A New or Improved Method of and Machine for Casting and Setting Type.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of and Machine for Casting and
Setting Type.
I, JOSEPH CHARLES FOWLER, of 107 West 82nd Street, New York, in the
United States of America, Inventor and Machinist 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, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
This invention relates to a new or improved method of, and machine for casting
and setting type, and has reference more particularly to that class of machines.
wherein types are cast in a mould and, by mechanical appliances, are assembled in
line to be set in columns for book, or newspaper, or other printing.
In prior machines of the character alluded to, the types are cast and composed
in the order in which finger keys are manipulated, and in such order of procedure
the types are carried from the casting mould to dressing tools from whence they are
conducted to the point where they are assembled in line.
The speed of type casting and composing, or setting machines, as heretofore
constructed, is so limited that they are, a measure, impracticable for newspaper
and other work requiring rapid composing or setting of type.
The chief objects of my invention, concisely stated, are to provide a new method
of casting and assembling or setting types; to avoid the complicated mechanisms
necessary where it is essential to shift or move a matrix into position for casting
by manipulating a finger key; to simplify type-casting and composing or setting.
machines; and to increase their capacity, efficiency, and rapidity of action.
And in order that my invention may be more readily understood, I will describe
the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an end elevation of a type casting and composing machine embodying
my invention,
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken centrally through the casting pot.
Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view, on a larger scale, showing the parts.
in position for ejecting the cast types from the mould.
Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the mould, showing the trimming knife or cutter
for dressing or trimming the bases or butt-ends of the types in the mould.
Figure 6 is a detail rear elevation of the matrix bar or carrier.
:
Figure 7 is a detail top plan view of the upper ends of the cells or magazines in
which the cast types can be accumulated.
Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of the ejector carrying slide or plate.
Figure 9 is a similar view of the supporting guide frame or plate on which the
ejector-carrying slide or plate is adapted to reciprocate; and
Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the matrix-blocks.
The chief elements of my improved machine are a casting pot 1, a mould 2, an I
matrices or matrix blocks 3 for casting or moulding the types, ejectors 4 for ejecting
the cast types from the mould, cells or magazines 5 arranged below the mould, and
in which the types of the same kind are respectively accumulated in columus or
piles while other types are being cast, a key-board 6, and mechanism operated by
the keys 7 for individually releasing or removing the required types from the cells
or magazines, and a suitable cam or other device 8, for assembling the released.
types in line in an assembling chamber or receptacle 8*:

page_text: The casting-pot is adapted to move to-and-fro, or swing or rock to place its outlet
mouth 9 against the rear ends of the individual mould cavities 10 in the mould, so
that the type metal can flow into said cavities to form the bodies of the types.
The characters or letters are formed by the matrices or matrix blocks 3, and when
the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the matrix blocks-close the mould-
cavities fluid tight at their front ends.
The casting pot is provided at its front side with an arm or bracket. 12, mounted
on a shaft 13, so that the pot can swing or rock, and at the rear side the pot is
connected with a spiral or other suitable spring 14 which depresses a plunger 15 as
will hereinafter appear.
The casting pot contains the plunger 15, and a channel 16 leading to the
mouth 9, so that when the plunger is depressed or forced inward, the molten
type metal will be caused to flow through the channel 16 and mouth 9 into the
mould cavities in the mould.
The casting pot will, in practice, be heated the same as similar devices in machines
for casting type-bars from a justified line of matrices.
A single casting pot is illustrated in the drawing, but the number of pots is
immaterial so long as the construction is such that the fluid or molten type metal
can be caused to flow into a plurality of mould cavities in the mould.
If a single pot is employed, its mouth 9 should be of a length approximately the
same as the length of the mould, so that the type metal is caused to simultaneously
enter all the mould cavities for producing a complete set of type characters at
one operation. I propose to cast one hundred and ten characters, including
blanks or spaces at one operation, but do not deem it necessary to illustrate in
the drawing the number of, cavities required to accomplish such result. It is
obvious that the number of cavities can be increased or diminished according to
the conditions required, and therefore I do not wish to be understood as confining
myself to any particular number of cavities or matrix blocks. The number of
cavities shown in the drawing-see Fig. 5-are sufficient to cast the alphabet at
one operation, but many additional characters may be cast at the same time, and
likewise the necessary blanks, slugs, or spaces required in setting type can be cast
at the same time with the type characters.
The mould is adapted to rock or oscillate, so that when a set of types has been
cast, the mould can be turned from the perpendicular position shown in Fig. 3 to
the inclined position shown in Fig. 4, to place the mould cavities in coincidence
with the ejectors 4, which are adapted to enter the cavities and act against the
bases or butt ends of the types to eject them from the cavities into the cells or
magazines 5. While the mould stands perpendicular, the bases or butt-ends of the
cast types are dressed or trimmed through the medium of a knife or cutter 17, as
will hereinafter appear. The cells or magazines 5 are preferably arranged in an
inclined position as shown in Fig. 4, and their upper end portions are curved
approximately in the arc of a circle, the lower end portions of the curved parts
being each provided with an inwardly projecting ledge or shoulder as at 18. The
upper ends or mouths of the cells or magazines receive the cast types from the
mould, as shown in Fig. 4, with the ends of the types bearing the characters lower-
inost, and in traversing the curved portions of the cells or magazines, each type
describes approximately the arc of a circle, so that its position is reversed as
compared to the position it occupied in the mould for which reason the types
descend butt first from the ledge or shoulder 18, and lie in inclined planes, as
shown in Fig. 4. This however is not indispensable. It will be obvious that when
the types reach the ledges or shoulders 18 their bases or butt-ends will over-
balance the ends carrying the characters, and the types will descend in an
approximately inclined position. The width of each cell or magazine is co-extensive
with the width of the body of the type, so that they cannot turn laterally as they
descend. The depth of the cells or magazines is preferably less than the length
of the types, so that the latter are compelled to assume the inclined position shown
in Fig. 4.

page_text: The individual types' are designed to be released or removed from the lower ends
of the cells or magazines through the medium of the keys 7 arranged in the key
board 6, and to accomplish this each key acts upon one end of a key lever 19,
Fig. 3, which is pivotted as at 20, and bears at its inner end, as at 21, against the
Jower end of a pivoted finger or lever 22. There will be a key 7, a lever 19 and a
finger or lever 22 for each cell or magazine so that when a key is depressed the
finger or lever 22 will be actuated and its upper end will push a type from the cell
magazine corresponding with the key which has been operated. The type
released or removed from the cell or magazine by the finger or lever 22, passes on
to an endless travelling apron 23 supported by rollers 24 and 25, Fig. 3, and over
which extends a stationary shield or plate 26 having on its underside a converging
shoot or guideway formed by two converging plates or wings 27, in such manner
that no matter which type character is released, it will be conducted to a single
channel 28 through which it will be passed by the action of the travelling endless
apron to be operated upon by the rapidly rotating cam or eccentric 8, which
pushes the types successively into the assembling chamber or receptacle 8º. By
this means the types are rapidly assembled in a line in the chamber or receptacle,
and this line can be divided and set in columns for book, or newspaper, or other
printing. The plates or wings 27, are separated at their upper ends a distance
apart co-extensive with the plurality of cells or magazines 5, so that a type from
any cell or magazine passing on to the travelling endless apron will be guided by
the plates or wings 27 to the single channel 28 as before explained.
The key board mechanism for releasing or removing the individual types from
the lower ends of the cells or magazines is only typical of many forms that may be
employed for the purpose, for which reason I do not wish to be understood as
confining myself to any particular means for releasing or removing the individual
types from the cells or magazines as they are required in composing or setting.
The same remarks apply to the devices for carrying the released types from the
cells or magazines to the assembling chamber or receptacle.
it
In composing or setting types, some characters are more frequently used than
others, and therefore some type characters will accumulate in their respective cells
For this reason,
or magazines to such an extent that other types cannot enter.
is desirable that the casting of any particular type character be interrupted for
any desired length of time, and to accomplish this, the ejectors 4 are so arranged
and mounted that any ejector can be thrown out of operative position, so that it
will not enter the mould cavity corresponding thereto, in consequence of which the
cast type in such mould cavity will not be ejected, and the casting of this particular
character will be interrupted or prevented until such time as the ejector is moved
back into operative position for entering the mould cavity to eject the types
contained therein.
The movements of the casting pot, mould, trimming knife, and the ejectors, must
be so accurately timed that they will move at the required instant to secure a
practicable machine. The mechanical contrivances for obtaining timed movements
of the parts may be of any construction suitable for the conditions required, but
the mechanisms illustrated by the drawings, and which I will hereinafter describe
in detail, will operate the casting pot, mould, trimming knife, and ejectors in the
necessary manner.
To enable the ejectors to be thrown into or out of operative position, they are
arranged in notches or recesses 28 formed in the front edge of a slide or plate 29,
Fig. 8, and through these notches or recesses extends a pin 30 which constitutes a
pivot for all the ejectors, so that by swinging the latter on the pivot pin 30, they
can be thrown out of operative position. To facilitate the manipulation of the
ejectors, for the purpose of throwing them into and out of operative position, I
provide them with projecting arms or finger pieces 31 which can be conveniently
operated by an attendant, or otherwise, to tilt them back, so that they will not
enter the mould cavities when the ejector-carrying slide or plate 29 is reciprocated,
as will hereinafter appear.

page_text: ་
The ejector carrying slide or plate 29, is supported by and adapted. to reciprocate
upon a supporting guide-frame or plate 32 rigidly secured to the top portion of the
frame-work 33 of the machine. This frame-work of the machine may be of any
construction suitable for the purpose, and therefore a detailed description is deemed
unnecessary.
The guide frame or plate 32 is designed to stand in an inclined position, as
shown in Figs. 3 and 9, and its lower front edge is provided with a series of guide
channels 34 corresponding in number to the number of ejectors 4, and in which said
ejectors are adapted to move, so that they are accurately guided into and out of
the mould cavities. A rigid bar may extend over the front ends of the guide
channels 34 to hold the ejectors down in operative position when they are moving
through the said channels into the mould-cavities for ejecting the cast types.
The ejector carrying slide or plate 29 may be provided at each end with a pro-
jecting pin or roller, as at 35, adapted to move back and forth in a guide-way 36,
Fig. 9, at or near each end of the inclined guide frame or plate 32.
The pins or rollers 35 are designed to be engaged with cam races as at 37, formed
in or on cam wheels or discs 38 Fig. 4, and having portions which are concentric
with the axis or shaft 39 of the discs or wheels, so that the ejector-carrying slide or
plate will be reciprocated at certain intervals, and remain stationary at other times.
The shaft 39 is arranged horizontally at the top portion of the machine, and is
rotated through the medium of a bevel gear wheel 40, secured to said shaft and
engaging a bevel pinion 41 on the upper end of a vertical shaft 42, which is actuated
by a horizontal main driving-shaft 43. The connection between the vertical
shaft 42 and the main drive-shaft 43 may be effected by a worm wheel 44 mounted
on the shaft 42, and engaging a worm 45 loosely mounted on the shaft 43, and
adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the shaft 43 by a clutch section 46
slidable on but rotating with the shaft 43, and adapted to be moved into and out of
engagement with a clutch section 47 on one end of the worm 45. The clutch
section 46 is under control of the operator through the medium of a suitable clutch
operating lever 48.
The mould 2 is provided with end trunnions 49 mounted in suitable bearings 50
on the main frame and having arms 51 rigidly secured at one end thereto, while
their opposite ends are provided with pins or rollers engaging cam races, as at 51*
in cam-wheels 52 in such manner that the mould will be rocked at the proper time
to place it in the inclined position shown in Fig. 4 with the mould cavities in
coincidence with the ejectors 4 which are arranged to enter the mould cavities and
eject the cast types. The shaft 39 is provided with a bevel-gear-wheel 53 having
a mutilated or untoothed portion 54, and adapted to rotate a bevel pinion 55 at
certain intervals, which pinion is secured to a short shaft 56 having a cam 57 Fig. 5,
adapted to strike one end of the trimming knife 17, which is pivotted at its other
end to the mould 2 as at 58. The trimming knife is provided with a lateral lug 59
bearing against a leaf or other spring 60, mounted on the mould, Figs. 2 and 5, so that
after the cam 57 has depressed or moved the knife to dress or trim the bases or
butt-ends of the cast types, the spring will restore the knife to its normal position
for a subsequent operation. This action of the trimming knife occurs during a
portion of the time the mould is standing perpendicular, as shown in Fig. 3, in
which position the end 61 of the knife lies under the cam 57.
The plunger of the casting pot is connected by a rod 62 with one arm 63 of a
vertically swinging-lever 64, mounted on a shaft 65 and having its overhanging
arm 66 provided with a roller 66ª adapted to be engaged by a cam 67 Figs. 3 & 4
on the shaft 39 whereby the lever 64 is operated to raise the plunger 15. The
instant the cam 67 leaves the roller on the end of the arm 66, the spring 14 pulls
the lever-arm 63 downward, and thus depresses the plunger 15 to force or shoot
some of the type metal through the channel 16 and mouth 9 into the mould cavities
of the mould.
The casting pot must move or swing away from the mould prior to the rocking
motions of the latter, and for this purpose the pot may be provided with rigid. arms,

page_text: as at 68, each having a bracket 69 carrying a roller 70 and an overhanging
The rollers 70 and 72 are designed
portion 71 carrying a roller 72, Figs. 3 and 4.
to be engaged at the proper time by cams, as at 73, mounted on the shaft 39. The
parts of the cams 73 acting on the rollers 70, serve to move the casting-pot rear-
ward, or away from the mould, while the parts of the cams acting on the rollers 72
serve to move the casting pot forward, to place its mouth 9 against the mould. By
this means the pot is positively moved or swung in both directions, and a tight
closure of the pot mouth against the rear face of the mould is obtained.
The can races 51" are constructed in such form, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, that
at certain intervals during the rotation of the cam wheels 52, the arms 51 will not
be actuated, and therefore the moulds remain stationary.
The main driving shaft 43, is rotated in any suitable manner, as for example by
a pulley 74 and belt 75, Fig. 2, and on the driving shaft is loosely mounted a cone
pulley 76, which serves to drive three belts 77, 78 and 79. The belt 77 engages a
pulley 80, Fig. 3, on a vertical shaft 81, mounted near the front of the machine,
and having near its upper end a pulley 82 which connects by a belt 83 with a
pulley 84, Fig. 3, on the shaft of the cam or eccentric 8. The belt 78 is crossed
and connects with a pulley mounted on the end of a roller 85 journailed at the
delivery months of the cells or magazines for drawing the types on to the
when the types are released by the finger or lever 22. The belt 79 connects with a
pulley on the shaft 24 for the purpose of imparting motion to the apron 23.
apron
The pulley 76 can be caused to rotate with the main driving shaft through the
medium of a clutch-section 86, Fig. 2, adapted to engage a clutch-section 87 on the
pulley. The clutch section is adapted to slide on but rotates with the shaft 43,
and is under control of the operator through the medium of a clutch operating-
lever 88, whereby the mictions of the roller 85, endless apron 23, and cam or
eccentric 8, can be controlled by the operator. The clutch operating levers may
be arranged at opposite ends of the key-board mechanism, so that the operator cau
conveniently manipulate them as occasion demands.
The matrices 3 are each carried by a block 89, Figs. 4 and 10, and each block is
pressed towards the mould by a spring, as at 90 Fig. 4, whereby the matrix-blocks
yield when the mould is moved or swung against the fixed bar 91, in which the
inatrix blocks are arranged. The matrix-blocks are each restrained or limited in
its movements by a pin 92 fixed to the bar 91 and entering a recess 93 in the
matrix blocks. The matrices are adapted to perfectly close the front ends of the
mould cavities for the purpose of effectually preventing the escape or passage of
any type metal during the casting operation.
The main driving-shaft 43 may be run continuously, but the rotation of the cam-
wheel shaft 39, and the motions of the endless apron 23, and rotary cam or
eccentric 8, are under control of the operator through the medium of the clutch
operating levers 48 and 88. When the cam wheel shaft 39 is rotating, the casting
pot will be moved and held temporarily against the rear face of the mould and
The
force or shoot sufficient type metal into the mould cavities to fill the same.
mould will, at this time, stand stationary, because the ends of the arms 51 engage
parts of the cam races 51, which permit the cam wheels 52 to rotate without
actuating said arms 51. The cam 57 will also stand stationary since the mutilated
part 54 of the bevel-gear-wheel 53 will be opposite the bevel-pinion 55. As the
shaft 39 turns, the cams 73 will act on the rollers 70 and press or push the casting-
pot rearward from the mould, and at the same instant the toothed portion of the
bevel-gear-wheel 53 will rapidly rotate the pinion 55 thereby depressing the
knife 17 to dress or trim the bases or butt-ends of the types lying in the mould.
As the knife rises under the influence of the spring 60, the cam races 51ª act on the
arms 51 to rock the mould into the inclined position Fig. 4, and the cam races
operate to reciprocate the ejector slide or plate 29 thereby simultaneously ejecting
all the cast types from the mould provided all the ejectors 4 are in operative
position to enter the mould cavities. The operations described are then repeated,
and the sets of types are rapidly cast, trimmed, and ejected.

page_text: It will be understood that some of the mould cavities cast simple blanks or
spaces for spacing purposes, while others cast the letters of the alphabet and
numerals, and other required characters or signs.
The front wall of the cell or magazine frame, or rather the front portion of each
cell or magazine, is preferably of transparent material, such as glass, whereby the
columns or piles of types are rendered visible, and the operator can observe when
the supply should be diminished or increased.
The keys will, in practice, bear characters or signs corresponding to or indicating
the types, characters, or signs in the cells or magazines, and there will be one
key and intermediate devices for each cell or magazine. The depression of a
key causes a finger or lever 22 to push the lowermost type under the rapidly
rotating roller 85, which propels or shoots the type on to the travelling endless
apron, and the latter carries the type to the channel 28 and into the path of the
rapidly rotating cam or eccentric 8 which as before explained, acts successively on
the types to assemble them in a line in the assembling chamber or receptacle.
The mould is shown in the drawing as though in a single piece, but any other
construction may be adopted, and the ordinary devices for cooling the mould can
be employed if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1
1. The method herein described of producing and composing types, which
consists in casting a group or set of types bearing different characters, transferring
the cast types directly to the respective type receptacles of a type setting
mechanism wherein they are accumulated in assorted columns or piles, releasing
the types in the order required, and assembling the types in line, substantially as
set forth.
2. The combination of a type casting mould, means for introducing type metal
into the mould, mechanism for ejecting the types from the mould type receptacles
in which the types are accumulated directly from the mould, and type setting
mechanism in operative connection with the said type receptacles, substantially as
described.
3. The combination with a plurality of matrices, and a mould having a plurality
of cavities for casting a series of types, of cells or magazines for accumulating the
types, and a series of ejectors adapted to enter and leave the mould cavities and
movable out of operative connection with the mould cavities to avoid ejecting cast
types when required, substantially as described.
4. The combination of a series of matrices, a rocking mould, a tilting casting
pot, ejectors for ejecting the cast types from the mould cavities, and devices for
rocking the mould, tilting the casting pot, and operating the ejectors, substantially
as described.
5. My improvements in machines for casting and setting type, substantially as
herein before described and shewn with reference to the annexed drawings.
Dated this 8th day of January 1895.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.