Year: 1886

page_text: I, HENRY C. LELAND, of Hartford, Connecticut, one of the United States of
America, Printer, 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 machine is adapted to be loaded with type from a galley, by an operative
who rapidly presses the lines of type one after another into a series of radial
channels in the machine; and when being loaded, it is adapted to automatically
distribute type, from already loaded channels, by means of the intermittent motion
incident to loading; and when loaded it is adapted to be run by by a steam
engine, or other source of rotary motion, and to automatically distribute the type
at a high rate of continuous speed.
Figure 1, of the drawings, is a plan of the machine. Figure 2, is a radial
clevation of a radial portion of the revolving table, and of one of the radial dis-
tributors and distributor cases, which partly encircle that table. Figure 3, is a plan
view of what is shown, in radial elevation, in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a fragmentary
radial elevation of the remoter side of the radial portion of the table shown in
Figure 2. Figure 5, is an elevation of the left hand end of the radial portion of the
table shown in Figures 2 and 3. Figure 6 is an elevation of the right hand end of
the radial distributor, and distributor case, shown in Figures 2 and 3. Figure 7 is
a perspective view of a distributor, one of which works in each distributor case.
The numeral 1, indicates a level annular surface, appurtenant to the frame which
supports the operating parts of the machine; and the bracket 2, projects from the
same frame, and supports the apparatus, which holds the galleys, from which the
lines of type are pressed into the radial channels in the revolving table 3. That
table revolves, in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, around the shaft 4,
which shaft may be turned with a hand crank, or by gearing worked by steam
or other power.
The upper side of the revolving table is a plain level surface throughout, except
that a collar 5 may surround the upper end of the shaft; and its periphery is a
true circle, except that the recess 6 is cut into it radially, at one place, in order
to give easy access to the distributors when that recess passes thein, one after
another, during the revolutions of the table. A series of wedge shaped rails 7 are
Pies S1

page_text: fastened down radially upon the revolving table 6, about one fourth of an inch
apart, and throughout all of its surface except a few degrees adjacent to the
recess 6. A few of these rails 7, are represented in Figure 1, and the places for
the residue are indicated by the long wedge shaped radial spaces in that Figure.
Each of those spaces is furnished with one of the rails 7, and with its appur-
tenances, to understand the construction of all of which attention may be directed
to the detailed drawings of Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. In Figure 3, two adjacent rails
are shown at full size. Each of them has a quadrangular recess cut away from its
forward outer corner.
Under that recess, and also partly under the inwardly adjacent portion of the
rail 7, the slot S is cut through the table. The sliding dog 9 is fitted in a longi-
tudinal recess on the forward side' of the rail 7, so as to reciprocate lengthwise
of that recess, against the resistance, or under the action, of the spring 10.
The upward projection 11, of the dog 9, reciprocates in the recess in the rail 7,
while the downward projection 12, of the dog, reciprocates in the recess 8, and
is provided, below the latter, with the roller 13. In the rear of each rail 7,
and between it and the next following rail 7, the oscillating rail 14, turns within
narrow limits upon the pivot 15, under the action, or against the resistance,
of the spring 16. The rail 14 is a flat piece of metal as wide as the rail 7 is
high, and it extends from the pivot 15, to the outer end of the rail 7, where
it terminates in a projection 17, extending over the extreme outer end of the
rail 7, and provided with the upper and lower wings 18 and 19. The wing 18
is exactly over the wing 19, and, like it, is provided with the inclined edge 20,
leading to the point of the right angled hook-like shoulder 21. The projec-
tion 17, between its two wings 18 and '19, presents the inclined. surface shown
in elevation in Figure 5, and indicated in plan view by the dotted line 22 in
Figure 12.
A shallow recess is cut into the vertical corner of the rail 14, adjacent
to the nicked edge, of the outer type, of the channel of which that rail constitutes
one side, in order to give abundant entrance to the wing of the distributor as
hereinafter set forth. At the rear of each rail 14, and between it and the next
following rail 7, is the follower 23.
This is a flat piece of metal similar in width
to the rail 14. It is forced toward the outer end of the radial channel between
the rails 7 and 14, by means of the cord 24 drawn over the pulley 25 by the
coiled spring 26. The space between the rear of each rail 14, and the front of each
rail 7 and dog 9, and forward of the outer end of the follower between the two
rails, is a radial type channel, and a line of type is shown in each of two such a
channel in Figures 3 and 5, and is marked 27. One of these lines of type, is also
shown in Figure 2. The line of type, in each type channel, is held on its forward
side by the adjacent rail 14 and on its rear side by the adjacent rail 7, and dog 9;
and at its inner end by the adjacent follower 23; and at its outer end by the
shoulders 21, on the wings 18 and 19, respectively, of the adjacent rail 14. Those
shoulders extend about half way across the side of the outer type in the line, as
shown in Figure 5. Each follower has its own spring 26, and is supported by a
bracket 28, attached to the lower side of the revolving table.
Fastened, at one point, to the annular surface 1, is the bracket 29, carrying the
roller 30, the function of which roller is to press downward, into its radial channel,
any type which may become slightly elevated therein. A series of distributor
cases, one of which is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 6, and is marked 31, and is
provided with a bolt 32, are also fastened by their bolts, to the annular surface 1,
in the form of a segment of a circle, as shown in Figure 1. Each of these dis-
tributor cases is on a radial line with the axis of the revolving table 3; and is
provided with a distributor 33. Two of them are shown in Figure 1 as being thus
provided, and all, in imagination, may be so considered. The distributor is shown
in Figure 7, as consisting of a bat piece of metal, bent into the shape of a long
letter U, with parallel sides, the two sides being fastened by two pins 34 and 35,
passing through both, and constituting two projections from each side of the
distribu'or. The inner border of the wing 36, of the distributor is provided with

page_text: the three feelers 37, 38 and 39, arranged in position to correspond with the feeler
nicks to be made in the particular kind of type to be extracted from the type
channels of the revolving table, by that distributor.
Each distributor is placed in its case by pressing its pins into the right angled
slits which are made in each wall of the case for their reception. Behind each
distributor, and within its case, the spring 40 is located, so as to force the dis-
tributor toward the axis of the revolving table. Each distributor case is also
provided with the partition 41, along the upper surface of which the type fall
from the distributor into the cup 42, immediately below. An entire series of such
cups is shown in Figure 1. The set screw 43 is also fitted horizontally into each
distributor case, and acts as an adjustable protuberance to force the roller 13, or
its equivalent cam, to carry back the dog 9, into its recess in the rail 7, against the
action of the spring 10.
The bracket 2 terminates in the quadrangular open frame 44, the side pieces 45
and 46 of which are higher than the end pieces. Fitted in those side pieces are
the pulleys 47 and 48 respectively. Two cords 49 and 50 pass over those pulleys,
respectively, and thence below the frame 44, and are attached at their upper ends
to the bail 51, and at their lower ends to a weight not shown in the drawings. A
galley tray, containing a galley of type, is placed on the frame 44, between its
elevated sides 45 and 46. The galley of type is placed on the right hand side of
the galley tray if not wide enough to fill the whole tray, and it is blocked there
by the square 52, and as many other pieces of wood or metal 53, as are required.
A block 54 presses against the head of the galley, and the blocks 55 and 56 are
placed between the block 54 and the bail 51. When the bail is not in use, it may
be hooked over the pins 57 and 58. The grooved rail 59 is fastened to the front
end piece of the frame 44, and the adjustable rail 60 is fastened to the base of the
right hand end of the rail 59, leaving a channel between the two rails wide enough
for the passage of a line of type.
The plunger 61 is worked by the handle 62, forward and backward on the
grooved rail 59. During its forward stroke it forces the first line of type in the
galley, into the channel between the rails 59 and 60, and during its backward
stroke, it forces any adjacent lead back, and away from the galley, and into a
proper receptacle below."
The mode of operation of this machine is as follows: The galley of type for
distribution being placed as shown in Figure 1; and one of the radial type
channels being on a line with the channel between the rails 50, and 60; and the
extreme right hand end of the rail 59, being almost in contact with the adjacent
end of the dog 9; the operative forces the plunger 61, to the right hand limit of
its stroke, and in so doing he forces the first line of the galley of type shown in
Figure 1, into the channel between the rails 59 and 60 and thence into the
adjacent radial channel. When the adjacent end, of that line of type, reaches the
inclined edges 20, of the wings 18 and 19, it forces them, and the rail 14, sidewise
against the action of the spring 16, and toward the rail 7, and thus makes room
for the entrance of the line of type into the radial type channel; which as it
proceeds, forces the follower 23, back toward the axis of the table 3, against the
action of the spring 26. When the plunger is withdrawn toward the left of its
stroke, it allows the rail 14, to be forced by the spring 16 to the position shown in
Figure 3, so that the shoulders 21, of the wings 18 and 19, prevent the follower 23
from forcing the line of type out of the radial channel. During the backward
stroke of the plunger 61, any adjacent lead in the galley is forced backward, and
away from the galley. Then the operative again forces the plunger forward, and
thus again forces a line of type into the same radial channel as before, and thus
forces the first line still further inward against the follower 23. The operative
continues to repeat these operations till the follower 53, is forced back to the inner
end of its channel, and that channel is thus fully loaded with type.
In the mean-
time, the galley has been fed forward to the plunger by means of the weight,
operating on the cords 49 and 50, and the bail-51.

page_text: The revolving table is then turned forward so as to bring the next following
radial channel in a line with the channel between the rails 59 and 60, and is held
in that position pending the loading of that channel in the same way as the other
one was loaded. Then the operative fills the presented radial channel with type
in the same way that be filled its predecessor, and having done so he again
proceeds as before, till all the radial channels are filled with type, and the machine
thus fully loaded.
While the latter part of this loading is going forward, the already loaded
channels are being operated upon by the distributors whenever an intermittent
motion of the table occurs, in substantially the same way that they are afterward
operated upon by the continuous motion of the table, as hereinafter explained.
The distributor cases 31 are provided with distributors 33, at least as numerous
as the kinds of combinations of nicks in the type in the radial channels; and each
distributor is provided with a combination of feelers corresponding in number, size
and position with the feeler nicks on the forward edges of one only of those kinds
of type. Examples of two such combinations of feeler nicks are shown in Figure 5.
Each of the distributors will therefore act upon one kind of type only, as the
different lines of type in the different radial channels pass in review before it. The
radial channels being entirely loaded, the table is continuously and rapidly revolved
in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1, and thus continuously distributes type
as follows:
When the outer type, of those in a particular channel, reaches the distributor
which is furnished with feelers to correspond with the nicks in that type, that
distributor extracts that type from that channel, and drops it into the cup below.
The mode of operation by which this is done is illustrated by Figures 2 to 6
inclusive. Figure 3 shows that the wings of the distributors pass between the
wings 18 and 19 of each of the rails 14, as the outer ends of those rails are, one
after another carried past each distributor in succession by the revolution of the
table in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1. The angular slits in the side
walls of the distributor case 31, are of such a horizontal extent that the utmost
inward movement of the distributor 33, carries its wing 36 into contact with the
forward border of the inclined surface 17 of the rail 14. As the table continues to
revolve, that inclined surface forces the distributor gently backward against the
resistance of the spring 40, till the wing 36¹ rides over the presented surface of the
outer type in the radial channel, which surface is on a line with the rear border of
the inclined surface 17. Then when the wing 36 of the distributor, reaches the
outer type, its feelers, if they correspond with the feeler nicks in that type, are
forced to enter those nicks by the spring 40, and the presented edge of the wing 36
is also forced to enter, between the forward edge of the type and the adjacent
recessed corner of the rail 14. At the same instant, the protuberance 43, forces
the roller 13, or its equivalent cam, and the dog 9, back toward the axis of the
table 3, just far enough to allow the outer type in the channel to be arrested by
the wing 36, without impeding the revolution of the table 3. In being arrested,
the outer type is forced out of the radial channel, past the face of the dog 9, and
away from being held between the shoulders 21 of the wings 18 and 19 on the one
side, and the next type in the channel on the other. Thus released, the type falls
between the two wings of the distributor and thence down upon the partition 41,
and thence into the cup below. The instant it is thus taken out of the channel,
the follower 23 forces the whole of the remaining type in the channel forward a
distance corresponding with the space occupied by the type removed.
When the outer type of those in a particular channel, reaches a distributor
furnished with feelers which do not correspond with the feeler nicks in that type,
both wings of that distributor ride over the presented surface of that type without
injuring it or moving it from its place in the channel.
The distributors may be transposed in their cases at will, or several sets of
distributors, to distribute different fonts of type may be used in the same set of
distributor cases; care being taken to so adjust the set screw 43 in each distributor

page_text: case, that it will force the roller 13, or its equivalent cam, and thus the dog 9 back
just far enough to allow the egress of type of the thickness of that to be distributed
by the distributor in that case for the time being.
The type in the radial channels continues to be distributed by the various
distributors arranged around the revolving table, as long as the table continues to
revolve, and the type remains unexhausted in any of the channels. When the
type is exhausted in any one channel the outer end of its follower 23 is presented
to the distributors, and as it has no feeler nicks to give entrance to any distributor,
they all ride harmlessly over it.
In that specimen of my machine which I have constructed and used, I do not
find any evil to result from the slight friction involved in the passage of the
wings 36 and 36¹ along the surfaces 17, on the ends of the rails 14; but if that
friction is desired or required to be avoided, that result may be obtained by using
rollers to force the distributors outward, in substantially the same way that the
rollers 13 force the dogs 9 inward.
The various radial channels have no joint operation and therefore no particular
number of them are required. The more numerous they are, the more type will be
distributed at each revolution of the table. Nor do the various distributors have
any joint operation among themselves; but they are at least as numerous as the
varieties of combinations of feeler nicks in the type to be distributed. Additional
distributors may be used for type of frequent occurrence in a galley, so that such a
type, when it happens to be at the outer end of a particular channel, may speedily
find a distributor to extract it therefrom.
The type channels may be parallel instead of radial, and the distributors
arranged in a straight rank instead of in an arc of a circle. In such a case, the
ends of the type channels would be carried past the wings of the distributors, or
the wings of the distributors be carried past the ends of the type channels, by a
rectilinear motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The distributor 33, having the penetrating wing 36, provided with feelers,
substantially as described.
2. The rail 14, having the inclined surface 17, at the outer end of its body, and
having the wings 18 and 19, projecting horizontally therefrom, and each of those
wings having the inclined edge 20, and the shoulder 21, all substantially as
described.
3. The combination of the rail 7%; the dog 9; the spring 10; the rail 14; and
the follower 23; all substantially as described.
4. The combination of the rail 7; the dog 9; the spring 10; the rail 14; the
follower 23; and the distributor 33; all substantially as described.
5. A series of channels, each of which is adapted to hold a line of variously
nicked type, pressed toward the exits of the channels by springs; in combination
with a series of type distributors, provided with variously arranged feelers to
correspond with the variously nicked type, respectively, and pressed toward those
type by springs; and in combination with mechanism, substantially as described,
to move one series past the other, so that the distributors will remove the type
from the channels, in a direction substantially at right angles to the longitudinal
direction of those channels; all substantially as described.