Improvements in the Matrix Aligning Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: · Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Matrix Aligning Mechanism of Linotype
Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, Sole Manufacturers, Licensors, and
Vendors under the "Linotype" Patents, and JOHN PLACE, Engineer, both of No. 188
Fleet Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the matrix aligning mechanism
of linotype machines. It is applicable to all linotype machines, but as it has been
conceived and developed with special reference to the Mergenthaler Linotype
machine, and as the latter is the only linotype machine in operation in this country,
a description of the combination of it with that machine, will clearly set forth
the nature of it.
In the Linotype machine above mentioned, the matrices are practically
rectangular plates of hard brass and the space bars, double wedges, each bar having
one wedge much longer than the other. Matrices and space bars are of the same
width the result being that a composed line of them has a rear and front face
parallel with each other and both unbroken save for the presence of the row of
formative cavities in the rear face. It is in this row of formative cavities that the
letters of the linotype, are formed. The two surfaces are likewise parallel with
each other and at right angles with the other two. This composed line finds itself
at a certain point in the cycle of the operations of the machine, within the grasp
of an organ known as a shifter, which latter holds it by nipping its two ends
together. The shifter transfers the line into an organ known as a transporter.
The transporter consists of a pair of parallel bars between which the line is
received. Its function is to carry it down into the casting position, to hold it there
during the act of justification and the process of casting and to then carry it away
to the distributor.
During the time that the line is in the casting position, each end of it is in
within a short distance of a fixed abutment, while the line is behind an abutment
covering the front face of it. The distance between the two fixed abutments is
equal to the length of the line to be printed, and settles the length of the linotype.
The mould for the body of the linotype is a cavity in a so-called mould wheel
through which it extends from front to rear, standing therein parallel with a
diameter of the wheel. This wheel stands in a vertical plane and the front face
of the metal immediately surrounding the said cavity-being, in fact, the front
face of the so-called mould block-is shaped to fit metal tight up to the rear face
of the line its cavity registering with the above mentioned row of formative
cavities when the said wheel is moved up to.it from the rear. When the wheel
has been so brought up from the rear to the line, the several members of the latter
are held, by the engagement of certain projecting shoulders on them under
corresponding fixed shoulders. This is the casting position.

page_text: The act of justification is next effected by forcing a plate upwards against the
depending ends of the longer wedges above mentioned. The upward motion of
these wedges before that of the said plate, thickens the space bars, thereby justi-
fying the line automatically. The said upward motion is continued until the
immobility of the abutments stops it. The act of casting succeeds that of
justification.
It is obvious that if the matrices are not truly aligned in respect of (a.) all their
rear edges standing in one plane or (b.) all the formative cavities standing in a
row, the resulting linotype is incapable of making a correct impression, for the
reason that either some of the letters are lower than others, and so fail to print
or because some stand above or below the line and so print out of line. Of the two
imperfections in alignment just mentioned, the former occurs oftener than the
latter. It may be attributed to the failure of the advance of the mould block to
align the edges of the members. That advance is intended to accomplish this,
by pushing them up against the front abutment, but the friction between the
members themselves prevents this intention being fully realised.
It is the particular object of the present invention to eliminate both the above
mentioned imperfections as far as possible, and the invention itself consists in the
combination with the surfaces concerned, of pairs of inclined surfaces, the minima
of which are brought into contact with each other at the commencement of the
process of composition or of that of alignment, or of that of justification.
Among other devices which are suitable for the purpose of the present invention
are the following.
(a.) A pair of inclined surfaces is distributed between each possible pair of
members both matrices and space bars. One surface of the pair is a conical or
wedged shaped projection on the side of one member, while the other is a corre-
sponding indentation in the side of the other member. All the surfaces are
regularly positioned on and in the two sides of all the members of the fount, so
that the projection on any one member shall be capable of engaging in the indenta-
tion in any other member. There is no limit to the number of pairs on each pair
of members. The minima of the inclined surfaces, that is, the points or noses
of the projections and the mouths of the indentations, having been engaged, the
former in the latter, it is obvious that the act of justification above mentioned
will establish and maintain an action tending to secure a perfect alignment of the
rear edges of the members in one plane. One of the end abutments has indenta-
tions to receive the projections on the adjacent member.
(b.) One surface of the pair of surfaces, is an incline on the bottom rearwardly
projecting shoulder of each matrix. The minimum of this surface is at the outer
top corner and its maximum at the junction of the shoulder with the rear edge of
the matrix.
The composed line will then have an incline starting from the bottom of its
rear edge and extending backwards and upwards. There is a corresponding
incline depending from the bottom front edge of the mould block, the front face
of which latter, it should be mentioned, projects to the front beyond the face of the
mould wheel. The lower edge or minimum of this incline on the mould block,
stands at a higher level than the minimum of the incline on the composed line so
that the advance of the said mould block carries it over it and leaves it standing
to the front of it. The space bars need not have this pair of surfaces applied to
then. The act of justification engages the two inclines and makes that on the
composed line slide over that on the mould block, thereby forcing the matrices
backwards up to the front face of the mould block as closely, or nearly as closely,
as they should be theoretically.
It is to be noted that in neither of the above mentioned actions (a.) or (b.), is
the improved aligning process simply consequent on the act of justification in the
sense that it is possible, for the latter to proceed without it; because (provided that
crushing of material does not supervene) it can not do so, inasmuch as a cessation

page_text: of the alignment in question, short of perfect alignment, will stop the act of
justification.
Dahin 7th day of January 1897
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in the Matrix Aligning Mechanism of Linotype
Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street in the City of
London, Sole Proprietors of, and Sole Manufacturers, Licensors and Vendors under,'
the "Linotype" Patents, and JOHN PLACE of No. 11 Hulme Street, Oxford Street,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement.
The present invention relates to improvements in the matrix aligning mechanism
of linotype machines. A linotype machine is a combined composing and casting
machine. The units upon which it operates are (ignoring spaces for the moment)
in some cases, type matrices, and in others, type dies. In either case, the thing
which it casts its product in fact is a printing bar having along one edge of it
and incorporated with it, a line of printing type duly spaced and justified into
words.
The said invention is applicable to all linotype machines. The accompanying
figures illustrate the application of it to the well-known Mergenthaler Linotype
machine, partly because it has been conceived and developed with special reference
to that machine, and partly because the latter is the only linotype machine în
operation in this country.
The Mergenthaler Linotype machine is fully described in the specification of
Letters Patent 145821800 to which the reader is referred for further particulars of
its mechanism outside the scope of the present invention. The units on which it
operates are matrices and spaces. The latter are known as space bars. The
matrices are practically rectangular plates of hard brass of uniform shape and size
excepting that they differ in thickness according to the width of the respective
character. The space bars are double wedges, each bar having one wedge much
longer than the other. Matrices and space bars are of the same width, the result
being that a composed line of them has a rear and front face parallel with each
other and both unbroken save for the presence of the row of formative cavities in
the rear face. It is in this row of formative cavities that the printing type of the
linotype, are formed, The composed line of matrices and space bars finds itself
grasp of
at a certain point in the cycle of the operations of the machine, within the
an organ known as a shifter, which latter holds it by nipping its two ends together.
These ends are parallel with each other and at right angles with the rear and front
faces. The shifter transfers the line into an organ known as a transporter. The
transporter consists of a pair of parallel bars between which the line is received.
Its function is to carry it down into the casting position, to hold it there during the
act of justification and the process of casting and to then carry it away to the
distributor.
During the time that the line is in the casting position, each end of it is within
a short distance of a fixed abutment, while the line is behind an abutment covering

page_text: the front face of it.' The distance between the two fixed abutments is equal to the
length of the line to be printed, and settles the length of the linotype.
The mould for the body of the linotype is a cavity in a so-called mould wheel
through which it extends from front to rear, standing therein parallel with a
diameter of the wheel. This wheel stands in a vertical plane, and the front face
of the metal immediately surrounding the said cavity-being,. In fact, the front
face of the so-called mould block-is shaped to fit metal tight up to the rear face of
the line, its cavity registering with the above mentioned row of formative cavities
when the said wheel is moved up from the rear. When the wheel has been so
brought up from the rear to the line, the several units of the latter are held in the
casting position, by the engagement of certain projecting shoulders on them under
corresponding fixed shoulders.
The metal pot and pump are then brought up to the rear face of the mould
wheel. The act of justification is effected meanwhile by forcing a plate upwards
against the depending ends of the longer wedges above mentioned. The upward
motion of these wedges before that of the said plate, thickens the space bars, thereby
justifying the line automatically. The said upward motion is continued until the
immobility of the end abutments stops it. The act of casting succeeds that of
justification.
It is obvious that if the matrices are not truly aligned in respect of (a.) all their
rear edges standing in one plane or (b.) all the formative cavities standing in a
row, the resulting linotype is incapable of making a correct impression, for the
reason that either some of the letters are lower than others, and so fail to print ;
or because some stand above or below the line and so print out of line. Of the two
imperfections in alignment just mentioned, the former occurs oftener than the
latter. It may be attributed to the failure of the advance of the mould block to
align the edges of the members. That advance is intended to accomplish such
alignment by pushing them up against the front abutment, but the friction between
the members themselves sometimes prevents this intention being fully realised.
.It is the particular object of the present invention to eliminate both the above
mentioned imperfections as far as possible; and the invention itself consists in the
combination with the surfaces concerned, of pairs of inclined surfaces, the minima
of which are brought into contact with each other at the commencement of the
process of composition or of that of alignment, or of that of justification.
Referring to the accompanying figures which are to be taken as part of this
specification and read therewith.
Figure 1, is a transverse vertical section from the left hand of the machine, of
the mechanism concerned.
Figure 2 is a perspective view, from the rear, of a composed line before justifi-
cation.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a space bar.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a matrix.
Figure 5 is a rear elevation; and Figure 6, a plan, corresponding with Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a plan, partly in section, of a composed and justified line and of the two
end abutments between which it is held.
Y, Y, are the matrices, y¹, y₁ their projecting shoulders; y, y, the formative
cavities;. 21, 21¹, the longer, and 211, 211 the shorter, wedges of the space bars; 22, 22,
their suspending shoulders; N, the transporter, N1, N2, the pair of parallel bars
between which the composed line of matrices and space bars is transferred from the
shifter (not shewn); p¹, 2 the abutments, being a pair of vice jaws, between which
the line stands; P, the abutment then covering the front face of the line; 26, 26, the
justifying plates, the lower one pushing the upper one against the longer wedges z¹¹,
under the action of two lifting rods 78 (only one shewn): o, the mould cavity, o", the
mould block in which it is formed; 0, the mould wheel to which the mould
block is made fast: 3, the bearing in which the mould wheel is carried and can
turn V, the pot which, supplies the molten type metal to the mould cavity; 53, its

page_text: A
mouth piece; and ; one of the legs upon which the pot is supported and swung up
to and away from the mould block. All the foregoing parts are as heretofore."
The imperfection (a.) above described is eliminated by the following means.
pair of inclined surfaces 'is distributed between each possible pair of units.. One
surface of the pair is a conical or wedge shaped projection on the side of one unit,
while the other surface of the pair is a corresponding indentation in the adjacent
side of the other unit. All the surfaces are regularly positioned on and in the
two sides of all the units-matrices and space bars with which the machine is
equipped, so that the projection on any one shall be capable of engaging in the
indentation in any other. There is no limit to the number of pairs of surfaces'
on each pair of units. The minima of the inclined surfaces, that is, the points
or noses of the projections and the mouths of the indentations having been engaged,
the former in the latter, it is obvious that the act of justification above described,
will establish. and maintain an action that will secure a perfect alignment of the
rear edges of all the units of the composed line, in one vertical plane.
One type of the above described means is illustrated in Figures 4 to 7. 67 is a
vertical V-shaped ridge on one and the same side of each unit. 268 is a vertical
V-shaped groove in the opposite side of each unit. In the case of a space bar,
we propose to place the ridge on the shorter wedge z¹, and the groove in the longer
one z¹, the said groove being continued down the latter to allow of its upward
motion in the act of justification, as indicated in Figure 3. The wedge 21 and the
upper portion of the wedge ¹ are both as thin as it is practicable for them to be.
This being the case, the grooves must be stamped in the wedge 2¹, because there
is not sufficient thickness of material to allow of it being cut therein. Such
stamping produces a ridge vil on the opposite or tapered side of the said wedge,
and there is a complementary groove in the tapered side of the shorter wedge 211 to
receive the said ridge v7.
A ridge and a groove are distributed likewise between the abutments p¹, p² to
correspond with the respectively adjacent ridge and groove 268.
in use.
A
The imperfection (b.) above described is eliminated by the following means.
pair of inclined surfaces is distributed between all the matrices and the mould
block. Further back in the specification, it is explained that it is the practice to
hold the several units of the composed line in the casting position, by the engage-
ment of certain projecting shoulders, on them under corresponding fixed shoulders.
The shoulders concerned by the present invention are the bottom shoulders y', y'
of the matrices. They have hitherto engaged under the bottom edges of the bar Ñ¹
and of the projecting front of the mould block on. According to the present
invention, there is an incline on the top of the bottom rear shoulder of each
matrix and a corresponding incline 20 on the bottom of the said front of the
mould block, these two inclines respectively replacing the flat surfaces at present
The minimum of the incline is at the outer top corner, and its maxi-
mum at the junction of the shoulder y¹ in question with the rear edge 3 of the
matrix. The composed line has consequently an incline starting from the bottom
of its rear face and extending backwards and upwards. The lower edge or
minimum of the incline vo on the mould block, stands at a higher level than the
minimum of the incline 6, so that the advance of the mould block o" carries it
over the same and leaves it standing above it and to the front of it. The act of
justification tends to push all the matrices in the composed line upwards, thereby
causing the incline to engage with the incline 70, making the former slide
over the latter, thereby forcing the matrices backwards up to the front face of the
mould block o¹l as closely, or nearly as closely, as they should be theoretically.
After a linotype has been cast and before the mould wheel O is moved back from
the casting position, the transporter N is lowered a little. This lowering has the
effect of providing for the incline v70 clearing the incline v.
It is obvious that the two surfaces 26, 270, may be transferred to the bar N¹ and
the front bottom shoulders y¹ without going outside the scope of the present
invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1
1. The combination with the units of a composed line per pair thereof, of a pair
of inclined surfaces distributed between each pair, one surface being a projection
from one unit of the pair, the other surface being an indentation, the former
capable of engaging in the latter, as, set forth.
2. The combination with the units of a linotype machine per pair thereof, of a
pair of inclined surfaces distributed between each pair, one surface being a projec-
tion from one unit of the pair, the other surface being an indentation, the former
capable of engaging in the latter, as set forth.
3. The combination of a pair of inclined surfaces distributed between the matrices
of the composed line and the mould block, whereby the movement of the matrices
across the face of the mould block effects the engagement of the said surfaces and
the said matrices are consequently forced closely up to the said face, as set forth.
4. The combination with the matrices and space bars of a linotype machine, of
a ridge and a groove, or equivalent surfaces, on opposite and corresponding sides
of each, as and for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with the matrices and space bars of a linotype machine, of
a ridge and a groove, or equivalent surfaces, on opposite and corresponding sides
of each, and a like ridge and groove, or equivalent surface, with each of the abut-
ments beween which the composed line is held, as and for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination with the matrices and space bars of a linotype machine, of
a ridge and a groove, or equivalent surfaces, on opposite and corresponding sides
of each; an incline on one of the bottom shoulders of each matrix and a corre-
sponding incline on a fixed shoulder, motion over which latter by the said matrix,
will tend to force the latter closely up to the casting mechanism, as and for the
purposes set forth.
7. The combination with the matrices and space bars of a linotype machine, of
a ridge and a groove, or equivalent surfaces on opposite and corresponding sides
of each; a similar ridge and groove, or equivalent surfaces, distributed between
the abutments adapted to hold the composed line of matrices and space bars between
them; an incline on one of the bottom shoulders of each matrix; a corresponding
incline on a fixed shoulder, motion over which latter by the said matrix, will tend
to force the latter closely up to the casting mechanism, as and for the purposes
set forth.
1007
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.