IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bartlett, of Myddleton Street, Clerken-
well, in the County of Middlesex, Engraver, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE."
Sealed the 12th June 1874, and dated the 17th December 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bartlett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th December 1873.
I, JOSEPH BARTLETT, of Myddleton Street, Clerkenwell, in the
County of Middlesex, Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE," to be as follows:-—
This Invention comprises the casting or forming type, whether with
raised or sunk letters or devices, with the pillar or body thereof of a
rhomboidal section, that is to say, four sides with two equal obtuse
angles and two equal acute angles, the sides sometimes being all equal
and sometimes not so.

page_text: • The expression "type" is to be understood as including spaces or
blocking pieces not having the letter or devices thereupon, but which
are or may be required for setting up or packing the type together. It
is intended to produce the type by casting or forming the same in the
ordinary or any approved manner.
The more especial object or use of the Invention is the production of
italic or slanting type (plain or ornamental), in which ordinarily several
of the letters or devices proper of the type partially overhang the pillar
or body, and consequently are liable to injury and are found to be incon-
venient in use.
By my Invention the entire letter or device may be supported by the
pillar or body within the area of the base or section thereof, and the
above-mentioned objections are obviated.
The term "rhomboidal" and "definition thereof above stated are not
to exclude the construction of the type with one or more angular or
other ribs or projections on one side of the pillar or body, and corre-
sponding angular or other grooves or recesses on the opposite side, so
that the improved type so made, when placed together in a composing
stick, may admit of being removed therefrom into a chase or galley
without being upset or disarranged.
:
The Invention further comprises the casting or forming type with
raised or sunk L shaped device thereon, the two members of the device
being situate at or against two edges of the pillar or body, so that in setting
up or placing together type so cast or formed a form of continuous lines
and cross lines may be produced. The said two members may be at right
angles or otherwise, and the pillar or body may in some cases have a
section generally corresponding with the members of the device, instead
of the said members being situate at or against two edges, as above
described.
:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Bartlett in the Great Seal Patent Office*
on the 17th June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BARTLETT, of 77, Myddleton Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of.
Middlesex, Engraver, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-:
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Bartlett, Her special
licence that I, the said Joseph Bartlett, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Bartlett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TYPE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Bartlett, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what.
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and,
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Bartlett, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My Invention consists in casting or forming type, whether with raised
or sunk letters or devices, with the pillar or body thereof of a rhomboidal
section, that is to say, four sides with two equal obtuse angles and two,
equal acute angles, the sides sometimes being all equal and sometimes.
not so.
. The expression "type" is to be understood as including spaces or
blocking pieces not having the letter or devices thereupon, but which·

page_text: are or may be required for setting up or packing the type together. It
is intended to produce the type by casting or forming in the ordinary
or any approved manner.
The more especial object or use of the Invention is the production of
italic or slanting type (plain or ornamental), in which ordinarily several
of the letters or devices proper of the type partially overhang the pillar
or body, and consequently are liable to injury, and are found to be in-.
convenient in use.
By my Invention the entire letter or device may be supported by the
pillar or body within the area of the base or section thereof, and the
above-mentioned objections are obviated.
The term rhomboidal and definition thereof above stated are not to
exclude the construction of the type with one or more angular or other
ribs or projections on one side of the pillar or body, and corresponding
angular or other grooves or recesses on the opposite side, so that the
improved type so made, when placed together in a composing stick, may
admit of being removed therefrom into a chase or galley without being
upset or disarranged.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate this part
of the Invention, and in these for the avoidance of unnecessary minute
or accurate Drawing of the device (in elevation), type with a sunk device
is represented instead of with a raised device.
Figure 1 shews top plan view of four pieces of the improved rhom-
boidal type placed together, the first two shewing engraved or sunk
devices thereon.
Figure 2, elevation of the first of these viewed in the direction
denoted by the arrow a in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the lower part of the body or
pillar of the type.
In Figures 1 and 3 the rhomboidal section is apparent, and in all
of the three Figures are shewn a rib or ribs or projections 6 on one
vertical side or face of the type where it is intended to lie or fit against
the next, and each is furnished with a corresponding hollow or groove
or interlocking space on the opposite face. The projecting ribs and
hollows though not so represented may, particularly in the case of raised

page_text: type, be advantageously extended from the bottom to the top of the
body or pillar of the type so as the more readily to admit of the
removal of an individual letter or type for correction or alteration.
The two plain pieces of type shewn in Figure 1 without devices may
denote quads or blanks, but it is to be understood that quads or blanks
may also be formed of or to a compound shape, that is to such a com-
promise between the improved rhomboidal and ordinary rectangular
type as will admit of the two kinds being worked in together where
necessary for blocking out or partly blocking out or filling up to and
against the margin of a chase or galley.
My Invention further consists in and comprises the casting or forming
type with raised or sunk L shaped device thereon, the two members of
the device being situate at or against two edges of the pillar or body, so
that in setting up or placing together type so cast or formed a form of
continuous lines and cross lines may be produced.
The said two members may be at right angles or otherwise, and the
pillar or body may in some cases have a section generally corresponding
with the members of the device. The remaining Figures of the accom-
panying Drawing illustrate this part of the Invention. The object is to
produce forms of lines with cross lines without the ordinary brass
"rule," and by the use of type proper as distinguished from "rule,"
such forms being intended sometimes to be produced with blank spaces
and sometimes with printed figures or characters between the lines and
cross lines.
The improved type will vary accordingly. To meet the
first of these cases the construction is shewn in Figures 4 and 5,
Figure 4 being a top plan view, and Figure 5 a vertical section
through W, W*, or X, X*. Type with raised device is shewn, but a
sunk device may be substituted:
It will be noted that the device m, m, is situate at or against two
edges of the rectangular pillar or body, and in order to join up closely
or properly one piece or type against another that the device is carried
to the extreme edge or limits of the pillar or body at the joining parts
of the device, although in other parts the ordinary bevil thickening or
strenghtening of raised type is provided.
To meet the requirements of type figures or characters to be inserted in
the
spaces between the lines of the form the construction must be varied,
and Figures 6 and 7 shew how this may be done, Figure 6 being a top

page_text: plan view, and Figure 7 a vertical section through Y, Y*, or Z, Z*.
Observing that in this case the pillar or body is L shaped as well as the
device these Figures require no further description. The Figure 8 is
introduced simply to denote that the forms referred to need not consist
of simple straight lines, but that any pattern or device of lines more or 5
less ornamental or otherwise in their character may be substituted.
If the lines be required to cross otherwise than at right angles an
adaptation of the rhomboidal character described in the first part of the
Invention may be employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bartlett, have hercunto set 1
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of
our Low One thousand night hundred and seventy four