Improvements in the Moulds of Linotype and analogous Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by OTTMAR MERGENTHALER, of Baltimore,
Maryland, United States of America.]
Improvements in the Moulds of Linotype and analogous Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 6 Serjeants Inu, 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:-
This invention has reference to what are known as Linotype machines in which
type metal slugs or bars are cast, each having on the edge, the type characters to
print a line, and casting in a mould against a line of matrices temporarily assembled
or composed against the front of the mould.
In special form herein shown, the invention is intended more particularly for
application to the Mergenthaler machine such as represented in Letters Patent
No. 14582 1890:
The object of the invention is to admit of the mould proper being varied in
leugth to produce lines corresponding with the varying widths of columus or pages.
The mould consists of a lower body plate, a cap plate and two intermediate space
plates or liners seated between the ends of the other parts, for the double purpose
of keeping them spaced accurately apart to the required distance and of forming
the two ends of the intermediate mould cell or slot. This cell extends as usual
through the mould from front to rear and is simply a slot, the internal dimensions
of which correspond exactly with the body of the linotype or printing slug to be
formed therein. The several parts are united by screws passing through the cap
plate and the liners into the body plate. One liner is preferably fixed immovable
in position. The other liner is arranged to slide end wise to a limited extent and to
this end it is provided with a longitudinal slot for the passage of the screw and with
longitudinal ribs or lips seated in-corresponding grooves in the cap and body plates
to prevent it from shifting laterally. By sliding this liner endwise, the length of
the slot or mould cell may be varied to a considerable extent. By tightening the
screw, the liner may be pinched tightly so as to remain in position under ordinary"
circumstances, but as extreme accuracy in the length of the slug is desired, it is
proposed to use in connection with the liner, adjusted or interchangeable supports
to determine this position. In the most simple form, these will consist of a series of
pins having at one end a neck or tenon to fit into a hole in the end of the liner.
liner is pushed inward to the desired position, and the pin inserted in and behind
it, after which the mould is inserted into the disk so that the pin will bear at its
outer end against the wall or the mortice or slot into which the mould is inserted.
As the pin forms an unyielding support between the end of the liner and the wall
of the mould disk, it is obviously impossible for the liner to be forced back out of
position.
A
It will be manifest that any other devices of an equivalent character known to
the mechanic can be used for giving support to the liner, the essence of the invention
residing in a liner movable endwise. and combined with means for securing it in
different positions.
Dated this 14th day of June 1895*¨*
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants. :

page_text: Improvements in the Moulds of Linotype and analogous Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, late of No. 6 Serjeants Inn, but.
now of No. 188 Fleet Street, both 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, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
This invention has reference to what are known as Linotype machines. Such
machines are capable of casting printing bars or linotypes in moulds up to or against
which there are held lines of matrices and space bars temporarily assembled in line
for that purpose.
It is intended, in the special form herein specified, for use in the well known
Mergenthaler linotype machine.
The actual mould of this machine has, up till recently, been an unadjustable cavity
either in the mould wheel of the machine or in a detachable mould block made
fast to the wheel. This mould block consists of four pieces, a cap plate, a lower
body plate, and two intermediate space plates or liners. These latter are held
between the two other pieces for the double purpose of keeping them spaced accurately
apart to the required distance, so settling the thickness of the linotype, and of
forming the two ends of the mould cavity, so settling the length of the linotype.
The four pieces in question, are united by screws passed through the ends of the cap
plate and the respective liners into the body plate. This being the case it is obvious
that a demand for a change in the size of the linotype necessitates a change of
mould block. To obviate the necessity of changing the mould block then on the
wheel for one of another size in respect of its mould cavity, several methods have
been proposed of making the said cavity adjustable in respect of its length or of its
length and thickness also.
According to the present invention, one liner is, fixed, preferably immoveably, in
position. The other is arranged to slide end wise to a limited extent. To that end,
it is provided with a longitudinal slot for the passage of the screw and with longi-
tudinal ribs or lips seated in corresponding grooves in the cap and body plates to
prevent it from shifting laterally.
Referring to the accompanying figures which are to be taken as part of this
Specification and read therewith:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a Mergenthaler liuotype mould wheel and mould
block.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1. -
Fi
igure 3 is a front elevation of a mould block detached.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the mould block looking at it in the direction of
the arrows in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a series of stop pins.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the adjustable liner and one of the stop
pins.
A is the mould wheel and a is the bush by which it is mounted, as heretofore,
upon the stud about which it is revolved by suitable gearing engaging with its
toothed periphery a¹. a², a³, a², a², are four holes through the said wheel at. equal
distances from each other and from the centre of the wheel. Their function is to
fit over four studs projecting towards them from the front of the machine, for the
purpose of bolding the mould block.immoveable during the act of casting.
B is the cap plate of the mould block; and C, the lower body plate. D is the
fixed liner at one end of the mould cavity E; and F is the adjustable liner at the

page_text: other end. b, c are the two holding screws by which the cap plate B is held down
upon the two liners D and F, and all three, to the lower body plate. The back of
the mould block fits into a rectangular cavity d in the mould wheel A, on which it.
is further steadied and to which it is rigidly held by flanges d', d' and screws d³, d..
There are two cavities d illustrated-the object of such duplication being to provide
for the mould wheel A carrying two mould blocks of different sizes, one in work
and one out. None of the above named organs form any part of the present.
invention.
The adjustability which the present invention requires to be inherent in the liner F,
is a longitudinal one; and for that reason, what would otherwise be a circular hole
large enough to pass the holding screw b through such liner, is enlarged into a
slot of a length equal to the said adjustability. f, f, are the guides adapted
to keep the motion of the liner F aligned with the length of the mould cavity E..
They stand near to or at the ends of the liner and on both the top and bottom faces
of the liner, the two on a side being aligned with each other so as to be capable of
engaging in a longitudinal groove in the respective plates B, C.
The position of the liner F is altered by hand after a due loosening of the holding
down screw b. It is possible to hold it in its re-adjusted position by pinching it.
between the plates B and C by means of the said screw b; but as extreme accuracy
in respect of the distance of the inner end of the liner F from the opposite one D,
is necessary,
the present invention provides a series of stop pins G of varying
lengths. One of these is used with each re-adjustment of the liner F. g is a longi-
tudinal hole in the outer end of the liner F into which the turned down noses g¹ of
the stop pins G fit. When a stop pin is in its operative position, the invention.
requires that its outer end shall stand flush with the respective end of the mould
block, in order that it may be locked in that position against the stress of the
casting operation; by the respective end of the cavity d, as illustrated in Figure 2.
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 :-
The herein before described combination with a linotype mould block of a slotted
adjustable liner, guides, and series of stop pins, as and for the purposes set forth and
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of March 1896
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.