Year: 1886

page_text: I, JOHN STEWART WALLACE, of Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast, County Antrim,
Ireland, timber-merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to type which is arranged to be handled by or partly
composed upon a needle or other object passing through or about the body of the
type, and to apparatus to be used therewith, and consists of improvements in the
method of constructing such type and in the form of the needle or objects used
therewith.
It has been found to be impracticable to produce, either by moulding or drilling,
type perforated transversely by an aperture, to enable the type to be threaded upon
a needle or object.
I effect this easily by the following equivalent methods :—
I may place in the mould a circular or other shaped tube before the type metal
is run in to the said moulds, the metal thus surrounding and uniting to the said
tube. When the type casting is withdrawn and cut up into suitable letters or
words, the tube will also be cut up into short lengths, inside the type bodies, and
thus present apertures of any desired outlines by which they may be threaded on
a bodkin, needle or other object.
Or, I may found the type with merely a recess of any desired shape on the under
or other side or sides of the type, and may then form it or them into a closed
aperture or apertures by adding an external plate, plates or keeps, so as to form a
closed aperture or apertures. In the above methods of construction a needle with
a single blade of suitable shape would be used for composing.
Or, I make the aforesaid recesses on the under or other sides of the type without
closing them by means of external plates or pieces. In this latter case the needle
or bodkin by which this type has to be handled or upon which it has to be
composed, may be in the form of a fork with two or more prongs which fit into the
aforesaid recesses on the body of the type, and which would thus hold the type in
any required position, or where one recess only is used a single bladed needle or
bodkin will suffice if fitted to the said recess.
For the more convenient use of this class of type a suitable form of type
box would be a series of vertical divisions, subdivided into compartments, each
compartment carrying its suitable type,

page_text: The floors of these compartments are inclined at such an angle that the type
slides by gravity to the lower end of the compartment. A stop or catch is there
provided, which prevents the type from sliding completely out of the case, but
allows the type to be properly presented, so as to be readily picked up by the
operator with a suitable bodkin or needle.
In the case of the recessed type I may fit on the shelves a series of guides which
engage with the said recesses and along which the type may slide.
In order to provide suitable places on which the indication of the nature of the
type, phrases or signs shall be conspicuously given, I prefer to arrange the said
compartments with their orifices stepped back behind one another, and upon the
blank spaces of each adjoining case thus presented conspicuously to the eye I mark
in any convenient way the nature of the type, phrases or signs contained in each
division of the compartment.
Should any difficulty be experienced in maintaining the type upright when
sliding down the inclined compartment, that they shall be properly presented to
the operator, I can utilise the before mentioned external recesses in the body of the
type, to slide on corresponding wings or projections in the compartment, so that
they may be properly presented or may supply any similar form of guide where
apertures through the body of the type are used.
In the case of type representing letters or short words I may arrange these in
trays placed in any convenient position in or about the above case.
Dated this 10th day of February 1886
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, JOHN STEWART WALLACE, of Cliftonville Avenue, Belfast, County Antrim,
Ireland, Timber Merchant, 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 :-
My invention relates to known type, described as "perforated," so as to be
conveniently handled by, or partly arranged upon, a needle passing through the
body of the type.
It has been found to be impracticable to produce cheaply (if at all) type
perforated transversely by an aperture, either by known methods of moulding,
or by drilling, as the type metal is found to clog and destroy the drills.
My invention therefore consists of an improved method of producing such
perforated type blocks, and in the forms of the needles or bodkins to be used
therewith, as also in a convenient form of case or tray for the type blocks, so that
they may be presented conveniently for handling by the said needle or bodkin.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawing hereunto annexed, reference being had
to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 show equivalent forms, in which I produce such type
blocks with apertures through them or with recesses provided in their sides, such
as are equivalent for my purpose.
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show the forms of bodkins or needles suitable in
construction for use with the said type blocks.
Figure 10 shows a convenient form of case in which such type blocks may be
distributed before use.
Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional detail through part of the type case.
To construct type blocks after the arrangement shown in figure 1, but with any
modified outline of aperture, I place in the mould a circular or other shaped
tube A, before the type metal is run into the said moulds, the metal thus
surrounding and uniting to the said tube. When the type casting is withdrawn,
and cut up into suitable letters, words, phrases, or signs B, the tube will also be
cut up into short lengths inside the type bodies, and thus present apertures of any
desired outline, by which they may be threaded on a bodkin or needle or other
object (figures 5 and 6).
To produce type blocks of the forms shown in figures 2, 3 and 4, I may cast
them with recesses C, of any desired shape, in the bottom or sides of the type
blocks B, or may cut the said recesses by a suitable tool after the blocks have been
founded solid. I may then form these recesses into closed apertures by adding an
external plate or plates D D by soldering or screwing, or in any known manner, to
the sides or bottoms of the type blocks B.
Where two recesses C (figures 3 and 4) or a dovetail recess C (figure 5) are
founded or cut in the type blocks B, it is no longer necessary for the recess to be
formed into closed apertures in order to thread the block securely upon a bodkin;

page_text: I may therefore leave them as open grooves, and shape the bodkins accordingly
with double prongs, as in figure 8, or with a dovetailed prong, as in figure 9, in
order to receive and firmly retain the said blocks.
For the convenient use of this class of type a suitable form of type box is shown
at figure 10, which consists of a series of chambers, formed by vertical partitions E,
subdivided transversely into compartments, each compartment carrying its suitable
type, phrase, or sign. The floors F F of these compartments are inclined at such
an angle to the horizontal plane, that the type slides by gravity to the lower end
of the compartment. A stop or catch G is there provided, shown in sectional
detail (figure 11) to prevent the type from sliding completely out of the case, but
allows the type to be properly presented, so as to be readily picked up by the
operator, with a suitable bodkin or needle. In the case of the recessed type
(figures 4 and 5) I may fit on the sides or floors of the compartments guides which
shall engage
with the said recesses, and along which the type may slide.
In order to provide suitable places on which the indication of the nature of
the type, phrase, or signs shall be conspicuously given, I prefer to arrange the said
compartments with their orifice stepped back one behind the other, and upon the
blank space of each adjoining case, thus presented conspicuously to the eye;
I mark in any convenient way the nature of the type.
Should there be any difficulty in maintaining the shorter type upright when
sliding down the inclined compartment, so that they shall be properly presented to
the operator, I may provide wings or projections in the compartiments, engaging in
external recesses or grooves in the body of the type.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, be it known that
I do not claim broadly the use or construction of type with an aperture perforated
transversely through their bodies, but claim:-
1st. Type blocks with tubes of any desired form of outline founded therein, 50
as to present perforated apertures transversely through the bodies of the said type
blocks.
2nd. Type blocks with recesses founded or cut in either the sides or bottom of
the type block and closed by plates, as in figures 2 and 3, so as to provide closed
apertures, transversely through the body of the type block.
3rd. Type blocks with two or more recesses or grooves or with a single dovetailed
recess or groove, as in figures 4 and 5, not closed by external plates, but so disposed
as to provide a secure hold to a forked or single bodkin fitting into the said
transverse recesses or grooves.
4th. The forms of the bodkins, figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, suited to be used in
conjunction with the aforesaid type blocks.
5th. The construction of type case (figure 10) suited for the distribution of such
special type by means of the bodkins both as hereinabove claimed.
Din 10th Day of November 1886
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.