Improvements in Apparatus for Composing Types.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Composing Types.
I. ALEXANDER FRASER, of 13A George Street, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say :-.
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction of parts of type-
composing apparatus of the kind described or referred to in my Patent. Specifica-
tion No. 3055 of 1877.
In carrying out my present invention I employ a number of comparatively narrow
type trays or holders, each comprising eight or other convenient small number of
grooves for types; and I place the trays vertically in the machine, securing each
by a right-angle hook on the back of it which hook engages in a slot in the top
horizontal bar of the fixed framing. Each type tray has a protecting plate in front
of it, and attached with a bayonet joint allowing of its easy removal when
required; and the tray is supported accurately in position as regards height by a
fixed horizontal frame bar close to the back of it, this frame bar being formed with
a step or rib with which there engages a screw pin adjustable vertically in a lug
formed or fixed on the back of the type tray. The exact position of each tray is
determined by the adjustment of its screw pin the bottom of which rests on the
lower step of the frame bar, whilst the screw pin at the same time hooks on the
higher step or rib and holds the tray close to the bar. Adjustable plates secured to
a fixed horizontal frame bar are directly in front of the lower parts of the vertical
rows of types when the trays are in position in the machine, such plates preventing
more than one type being pushed out at a time from each row.
At the lower end of each type tray a small retaining bar is fitted for preventing
types from falling out of their grooves when a tray is being conveyed to or from
the composing machine, or is being placed in position or moved therefrom. The
small retaining bar is formed or fixed on thin arms which pass under the bottom of
the tray to a plate at the back, the arms being in the lines of two of the tray-
groove partitions so as not to interfere with the action of the pushers. The plate
at the back is guided and is provided with a hook which when engaged with a pin at
the back of the tray holds the plate with the retaining bar in its closed position.
When the types of a tray in position are to be set free to be pushed out, the plate
with the retaining bar is unhooked and lowered a short distance, its arms entering
grooves in the frame bar on which the pushers work.
The types are pushed out towards the front by horizontally moving pushers
retracted by springs and acted on by bellcranks connected by wires to the, finger-
key mechanism. Each type is pushed out with its face or printing end foremost,
and that end temporarily rests by its lower side on the upper part of a curved guide
surface, until the heel of the type is pushed just clear of the grooved plate in which
the pushers work. The heel of the type then drops and the type turns on the
curved surface into a vertical position, and descends down the guide groove to the
setting stick with its face or printing end uppermost and without that end ever
being touched, or subjected to pressure or injurious action of any kind.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of November 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Composing Types.
I, ALEXANDER FRASER, of 13ª George Street, Edinburgh, in the County of
Mid Lothian, North Britain, Printer, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction of parts of type-
composing apparatus of the kind described or referred to in my Patent Specifica-
tion No. 3055 of 1877.
In carrying out my invention I employ a number of comparatively narrow type
trays or holders, each comprising eight or other convenient small number of
grooves for types; and I place these sectional trays vertically in the composing
machine.
On an accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings,
Figure, 1, is a front elevation showing one of the type trays, and
Figure, 2, is a vertical section as at right angles to Figure, 1, and is taken through
one of the type grooves of the tray.
Figures 3, 4, and 5, are enlarged front, side and back elevations of parts at the
lower end of the type tray.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
Each type tray, 10, has fixed to its upper end at the back, a right-angle hook, 11,
which secures the tray by engaging in a slot or notch in the top horizontal bar, 12,
of the fixed framing. In front of each type tray there is a protecting plate, 13,
which is attached by means of a bayonet joint or catch, 14, allowing of its easy
removal when required. The protecting plate, 13, is strengthened by a convex
rib, 15, of thin metal lined with wood. The type tray, 10, is supported accurately
in position as regards height, by a fixed horizontal frame bar, 16, close to the back
of it, this frame bar being formed with a step or rib, with which there engages a
screw pin, 17, adjustable vertically in a lug, 18, formed or fixed on the back of the
type tray. The exact position of each type tray is determined by the adjustment
of its screw pin, 17, the bottom of which rests on the lower step of the frame
bar, 16, whilst the screw pin 17, at the same time hooks on the higher step or rib
and holds the tray close to the bar. Adjustable plates, of which one, 19, is shown
in Figure, 2, secured to a fixed horizontal frame bar, 20, are directly in front of the
lower parts of the vertical rows of types, 21, when the trays are in position in
the machine, such plates preventing more than one type from being pushed out at
a time from any row.
At the lower end of each type tray, 10, a small retaining bar, 22, is fitted for
preventing types from falling out of their grooves when a tray is being conveyed
to or from the composing machine, or is being placed in position or moved there-
from. This small retaining bar, 22, which is best seen in Figures, 3, 4, and 5, is
formed or fixed on thin arms, 23, which extend under the bottom of the tray to a
plate, 24, at the back, the arms, 23, being in the lines of two of the tray-groove
partitions so as not to interfere with the action of the pushers, one, 25, of which is
shown in Figure, 2. The plate, 24, at the back is guided, and is provided with a
hook, 26, which when engaged with a pin, 27, fixed in the back of the type tray, 10,
holds the plate, 24, with the retaining bar, 22, in its closed position. When the
types of a tray which is in position in the composing machine are to be set free to be
pushed out, the plate, 24, with the retaining bar, 22, is unhooked and lowered a
short distance, as shown in Figures, 2, to 5, its arms, 23, entering grooves formed
to receive them, in a frame bar, 28, on which the pushers, 25, work. In its retaining
or closed position the bar, 22, enters rebates, 29, formed in the bottom ends of the
groove partitions of the type tray, 10, and prevents the types from dropping out.

page_text: The types, 21, are pushed out towards the front by horizontally moving pushers, 25,
retracted by springs, 30, and acted on by bellcranks, 31, connected by wires to the
finger-key mechanism. Each type, 21, is pushed out with its face or printing end
foremost, and that end temporarily rests by its lower side on the upper part of a
curved guide surface, 32, until the heel of the type is pushed just clear of the back
of the grooved plate, 33, and immediately above the groove, in that plate. The
heel of the type then drops, and the type turns on the curved surface, 32, into a
vertical position and descends down the guide groove of the plate, 33, to the setting
stick, with its face or printing end uppermost and without that end ever being
touched, or subjected to pressure or injurious action of any kind.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In apparatus for composing types, the improved construction and combination
of the parts of the sectional type trays or holders, with the adjusting and securing
devices substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
2. The improved device hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying
drawings for preventing types from dropping from the bottoms of the tray
grooves.
3. In combination with the improved sectional type trays, and type pusher,
mechanism, the curved guide surface by which each type pushed out horizontally is
turned into a vertical position without its face or printing end being touched,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of August 1891.
TYTTYM
EDMUND HUNT,,
Applicant's Agent.