Improvements in the Space Bar Controlling Mechanism of Linotype and analogous Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by PHILIP L. RIPSON,. of Rochester, New York,
U.S.A., Engineer.]
Improvements in the Space Bar Controlling Mechanism of Linotype
and analogous Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED of No. 6 Serjeant's 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 this
invention to be as follows:-
The present invention refers to the Mergenthaler linotype machine and other
machines of its class, in which type matrices are assembled or composed temporarily
in line, together with intervening spaces of elongated form, the matrices and spaces
being added successively at the end of the line.
In this class of machine the spaces having considerable weight, are dropped into
place at the end of the line froin a magazine or holder. The spaces are much
longer than the matrices and of greater thickness at the lower than at the upper
ends, and when in position in the line, they extend downward a considerable
distance below the matrix line. Owing to their weight and to the distance through
which they fall, they acquire considerable velocity and momentum, and it is found
that owing to this fact, there is a liability of the sustaining ears at their upper ends
striking the sustaining device with such force as to fracture them, and also that
they are liable to chatter and descend slowly to their places at the end of the line,
whenever matrices are delivered against them before they had completed their
descent.
Now it is the object of the present invention to overcome these difficulties, and
to this end it consists of a checking or retarding device to arrest the motion of the
spaces as they settle to their places in the line, and also if desired to carry their
lower ends forward in order to permit the more ready entrance of the succeeding
matrices to the line.
In the Mergenthaler linotype machine as now manufactured and sold in this
country, the character matrices are delivered one by one from their respective
magazine tubes on to an inclined travelling belt which shoots them into an
assembling block into which the line of matrices is advanced by a wheel which
maintains an opening at the rear end of the line for the admission of the successive
space-bars and matrices. The space bars are stored in a magazine from which they
are delivered by a finger key mechanism one at a time, so that they fall by gravity
into their places in the assembling block at the end of the composed line, each to
be followed in turn by the succeeding matrices and space-bars. The spaces and
matrices are constructed as heretofore with shoulders at their upper ends by which
they are sustained in the assembling block. The foregoing parts are constructed
and operated in the ordinary manner.
According to the present invention, we provide a checking or retarding device
and locate the same at such point that the lower end of the space-bars entering the
line will rest upon the device just before the space-bar reaches its lowest position
or position of rest in the line.
The device in question consists of a block of hard rubber, or other suitable
material, sustained by a horizontal pivot, the main frame being provided with a

page_text: weight to maintain it in its normal position, and with an upper lip or surface upon
which the descending space-bar strikes at the left of the pivot. We commonly
adjust this device so that this lip or surface is about one quarter of an inch above
the point to which the end of the space-bar descends. As the weight of the bar
is received upon this surface, the device swings backward around its centre,
allowing the space-bar to slide off and fall to its place. The inertia of the parts is
such that although the velocity of the space-bars is checked easily and in practically
an instantaneous manner, the striking of the sustaining ears of the space-bars upon
the top of the assembling block is prevented. As soon as the space-bar slides
forward from the stop, the latter by reason of the weight assumes its original position
to receive the next space, and so on repeatedly.
The stop has a shoulder rising therefrom in position to act against the right hand
side of the space-bar so that as the stop rocks over to the left under the influence of
the said bar, this shoulder tends to crowd and hold the bar to the left, thus leaving
a free or open space behind the space-bar for the entrance of the next matrice or
space to the line.
The stop device may be made of any suitable material. If of hard material, we
propose to provide it with a surfacing of rubber, leather or other soft material
to prevent wear and noise and to assist in cushioning the blow of the falling
space-bars.
If desired, the stop device may be provided with a series of receiving surfaces to
be brought into action successively one after another as worn away.
The essence of our invention lies in the provision of a yielding buffer or stop to
decrease the speed of the space-bar as it settles to its place in the line, and it will
be manifest to a skilled mechanic that the device may be made in a great variety of
forms with either counter-balances or friction devices as resistants.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1895.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in the Space Bar Controlling Mechanism of Linotype
and analogous Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 6 Serjeant's 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 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 refers to the Mergenthaler linotype machine and other machines
of its class, in which type matrices are assembled or composed temporarily in line,
together with intervening space bars of elongated form, the matrices and space bars
being added successively at the end of the line. In this class of machine the space
bars having considerable weight, are dropped into place at the end of the line from
a magazine or holder. The space bars are much longer than the matrices, of
greater thickness at the lower than at the upper ends, and when in position in the
line, they extend downward a considerable distance below the matrix line. Owing
to their weight and the distance through which they fall, they acquire considerable
velocity and momentum, and it is found that owing to this fact, there is a liability
of the sustaining ears at their upper ends striking the sustaining device with such
force as to be fractured, and also that they are liable to chatter and descend slowly
to their places at the end of the line whenever matrices are delivered against them
before they have completed their descent.
Now it is the object of this invention to overcome these difficulties, and to this

page_text: end, it consists of a checking or retarding device to arrest the motion of the space
bars as they settle to their places in the line, and also if desired, to carry their
lower ends forward in order to permit the more ready entrance of the succeeding
matrices to the line.
:
In the accompanying drawings, we have shown the device as applied to the
well known Mergenthaler linotype machine, such as represented in Letters
Patent 145821890 It is to be distinctly understood, however, that the device
may be varied in form and arrangement in many respects without departing from
the scope of the invention, and that it may be used in connection with any
mechanism in which elongated space bars are set into a line with matrices.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device applied to the Mergenthaler linotype
machine, the view being limited to the lower portion of the assembling mechanism
which is necessary to the understanding of the invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the device in different forms.
Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the action of the device.
In order to facilitate the understanding of the invention we have designated the
customary parts of the machine herein by the same letters which designate them in
the Letters Patent above referred to.
Referring to Figure 1, H represents the inclined travelling belt by which the
character matrices from the magazine are carried downward and forward and
delivered side by side into the upper part of the channelled assembling block I, into
which the line is advanced by a rotary wheel 2 which maintains an opening at the
rear of the line for the admission of the successive space bars and matrices. The
tapered or wedge-shaped space bars z¹ which may be of the same construction as
those described in the said Patent, or of any other suitable construction, are stored
in the magazine K from which they are delivered by a finger-key mechanism one at
a time, so that they fall by gravity into their places in the assembling block at the
end of the composed line, each to be followed in turn by the succeeding matrices
and space bars.
The space bars and matrices are constructed as heretofore with shoulders at their
upper ends by which they are sustained in the assembling block as shown in
Figure 2. The foregoing parts are constructed and operated in the ordinary
Dianner.
In applying our improvement, we provide a checking or retarding device M and
locate the same at such point that the lower end of the space bar entering the line,
will rest upon the device just before the space bar reaches its lowest position or
position of rest in the line.
In the form shown in Figures 1 and 4, the device consists of a block of hard
rubber, or other suitable material, sustained by a horizontal pivot m', the main
frame being provided with a weight m to maintain it in its normal position, and
with an upper lip or surface m² upon which the descending space bar strikes at the
left of the pivot. We commonly adjust the device so that this surface m is about
one quarter of an inch above the point to which the end of the space bar descends.
As the weight of the said space, bar is received upon the surface, the device swings
backward around its centre, allowing the space bar to slide off and fall to its place.
The inertia of the parts is such that although the velocity of the space bars is
checked easily and in practically an instantaneous manner, the striking of their
sustaining ears upon the top of the assembling block is prevented. As soon as the
space bar slides forward from the stop, the latter, by reason of the weight, assumes
its original position to receive the next space bar, and so on repeatedly. It will
be observed that the stop has a shoulder m³ rising therefrom in position to act
against the right band side of the space bar so that as the stop rocks over to the
left under the influence of the said bar, this shoulder tends to crowd and hold it to
the left, thus leaving a free or open space behind the space bar for the entrance
of the next matrix or space bar to the line.
The stop device may be made of any suitable material. If of hard material, we

page_text: propose to provide it with a surfacing of rubber, leather or other soft material m
to prevent wear and noise and to assist in cushioning the blow of the falling space
bars.
If desired, the stop device may be provided with a series of receiving surfaces m³
to be brought into action successively one after another as worn away. A stop of
this character having two faces is shown in Figure 3.
The essence of our invention lies in the provision of a yielding buffer or stop to
decrease the speed of a space bar as it settles to its place in the line, and it will be
manifest to a skilled mechanic that the device may be made in a great variety of
forms with either counterbalances or friction devices as resistants.
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. In combination with a mechanism for assembling in line matrices and elongated
space bars which extend below the line of matrices, a yielding stop arranged to
resist and check the motion of the space bars as they descend to their final positions
in the line, without acting upon the matrices, whereby the space bars are prevented
from chattering and their descent facilitated.
2. In combination with means for assembling matrices in line, and for introducing
into the line space bars elongated to extend below the line, a yielding stop arranged
in position to be encountered by the ends of the space bars only as the latter
assume their final positions in the line whereby their chattering is prevented and
their descent facilitated.
3. In combination with a mechanism for assembling matrices and elongated space
bars in line, a pivotted weighted stop arranged below the level of the matrix line
and in position to receive the ends of the descending space bars, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
4. In combination with a mechanism for composing matrices and elongated space
bars in line, a yielding stop to check the descending space bars, provided with a
surface to receive the ends of the space bars, and with a shoulder to carry them
sidewise.
5. In combination with mechanism for assembling matrices in line and introducing
elongated space bars into the line, a yielding device actuated by the descending
space bars, and adapted to carry the latter sidewise as they assume their final
positions in the line, substantially as described and shown.
6. In combination with an assembling block and rotary wheel h² and means for
delivering matrices and elongated space bars to the assembling block, a pivotted
stop device, provided with a surface m² and with or without a shoulder m³, for the
purposes described.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1896.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.