NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DISTRIBUTING AND ARRANGING TYPES FOR PRINTING PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Wicks, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DISTRIBUTING AND ARRANGING TYPES FOR
PRINTING PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Wicks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1880.
FREDERICK WICKS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
"NEW
OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DISTRIBUTING
AND ARRANGING TYPES FOR PRINTING PURPOSES."
The said Invention relates to and has for its object to provide means whereby,
as the types are distributed, they are arranged in proper order, according to their
kind, in proper position for use in composing machines.
The machinery or apparatus constituting the said Invention consists of a number
of apparatus, each complete in itself and designed for the manipulation of one
type, there being such an apparatus for each description of type to be manipulated.
Each such apparatus consists of a receiver or funnel flattened to suit the width of
the type with which it is to deal, and at the bottom of it is a continually moving
portion or "kicker" actuated by a cam or the like, which sends the letter dropped
into the funnel forward in proper order for being transferred to the composing
Each receptacle is inclined at an angle to facilitate the manipulation of
the letter, and there are brakes or equivalent arrangements in the funnels for
preventing the letters entering the receptacles irregularly. Each receiver or funnel
is so arranged as to stop the progress of letters not belonging to the sort dealt
with by any particular funnel. The apparatus may be so arranged, if required,
that it can be readily opened so as to give access to the interior when desired.
machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Wicks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th February
1881.
•
"
NEW
FREDERICK WICKS, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain.
OR IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN DISTRIBUTING
AND ARRANGING TYPES FOR PRINTING PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to new or improved machinery or apparatus to be
employed in distributing and arranging types for printing purposes, and has for
its object to provide means whereby, as the types are distributed, they are arranged
in proper order according to their kind in proper position for use in composing
machines.
The machinery or apparatus constituting my said Invention consists of a number
of apparatus, such as are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, each complete
in itself, and designed for the manipulation of one type (there being one such
apparatus for each description of type to be manipulated), arranged together in
any order which may be most convenient.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is an elevation; Figure 2, an elevation
at right angles to Figure 1; and Figure 3, a vertical section of the apparatus
aforesaid constructed according to my Invention. It consists at its upper part of
a receiver or funnel a, and at its lower part of an inclined guide formed mainly
of a continuously moving portion or "kicker" b vibrating upon a centre at c.
The said "kicker" has its vibratory motion imparted to it by a cam d or its
equivalent. Each receptacle is inclined at an angle from side to side, as shewn in
Figure 1, and also from the front downwards and inwards, as shewn in Figure 3,
to facilitate the manipulation of the letters, and there may be a brake, or brakes,
or equivalent arrangements as at e hung on a pin e in the funnel or guide to bear
gently upon the types as they pass beneath, so as to prevent the said types from
entering the receptacles irregularly. A number of apparatus or receptacles such
as those described are used, corresponding to the number of different kinds of type
to be dealt with, the series being arranged in any convenient manner, but preferably
in a row or in rows to correspond with the key board of any composing machine
which may be used for composing the types distributed. When so arranged the
cam d which operates the "kicker" b may be a long rod eccentrically mounted,
and extending between or embraced by the bifurcated part at the back of all the
kickers" in one row, so that one cam rod will actuate all the "kickers" in one row.
In distributing types with this apparatus the types to be distributed are taken
by the distributor in the usual position, namely, with the nicks away from him,
and the respective types are dropped into the respective apparatus or receptacles
provided for them. In dropping the type into the receptacle the thumb rests on
the part 1 to 2 (Figure 1) of the upper part of the receptacle, and the type falling
on any portion of the triangular surface 1, 2, 3, will pass down the narrow channel,
the bottom of which is formed by the "kicker" b, passing under the brake e
(Figure 3), which rests upon the type as it passes on to the said kicker and keeps
the said type flat upon its side. This brake is omitted from Figure 1. The cam d
gives a vibratory movement (through a space preferably about equal to the
thickness of the font or thereabouts) to the " kicker" b, so that the type when
it has reached the bottom of the inclined receptacle is pressed forward along the
horizontal part f, pressing before it any letters which may have preceded it, they
as they are pressed forward by the action of the "kicker" upon succeeding types
entering the case g, one of which is provided for each receptacle or apparatus, and
which may be held in place at the one end by a flat steel spring / fixed to a bar i
that extends the length of each row of the apparatus, and at the other end by being
«<

page_text: slidden into the V shaped slot at j. Each apparatus or receptacle has upon it a
button marked with a letter or sign corresponding with the type to be placed in
the apparatus or receptacle, or is otherwise marked with such letter or siga. By
the apparatus hereinbefore described the types are ranged as shewn in Figure 3,
side by side, that is to say, with their nicks in line. If it be desired that the types
shall be ranged with their nicks transverse to the line of the row of types, it will
be necessary to arrange the apparatus after the manner shewn in elevation in
Figure 4 (as seen from the front of the machine), and in section in Figure 5. In
this arrangement the apparatus is inclined (as shewn in Figure 4) from the left
downwards towards the right hand side of the machine looking from the front part
of the machine where the operator stands, and the upper triangular part is set at an
angle more nearly approaching a line from front to back of the machine than in
the other case. The "kicker" b is also placed, as shewn, on the reverse side of
the standard, otherwise the apparatus is like that hereinbefore described, and may
be provided with a similar brake, and be similarly marked with the proper letter
or sign. The types being slipped into the apparatus thus arranged they will be
pressed forward into the type tube g, as before described, but with the nicks
presented away from the operator, as shewn in Figure 5.
If desired the triangular part of the receptacle at top may have a cover over its
open side, leaving, of course, its top and bottom open, and the opening at top may
be made of a width corresponding to the size of the types which each apparatus
has to distribute.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or
may be used or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The machinery or apparatus to be employed in distributing and arranging types
for printing purposes, consisting of the receptacle or receptacles constructed
essentially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the several Figures of the
accompanying Drawings, and arranged in any suitable number in accordance
with the number or kind of types to be dealt with, and in a row or rows or other
order as may be convenient.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Wicks, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.