IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COMPOSING TYPE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Heinemann, of Mildmay Park, Islington,
in the County of Middlesex, Commercial Agent, and Marks Leopold
Müller, of Harrington Street, Hampstead Road, in the said County,
Watchmaker, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
COMPOSING TYPE."
Sealed the 14th March 1873, and dated the 18th September 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Heinemann
and Marks Leopold Müller at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 18th September 1872.
We, LOUIS HEINEMANN, of Mildmay Park, Islington, in the County
6 of Middlesex, Commercial Agent, and MARKS LEOPOLD MÜLLER, of
Harrington Street, Hampstead Road, in the said County, Watchmaker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR COMPOSING TYPE," to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention is the construction of apparatus for the
purpose of facilitating and accelerating the operation of composing type
for printing.

page_text: In the improved apparatus constructed according to our Invention a
revolving horizontal disc wheel or table is mounted in a framework or
support and receives rotary motion by any suitable means, as for instance
by means of a treadle actuating the disc through ordinary connections
or gearing. Around this disc or table, for a portion of its periphery or
circumference, are arranged a number of frames, cases, receptacles,
holders, or wells, each containing a column of type, a separate holder
being of course used for each character or particular type required.
Each bolder is provided with a pusher worked by a lever or connection
terminated by a key or finger piece. These keys or finger pieces are
disposed in a row or otherwise conveniently within ready reach of the
compositor. On the table is a plate or deflector which directs or leads
the type into a guide-way groove or receiver, in which each type is
received and comes next to the preceding type therein deposited.
'
The compositor by acting on any particular key or finger piece
actuates the pusher of the corresponding column of type and a type is
pushed therefrom on to the revolving disc or table, and as the latter
rotates the type will be carried round into the guide way and thence
directed into the shoot slide or frame, in which the types will be thus
disposed in proper typographical order as if in a compositor's stick.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Heinemann and Marks Leopold Müller in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, LOUIS
HEINEMANN, of Mildmay Park, Islington, in the County of Middlesex,
Commercial Agent, and MARKS LEOPOLD MÜLLER, of Harrington Street,
Hampstead Road, in the said County, Watchmaker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the a
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Louis Heinemann and Marks
Leopold Müller, Her special license that we, the said Louis Heine-
mann and Marks Leopold Müller, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Louis Heinemann and Marks ;

page_text: Leopold Müller, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR COMPOSING TYPE," upon
the condition (amongst others), that we, the said Louis Heinemann
and Marks Leopold Müller, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under
the hands and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Louis Heinemann and Marks
Leopold Müller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of our Invention is the construction of apparatus for the
purpose of facilitating and accelerating the operation of composing type.
for printing.
In the improved apparatus constructed according to our Invention a
revolving horizontal disc wheel or table is mounted in a framework or
support and receives rotary motion by any suitable means, as for instance
by means of a treadle actuating the disc through ordinary connections
or gearing. Around this disc or table for a portion of its periphery or
circumference are arranged a number of frames, cases, receptacles,
> holders, or wells, herein-after to avoid useless repetition called holders or
type holders, each such type holder containing a column of type, a
separate holder being of course used for each particular character or
type required. Each type holder is furnished with or served by a pusher
worked by a lever or connection terminated or acted on by a key or
3 finger piece. These keys or finger pieces are disposed in a row or other-
wise conveniently within ready reach of the compositor. On the rotary
table is a plate or deflector which directs or leads the type into a guide-

page_text: way groove or receiver, in which each type is received and comes next
to the preceding type therein deposited.
The compositor by acting on any particular key or finger piece
actuates the pusher of the corresponding column of type and a type is
pushed therefrom on to the revolving disc or table, and as the latter
rotates the type will be carried round into the guide way and thence
directed into the shoot slide or frame, in which the types will be thus
disposed in proper typographical order as if in a compositor's stick.
We proceed to describe more particularly the mode of carrying our
Invention into practical effect with reference to the accompanying 1
Drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus constructed according to
our Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
A is the framework or support of the apparatus; B is a platform or
table fixed to the frame A; C is an upper and smaller platform fixed 1
by supports c to the table B at a little distance above it; D is a
curved or arc-shaped frame piece, plate, or rim. It is fixed to the plat-
form by feet d, d, which raise it a little above that platform and
allow space
between the plate D and the platform C. The plate D serves
as a support for a number of vertical type holders E, which are upright, 2
long, narrow receptacles, each intended to hold a pile or column of type.
They may be described as flattened tubes. Each type holder is sup-
ported at bottom in a socket e³ fixed to the rim D, and it is maintained
near the upper end in a ring or annular frame piece F supported on
brackets ffixed to the table B.
Although only a few type holders E are shown in the Drawings, there
are of course a great number of them placed close together upon and
round the arc-shaped plate D, all supported and formed as above de-
scribed.
d* is a narrow arc-shaped plate or rim fixed to one end of the plate D. 3
G is a revolving disc wheel or table mounted on and connected with an
axis g, revolving at the lower end in a step fixed to the platform Cand at
top in an angle plate or bar h fixed to the platform C. This disc turns
freely within the arcs D, d*, and its edge is close to but not in contact
with those rims, so that it turns free of them. The rims D, d*, rise a 3
little above the level of the table G.

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan, and Figure 4 elevation shewing arrangements for
communicating rotary motion to the disc or table G.
A treadle sup-
ported in the frame A is connected by a rod i with a cranked axle i*
supported in the frame and working a grooved wheel, round which is
passed a cord which passes through orifices in the platforms B and O
and drives a pair of grooved pulleys *, ³, mounted on a bracket . The
cord thence passes over and actuates a grooved horizontal wheel ♬ fixed
to the under side of the disc or table G. Thus the treadle communicates
rotary motion to the disc G. Of course other ordinary means of or
mechanical arrangements for communicating rotary motion to the disc
or table G may be adopted.
J is a curved shoot, groove, or guide-way fastened to the platforms C,
and B its upper end extending to the level of the table G. 8, 8, is a
curved bar fixed to the shoot J or rim D, and extending to a certain
extent over the disc G nearly close to its surface. It forms, with tho
part of the rim d* opposite it, a guide way leading to the top or upper
mouth of the shoot J.
K, K, are a number of keys, finger pieces, or levers, some on the plat-
form B and others on the platform C, for actuating pushers or push
pieces which work at the bottom of the columns of type or type
holders E. Only a few such keys K are shewn, though of course there
are numerous such keys. The keys are placed together in rows, one
row on the platform B and the other row on the platform O, the rows of
keys being at the front of the apparatus. The number of keys corre-
sponds with the number of type holders E, there being of course one
key to each type holder E or each column or pile of type; and it is
convenient to mark the key with an indication of the special type column
which the pusher which it actuates works. These keys, finger pieces,
or levers are connected with the pushers in any ordinary manner, so that
by depressing the former the latter may be actuated. The actuating
connections used for the purpose being arranged and disposed in accord-
ance with the relative positions of each key or finger piece K and its
respective pusher k, mechanical means being provided for restoring the
pusher & to its normal or previous position after it has been actuated.
By way of example we shew in the Drawings one instance.
K is a key
or finger piece attached to a knee lever centred on a support and
connected by a cord 2º, with a knee lever & carrying the pusher or push
piece k which works in the socket e³. The cords pass over guides ³,

page_text: k
which are grooved pulleys supported on the tables. is a spring for
restoring the lever to position when the key is released. Again, the
key K on the platform C is connected by cord (guided as in the above
instance) with a lever attached to the pusher k, a horizontal spring
restoring the pusher to its normal position after it has acted. Thus by 5
working the keys or levers, selecting the key or lever required to corre-
spond with any desired column or pile of type, that is to say, with any
desired holder E a type from such holder will be pushed therefrom on to
the revolving disc or table G, which being caused to revolve carries the
type to the guide way t, whence it will drop into the shoot J. The next 1
selected type will be pushed out from its holder in like manner and
carried by the table into the shoot J, so as to drop next to the type pre-
ceding, and so on.
•
When a proper or sufficient number of types are in the shoot they are
withdrawn by the compositor in order to be placed in his stick or other- 1
wise disposed of as he may require for printing purposes. ; is a guide
or guard plate at the upper part of the shoot to prevent the types from
escaping when they drop into the shoot J. M is an oscillating bar plate
or lever which we call a depressor or clearer. It works at one end in
the upper mouth of the shoot J, and it is weighted at the other end m*.
It is centred on a support m fixed to the platform C. It is actuated by
each key K whenever such key is actuated to push or pick a typc.
The keys or levers K of the lower row actuate the pusher M as follows:
―n is a bar supported in brackets n' on the table B, and resting on
springs n³ attached to that table. The bar n is so placed that as each 2
key K is depressed it comes in contact with the bar and moves one of its
edges downward, thereby working connections n' which act on the
depressor M. In like manner each key on the upper platform when
depressed acts on a bar n³ which acts through connections a' (like the
connections n³) on the depressor M. Springs restore the bars to their 3
normal position after they have acted.
p, p, are spring jaws at the mouth of the shoot J, through which each
type passes in its travel to the shoot. They serve to prevent the recoil
of the type.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in å
what manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim as
constituting our said Invention, the employment or application of a
revolving disc table wheel or platform for conveying type from type

page_text: holders into a shoot or receptacle for purposes of composing type for
printing, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Louis Heinemann and Marks
Leopold Müller, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Seventeenth day of March, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-threa.
Witness,
M. HENRY.
LO. HEINEMANN. (L.S.)
M. L. MÜLLER. (L.S.)