Improvements in and connected with the Distributing Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Distributing Mechanism
of Linotype Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Sole Proprietors of, and Manufacturers, Vendors, and Licensors under,
the "Linotype" Patents, and ERNEST GIROD of No. 36 Trent Road, Brixton Hill,
in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in and connected with the distributing
mechanisms of linotype machines generally, and more particularly with the distributing
mechanism of the Mergenthaler Linotype machine as the latter is made in this
country at the present time.
The last mentioned mechanism consists of (a) a swinging elevator arm which
receives the matrices to be distributed, (b) a distributor rail and matrix traversing
screws by which the matrices are returned to their respective grooves in the magazine
of the machine, (c) a pusher by which the matrices are transferred from the end of
the elevator arm above mentioned, on to an intermediate pair of supporting rails,
(d) a lifter by which the leading matrix is lifted up within reach of the threads of the
traversing screws, and (e) a stop at the end of each of the intermediate supporting
rails against which the pusher holds the matrices.
The lifter is a vertically reciprocating bar or dog. It is pivotted by its bottom
end on one end of a ball crank lever, the other end of which enters a cam groove fast
to the axis of one of the traversing screws above mentioned.
The stops above mentioned and the parts of the lifter, are so positioned and
proportioned, that the dog is exactly under the leading matrix, when it is at the
bottom of its stroke, and that each rotation of the traversing screw rocks the bell
crank lever once and makes it lift one matrix and then return for the next, which is
forthwith pushed up to the stops by the pusher. But as the traversing screw is
always revolving, the bell crank lever is always at work-one revolution, one lift-so
that in the event of a matrix getting jammed, the said lever is stopped and both
matrix and lever are subjected to the full strain which the cam groove can exert.
Something must give way, and that something is, as a rule, the matrix, the
consequence to it being that it is bent and ruined.
According to the present invention, the constant connection between the dog and
the cam above described is replaced by one of contact only, such contact being
severable by a pull and maintained by a spring. The ball crank lever is dispensed
with. The cam is of such a contour that the dog holds its matrix up during the time
it is not returning for it and lifting it. The dog remains practically the same as
heretofore.

page_text: The
The preferred combination by which the dog is operated is as follows. It-the
dog is made fast to a vertical rod adapted to slide in a suitable guide. This guide
stands immediately under a cam fast on the end of the traversing screw and close
up to the commencement of its thread. The projection of the cam occupies only
about one quarter of the circle and its incline and decline are both sudden.
remainder three quarters of the cam periphery, is concentric with its axis. The
spring by which the vertical rod is held in contact with the cam, is a spiral one.
The top of it is made fast at a point near the top of the guide; and the bottom to
an enlargement of the rod which projects through a slot in the guide for that
purpose.
The operation of this combination is as follows. At the proper moment, the cam
projection points vertically downwards, thereby holding the dog at the bottom of its
stroke, whereupon the pusher pushes the leading matrix up to the stops, and,
therefore, immediately, over the nose of the dog. The spring which maintains the
above mentioned contact between the vertical rod and the cam, pulls the dog up as
soon as the cam projection has cleared it, thereby lifting the leading matrix high
enough to clear the stops, and holding it within the grip of the traversing screws.
As the cam projection occupies only about a quarter of a circle, the term during which
the dog is so holding the leading matrix up, is about that of three quarters of a
revolution of the traversing screw which carries the cam. The length of the said
term is important, in this way. Hitherto, the dog lifted and then quickly returned,
so leaving the matrix unsupported. It then sometimes happened that the said
matrix dropped out of the perpendicular more or less, and was engaged by the screw
threads on the skew, instead of fairly. Each matrix so engaged on the skew, was
damaged. It is now impossible for this damage to be done, for the reason that the
matrix in question is supported by the dog, acting as a fixed base under it, for so
long a time that a fair and sufficient engagement of the matrix by the traversing
screws, is a certainty.
It has already been explained that the pusher of the distributing mechanism as
constructed at present, holds the matrices up to the stops. Its action is, however,
not as perfect as it might be for the two following reasons. Its own motion is
reciprocating, that is, at certain intervals, it is swung back from the matrices to make
room for the introduction of the next lot. Besides this, in consequence of its pushing
motion being quick and caused by the pull of a spring, it rebounds. The result is
that there are many imperfections in the way it discharges its duty of holding the
matrices up to the stops. According to the present invention, neither of the motions
of the pusher are interfered with, but the top of the dog is inclined so as to present
a sloped top to the following edge of the leading matrix. The latter is, therefore,
always held up to the stop by the sloped top of the dog, and remains unaffected by
any variation in the degree of pressure exerted by the pusher upon the other
matrices.
It may sometimes be desirable to hold the dog of a distributing mechanism,
especially of one of the type above described, out of action, as for instance when
the back motion of the pusher, leaves the matrices free to back a little from the
stops. For such a purpose, there is provided a pull worked at the proper moment by
a cam in the driving mechanism of the machine. This pull preferably acts upon a
lever in combination with the vertical rod above mentioned, instead of directly upon
the rod or dog itself.
Dated this 24th day of November 1896

page_text: Improvements in and connected with the Distributing Mechanism
of Linotype Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Sole Proprietors of, and Sole Manufacturers, Vendors, and Licensors under,
the "Linotype" Patents, and ERNEST GIROD of No. 36 Trent Road, Brixton Hill, in
the County of Surrey, 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in and connected with the distributing
mechanism of linotype machines generally. It has been devised with special reference
to the distributing mechanism of the Mergenthaler Linotype Machine as that
machine is made in this country at the present time.
The last mentioned mechanism is fully described in the specification of Letters
Patent 14582 of 1890 to which reference may advantageously be made for further
information.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the right hand end of the distributing mechanism
of a Mergenthaler Linotype machine.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the lift detached from the lift box.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
For the purpose of making it quite clear how and where the present invention is
grafted on to the distributing mechanism described in the specification above
mentioned, there have been included in the accompanying figures, as many of the
parts of the said mechanism as those of the present invention fit up to. To facilitate
identification, such included parts are marked with the same reference letters as are
used in the said specification. The distributing mechanism described in the latter
consists of:-
(a.) a swinging elevator arm which receives the matrices to be distributed :
(b.) a pusher by which the matrices are transferred from the elevator arm above
mentioned on to an intermediate pair of supporting rails:
(c.) a stop at the end of each of the intermediate supporting rails up to which the
pusher holds the matrices:
(d.) a lift by which the leading matrix is lifted up within reach of the threads of
the traversing screws; and
(e.) a distributor rail and matrix traversing screws by which the matrices are
returned to their respective grooves in the matrix magazine.
A is the respective part of the main frame of the machine.
t is the free and operative end of the swinging arm above mentioned. It is a
short length of rail of the same cross section as the V-shaped notches in the tops of
the matrices Y. The said arm is not included in the figures. It is a lever having
its fulcrum in the rear of the machine, and upon which fulcrum it has an
intermittent reciprocating motion in the vertical plane, under the control of a
suitable cam. When a line of matrices is ready to be dealt with by the distributing
mechanism, it finds itself supported in a certain position in the front of the machine
and a little to one side of the plane in which moves the swinging elevator arm. The
terminals of the are through which the rail t moves, are the position of the said
rail t illustrated in Figure 1, and one of alignment of it with the line of matrices
referred to above as ready for the distributing mechanism to deal with. When the
said rail and line of matrices are so aligned, the latter are pushed on to the rail,
whereupon it is carried upwards by the swinging elevator arm into the position
illustrated in Figure 1.

page_text: W¹ is the pusher. It is a block of the same contour as a matrix so as to bear
fairly over the face of the outside matrix of those hanging from the swinging
elevator arm. It is carried by one end of a slide capable of a reciprocating horizontal
motion in a guide in the main frame of the machine, there being a cushioning
spring interposed between the block and the end of the slide. This latter receives
its motion from the top end of a lever w¹. Neither the slide nor its guide are
included in the figures for the reason that they are on the front side of the machine.
The lever has its fulcrum in the left hand side of the machine. It is moved to
the left hand of the machine (right hand looking at Figure 1) by a suitable cam to
get it out of the way of the rail t, and pulled back again by a spring after the said
rail has returned from the front of the machine with a line of matrices to be
distributed. The pusher W₁ is shaped in side elevation so as to be roughly parallel
with the cross section of the rail t as well as to be of a size to bear fairly upon the
end matrix of the line. is a second short length of rail. It is of the same cross
section as the rail t and is held to the main frame A by being made a part of the
"lift box" T. This latter is so called because it contains the part which lifts the
matrices one by one and presents them in that order to the distributor. Further,
the said rail is so positioned that it will have the rail t aligned with it and
overlapping it when the latter is at the top end of its motion, as illustrated in
Figure 1.
,,,, are matrix supporting rails fast to the inner faces of the side plates of
the lift box T, two rails on each plate. Each rail t5, has a shoulder t3; and each rail
t', one f, on its top edge; the four shoulders standing in the same vertical plane and
together constituting the stops up to which the line of matrices is pushed by the
pusher W¹ above described. An incline leads up to each shoulder t³, while a second
one 8 leads from it towards the distributor rail and traversing screws. Each incline
forms an integral part of the respective supporting rail.
is the distributor rail. In cross section it is a counterpart substantially of the
short rails t, t¹, already described; and extends horizontally over the top mouths of
the matrix magazine. Each matrix Y must be delivered on to this rail; and be
traversed by the traversing screws along it as far as the respective part of the
magazine.,, are the three traversing screws. They stand at proper
distances from the rail x to engage the edges of the matrices as soon as they
shall be brought, one by one, within the zone of their threads, respectively.
is the matrix lift. It is a vertical dog receiving a reciprocating vertical motion.
Hitherto this dog has received its motion from a bell crank lever which had its
fulcrum upon the rear side plate of the lift box T¹ in such a way as to work in a
plane parallel therewith. One arm of it extended as far as the bottom of the dog x¹
which was pivotally connected with it, while the opposite arm engaged in a cam
groove carried by one of the traversing screws. The stops, dog, and cam groove
were so positioned and proportioned that the dog was always exactly under the
leading matrix Y and that each rotation of the cam rocked the bell crank lever once,
making it lift the said matrix and then return for the next one, which would be
forthwith pushed up to the stops by the pusher W. But as the traversing screw is
always revolving, the bell crank was always at work without provision for being
thrown out of action, so that if ever a matrix got jammed between the dog x¹ and the
distributor rail x, the bell crank lever was stopped and both matrix and lever were
subjected to the full strain which the cam groove could exert. Something was
obliged to give way under these circumstances, and that something was, as a rule,
the matrix, which would be bent and ruined.
According to the present invention, the constant connection between the dog
and cam, which we have just described, is replaced by one of contact only, such
contact being, on the part of the dog, established and maintained by a spring, while
the cam has control of the dog only to depress it. The dog may, therefore, be held
down against the action of the said spring, and out of the reach of the cam. The
bell crank lever is dispensed with altogether. The contour of the cam is such that

page_text: the dog holds its matrix up during the time that it is not returning for one and
lifting it, the groove formerly in it being replaced by a radial projection.
Such being the improved relationship between the dog and the cam, the invention
is to be regarded as including any suitable connecting mechanism. The preferred
mechanism is as follows:
The dog x¹ has, as heretofore, a reciprocating vertical motion, but is now carried
by a vertical rod 27 capable of a like motion in suitable guides 28, 29.
The connection between the dog ¹ and the rod a consists of a pin projecting
laterally through a vertical slot a³ in the front face of the bottom guide, and
into and through a socket on the bottom of the said dog, and which socket can
turn freely on the pin 30. The rod is directly underneath the cam.
23 is &
spring resilient between the bottom guide 29 as a base and a pin fast to the rod x27
and projecting laterally from it, and adapted therefore to put the dog x through its
lifting motion and to keep it stationary at the top of it so long as the rod 27 is free
of the cam. 5 is the cam. It is fast on a threadless prolongation of the traversing
screw 28. The projection of the cam is only a small proportion of its periphery,
and its incline and decline are both sudden. The remainder of the cam periphery,
i.e., all of such periphery other than the projection, the incline and the decline, has
too short a radius to reach the top of the rod 27. The operation of the connecting
mechanism just described is as follows:-
At the proper moment, the cam projection points vertically downwards, thereby
holding the dog at at the bottom of its stroke, whereupon the pusher W₁ pushes the
leading matrix up to the stops, and therefore, immediately over the nose of the
dog 1. The spring which maintains the above mentioned contact between
the vertical rod 27 and the cam 235, pulls the dog a¹ up, as soon as the cam
projection has cleared it, thereby lifting the leading matrix high enough to clear
the stops, and holding it within the zones of the traversing screws ³, 9. As the
cam projection with its incline and decline, occupy so short an arc, the term
during which the dog x is holding the leading matrix up, is about three quarters of
a revolution of the traversing screws 8, d. The length of the said term is
important, in this way. Hitherto, the dog x lifted, and then quickly returned, so
leaving the matrix unsupported. It then sometimes happened that the said matrix
dropped out of the perpendicular more or less, and was engaged by the screw threads
on the skew, instead of fairly. Each matrix so engaged on the skew, was damaged.
It is now impossible for this damage to be done, for the reason that the matrix in
question is supported by the dog a, acting as a fixed base under it, for so long a
time that a fair and sufficient engagement of the matrix by the traversing screws is
a certainty.
It has already been explained that the pusher W¹ of the distributing mechanism as
constructed at present, holds the line of matrices up to the stops. Its action is,
however, in spite of the interposed cushioning spring aforesaid, not as perfect as it
might be for the two following reasons. Its motion is reciprocating, that is, at
certain intervals, it is swung back from the matrices then on the rail t¹ to make room
for the rail t with the next line. Besides this, in consequence of the holding up
motion of the pusher being too quick and caused by the pull of a spring, the said
pusher rebounds more or less. The result is that there are many imperfections in
the way it discharges its duty of holding the matrices up to the stops. According to
the present invention, neither of the motions of the pusher W¹ are interfered with,
but the top of the dog x is inclined so as to present a sloped top to the bottom
edge of the leading matrix. It is obvious that the decline of the slope must be
from the left downwards to the right looking at it from the front of the machine.
The latter is, therefore, always held up to the stops by the said sloped top 27 and
remains unaffected by any variation in the degree of pressure exerted by the
pusher W upon the other matrices.
It may sometimes be desirable to hold the dog x of a distributing mechanism,
especially one of the type above described, out of action; as for instance when the

page_text: back motion of the pusher W¹ leaves the line of matrices free to back away from the
stops a little.
For such a purpose, there is provided a pull which is connected more or less
directly with the dog x, and operated at the proper moment by a cam suitably
connected with the driving mechanism of the machine. This pull, preferably, acts
upon the dog through a lever as having its fulcrum in the rear side plate of the
lift box T¹ and its free end resting upon a pin or equivalent lateral expansion of the
rod 27.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The herein before described combination of a dog; cam; and connecting
mechanism; whereby the cam can only depress the dog, and the dog can act as a
fixed base under the matrix which it is holding up.
2. The herein before described combination with the stops of a distributor lift box;
of a vertically reciprocating dog having a sloped top adapted to hold the matrices
which it is lifting, up to the said stops.
3. The hereinbefore described combination with a matrix lifting dog and devices
for giving it a reciprocating vertical motion; of a pull capable of holding the said
dog out of action.
4. The herein before described combination of matrix stops; vertically reciprocating
dog having a sloped top adapted to hold the matrix which it is lifting, up to the
said stops; cam; connecting mechanism whereby the cam can only depress the dog,
and the dog can act as a fixed base under the matrix which it is holding up.
5. The hereinbefore described combination of matrix stops; vertically reciprocating
dog having a sloped top adapted to hold the matrix which it is lifting, up to the said
stops; cam; and connecting mechanism whereby the cam can only depress the dog
and the dog can act as a fixed base under the matrix which it is holding up; and a
pull capable of holding the said dog out of action.
6. The herein before described combination with dog; cam, and connecting
mechanism whereby the cam can only depress the dog and the dog can act as a fixed
base under the matrix which it is holding up; of a pull capable of holding the said
dog out of action.
7. The combination of dog; vertical rod to which it is fast; guides for the said
rod; spring adapted to lift the said rod and dog; and cam rotating above the
said rod and adapted to depress the said dog quickly and to release it quickly; as
set forth.
8. The combination of dog; vertical rod to which it is made fast; guides for the
said rod; spring adapted to lift the said rod and dog; cam rotating above the said
rod and adapted to depress the said dog quickly and to release it quickly; and pull
capable of holding the said rod out of action; as set forth.
9. The combination of matrix stops; vertically reciprocating dog having a sloped
top adapted to hold the matrix wbich it is lifting, up to the said stops, vertical rod to
which the said dog is made fast; guides for the said rod; spring adapted to lift the
said rod and dog; cam rotating above the said rod and adapted to depress the said
dog quickly and to release it quickly; and pull capable of holding the said dog out
of action, as set forth.
لسم
11007
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.