A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOTYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE FOR ENGRAVING TYPES FOR PRINTING, PRINCIPALLY APPLICABLE FOR STEREOGRAPHICAL PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lorentz Albert Groth, K.G.V. Civil Engineer and Managing
Director of The Universal Inventors and Patentoes Financial Company,
Limited, 30 Finsbury Pavement London E.C. for an Invention of A NEW
OR IMPROVED AUTOTYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE FOR ENGRAVING TYPES FOR
PRINTING, PRINCIPALLY APPLICABLE FOR STEREOGRAPHICAL PURPOSES com-
municated to him from abroad by Don Felix Berdugo, y, Ortiz, resident at
Madrid in the Kingdom of Spain
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lorentz Albert Groth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th Juno 1883.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH. K.G.V. Civil Engineer and Managing Director of The
Universal Inventors and Patentees Financial Company Limited 30 Finsbury
Pavement London E.C. "A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOTYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE
FOR ENGRAVING TYPES FOR PRINTING, PRINCIPALLY APPLICABLE FOR STEREO-
GRAPHICAL PURPOSES A. communication to me from abroad by Don Felix
Berdugo, y, Ortiz, resident at Madrid, in the Kingdom of Spain
33
All the actual machines for mechanically making up tho forms in printing are
based upon the union of the types, a difficult and tiresome work which does not
afford the necessary facilities in order to save time and labour, besides which there
is the inconvenience of having to break up the form after using and then to
distribute the type into the cases.
The Autotypographical machine constructed after the present invention regularly
impresses any required type on a plastic matter or paste prepared in a suitablo
manner, forming a mould into which molten metal can be used and stereoplates
obtained which may be used on any of the known printing machines, thus saving
the immense trouble of the type distribution and facilitating the composition of
the printing form.
A semicircular series of keys connected with corresponding mallets having a
letter on each extremity, (and placed in almost a perpendicular position) which on
pressing at the end of each key falls down in an horizontal position upon the

page_text: centre of the semicircle, engraving a letter on the plastic matter in a box placed
underneath, said mallets then returning back. to their former position; a simple
movement compels the box to move forwards a sufficient distance in order to form
a line for the printing, another movement causes the box to move sideways, a
spindle action moves it forwards again leaving the necessary space for engraving
or printing the next line, therefore one of the chief things which constitutes the
apparatus is the arrangement whereby each knock of a key causes a letter to be
engraved, and as there can be made 120 strokes per minute it is not too much to
calculate one hour as the necessary time for making up two hundred lines, an
amount-of-work-which-would take.a_compositor fully one day.
The machine is composed of a table in the shape of a semicircle, over which-is-a-
board secured at one side by means of strong hinges and above this board a
semicircular piece with ninety spaces for lodging an equal number of mallets.
The mallets are accurately adjusted and equal to each other, they all work from
the same centre and guided in suitable grooves carry at their ends a letter
conveniently placed for engraving its fac simile upon the plastic mixture afore
mentioned
After the pressure exerted by the mallet through means of the key has been
removed the mallet is brought back to its original position by the aid of a spring.
In order that the pressure of the plastic matter should be equal, there is provided
an accurately adjusted india rubber collar round the end of each mallet.just above
the letter and also a semicircular guard which prevents the letters penetrating
beyond the desired depth. And in order that different types may be used-in the
saine machine the letters at the ends of the mallets are made to unscrew and others
affixed.
Between the table and the board there is a hollow space in which two sliding
guides or conductors are placed parallel with each other supported on wheels or
rollers and moving in a lateral direction. ⚫
Theso slide guides or conductors are used for the support and guidance of the
boxes which carry the plastic material, said box or boxes arranged to move from
end to end in these slide guides or conductors, and suitable mechanism combined
with ratchet and pawl &c provided for the manipulation of the conductors, and in
order to move the boxes forwards and sideways as may be required for engraving
the necessary lines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lorentz Albert Groth in tho Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th December 1883.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, K.G.V. Civil Engineer and Managing Director of The
Universal Inventors and Patentees, Financial Company Limited, 30, Finsbury
Pavement London, E.C. "A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOTYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE
FOR ENGRAVING TYPES FOR PRINTING, PRINCIPALLY APPLICABLE FOR STEREO-
TYPOGRAPHICAL PURPOSES.' A communication to me from abroad by Don Felix
Berdugo, y, Ortiz resident at Madrid in the Kingdom of Spain.
"
All the actual machines for mechanically making up the formes in printing aro
based upon the union of the types, a difficult and tiresome work which does not
afford the necessary facilities in order to save time and labour, besides which thero is
the inconvenience of having to break up the forme after using and then to
distribute the type into the cases.
The Autotypographical machine constructed after the present invention regularly
impresses any required type on a plastic matter or paste prepared in a suitablo
manner forming a mould into which molten metal can be poured and stereoplates
obtained which may be used on any of the known printing machines, thus saving
tho immenso troublo of the typo distribution and facilitating the composition of tho
printing forme.
A semicircular series of keys, connected with corresponding mallets, having each
a letter at their extremity, and placed in almost a perpendicular position which on
prossing at the end of each key falls down in a horizontal position upon the centro
of the semicircle, engraving a letter on the plastic matter in a box placed
underneath and then returning back to its former position; a simple movement
compels the box to move forward a sufficient distance in order to form a lino for
the printing, another movement causes the box to shift sideways, a spindle action
moves it forward again leaving the necessary space for engraving or printing the
next line; therefore that which chiefly constitutes the apparatus is the arrangement
whereby each knock of a key causes a letter to be engraved, and as there can be
made 120 strokes per minute it is not too much to calculate one hour as the
necessary time for making up two hundred lines, an amount of work which would
take a compositor fully one day.
The machine is .composed of a table A A¹ A" Fig. 2 and A. A¹ Fig. 3. in the
shape of a semicircle four times in size as represented in the annexed drawings.
There is a board B. B¹ Fig 3 over the table fixed by means of strong hinges on
the opposite side in order to lift it for the purpose of setting or repairing, and over
this board a semicircular piece of irregular shape C. Fig I and C. C. Fig. 3 with
ninety cavities for lodging an equal number of mallets.
Fig. I shows the horizontal projection, vis: the position of the cavities where tho
mallets are lodged; at the end of each mallet there is a small tie rod connected
with the corresponding key; every mallet turns on the common centre D and the
keys are connected with their likewise common centre E. Fig. 3.
The mallets are all exactly alike they turn upon the same centre, and go gently
packed in the grooves suitably shaped by the piece C. Figs. 1. & 3, and bear at
their ends a letter conveniently placed so that every letter when engraving in the
plastic matter, strikes exactly the same spot.
The mallet F. Fig 3 is shown in its natural position; on pressing the end of
key G. it drops, turns on the axis E. fixed to the board by means of a support, then
places itself in the horizontal position of the former key, and the mallet strikes tho
box of paste in point J. as shown by mallet K. Fig. 3.

page_text: On the pressure being removed the mallet returns to its original position by
means of a spring H. like F. & D. turning upon this latter point the common centre
of every
mallet.
Every mallet turning on a common centre and being accurately fixed in the
cavity of the beforementioned semicircular piece, engraves its own letter in the 5
same spot, and in order that the impression of each one made in the paste shall be
equal in depth, there is a small india-rubber ring fixed round the extreme end of
the mallet just above the letter, and a semicircular guard L. Figs 1 & 3 that
prevents the letters from penetrating too deep.
Different types_may_be_used_in_the-same-apparatus,-the-letter-M--at-the-end-of-1
the mallet F. can be unscrewed and another fixed.
Between the horizontal table and the board there is a cavity in which the
conductors N. Figs. 2 & 3 are placed connected beneath with parallel bars running
laterally in both directions, small wheels o Figs 2 & 3 running on the table prevent
all friction,
The space between the brackets is taken up by a box P. moveable within them,
and kept horizontally and vertically straight, Figs. 2 & 3.
In the under part of this box there is half a female screw Q Figs. 2. 3 & 4.
inside of which there is a permanent screw, R. Figs 2. 3. & 4. fixed at its lower
end to a small bar by means of a pin and at the upper end by a bar turning
between the conductor. N. and the wheel S. Figs 2 & 4.
The aforesaid screw end is connected with a handle T. Figs. 2 & 4, which when
turning a fourth of a circlo makes the female screw go forward the necessary
distance for the impression of a line.
Inside the box there are placed smaller ones containing the plastic matter fixed:
by means of small wedges so that they may be made of different sizės.
The table itself bears two grooves V Fig. 2 in which there is a semicircular
piece Z. Figs. 3 & 4. with the conductors fastened to it by means of the pieces X
Figs. 2. 3. & 4. There is a femalo screw C¹ Figs. 2 & 3 in the centre of said piece
and it runs a screw D' Figs. 2. 3 & 4. and an axle fixed by supports E' Figs. 2. 3.
& 4. to the lower part of the table.
On the same shaft are two ratchet wheels F. Figs 2. 3. 4. and a lever G¹ Figs. 2.4.
at its end connected to the shaft, and bearing a pawl catching into the wheel.
At the other end a support H'. Figs. 3 & 4 holds another rachet I, that can be
guided by a lever J. Fig. 4. and a spring.
When lifting the lever end G¹ Fig. 4. the wheel turns one tooth forward acted
by the pawl
Each time a letter is imprinted the lever and the wheel are moved one tooth
forward whereby the screw worm is turned a little and the female screw C'
advances with the conductors N and their inner box, leaving the necessary space
for the next letter to be impressed, and so on.
When the line is finished the wheel is freed from the two ratchets N. Figs 2 & 4.,
and by means of a balance weight N¹ connected with the wheel F¹, thus turns
backwards, and the box will again be placed in position for printing a new line.
As the lines to be printed may be composed of different number of cicoros, there
are placed stoppers O' Figs 2 & 3 to regulate the distance the box can move BO
that the lines may all obtain the same length, 4 ciceros, before finishing the com-
position of a line, the conductors when passing over point P¹ will also pass over a
small nob connected with a hammer for the purpose of striking a bell G' Figs. 2.
3. & 4. thus making known to the workman the amount of space remaining that
he has to finish the line.
The bell and hammer are both moveable and may be adapted to the whole
length of the lines.
After engraving, the small paste box is changed, and when there is a sufficient
number of them to make up a page the molten metal is poured in and the printing
forme is ready.
The machine as shown in the drawings, is composed of ninety keys corresponding

page_text: to an equal number of mallets bearing an Alphabet of capital letters and another
of small ones, ten numbers, the orthographical signs, points, hyphens, stars, bracos,
dashes, and so on.
The types may be arranged in such a manner that the most used letters may bo
found nearer the centre, thus facilitating working.
The mixture should be mado of suitable soft and plastic matter so that the
mallet may form a sharp and lasting impression.
Several trials made with a rough apparatus have lead us to the conclusion that
the best mixture for this purpose, is the one used in paper manufacturing,
sufficiently hardened, but it will be found oven more suitable a pasteboard made
of several sheets of thin paper fastened together by means of glue and a thin
solution of Plaster of Paris, pressed lightly.
Gypsum clay mixed with glue & its surface slightly polished with any kind
of oil to prevent cracking is also suitable, as well as any pasteboard or plastic
matter used in stereotypography but proferable to all is the pasteboard prepared as
beforementioned.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner in
the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is :
First. The arrangement of a semicircular sories of concentric keys and mallets with
interchangeable letters so arranged that on being pressed they all strike the
same spot.
Second. The above arrangement in connection with a moveable box, containing
plastic matter in which the lettors are impressed for forming a mould from
which stereoplates can be taken.
Third, The arrangement of an india-rubber ring above the letters and a guard
so as to obtain the same depth of impression independently of the pressure
used.
In witness whereof I the said Lorentz Albert Groth have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirteenth day of December in the year of our Lord, one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.