IMPROVE-- MENTS IN TYPE COMPOSING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edwin Powley Alexander at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th October 1882.
A com-
munication to him from abroad by Emile Saulé and Marcel Durozoi both of
Paris in the Republic of France.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER of 36 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Consulting Engineer and British and Foreign Patent Agent "IMPROVE--
MENTS IN TYPE COMPOSING MACHINES A communication to me from abroad by
Emile Saulé and Marcel Durozoi both of Paris in the Republic of France
"
This invention relates first, to certain improved arrangements for distributing
the type in type composing-machines-into-the different conducting channels thereof.
Secondly. to the arrangement form and proportions of the said channels and of the
inclined plane supporting the same. Thirdly. To the mode or method of conducting
the type along and successively classing the same in the main channel leading to
the compositor.
The first head of invention comprises a peculiar arrangement of pusher for
disengaging and discharging the type successively from the tubes or holders in
which they are originally contained and for ensuring the falling of the said type
in the position required. The .containing tubes may be of the usual rectangular
section but are each fitted at the lower end with a slide which whilst being
guided and supported by the exterior sides of the tube is provided with a tongue
or projection of less thickness than the type such tongue entering the tube itself
and pushing the bottom type of the pile out of the tube each time the slide is
actuated by the depression of the corresponding one of a range of keys actuated by
the fingers of the operator. The lower end of each tube is partially closed in
such a manner as to prevent the escape of the type until the tongue has pushed
it towards the opening provided for its passage into the corresponding inclined
conducting channel into which it drops head foremost. The type is prevented
from. escaping until it has completely cleared the closed portion of the bottom of
the tube or container the weight of the superposed type preventing any tendency
to tip downwards until its complete disengagement. It then drops into the upper
end of the inclined conducting channel the head remaining uppermost during its
descent along such channel which is so proportioned as to allow very little lateral

page_text: play to the type therein the type being thereby prevented from turning over either
lengthwise or laterally during its descent and consequently it slides down in a
regular manner and in the same condition in which it was placed in the receiving
tube.
Under the second head of invention the inclined conducting channels are made
rectilinear in lieu of curvilinear as in certain kinds of composing machines wherein
the curves of the said channels are so calculated as to equalize as much as possible
the course traversed by the different type in order that they should arrive
successively and in the order in which they were distributed into the main channel
leading to the compositor but these curved channels are found objectionable in
practice as they are liable to retard and obstruct the free passage of the type. In
carrying out this part of the invention the inclined plane is made in the form of a
sector in lieu of a triangle and the type containing tubes are disposed at equal
distances along the arc of the sector each one being in the direction of the channel
which it supplys. The two outer channels are parallel with the outer radii of the
sector and meet at their lower ends in a central channel disposed in the centre
radius of the sector. All the other channels leading from their respective tubes
meet in the same central channel at an obtuse angle so that they shall all have a
length equal or thereabouts to that of a radius of the sector thus equalizing in
nearly straight lines the course which each type has to traverse. The junctions of
the left hand channels with the central channel should by preference break joint
with those of the right.
In carrying out the third head of invention the central inclined channel com-
municates with a horizontal channel leading to the compositor by means of a
vertically curved passage which conducts the type in a vertical position and with
its head upwards into the said horizontal channel. As they fall into this channel
the type are pushed forward in a slightly inclined position against those which
have already entered by a piston or pusher actuated by the same key which
releases the following type so that as each type arrives it will find the space
occupied by the previous one always free. In order to accomplish this object the
end of each key is prolonged beyond its fulcrum in the form of a lever which acts
upon a pivotted plate in connection with an upright arm (forming a species of bell-
crank) the said arm being connected by a rod to the piston or pusher so that the
latter will be actuated at the same time as the releasing slide of. the type tube.
This arrangement possesses many advantages dispenses with the use of the wheels
levers and other defective and unreliable appliances hitherto employed for the
same purpose and completes in a more simple and efficient manner the transfer of
the type from the containing tube to the compositor.