IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTING PRINTING" TYPES AND OTHER SIMILAR RAISED SURFACES, AND ALSO IN CASTING QUADRATES AND SPACES
Year: 1848

page_text: VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of December; in the twelfth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exors, admors, and
assigns, and stich others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to, time; and, at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CASTING PRINTING" TYPES AND OTHER SIMILAR RAISED SURFACES, AND ALSO IN
CASTING QUADRATES AND SPACES," being a communication from a Foreigner
residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause
the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and bythe following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention of "Improvements in Casting Printing Types and other
similar Raised Surfaces, and also in casting Quadrates and Spaces," as com-
municated to me by my correspondent, is designed, in the first place, to
regulate the supply of the molten metal to the mould and matrix or die, so as
to avoid any excess of metal for each casting; and, secondly, to produce
castings of greater accuracy of form, and at a superior speed, than heretofore,
by means of mechanism admitting of nice adjustments of the working parts.
The supply of molten metal for each casting is regulated by means of a
particular form of piston or plunger (hereafter to be described) working in a
cylinder in the melting pot, which piston or plunger has a hollow space
formed in its centre, and extending its whole depth, along which the molten
metal passes, and escapes through a valve at the lower end thereof into a
chamber underneath a piston. By the downward action of the piston, the
molten metal is forced through the orifice or nipple into the mould and
matrix, which is brought immediately over the nipple, and thus the type
or other raised surface,quadrate, or space used for printing purposes is formed.
The mode of bringing together the mould and matrix so as to cause them to
occupy the right position for receiving the proper quantity of metal for each
casting successively will be hereafter particularly described.
The mechanism by which the castings are effected consists of a pair of
jaws for containing the two halves of the mould, one of which jaws is
moveable on a centre so as alternately to close and open, and thereby to be
. fitted alternately to receive the molten metal, and admit of its being discharged
in the form of a type, quadrate, or space, as required. This moveable jaw
is made to work uniformly to any given point of adjustment (according to the
dimensions and character of the casting required to be produced) by means of
a tension bar, which is also capable of adjustment as to its length by means of
a double screw, as hereafter described. This bar is likewise so fitted to the
machine as to be capable of having its position readily changed when required.
A further end answered by this bar is the action produced by it upon the lever
or mechanism for effecting the liberation of the form of type when cast.
Another material part of this machine is the lever, or mechanism which is

page_text: made to press upon one end of the matrix, and tilt it so as to withdraw it
from the metal within the mould at the same period as above, (viz.) just after
the casting has taken place, and during the elevation of the jaws or arms.
but
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a plan view of the
machine, with the mould attached, and the matrix therein at rest, complete
and in working condition. Fig. II. represents a front elevation of the machine.
Fig. III. is a side elevation at the left hand of the machine. Fig. IV.
represents a side elevation at the right hand of the machine. Fig. V. is a
back elevation of the machine. Fig. VI. is an inverted plan of part of the
upper surface of the machine. These Figures are all drawn to a scale of four
and a half inches to a foot, or rather more than a third of the real size
Fig. VII., showing a section of the pot for the metal and the piston, and
Fig. VIII., a plan of the pot for the metal, are to a scale of one half the real
size. The similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the
Figures. A, A, represents the surface of a table on which the machine is
planted. B, B, in Figs. III. and IV. are regulating screws, with adjusting
nuts and bolts, which secure to the table the moveable platform D, D, D, D,
through which pass four levelling screws 1, 1, 1, 1, the ends of which rest on
the bed pieces C, C. E, F, (in Fig. 2) are side posts cast on or secured to
the platform D. G is a shaft, centred at its ends, and turning on central
adjusting screws in the heads of the side posts E, F. On this shaft G
is secured, by a pinching screw, the arm H, and on the same shaft the fork
P, P, is secured by a screw. This fork supports by centre screws the opening
arm I. In the extremities of the arms H, I (see Fig. I.), are drilled sockets
of about three inches long, and three quarters of an inch in diameter. 13, 14,
are two pieces of steel about six inches long, three quarters of an inch broad, and
one inch deep,about three inches of which are turned,and are slid into thesockets
of the arms H, I. These pieces so fitted are called slide arms, and are held
in their places by the pinching screws 15, 15. To each back plate of the type
mould 16, 17, is secured a piece of iron 18, 18, of the length of the
said plate of about three quarters of an inch broad by one inch deep; these
again are secured to the slide arms 13, 14, by the screws 19, 19, 19, 19. On
the
post. Fis secured a swivel socket 2, through which passes a pin formed on
the end of a coupling tension rod Q, and is held in its place by the spring 3
attached to the socket 2. This rod Q is constructed of a right and left hand
screw, with a regulating box in the centre and two jam nuts. The other end
of the said rod moves in a fixed socket in the projection 4, on the side of the
arm I, and is prevented from being drawn out by a nut on the end of it. Y
is a tilting lever, having its fulcrum in a stud 20, on the arm H. The hooked
end of the said lever works over the anti-friction roller 21, on the stay 44,

page_text: fixed by adjusting screws to the post E. At its other end the lever X is
slotted to receive an adjusting screw for attaching a piece of iron 22 to the
lever Y. This piece of iron is at its extreme end bent to a right angle, and
receives a regulating screw 45 for the purpose of tilting the matrice 41. This
piece of iron 22 can be shifted as required. The action of the tilting lever Y
is regulated by the rising and falling of the arm H. Z is a pushing lever,
having its fulcrum at 26 on the arm H, and to the other end 29 of this lever
(see Fig. III.) a stapie 30 is attached by a regulating screw.
At each end
of the staple, attached by screws, is an ejecter or pusher 31, 31, which works
across the face and jet of part of the mould 16 on the arm H. On the under
and upper side of the arm H are fixed by regulating screws two guides 33, 33,
for the purpose of directing and keeping the pushers in their places. The
working of the pushing lever Z is entirely dependant on the movement of the
opening arm I, which is connected with the lever % by means of a rod 27,
formed of two pieces of iron lying one above the other, but held together by
two regulating screws. This connecting rod is attached to the arm I by a pin,
and held in its place by the spring 28, also secured to the arm I. The other
end of this rod 27 is secured to the pushing lever Z by the screw 32. 23 is
a curved spring, one end of which is fixed by a screw to the under side of the
slide arm 13, and the other end presses the matrice 41 close down to the face
of the mould at the time that the metal is being injected into the aperture of
the mould, and which spring still retains its place on the matrice, although
pressed upwards by the working of the tilting lever Y, during the elevation of
the arm H; but as the arm descends the power of the tilting lever is removed,
and the spring 23 again causes the matrice to resume its former position on
the face of the mould. Between the arm Hand fork P, both on the shaft G, as
seen in Fig. I I. is a loose collar. W, and 37 is a connecting pin passing
through the collar W and the shaft G, securing the two together. On the
collar W the aim Jis fixed by the screw 38. Below the shaft G, and parallel
thereto, is the shaft K, which revolves in journals on the pillars 39,39, fixed to or
cast upon the platform D. To the end of the shaft K is attached the handle L,
and on the same shaft the wiper M, having a groove or channel cut in the centre,
and forming two different movements, is fixed to the shaft K by the screw 42,
which admits either of the movements to act upon the antifriction roller 36,
and which screw is also for adjusting the wiper. On the other end of the
shaft K is an arm N slotted to receive a bolt which forms the axle of an
antifriction roller 40. This roller works in the eccentric opening or slot
formed in the segment O, O, attached by adjusting screws to the arm J
(see Fig. III.) and completes the connection between the lower and upper
parts of the machine. By turning the handle L the arm J elevates and

page_text: depresses the arms H, I, the movements of which work all the other append-
ages of the upper part of the machine which are attached to these arms;
6, 7, are side posts' of an iron frame the feet of which are secured by screws
to the rim of the metal pot. At the top of this frame is attached by screws
a piece of metal 5, in which is formed a collar for the upper end of the piston
or pump rod U. A double joint is placed within the mortice 34 of the said
rod (best seen in Fig. VII.) through which passes the lever V, one end of
which is secured by a pin at 9 to an arm cast on and projecting out from the
side post 6 of the frame. 24 is a spiral spring coiled round the piston rod U,.
and intended to force the said rod down into the cylinder c of the pot S.
This spring rests upon the nut 25 on the screw formed on the piston rod U,
which nut regulates the force of the spiral spring 24. On the platform D (see
Fig. IV.) is the stud 35, the head of which forms the fulcrum of the lever X,
on one end of which is fitted an antifriction roller 36 on which the wiper M
revolves. The levers V and X are connected by a joint at each end of the
upright rod 10 at the upper end of which rod is a screw and jam nut.
Fig. VI. is a section shewing an inverted plan of part of the upper surface
of the machine, which is done by withdrawing the connecting pin 37 out of
the collar W and shaft G, and the coupling tension rod Q being taken out
of the socket 2, the arms H,I, can be brought back without causing any other
movement of the machine, by which means the greatest facility is afforded for
putting on, taking off, adjusting, or otherwise sorting the mould, as also for
the purpose of cleaning and inspecting various parts of the machine.. The
mould being returned to its former position the connecting pin driven home,
and the coupling tension rod replaced in its socket, the machine is ready for
further operations.
Fig. VIII. is a plan of the pot S for holding the metal, the bottom
and sides of which are enclosed by an iron furnace T (see Fig. V.) having
a grate 45 for the fuel, a door on one side, and a smoke pipe 11 with an ash
pan 43 below, the whole supported on brackets 12, 12, planted aud fixed by
bolts on the table A.
Figure VII. is a section shewing the inner formation of the pot S. In the
upright part a, a,the cylinder c is formed, from which the passage d leads into
the upright passage f. In the cylinder c is fitted the piston h bored through
the centre to receive the valve rod i, and to admit the metal into the passages
d, f. At the lower end of the piston rod U is attached the piston h by the
nut b. At the termination of the upright passage f is fitted a self-adjusting
nipple, having a small aperture in its centre, the lower end of which
is either conical or spherical, and has its seat formed in a counterpart n, n.

page_text: m is a screw the point of which enters a hole on the side of the nipple k, to
prevent it being lifted out, but at the same time allowing an adjusting move-
ment when the mould is brought down upon it.
h
I will now proceed to describe the mode of working the improved machine.
Figs. 1. and II. represent the machine at rest and ready for the operation
of casting. The mould having been properly adjusted and the matrice placed
therein, and the circular spring 23 acting upon it, and both parts or sides of
the mould being held in contact by the pressure of the coupling tension rod Q,
it rests about an eighth of an inch above the nipple and the verge of the
notch of the wiper M (best seen in Fig. IV.) rests on the friction roller 36 on
the lever X. The metal in the pot S, being melted, flows through the aperture
of the piston at the valve i into the passages d, f. The workman by
turning the handle L causes the arm N on the shaft K to revolve, and the
antifriction roller 40 of the arm N working in the eccentric slot of the seg-
ment O, brings the mould close down on the nipple of the pot S; the
aperture in the mould and the aperture in the nipple being then directly
opposite each other at the same time the notch of the wiper M passes over on
the roller 36 on the lever X; the spiral spring 24 depresses the piston rod U
and the piston upon the valve i, thus shutting the communication and
forcing a portion of the metal up through the small aperture in the nipple
into the mould and matrice, and thereby forming the type. By continuing
the rotation of the shaft K, the piston is raised to its former position by
means of the lever V, which allows the metal agaiu to flow down the aperture
in the piston h, and the antifriction roller 40 on the arm N, acting on the
inner surface of the excentric slot of the segment O, raises the arms H, I, with
the mould. During this elevation, the tilting lever Y on the arm H, is
brought into action, the hooked end of which working over the antifriction
roller 21 gradually depresses the other end of the lever Y, thereby freeing the
matrice 41 from the face of the type. But although the type is freed from
the matrice, it still adheres to the side of the mould carried by the arm H,
and it is at this particular time that the pushers 31, 31, come in contact with
the type by means of the coupling tension rod Q extending outwards; the
opening arm I draws the pushers 31, 31, of the levers Z across the face and
jet of the part of the mould on the arm H, and thus discharges the type from
the mould. The further turning of the handle L brings the mould down to its
former position, when it is ready for further operations.
I would here remark, that in working the improved machine, brushes are
used by the workman for removing any accumulation of metal from the surface
of the nipple or mould:

page_text: Having nowdescribed the improvements in casting printing types, andother
similar raised surfaces, and also in casting quadrates and spaces, as communi-
cated to me by my correspondent, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First, regulating the proper supply of molten metal to the mould and
matrix by means of the piston or plunger, and the general arrangement of the
parts in connection with the melting pot, as described and represented, but
more particularly in the section, Fig. VII.
Secondly, the general arrangement of the mechanism above described and
shewn in the Drawings for working the moulds and matrices of printing types
and other similar raised surfaces, as well as quadrates and spaces.
Thirdly, the moveable jaw or arm 1, turning on a centre, as shewn, and
capable of adjustment, in the manner represented and described.
Fourthly, the tension rod or bar Q, with its capabilities of adjustment, as
described.
Fifthly, the mechanism for liberating the type or other form from the
mould when the casting is completed, consisting of the lever Y for tilting the
matrix, and in this manner withdrawing it from the casting, and also the
lever Z for pushing out the casting, and causing it to fall out of the mould into
a proper receptacle placed below it.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.