Leading Mechanism for Linotype Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by LEWIS FREDERICK MATHER, of Brooklyn, County
of Kings, State of New York, United States of America, Engineer.]
Leading Mechanism for Linotype Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 6 Serjeants Inn, Fleet
Street, in the City of London, Sole Proprietors of and Manufacturers, Vendors
and Licensors under the "Linotype" Patents, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to an attachment for what are now known in the art
as linotype machines, such, for example, as that represented in Letters Patent
No. 14582 of 1890. These machines, being operated by finger keys, produce and
assemble side by side type metal bars or slugs, each bearing on one edge the
characters to print an entire line, and hence known as linotypes. In making use
of these linotypes it is frequently desirable to lead the printed matter; that is to
say, to introduce "leads" between them for the purpose of increasing the distance
between the lines of print, in the same manner and with the same effect that
ordinary printers are leaded.
Up to the present time it has been the custom to introduce the leads between the
finished linotypes, after they are removed from the machine.
The object of the present invention is to avoid the labour and time required for
the leading operation and to provide means whereby the leads may be automatically
introduced between the linotypes, in the machine which produces them.
To this end the invention consists broadly in the combination with mechanism
for delivering or for forming and delivering linotypes, a secondary mechanism
whereby the leads, stored in a galley or holder, are automatically introduced
between the successive linotypes as hereinafter more fully explained.
It will be understood by the skilled mechanic that the details of the mechanism
to this end may be constructed in various forms the equivalent of that herein shown,
without departing from the limits of the invention.
In carrying the invention into effect there is provided a metallic box or holder,
open at the top and adapted to receive a series of ordinary printers leads, standing
on end one behind another. This box is closed at the two ends but is provide
near the front end with a bottom opening adapted to permit a single lend at a time
to pass down endwise therethrough. Within the box there is mounted a follower
plate attached to the forward end of a horizontal sliding rod and urged constantly
forward by a spring encircling the rod and acting against an adjustable nut or collar
thereon. This follower device presses the column of leads constantly forward in a
horizontal direction, so that the foremost lead rests against the vertical wall at the
front end of the box and so that the column of leads is advanced step by step as the
successive leads are delivered through the bottom opening.
There is a slide mounted to move vertically in the front end of the box, in
advance of the column of leads. It is arranged to slide downward through the
bottom and is provided at the upper end with a lip which engages, when the slide
is in an elevated position, over the upper end of the forward lead. When the
slide is carried downward, the lip carries the lead before it through the bottom

page_text: opening, until it is finally delivered from the box, the next lead in the series being
supported by the bottom of the box so that it cannot escape.
After the delivery of the first lead, the slide rises until its lip is above the top of
the next lead, whereupon the column of leads is pushed forward by the spring,
until the second lead, now at the front of the column, is in position to be discharged
in its turn.
This action is repeated until all of the leads are discharged. The
opening at the bottom is made of such size that under ordinary circumstances, it
will permit the passage of a single standard lead only, and in like manner the lip
is made of suitable width to engage and deliver only a single lead.
In order, however, to admit of the device being adjusted to deliver leads of
different thicknesses, or to deliver two or more leads at one time when the print is
to be "double leaded," it is proposed to provide the box at the bottom with an
adjustable throat of any suitable character, such for instance, as an adjustable plate
slotted and secured by a screw or equivalent device, which will admit of its being
moved end wise to vary the size of the delivery opening. The lip at the top of the
plate may also be made adjustable in like manner, to engage two or more leads.
In one form of adjustment the lip is made in a separate piece and attached to the
forward end of an adjusting screw mounted in the slide. For the purpose of
reciprocating the slide, a lever is pivoted to the outside of the box, and is provided
near the opposite end with a slot, to receive a stud projecting from the slide
through a vertical slot in the side of the box. The end of the lever is provided
with a pivoted pawl, arranged to swing freely upward, but limited in its downward
motion by a stop pin upon which it normally rests under the influence of the
depressing spring.
The device above described is applied to the machine as follows. The machine
is provided, as usual, with a stationary galley or receiver having at one end an
opening to receive the successive linotypes, which are projected therethrough from
the rear by a reciprocating ejector blade which pushes them forward one after
another from the mold, in which they are formed. The linotypes are thus delivered
into the galley standing on end, in front of an arm which vibrates to the right and
left, so that after each linotype enters the end of the galley it is carried to the left,
added to the end of the line, and the entire line advanced in the galley sufficiently
to make room for the next linotype.
The lever and the ejector slide are held normally in an elevated position by a
spring extending from the lever, and a pin on the main frame.
As the slide
descends, the pin fixed thereon for the purpose, acts on a pawl carrying the lever
downward until it ejects a lead into the galley and until the pin passes the end of
the pawl, after which the leading devices are restored to their original position by
the spring.
As the slide rises, its pin lifts the pawl which falls thereunder in position to be
again depressed when the slide next descends. As the slide moves upward and
downward in the operation of the machine, once during the production of each line,
it will be seen that the action. of the leading device is properly timed. It will be
observed that the leads and the linotypes are delivered into the galley alternately
and by distinct actions.
In order to stop the delivery of leads, it is only necessary to throw back the
pawl until it is out of the path of the actuating pin.
Dated this 28th day of May 1895.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, late of No. 6 Serjeants Inn, Fleet
Street, but 'now of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Sole Proprietors
of, and Manufacturers, Vendors, and Licensors under, the "Linotype " Patents,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
he performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the present invention is to avoid the manual labour and the time
required for inserting leads between the linotypes of a column, by combining with
the linotype machine, a mechanism adapted to automatically deliver one or more
leads into the galley either before or after the delivery of a
linotype into it.
The invention consists broadly in the combination with mechanism for making
and delivering linotypes, of mechanism adapted to effect the automatic delivery
above mentioned and a connection by means of which the first mentioned mechanism
is rendered capable of actuating the last mentioned one. Such being the case, it
must be distinctly understood that the invention does not impose any limit on the
variability of the details of the mechanism by which the automatic delivery in
question is effected. We have selected for illustration, a mechanism which we
regard as efficient in respect of each of its functions. At the same time, the
invention includes any suitable mechanism possessing the same capabilities.
The well known Mergenthaler linotype machine described in the Specification
of Letters Patent 145821890, being at the present day, the most efficient and the most
widely known and used linotype machine, may be taken as typical of the class of
machines to which the present invention is applicable. For that reason, those
organs of it which co-operate with the present invention, have been selected as a
basis for the purpose of describing and illustrating the latter.
Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating the combination of the present invention
with the yoke, the vice frame and the galley of the above mentioned linotype
machine.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a leading mechanism.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation through the galley and the leading mechanism,
shewing the latter in the act of delivering a lead into the former between the galley
push and the linotypes (duly leaded) already in the galley.
Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section along the line 6-6 of Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section along the line 7-7 of Figure 4.
is the galley; O, the mould wheel; o, the mould proper therein; w, w, the
trimming knives; Z, a linotype on its way into the galley through the galley
port to, the ejector blade; Y, the galley push; and N, the yoke.
It will be noted that the linotypes are pushed horizontally, end on, through the
galley port and drop from it, ends first, into the galley in which they stand on
the said ends. Such being the direction taken by the linotypes from the galley
port, and such their position in the galley, the present invention likewise provides
for the leads being fed vertically downwards into the galley ends first and for
standing therein on the said ends.
The leading mechanism illustrated in the figures consists of the parts and organs
next described.
A is a box fixed in a horizontal position to a convenient part of the machine
frame, with its left end a immediately to the right of the galley port 18 and the
bottom of it upon the top of the galley. The function of the box A is to contain
the leads B. They are of the ordinary size and shape and are piled end up in it.

page_text: b is the right end of the box and acts as the lead follower or push. It is maintained
in a vertical position upon the bottom of the box A. between the leads and a stop 61
by a rod b adapted to slide centrally of the cross section of the box and horizon-
tally to and fro through the two upwardly bent arms of a rod guide 63 which is
adjustable at a longer or shorter distance from the right end b by means of a slot
and bolt device, the same being a horizontal slot in the bottom of the box A and
a screwed and nutted bolt passed through the foot of the guide 3 and the said slot.
The left end of the rod 6 is made fast centrally to the lead push by a knuckle
joint. The leads are kept in a vertical position and are pushed forward towards
the left end a of the box A by means of a spiral spring c surrounding the rod 63
between the guide 3 and an adjustable collar e' upon the rod and free to act upon
the said collar from the guide 3 as a base of action. a is a plate across the top of
the box. Its function is to prevent the leads near the left end a being moved
upwards by the lead feeder described further.
dis the delivery port through which the leads are fed downwards into the
galley. It is formed through the bottom of the box A close up to the left end a.
The width of it is proportioned to the joint thickness of the maximum number of
leads which it may be required to feed at once plus the thickness of the lead feeder.
It is well known that sometimes a column or a page is to be leaded more heavily
than usual. To meet this demand for variation in the degree of leading, the width
of the port d is adjustable by means of a shutter d held to the outside of the
bottom of the box by a headed screw d³ passed upwards through a slot d³ in the said
shutter into the box bottom.
e is the lead feeder. It is a plate capable of a reciprocating vertical motion
through the port d immediately within the left end a of the box. e is an extension
fast ou its left face adapted, by engaging in a vertical slot of the same width in
the said end, to serve as a guide for the feeder. is a lip projecting from the top
of the feeder e over the adjacent lead in order that the next downward motion of
the feeder may take the said lead downward and let it drop as soon as it has cleared
the next lead. It is to be noted that the feeder e is in touch with the inner face
of the end a and that the spring c keeps the leads pressed up to the said feeder, so
that none of them standing over the port d, are free to drop from their position in
the box A. Figures 4 and 5 shew the lip as adapted to engage only one lead.
But the same condition that requires variability in the width of the delivery port d,
requires a like property in the lip e³. To meet this requirement, the lip is separate
from the feeder and lies in a notch in the top of it. is a set screw working
through the extension e' from the left of the box A. Its front end is unthreaded
and is connected to the above mentioned lip in such a way that it can turn freely
in it but that the lip must share the screw's motion to or from the leads B.
M is a lever pivotted upon the front of the box near to the right end of it upon
the screw pin m. The opposite end of it extends for a short distance beyond the
left end a. m² is a pin fast to the top of the feeder e and projecting through a
vertical slot a in the front of the box as well as through a horizontal one m² in the
lever M. m³ is a pawl pivotted to the side of the lever M by a screw pin mt.
This pawl is approximately parallel with the lever M and projects beyond its end.
m is a stop projecting from the side of the lever M under the pawl, to prevent it
from dropping below its operative position. m is a spring adapted to keep the said
pawl down upon the pawl stop me. The under edge of the pawl is cut off diagonally
towards the outer end of it.
n is a stud projecting to the rear from the back of the side of the yoke N. It
must be understood that this yoke has a reciprocating vertical motion independently
of the present invention. The stud n represents the above mentioned connection
by means of which the linotype making mechanism is rendered capable of actuating
the leading mechanism. nis a returning spring. Its base of action is some
convenient fixed point on the machine. Its opposite end is made fast to the end of
the pin m².
The said connection and leading mechanism operate as follows, after the box A

page_text: has been properly charged with leads and the lip e³ and shutter d¹ adjusted for the
required degree of leading.
As the yoke N is going through its well known downward motion, the connecting
stud n above mentioned, engages the outer end of the pawl m³, and by reason of
the pawl stop m³, swings the lever M downwards, thereby making the feeder e
deliver one or more leads, according to the projection of the lip es. The stud n
does not pass the pawl m³ until this delivery has been completed. When the
stud n has cleared the said pawl, the returning spring n¹ returns the leading
mechanism to its normal position. The stud n clears the lever M during the
upward travel of the yoke N by reason of the pawl m³ turning upwards on its
pivot m. It is brought down again on the pawl stop m' by the spring me.
As soon as a
The push Y has a horizontal reciprocating motion as heretofore.
linotype and a lead are in the galley, it pushes them over to the left end of the
galley.
The delivery of leads can always be stopped by throwing the pawl m³ backwards,
or in any other way moving its outer end out of the downward path of the stud n.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with mechanism for making and delivering linotypes, of
mechanism adapted to effect the automatic delivery of leads among them in their
galley, and a connection by means of which the former mechanism is rendered
capable of actuating the latter.
2. In a linotype machine, the combination of mechanism for forming linotypes
and delivering the same into a galley or holder, a box for leads, and an automatic
mechanism for delivering said leads into the galley, between the successive linotypes,
substantially as described.
3. In a linotype machine, the combination of a casting mechanism for forming
linotypes, a galley or holder, mechanism for delivering the linotypes from the
casting mechanism to the galley, a box for leads, and an automatic mechanism
capable of adjustment so as to deliver either one or more than one lead or leads
from the box into the galley, after the delivery of each linotype, substantially as
described and shown.
4. In a linotype machine, the combination of a lead box, the follower or push
therein, the lead feeder, its actuating lever, a yielding pawl, and a reciprocating
part to act on said pawl as and for the purposes described.
5. The combination with a linotype machine having the receiving galley and a
reciprocating member N, of the lead box, a follower or push therein, a feeder for
the leads, an actuating lever, a pawl, and a returning spring, arranged for joint
operation, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a linotype machine including a receiving galley and
means for delivering. the linotypes successively thereto as formed, of a lead
delivering mechanism, combined with and actuated by the reciprocating member N,
of said machine.
...
1
1006
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.