Improvements in Linotype Casting mates.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897.
Improvements in Linotype Casting mates.
A communication by CHARLES SEARS of 1,017 East Madison Avenue, Cleveland in the
County of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick
and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bo
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The invention relates to machines for casting type bars, or linotypes, as they are
sometimes called.
The object of the invention is to provide a machine simple in construction and
rapid in operation, which is adapted to automatically form type bars from a supply
of previously prepared matrix blocks. The machine shown in the drawing, in which
the improvements are contained, is adapted to form the type bar by casting in the
several matrices thin strips of type metal bearing the printing characters, and
veneering each of said strips as it is formed onto the edge of a previously prepared
hard body or slug. The improvements relate to the mechanism whereby the matrix
blocks and slugs are automatically moved into position near and parallel to each other;
to the means for enclosing the space between them; to the construction of the
nozzle and its arrangement with respect to said enclosed space; to the means for
ejecting from the mold the matrix block and type bar; and to the means for separating
said matrix block and type bar; all of which will be hereinafter described, and
definitely pointed out in the claims.
In the drawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved machine; Figure 2 is a
front elevation thereof; Figure 3 is an enlarged detached view of two bevel gears
employed in the construction; Figure 4 is a detached view of the mechanism for
separating the matrix from the bar which has been cast therein; Figure 5 is a
vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 6 is an under side view on an
enlarged scale of the hopper or double reservoir hereinafter described; Figure 7 is a
partial vertical sectional view of said hopper on the line 7-7 of Figure 1; Figure 8
is an enlarged perspective view of the hopper with the upper portion broken away;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the matrices and the slug upon the edge of
which the linotype is to be cast and vencered, and this drawing shows the relative
position of a matrix and type plate when a linotype is about to be cast; Figure 10 is
a perspective view of the inside of one of the hopper doors; Figure 11 is an end
view of a completed type bar; and Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal section
of the nozzle and lower part of the hopper.
Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the bed of the machine. The
nain driving shaft B is mounted in the brackets which are attached to the
bed; and the driving wheel is attached to the main shaft.
The melting pot C is fixed in suitable relation to the other parts of the
machine, and, as a matter of convenience, it lies mainly beneath, and is secured to

page_text: the bed plate. A pump is provided for forcing the molten metal out of the melting
pot to and through the nozzle c. The pump cylinder is located beneath the
driving shaft B, and the piston rod el extends upward out of said cylinder, and it is
provided with a slot through which the main shaft B passes. Secured to the
inner side of the plunger rod above the slot c² is a small projection e³, (on which
preferably a friction roller is mounted) which is in contact with a cam & which is
keyed to the main shaft. A spring a which is attached to the bracket. ' bears
upon the upper end of the piston rod, thereby tending to force it downward.
The hopper D is rigidly secured to the bed A over the nozzle of.
It is provided
with two compartments d. The front compartiment or reservoir is adapted to
contain the slugs or metal plates from which the type bars are formed in the manner
to be presently described, and the rear compartment dis adapted to contain the
matrix blocks. These two reservoirs are separated by the partition 2, through which
passes the shaft. E, having the gear wheele keyed onto its outer end, said gear e being
in mesh with a gear 6 on the main shaft B. Keyed to the shaft. E on each side of
the hopper are the cams eel, the purpose of which will be presently explained. Two
vertically sliding doors da dare set into the two sides of the hopper below the
shaft. E, and these doors are adapted to be moved downward against the bed plate A
by the pressure of the cams el upon lugs d' which project outward from the upper
ends of the sliding doors. The doors are raised above the bed plate by means of
the springs which are attached to said doors and to the sides of the hopper. Two
aring date pivoted to each of the doors at a point d³. One of the armis extends
rearward and the other forward from this pivotal point. These arms are pivoted at
their opposite ends to levers dd, said levers being pivoted to the base of the
hopper at the lower ends of these levers are pivoted to the links 1º, which links
are also pivotally connected with the two laterally moving plates d, which lie
normally in recesses underneath the front and back walls of the hopper. The front
plate rests upon the bed, and the back pinte d rests upon the thin sheet metal
plate a, which in turn rests upon the bed.
:
From the above description of the construction of the hopper and the parts
connected therewith, it will be understood that, by revolving the shaft. E the action
of the cam o on the lug will force the doors downward. The downward move-
ment of these doors causes the sliding plates to move toward each other into
the reservoirs & d' through the medium of the arms do, levers d, the links d and
their pivotal connection with each other and the base of the hopper, as described.
The perforated nozzle a protrudes through the bed of the machine directly beneath
the partition 2 which separates the two reservoirs contained in said hopper, and said
nozzle extends the entire distance between the two sides of the hopper. As shown
in the drawing the nozzle extends out beneath the right side of the hopper, although
the part which so extends beyond the hopper is imperforate. This construction is
preferred so that larger type bars may be made in the same machine, by substituting
a larger hopper for that therein shown. The partition does not touch the nozzle,
but, lies a short distance above it, and at a distance above the bed plate equal to the
thickness of one of the slugs M.
When the machine is in its normal position, the hopper contains a supply of slag:
and matrix blocks in the reservoirs d respectively. The lowest slug rests upon the
bed plate between the laterally moving plate and the nozzle e', while the lowest,
matrix block will rest on the sheet metal plate between the laterally moving
plate and the nozzle. The sheet metal plate a' is movable toward and from the
nozzle. On its front edge is an upward and rearwardly turned knife edge &", against
which the matrix block is pressed as it is forced forward by the laterally moving
plate A spring which lies between the hopper and an upwardly turned arm a
on the rear edge of said plate 4, draws said plate backward when it can.
Keyed to the main shaft B is a bevel wheel 5, a portion of which only is provided
with teeth which mesh with the bevel gear on the crank shaft. F. This construction
gives the crank shaft an intermittent motion, while the shaft B revolves constantly.

page_text: A gear segment G secured to a rock shaft g, is mounted in suitable brackets a a³,
and engages with a rack on a slide which is adapted to move into the hopper D
when the doors are raised, and to push out from said hopper the lowest matrix and
the type bar which has just been form therefrom. This gear segment is connected
with the crank shaft F by a connecting rod f¹.
The operation of the machine will now be described. When the machine is in its
normal position the piston c' covers the opening through which the molten metal
flows from the melting pot to the pump cylinder, as shown in Figure 5. The melting
pot is heated by a burner c' which is supplied with gas by the pipe c. When the
driving wheel b is turned, the gear 2, being in mesh with the gear e, causes the
shaft E to revolve, which, through the action of the cams el el, forces the doors a
downward. At the same time the laterally sliding plates d¹ d'³ are moved toward
the nozzle. A slug and a matrix block being in their path, are necessarily moved
toward each other, until they lie close and parallel with each other. The space
between the slug which constitutes the mold into which the molten metal is injected,
is enclosed by the parts, and in the manner as follows, to wit: The slug, in being
moved as described, is forced beneath the lower end of the partition de, and said slug
fits so snugly between the bed plate and partition as to prevent the escape of the
molten metal over or under it. The slugs are also of a length which is exactly equal
to the distance between the two doors d³, so that when said doors are closed, they
prevent the escape of molten metal around the ends of said slugs. The front edge of
the matrix block engages with the knife elge a' on the sheet metal plate a', thereby
causing said plate to slide forward until it strikes the nozzle and closes over a
depression in the bed A. The said matrix block also engages with a horizontal
knife edge which is on the lower edge of the partition d, and with vertical knife
edges which are formed on the inner side of the sliding doors. (See Figures 6 and 10)
These knife edges a", and d d cut into the matrix block and forin a tight joint
with it, whereby the escape of molten metal around such matrix block is prevented.
As shown in the drawing, the nozzle c' extends out of one side of the hopper, and
when it does so extend a groove (17 in the under side of the door d³ is formed, which
groove fits closely upon the nozzle when the door is closed. It will be understood
that there is now between the matrix block and the slug a narrow enclosed space
which serves as the mold, and the nozzle projects into this space or mold through one
side thereof, and it lies parallel to the proximate face of the matrix and slug. The
matrix depressions are in that edge of the matrix block which faces the slug ; and
in that edge of the slug which faces the matrix block there is a groove m into which
the molien metal enters, and by means of which the strip on which the letters and
characters are east fastens itself to said slug. While the slugs and matrices are being
moved into the relative positions described, and the space between them is being
closed in the manner also described, the can b₁ on the shaft B by pressing against
the friction roller c³ has raised the pump piston above the inlet and molten metal
has flown through said inlet into the pump cylinder. The continued revolution of
the cam permits the spring a to act suddenly to force the piston down and thus force
the molten metal through the nozzle c into the space between the slug and matrix,
and this makes a cast of the letters and characters upon the matrix, which cast is
veneered onto the edge of the slug. The continued revolution of the cam el permits
the spring to raise the doors d³, and as these doors are raised, the laterally moving
plates are returned to their normal position. At this point in the operation
of the machine the toothed portion of the bevel wheel 63 meshes with the bevel
gear on the crank shaft F, and revolves said crank shaft once. This, through the
connecting rod", rocks the gear segment G, thereby moving forward the slide II
into the hopper, during which movement it comes in contact with the matrix block
and type bar which has just been completed and forces said type bar and matrix
block out of the left hand side of the hopper; and then said slide is drawn back out
of the hopper to its normal position.
The nozzle which extends into the mold through the side thereof, forms necessarily
a groove m² in the newly cast part m³ of the resulting type bar. As the bar is

page_text: ejected from the hopper by the slide H, this grooved part thereof slides in contact
with the nozzle, and by this movement the connection between the type bar and the
metal remaining in perforations of the nozzle is clearly severed. Moreover the
groove formed by the linotype serves as a guide for the compositor who
nssembles the type bars, and renders it unlikely that any of said bars will be
inverted.
A shaft I is monate in the benckets a a, and to it are secured (1) a gear i which
is in mesh with the gear 6 on the main shaft, and (2) a cam which is in contact with
the lever. This lever is pivote to the bed, its rear end being upheld by a spring 7'
and near its middle a bar is attached at right angles to it and above an opening al
through the bed plate.
When the matrix block and type bar are pushed out of the mold, the type bar
slides onto a shelf a (which is a part of the bed plate A) and under a finger a
The matrix block lies over a hole in the bed plate and under the cross bar of the
lever J. When the matrix block and type bar are entirely clear of the hopper and
mold, the cam à presses the lever J down, and the cross bar j strikes the matrix
block P and bends it down breaking it, loose from the type har.
This completes one entire operation of the various parts of the machine, and these
operations are automatically repeated, with the result of producing type bars, so long
as the reservoirs are supplied with matrix blocks and sings.
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 :-
1. In a machines for making type bars, the combination of a mold adapted to
be opened at one end to permit the removal of the type bar cast therein, with
a perforated nozzle which projects into said mold through one side thereof, and
forming a recess in one side only of the type bar, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
2. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of mechanism for moving
a slug and a matrix close and parallel to each other, and for enclosing the space
between them, with a perforated nozzle which projects into said space and lies parallel
to the proximate faces of anid matrix and slug, and forms a recess in only one side
of the type har, a melting pot and pump, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
3. lun machine for making type bars, the combination of two parallel hoppers
secured to a bed plate and adapted to contain respectively matrix blocks and slugs, a
partition between said hoppers which does not descend to the bed plate, doors closing
the ends of said hoppers, laterally movable plates for forcing the lowest matrix block
and slug toward each other and into engagement with said partition, and a nozzle
entering the space below said partition, a melting pot and pump, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
4. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of two parallel hoppers, n
vertical dividing partition which does not descend to the bottom of said hopper,
sliding doors at the ends of said hoppers, laterally movable plates adapted to enter
said hoppers respectively through the front and rear sides thereof, icchanism for
moving said doors, mechanism intermediate of said doors and plates for transmitting
motion from one to the other, a nozzle entering the space below the partition, n
melting pot and pump, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of two parallel hoppers
adapted to contain supplies of matrix blocks and slugs, a vertical dividing partition
which does not descend to the bottom of the hoppers, a horizontal knife edge on the
lower edge of said partition, the sliding plate having an upturned knife edge aº,
the vertically sliding doors having the vertical knife edges a, the laterally sliding
plates entering the hoppers from the front and rear sides respectively, and a nozzle
for injecting molten metal between said matrix block and slug, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.

page_text: 6. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of two parallel hoppers
adapted to contain respectively matrix blocks and slugs, the dividing partition, which
co-operates with the matrix blocks and slugs to form one side of the mold, mechanism
for moving said matrix blocks and slugs laterally in pairs toward each other until their
edges are beneath said partition, sliding doors for closing the sides of said hoppers, a
slide adapted to enter one side of said hoppers and to push the matrix block and type
bar out through the other side of said hoppers, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
7. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of a mold, a perforated
nozzle projecting through the side of said mold, a recess in said side adjacent to said
nozzle, and a sliding plate movable toward and from said nozzle, and adapted to cover
said recess, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
8. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of a mold adapted to be
opened at one end for the removal of the type bar, whereby said type bar and the
matrix may be moved endwise while still in contact with each other, with a shelf at
the end of said mold on to which the type bar slides as it moves out of the mold, a
lever having a projection adapted to engage with the matrix block, and mechanism for
operating said lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
9. In a machine for making type bars, the combination of a shelf on to which the
type bar slides as it is pushed from the mold, a finger over said shelf, a pivoted lever,
a cross bar thereon, a spring and a cam for operating said lever, substantially as aud
for the purpose specified.
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