Improvements in Type Founding Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 27th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Aug., 188
Improvements in Type Founding Machines.
WO LÉON FOUCHER and AUGUSTE FOUCHER, trading under the style or firm of
Foucher frères, of Paris, France do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for founding, dressing, nicking,
and setting type; and they relate to that class of machine in which a single type is
cast at a time and which perform the subsequent operations accessory to complete the
type and turn it out ready for immediate use in printing. The machine comprises
the necessary framework and cam shaft driven by hand or power for actuating the
different moving parts of the machine. The sides of the mould cavity are constituted
by steel blocks fixed in cast iron bed blocks of which one is adjustable to enable the
depth of body of the type to be varied, and the bottom of the mould cavity is closed
by the upper edge of a steel plate rising between the side blocks and carried by a
vertically moving slide or carrier, operated in one direction by a cam and lever and in the
other direction by a spring.
Upon the stationary bed block is fitted to slide in suitable
guides, a top carriage in the under side of which is fixed a steel block which comes
over the mould cavity and closes the fourth or top side thereof, this carriage being
operated by a cam and lever. The four walls of the mould serve to mould the four
longitudinal faces of the type body. The one end of the mould cavity is closed by
the matrix which is held by a matrix carrier fitted to slide along a guide arm standing
out from the stationary base block in a direction parallel to the length of the type
body. The matrix is held in position against the ends of the side blocks so as to close
the end of the mould cavity by a thrust rod working on a ball and socket joint and
pressed forward by a spring rod mounted in a bracket on the matrix carriage, the
matrix resting upon an adjustable table also mounted on the carriage and provided
with a vertical rib or stop for determining the position of the matrix laterally. The
matrix carriage is held against its guide arm by presser rollers carried by a spring
and is operated so as to withdraw the matrix from the end of the mould after each

page_text: type is cast so as to release the face of the type from the matrix, by a lever actuated
in one direction by a cam and in the other by a spring. At the opposite side of the
machine is the "ingate" leading to the mould cavity and formed between two side
blocks of which one is adjustable, the form of said "ingate" being such that the jet
or sprue will be of dovetail form. The entrance to this "ingate" is covered by
a perforated plate against which comes the nozzle of the crucible or pump containing
the molten metal and operated by a cam whereby the metal is injected at proper times
into the mould through the perforated plate and ingate.
The operation of casting a type is as follows:-The steel plate forming the bottom
of the mould cavity having descended the proper distance, the top carriage brings the
steel top of the mould immediately over the mould cavity, the matrix carrier brings
the matrix up against the end of the mould cavity and the metal is then injected by
the pump through the ingate. The type thus cast is extracted from the mould as
follows: The top carriage recedes and uncovers the upper side of the mould, the
matrix recedes so as to disengage the face of the type from the die of the matrix, and
the vertically sliding bottom plate rises and lifts the type up to the level of the top
of the sides of the mould... The. top. carriage in coming forward again in readiness
for casting another type, seizes the previously cast type and carries it along with it
for the purpose of breaking off the sprue or jet which is the next operation.
To enable the top carriage to hold the type firmly whilst undergoing the operation
of breaking off the sprue or jet, the carriage is provided with a movable jaw at its
front end. This jaw moves in guides on the carriage: It is closed by a spring and
opened by a stop when the carriage recedes the jaw being then in such position that
the type lifted out of the mould will be between the movable jaw and the front end
of the carriage which constitutes the fixed jaw. On the advance of the carriage,
the movable jaw closes and seizes the type firmly between it and the fixed jaw. The
carriage in its further advance forces the sprue against a fixed cutter or stop which is
in its path, and by which the sprue is cut or broken off.
The next operation is to remove the fins from the body, an operation formerly
· performed by rubbing on a file or stone, and also to remove the bevelled shoulders or
excess of metal due to the hollowing of the die of certain matrixes so as to form
a perfectly regular prismatic body. The fins are formed only at the lower corners of
the mould cavity when the bottom vertically sliding plate fits badly against the sides
and the excess of metal or bevelled shoulders are formed at the same and the opposite
side, that is to say, at the upper and under sides of the type body as it is cast in the
mould. The bevelled shoulder at the upper side is removed by a cutter carried
at the under side of the top. carriage which removes the excess metal from the type
body whilst the latter is still in the mould during the backward motion of the top
carriage. The fins and underside bevel shoulder are removed by other cutters over
which the type is carried by the top carriage after being removed from the mould and
after the sprue has been broken off as above described. For this purpose the carriage
is provided in a recess between the type holding jaws, with a presser attached to a
vertical rod acted on at the proper moment to. press the type down on to the cutters, by.
a lever mounted on the carriage and actuated. by an adjustable cam surface or incline
fixed alongside the carriage guide and on which the tail end of the lever rides. In
what are denominated "kerned" letters, such as the italic; the loop of the face of
the type overhangs the body, and in this case, it is necessary to use cutters of such
form that they will not remove this overhanging part of the face whilst acting on
the body.
:
The next operation is to plane the groove in the base of the body in order to remove
the part from which the sprue was broken off and form the feet and also to remove
the fins from the top and bottom sides of the body at the shoulder and also to form
*supplementary nicks in the body used as distinctive signs of certain kinds of type.
These operations are performed in the course of setting up the type in line in a stick,
which is effected by the top carriage on arriving at the end of its forward movement
bringing the type over a slot in the bed. At this moment the stem of the presser
finger comes under the upper curved end of a vertically.sliding bar which is then

page_text: caused to bear on said stem and cause the finger to force the type out of the jaws
of the carriage and into the slot beneath. This slot leads into a curved guide which
in turn leads to a straight guide or composing stick wherein the types are ranged
side by side, being, in passing through the curved guide, turned from the flat or
sidewise position in which they are cast, to the edgewise position. In this slot are
placed the cutters for planing the groove to form the feet and the nicks which act on
the type body as it is forced through-the slot.
Having described the general functions of the machine we will now proceed to
explain the mechanism whereby the regular performance of those functions is assured.
One of the most important conditions is the stoppage of the top carriage with the
utmost precision at the two ends of its course. Now, the length of this course
necessarily varies at one end whenever the depth of body of the type to be cast is
varied, as in that case the vertically sliding plate forming the bottom of the mould
must be changed for another of different thickness and the movable bed block carrying
the adjustable side block of the mould must be shifted together with all its appurtenances
in order to make the distance between the sides of the mould correspond to the
thickness of the new bottom plate. The movement of the top carriage must therefore
be adjustable to correspond to the depth of the type body which is effected by the
arrangement of the lever through which said carriage is operated from the cam shaft.
For this purpose, the arm of the lever which engages in the carriage, is made in two
parts so that its radius may be varied, the one part being movable and fitted between
abutment screws on and connected to the other part by a clamping bolt passing
through a radial slot, an adjusting screw acting on the movable part being provided
to enable the most accurate adjustment to be readily made. When the top carriage is
in its rearmost position, this adjustable arm is vertical and consequently at right
angles to the carriage, so that any alteration in its length thus made will not affect
the position of the carriage at this end of its course, but when the carriage is moved
to the other end of its course, the angle of the lever relatively to the carriage, is
altered and it is moved a greater or less distance in this direction, according to the
length to which the lever arm has been adjusted. An index and scale on the two
parts of the lever arm respectively, indicate the different depths of body corresponding
to the different positions of the movable part of the lever arin.
EL
Another important condition is to keep the top carriage down on its guide or base
without impeding its sliding motion. This is effected by means of a hold down rod
which is drawn downwards by the action of a spring whose tension is adjustable by
wing nut. This hold down rod is connected to the carriage by a gudgeon at its upper
end lying in a bearing across the top of the carriage, so that by raising the gudgeon
out of its bearing, the carriage can he readily removed from the machine when
required. It is also necessary that the carriage should be firmly pressed upon the
mould during the injection of the metal, and for this purpose the vertically sliding
bar which acts on the finger in order to force the type out of the jaws of the carriage
as previously described, also presses on a lever oscillating on a fixed centre carried by
the bed block and bearing on a raised part of the carriage on which pressure is exerted
at a point directly over the type mould.
Another important condition is that the motion of the finger by which the type is
forced from between the jaws of the carriage, is absolutely vertical and free from play,
and for this purpose a dovetail slide is interposed between said finger and the rod to
which it is attached, said slide working in a corresponding guide in the fixed jaw
whereby the necessary precision of motion of the finger is ensured.
In machines for casting large type it is desirable that the piston of the pump by which
the molten metal is injected into the mould should maintain its pressure long enough
to give the metal in the mould time to solidify, and for this purpose the cam shaft is
driven through spur gear mounted on a movable support. The spur wheel which
gears with the cam shaft is made of double width and the half which gears with the
wheel on the cam shaft is mutilated, that is to say, has no teeth around a portion of
its circumference, whilst the other half which gears with the first motion shaft is
toothed entirely around its circumference, so that although said wheel continues

page_text: to revolve, the cam shaft remains stationary so long as the mutilated part of the
wheel is opposite the wheel on the cam shaft, this period of rest corresponding to
the inward position of the pump piston whereby the pressure is maintained until the
solidification of the metal injected. In order to ensure the non-mutilated part of the
wheel meshing again properly with the teeth of the wheel on the cam shaft, it is pro-
vided with a long tooth or sprocket which strikes a pin on the latter and brings the
wheels into proper relative position for entering into gear.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1887.

page_text: We, LEON FOUCHER and AUGUSTE FOUCHER, trading under the style or firm of
Foucher frères, of Paris, France, 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 :-
This Invention relates to improvements in type-founding machines of that class in
which a single type is cast at a time and which perform the subsequent operations of
dressing, nicking, &c., necessary to complete the type and turn it out ready for
immediate use in printing.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, wherein figure 1 represents in vertical section the essential parts of the
machine in which the type are cast singly; Figure 2 is a side elevation, figure 3 an
end elevation, figure 4 a top plan, and figure 5 a cross-section taken on line 1-2
figure 1, of the machine; Figures 1b, 2bts, 3, and 4 bis shew details of parts detached.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The machine comprises the two end frames 1. 2. standing on the ground, connected
A¹ is a
together at the upper part by a cross-frame 3 and also by tie bars at bottom.
shaft provided with the necessary cams for operating the various parts of the machine,
which shaft is mounted in bearings on framing 1. 2. and may be driven either by
hand, as shewn, or by means of belting. E is a cast iron bed-block carried on cross-
bar 3, and E a block made adjustable to enable the depth of body of the type to be
varied. The sides of the mould cavity are constituted by steel blocks, one of which D
is carried by the bed-block E and the other D¹ by the adjustable bed-block E¹. The
bottom of the mould cavity is closed by the upper edge of a steel plate F¹ rising
between the side blocks D D and carried by a vertically moving slide or carrier F
operated in one direction by a cam C', figure 5, which lifts the lever E2 pivoted at E*,
and in the other direction by a spring e connected to the hook E³ of said lever.
Upon the stationary bed-block E is fitted to slide in suitable guides, a top carriage G
in the underside of which is fixed a steel block M which comes over the mould cavity
and closes the fourth or top side thereof. The carriage G is operated by a grooved
The four walls of the mould
cam a and oscillating lever B' hereinafter referred to.
serve to mould the four longitudinal faces of the type body and the one end of the
mould cavity is closed by the matrix which is held by a matrix carrier (fitted to
slide along a guide arm Y standing out from the stationary base block E in a direction
parallel to the length of the type body. The matrix d' is held in position against the

page_text: ends of the side blocks D D¹ so as to close the end of the mould cavity, by a thrust rod
working on a ball and socket joint and pressed forward by a spring rod mounted in a
bracket on the matrix carriage C¹, the matrix resting upon an adjustable table also
mounted on the carriage and provided with a vertical rib or stop for determining the
position of the matrix laterally. The matrix carriage C¹ is held against its guide arm
by presser rollers carried by a spring, and is operated so as to withdraw the matrix
from the end of the mould after each type is cast, so as to release the face of the type
from the matrix, by a lever C2 actuated in one direction by a cam C³ and in the other
by a spring el.
At the opposite side of the machine is the "ingate" leading to the mould cavity
and formed between the two side blocks D D¹ of which one is adjustable, as before
mentioned, the form of said "ingate "being such that the jet or sprue will be of dove-
tail form, see figures 4 and 4 bls. The entrance to this "ingate" is covered by a
perforated plate against which comes the nozzle C of the crucible or pump B containing
the molten metal which is injected at proper times into the mould through the
perforated plate and "ingate" by means of a piston A operated by a cam on shaft A¹
through an intermediate lever y' and oscillating lever y mounted on crucible B.
The operation of casting a type is as follows:-The steel plate F forming the
bottom of the mould cavity having descended, as shewn in figure 1, below the level of
the blocks D D' the top carriage G brings the steel top M of the mould immediately
over the mould cavity, the matrix carrier C¹ brings the matrix d' up against the end
of the mould cavity (see figure 4b) and the metal is then injected by the pump through
the ingate.
The type thus cast is extracted from the mould as follows:-The top carriage G
recedes to the position shewn in figure 2 and uncovers the upper side of the mould,
the matrix d' recedes so as to disengage the face of the type from the die of the
matrix, and the vertically sliding bottom plate F1 rises and lifts the type up to the
level of the top of the sides DD of the mould. The top carriage G in coming
forward again to the position shewn in figure 1 in readiness for casting another type,
seizes the previously cast type and carries it along with it for the purpose of breaking
off the sprue or jet, which is the next operation.
To enable the top carriage G to hold the type firmly whilst undergoing the operation
of breaking off the sprue or jet, the carriage is provided at its front end with a
movable jaw G2 moving in guides on the carriage. The jaw is closed by a spring O¹
and opened by a stop when the carriage recedes, the jaw being then in such position
that the type lifted out of the mould will be between the movable jaw G2 and the
front end of the carriage G which constitutes the fixed jaw. On the advance of the
carriage, the movable jaw closes and seizes the type firmly between it and the fixed
jaw. The carriage G in its further advance forces the sprue against a fixed cutter or
stop U mounted on block E¹ which is in its path and by which the sprue is cut or
broken off.
The next operation is to remove the fins from the type body, an operation formerly
performed by rubbing on a file or stone, and also to remove the bevelled shoulders or
excess of metal, due to the form of the die of certain matrixes, so as to make a perfectly
regular prismatic body. The fins are formed only at the lower corners of the mould
cavity when the bottom vertically-sliding plate F¹ fits badly against the sides D D¹
and the excess of metal or bevelled shoulders are formed at the same and the opposite
side, that is to say at the upper and under sides of the type body as it is cast in the
mould. The bevelled shoulder at the upper side is removed by a cutter L¹ carried at
the underside of the top carriage G which removes the excess metal from the type-
body whilst the latter is still in the mould during the backward motion of the top
carriage. The fins and underside bevel shoulder are removed by other cutters S S¹ on
bed block E over which the type is carried by the top carriage after being removed
from the mould and after the sprue has been broken off as above described. For this
purpose, the carriage G is provided, in a recess between it and the type-holding jaw G*,
with a presser N attached to a vertical rod K acted on at the proper moment to press

page_text: the type down on to the cutters (so as to ensure its under face being properly dressed)
by a lever P mounted on a bracket P on the carriage and actuated by an adjustable
cam surface or incline R fixed alongside the carriage guide and on which the friction
roller P, on the tail end of the lever, rides.
In what are denominated "kerned" letters, such as the italic f, the loop of the face
of the type overhangs the body and in this case it is necessary to use cutters of such
form that they will not remove this overhanging part of the face whilst acting on the
body.
The next operation is to plane the groove in the base of the body, in order to remove
the part from which the sprue was broken off and form the feet, and also to remove
the fins from the top and bottom sides of the body at the shoulder, and also to form
supplementary nicks in the body, used as distinctive signs of certain kinds of type.
These operations are performed in the course of setting up the type in line in a stick,
which is effected by the top carriage G on arriving at the end of its forward movement
bringing the type over a slot T in the bed. At this moment the stem K of the presser
finger N comes under the upper curved end of a vertically sliding bar W which is
then caused to bear on said stem and cause the finger to force the type out of the jaws
of the carriage and into the slot T beneath. This slot leads into a curved guide V2
which in turn leads to a straight guide or composing stick V wherein the types are
ranged side by side being, in passing through the curved guide, turned from the flat
or sidewise position in which they are cast to the edgewise position. In this slot T are
placed the cutters T2, T3, T, (see figure 4) which act on the type body, as it is
forced through the slot, the cutter T serving to plane the feet, the side cutters T³ ³
for removing the fins from the top and bottom sides of the type body, and the cutter T
for forming the nicks.
Having described the general functions of the machine, we will now proceed to
explain the mechanism whereby the regular performance of those functions is
assured.. One of the most important conditions is the stoppage of the top carriage G
with the utmost precision at the two ends of its course. Now, the length of this
course necessarily varies at one end (see figure 1) whenever the depth of body of the
type to be cast is varied, as in that case the vertically sliding plate forming the
bottom of the mould must be changed for another of different thickness and
the movable bed-block E' carrying the adjustable side block of the mould must be
shifted together with all its appurtenances in order to make the distance between the
sides of the mould correspond to the thickness of the new bottom plate. The move-
ment of the top carriage G must therefore be adjustable to correspond to the depth
of the type-body which is effected by the arrangement of the lever through which
said carriage is operated from the cam shaft. For this purpose, the lever arm which
engages in the carriage is made in two parts B' ', as shewn in figures 1, 2, and.2,
so that its radius may be varied, the one part being movable and fitted between
abutment screws on, and connected to, the other part B', which oscillates on a
centre B², by a clamping bolt 62 passing through a radial slot in part B, an adjusting
Screw 6 acting on the movable part being provided to enable the most accurate
adjustment to be readily made. When the top carriage G is in its rearmost position
(figure 2) this adjustable arm is vertical and consequently at right angles to the
carriage so that any alteration in its length thus made will not affect the position of
the carriage at this end of its course, but when the carriage G is moved to the other
end of its course (figure 1) the angle of the lever B' relatively to the carriage is
altered and it is moved a greater or less distance in this direction according to the
length to which the lever arm & has been adjusted. An index B and scale on the
two parts B of the lever arm respectively, indicate the different depths of body
corresponding to the different positions of the movable part of the lever arm.
Another important condition is to keep the top carriage G down on its guide or
base E without impeding its sliding motion. This is effected by means of a. hold
down rod which is drawn downwards by the action of a spring whose tension is
adjustable by a wing nut q'. This hold down rod is connected to the carriage by a

page_text: :
gudgeon Qat its upper end lying in a bearing across the top of the carriage, so that
by raising the gudgeon out of its bearing the carriage can be readily removed from
the machine when required.
It is also necessary that the carriage G should be firmly pressed upon the mould
during the injection of the metal, and for this purpose the vertically sliding bar W
which acts on the finger N in order to force the type out of the jaws of the carriage,
as previously described, also presses on a lever X oscillating on a fixed centre
carried by the bed block and bearing on a raised part P1 of the carriage, on which
pressure is exerted at a point directly over the type mould, (see figure 1).
Another important condition is that the motion of the rod K and finger N by
which the type is forced from between the jaws of the carriage. should be absolutely
.vertical and free from play, and for this purpose a dovetail slide & (figures 1, 3,
and 3) is interposed between said finger N and the rod K to which it is attached,
said slide working in a corresponding guide in the fixed jaw, whereby the necessary
precision of motion of the finger is ensured.
In machines for casting large type, it is desirable that the piston A of the pump B
by which the molten metal is injected into the mould should maintain its pressure
long enough to give the metal in the mould time to solidify, and for this purpose the
cam shaft A' is driven through spur gear mounted on a movable support. The spur
wheel 4 which gears with the cam shaft is made of double width, and the half which
gears with the wheel 6 on the cam shaft is mutilated, that is to say has no teeth
around a portion of its circumference, whilst the other half 5 which gears with the
first motion shaft is toothed entirely around its circumference, so that although said
wheel continues to revolve, the cam shaft A' remains stationary so long as the
mutilated part of the wheel is opposite the wheel 6 on the cam shaft this period of
rest corresponding to the inward position of the pump piston A whereby the pressure
is maintained until the solidification of the metal injected takes place. In order to
ensure the non-mutilated part of the wheel meshing again properly with the teeth of
the wheel on the cam shaft, it is provided with a long tooth or sprocket which strikes
a pin on the latter and brings the wheels into proper relative position for entering into
gear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed; we would have it
understood that we do not claim the general arrangement of machine for casting and
finishing type; but we declare that what we claim is :-
1st. The lever arm for producing the to and fro motion of the carriage G con-
structed in two parts B connected together as herein described so as to be relatively
adjustable according to the required depth of the type body so that the extremities
of the course of the carriage shall be at the exact points required for the purpose on
the one hand of allowing the type to be raised by the slide F¹ of seizing it by the
jaws G, and on the other hand of bringing it over the slot T, all as hereinbefore
described.
2nd. The combination with the top carriage G of the hold down rod Q arranged
and operated as described for keeping said carriage in close contact with the mould E
for the purpose, on the one hand of causing the cutter L to remove the excess metal
from the type-hody during the backward motion of the carriage, and on the other
hand of pressing the type upon the cutters S S¹ during the forward motion of the
carriage, all as herein before described.
3rd. The combination with the carriage G of the lever X and its presser slide W
operated as described for applying additional pressure upon the carriage G during
the injection of the metal into the mould, as and for the purpose specified.
4th. The combination of the rod K and dovetail slide with the finger N for
forcing the type into the slot T for the purpose of removing the fins by the side
cutters T, forming the feet by the cutter T2, and also for making the supplementary
side nicks in the body, if required, by means of cutter T4, as described.

page_text: 5th. The combination with the cam shaft and driving mechanism of the mutilated
gear wheel 4 for producing a period of rest in the rotation of the cam shaft A¹ to
allow of the cooling of the metal, when casting large type.
6th. The combination of adjustable lever B 6', hold down rod Q, lever X, slide K,
5 mutilated gear wheel 4, and cutters L', S, S', applied to type founding machines in
the manner and for the purpose specified.