Improvements in Type Casting and Composing Apparatus,
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Casting and Composing Apparatus,
I, HENRY JAMES SYDNEY GILBERT-STRINGER, of No. 4, Clifton Road, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus whereby types are cast in the order in
which they are to be set in a forme, the proper matrices for the successive types
being brought by means of finger keys into position facing the type mould.
For this purpose I form the intaglio matrices in rows on the face of an arc
of a cylinder which is connected by suitable mechanism to finger keys in such
a manner that it receives a compound motion from these, being turned partly
round its axis and moved more or less longitudinally as each key is depressed so
as to bring the proper matrix of the proper row into position, and then being
pressed against the mould while the molten metal is injected. The matrix are
is then withdrawn from the mould to a position ready to be moved again by
depressing a key.
The cast type is ejected from the mould and, after certain dressing, finds its
place in the line of forme, compressible spaces being introduced where required,
and the line being justified by compressing it before passing it into the galley.
1 A 10
JT..1.. 100€
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Type Casting and Composing Apparatus.
I, HENRY JAMES SYDNEY GILBERT-STRINGER, of No. 4, Clifton Road, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement;-
My invention relates to apparatus whereby types are cast in the order in
which they are to be set in a forme, the proper matrices for the successive types
being brought by means of finger keys into position facing the type mould.
For this purpose I form the intaglio matrices in rows on the face of an arc
of a cylinder which is connected by suitable mechanism to finger keys in such
a manner that it receives a compound motion from these, being turned partly
round its axis and moved more or less longitudinally as the keys are depressed so
as to bring the proper matrix of the proper row into position, this being pressed
against the mould while the molten metal is injected. The matrix are is then
077

page_text: withdrawn from the mould to a position ready to be moved again by depressing
kevs.
The cast type is ejected from the mould and, after certain dressing, finds its
place in the line of forme, compressible spaces being introduced where required
and the line being justified by compressing it before passing it into the galley.
The accompanying drawings shew mechanism for operating as above set forth
Fig. 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, Fig. 3 is an end view partly
sectional. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections on the lines 5-
and 5 5 of Fig. 1 respectively. The rest of the figures drawn to an enlarged
scale are Fig. 6 a plan of the keys with cover removed, Fig. 7 a vertical section
shewing the two rows of keys in elevation. Fig. 8 a transverse section and Fig. 9
an end view showing the interlocking gear of the keys; Fig. 10 is a part of the
longitudinal section Fig. 2 shewing matrix and mould and Fig. 11 is anothe
part of the same section shewing the mechanism on which the keys act. Fig. 12
is an elevation of the matrix segment and its working gear and Fig. 13 shews in
detail part of the mechanism for moving the matrix carrier longitudinally
Figs. 14 and 15 are elevations looking at the mouth of the mould shewing the
gauge and cover slides in the different positions. Fig. 16 is a front view, Fig. 17
a back view and Fig. 18 a plan of one of the matrices.
At one end of the machine is the keyboard K in which there are two rows of
character keys k, 9 of these on each hand, all serving to determine the rotary
movement of the matrix segment, there are 4 keys to determine the longitudinal
movement of the segment, a space key 2 and a forme key ³. All the keys are
urged upwards by springs and have transverse stop pins working in slots covered
by plates which prevent them from rising beyond a certain height. The stem
of each of the keys and t has a rounded groove in which engages a spring
catch which retains the key with certain force in its down position.
As shewn in Figs. 8 and 9 each of the right hand keys k has on its one side a
slope which when the key is depressed moves aside an arm on a rocking shaft
which is linked with other rocking shafts having arms arranged along the
opposite side of the left hand keys and as these have on that side shoulders above
the arms whenever a right hand key is depressed it moves the arms 5, under
the shoulders of the left hand keys and prevents any of them from being depressed
at the same time. In like manner the left hand keys k have slopes acting on
arms of rocking shafts linked to other rocking shafts having arms which pre-
vents any left hand key from being depressed at the same time as a
right hand
key. Under each key is a rod guided to slide horizontally and having on it
a stop collar which when the rod is in its extreme right position is held by a
spring catch with force enough to prevent it from being shaken out of place.
Each rod has an enlarged part and boss 10 through which can slide vertically
a plunger urged upward by a spring but stopped from rising beyond a
certain height by a wire 12 which passes through a slot of the boss and extends
in a curve upwards and outwards to support an inclined plate 13 attached to the
plunger When any key is depressed the plunger 1 below it is depressed
and its lower end is presented to a pusher p hinged on a reciprocating carriage P
the action of which will presently be described, which as it advances pushes to
the left the plunger and with it the rod the collar 7 escaping the spring .
As the inclined plate 3 passes under the stem of the depressed key it forces it up,
the spring yielding enough to let the groove in which it was escape. When
the pusher retreats a bar 78 on the carriage P draws the collar and rod k
back to the right until it is stopped by the collar attaining the end of its
stroke.
•
The pushers are hinged to the carriage P which is caused to slide to and
fro on guide rails 7 by an eccentric 22 on a continuously rotating shaft S the
eccentric strap being connected to the carriage P by a sliding rod 23, link p4,
bell crank and link 26. The end of each pusher is somewhat bevelled and
the ends of the rods are made with correspondingly bevelled notches so that

page_text: when a pusher p engages with a notch, the rod is prevented from rising. Each
pusher p is urged upwards by a spring p7 against the stop bar p8 so that it can
yield if a key over it should be depressed when it is not in its extreme right
position.
The matrix carrier M is in the form of a cylindrical sector having two cheeks
which are circular sectors fixed on a transverse rocking shaft m. Through a
backward prolongation of the cheeks pass two rods m¹ m² on which are mounted
rollers, the one rod m¹ extending from M to the one side of the machine, the
other rod m² extending from M to the other side of the machine and both rods
having their ends attached to the shaft m by links m³. On each of the nine
rods worked by the right hand keys is fixed a head u which as its rod k is
moved by one of the pushers p travels under a guide roller u¹, and on each of the
other nine rods ke worked by the left hand keys is fixed a head d which travels
over a guide roller d¹. All the nine heads u are made with slopes on their under
sides differing by equal steps, and in like manner all the nine heads d are
made with stepped slopes on their upper sides only, three of the latter being
shewn in Fig. 11.
In all cases there are flat parts or dwells beyond the slopes. When any one
of the heads u advances to the left it acts on the rollers mounted on the rod ml
depressing that rod and consequently turning the matrix carrier M on its axis m
so that its front arc ascends a distance proportional to the depth of the slope of
the acting head u. And in like manner when any one of the nine heads d
advances it acts on the rollers mounted on the rod m² raising that rod and con-
sequently causing the front are of M to descend a distance proportional to the
height of the slope of the acting head d as shewn by Fig. 11.
the heads u or d act the matrix carrier M is urged to a middle position by a
When none of
spring m and held in that position by a spring roller m³ bearing in a rounded
notch in the periphery of the collar 10.
Those of the rods which are advanced by the pusher when the keys k¹ are
depressed have also heads / Fig. 12 sloped in steps to act on rollers mounted on
the side of a lever 12 which is urged upwards by a spring. The lever 12 terminates
at front in a projecting arc 73 which is sloped as shewn in Fig. 13 to act.on a
roller . This roller is mounted on a sleeve which can slide along a rod 76 and
has an arm bending over and engaged between collars 18 within the cheeks of
the matrix carrier M.
Thus when any one of the heads advances it depresses the lever 12 and the
sloping front 3 of this lever acting on the roller moves the sleeve and with it
the matrix carrier M along its axis m in opposition to a spring which urges M
against the stop collar 10. It will thus be seen that while the sloped heads u
and d can move M step by step round its axis, nine steps each way from its
middle position, the sloped heads can move M along its axis four steps against
the spring 19.
In the curved front of the matrix carrier M are loosely fitted to slide a little
radially nine matrices above the middle of the arc and nine matrices below the
middle. Each matrix as shewn in Figs. 16, 17 and 18, has in its front five intaglio
characters, and at its back six holes bored partly into it.
The matrix has its lower side made in steps to determine the depth of the type
mould for each of its characters as will presently be described. On each of the
matrices is a projecting pin which works in slots in the cheeks of M and to
which are attached retracting springs me. As by the action of the keys as
described the matrix carrier can be moved so as to bring any one of the 5 x 18=90
intaglio characters to a central position facing the mouth of the mould, in order
to determine that position with certainty, a cam Q is so set on the shaft that,
immediately after the carrier M has completed the movement determined by the
keys, the cam Q allows a spring to act on a lever q so as to advance a sliding
od q having two conical pins q² projecting from it and cause it to thrust them
nto two of the holes at the back of the particular matrix presented in the middle

page_text: position, the matrix being thus pushed forward a little against the mouth of the
type mould and held firmly in correct position while a type is cast as will be
presently described.
When the slide q¹ and pins q2 are caused to retreat by the cam Q acting on
the lever the matrix is retracted by its spring m and the rods which had
moved the matrix carrier M being also retracted the carrier resumes its middle
position ready to be acted on again by the keys.
:
is
The melting pot T is furnished with a pump having plunger and a valve t
both urged down by springs and raised the plunger by lever rod and lever t
operated by a cam and the valve by lever rod and lever operated by a
cam The cams and are so shaped and set that while the plunger
ascending, the valve is open allowing molten metal to enter the pump.
Just before the plunger descends, the valve descends closing the inlet, but it
can rise giving outlet to surplus metal when the pressure is sufficient to overcome
the spring on the valve stem. The metal is conducted to the end of the mould
by a pipe to which is kept hot by gas flames.
The mould A has its bottom formed by the top of a piece a which slides
vertically between two cheeks preferably made hollow for circulation of cooling
water through them, these cheeks forming the sides of the mould. The piece a
is linked to a lever a urged up by a spring a² and having on it a roller a³
engaged in a cam groove at in the cam Q.
This cam groove moves the slide a a little downwards every revolution the
spring urging it upwards until a projection on the face of a meets the
underside of the projecting matrix which at that time is prevented from rising
by bearing up against a sliding piece aº. This piece is guided and engaged with
the end of a lever a having at its other end a roller 8 pressed against a cam a³
by a spring 10. The depth of that part of the matrix against which the pro-
jection a bears determines the depth of the mould.
Another sliding piece a" is linked to a bellcrank a2 which is linked to a
lever a¹³ urged down by a spring a¹ on a cam a¹. This cam is so formed and
set that when the slide a is up to form the bottom of the mould the slide a is
covering the top of the mould, the matrix at the same time covering the face
of the mould; when the parts are in this position the molten metal is pumped
into the mould forming a type. The matrix being then retracted the slide a¹i is
withdrawn so as to leave the upper side of the mould open, the slide a ascends
pushing up the cast type and then the slide all advances pushing the type on
to the top of another vertical slide b which is linked to a lever b₁ having a roller
engaged in a cam groove b² in the cam Q. The slide 6 pushes the type up past
a cutting blade which removes the tang from its base and also past a latch spring
which prevents the type from descending when the slide b descends. To the
right of there is a column 63 of compressible spaces the column having at its
bottom a channel leading towards b.
When a space is required in a line of type, the operator depresses the key k
on the extreme right by this movement communicated through sliding rod such
as a lever and rod 6 having an inclined slot, a slide 67 is permitted to be
drawn to the left by a spring 68 and this pushes the foremost of the spaces in the
channel to the position of a type above so that by the next ascent of 6 the
space is raised. The columns of type and spaces raised by the ascent of bare
transferred to galley F to constitute a forme for printing in the following
manner.
As each column is formed by the successive ascents of 6 raising types and spaces,
these are held between the face of a pusher f and a rule f¹.
When the operator sees that the column is completely filled he depresses his
extreme left hand key and by the movement communicated through a sliding
rod such as 6 a lever fa rod f³ a bell crank f* and a rod f which is connected
to f and has at f6 an inclined slot engaging a pin attached to the rule fl
the rule f is drawn back and the pusher. f is advanced pushing the column of

page_text: types and spaces, which is justified by the compression of the spaces, into the
galley so as to constitute a forme. The pusher is retracted by a spring f8.
The types are held in position by a sliding block f having springs that make
frictional contact with the sides of the galley. When the galley F is filled it can
be removed, a fresh galley being substituted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. Apparatus for casting and composing types constructed and operating sub-
stantially as described with reference to the drawings.
2. In apparatus such as is above referred to a matrix carrier in the form of a
cylindrical sector having arranged in its periphery a number of matrices, each
presenting several intaglio characters in a row, the sector being so mounted that
it can be partly turned on its axis to bring one or other of the rows to the level
of a type mould and that it can be slid longitudinally so as to bring any one of
the characters of the row in line with the mould, substantially as described.
3. For effecting the movements of the matrix carrier a set of interlocked finger
keys in combination with corresponding sliding rods having heads made with
stepped inclines adapted to act on rollers mounted on rods attached to the carrier,
and each rod having a spring plunger so arranged that when a key is depressed,
the plunger is depressed into the path of a pusher hinged on a carriage caused to
travel to and fro by an eccentric on a continuously revolving shaft substantially as
described.
4. In combination with the matrix and mould a pair of horizontal slides the
one engaging on the upper edge of the matrix, the other sliding over the mould
and a pair of vertical slides, the one meeting the lower edge of the matrix and
forming the bottom of the mould, the other pushing up the cast type to form a
column, and the cams and springs for operating these slides, substantially as
described.
5. The mechanism whereby one of the finger keys causes advance of a space
to take its place in the column of types substantially as described.
6. The mechanism whereby one of the finger keys causes retreat of a rule and
advance of a pusher to transfer the columns of types into a galley, substantially
as described.
Dated this 18th day of March 1899.