IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINERY FOR COMPOSING AND FOR DISTRIBUTING TYPE
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, British and International Patent Agent and Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
MACHINERY FOR COMPOSING AND FOR DISTRIBUTING TYPE." (A communi-
cation from abroad by Monsieur Isidore Delcambre, of Paris, in the Republic
of France.)
Sealed the 10th May 1878, and dated the 13th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th November
1877.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, British and International Patent Agent & Civil Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO MACHINERY FOR COMPOSING AND FOR DISTRIBUTING
TYPE." (A communication from abroad by Monsieur Isidore Delcambre, of Paris,
in the Republic of France.)
This machine is designed to distribute and compose type by machinery instead
of by hand.
First. As to the Distribution.-The distributing part of the mechanism is
designed to mechanically separate the letters, which, in the ordinary processes, are
placed by the hand, letter by letter, in their cases. In my improved process each
page or form is placed upon the galley of the distributor; the workman presses this
page in such manner that it may place itself line to line at the opposite extremity
of the said galley; the lines are separated the one from the other and pushed into a
cavity. Each letter of the lines is pushed into a trap or cavity by the means of
finger keys or pistons that the operator actuates by hand, and which in turn works
the great lever, corresponding to another lever terminated by a presser, which
propels the letter into its position. These finger keys have previously, and by the
[Price 10d1

page_text: same movement, opened a trap corresponding more or less to the size of the letter
which ought to enter the hole of the little trap. The little trap comes out at the
summit of a table inclined to the vertical, upon which is a series of grooves (about
forty, more or less). In these grooves glide with rapidity the letters which have
been introduced by means of the finger keys, worked by the band, and which work
the guide letter levers in a direction parallel to the table, which in turn guides the
letters in the right direction. The letters proceed below the table on inclines into
the moveable cases or reservoirs of the machine. They adjust themselves to their
respective reservoirs, and are caused to fall vertically by a presser or transverse lever
hammer, upon which rests numerous little excentrics placed before the letters, the
duty of which is to push the letters to the bottom of the reservoirs. This duty can
be accomplished equally well by the wheel with moveable teeth in the composing
machine.
Second. With regard to Composing Type.-The letters being placed in the fonts or
reservoirs in the usual manner to commence with, the apparatus works by means
of finger keys a lever and a coiled spring. The workman strikes one of the finger
keys, which rest by means of triangles or bell cranks on the little vertical levers,
which are terminated by a little plate or blade in the form of a T, the move-
ment of which, produced by the key, drives the letters into the pipe cavity. This
cavity comes out of the grooves in the table vertical to the included triangular
plane, and into which it adjusts itself; taken up by a little leather strap or flat cord
moved by two little pullies, the letters are turned on to a wheel with moveable
teeth, and moved by a great guide pulley from a little pulley. The little wheel
with moveable teeth receives its rotary motion from a little groove pulley which
communicates with the large groove pulley by a cord. The large pulley is placed
upon an arbor with the little pulley with moveable teeth. The whole is actuated
by a fly wheel where the little pulleys are placed. The arbor of the fly wheel is
carried by a pedestal, upon which the compositor places his foot. This wheel can
be moved either by electricity or steam. Underneath the wheel with moveable
teeth is a triangle which receives successively all the letters which push one another
towards a triangle which is connected with the spacing. The spacing is conducted
by a workman, who separates one entire line, and places it upon a moving space
line of steel; he does the spacing, after which he turns the little crank fixed upon
the same arbor somewhat excentrically. This rotation has the effect of increasing
the distance between the cam and the lead carrier. By the same motion the cam
presses upon the chase and makes it lower, until the cross bar, placed on the top of
the chase, has struck upon the heel of the letters and has fixed them in place. The
workman in communicating an inverse movement to the crank disengages the cam
from its position, and a cam replaces the chase in the vertical position until
it can retake its first position; by this same movement the cam or excentric presses
upon the lead carrier.

page_text: the right direction. The letters proceed below the table on inclines into the boxes
or moveable reservoirs of the machine. They adjust themselves to their respective
reservoirs, and are caused to fall vertically by a presser or transverse lever
hammer, upon which rest numerous little excentrics placed before the letters, the
duty of which is to push the letters to the bottom of the reservoirs. This duty can
be accomplished equally well by the wheel with moveable teeth in the composing
machine.
2nd. With regard to Composing.-The letters being placed in the reservoirs or
fonts, the duty of the compositor begins. The apparatus works by means of finger
keys, a lever, and a coiled spring. The workman strikes one of the finger keys,
which rest by means of rods on the little vertical levers, which are terminated by a
little plate or blade in the form of a T, the movement of which produced by the
key drives the letters into the pipe cavity. This cavity comes out of the grooves
in the vertical table to an inclined triangular plane, and into which it adjusts
itself. Taken up by a little leather strap or flat cord, moved by two little pulleys,
the little cord or strap turns the letter on to a wheel with moveable teeth, and
moved by a great guide pulley from a little pulley, the little wheel with moveable
teeth receives its rotary motion from a little groove pulley, which communicates
with the large groove pulley by a cord. The large pulley is placed upon an arbor
with the little pulley with moveable teeth. The whole is actuated by a fly wheel,
where the little pulleys are placed. The arbor of the fly wheel is carried by a
pedal, upon which the compositor places his foot. This wheel can be moved, if
desired, either by electricity or steam. Underneath the wheel with moveable teeth
is a rod which receives successively all the letters, which push one another towards
a rod which is connected with the spacing. The spacing is conducted by a work-
man, who separates one entire line, and places it upon a moving space line of steel;
he does the spacing, after which he turns the little crank fixed upon the same arbor
with an excentric. This rotation has the effect of increasing the distance between
the cam and the lead carrier. By the same motion the cam presses upon the chase,
and lowers it until the cross bar, placed on the top of the chase, has struck upon
the heel of the letters and has fixed them in place. The workman in communi-
cating an inverse movement to the crank, disengages the cam from its position, and
a cam replaces the chase in the vertical position until it can retake its tirst
position by this same movement; the cam or excentric presses upon the lead
carrier.
Having now described the said Invention, and the best mode known to me of
carrying the same into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I believe to
be new and desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is, the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery or apparatus
for composing and for distributing type, when caused to operate, substantially
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described, and illustrated by the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.