IMPROVE- MENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PRINTERS' TYPE READY FOR HAND OR MACHINE COMPOSING
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Hattersley, of the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PRINTERS' TYPE
READY FOR HAND OR MACHINE COMPOSING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hattersley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th October 1867.
J, ROBERT HATTERSLEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PRINTERS'
TYPE READY FOR HAND OR MACHINE COMPOSING," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to distribute type from the line as set up for
printing by operating by hand upon keys, the type being manipulated or acted
upon entirely by the mechanism; the operator having simply to distinguish
each type as it comes forward, and press a corresponding key to distribute the
type into its proper receptacle with great rapidity.
My improvements when used for distributing type ready for use in a com-
posing machine are combined with a modified form of the machine for classing
type for which Letters Patent were granted to me, numbered 3365, and dated

page_text: the Seventeenth December, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two; but
when used for distributing type into the ordinary printer's type "case only a
short length of the channels or grooves leading to the table are used, "shoots"
being substituted, so that the type may slide down inclines by gravity to their
own particular "case". All the machine described in the Specification of my
said Patent is used in combination with my present improvements (herein-after
described) when distributing for a composing machine, except a part of the
upper ends of the channels or grooves into which the type were placed by
hand. The parts of that machine which are retained and combined with my
present improvements are improved by having a short incline added to the
receiving table for the ends of the type to come against when they arrive at
the table, which incline gives steadiness to the type, and covers are also added
to the lower parts of the type channels, which covers are arranged upon
hinges and are weighted so as to be kept in their places by gravity, being so
arranged as to give way when one type arrives at the table before that pre-
ceding it has been properly pushed forward into the grooves in the table by
the reciprocating plate.
According to my present improvements the type channels which pass
straight up the incline leading from the table are continued upwards until they
form a junction with a main channel passing diagonally upon the incline.
There are two of these main diagonal channels, one begins at one side and the
other at the other side, and they meet together in one channel at the top;
the entrance from the main diagonal channels to each straight channel is
closed by sliding or hinged door, each of which has a space cut out of it where
it comes opposite the main diagonal channel so that a type can slide down the
channel from the top to the bottom by its own gravity if the sliding doors are
not acted upon; but when one of these sliding doors is acted upon it cuts off
and stops up the main diagonal channel below it and opens and diverts the
decending type into the straight channel to which the type belongs. These
sliding doors must remain open until the type enters the straight channel and
then close immediately and leave the main channel open and free for the next
type, and this is accomplished by causing the sliding door when drawn back
to latch upon a small pin which retains it open until the type strikes against
it in its descent, and this gives a lateral movement to the sliding door which
unlatches it and it slides down by its own gravity and closes its own straight
channel. The type to be distributed are slided into a groove, and are then
pushed forward towards and against the end of the groove by the action of a
pusher and an india-rubber spring. At the end of the groove a reciprocating
pusher or piston is arranged, the end of which must not be larger than the

page_text: smallest type to be distributed, and when the operator distinguishes the type
at the end of the groove he presses the corresponding key, and the pusher or
piston forces this type endways through a space in the bottom of the groove,
which is partly closed by an incline mounted upon a spring, which incline and
spring will prevent the fall of the type by merely its own unaided gravity, but
will give way so as to allow different thicknesses of type to pass when acted
upon by the piston or pusher. The piston which separates the type gives it a
descending impetus adding greatly to the velocity with which it falls. Every
straigh channel (and there is a separate one for each different character or
'space" used) has a separate slide door and is actuated by a separate key,
and these keys are buttons, one for each key, at the upper end of a vertical
stem which is connected to a bell-crank lever that transmits the movement by
means of a cord and pulleys to a small lever which is made to move back-
wards when the key is released by an india-rubber spring; this lever acts
upon a pin in the slide door and draws it upwards when the key is acted
upon. Each cord for actuating the sliding doors is connected with a thin flat
piece of metal, one part of the cord being connected to one end and the con-
tinuing end of the cord is attached to the other end of the metal strip which
passes through a slit in the edge of a piece of metal made so as to be capable of
oscillating upon pivots. Each strip of metal has a pin in it so that when the
cord is moved the pin will come against the oscillating piece and give motion
to it, and the motion thus received is imparted by a cord passing over pulleys
to the piston for depressing and separating each type from the line to be
distributed. There are two, oscillating pieces, one with which the cords
from the keys are connected that belong to one main diagonal channel, and
the other for the keys belonging to the other main diagonal channel, which
two channels are separated where they form a junction with the type channel
leading to the piston by a "switch" piece, which when not acted upon leaves
one main diagonal channel open and the other closed, and vice versa when it
is acted upon. One of the oscillating pieces is made to give motion by a cord
to the "switch" as well as act upon the piston for separating the type from
the line to be distributed. The type to be distributed is placed in a "galley"
in an inclined position, the lower line of type in the column resting upon a
sliding bar having within it a series of loose pieces of metal nearly equal in
length to the width of the column, and the ends of these loose pieces are
made to project and push against the lowest line of type in the "galley"
when the sliding bar is moved, and slide the type into the groove or channel
leading to the separating piston, the loose pieces passing beneath the groove
for the type. Each separate piece of metal pushes a separato line from the

page_text: column into the groove and several lines of type in succession are pushed into
the groove by one movement of the sliding bar. The loose pieces are
sustained and guided out of the way below the groove when they have acted
upon the type by a thin piece of metal which is deflected by rollers and a pin
O ins
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Hattersley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ПATTERSLEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Hattersley, Her special license that I, the said Robert Hattersley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Hattersley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING PRINTERS' TYPE READY
FOR HAND OR MACHINE COMPOSING," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Hattersley, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Hattersley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):
The object of my Invention is to distribute type from the line as set up fo
printing by operating by band upon keys, the type being manipulated or acted
upon entirely by the mechanism, the operator having simply to distinguis!

page_text: each type as it comes forward, and press a corresponding key to distribute the
type into its proper receptacle with great rapidity.
My improvements when used for distributing type ready for use in a
composing machine are combined with a modified form of the machine for
classing type, for which Letters Patent were granted to me, numbered 3365,
and dated the Seventeenth December, A.D. One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-two; but when used for distributing type into the ordinary printer's type
case only a short length of the channels or graves leading to the table are
used, shoots being substituted, so that the type may slide down inclines by
gravity to their own particular case. All the machine described in the Speci-
fication of my said Patent is used in combination with my present improve-
ments (berein-after described) when distributing for a composing machine,
except a part of the upper ends of the channels or grooves into which the
types were placed by hand. The parts of that machine which are retained
and combined with my present improvements are improved by having a short
incline added to the receiving rails or table for the ends of the type to come
against when they arrive at the table or rails, which incline gives steadiness to
the type, and covers are also added to the lower parts of the type channels,
which covers are arranged upon binges, and are weighted so as to be kept in
their places by gravity, being so arranged as to give way when one type
arrives at the table before that preceding it has been properly pushed forward
into the grooves or rails in the table by the reciprocating plate.
According to my present improvements the type channels which pass
straight up the incline leading from the table are continued upwards until
they form a junction with a main channel passing diagonally upon the incline.
There are two of these diagonal channels, one begins at one side and the
other at the other side, and they meet together in one channel at the top.
The entrance from the diagonal channels to each straight class channel is
closed by a sliding or hinged door, each of which has a space cut out of it
where it comes opposite the diagonal channel, so that a type can slide down
the channel from the top to the bottom by its own gravity if the sliding doors
are not acted upon; but when one of these sliding doors is acted upon it cuts
off and stops up the diagonal channel below it, and opens and diverts the
descending type into the straight class channel to which the type belongs.
These sliding doors must remain open until the type enters the class channel,
and then close immediately and leave the diagonal channel open and free for
the next type; and this is accomplished by causing the sliding door when
drawn back to latch upon a small pin which retains it open until the type
strikes against it in its descent, and this gives a lateral movement to the sliding.

page_text: door which unlatches and it slides down by its own gravity and closes its
own straight or class channel. The type to be distributed are slided in a
groove, and are then pushed forward towards and against the end of the groove
by the action of a pusher and an india-rubber spring. At the end of the groove a
reciprocating pusher or piston is arranged, the end of which must be larger
than the smallest type to be distributed, and when the operator distinguishes
the type at the end of the groove he presses the corresponding key, and the
pusher or piston forces this type endways through a space in the bottom of the
groove, which is partly closed by an incline mounted upon a spring, which
incline and spring will prevent the fall of the type by merely its own unaided
gravity, but will give way so as to allow different thickness of type to pass
when acted upon by the piston or pusher. The piston which separates the type
gives it a descending impetus, adding greatly to the velocity with which it
falls. Every class channel (and there is a separate one for each different
character or "
space" used) has a separate slide door, and is actuated by a
separate key, and these keys are buttons (one for each key) at the upper end
of a vertical stem which is connected to a bell-crank lever that transmits the
movement by means of a cord and pulleys to a small lever, which is made to
move backwards when the key is released by an india-rubber spring. This
lever acts upon a pin in the slide door and draws it upwards when the key is
acted upon. Each cord for actuating the sliding doors is connected with a
thin flat piece of metal, one part of the cord being connected to one end,
and the continuing end of the cord is attached to the other end of the metal
strip, which passes through a slit in the edge of a piece of metal made so as to
be capable of oscillating upon pivots. Each strip of metal has a pin in it, so
that when the cord is moved the pin will come against the oscillating piece
and give motion to it, and the motion thus received is imparted by a cord
passing over pulleys to the piston for depressing and separating each type from
the line to be distributed. There are two oscillating pieces, one with which
the cords from the keys are connected that belong to one diagonal channel,
and the other for the keys belong to the other diagonal channel, which two
channels are separated where they form a junction with the type channel
leading to the piston by a switch piece, which when not acted upon leaves one
diagonal channel open and the other closed, and vice versa, when it is acted
upon.
One of the oscillating pieces is made to give motion by a cord to the
switch, as well as act upon the piston for separating the type from the line to
be distributed. The type to be distributed is placed in a galley in an inclined
position, the lower line of type in the column resting upon a sliding bar,
having within it a series of loose pieces of metal equal in length (or a little

page_text: longer) to the width of the column, and the ends of these loose pieces are
mado to project and push against the lowest line of type in the galley; when
the sliding bar is moved and slide the type into the groove or channel leading
to the separating piston, the loose pieces passing beneath the groove for the
type. Each separate piece of metal pushes a separate line from the column
into the groove, and several lines of type in succession are pushed into the
groove by one movement of the sliding bar. The loose pieces are sustained
and guided out of the way below the groove when they have acted upon the
type by a thin piece of metal, which is deflected by rollers and a pin or pins.
The manner in which my improvements are carried into effect is illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the machine, certain parts being
omitted and others are supposed to be broken away; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
section, Figure 3 a back or under side view, and Figure 4 a cross section of the
bar used for sliding the type from the galley to the groove from which they
are to be distributed. These views, Figures 2, 3, and 4, are shewn upon the
Drawing in the space between the upper and lower part of Figure 1. Figure 5
is a detached full size flat view of the apex or upper part of the surface or frame
in which the type channels are formed, shewing certain connected parts;
Figure 6 is a full size section, showing a side view of the slide or door for one
of the type channels and the lever cord and other parts for actuating it;
Figures 7 and 8 shew right and left-banded edge views of slides or doors for the
class type channels; Figure 9 is a side view and Figure 10 an end view, both
detached, of one of the carrying rails employed for receiving the type as it is
distributed by the machine ready for use in a type composing machine;
Figure 11 (Sheet 2) is an outline front elevation looking towards the surface in
which the class type channels are formed, and Figure 12 is an outline plan view
showing the keys and some of the cords for transmitting their motion; Figure 1.
shows the most general view of the machine and the true inclination and
curve of the surface in which the type channels are formed, also the front
position of the type galley, and also the type groove leading to the separating
piston. The true inclination of the type galley is represented in Figure 11,
where a side view of it is seen.
A is the framing of the machine, made of two sides connected by cross
stays A and A, and from one side a branch A³ ascends which carries the
galley (a) for the type which is to be distributed. The surface in which the
type channels are formed is attached at its lower part to the two side frame;
and at its upper part it is connected with the part from the galley (a) forming
the groove along which the type passes. The galley (a) is detachable and

page_text: equal in length and width to the column of type to be distributed. The
lowest line of type in the galley is opposite the groove leading to the
separating piston, and this groove being vertical to the plane of the galley is
consequently inclined forwards, thus presenting the face of the type towards
the operator. The lowest line of type to be distributed rests upon the upper
surface of a sliding bar (6), shown detached by Figures 2, 3, and 4. This
slide bar (6) moves upon and as guided by the two pulleys (6' and 6) and the
middle portion of the upper surface of the bar (6) is sunk or recessed from
end to end, as shewn by Figure 4, so that the tongue (c) which forms the
beginning of the lower side of the groove (c) leading to the separating piston
may get under the middle part of the line of type which rests upon the sliding
bar (6); this bar is slided to and fro to push the type from the column to the
groove, and it has a pin (b) at one end which comes against a stop (6) to
prevent the bar (6) from being drawn too far back. The bar (b) is made of
such length that several lines of type may be pushed by one movement into
the groove (c). The bar shown will push two lines of type from the column,
two pushers (b) a little more than the length of the lines in the column of
type to be acted upon being fitted into a slot in the bar, as shown, end to end,
and there is a spring (6) on the under side of each pusher (65) at one end
which tends to keep the spring end of the pusher above the upper surface of
the bar (6) as shown; these pushers (6) are quite loose up and down in the
bar (6), and rest upon a thin piece (67) of elastic metal (which acts as a
guide) secured to the under side of the bar (b) at one end as shown; this
guide (67) passes over a pulley (68), under a deflecting piece (6º), over
another pulley (6*) and over a recess in the pulley (63) for the slide bar (6);
this guide (67) is a little wider than the pushers (65), but it is not shown in
Figures 2, 3, and 4. The guide (67) acts to sustain the pushers (5) as long as
their ends are required to act upon the line of type, and then causes them to sink
so as to pass under the tongue (c') at the entrance to the type groove (c) (sce
Figures 1 and 2). The tongue piece (*) forming the upper side of the entrance
to the groove (c) is elastic and is acted upon by a screw (c³) so that a certain
amount of friction may be put upon the entering type. When a sufficient length
of type has been pushed into the groove (c) a pusher (c) formed by a thin
flat piece of metal (as shown in Figure 1) is placed in the groove, and one end
of a piece of india-rubber is secured to a pin (c) fixed in the pusher and is then
passed over a pulley (c) and the other end is secured to a pin near the back
side of the galley (a), and thus the type (x) is pushed along and is kept against
the end of the groove so that each type will be brought under the end of the
separating piston, the elastic force decreasing as the weight of the line of type

page_text: diminishes, this mode of pushing the type being the same as that used in
my type-composing machines. The separating piston (d) is made to slide up
and down in a part (d') which is vertical in one direction, but inclined in
the other direction, to agree with the inclination of the line of type to be dis-
tributed. The piston (d) is lifted after each descent by an elastic spring (d),
one end of which is secured in a slit in a pin (ds) fixed in the piston, the
other end in a pin (d) in the part (d') by which the piston (d) is carried.
The end of the piston (d) is a little smaller than the end of the smallest
type or space to be distributed. There is a hole in the bottom of the piston
end of the grove (c) large enough to allow two or three types to descend
endways, but this hole is closed by the end of a spring (e) arranged as shown,
which springs acts to close the passage, and will only give way and allow a type
to pass when forced by the action of the piston. To prevent a wedging
action in the hole in the bottom of the groove from two or three types getting
crowded in it at the same time the edge of the bole is made slightly elastic.
A piece (e¹) is fitted to the under side of the groove (c), the end of this piece
partially filling up the hole, and against the end of this piece a spring (*)
is made to act to keep it slided forwards towards the piston (d) to a fixed
extent, but so that it will give way slightly if such a combination of type should
come over the hole as will wedge in it. The piston is actuated by a cord (d º),
one end of which is attached to a pin (d) in the piston; it then passes under
a pulley (d) and is secured to an oscillating piece (f), or the cord (do)
divides at a point a little below the pulley (d) into two cords, and the end
of each of these two cords is secured to an oscillating piece (f), when two
are employed, as in this case the pivots (f¹) of these oscillating pieces (f)
being carried by suitable brackets (f) from the framing. There is a key (g)
for each letter or character or space to be distributed, and these keys are
arranged as shown by Figures 1 and 12. Each key is a button on a vertical
stem (9'), sliding and being guided in holes in an upper and lower plate (92), as
shewn in Figure 1, and each stem is flattened at its lower end and has a slot in
it, into which the end of an arm of a bell-crank lever (93) can enter, as shewn
in Figure 1. From one arm of each bell-crank lever a cord (9) passes over
guide pulleys (g and g) (as shewn in Figures 1 and 12), and its end is secured
to a thin flat piece of metal (47) which passes freely through a slit (there
being one for each key) in one of the oscillating pieces (f), and to the other
end of the flat piece of metal (97) another cord (98) is secured which conveys
motion to a slide door, as will be herein-after explained. Each flat piece of
metal (9) bas a pin in it, which when the cord (9') is pulled will give move-
ment to the oscillating piece (f) to which it belongs, consequently whichever

page_text: key (g) is depressed a movement will be given to one of the oscillating
pieces (f), which will communicate its motion through the cord (d) to the
separating piston (d) which will act to push down the type under it, and to
give it a descending impetus. The part (h), Figure 1, is a small reflector
arranged to throw the light upon the end of the type, so that the operator can
readily distinguish its character. Each type which is separated descends the
channel (k), (see enlarged detached Figure 5), and then arrives at a tongue or
switch () upon a pivot ), passing through the face of the plate (l) upon
which the type channels are formed. This switch () is actuated by an
arm) secured to the pivot (k²) of the switch upon the under side of the
plate (), to which arm (³) a cord (*) is secured, which is attached to and
partakes of the movements of one of the oscillating plates (f). The arm (³)
after each movement is pulled back by an elastic india-rubber spring (5) against
a pin stop (as shown in Figure 1 and in dotted line in Figure 5), bringing
the switch into the position shown in full line in Figure 5, in which position the
descending type will be guided down one diagonal channel (*), but when
acted upon by the cord the switch (¹) will be reversed, and the type will
pass down the other diagonal channel (7); accordingly the switch (k') will
remain stationary for type belonging to one channel (k), and will be moved
for types belonging to the other channel (7).
I prefer that the most frequently used type should be arranged to pass down
that diagonal channel (k) for which the switch (¹) will not require to be
noved.) The class type channels (7) are formed by thin pieces of metal
arranged parallel to each other as shewn in Figure 1, 5, and 11, each channel
There are no
terminating in one of the diagonal channels ( or k²).
actual sides to the diagonal channels (and 7) but those which are formed
by the edges and bent pieces from the sliding doors; there is a sliding
door (m) for each separate class type channel (1) and each sliding door is
constructed, arranged, and actuated in the same manner. In Figure 5 several
sliding doors (m) are exhibited and they are all shown in the position in
which they close their channels except one which is shown in the position in
which the diagonal channel (2) below it is shut and its own channel (1)
is opened. Figure 6 is a side sectional view showing the arrangement of one
slide door (m) and ist actuating parts; Figures 7 and 8 are detached plan or
edge views of a slide, one being a right and the other left handed, that is
one is for one and the other for the other diagonal channel. The slide
door (m) is guided and kept upright and in its place by two pius (m³) fixed
at its upper end near the edge of the plate (1) forming the bottom of the
type channels (). The slide door (m) is made of thin metal, which has a

page_text: notch cut out of it, one part (m²) of the metal being bent at the inclination
shown so as to cover and close the end of its channel, these inclined parts (m³)
forming one side of the diagonal channel when the slides are down, but
when any of the slides are drawn up they come in a line with what may be
called the upper side of the diagonal channel. Upon each slide door there
are two stops one (m³) to prevent the slide door from being drawn up too
high, and the other (m') to prevent it from descendiug too low, there is also
a latching projection (m³) to hold the slide door when drawn up until
released by the type (¹) striking against it; these stops and the latching
surface act against and upon a bevelled pin (m), one of which is fixed in
the type channel plate (2) for each sliding door. There is also a spring (m²)
for each slide door fixed to the type channel plate (1) the end of which
spring presses slightly against the back side of the slide door, so that when
the door is drawn up the latching projection (m³) will catch upon the
pin (m). Each slide (m) is actuated by a separate lever (n) which levers
have their fulcrums (n¹) upon a rail frame (n³), below the type channel
plate (1) as shewn in Figure 1; the lever (n) when pulled upwards comes
against a projecting pin (m³) in the slide door (m). The back movement
of the lever (n) is produced by a spring (n³) of india-rubber, the ends of
which are held in a slit in the end of the lever (n), and in the end of a
pia (n) fixed in the type channel plate (7), in the edge of which there
is another pin (n) which acts as a stop to the back movement of the
lever; each lever (n) is actuated by a cord (98) which passes over a
pulley (9) in the rail frame (g*) (see Figures 1, 5 and 6), this cord (9') then
passing to the end of the flat piece of metal (97) and then to its particular
key lever (9) as herein-before explained. From what has been said it will
be understood that when all the sliding doors (m) are down the diagonal
channels (and 7) are open from top to bottom and all the class type
channels () are closed, so that when a key (9) is depressed the separating
piston (d) sends a type a¹ down and at the same time draws up the corresponding
slide door (m), which is latched up; this closes the diagonal channel
below it and diverts the type (a) into its class channel ("); the striking
of the type against the door (m) unlatches it and allows it to descend and to
close the class channel and again open the diagonal channel. When the type
have got into the class channels they may be conducted down spouts into the
ordinary printer's case, or they may be conveyed to carrying rails ready for
use in a composing machine or otherwise. For this purpose it is so contrived
that the type will be placed upon the carrying rails erect and in line; to do
this the class type channels (1) are curved and inclined, as shown in Figures 1.

page_text: and 11, so that the type as it descends its channel will be brought into a
vertical position, but inclined slightly to one side, so as to lean when it arrives
at the carrying rail against the side of the rail. There are two fixed guides
(and) (see Figures 1 and 11) at the lower part of each class channel,
and there is another guide (1) lower down, several of the latter being formed
out of one piece of metal, being hinged upon hooks () as shewn, and weighted
against the type channels by weights secured at (1); these hinged parts (1)
can thus give way should there be any obstruction. One of the type-receiving
rails (P) is shewn in its place in Figure 1, and two other views of it are shewn
detached by Figures 9 and 10. Each type rail (P) is made of sheet metal
bent as shewn, and it is carried by notches in the upper edges of two cross
bearers A (see Figures 1 and 11). One end of each type rail has an incline
piece (P), against which the descending end of the type strikes, so that this
end of the type is thrown forward against the type previously upon the rail,
which are kept upright by a flat piece of metal (P*) that is slided along as
the rail fills. The type (2) are forced along the carrying rails by a pusher (P)
(there being one for each type rail) secured to a bar (P³), as shown; this
bar is secured to two rods (P), which slide through holes in the cross
bearer (A'), the ends of the rods being attached to cranks upon a shaft (P³)
in suitable bearings, driven by a band (P) from another shaft (P7) in suitable
bearings; this shaft has a fly wheel (PS) upon it, and is worked by a crank (P³)|
and treadle or by power, and thus the pushers (P) receive a rapid reciprocating
motion, so as to slide the type along their rails (P) as they descend.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention and the mode
of carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention,―
Firstly. The general combination and arrangement of the mechanism for
distributing printers' type, substantially as berein-before described and illus
trated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The combination of the mechanism for receiving and pushing the
type along the carrying rails (P) with class type channels (7) when the type
are separated from the line to be distributed by the mechanism.
Thirdly. The use of sliding doors or their equivalents which are closed by the
action of the type when it passes them, substantially as berein-before described.
Fourthly. The separating of the type from a line to be distributed by a
piston which gives the type a descending impetus, substantially as bercin-before
described.
Fifthly. The use of the spring (e) having an inclined or levelled end or its
equivalent for preventing the descent of any type but that acted up on by the
wiston ()

page_text: Sixthly. The use of a sliding bar (b) or its equivalent for pushing lines of
type into a groove to be distributed, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Hattersley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of April, Anno Domini One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
PETER J. LIVSEY,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ROBERT HATTERSLEY. (L.B.)