Improvements in Printers' Type.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
Improvements in Printers' Type.
A communication from abroad by BRYANT GODWIN, of Franfort Street, New
York, United States of America, Merchant.
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 invention to be
as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to printers' types and has for its object the production of
a type which shall support upon its shank without kerns, the projecting lines of
script and similar letters, and its novelty consists in the means employed to effect
this purpose.
As is well known in the printers' art, in script and some other styles of letters,
part of the face of the letter overhangs the shank being supported from the same
by what is known as a kern, as is illustrated in Figure 1 hereinafter referred to.
The disadvantages of using such types are numerous, the cost is greater, special
machinery is needed for their manufacture, they require extra labour to finish
them and they are easily broken in use. A type without kerns and having a solid
shank has long been needed for this class of letters, and the disadvantages spoken
of have been attempted to be overcome by making the shanks of the entire body
oblique, but when this is done, the types slip past each other, and become piled
upon application of lateral pressure so that they cannot easily be lifted up and
locked in a forme. The object of this invention is to overcome these difficulties
and, is accomplished, in brief, by supporting the letter without kerns upon a
type body having an oblique shank the sides of which are substantially parallel to
the line of symmetry of the letter, and the belly and back of which are provided
with rectangular projections made integral with the oblique shank, and the sides of
which are parallel with and at right angles to the line of print whereby adjacent
types are prevented from slipping.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a type made with a kern in the form now
commonly employed;
Figure 2 is a similar view of a space used therewith;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the kernless types made in accordance
with this invention and
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views of accompanying spaces; and
Figure 6 is a top view of a word set up with the improved kernless types and
spaces.
Referring to the drawings A is the rectangular shank of a type having a kern a.
B is a space designed to accompany the same and has a sloping side b to fit under
the kern of the adjacent letter, B is one of the improved kernless types having a
shank the sides of which d¹ and dare substantially parallel to the axis of
symmetry of the letter cast upon its face. The belly and back of the shank are
each provided with the rectangular projections M and M' the two surfaces of
which m and m³ are parallel to the line of print and the other two surfaces of
which n and n' are at right angles therewith, making in effect, a combination of an
oblique shank between two straight ones upon the same body. The projec-
tions M and M like the usual rectangular types offer a direct resistance to the
pressure brought upon the line of type when it is picked up by the hand or locked
'
دنم
5
Figure 2 is a similar view of a space used therewith;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the kernless types made in accordance
with this invention and
Figures 4 and 5 are similar views of accompanying spaces; and
Figure 6 is a top view of a word set up with the improved kernless types and
spaces.
Referring to the drawings A is the rectangular shank of a type having a kern a.
B is a space designed to accompany the same and has a sloping side 6 to fit under
the kern of the adjacent letter, B is one of the improved kernless types having a
shank d' the sides of which d¹ and dare substantially parallel to the axis of
symmetry of the letter cast upon its face. The belly and back of the shank are
each provided with the rectangular projections M and M' the two surfaces of
which m and m¹ are parallel to the line of print and the other two surfaces of
which n and n' are at right angles therewith, making in effect, a combination of an
oblique shank between two straight ones upon the same body. The projec-
tions M and M like the usual rectangular types offer a direct resistance to the
pressure brought upon the line of type when it is picked up by the hand or locked
دنم

page_text: in a chase and the types are prevented from slipping. S is a space designed to
accompany kernless type, constructed according to the present invention one
side of the shanks is at right angles to the line of print, and the belly T and
back are parallel therewith, the other side of the shank is divided into three
parts, one, adapted to engage with the oblique portion of the shank of the type
and substantially parallel to the line of symmetry of the letter cast on the type,
and two others perpendicular to the line of print and y parallel to the line of
print thus forming a rectangular projection adapted to engage with the rect-
angular recess on the types.
Types have heretofore been devised with oblique bodies which would support
the whole face of a script or similar letter without kerns, and such oblique type
bodies have been provided with projections and indentions placed at, or near, the
middle of the shank and adapted to interlock together and further matrices have
been made designed to produce type bodies the sides of which were interrupted by
reëntrant angles but such types will not serve the purposes and functions of double
bodied types made according to this invention and are not capable of being used
with types having the ordinary rectangular bodies, as the present ones are, by the
use of the spaces described which are adapted to be used with both kinds.
Dated this 29th day of June 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Printers' Type.
A communication by BRYANT GODWIN, of Franfort Street, New York, United
States of America, Merchant.
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
invention 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 printers' types, and has for its object the production of
a type which shall support upon its shank without kerns the projecting lines of
script and similar letters; and its novelty consists in the means employed to effect
this purpose.
"
As is well known in the printers' art, in script and some other styles of
letters, part of the face of the letter overhangs the shank, being supported from
the same by what is known as a "kern as is illustrated in Figure 1, hereinafter
referred to. The disadvantages of using such types are numerous: the cost is
greater, special machinery is needed for their manufacture, they require extra
labour to finish them, and they are easily broken in use. A type without kerns and
having a solid shank has long been needed for this class of letters, and the dis-
advantages spoken of have been attempted to be overcome by making the shanks of
the entire body oblique; but when this is done the types slip past each other and
become pied upon the application of lateral pressure, so that they cannot easily be
lifted up and locked in a forme.
The object of this invention is to overcome these difficulties, and it is accom-
plished in brief, by supporting the letter without kerns upon a type body having an
oblique shank, the sides of which are substantially parallel to the line of symmetry
of the letter, and the belly and back of which are provided with rectangular pro-
jections made integral with the oblique shank, and the sides of which are parallel
with and at right angles to the line of print, whereby adjacent types are prevented
from slipping.

page_text: employed.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a space used therewith.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the kernless types.
Figs. 4 & 5 are similar views of accompanying spaces, and
Fig. 6 is a top view of a word set up with the improved kernless types and
spaces.
Referring to the drawings, A. is the rectangular shank of a type having a.
kerna.
B is a space designed to accompany the same, and has a sloping side to fit.
under the kern of the adjacent letter.
D is one of the kernless types, having a shank d', the sides d" and of which
are substantially parallel to the axis of symmetry of the letter cast upon its face.
The belly and back of the shank are each provided with the rectangular projec-.
tions M and M', two surfaces of which mand m' are parallel to the line of print,
and the other two surfaces of which a and n' are at right angles therewith, making,
in effect, a combination of an oblique shank between two straight ones upon the
same type-body. The projections M and M₁ like the usual rectangular types,
offer a direct resistance to the pressure brought upon the line of type when it.
is picked up by the hand or locked in a chase, and the types are prevented from
slipping.
S is a space designed to accompany the kernless type. One side of the shank s
is at right angles to the line of print and the belly T and back are parallel
therewith. The other side of the shank is divided into three parts, one adapted
to engage with the oblique portion of the shank of the type and substantially
parallel to the line of symmetry of the letter cast on the type, and two others
perpendicular to the line of print, and y, parallel to the line of print, thus forming
a rectangular projection adapted to engage with the rectangular recess on the
types.
My correspondent is aware that types have heretofore been devised with oblique
bodies which would support the whole face of a script or similar letter without..
kerns, and that such oblique type-bodies have been provided with projections and
indentations at or near the middle of the shank and adapted to interlock together,,
and that matrices have been made designed to produce type-bodies, the sides of
which were interrupted by re-entrant angles; but such types will not serve the
purposes and functions of the double-bodied types, and are not capable of being.
used with types having the ordinary rectangular bodies, as his are by the use of
the spaces described, which are adapted to be used with both kinds.
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
1st. A type-body without kerns, having an oblique shank, the sides of which are
substantially parallel with the axis of the latter upon its face, and the belly and
back of which are provided with rectangular projections made integral with the.
said shank, and the sides of which are parallel with and at right angles to the line
of print.
2nd. A printers' type, the body of which consists of an oblique shank inter-
mediate two rectangular shanks and supporting upon its compound face a script or
similar letter without kerns.
3rd. A type-body without kerns, having an oblique shank, the oblique sides of
which are substantially parallel with the axis of the letter upon its face, and said
sides being provided with a surface or surfaces perpendicular to the line of print,
adapted to engage a corresponding surface or surfaces on other similar type-bodies,.
substantially as shown and described.
4th. A type-space having one side of the body at right angles to the line of.

page_text: print, the belly and back parallel therewith, and the other side oblique, the said
oblique side having a surface or surfaces perpendicular to the line of print, adapted
to engage a corresponding surface or surfaces on oblique sides of other type-bodies,
substantially as shown and described.
Dotad this 241 day of Mansl 1940
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.