Improvements in Linotype Machines having special Reference to the Operation of the Gear in connection with the Mechanism for Assembling or Arranging the Matrices.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Linotype Machines having special Reference to the
Operation of the Gear in connection with the Mechanism for
Assembling or Arranging the Matrices.
I, THOMAS PURVIS RITZEMA, Justice of the Peace, Quary Glen, Blackburn, in
the County of Lancaster, Newspaper Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of
my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My invention has for its object improvements in linotype machines having
special reference to the operation of the gear in connection with the mechanism
for assembling or arranging the matrices the clutch of which has hitherto had to
be worked by one hand of the operator and after the clutch has been somewhat
worn by use it is liable to work out of gear which causes the star wheel which
assembles or arranges the matrices to stop thus causing the matrices to accumulate
at the bottom of the shoot under the separating guides leading from the magazine
thus producing confusion and hindrance to the operator.
My present invention is designed to prevent this confusion and consists in
adding to the machine say under key board a rocking shaft which carries an arm
over the thigh of the operator which arm is normally upon or near the thigh and
which is so held by a spring or weight on another arm of the rocking shaft.
Another arm projects from the rocking shaft which is pivoted to an ascending rod
which operates a bell crank lever which is hung to the frame of the machine and
the upper arm embraces the small clutch which commands the star wheel gear in
such a manner that the normal tendency of the spring or weight is to keep the
clutch in gear with the counter shaft which works the star wheel so as to maintain
it in constant action, but when the operator by his thigh or other portion of his
leg or foot operates the lifting lever the clutch is withdrawn and the mechanism
stops without the hands of the operator being brought into use.
It will however be obvious that a cord gut or chain may be substituted for one
or more of the rods or levers and may pass over friction pulleys in such a manner
as to draw the clutch out of gear with a spring or counter weight to give the
normal tendency to keep the clutch in gear. We also fix a stop or locking handle
so that the operator can lock the clutch or parts operating it out of gear by simply
turning a handle.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings upon which
I have illustrated an example of the same.
.
Figure 1 is a front view of my arrangement for operating the clutch.
Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2, shewing a modification.
In carrying my invention into practice I pivot one end of the bell crank lever A
to the sleeve B and this lever A is pivotted at a¹ to the frame of the machine.
The sleeve B is mounted loosely on one end of the spindle D and this spindle I)

page_text: tits into the partially hollow spindle E and is free to slide therein. Mounted
loosely on the shaft E is the driving pulley F with its boss f¹ and on the face of
this boss are formed the projections f which engage with the projections ¹ on
the clutch H which is fixed on the spindle D: A gear wheel is fixed on the end
of the shaft E gearing, with another gear wheel mounted on a shaft connected to
the working parts of the machine. Pivoted to the other end of the bell crank
lever A. is one end of the connecting rod J the other end being pivoted to one end
of the lever K and to the other end of this lever K I fix the rocking bar L which
is supported in bearings connected to the frame of the machine under the key
board. Fixed at or about the centre of this rocking bar is the rod or lever N which
carries the arm n' fixed in such a position that it is over the thigh or knee of the
operator. Or the rod or lever N may be arranged so as to be operated by the foot
of the operator. The coiled spring S is fixed to the rod or lever N so as to hold it
in its normal position. It will be readily understood that when the operator lifts
or raises the arm n¹ with his knee or thigh that the rocking shaft I will turn in
its bearings thereby tilting the lever K which causes the connecting rod J to move
the bell crank lever A on its pivot a¹ by which means the spindle D is drawn
forwards consequently the projections on the clutch Hare disengaged from
the projections and the pulley Fwhich is mounted loosely on the shaft E ceases
to revolve thus stopping the mechanism for assembling or arranging the matrices,
but immediately the arm n¹ is released the spring S draws the rod or lever N into
its normal position thus causing the projections on the clutch H to again engage
with the projections and the mechanism is restarted. In order to keep the
clutch out of action when the operator leaves the machine or for other purposes
I fix the handle P on the pivot a' which is screw threaded and by turning this
handle it locks or binds the bell crank lever A against the collar a thus holding
the clutch out of contact. A cord chain, gut or the like may be used in place
of the rod J.
:
At Figure 3 I have shewn a modified form of my method of operating the
clutch H. In this case I attach the cord chain or gut W or the, like to the lower
end of the bell crank lever A and this cord passes over the guide pulleys W₁
and W2 fixed under the key board. To the lower end of this cord I attach the
stirrup W3 which is situated in a convenient position so that the operator can
easily pull the cord with his foot or leg by which means the clutch is disengaged
when required. The spring S₁ which is attached to the bell crank lever and the
frame pulls the clutch back into action again. In some cases I may dispense
entirely with the levers and operate the clutch by a cord, chain, gut or the like
passing over pulleys and mounted to the frame of the machine in such a manner
as to pull the clutch out by a direct pull so dispensing with the bell crank lever,
on the other hand I may retain the knee or leg lever N running a cord or gut
from it to the clutch or to the bell crank lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
CLAIMS.
First: The improvements in linotype machines having special reference to
the operation of the gear in connection with, the mechanism for assembling or
arranging the matrices consisting of the lever N with its connecting mechanism
to the clutch operated by the knee or other portion of the leg.or foot so as to stop
the star wheel or arranging mechanism and the device P for, locking the clutch
when out of gear substantially as herein set forth and shown..
Second: In linotype machines, the stopping mechanism consisting of the
lever N mounted to be operated by the leg or foot and connected with the clutch H
by the rod J bell crank lever A and held normally in gear by the spring S or its
equivalent as and for the purpose herein set forth and shown. -
Third:-In linotype machines the locking arrangement consisting of the locking

page_text: handle and spindle P for securing the clutch H out of gear when the operator is
not using the machine substantially as herein set forth and shown.
Fourth In linotype machines the stopping mechanism consisting of the foot
lever or stirrup and cord operating upon the clutch substantially as herein set
forth and shown by Figure 3.
Dated this 5th day of Tahmam 1900
THOMAS PURVIS RITZEMA.
By George Barker,
Agent for Applicant,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.