IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING TYPES AND OTHER SIMILAR RAISED SURFACES FOR PRINTING
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventeenth day of November, in the ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said William Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of. Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING
TYPES AND OTHER SIMILAR RAISED SURFACES FOR PRINTING," being a communi-
cation from a Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso obliging me, the said William Newton, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court, of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
:-
These Improvements in Manufacturing Types and other similar Raised
. Surfaces for Printing consist in a novel arrangement of machinery by which
matrices and moulds of the like kind to those commonly used in casting types
may be worked through the agency of mechanism, instead of the ordinary
mode of casting types by the hands of a workman. In this novel arrange-
ment of machinery, represented in several views in the accompanying
Drawings, a pan or vessel containing molten type metal is placed over a
furnace, contiguous to which the mould with the matrice is mounted, with
certain appendages, whereby the melted metal is forced into. the..mould for
the purpose of casting a type, and when such type has been cast the mould is
thrown open for the discharge of the type, and closed again, ready for a second
operation.
In the Drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation. of the machine complete and
in working condition; Fig. 2. is a side elevation of the same, taken at the
left hand of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an elevation representing the back part. of
the machine, the reverse to that at Fig. 1. A horizontal view of the machine
as it would appear from above is represented at Fig. 4, the mould and its
frame and appendages being in this Figure removed to shew the parts below
more clearly. A vertical section of the machine, taken through the middle of
the mould, the furnace, and the pot. of melted type metal, is shewn at Fig. 5,
this section being taken in the dotted lines Z, Z, of Figs. 2 and 4; and a similar
section of the machine taken in the dotted lines Y, Y, of Figures 2 and 4, is
represented at Fig. 6. These Figures are all drawn to a scale, of one third
the real size. The similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the
Figures. The construction of matrices and moulds used for casting the
types in this machine are not intended to be in any respect different from the
ordinary type matrices and moulds heretofore used. by hand, excepting that
in this instance the mould opens and closes upon a hinge joint, which opening
and closing of the mould is. effected by the movements of the machine obtained
from a rotary, axle having cains that act upon rods and levers. The matrice
and mould are attached to a lever frame A, A, which lies in an inclined
position at the upper part of the machine along the right-hand side of Fig. 1.
The upper side of this lever frame carrying the mould is represented in the

page_text: detached Figure 7, the mould being thrown open to shew it more clearly..
The open position of the mould is also seen in the section of the machine at
Fig. 5. a, a, is that portion or half of the mould which is affixed to the end
of the lever frame A. b, b, is the other portion or half of the mould attached.
to the jointed piece B, turning upon the centre c. These parts a and b when
brought together, as shewn by dots in Fig. 7, form an aperture d between-them
in- which the body of the type is to be cast, the matrice in which the figure of
the type has been cut or stamped lying over the aperture in the ordinary way,
as shewn by dots at e. A longitudinal section of this lever frame, with the
mould and matrice, taken nearly in a perpendicular direction, is represented.
at Fig. 8. Melted type metal contained in a pan or vessel C (seen best in.
the section Fig. 5) is kept in a proper state of fluidity by the fire in the
furnace D below. From this pan C the fluid type metal is allowed to pass.
into a receptacle E. within the pan by means hereafter described;, ;and a
plunger being brought down suddenly in the receptacle- E., causes; a jet of
the melted type metal to be forced up the channel g into the aperture d. of the,
mould; by which a type is cast. The general features and intention of the
machine having been explained, I now proceed to point out the details of its
construction, and the mode of its operating. The machinery is mounted in-a-
frame having standards and platforms upon which a close-furnace D is erected,
with the melted metal pan C above, as before said in reference to Figure 5. The
lever frame A carrying the type mould is mounted upon adjustable centres,
h, h, in the upper part of a' stationary inclined standard F fixed to the platform;
The actuating power, by which the machine is to be worked is applied to the
rotary shaft G, G, by a winch' or handle H in front, and its equal rotary
motion is governed by a fly wheel I at the reverse end of the shaft. Upon.
the shaft G there are two cams i and.k, which are the agents for supplying
the melted metal to the mould. Another cam or eccentric / on the same
shaft is the agent for depressing the lever frame A, which brings ther
aperture of the mould into contact with the orifice 9 of the receptacle Ę;:
from whence the melted metal is injected into the mould. This excentric.
also, as it revolves, causes the lever frame to be raised after the type has-been
cast, and to open the mould by which the type is discharged. The melted,
metal in the pau C flows through a small aperture into the receptacle E-(see.
Fig. 5), which aperture must be closed before the melted metal can be injected.
into the mould by the plunger f, therefore the first operation of the machine.
may be said to be effected by the larger radius of the revolving cami coming.
against the under part of a lever m, see Figs. 2 and 6, when by the lifting of.
that lever the vertical rod n is raised, the upper part of which rod is attached.

page_text: to a spring lever o, working on a fulcrum pin p. The shorter arm of this lever o
passes through a slot in the upper part of the rod q, which rod works a sliding
valve that covers the communicating passage between the melted metal pan C
and the receptacle E. Hence, by the larger radius of the cam i coming into
operation as described, the communication between the pan C and the
receptacle E is closed, and the metal prevented flowing back into the pan.
Immediately after this passage has been closed, a deep notch in the smaller
radius of the cam k coming round under the lever r (see Figs. 2 and 6) allows
To this
that lever to be suddenly drawn down by the force of a weighted rod s.
lever r a vertical rod t is attached, the upper end of which rod is connected by
a joint to about the middle of a horizontal lever K, hanging upon a fulcrum
pin in the top of a standard L; and to the reverse end of this lever K is fixed
the plunger f, before mentioned. It will therefore be seen that by the falling
of the lever r into the notch of the cam k the lever K will descend, and cause the
plunger to force a quantity of the melted metal from the receptacle E through
the passage g into the mould and matrice, by which a cast metal type is pro-
duced. The further rotation of the shaft G will now raise the before-mentioned.
lever K, which will lift the plunger f from its depressed position, and at the
same time the communication will be opened for a further supply of the melted
metal to flow from the pan C into the receptacle E, ready for the next casting.
The periphery of the revolving excentric l, upon the shaft G, is embraced by a
clasped hook u, u, to which is affixed a bracket arm v, forming a socket and
guide for the rod M, by the sliding of which rod the lever frame A is raised and
depressed, for the purpose of bringing the mould down into contact with the jet
of melted type metal type 9 (as shewn at Fig. 5), and raising it after the opera-
tion of casting, for the purpose of opening the mould and discharging the type.
The upper end of the rod M is connected by a joint to the under part of the
lever frame, as seen in Figures 2, 6, and 8; and it will be perceived by refe-
rence to Fig. 6 that as the excentric goes round, the bracket arm v will be
made to slide up and down the rod M, when by the bracket arm v coming into
contact with the stud or shoulder w fixed on the rod M the rod will be pushed
up, and thereby made to raise the lever frame which works upon the back
centres h, h, seen in Fig. 3. The mould having been by this movement
opened, and the cast type discharged therefrom, the lever frame is drawn down
again, the mould closed, and brought into connection with the jet g by the
descent of the sliding rod M, as before stated, ready to receive the melted type
metal for a fresh casting. This descent of the sliding rod M is facilitated by
the two rods x, x, attached to the ears of the hoop u, u, embracing the
excentric 7, the upper ends of the rods x, x, having a cap piece N connecting

page_text: them together, which presses upon the end of the strong helical spring coiled
round the rod M, and thereby brings down the rod, and with it the lever
frame A, as before said. The mould thus brought into contact with the jet of
the metal pan is held there during the operation of casting. But it may be
desirable to afford at this time a certain degree of elastic pressure to the
mould coming against the jet, in order to prevent any strain that might arise
from a portion of hard type metal accidentally intervening. This is effected by
the pressure being communicated through the helical spring.
I now proceed to explain the means by which the mould is opened and
closed as the lever frame A rises and falls. On the upper surface of the lever
frame, as seen in Figures 7 and 8, there are several small levers and sliders
for tilting the matrice after the mould has been thrown open. But the means
of opening the mould will be best scen in Fig. 9, which represents an edge
view of the lever frame and its appendages as they would appear if viewed on.
the right-hand side of Fig. 1. The inclined standard F, seen in Fig. 3,, sup-
ports the bracket and centres on which the lever frame A works; and the
manner in which the lever frame is made to rise and fall having been
explained, I proceed to shew the means by which this rising and falling causes
the mould to open and close. A small standard P, fixed on the top of the
inclined standard F, has a jointed tension rod Q attached to it, the reverse end
of which rod Q is by a joint connected to the bracket frame B, that carries the
moveable part of the mould b. When the lever frame A is raised by the
means before described, the tension rod Q forces the mould to open by its
bracket frame B turning upon the centres c, c; and when the lever frame is
brought down the mould is closed by the same means. The type having been
cast by the operations described, the opening of the mould causes a small
hook y to take hold of the type, and pick it out of the opening half of the
mould to which it is attached. But previous to this opening of the mould the
die or matrice e must be tilted, in order to withdraw it from the face of the
type. This is done by means of a tilting lever R, mounted on the upper sur-
face of the lever frame, which tilting lever is acted upon by a sliding wedge S,
connected to a small lever T, jointed to a standard U. These parts are best
seen in the detached Figures 7 and 8; and on referring thereto it will be
perceived that as the lever frame A rises the sliding wedge S will be pushed
under the tail of the tilting lever R, by which the small beak z will be made
to press upon the end of the matrice, and tilt it. On the descent of the lever
frame, the sliding wedge will retire, and the large spring V, attached in the
ordinary way to the mould and matrice, will cause the matrice to assume its
operating position.

page_text: It has been found desirable, in some cases, to employ a. mode. of keeping
the mould cool whilst it is in operation. This may be very conveniently
done by forming the lever frame hollow, and causing a current of cold:
water to pass through it continually. Means of carrying this out are so
obvious that I need not particularly describe them. I have only further to
say, that, beside the workman who attends the machine having to turn the
winch constantly, it is desirable. that he should. keep in his hand a small brush
to wipe off any small particles of metal which may attach themselves, to the
face of the feeding nipple.
Having now described the Improvements in Manufacturing Types and other
similar Raised Surfaces for Printing, communicated to ine from abroad, I
desire it to be understood that I claim, under the above in part recited Letters
Patent, the novel construction or arrangement and use of the machinery.
herein described for casting types and other like printing surfaces.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
WILLIAM (s.) NEWTON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Sixteenth day of May, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid William Newton came before our
Lady the Queen. in IIer Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said,, and all and everything therein contained, in form' above written. And
also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute in that case made and provided..