IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE COMPOSITION, DISTRIBUTION, AND JUSTIFICATION MACHINERY."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isidore Delcambre, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Engineer, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE COMPOSITION,
DISTRIBUTION, AND JUSTIFICATION MACHINERY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isidore Delcambre at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patonts on the 18th Juno 1881.
.
ISIDORE DELCAMBRE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS JN TYPE COMPOSITION, DISTRIBUTION, AND JUSTIFICATION
MACHINERY."
The first part of my Invention refers to the loading of the machine; up to
the present once the letters exhausted it is quite a work to put them back or
refill. I am, according to my Invention, able to load a machine for a day's work
by placing several reservoirs in a single slide, and when a reservoir is empty it is
only necessary to push the slide a little inside, and thus a second reservoir presents
itself. I employ for my reservoirs tubos of glass, iron, copper, or other equivalent
suitable material, but I prefer glass, because it has not the disadvantage of
oxydizing, and as it is transparent it allows the type which it contains to bo
seen. In order to indicate when a line is ended I place on the external sido of
the frame receiving the composed type a signal apparatus operated by means of
a spring which runs along inside the frame; when a line is filled the following
letters will set off the signal apparatus, which latter may bo operated by means
of electricity, or any other convenient means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Isidore Delcambre in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th December 1881.
ISIDORE DELCAMBRE, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE COMPOSITION, DISTRIBUTION, AND JUSTIFICATION
MACHINERY."
The first part of my Invention refers to the loading of the machine; up to the
present once the letters exhausted it is quite a work to put them back or refill.
am, according to my Invention, able to load a machine for a day's work by placing
several reservoirs in a single slide, and when a reservoir is emply it is only
necessary to push the slide a little inside, and thus a second reservoir presents
itself. I employ for my reservoirs tubes of glass, iron, copper, or other equivalent
suitable material, but I prefer glass, because it has not the disadvantage of
oxydizing, and as it is transparent it allows the type which it contains to be seen.
In order to indicate when a line is ended I place on the external side of the
frame receiving the composed type a signal apparatus operated by means of a
spring which runs along inside the frame; when a line is filled the following letters
will set off the signal apparatus, which latter may be operated by means of
electricity, or any other convenient means.
In order that my Invention may be more clearly understood, I will now proceed
to describe same by reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Sheet 1, Figure 1, represents the distributing machine in vertical section.
A is the reservoir for the reception of the characters or type to be distributed;
a, the table on which the reservoir rests; B is the key board; b, the movements;
C is the inclined plane on which are formed grooves for conducting the characters
or type into their respective reservoir which are at the bottom; c, plate on which
the rods of the bolt E are pivotted; D are the grooves; E are the bolts or gates of
an olive shape opening a passage for the characters or type at the same time that
they fall into the inclined plane; G, ends of the grooves in which abut the top of
the reservoirs to be filled; H are the reservoirs; I, spring on which the reservoirs A
rest; j is the frame of the machine; K is a shaft having a cam at both ends for
operating on a rod having projections entering in accordance with or in proportion
to the distribution of the type into the openings of the reservoirs to push on the
type; L, wheel driven by means of a treadle and having a pulley to transmit the
movement to the wheel M mounted on the shaft K; P, Figure 4, are springs under
the inclined plane and corresponding with one of the scrows of the small cylinders e,
and serving to replace them in position after their operation.
Figures 2 and 3 will be more particularly referred to hereafter.
Sheet 2, Figure 5, is a front view of the machine.
Figure 6 is a view of the inclined plane in the form of a desk for placing the
characters or types coming from the impression in the reservoirs; A is the inclined
plane; C is a frame containing the characters in text separated from another
frame B by a guide picce or rule. The characters are propelled in lines on the
edge D of the desk, and by means of a lath acting by the pressure of the finger on
its end E, and pushing the lines of characters as they arrive on the edge D of the
desk, and by this means are caused to enter the reservoir F. The lath E regains
its position by means of a helical spring.
Figure 7 is a side view in section of the desk A. It is to be understood that
this desk is placed outside the distributing machine, because the reservoirs of this
figure F are there which become A in the others.
The various improvements which I have made in type distributing and

page_text: composing machines constitute a very improvement as regards the regular motion
and operation of the machine.
The small levers b which serve by means of the keys to open the passage for the
letters on the inclined plane, instead of being of the angular shape, have in my new
machine a half circle form (see on the Drawing Figure 16); this is very important,
for by this means I obtain a softer and at the same time stronger movement, that
is to say, that the effect of the pressure of the finger on the key is conveyed more
directly on the small cylinder e, which by the half turn which it makes opens a
passage to the letter by means of the slide or bolt E coming on the inclined
plane C.
Another improvement is here effected, that is to say, in the play of the slide or
bolt E its rod (which passes through the inclined plane to receive the metal wire
on which the movement b acts) is placed in a small cylinder through which it
passes (see Figure 2, which is a side view, and Figure 3, which is a top view). As
can be seen this small cylinder is furnished with a loop or staple o which receives
the end of the metal wire corresponding to the lever b; the two screws e¹, e³, can
also be seen; these screws serve to tighten more or less the rod of the slide in the
cylinder, and secondly, they act also as a stop to the rotary motion of the small
cylinder in such manner that the head of the left screw of one of the small cylinders.
abuts during the motion of the latter against the head of the right screw of the
cylinder, the adjacent, thus it will be understood that though there is never moro
than one cylinder in motion at a time, and then that a single bolt or slide would
open a passage to a single character or type in one of the grooves of the inclined
plane. (By referring to the letters e, e, e, of Figure 1, Sheet 1, this arrangement
can be understood.)
I have also made an improvement in the spring which is placed under the column
of the letter to be distributed enclosed in the reservoir A. As the weight of the
column of characters or type is enough, it happens that the spring is overcome
thereby and expanding this constitutes a great inconvenience. Now, I place the
spring horizontally and at a level with the table on which the edges of tho
reservoir rests.
By making the reservoir of glass, as before described, it can be immediately
ascertained if or if not all the characters are in place.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. In type composing and distributing machines, the employment of the
semicircular or curved levers b for operating the letter or type passages, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Second. The mode and means described together with any mere modifications
thereof, for operating the slide or gate E and its accessories.
Third. The arrangement of spring at a level with the table on which the edge
the reservoir rests, as set forth.
Fourth. The employment of type reservoirs made of glass, as and for the purposes
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Isidore Delcambre, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
1
I. DELCAMBRE. (L.S.)