Improvements in Machines for Removing the Projecting Fins from. Туре
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892 :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES BULLOCK, 265, North Avenue,
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America, Dentist.]
Improvements in Machines for Removing the Projecting Fins from.
Туре.
1
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 machine for finishing type, after casting by removing
the projecting fins and sprue marks that are left on the type by the mold. This
work has usually been done by hand, by rubbing the four sides of the body of the
type on a grinding surface so as to remove all parts that project beyond the four
sides of the body of the type, although attempts have been made to perform this
work by machinery, usually by forcing the type against one or more stationary
cutters which trim off the projecting parts on one or more sides.
Such machines have not however proved satisfactory in practice and have not
been generally adopted.
The present invention is embodied in a machine having pairs of rotary cutters.
between which the type are passed successively in longitudinal direction, the space
between each pair of cutters being equal to the thickness of the body of the type
in one direction, so that the type passing between said cutters has all the pro-
jecting portions on two faces removed. There are two pairs of said rotary cutters
one to trim one pair of opposite faces of the body of the type, and the other to trim
the other pair of faces, and it is necessary either that the two pairs of cutters
should turn about axes at right angles one to the other, or that the type should be
turned quarter around itslongitudinal axis in passing from one pair of cutters to
the other so that each pair may act upon the proper faces of the type.
As shown in this instance the type are fed to the cutters partly by gravity and
partly by feed wheels, and both pairs of cutters and feed wheels turn about a
horizontal axis, the type receiving an axial quarter turn in passing from one pair
of cutters to the next. Means are provided for adjusting the distance between the
cutters so that they may act upon type of different size and as the thickness of the
type shauk in one direction, that is in line with the height of the letter of the type,
is the same for an entire font of type, one pair of cutters will need to be adjusted
only for each new fout, while the other pair will have to be adjusted for type of
different thickness in the same font, used for the different letters and characters.
A carrier is provided which takes the type onc at a time as they come from the
cutters and places them in upright position side by side in a guide way, through
which the column is pressed by the successively entering type, and caused to pass
over a saw or cutter which receives the sprue marks from the bottom of the type.
In working the machine the type are fed one at a time into an inclined guide
way down which they pass by gravity to the first pair of feed wheels which present
them to the first pair of cutters through which they are carried both by gravity
and by the action of the following type presented by the feed wheels and after
leaving the first pair of cutters they pass over an inclined chute having a quarter
turn which causes the type passing over it to be turned quarter around axially, in
which position they are taken by the second pair of feed wheels, and presented to
the second pair of cutters after passing which they are taken by the carrier and
placed in column in the guide way through which they pass over the sprue cutter
and are delivered from the machine.
All the type corresponding to one character or having one thickness of body are

page_text: first finished, after which the upper pair of cutters are set for type or characters of
another thickness, which are then passed through; and so on.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is
side elevation of a type finishing machine embodying this invention.
Figure 2 a plan view thereof.
Figure 3 a central longitudinal vertical section showing the carrier and receiving
guide in side elevation.
Figure 4 a transverse vertical section on line x, x, Figure 2, and
Figure 5 a transverse vertical section on broken line y y Figure 2.
Figure 1 is on a smaller scale than the remaining figures and shows the driving
shaft, which is omitted in the other figures.
The working parts of the machine are supported on a suitable frame or bed
plate A which may be mounted on a suitable table' A³ see Figure 1, on which is
supported the actuating counter shaft a provided with pullies from which is driven
a belt a² that drives the pulley that actuates the carrier and has connected with
it a small pulley co-operating with a belt c that drives the type feed wheels as will
be hereinafter described.
The said frame piece A supports an inclined bed plate A² on which is mounted
the type support and guide-way B the inclination of which as shown in Figure 3 is
sufficient to cause the type to slide from its higher to its lower end by the action of
gravity.
The said type support B is mainly in the form of a flat table or platform which
is however, recessed at the places where the finishing cutters d, d and e, e², operate,
as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the parts of said table or platform B above and
below each pair of cutters being connected by a U-shaped portion or bridge B².
The type to be finished are contained in a suitable tray or reservoir C near the
higher end of the supporting guide B as shown, and the type (which are represented
by the letter T and some of which are shown in the different positions assumed in
the, operation of the machine) are placed one at a time, by the operator in the
upper end of the type guide way care being taken that the type is placed in proper
position in said. guide way in this instance with the sprue end forward and the
nicked side uppermost so that the width of the body is presented to the first or
upper pair of cutters d, d.
The type guide-way comprises the inclined bed B which constitutes the floor of
said guide way, and other guides mounted on said bed engage the sides of the body
of the type said guides as well as the cutters being adjustable to co-operate with.
type of different thicknesses or widths of body.
The first pair of said lateral guide ways are represented at said guide ways
having flaring ends where the type are received as shown in Figure 2, connected
with the bed pieces B by screws thus enabling them to be set at a proper
distance apart for the width of the type characters at any time being finished.
The said guide piece f should be set so as to allow the type to pass freely
between them, it being merely necessary to prevent possibility of the type
rolling over or turning axially while passing between the said guides, and the
inclination of the guide way is such, as before stated, that the type will slide
downward therein.
The lower ends of the guide pieces fare provided with slightly yielding fingers f
which centre the type and present the same to the first pair of feed wheels which
are a pair of slightly yielding discs or flanges mounted upon a shaft g and one
being adjustable towards and from the other on said shaft to accommodate type of
different thickness.
The said feed wheels are sufficiently yielding to enable them to be set close
enough to press slightly against the opposite faces of the type and are notched or
nicked around their periphery as best shown in Figure 3, so as to make their edge
portions more yielding, and also to. provide recesses which receive the projection
that is usually formed in casting at the shoulder of the type or point where the
face portions joins the body portion.
:.

page_text: Such projections will naturally drop into the first notches of the wheels that
meet it, as it travels down the guide way after which the said wheels will have a
positive action to feed the type to the cutters d, d the cutting teeth of which are
so formed as to have cutting action both on their periphery and on their inner faces
so that they immediately cut off all parts that project beyond the faces of the type
body as it passes between said cutters.
As before stated, the supporting bed B is recessed at the points where the cutters
act on the type and it is consequently necessary to provide another floor or support
for the type while passing between the cutters, which themselves constitute the
side guides for the type during this part of their movement. Such support for the
type is provided by means of a bridge piece which is provided with tenons or
projections working in grooves as shown at in the ends of the portions of the
platform B thus providing for the removal of a given bridge piece and substitution
of a wider or narrower one as may be required when type of different size are to be
finished.
The said bridge piece need not be wide enough to completely fill the space
between the cutters and consequently a single bridge piece may be used for type
varying considerably in thickness, so that a comparatively small number of bridge
pieces is required to accommodate type of all sizes to be finished in the machine.
The devices for supporting and actuating the type as they pass the lower part of
cutters, are the same as those at the upper pair of cutters d, d², and con-
sequently are marked by the same reference letters and do not need to be separately
described.
As the rotation of the feed wheels and cutters may tend to raise the type or
portions thereof, from the supporting bed or bridge piece ha top guide or hold
down i is also provided the same consisting of a thin plate supported on a shank or
stem vertically adjustable in an arm horizontally adjustable in a standard i* see
Figures 12 and 4 on the bed piece B.
If the type do not readily clear from the cutters they will be pushed out by the
following type fed by the rolls g and from the position between the upper
cutters dd, will slide down upon the turning guide k which is substantially a
V-shaped trough of sheet metal having one side substantially in the plane of the
bed B and the other side at right angles thereto at the end adjacent to the
cutters d the said trough being twisted axially so that at its lower end adjacent
to the cutters e, e², the side which at the upper end was parallel with the bed B is
at right angles thereto, while the side at right angles to the bed at the upper end
is parallel with the bed at the lower end, so that the type resting in the angle of
the trough and sliding down the same from the upper to the lower end is turned
axially about a quarter around, and presents the intermediate faces at right angles
to the bed B to those which were at right angles to the bed when the type was
first applied thereto.
At the lower end of the turning guide & the type is received by a second pair of
feed wheels precisely similar to the feed wheels g that carry the type into the
upper pair of cutters, said lower feed wheels go, acting in the same manner to carry
the type to the action of the lower pair of cutters e e³, which thus trim the faces of
the type which were not trimmed by the upper pair of cutters.
An additional adjustable guide piece see Figure 2, near the lower end of a
turning guide co-operates with the side of the said turning guide which is at
right angles to the bed plate so as to deliver the type directly in line with the feed
wheels g, in proper position to be received thereby.
After passing the lower pair of cutters ee the type continues down the chute vy
gravity, and at the proper time is received upon the carrier in which consists of a
platform pivoted at m so as to turn from the full to the dotted line position
Figure 3, the said platform when in full line position being in line with the bed B
so that the type passes from said bed directly on to said platform and is received
between adjustable side supports m³ thereon.

page_text: The said platform m has connected with it an arm n operated by a link n² see
Figures 1 and 3, actuated by a wrist pin n³ rotated by the pulley & said wrist pin
working in a slot n' in the link so as to afford lost motion, thus making the
movement of the carrier m intermittent, the said carrier remaining stationary in
the full line position Figure 3, while the wrist pin n³ is moving through about one
half of its path at which time it travels up and down the slot without moving
the link n² longitudinally.
In the upper half of its circle of movement the wrist pin n³ engages the link
and throws the carrier m from the full to the dotted line position Figure 3, and
immediately thereafter. permits it to return to the full line position again, the link n
being drawn downward by a spring as shown in Figure 1.
The carrier is provided with a curved apron m³ which stands across the lower
end of the chute or guide-way on the bed B when the carrier is moved from the
full to the dotted line position, and thus arrests any type that may follow the one
being conveyed by said carrier, until said carrier returns to its full line-position when
said type wheel will drop by gravity on to the carrier which is of proper length to
receive one type only at a time.
When the carrier is moved to the dotted line position Figure 3, the type which
is then upon it is forced between a pair of yielding fingers o which project from the
ends of guide strips of properly arranged to receive the column of type T between
them as shown in Figure 3, said fingers o entering a space between the type holding
projections m³ on the carrier and bearing with sufficient friction to hold the type
after the carrier has completed its movement so that the carrier returns leaving the
type between the fingers o as shown in Figure 3, the column being advanced as
each new type is introduced by the positive pressure of the carrier, actuated as has
been described.
P
The column of type passing from the guide way of moves' beneath a pressing
roll which may be covered with rubber or other yielding material so as not to
injure the face of the type which pass beneath it but which holds said type down to
the action of the sprue cutter p² which cuts the usual groove in the lower end of
the type, which is delivered upon the receiving stick T' see Figure 1.
It is necessary to adjust the various parts that co-operate with the type in order
that they may act properly with type of various size.
It is however only necessary to adjust the cutters, feed wheels, and side guides
at one side of the path of the type.
For convenience, however, both cutters of each pair are shown as supported in
adjustable bearings. The cutter shafts d³ and e³ are supported in bearings and e
properly constructed to prevent end wise movement or looseness of the shaft in the
bearings, which latter are mounted upon brackets or carriages d³ and e* adjustable
on laterally projecting portions A from the inclined bed A2
Screws and are provided for moving the bearing brackets on said supporting
arms, said brackets being slotted as shown at de', see Figure 2, to receive fastening
bolts by which they are rigidly clamped when brought to the proper adjustment.
The cutters at one side of the raceway are driven by a separate belt from those
at the other side as best shown in Figure 2, the several driving belts being main-
tained in a proper state of tension by idlers F see Figure 1, and the sprue cutter p
being driven by the same belt that drives the cutters d e as shown in Figure 2.
The said cutters are driven at a higher rate of speed than the feed wheels so as
to have the proper action upon the type.
The hold down that co-operates with the upper pair of cutters and upper pair
of feed wheels, is extended and turned at its lower end as shown at Figures 2
and 3, to co-operate with the turning guide and assist in turning the type
properly.
A stop w is also provided as shown in Figures and 3 just below the lower pair
of cutters to arrest the type as they leave the lower pair of cutters except when the
arm n is in proper position to receive the type, said stop w being operated by the

page_text: carrier m which throws the stop into position to arrest the type while said carrier
is being moved up and back to place a type in the receiving column and permits
the said stop to be disengaged when the carrier comes back to its normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
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 :-
First. A type finishing machine, having a guide way along which the type are
moved endwise one at a time, and two pairs of rotary cutters one acting upon one
pair of opposite faces of the type body, and the other on the intermediate pair of
faces, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Second. The combination with the pairs, of rotary cutters; adapted to receive
the type between them, of the feed wheels adjacent to said cutters co-operating
with the type, substantially as described.
Third. The combination of the two pairs of cutters with a type guide-way having
a type turning portion between said cutters whereby the type is turned axially in
passing from one pair of cutters to the next for the purpose of presenting different
faces to the two pairs of cutters, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of the type guide-way and cutters for acting on the
type as they move longitudinally on said guide-way, with a vibrating carrier by
which said type are taken one at a time from the guide way after passing the
cutters, and a receiver to retain the type in column as they come from the carrier,
substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of the type guide-way and cutters for acting upon the
type as they move longitudinally on the said guide way, with a vibrating carrier by
which said type are taken one at a time from the guide way after passing the
cutters, and a receiver to retain the type in column as they come from the carrier,
and a presser acting on the face of the column of type and a sprue cutter at the
opposite end of the type from the said presser, substantially as described.
Sixth. The type supporting bed provided with a recess and a pair of cutters
working transversely to said bed in said recess combined with a bridge piece
extending across said recess between the cutters, substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination of the type supporting bed 6 with cutters which act
upon the type as they pass between said cutters the bridge for supporting the type
as they pass between the cutters and the hold down gauge i co-operating with the
type as they pass between the said cutters substantially as described.
Eighth. The combination of the type finishing cutters and type supporting guide
way with the feed wheels having yielding notched peripheries between which the
type bodies are received, substantially as described.
Ninth. The combination of the type supporting guide way and cutters with the
intermittingly moving carrier and receiving column, said carrier being provided with
an apron or guard m³, to arrest the type on the guideway, except when the said
carrier is in position to receive the type therefrom, substantially as described.
Tenth. The combination of the type supporting guide way and cutters with the
intermittingly movable carrier and receiving column, and actuating mechanism for
said carrier, as described, whereby the same is caused to pause or dwell in position
to receive the type from the guideway, substantially as described.
D
511 T
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.