IMPROVEMENTS ON PRINTING TYPES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Allison, of the firm of Allison Brothers,
Patent Agents, of Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS ON PRINTING TYPES " communicated to him from abroad
by Linn Boyd Benton, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America,
m
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Allison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1883.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS ON PRINTING TYPES," a com-
munication to me from abroad by Linn Boyd Benton, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
United States of America, Type Founder,
The object of my invention is to do away with many difficulties heretofore
encountered in type setting and in particular in "justifying" the type after the
same are set.
My invention relates to the scheme or plan for proportioning the width of the
bodies of the characters and spaces "running-wise " relatively to each other, and it
consists in making each character body of a width running-wise which shall be an
exact multiple of a certain fixed or standard unit of measure, and each space of a
width either equal to, or a multiple of that unit, which unit for convenience I
denominate the "unit of measure."
It is well known that the running-wise widths of the bodies of the characters as
heretofore constructed have borne no exact relations to each other, and that they
have been either assumed arbitrarily or have been fixed upon with a view directed
only to the size and artistic effect of the letters themselves while the quads and
spaces employed though proportioned relatively to each other have that proportion
based up the body-wise dimension or height of the letter. As it is necessary that
the type when set up shall exactly fill the space allotted for length of line employed,
many different sized spaces must be used to exactly space and fill out the line and
this process called "justifying" is both tedious and troublesome. Again, when a
type is removed in the correction of proof and another substituted the line in
which the change is made must often be rejustified by a substitution of new spaces,

page_text: By my invention the widths of all the characters, spaces, and quads having a
fixed and absolute proportion to each other the compositor can place and justify his
work with ease, regularity and certainty. The blank spaces are exactly equal in
width running-wise to the unit of measure. The type bodies of all the other
spaces, quads, and letters are to be multiples running-wise of this unit. I prefer to
make the lower case or small letters of the following widths running-wise, viz:-
a, 4 units, b, 4 units, c, 3 units, d, 4 units, e, 3 units, f, 2 units, g, 3 units, h, 4 units,
i, 2 units, j, 2 units, k, 4 units, 1, 2 units, m, 6 units, n, 4 units, o, 4 units, p, 3 units,
s, 3 units, r, 4 units, w, 5 units, z, 3 units, q, 4 units, u, 4 units, y, 4 units, and the
punctuation marks 2 units except the interrogation mark which is 3 units.
The capital letters I place on bodies similarly planned according to the size of the
letters, each body being in width running-wise an exact multiple of the same unit
of measure as the small letters. It is not necessary in order to justify my improved
type to have any space of a less width running-wise than the unit and the other
spaces and quads are to be multiples of this in width. It will thus be seen that a
width of page or column can be first fixed upon which is a multiple of the unit of
measure and that the compositor can set up the type and see exactly as he reaches
the end of the line what and how many spaces are needed to justify it, and can
place these unerringly without being obliged to make a second trial.
Instead of forming the letter o on a 4 unit body, it may be formed on a 3 unit
body. The letter t may be formed on a 3 unit body instead of on a 2 unit body.
The letter f may be formed with its upper portion overhanging or not, and the
letter j may be similarly formed.
Although my invention involves a radical departure from the old method or
system it will be observed that the form and proportions of the letters as they meet
the eye are not greatly changed from their old conditions. The letter t is the only
one the change in which would be noticed by any ordinary and non-expert reader.
One incidental advantage of my improvement is that damaged types may be
shortened and used for spaces. The use of the old or ordinary spaces leaves the
line short a small and irregular space which a compositor may be obliged to inake
several successive attempts in order to fill. This takes time and delays the
operation of type setting. Several fonts of type may be based upon a common
unit of measure so that they will justify with each other running-wise indis-
criminately. The different sizes of types body-wise may also be based on several
units of measure which are so proportioned to each other that there shall be
a common multiple of all the units as for instance all the units may be aliquot parts
of thirteen ems pica or any other measure which may be adopted without having
any necessary proportion between the several units and the body-wise dimension of
the type. This is desirable in order to create a similarity of appearance in a series
of different sizes of type body-wise.
Type made according to my plan are also more easily finished by machinery as
the fewer widths of the different types require fewer adjustments in the machine.
In setting my improved type by the use of a composing machine it will be found
that the operator can with a little extra care, and by either actually or mentally
spacing the copy justify the type as be sets it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
"
the said Herbert John Allison in the Patent Office on the 18th June 1884.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS ON PRINTING TYPES' & com-
munication to me from abroad by Linn Boyd Benton, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
United States of America, Type Founder,
"
The object of my invention is to do away with many difficulties heretofore
encountered in type setting and in particular in "justifying" the type after the
Bame are set.
My invention relates to the scheme or plan for proportioning the width of the
bodies of the characters and spaces "running-wise" relatively to each other, and it
consists in making each character body of a width running-wise which shall be an
exact multiple of a certain fixed or standard unit of measure, and each space of a
width either equal to, or a multiple of that unit, which unit for convenience I
denominate the "unit of measure."
It is well known that the running-wise widths of the bodies of the characters as
heretofore constructed have borne no exact relations to each other, and that they
have been either assumed arbitrarily or have been fixed upon with a view directed
only to the size and artistic effect of the letters themselves while the quads and
spaces employed though proportioned relatively to each other have that proportion
based upon the body-wise dimension or height of the letter.
As it is necessary
that the type when set up shall exactly fill the space allotted for length of line
employed, many different sized spaces must be used to exactly space and fill out
the line and this process called "justifying" is both tedious and troublesome.
Again, when a type is removed in the correction of proof and another substituted
the line in which the change is made must often be rejustified by a substitution of
new spaces.
By my invention the widths of all the characters, spaces, and quads having a
fixed and absolute proportion to each other the compositor can place and justify his
work with ease, regularity and certainty. In the accompanying drawings forming
a part of my specification I show a face view of my improved types as they appear
when set in lines, the slender lines between the letters showing the dividing lines
between the type bodies. The figures 1, 1, are blank spaces exactly equal in width
running-wise to the unit of measure. The type bodies of all the other spaces,
quads, and letters are to be multiples running-wise of this unit. I prefer to make
the lower case or small letters of the following widths running-wise, viz:-
a, 4 units, b, 4 units, c, 3 units, d, 4 units, e, 3 units, f, 2 units, g, 3 units, h, 4 units,
i, 2 units, j, 2 units, k, 4 units, 1, 2 units, mn, 6 units, n, 4 units, o, 4 units, p, 3 units,
8, 3 units, r, 4 units, w, 5 units, z, 3 units, q, 4 units, u, 4 units, y, 4 units, and the
punctuation marks 2 units except the interrogation mark which is 3 units.
The capital letters I place on bodies similarly planned according to the size of the
letters, each body being in width running-wise an exact multiple of the same unit
of measure as the small letters. It is not necessary in order to justify my improved
type to have any space of a less width running-wise than the unit and the other
spaces and quads are to be multiples of this in width. It will thus be seen that a
width of page or column can be first fixed upon which is a multiple of the unit of
measure and that the compositor can set up the type and see exactly as he reaches
the end of the line what and how many spaces are needed to justify it, and can
place these unerringly without being obliged to make a second trial.
Instead of forming the letter o on a 4 unit body, it may be formed on a 3 unit
body. The former is shown at 4 in the drawing the latter at 3. The letter t may

page_text: be formed on a 3 unit body as at 5, instead of on a 2 unit body as at 6. The
letter f may be formed with its upper portion overbanging as at 7, or not, as at 8.
Two similarly distinguished forms of the letter j are shown at 9 and 10.
Although my invention involves a radical departure from the old method or
Bystem it will be observed that the form and proportions of the letters as they meet
the eye are not greatly changed from their old conditions. In the drawing a, b, p,
and 9, have been slightly enlarged. c, d, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, s, u, v, w, x, and z have
not been changed. e is reduced a trifle, o is slightly extended. The letter t is the
only one the change in which would be noticed by any ordinary and non-expert
reader. One incidental advantage of my improvement is that damaged types may
be shortened and used for spaces. The space 2, in the drawing shows one of the
old or ordinary spaces and it will be observed that its use leaves the line short a
small and irregular space which a compositor may be obliged to make several
successive attempts in order to fill. This takes time and delays the operation of
type setting. Several fonts of type may be based upon a common unit of measure
so that they will justify with each other running-wise indiscriminately. The
different sizes of types body-wise may also be based on several units of measure
which are so proportioned to each other that there shall be a common multiple of
all the units as for instance all the units may be aliquot parts of thirteen ems pica
or any other measure which may be adopted without having any necessary
proportion between the several units and the body-wise dimension of the type.
This is desirable in order to create a similarity of appearance in a series of different
sizes of type body-wise.
Type made according to my plan are also more easily finished by machinery as
the fewer widths of the different types require fewer adjustments in the machine.
In setting my improved type by the use of a composing machine it will be found
that the operator can with a little extra care, and by either actually or mentally
spacing the copy justify the type as he sets it.
Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is:―
1. A font of types, the bodies of the characters of which are running-wise all
multiples of a unit and the spaces of which are similarly equal to said unit and
multiple thereof.
2. A font of types the bodies of the characters of which are running-wise all
multiples of a unit.
3. A font of types the bodies of the characters of which are running-wise all
multiples of a unit, and the spaces of which are equal to said unit.
4. A font of types the bodies of the characters and spaces of which are running-
wise all multiples of a unit.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Allison, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 18th day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and eighty-four.