Improvements in the Trimming Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1897-4ccepted, 6th Mar., 1897
Improvements in the Trimming Mechanism of Linotype Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY. LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Sole Proprietors of, and Manufacturers, Vendors and Licensors
under, the "Linotype" Patents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the trimming mechanism of
linotype machines.
In the Mergenthaler and other linotype machines, linotypes cast in a mould, are
ejected therefrom by an ejector blade and forced between trimming knives, by
which latter they are trimmed down on each side to make the sides exactly
parallel with each other.
In practice with the Mergenthaler machine above mentioned, it is found that
there is a tendency on the part of the metal shavings off a linotype to cling to the
edges or to the surfaces of the knives to such a degree that they injure the printing
edge of the succeeding linotype.
The present invention is intended to prevent the clinging above mentioned. It
consists in a mechanically driven wiper alternating in its action with the ejector
blade, and arranged to sweep over the knife and to remove the adhering shavings
therefrom. It is further particularly applicable to the Mergenthaler machine
described in the Specification of Letters Patent 14582 1890, and for that reason,
a description of the invention as applied to that machine will be a description of
the nature of the said invention.
The mould-wheel, mould-block, mould-cavity, ejector and trimming knives are
of the same construction as heretofore.
A brush is attached to the face of the mould wheel, in such a position that as
the latter is revolved, the brush will be carried over or graze the edges of the
trimming knives in order to sweep the adhering shavings therefrom. This brush
or wiper may be made of any suitable material. We prefer to employ a brush
composed of fine wires or bristles 'fixed in a backing of rubber, leather or other
elastic material. It is to be understood, however, that the brush may be varied in
form, material, and location upon the mould-wheel at will, provided only it is
adapted to sweep over the knives. We have attached the brush to the mould-
wheel as being the simplest and cheapest manner of operating the same automatically;
but it is to be understood that it can be attached to any other suitable part of the
machine, as we believe ourselves to he the first to combine in a linotype machine,
the mould and ejector, a trimming-knife to act on the linotype delivered from the
mould and a, mechanically-actuated wiper alternating in its action with the ejector
and arranged to sweep over the knife."
Dated this 17th day of April 1896.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in the Trimming Mechanism of Linotype Machines..
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the-
City of London, Sole Proprietors of, and Manufacturers, Vendors and Licensors,
under the "Linotype" Patents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication from The National Typographic Company (a Company organized
under the laws of the State of West Virginia) having its principal places of
business at Washington, D.C., and New York City, United States of America)
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 trimming mechanism of
linotype machines. It is applicable to all linotype machines in which the act of
casting the linotype is followed by the ejection of it from the mould by an ejector
and by the push of it by the same organ between a pair of trimming knives
adapted to trim down both sides of the linotype until they are practically parallel
with each other. It has been conceived and developed with special reference to
the Mergenthaler linotype machine described in the Specification of Letters
Patent 14582 1890 and for that reason as well as because that' linotype machine is
the only one in practical use in this country, its application thereto has been
selected for illustration and detailed description.
It is found, in practice, that the metal shavings trimmed off the linotype by the
above mentioned trimming knives, tend to cling to either the edges or to the
surfaces of the latter, accumulating there to such an extent as to injure the printing
face of the next linotype.
The object of the present invention is to prevent the accumulation above referred
to, by providing for the automatic removal from the trimming knives, of any
shavings, before the next linotype can possibly be pushed up to the said knives.
The invention itself consists in the combination with the trimming knives, of a
wiper adapted to automatically wipe both between the cessation of one act of
ejection and the commencement of the next. The automaticity of the action of
the wiper is effected by its being connected to some organ of the machine whose
motions are suitably timed in respect of those of the ejector.
Referring to the accompanying figures which illustrate the conception and
development above referred to,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mould wheel, its mould block, and the wiper.
Figure 2 is a plan partly in section. It is taken along the line 2-2 of
Figure 1 and includes the adjacent organs of the machine.
O is the vertical mould wheel; o, the mould cavity in which the linotype L is
cast; o, the ejector blade; E, F, the pair of trimming knives; l, l, shavings
from the sides of the linotype L; P a so-called vice heat, and a², a², four holes
through the wheel O, adapted in respect of size and position to stand over the
studs a, a, projecting rearwardly from the vice frame. All the foregoing parts
are of the same construction as heretofore, and they co-operate in the following
manner.
Figure 2 shews the linotype L half ejected from the mould o aud partly trimmed
between the knives E, F, being then on its way to the galley of the machine (not
shewn in the figures) through a suitable passage formed in the vice head P. This
last mentioned organ is a stationary one and its function is to serve as an abutment
against the forward movements of the mould wheel during the acts of justification
of the composed line of matrices and space bars and the subsequent act of casting.
As soon as trimming and ejection have both been completed, the ejector blade of

page_text: and mould wheel O are moved back from the vice head P, the wheel O being-
moved back far enough for the pair of sockets a to clear the pair of studs a
while the ejector blade ol is further retracted far enough to clear the said wheel.
The latter is then turned through a quarter of a circle in a direction the reverse
of that followed by the hands of a watch so that the. mould o stands, when the-
wheel stops, in a horizontal position at the top. The wheel is then moved to
the front, till the sockets a of the other pair engage on the studs a', whereupon
the act of casting is performed. The said wheel is then turned in the same-
direction as before through three quarters of a circle and next moved to the front
into the position illustrated in Figure 2 whereupon the ejector blade o is advanced
as far as is necessary to effect ejection and trimming.
The mechanisms by which the above described motions of the wheel O and the
alternate advance and retraction of the ejector blade o, are effected, are not.
illustrated in the figures, for the reason that they do not form any part of the
present invention. They are described in detail in the Specification of the Letters
Patent 14582 1890.
In the last mentioned specification, the mould o is shewn as a horizontal slot in
the mould wheel O. Subsequent improvements have developed a block removeable
from the said wheel and therefore changeable for one having a mould o of a different
size. Such a mould block consists of a cap plate B, a bottom plate C and two end
liners D, G. The connection of a removeable block to the wheel O must obviously
be as free from the risk of independent motion as possible, and for that reason,..
both plates B and C are flanged to fit over the face of the wheel and are further
continued backwards to fit into a slot a specially formed to receive them. A
further improvement has been to make more than one slot at in a mould wheel, so-
that it might carry several moulds of different sizes. Figure 1 shews the wheel
slotted for two moulds, one on each side of the wheel. In such a case, the change
of mould from one of the said sizes to the other of them, has been no more than
disconnecting the mould wheel from its spindle, turning it idly through half a.
circle and making it fast again.
o is the wiper. It is shewn as consisting of a brush held to the front face of "
the wheel O. The dimensions of the brush in conjunction with its position in the
said wheel, is such as to provide for the edges and sides of both the trimming
knives being wiped. The figures shew it as standing on the wheel O a quarter of
a circle in advance of the mould o, or, what is the same thing, about three quarters
of a circle behind it, but such a relation may be varied so long as the position of
the wiper provides for it starting its work on the knives after the ejector blade o
has been retracted and finishing it before the latter begins to eject the linotype.
then in the mould o.
This invention does not concern itself with the details of the construction of the
wiper itself. One of bristles or wires on or in an elastic backing is preferred, for
the reason that they-bristles or wires-can part right and left of the cutting
edges of the knives and wipe both the edges and aides thereof without being cut to
pieces, and then resume their normal position.
Neither is the invention restricted to the wiper being carried by the mould
wheel-it includes the fixation of it to or upon any other organ of the machine.
capable of automatically carrying it over the pair of trimming knives between the
retraction of the ejector and the commencement of the next ejection.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with the trimming knives and ejector of a linotype machine,.
of an automatic wiper adapted to wipe the foriner between the cessation of one-
act of ejection and the commencement of the next.
2. The combination with the trimming knives of a linotype machine, of an.
intermittently operating ejector capable of pushing the newly cast linotype past.

page_text: the said knives, and an automatic wiper acting alternately with the ejector to wipe
the said knives between each complete operation of the ejector.
3. The combination with the trimming knives of a linotype machine, of a mould
wheel carrying a mould block and a wiper the latter adapted to wipe the said
knives between each complete operation of the ejector.
Dated this 1st day of February 1897.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.