CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE, AND
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Mackie, of Warrington, in the County
of Lancaster, Newspaper Proprietor, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE, AND
"
Sealed the 21st January 1868, and dated the 25th July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mackie at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th July 1867.
I, ALEXANDER MACKIE, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Newspaper Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING
TYPE, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention is designed for the purpose of setting or composing" a
duplicate or multiplied number of columns of type of the same matter
simultaneously, which is useful for special purposes and where a reproduction
of the same information is required in type.
The improved method or principle of setting or composing the type consists
in placing the letters in transverse lines (each line being a row series of the
same letter), and one line above another in layers, so that when all the type is
set," if the block of the type so formed be "sliced at right angles to the

page_text: layers, the line of type removed by each "slicing" forms a perfect column of
legible matter.
66
The apparatus employed may be varied in form, but as a simple example I
will describe one arrangement :-The type is first properly arranged or dis-
tributed on to a series of shelves, each type being being on its side and each shelf
having its series of separate letters; to the lower end of these shelves a frame
is applied in which a "plunger" or pusher moves, which pushes out a line
of type (all one letter) into the composing stick" which is situated at the
opposite side of the shelves, and as the pusher removes each line of type the
stick is moved so that the lines may be one on the other in layers. When as
many lines of different letters have been placed in the "stick" it is removed
to the "slicer" or reciprocating blade, which acts at right angles to the
direction of the said layers and so removes lines of type (which are not all
the same letters), each "slice" of type being a duplicate of complete lines of
letters, words, or sentences, as required; or these transverse lines of type
may be "set" in layers with the plates or shelves which contain them, and
when all is set complete the plates may be withdrawn, or the plates or shelves
may be tilted so as to cause the type to slip and fall in layers one above
another; or the type may be pushed off the end of the shelves in long lines,
as may be most convenient, the said operations of setting in layers and
slicing at right angles to the setting being repeated until columns or pages
of type are produced, the lines of type being "sliced" into "galleys" or
frames in a line in front of which the slicer travels; the number of
columns being in exact accordance with the number of letters in a line
removed from the shelf into the "stick." The distribution of the type after
use is accomplished also by the action of a "slicer," which moves not at right
angles to but in a line with the layers, so that each "slice" is a line of the
same letters which are replaced on their respective shelves; or a simpler method
of composing would be to use the present setting stick in general use, made
deep enough for the number of columns required, the lines being removed by
hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Mackie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER 35
MACKIE, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Newspaper Proprietor,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Mackie, Her special license that I, the said Alexander Mackie,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alexander Mackie, my 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING TYPE, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Mackie, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 I, the said Alexander Mackie, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):—
<<
"
My Invention is designed for the purpose of setting or composing 8
duplicate or multiplied number of columns of type of the same matter simul-
taneously, which is useful for special purposes and where a reproduction of
the same information is required in type.
The improved method or principle of setting or composing the type consists
in placing the letters in transverse lines (each line being a row or series of same
letter), and one line above another in layers, so that when all the type is
"set," if the block of type so formed be "sliced" at right angles to the layers,
the line of type removed by each "slicing" forms a perfect column of legible
matter.
The apparatus employed may be varied in form, but as a simple example
I will describe one arrangement:-The type is first properly arranged or
distributed on, to a series of straight, semicircular, or slanting shelves, each
type being on its side and each shelf having its separate letters; to the lower
end of these shelves a frame is applied in which a plunger or pusher moves,
which pushes out a line of type (all one letter) into the composing stick

page_text: which is situated at the opposite side of the shelves, and as the pusher removes
each line of type the stick is moved so that the lines may be one on the other
in layers. When as many lines of different letters have been placed in the
"stick," it is removed to the "slicer" or reciprocating blade, which acts at
right angles to the direction of the said layers and so removes lines of type
(which are not all the same letters), each slice of type being duplicate of
complete lines of letters, words, and sentences, as required; or these
transverse lines of type may be "set" in layers with the plates or shelves
which contain them, and when all is set complete the plates may be withdrawn
or the plates or shelves may be tilted so as to cause the type to slip and fall in
layers one above another; or the type may be pushed off the end of the shelves
in long lines, as may be most convenient, the said operation of setting in layers
and slicing at right angles to the setting being repeated until columns or pages
of type are produced, the lines of type being "sliced" into "galley" or frames
in a line in front of which the slicer travels, the number of columns being
in exact accordance with the number of letters in a line removed from the
shelf into the "stick." The distribution of the type after use is accomplished
also by the action of a "slicer" which moves (not at right angles to but) in a
line with the layers so that each "slice," is a line of the same letters which are
placedd on their respective shelves; or a simpler method of composing would
be to use the present setting stick in general use, made deep enough for the
number of columns required, the lines being removed by hand.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made about the full
gize.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of one of the arrangements of apparatus
which may be employed for setting or composing a duplicate or multiplied
number of columns of type of the same matter simultaneously; Fig. 2
represents a cross section of the same through lines A, B; Fig. 3, a plan view;
and Fig. 4 represents a front elevation of the bracket supporting the type
pusher or plunger; Fig. 5, represents ten layers of type in a block as received
from the composer before slicing; Fig. 6, represents the same sliced into ten
separate sentences or paragraphs; and Fig. 7 represents a reduced front
elevation of the shelves or grooves in which the type are placed by the dis-
tributor at the ends marked A, the composer being arranged so as to operate
upon the type at the opposite end of the groove at the termination of their
inclines marked B.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 7, a, a, represents the shelves or supports for the type,
each shelf or channel containing its own particular letter in quantity and

page_text: placed in layers on their sides, these shelves a are permanently fixed. The
apparatus for distributing or placing the type in the grooves is allowed for that
purpose to freely slide up and down one end of the same at right angles
thereto, from whence the type are constantly being forced by the pushers i, i,
(seen in Fig. 7) along the grooves and down the inclines of the same, until
they arrive at the opposite extremity of the grooves, at which point the
composer is moved up and down in slides opposite to the type by means of the
finger h, so that when a line of any letter required in the formation of a word
is to be removed from the channel or shelf, the pusher or plunger c of the
composer is placed opposite such line, which when forced forward displaces
a number of type of the same letter and places them in the composing "stick"
layer upon layer, one above the other, as seen in Fig. 5. When as many
lines of different letters have been placed in the stick as necessary, the block
so formed in turned at right angles and removed to the "slicer," which is a
simple blade of metal moving with a reciprocating motion at right angles to
the direction of the layers of type, and which in its movement removes or
slices the lines of type which in the position constitute words and sentences,
each "slice" of the type being duplicates of complete lines of letters, words,
and sentences, as required, and as seen in Fig. 6. The lines of type when sliced
are received into "galleys" or frames in a line in front of which the slicer
travels, the number of columns being in accordance with the number of letters
in a line removed from the shelf into the "stick."
In order that the type after use may be distributed in sets, and placed
according to their class or character in their respective shelves, the description
of apparatus shewn at Figs. 8 and 9 may be employed.
Figs. 8 and 9 represent elevation and vertical section of the same, and
Fig. 10, a plan view. In these Figures e, e, is the framing in which a recess f
is formed to contain the type in layers of similar letters, in which order they
are received from the composing stick after they have been separated or
removed by the "slicer" from the repetition of words and sentences of which
they formed a part. The type for distribution as they are received in the recess
fare forced down so as to compress the spring 9 contained in the tube h. When
the recess is full and the shoulder or collars are replaced the type are
constantly kept up or raised by the spring 9 against the collar ¹ on a line with
the spring pusher k. Thus as each line of type is displaced by the pusher k
it is received by its respective shelf, and the next line of type on the withdrawel
of the pusher is immediately raised ready to be distributed to its respective
shelf, the distributor during the withdrawel of the pusher being raised or
lowered into a position to place the next class or character of letters to be

page_text: expelled therefrom on a line with the corresponding shelf or groove. The
diagrams of type exhibit, first, the lines of letters as "set" in multiplied form
in a block which has been placed at right angles in position to be sliced ; and
secondly, formed into paragraphs or sentences after slicing.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, I wish it to be
understood that I claim setting or arranging type in duplicate or multiplied
form or distributing the same in duplicate or multiplied form, as herein-before
explained by means of any suitable mechanism or apparatus whereby an
operator is enabled to "set," "compose," or "distribute" two or more letters
simultaneously, the apparatus shewn in the Drawings as an example being
capable of considerable variation and modification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mackie, bave hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
ALEXANDER MACKIE. (L.S.)
Witnessed by
JNO. HUGHES, Clerk to
Jno. Davis & Son,
Office for Patents,
4, St. Anns Sq., Manchester.