. At
a suitable distance from the shoulder, the pot is provided with an opening ³.
When the pot swings forward, the ejected bar is held at rest, and as the opening e³
is brought beneath it, it falls therethrough into the pot. Thus it will be seen that.
the pot serves as an automatic feeder to deliver the bars from the magazine to the
melting-pot within. It will also be observed that the metal is delivered into the
pot only when the pot is swung to and from its casting position, and that as a
fresh bar is delivered into the pot each time that a bar is cast, the molten metal
will be maintained at a substantially uniform level.
In that form of the mechanism represented in Figure 6, the magazine, E. is in
the form of a hopper fixed on the top of the melting-pot and containing in one side
an endless chain H, travelling around supporting rolls h and h, at its upper and
lower ends, and provided with teeth which act to lift the bars one at a time from
the top of the hopper and drop them successively through the opening into the
melting-pot.
The parts may be driven in any suitable manner but my correspondent recom-
mends the employment, as shown in Figure 7, of a ratchet wheel fixed to the
shaft of the upper roll h, in connection with an actuating pawl carried by a
lever, mounted to turn loosely on the roll shaft, and connected by a link, with
the lever, which actuates, as usual, the pump for delivering the molten metal
from the top of the mould.
The parts will, of course, be so proportioned and timed as to secure the delivery
of a linotype from the magazine or hopper into the pot each time that a linotype is
cast in the mould.
The essence of the invention lies in combining with the casting mechanism an
automatic mechanism for delivering the solid metal to the pot at the same or sub-
stantially the same rate that the metal is consumed by the casting mechanism, and
it is to be understood that the invention may be modified in many forms the
mechanical equivalents of those herein mentioned.
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 type-casting mechanism, a mould, a melting-pot and a pump mechanism
for delivering the molten metal from the pot to the mould, in combination with
automotic mechanism for introducing solid metal to the pot to replace the molten
metal delivered therefrom.
2. In a type-casting mechanism, a mould, a melting-pot, and a pump mechanisin
for delivering molten metal from the pot to the mould, in combination with a

page_text: magazine or holder for metal bars or linotypes, and an automatic feed mechanism
substantially as described to deliver said bars successively to the pot as the molten
metal is delivered therefrom.
3. In a type-casting mechanism, a mould, a reciprocating melting-pot arranged to
deliver to the mould and provided with a top-opening e³ and rib e, in combination
with a stationary magazine E thereover, whereby the movement of the pot is caused
to feed the metal bars or linotypes from the magazine into the pot.
4. In a type-casting mechanism, the combination of a melting-pot, a pump for
forcing the molten metal thence to the mould, and a feed mechanism constructed
and arranged to deliver a metal bar into the mould each time that the pump is
operated to deliver molten metal therefrom.
Dated this 10th den of Bob 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.