Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 29th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Apr., 1887
1, THOMAS NIGHTINGALE PALMER of 62 Lansdowne Road, Dalston, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to composing-sticks of that class in which the knco is
adjustably and removably secured by means of a pivotted clasp adapted to embrace
the knee and wall of the stick in such manner as to firmly bind the two together;
and the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter described.
Referring to the drawing,
Figure 1 is a plan of a composing-stick constructed in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the pivot of the lever, a portion of the
knee being shown in end elevation.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a modification of my invention.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the knee.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lever; and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the knee employed in the modification illustrated
in Figure 3.
A represents the bottom, B, the end wall, and C the back of a composing-stick,
provided with a series of holes C₁ in the back. D represents the knee, which is
provided with a series of holes D¹, in that branch thereof which is arranged against
the back C of the stick. E represents the clamping lever, which is provided with a
pivot E, and with a binding clamp which consists of two projections E2 and E3 which
embrace the back of the stick and a branch of the knee. The lever E is, in this
instance, formed of sheet-metal, preferably steel, bent to the form shown and having
its projections E2 E3 slightly inclined toward each other at their free ends or they may
be arranged parallel with each other and slightly tapered upon their inner surfaces,
whereby, in the first instance, the material being light and resilient the projections

page_text: will snugly clasp the back and knee by reason of their resiliency; and in the second
instance, with proper fitting, the said projections being of heavier material and rigid,
will also firmly bind the parts together when embraced by said projections. Or the
branch of the knee embraced by the projections on the lever may be slightly wedge-
shaped in vertical cross-section, so that as the lever is depressed the projections will
firmly bind the knee to the stick.
As thus far described it will be seen that the lever is entirely removable from the
stick and the knee, so that by moving the latter within the former to cause any one of
the holes D' therein to register with a hole C in the back of the stick, the pivot E' of
the lever may be passed through the hole C₁ of the back into a hole D¹ of the knee
which registers therewith, the lever at such time being elevated at its free end so that
both of the projections are above the top of the knee and back and so that by
depressing said free end of the lever, it moving upon its pivot, the said projections
bind the knee in the position selected.
bo
In order to further strengthen the knee against displacement, I may apply thereto a
loop D², which shall embrace the back and extend beneath the bottom A of the stick
as at D³ Figure 3. The upper end of the loop may be secured by rivets or otherwise
to the top of the knee as at D. The loop is provided with a hole D¹ to receive the
pivot E¹ of the lever. In this construction, the lever may, or may not, as desired,
permanently pivotted in the hole D¹ of the loop, in which case, the hole C¹ in the
back of the stick may be dispensed with, but when a graduated scale as A¹ is provided
on the bottom A of the stick and when the holes C₁ are arranged in relation to said
scale, the removable lever E is advantageous in setting the stick varied widths of
column, the graduations of the scale and the relative locations of the holes C¹ being
adapted for variations of picas or half picas in length of line to which the knee may
be set.
Further or intermediate variations in the location of the knee may be secured by the
series of holes D¹, therein.
So also may a hole be formed in the knee opposite the hole D¹ in the loop thereof,
in which case the pivot of the removable lever may be inserted through the loop and
through the back and into the knee, whereby I still retain the advantage of a close
disposition of the clamping projections to the working face of the knee, as before
described.
It is apparent that the pivot E¹, for the lever, may be affixed to the knee and
projected through any of the holes in the back C, so that the lever being provided
with a hole at its pivot end can be placed upon the projecting pivot and swung down
to clamp the parts as hereinbefore described.

page_text: I, THOMAS NIGHTINGALE PALMER of 62 Lansdowne Road, Dalston, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent 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 reference being had to the accompanying drawing
forming a part of this specification :-
This invention relates to composing-sticks of that class in which the knee is
adjustably and removably secured by means of a pivoted clasp adapted to embrace the
knee and wall of the stick in such manner as to firmly bind the two together; and,
the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawing
Figure 1 is a plan of a composing-stick constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section through the pivot of the lever, a portion of the
knee being shown in end elevation.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a modification.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the knee.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lever; and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the knee employed in the modification illustrated
in figure 3.
Like letters indicate like parts in all the figures.
A, represents the bottom, B, the end wall, and C, the back of a composing-stick,
formed, in this instance, of sheet-metal, and provided with a series of holes in the
back.
D, represents the knee, which is provided with a series of holes D¹, in that branch
thereof which is arranged against the back C of the stick.
E, represents the clamping lever, which is provided with a pivot E', and with a
binding clamp which consists of two projections E2 and E3 which serve to embrace
the back of the stick and a branch of the knee. The lever E is in this instance,
formed of sheet-metal, preferably steel, bent to the form shown and having its
projections E2, E3, slightly inclined toward each other at their free ends or they may
be arranged parallel with each other and slightly tapered upon their inner surfaces,
whereby, in the first instance, the material being light and resilient the projections
will snugly clasp the back and knee by reason of their resiliency; and in the second
instance with proper fitting, the said projections being of heavier material and rigid,

page_text: will also firmly bind the parts together when embraced by said projections. As a
further modification which would present itself to persons skilled in the construction
of articles of this class, the branch of the knee embraced by the projections on the
lever may be slightly wedge-shaped in vertical cross section, so that as the lever is
depressed the projections will firmly bind the knee to the stick.
As thus far described it will be seen that the lever is entirely removable from the
stick and the knee, so that by moving the latter within the former to cause any one
of the holes D' therein to register with a hole C¹ in the back of the stick, the pivot E'
of the lever may be passed through the hole C' of the back into a hole D¹ of the knee
which registers therewith, the lever at such time being elevated at its free end so that
both of the projections are above the top of the knee and back, and so that by
depressing said free end of the lever it moving upon its pivot, the said projections
serve to bind the knee in the position selected.
Heretofore, in composing-sticks of this class the lever has been pivotted to the
inside of that branch of the knee which comes in contact with the back of the stick,
and therefore the clamping projections were necessarily located at a greater distance
from the face of the transverse branch of the knee than in my invention. It is
apparent that the nearer the clamping projections are to the working face of the knee
the more firmly will the latter be held in operative position, and against springing
away from the back when pressure is applied to the outer end of the transverse branch
of the knee. Such an action of the knee is more apt to occur when the stick is nearly
filled and when the lines are somewhat crowded. Now in order to further strengthen
the knee against such displacement, I may apply thereto a loop D² which shall
embrace the back and extend beneath the bottom A of the stick as at D³ Figure 3.
The upper end of the loop may be secured by rivets or otherwise to the top of the
knee as at D. The loop is provided with a hole D to receive the pivot E of the
lever. In this construction the lever may or may not as desired, be permanently
pivoted in the hole D of the loop, in which case the hole C¹ in the back of the stick
may be dispensed with but when a graduated scale as A¹ is provided on the bottom A
of the stick and when the holes Care arranged in relation to said scale the removable
lever E is advantageous in setting the stick varied widths of column, the graduations of
the scale and the relative locations of the holes C¹ being adapted for variations of picas
or half picas in length of line to which the knee may be set.
Further or intermediate variations in the location of the knee may be secured by
the series of holes D', therein. So also may a hole be formed in the knee opposite the
hole D in the loop thereof, in which case the pivot of the removable lever may be
inserted through the loop and through the back and into the knee, whereby I still
retain the advantage of a close disposition of the clamping projections to the working
face of the knee as before described.
It will be noticed that the lever E is of such a form that when closed no part thereof
projects materially from the knee or stick and that therefore, it does not act as an
obstruction to convenience in use, while at the same time it may be readily raised to
unlock the knee. The entire lever with the exception of its pivots may be struck up
from a single piece of metal.
It is apparent that the pivot E¹, for the lever may be affixed to the knee and
projected through any of the holes in the back C, so that the lever being provided
with a hole at its pivot end can be placed upon the projecting pivot and swung
down to clamp the parts as herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First The combination with a composing-stick and its knee, of a knee clamping
lever pivoted outside of the stick and in advance of the rear wall of the transverse
branch of the knee, substantially as specified.
Second-The combination with a composing-stick and its knee, of a lever having

page_text: clamping projections adapted to embrace a branch of the knee and the back of the
stick, and pivotally connected with the knee outside of the stick whereby the clamping
projections are brought in closer proximity to the working face of the knee,
substantially as specified.
Third In combination with a composing-stick having a series of holes in its back,
a removable clamping lever, a knee, and a pivot for the lever passing through the
back, substantially as specified.
Fourth-The combination with a composing stick having a series of holes in its
back, and a graduated scale, of a knee having a series of holes, and a removable
lever having a pivot adapted to enter the holes in the back and the knee, whereby
predetermined adjustments of the knee may be effected, substantially as specified.
Fifth The combination of the stick A having a series of holes C, in the back C
thereof, the knee D having the holes D', and the removable lever E, having the
projections E2, E3, and beyond the latter projection, the pivot E¹, substantially as
specified.
Dated this 28th day of March An 1007