Improvements in the Mould Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mould Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY LOCK, Manager and Secretary of The Linotype Com-
pany Limited, of No. 188, Fleet Street, in the City of London, and ERNEST GIROD,
of No. 36, Trent Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the mould mechanism of
linotype machines. The mould in which a linotype is cast is a slot the width
of which extends through a mould block. The latter is fixed on or to a mould
carrier which holds the mould in one position whilst the linotype is being cast
and in a second one whilst the same finotype is being ejected. After ejection
has been effected, the carrier carries the mould into the casting position.
The motion of the mould carrier may be either circular or linear and either
reciprocating or more or less continuous. It is also highly desirable, in view
of a quick change in the work of the machine from one size of linotypes to
another, that the carrier should carry several mould blocks of different sizes in
order that changing the mould i.e., putting one out of working position and
another one in, may be effected as expeditiously as possible.
The present invention has been developed with reference only to the
Mergenthaler linotype machine, the mould carrier of which is a wheel having
four mould blocks symmetrically arranged on one side of it, and each with the
length of its slot parallel with a chord of the respective arc.
According to the latest form of the said machine, the wheel has always made
one complete revolution for each linotype cast, in two arcs, one of 270 and the
other of 90 degrees. The longer arc is from the horizontal position of the mould
block above the axis of the wheel round to a vertical position on the right hand
side of that axis, the former being the casting position and the latter the
ejecting one in which the newly cast linotype is ejected from the mould block
into the galley. The shorter arc is from the ejecting to the casting position.
Changing the mould consists in freeing the mould wheel from its shaft, turning
it through one or two arcs of 90° according to the then position on it of the
mould to be put into work and making the wheel fast to its shaft again.
According to the present invention, spur gearing is dispensed with, the mould
carrier wheel becoming merely a disc, and the two arcual motions above described
being replaced by a reciprocating one between the casting and the ejecting
positions. To that end, a shaft is mounted in suitable bearings in the frame
of the machine at right angles with the mould carrier and on the opposite
side of its axis to the ejecting position of the mould block. Two arms equivalent
to a bell crank lever are mounted upon it. The outer end of one of these arms
is connected by a link to the mould carrier at a point on the latter which will
be within the ejecting position of the mould block when the latter is actually
in the casting position, so that the said link is underneath the axis of the carrier
when it either pushes or pulls the latter through either of its motions. One of
these motions is communicated by a spring which preferably pulls from a fixed
point on the frame of the machine upon the outer end of the other arm of the

page_text: bell crank lever above mentioned; the other motion being derived from a cam
which engages a projection on the opposite side of the said shaft to the arm
on which the spring acts, so that when the cam engages the projection, the
mould block is pulled from the casting into the ejecting position in which it is
held for the proper term by the contour of the cam; and after the latter has
passed the said projection, the spring makes the bell crank lever and link move
the mould block back into the casting position.
A suitable stop or stops are provided to prevent the mould carrier being moved
too far in either direction. The connection between the link and the carrier
is of such a nature that the position of it can be changed to suit the position on
the said carrier, of the mould block being used. Further, it must compensate
for the well known advance and retire of the carrier in the direction of its axis.
Accordingly, there is a socket in the carrier behind or near each mould block on
it and a shouldered pin sliding through the end of the link above mentioned.
This pin is held up to the carrier by suitably applied spring pressure so that
its shouldered end will advance and retire therewith. There is a suitable
device for withdrawing the shouldered end of the pin from any particular socket
in the carrier and inserting it in any one of the others. The position on the
back of the mould wheel, of the knife against which the foot of the linotype
is trimmed, is altered on the disc to one which makes it do its work while the
mould block is being moved from the casting into the ejecting position.
The abolition of the three-quarter motion of the mould wheel permits of the
carrier above described and the metal pol standing in the casting position for
a longer time than heretofore, thereby giving the newly cast linotype additional
time for cooling, especially along its foot; while the retention of the disc type
of carrier retains the angular motion of it for quickly changing the mould.”
AL
L 1900
Improvements in the Mould Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
We, WILLIAM HENRY LOCK, Manager and Secretary of The Linotype Com-
pany Limited, of 188, Fleet Street, in the City of London, and ERNEST GIROD,
late of No. 36, Trent Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, but at present
residing at Vicolo Rovello 4, Milan, Italy, Engineer, 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: -
b
The present invention relates to improvements in the mechanism that moves
the moulds of linotype machines. The mould in which a linotype machine
casts a linotype, is a slot, the width of which extends through a mould block.
The latter is fixed on or to a carrier which holds the mould in one position
whilst the linotype is being cast and in a second one whilst the same finotype
is being ejected. After ejection has been effected, the carrier returns the mould
into the casting position.
The motion of the mould carrier may be either circular or linear and either
reciprocating or more or less continuous. It is highly desirable, in view of a
quick change in the working of the machine from one size of linotype to
another, that the carrier shall carry several mould blocks of different sizes in
order that changing the mould, i.e., putting one out of working position and
another one in, may be effected as quickly as possible.

page_text: The most convenient form of carrier hitherto used is the mould wheel of the
Mergenthaler linotype machine described in the Specification of Letters Patent
14582, September 16th, 1890. As at present constructed, that carrier is adapted
to carry four mould blocks, symmetrically arranged on one side of it, each one
having the length of its slot parallel with a chord of the respective arc of that
wheel. The latter is mounted on a stud axle about which it is driven by a
spur pinion engaging with spur gearing on the periphery of the said wheel and
it makes one complete revolution for each linotype cast. Such revolution is,
however, made up of two intermittent motions following cach other. One of
them is through an arc of 90° while the other is through one of 270°. The
shorter arc is from opposite the ejector, when the mould is vertical on the
right hand side of the axis of the mould wheel, into the position opposite the
composed line of matrices, in which the mould is horizontal above the said axis.
The longer arc is from the latter to the former position. Changing the mould
of a Mergenthaler linotype machine consists in freeing the mould wheel from
its axle, turning it through an arc of either 90 or 180 degrees according to the
then position of the mould to be put into work and making the wheel fast to
its axle again.
According to the present invention, the above mentioned spur pinion, and the
gearing on the periphery of the mould wheel, as well as the means for driving
the said spur pinion are all dispensed with, and the two intermittent and
following arcual motions of 90 and 270 degrees respectively are replaced by an
intermittent and reciprocating one through an arc of 90 degrees between the
casting and the ejecting positions. To that end there is combined with the
mould carrier now become a disc as compared with a spur wheel-suitable
mechanism for moving it accordingly, as well as mechanism for keeping it in
contact with the disc as the latter advances to and retires from the composed
line of matrices and also from the ejecting port; and for allowing the disc to
be moved about its axle for changing the mould.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as part
of this specification and read therewith,
Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation shewing the mould on the disc standing
opposite the composed line of matrices.
Figure 2 is a side elevation from the left side of the machine:
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding with Figures 1 and 2:
Figure 4 is a detail plan of the connections to the disc: and
Figure 5 is a sectional rear elevation shewing by the full lines the mould of
Figures 1, 2 and 3 opposite the ejector.
A, A, are parts of the machine frame. 1 is the usual cam shaft of the
Mergenthaler linotype machine, turning in suitable bearings in the machine
frame through one complete revolution for each linotype cast as heretofore.
2 is a cam disc fast upon it. The direction in which this cam disc is rotated
is shewn by the arrows in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5. 3 is the disc or mould
carrier. It is mounted upon a fixed stud axle 3* about which it can turn freely,
being held thereupon between a shoulder 3b and a nut 3° as shewn. 4 is one of
the four mould blocks which it carries. As only one mould is in use at once,
only one mould block is included in the figures to prevent confusion. The
symmetry of the positions of all the four blocks is shewn by the respective
cavities 5, in Figures 1 and 5. Each mould block fits its respective cavity 5
as shewn in Figures 2 and 5, and up to the front face of the disc 3, being held
thereto by screws 6 as shewn in Figure 1. 8, 8, 9, 9, are two pairs of sockets
to engage in turn, according to which of the four mould blocks 4 is in work,
with a pair of steadying pins projecting from the vice frame. 10 is a rear-
The
wardly projecting flange on the disc 3 and flush with its periphery.
moulds 7, mould blocks 4, cavities 5, screws 6, sockets 8 and 9, steadying pins,
flange 10, and vice frame are the same as heretofore.
The mechanism for moving the disc 3 through its intermittent reciprocating

page_text: arcual motion of 90 degrees is as follows. 11 is a cam on the left hand side
of the cam disc 2 and having the incline 12 and the decline 13. 14 is a rock
shaft turning in bearings 15, 15, carried by the frame A, and carrying an anti-
friction roller 16 pivotted in an arm 17 fast on it, to engage with the adjacent
side 30 of the cam disc 2 and the cam 11. The shaft 14 is to the left hand 5
of the disc 3 as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5. 18 is an arm fast to the front
end of it and projecting therefrom in a downward direction. 19 is a second arm
likewise fast to the said shaft 14 and projecting from it, the two arms 18, 19,
constituting a bell crank lever fast on the said shaft 14. 20 is an extended
spiral spring from the outer end of the arm 19 to the end of an arm 21 fast 1
to the frame A. 22 is a link pivotted by one end to the outer end of the
arm 18 and carrying a pin 23 capable of moving freely to and fro through its
opposite end in a line parallel with the axis of the disc 3 to engage in one of
The
four equidistant and symmetrically positioned holes 24 in the latter.
particular hole in which it engages is beneath the axis of the disc 3 and between 1
it and the ejecting position of the mould 7. 25 is a stop fast on the frame A
and 26 is a notch in the adjacent side of the arm 18. The notch 26 engages
with the stop 25 when the mould 7 has been moved from opposite the ejector to
opposite the composed line of matrices to prevent the spring 20 moving it any
farther. If the dise & had only to reciprocate through the angle of 90 degrees 2
above mentioned, and it were never necessary to change the mould block 4
for one of the others, the pin 23 might be fast in the end of the link 22. But
the disc must move forward till it presses the front face of the mould block
metal tight against the rear face of the composed line of matrices just before the
linotype is cast and move back again immediately afterwards, and forwards
again after it has been brought opposite the ejector, up to the ejecting port and
back again. Neither the composed line of matrices, the co-operation of the
mould therewith, the ejector nor the ejecting port are included in the drawings
because they do not form any part of the present invention but are as heretofore.
The disc 3 must also be capable of being moved about its axle 3* to effect a :
change of mould. To meet these two requirements, the said pin 23 has a sliding
motion in a socket 33 fast in the end of the link 22, 34 being a lever pivotted
in a bracket 27 projecting from the rear face of the link 22, having one end
connected to the pin 23, and the opposite end held away rearwardly from the link 22
by an interposed spring 28. 29 is a slot in the socket 33 for the respective end
of the lever 34 to work in.
The action of the invention is as follows. The normal position of the mould 7
is the one illustrated in Figure 1. The disc 3 is moved forward for a short
distance to make the front face of the mould block 4 contact metal tight with
the composed line of matrices. As it does so, the spring 28 keeps the pin 23
engaged in the particular hole 24 in the said disc as indicated in the detail
Figure 4. During the act of casting the linotype the roller 16 is held by the
spring 20 against the inoperative or low surface 30 of the cam disc 2. As
soon as the casting has been effected, the disc 3 moves back from the composed
line. The incline 12 then engages the roller 16 and rocking the shaft 14 and
the bell crank 18, 19, with it against the pull of the spring 20, makes the link 22
pull the disc 3 through an arc of 90°, thereby putting the mould 7, opposite
the ejector, as illustrated by the full lines in Figure 5, whereupon the disc 3
is moved forward till it is up to the ejecting port. The mould is held there
for the necessary time by the cam 11. This passes the roller 16 when the
ejection of the newly cast linotype has been effected. The disc 3 is then moved
back. The further rotation of the cam disc 2 presents the incline 13 to the
roller 16 whereupon the spring 20 pulls it down that incline to the face 30,
thereby returning the mould 7 back through the said angle of 90° into the
normal position.
31 is the knife for trimming the foot of the linotype. Such a one has always
been used, but the present invention requires that it be fixed to the axle 3ª of

page_text: the disc 3 so as to present its cutting edge in the path of the linotype foot as
the disc 3 moves from the casting into the ejecting position as is illustrated in
Figures 1 and 5.
The advantage of the present invention is that the length of the face 30
being greater than the combined arcual length of the incline 12, the cam pro-
jection 11 and the decline 13, the disc (and also the metal pot) stand in the
casting position for a correspondingly longer time than heretofore, thereby giving
the newly cast linotype additional time for cooling, especially along the foot,
and the adjustable disc type of carrier provides for any one of the other three
moulds being changed for the one in work. This change is effected by dis-
engaging the pin 23 from its hole 24 by pressing the thumb bit 32 of the lever 34
towards the link 22, turning the disc 3 upon its axle 3* until the required mould
is in the position shewn in Figure 1 when the respective hole 24 will be standing
opposite the pin 23, and releasing the lever 34, whereupon the pin 23 will engage
in the said respective hole 24.
The present invention confers the longer time for cooling the newly cast lino-
type even when there is only one mould block 4 on the mould disc 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. The combination of mould disc capable of reciprocating through an angle
of 90 degrees; mould carried thereby; cam plate rotating in a plane at right
angles with the mould disc; link pivotally connected by one end to the mould
disc at a point under the casting position of the mould and between the axle
of the latter and the ejecting position of the said mould; cam disc rotating in
a plane at right angles with that of the mould disc; a rock shaft; bell crank
lever fast on the said shaft and to the outer end of one arm of which the opposite
end of the said link is connected; arm on the said shaft to be engaged by the
cam plate and its cam; spring pulling from a fixed point upon the other
arm of the bell crank lever to keep the said arm on the shaft in contact with
the cam disc and the mould opposite the composed line of matrices; and cam
on the cam disc to engage with the said arm on the rock shaft to rock the
latter to make it pull the mould opposite the ejector.
cam
2. The combination of mould disc capable of reciprocating through an angle
of 90°; moulds carried symmetrically thereupon; cam plate rotating at right
angles with that of the mould disc; link pivotally connected by one end to the
mould disc at a point under the casting position of the mould in work and
between the axis of the disc and the ejecting position of the said mould;
disc rotating in a plane at right angles with that of the mould disc; a rock
shaft; bell crank lever fast on the said shaft and to the outer end of one arm
of which the opposite end of the said link is connected: arm on the said shaft
to be engaged by the cam disc and its cam; spring pulling from a fixed point
upon the other arm of the hell crank lever to keep the said arm on the rock
shaft in contact with the cam disc and the mould in work opposite the composed
line of matrices; cam on the cam disc to engage with the said arm on the rock
shaft to rock the latter to make it pull the mould in work opposite the ejector;
spring actuated pin in the nose of the link to keep the latter pivotally connected
to the mould disc: lever to disengage it therefrom; and a hole in the mould
disc for each mould thereon to receive the said pin.
Dated the 23rd day of December 1899.
CHAS. S. WOODROFFE,
Chartered Patent Agent.