IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE Setting and DISTRIBUTING Machines.”
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hooker, of 1, Essex Street, Saint Peter's
Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE Setting and DISTRIBUTING Machines.”

page_text: type, and as any letter or type is required it is pushed out from the
bottom of one or other of these reservoirs by means of a pusher worked
by the depression of a finger key. By this arrangement the several
finger keys must either be in a straight line corresponding with the row
of type reservoirs or, if the keys are otherwise placed, the connections
between them and the pushers become complicated. The finger keys
have also to be depressed with considerable force to overcome the friction
of the lever connections, and to expel the bottom type from out of a
reservoir. To obviate these inconveniences I employ electro-magnets to
give motion to the pushers at the bottom of the several reservoirs. One
end of the coil of each magnet I couple to one end of the battery, and
the opposite end to a fixed metal plate; the several plates thus coupled
to one end of the several coils are insulated from one another, and may
be ranged in any positions desired. I by preference arrange them in the
form of, an ordinary compositor's case or tray of type. The operator
wishing to deliver a letter from one or other of the reservoirs simply
touches the metal plate corresponding to this letter with the end of a
wire coupled to the opposite pole of the battery, so making the electro-
magnet and expelling a type by the pusher worked by it.
The contacts for passing a current through the coils of any one or
other of the electro-magnets may however if desired be made by
depressing finger keys or by other suitable means. By thus employing
electro-magnets to work the pushers for expelling type from the bottom
of the several reservoirs a type setting machine may if desired be worked
by an operator at a distance from the machine.
Several machines might also if desired be worked from one keyboard
or other contact making apparatus, and so set up several sets of type at
the same time. Whole words or sentences might also be set up by one
movement, for example, if the operator makes the contacts by touching
metal plates with a wire coupled to the battery some of these metal
plates may be coupled by wires to other small metal plates ranged in a
row and insulated from one another, so that by sweeping the point of
the battery wire along this row the several letters represented by these
plates will be delivered from their reservoirs and in the order required.
In cases also where the type setting machine is at a distance from the
contact making apparatus the number of insulated wires passing from
the one to the other may be reduced by so arranging the several contacts

page_text: that a current must be passed from the battery through two or more of
the wires to pass a current through the coil of any one of the electro-
magnets, and by using combinations of the various wires a great number
of pushers may be worked with but few insulated wires.
The manner in which the electro-magnets are arranged to work the
pushers for expelling the type from the reservoirs may be considerably
varied. I prefer however to cause the pushers to push the type out
sidewise, and to work the pushers by arms carried by axes in the manner
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to W. H. Mitchel,
No. 1287, in the year 1853, but in place of forming finger keys or arms
at the opposite ends of these axes as described in that Specification I
shorten the arms and mount upon each of them an armature, and below
each armature I place an electro-magnet, which is caused to attract the
armature whenever a type is to be pushed from the bottom of the

page_text: The receiver after passing downwards a short distance in the direction
above mentioned is curved round and led away horizontally, or nearly so,
to the front of the machine, and the type are taken away from it from
time to time in lines to be justified.
In order to prevent two types from passing side by side from the
travelling tape into the receiver I place above the delivery end of
the tape where it inclines downward as before stated a light spring to
guide the type up to a fixed guiding surface along one side of the tape.
If however two type are being carried forward side by side upon the
band this spring is pushed aside and the type furthest from the guide
surface above mentioned is arrested by a stop, which is carried by a short
lever, to which a vibrating motion is imparted so as to move back this
type in a contrary direction to that in which it was before travelling,
whilst the other type is carried forward by the tape, and passes into the
receiver; the type which had been arrested is then pressed by the spring
up to the guide surface at the side of the tape and away from the stop,
and is in its turn conveyed away by the tape into the receiver.
The above improvements in apparatus for collecting type into a
receiver from a travelling band or inclined plane are applicable to other
type setting machines.
In place also of employing a number of travelling bands of different
lengths to convey the types from the reservoirs to a collecting band or
receiver I employ one broad band within clined guiding plates above it to
guide the type to one point at the delivery end end of the band. In this
case the type reservoirs in place of being in a line at right angles to the
band are ranged in a line or lines inclined to it, so that each type shall
take the same time to reach the point of delivery.
In place of the type being pushed out sidewise from the receivers by
the means above described they might be pushed out lengthwise by them
on to the travelling bands, the pushers in this case being worked by
vertical levers carrying armatures to work with magnets in a similar
manner to that above described. This arrangement would allow of the
type reservoirs being placed much close together than in the other
arrangement. The pushers also in this case may be caused to make
their return stroke below the bottom of the reservoirs, so that the weight
of type in the receiver may not be resting upon them in the return
stroke.

page_text: In order that the space between the bottom of each reservoir and the
endless travelling band may be of the proper height to allow of one type
only being pushed from it at each movement of its pusher, whatever
may be the thickness of the type contained in such reservoir, I regulate
5 the distance by means of one of the type themselves interposed between
an arm projecting from the reservoir and the support by which the
weight of the reservoir is carried.
In type distributing machines I also employ electro-magnets and
contact making apparatus to push the type one by one from the end of
0 a line of type and control their delivery into their proper reservoirs. To
effect this the type are delivered one by one on to an inclined plane or
on to a continuously travelling band, above which are a number of
hinged switches. When the switches are all closed they form an inclined
line or lines across the band or inclined plane, and the types are carried
5 forward by the band or by gravitation along this line of switches until
they come to a switch which has been opened so as to project outwards
from the others; the type then passes through this switch and is
conducted by a travelling band or by gravitation to the receiver, which
is opposite to the switch that had been opened.
The opening of the switches is controlled as before stated by electro-
magnets, and the passing of the currents to the coils of any of the
magnets is effected in a similar manner to that described for the type
setting machine.
At the same time also that a current is passed through the coils of one
or other of the magnets for opening a switch the same current is also
caused to pass through the coils of one or other of a series of electro-
magnets employed for controlling the width of the opening, through
which the type are pushed from off the end of the line of type to be
distributed. For this purpose the end of the channel is made movable,
and is connected to a lever which can be caused to turn a distance by
means of any one or other of the series of magnets, and so draw the
movable end of the channel either towards or away from a fixed stop,
against which the end of the row of type rests. Immediately after these
operations have been done, and by the same action which made the
contact for effecting them, a second contact is made, which allows a
current to pass through the coils of an electro-magnet employed for

page_text: working the pusher; the pusher is thereby caused to expel the foremost
type from the row to be distributed.
In order to ensure that the switch which has been opened shall remain
open until the type has passed through it a locking apparatus may be
employed to keep it open until another switch has been opened to receive
the succeeding types.
The types might also be made to slide one by one down an inclined
channel or channels, and be intercepted at any point by intercepting
plates worked in a similar manner by electro-magnets, and be conveyed
by these plates into receivers, in which they are set up in line by
reciprocating pushers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hooker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th August 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HOOKER, of 1, Essex Street, Saint Peter's Street, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Hooker, Her special
license, that I, the said John Hooker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Hooker, my executors, admini-
strators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE SETTING AND DIS.
TRIBUTING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Hooker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: 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 John Hooker, 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 thereof, that is to say :—
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the setting up and distri-
buting of type by means of machinery.
In type setting machinery the type are ordinarily contained in
inclined or vertical reservoirs, there being a separate reservoir for each
letter or type, and as any letter or type is required it is pushed out from
the bottom of one or other of these reservoirs by means of a pusher
worked by the depression of a finger key. By this arrangement the
several finger keys must either be in a straight line corresponding with
the row of type reservoirs, or if the keys are otherwise placed the con-
nections between them and the pushers become complicated; the finger
keys have also to be depressed with considerable force to overcome the
friction of the lever connections and to expel the bottom type from out
of a reservoir. To obviate these inconveniences I employ electro-
magnets to give motion to the pushers at the bottom of the several
reservoirs; one end of the coil of each magnet I couple to one end of
the battery, and the opposite end to a fixed metal plate. The several
plates thus coupled to one end of the several coils are insulated from one
another, and may be ranged in any positions desired. I by preference
arrange them in the form of an ordinary compositor's case or tray of
type. The operator wishing to deliver a letter from one or other of the
reservoirs simply touches the metal plate corresponding to this letter
with the end of a wire coupled to the opposite pole of the battery, so
making the electro-magnet and expelling a type by the pusher worked
by it.
The contacts for passing a current through the coils of any one or
other of the electro-magnets may, however, if desired, be made by
depressing finger keys or by other suitable means.
The manner in which the electro-magnets are arranged to work the
pushers for expelling the type from the reservoirs may be considerably
varied, I prefer, however, to cause the pushers to push the type out

page_text: sidewise and to work the pushers by arms carried by axes in the manner
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to W. H. Mitchel,
No. 1287, in the year 1853, but in place of forming finger keys or arms
at the opposite ends of these axes as described in that Specification I
shorten the arms and mount upon each of them an armature, and below
each armature I place an electro-magnet, which is caused to attract the
armature whenever a type is to be pushed from the bottom of the
reservoir.
As the types are pushed from the reservoirs they may be carried away
by endless travelling tapes and delivered on to one tape which is inclined
to the row of reservoirs in the manner described in the Specification
above mentioned. In order to collect the type into line from this
travelling band I cause the delivery end of the band to incline some-
what downwards and deliver the type tail foremost on to a short inclined
shoot, from which they pass on to the top of a column of type previously
collected in a receiver. This receiver passes downwards approximately
at right angles to the inclined shoot, so that the uppermost type in it
shall be at such an angle that as a fresh type comes down this fresh type
is free to slide along by gravitation to the back of the receiver, and so
come into a line with the other type previously contained therein. As
the types are received into the receiver they are pushed downwards
along it by a pusher which acts on their tail end, and this pusher at
each forward stroke moves the type downwards in the receiver a suffi-
cient distance to allow of two or three type entering the receiver before
the pusher has to make a fresh stroke. In order to permit two or more
type thus to enter the receiver even during the time that the pusher is
forward, the distance between the side of the pusher and the end of the
inclined shoot is made sufficient to allow the head of the type to drop
clear of the shoot when its tail end is resting against the side of the
pusher.
The receiving after passing downwards a short distance in the direction
above mentioned is curved round and led away horizontally or nearly so
to the front of the machine, and the type are taken away from it from
time to time in lines to be justified.
In order to prevent two types from passing side by side from the
travelling tape into the receiver I place above the delivery end of the
tape where it inclines downward as before stated a light to guide

page_text: the type up to a fixed guiding surface along one side of the tape. If,
however, two types are being carried forward side by side upon the band
this spring is pushed aside, and the type furthest from the guide surface
above mentioned is arrested by a stop, which is carried by a short lever,
to which a vibrating motion is imparted so as to move back this type
in a contrary direction to that in which it was before travelling, whilst
the other type is carried forward by the tape and passes into the
receiver, the type which had been arrested is then pressed by the spring
up to the guide surface at the side of the tape and away from the stop,
and is in its turn conveyed away by the tape into the receiver.
The above improvements in apparatus for collecting type into a
receiver from a travelling band or inclined plane are applicable to other
type setting machines.
In place of employing a number of travelling bands of different lengths
to convey the types from the reservoirs to a collecting band or receiver
I employ one broad band with inclined guiding plates above it to guide
the type to one point at the delivery end of the band, in this case the
type reservoirs in place of being in a line at right angles (or nearly so)
to the band are ranged in a line or lines inclined to it, so that each type
shall take the same time to reach the point of delivery.
In place of the type being pushed out sidewise from the receivers by
the means above described they might be pushed out lengthwise by
them on to the travelling bands, the pushers in this case being worked
by vertical levers carrying armatures to work with magnets in a similar
manner to that above described. This arrangement would allow of the
type reservoirs being placed much closer together than in the other
arrangement. The pushers also in this case may be caused to make
their return stroke below the bottom of the reservoirs so that the weight
of type in the receiver may not be resting upon them in the return
stroke.
In order that the space between the bottom of each reservoir and the
endless travelling band may be of the proper height to allow of one type
only being pushed from it at each movement of its pusher, whatever
may be the thickness of the type contained in such reservoir, I regulate
the distance by means of one of the type themselves interposed between
an arm projecting from the reservoir and the support by which the
weight of the reservoir is carried.

page_text: By employing electro-magnets to work the pushers for expelling type
from the bottom of the several reservoirs, as herein-before described, a
type setting machine may if desired be worked by an operator at a
distance from the machine. Several machines might also if desired be
worked from one keyboard or other contact making apparatus, and so
set up several sets of type at the same time. Whole words or sentences
might also be set up by one movement, for example, if the operator
makes the contacts by touching metal plates with a wire coupled to the
battery some of these metal plates may be coupled by wires to other
small metal plates ranged in a row and insulated from one another, so
that by sweeping the point of the battery wire along this row the several
letters represented by these plates will be delivered from their reservoirs
and in the order required.
In cases also where the type setting machine is at a distance from the
contact making apparatus the number of insulated wires passing from
the one to the other may be reduced by so arranging the several contacts
that a current must be passed from the battery through two or more of
the wires to pass a current through the coil of any one of the electro-
magnets, and by using combinations of the various wires a great number
of pushers may be worked with but few insulated wires. In type
distributing machines I also employ electro-magnets and contact
making apparatus to push the type one by one from the end of a line of
type and control their delivery into their proper reservoirs. To effect
this the type are delivered one by one on to an inclined plane, or on
to a continuously travelling band above which are a number of hinged
switches. When the switches are all closed they form an inclined line
or lines across the band or inclined plane, and the types are carried
forward by the band or by gravitation along this line of switches until
they come to a switch which has been opened so as to project outwards
from the others, the type then passes through this switch and is con-
ducted by a travelling band or by gravitation to the receiver, which is
opposite to the switch that had been opened.
The opening of the switches is controlled, as before stated, by electro-
magnets, and the passing of the currents to the coils of any of the
magnets is effected in a similar manner to that described for the type
setting machine.
At the same time also that a current is passed through the coils of
one or other of the magnets for opening a switch the same current is

page_text: also caused to pass through the coils of one or other of a series of electro-
magnets employed for controlling the width of opening through which
the type are pushed from off the end of the line of type to be distributed.
For this purpose the end of the channel is made movable, and its move-
ment is controlled by one or other of the scries of magnets, so as to draw
the movable end of the channel either towards or away from a fixed stop,
against which the end of the row of type rests. Immediately after these
operations have been done, and by the same action which made the
contact for effecting them a second contact is made, which allows a
current to pass through the coils of an electro-magnet employed for
working the pusher, the pusher is thereby caused to expel the foremost
type from the row to be distributed.
In order to ensure that the switch which has been opened shall
remain open until the type has passed through it a locking apparatus
may be employed to keep it open until another switch has been opened
to receive the succeeding types.
The types might also be made to slide one by one down an inclined
channel or channels and be intercepted at any point by intercepting
plates worked in a similar manner by electro-magnets, and be conveyed
by these plates into receivers, in which they are set up in line by recipro-
cating pushers.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I have shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed type
setting and distributing machines constructed as above described.
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings Figure 1 shews a plan view, and Figure 2
a side elevation of a type setting machine constructed in the manner
herein before first described, the apparatus for collecting the type into
line is not shewn in these Figures, but is shewn full size at Figures
3, 3º, 3º.
On Sheet 3, Figures 4, 5, and 6, I have shewn separately full size
views of one of the type reservoirs, and of the mechanism for expelling
the type one by one from its lower end as required. In these views a
are the type reservoirs, are the travelling tapes on to which the type
are received when they are expelled from the lower ends of these
reservoirs, these tapes all pass over the roller c which is driven con-
tinuously by a belt passing over the pulley d, and which may be driven
by a treadle or other means; by this means all the tapes are driven

page_text: •
continuously at one uniform surface speed; e is the tape on to which
the several tapes 6 all deliver the types which they receive from the
reservoirs, and which conveys them all to the apparatus for setting up
the type into line, this tape is driven at a greater surface speed than the
tapes by means of an endless cord f, as shewn. So far the construction
of the machine is the same as that described in the Specification of the
Patent herein-before mentioned. 9, g, Figures 4, 5, and 6, are the
pushers for expelling the type one by one from the lower ends of the
reservoirs, these pushers and the parts connected with them are not
shewn in Figures 1 and 2 in order that other parts of the machine may
be seen more clearly. The pushers 9 are carried by lever arms g¹ from
axes h as in the machine described in the Specification before-mentioned,
but in place of these axes having at their opposite ends long lever arms
projecting from them to form finger keys by which a partial rotation
may be given to the axes I provide the axes with short lever arms i
which carry armatures j. These armatures are suspended just above
fixed electro-magnets ; one end of the wire coil of each magnet is
coupled up to a wire passing to one pole of a battery, and the other end
of the wire coil is coupled up to one or other of the several metallic
plates which are set in the frame Ɩ, and which are insulated from one
another. The letters, spaces, &c., with which the several metallic plates
in this frame correspond are marked upon them in Figure 1, and they
are arranged in the same order as the ordinary divisions of a compositor's

page_text: or (as is indicated by the red lines) of the modified arrangement of it
which is herein-after more fully described.
I will now describe more fully the apparatus by which the type as they
are conveyed away by the tape c are set up into line. The delivery end of
the tape e is, as shewn at Figure 3 (Sheet 2), caused to incline downwards
and deliver the type on to an inclined plate m from which they slide on
to the top of a column of type previously collected in the receiving
channel n. The end of the channel n in which the type are received
inclines downwards as shewn at right angles, or nearly so, to the inclined
plate m; and after passing down a short distance in this direction it is
bent round and led away in a horizontal direction, or nearly so. As the
type leaves the inclined plate m it comes against the light hinged
plate m', which not only serves to arrest the forward movement of the
type, but also to press downwards its tail end, so that the tail end of an
on-coming type shall slip along the surface of the uppermost type in the
receiving channel n. As the type collect in the receiving channel they
are pushed downwards along it by the pusher o to which a to-and-fro
motion is given by the cam o' which is driven continuously by means of
an endless cord o². The to-and-fro motion of the pusher o is in a line at
right angles, or nearly so, with the inclined plate m, and is at such a
distance from the end of this plate that even if two or three type
happen to be delivered from the plate m into the receiver n during the
time the pusher is in its forward position, as indicated by Figure 3º,
these type can fall clear of the end of the plate m, and when the
pusher recedes they will slip into their proper position in the receiver.
The mechanism I employ for preventing two type being simulta-
neously delivered side by side from the plate mon to the receiver n is
shewn at Figures 3ª, 3"; it consists of a light metal spring p and a reci-
procating stop q. If the type are being conveyed forward one by one.
upon the tape e, as indicated by Figure 3ª, the spring p only serves to
ensure that the type shall lie correctly against a fixed metal fence or
guide which is at the edge of the tape e; but if two type are being
conveyed forward side by side upon the tape, as indicated at Figure 3b,
the type which is furthest from the tape is arrested by the stop 9 whilst
the type which is next to the metal fencer is carried forward by the
tape, and when it has been carried forward beyond the type which was
arrested, this latter type is pressed inwards by the spring up to the metal
fence and is so moved clear of the stop and is again carried forward by

page_text: the travelling tape. The stop q is carried by the lever q' and has
a reciprocating to-and-fro movement given to it by pins e² on the
wheel e¹, around which the tape e passes. By thus giving a recipro-
cating motion to the stop a type when arrested by it is moved back-
wards and enables the spring p to sooner press it up to the metal fence "*
and clear it from the stop. This arrangement of machinery for setting
up type into line is not only applicable to the electro-magnetic machine
above described, but to other constructions of type setting machines.
In order that the action of the machine may be at once arrested if
from any cause the type collect too quickly in the upper part of the
receiver the light plate m¹ if its end is raised too high by type collecting
below it comes against the end of a levers, and turns this lever on its
axis, so lifting the opposite end of the lever away from the plate t upon
which it previously rested, and thereby disconnecting one pole of the
battery from the machine and arresting the delivery of any more type
from the reservoirs. Any suitable contact making apparatus may for
this purpose be carried by the lever s and plate t.
At Figure 7 I have shewn a diagram plan view of a modification of
the type setting machine above described. In this modification one
broad band is employed to convey the several types from the type
reservoirs to a collecting band which deposits them into the receiver.
In this Figure a are the type reservoirs; b, the broad endless travelling
band; c, c, are inclined guiding plates above the band which guide the
type to the narrow exit opening c¹, through which the type pass on to
an inclined endless travelling band by which the type are deposited into
a receiver in a similar manner to that herein-before described.
In the arrangement shewn in the Drawing the type are expelled
sidewise from the type reservoirs on to the band by pushers worked by
electro-magnets as in the arrangement shewn at Figures 1 and 2, but
when a single broad band is employed the type reservoirs may be
brought closer together than when several narrow bands one for each
reservoir are used.
If it is desired to contract the width of the machine as much as possible
then as before stated the pushers instead of acting sidewise upon the
type might be caused to expel them endwise from the reservoirs. Such
an arrangement is shewn at Figure 8; in this Figure a is a type
reservoir; b, the endless band; c, the pusher jointed to the lower end of

page_text: the lever d; the upper end of this lever carries an armature in front of
an electro-magnet e. The upper arms of the levers may as shewn be at
different angles so as to obtain sufficient room for the electro-magnets as
indicated by the Drawing.
In order to reduce the amount of friction upon the pushers in their
backward movement each pusher blade is carried by a stem of less width
than the type, as shewn at Figure 9, which when the pusher has
completed its forward movement is pressed down by the weight of the
type through a slot in the bottom of the reservoir, so that when the
pusher is again drawn back it passes below the bottom of the reservoir,
and when the backward stroke is completed it is again drawn up into
position for expelling another type by means of the spring c*.
In place of the type being placed upon their side in the reservoirs,
and being expelled therefrom by pushers acting against their side or end.
the type might be arranged to slide endwise down inclined reservoirs as
shewn in the modified arrangement at Figure 10. In this arrangement
the type are arrested by a slight projecting stop a¹ near the bottom of
the reservoirs a, and when a type is to be expelled from any reservoir a
small pusher c is by an electro-magnet d caused to rise up through the
bottom of the reservoir, and lift the end of the lowest type clear of the
stop against which it was previously resting, the whole column of type
in the reservoir will then descend a distance equal to the length of the
type, and the lowest type will be expelled on to the travelling tape by
which it will be conveyed away to be set up into line as herein-before
described; d* are light springs to keep the type in place.
By employing electro-magnets to work the pushers for expelling type
from the bottom of the several reservoirs as herein-before described a
type setting machine may if desired be worked by an operator at a
distance. Several machines might also be worked from, one keyboard,
whole words or sentences might also be set up by one movement as
herein-before explained. At Figure 11 I have shewn a diagram view
of the contact apparatus herein-before described for reducing the number
of wires required for working the machine. In this arrangement a
current has to be passed through two of the wires to pass a current
through any one of the coils of the electro-magnet; but if desired the
apparatus might be arranged, so that to do this it should require a
current to be passed through three of the wires, and thus the number

page_text: of wires required for working the machine would be still further
reduced.
In the arrangement shewn in the diagram, Figure 11, the type setting
machine is supposed to be constructed with 40 different type reservoirs,
which if each magnet required a separate wire leading to it would
require 40 different wires. To avoid the necessity of using so many
wires I employ a keyboard of 40 keys, divided into 8 sets of 5, A, B,
C, D, E, F, G and H. When any one of the finger keys in the
division A is depressed it makes two contacts; the first passes a current
from the battery through the coils of the electro-magnet A, making five
contacts between five wires leading from the five finger keys in A and
the coils of the five electro-magnets, and the second contact causes a
current to pass through one or other of these five wires, so that for
example if finger key A' is depressed by a metallic pointer attached to
one pole of the battery, magnet A is first put into action, and then a
current either from the same or another battery is passed through wire 1
of section A to the coils of electro-magnet A', and cause a type to be
expelled from the corresponding reservoir 1, section A, but the pushers
No. 1 in the sections B, C, D, E, F, G and H would not be acted upon.
By the above arrangement 13 wires only would be required in place
of 40. In a similar manner also if there are other numbers of keys in
the keyboard they may be divided into sets, with any desired number in
´each set.
I will now describe more fully the means by which electro-magnets
may be employed in type distributing apparatus to push type one by one
from the end of a line of type to be distributed, and control their
delivery into their proper reservoirs or receivers.
At Figure 12 I have shewn a plan view, and at Figure 13 a vertical
section of part of a type distributing apparatus constructed in the
manner I prefer for carrying out this part of my Invention; this part of
the apparatus is for controlling the delivery of the type into their proper
reservoirs as they are pushed one by one from the line of type to be
distributed.
Figure 14 shews a plan view, and Figure 15 a vertical section of part
of the same, full size; Figures 16 and 17 shew front and side views, and
Figure 18 a horizontal section of the apparatus for pushing the type one
by one from the end of the line of type to be distributed. In these

page_text: Figures a is the channel containing the line of type, which by a spring
or weight are constantly pressed forward against a fixed stop b. c is the
movable end of the channel a, which is free to be moved towards or
away from the fixed stop b, so as to control the width of the opening
between this stop and the end of the channel. d is the pusher for
pushing off the last type which is resting against the fixed stop 6; c¹are
the magnets for controlling the position of the movable end c of the
channel a, and d¹ is the magnet for operating the pusher.
In front of each of the magnets is a loose armature c², from which are
pins c³ passing through holes in projections c* upon two bars c³, at the
end of which are inclines to act against the movable piece c and move it
up towards the fixed stop 6; the movable piece c is kept against the
incline by a spring not shewn in the Drawing.
In the arrangement shewn in the Drawing there are six magnets c³,
which allows of the opening between the movable piece c and the fixed
stop being adjusted to seven different widths. In the Drawing the
opening is shewn to be of its greatest width, but if a current is passed
through the first of the magnets c¹ the opening will be contracted a
distance. If a current is passed through the coils of the second magnet
the opening will be still further contracted, and so on for all the
magnets c¹. For controlling the passing of a current through the coils
of one or other of these magnets a contact apparatus is used with as
many finger keys as there are kinds of type to be delivered, and when
any one of these finger keys is depressed by a metallic pointer coupled
to one pole of the battery a current is passed through the coils of such
of the magnets as is necessary to bring the width of the opening
between c and d to correspond with the width of the type which this
finger key represents; at the same time a current is passed through the
coils of one or other of the magnets of the apparatus shewn at
Figures 16 and 17, as herein-after described. When this has been done,
a current is by the further depression of the finger key caused to pass
through the coils of the magnet d³, and the pusher is caused to push off
the last type from the row of type in the reservoir a, and this type falls
on to a short incline e, by which it is conducted to the apparatus shewn
at Figures 12 and 13 just in front of a small movable switch or point f,
the position of which is controlled by an electro-magnet to cause the
type as it passes from the incline e to pass along either one or other of
the two inclined bars 9 which are fixed just above the endless travelling
B

page_text: band h; as the type passes from the incline e it rests upon this band and
is conveyed by it along one or other of the bars g. Through these
bars are openings i, there being one opening for each kind of type to be
delivered.
In front of each opening is a small switch or gate k, Figures 14
and 15, to which is attached a small armature just in front of fixed
electro-magnets m. The switches or gates k are by light springs not
shewn in the Drawing caused to lie flush with the surface of the inclined
bars g, and in this position offer no obstruction to the type gliding along
these bars, but when a current is passed through the coils of one or
other of the magnets m the corresponding switch or gate k is caused to
incline outwards from the bar g, as shewn by the red lines in Figure 14,
and as the type is carried forward along the edge of the bar it comes.
against this switch or gate, and is by it guided through the opening in
the bar which the gate previously closed, and the type after passing
through the opening is carried forward by the band and deposited into a
channel or receiver n, as shewn at Figures 12 and 13, and as the type
accumulate in these receivers they are pushed along them by vibrating
pushers o, as is usual in type distributing machines. I have not thought
it necessary to shew any Drawing of the finger keys and contact a
making apparatus as their construction may be greatly varied.
In place of the arrangement above described the types might as before
stated be made to slide one by one down an inclined channel or channels,
and be intercepted at any point by intercepting plates worked in a
similar manner by electro-magnets, and be directed by these plates into
receivers, in which they are set up in line by reciprocating pushers.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
1. The employment of electro-magnets for actuating the pushers used
for expelling type one by one from the type reservoirs of type setting
machines, substantially as herein described.
2. The combined arrangement of apparatus for setting up type into line
as they are in succession expelled from the reservoirs of type setting
machines, substantially as herein described.
3. The employment of one broad endless travelling band in place of
numerous parallel narrow tapes in type setting machines, substantially
on homin described

page_text: 4. The employment for expelling type from the bottom of the type
reservoirs of type setting machines of pushers, arranged substantially in
the manner shewn at Figure 8, so that in their backward movement they
pass below the bottom of the reservoirs without having the type in the
reservoirs resting upon them.
5. The combined arrangement of machinery for setting up type, sub-
stantially as herein described.
6. The combined arrangement of contact apparatus, substantially as
herein described and illustrated at Figure 11, for reducing the number of
wires required for working the type setting machines.
7. The employment of electro-magnets in type distributing apparatus
for pushing the type one by one from the end of a line of type to be
distributed, and for controlling their delivery into their proper reservoirs
or receivers.
8. The combined arrangements of machinery for distributing type,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hooker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
J. HOOKER. (L.S.)