IM- PROVEMENTS IN TYPE COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINERY APPARATUS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Mackie, of Warrington, in the County
of Lancaster, Newspaper Proprietor, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TYPE COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINERY
APPARATUS."
Scaled the 4th June 1869, and dated the 8th December 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mackic at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th December 1868.
I, ALEXANDER MACKIE, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Newspaper Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE COMPOSING AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the machinery or apparatus employed to
select type from the reservoirs in which they are contained, and to
arrange the said type in any desired order as is well understood, and
.more particularly to the form of apparatus for which Letters Patent
have been granted to mo, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in

page_text: this present year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
In my aforesaid apparatus a number of cases, reservoirs, or pockets
containing type are arranged around the periphery of a wheel capable
of being revolved, and the type are discharged from the said pockets by
the lowest type in each pocket coming into contact with a lever or
finger herein-after styled a pickpocket as the wheel revolves, the said
pick pocket being allowed to rise in order to cause the discharge of the
type at certain intervals as determined by the positions of perforations
in a slip of paper, each perforation or cach row or set of perforations
representing one of the letters of the alphabet, signs, or spaces contained
in the pockets.
When constructing a composing machine in accordance with my
present Invention, the type pockets aro stationery, and are arranged in
a circle or a portion of a circle around a revolving wheel or frame, the
said wheel carrying a number of pickpockets, each of which is capable
of withdrawing a type from one of the pockets, the precise pocket upon
which each pickpocket shall operate being in one arrangement
determined by the position of the perforations in a strip of paper acting
in concert with a system of levers and triggers or fingers in manner as
or nearly as follows:-The system of perforations which I have found
suitable is the same as employed in my former and herein-before
mentioned apparatus, cach letter or sign being represonted by two
perforations, and the distinctions between the several letters or signs
being effected by changing the positions of the perforations from one
to another of a series of straight lines or imaginary lines, as, for example,
fourteen, which number will in ordinary cases be found to be sufficient.
The strip of paper thus perforated is passed by an intermittent
movement over a perforated drum or plate and into contact with a
series of fourteen pins attached to, or formed on a corresponding number
of levers or fingers, each movement of the paper bringing two per-
forations opposite to two of the pins, which said two pins enter the
said perforations, and the corresponding levers move into position to set
one of the pickpockets. Each pickpocket is fitted with a series of
fourteen triggers or tumblers, which as the composing wheel revolves
pass under or over the aforesaid fourteen levers, and the two levers just
referred to operate upon the two corresponding triggers, and the said
triggers lock or set the pickpocket and prevent it from rising to withdraw
a type until such time as the said triggers aro thrown out of action.
Each type pocket is fitted with a projecting piece or key suitably

page_text: formed to act upon two of the aforesaid triggers at the same time in
order to unlock the pickpocket, the key belonging to each pocket being
formed to act on the two triggers corresponding to the two perforations
representing the letter or sign contained in the said pocket, so that as
the composing wheel revolves each pickpocket after being locked
remains so locked until it arrives at the pocket containing the letter or
sign for which it was set, when being unlocked by the aforesaid key it
will rise and will withdraw a type from the said pocket. The typo
withdrawn from the pocket is retained by the pickpocket until it arrives
at the delivery channel, when it is withdrawn or discharged from the
said travelling pickpocket by a stationery apparatus acting in manner
similar to the pickpocket employed in my former and herein-before
referred to apparatus..
In another arrangement each pickpocket is provided with two locking
triggers, and the said locking triggers are inoved laterally into various
positions coinciding with the positions of the above-mentioned
perforations, the said triggers being acted upon by the key attached to
one of the type pockets in manner as above described. In this case I
prefer to employ a guide plate formed with fourteen annular grooves,
into one of which each trigger is led or guided, the said groove retaining
the trigger in position laterally, and also in the required position to
lock the corresponding pickpocket until such time as the said pickpocket
is required to act, at which time the triggers will have arrived at recesses
in the grooves and have lost the support which enabled them to keep the
pickpocket out of action, and the said pickpocket will rise and withdraw
a type, the succeeding action being as in the former example.
When employing the above-described apparatus or a modification
thereof to distribute type, the type are placed in a pocket in the same
order as they were "set up," and each travelling pickpocket withdraws.
the lowest type from the said pocket and discharges the said type into
a pocket containing corresponding type, the action of the pickpockets.
being governed by the perforated paper in manner as or nearly as when
composing. I sometimes employ "spaces" made of a suitable metal
or material, and corrugated or grooved or otherwise so formed as that a
line of type containing a number of the said spaces may when required
be reduced in length by the application of an end pressure in order that.
the lines may be uniform in length.
The within described arrangements for locking the pickpockets may

page_text: be varied, and a number of levers and triggers, other than fourteen as
herein mentioned, may be employed, and a "single trigger" or a number
of "triggers" other than two may be caused to lock a pickpocket if
required, and also if preferred or found to be desirable an arrangement of
finger keys and levers may be employed to set the triggers in lien 5
of the employment of the perforated paper herein mentioned,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Mackic in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MACKIE, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster. Newspaper
Proprietor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Mackie, Her special license
that I, the said Alexander Mackic, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others, as I, the said Alexander Mackie, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE
COMPOSING. AND DISTRIBUTING MACHINERY OR APPARATUS," upon the condition,
amongst others, that I, the said Alexander Mackic, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Mackie, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
My Invention relates to the machinery or apparatus employed to
select type from the reservoirs in which they are contained, and to
arrange the said type in any desired order, as is well understood, and
more particularly to the form of apparatus for which Letters Patent
have been granted to me, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
In my aforesaid apparatus a number of cases, reservoirs, or pockets
containing type are arranged around the periphery of a wheel capable
of being revolved, and the type are discharged from the said pockets by
the lowest type in each pocket coming into contact with a lever or finger,
herein-after styled a pickpocket; as the wheel revolves the said pick-
pocket being allowed to rise in order to cause the discharge of the type
at certain intervals, as determined by the position of perforations in a
slip of paper, each perforation or each row or set of perforations repre-
senting one of the letters of the alphabet, signs, or spaces contained in
the pockets.
When constructing a composing machine in accordance with my
present Invention the type pockets are stationery, and are arranged in
a circle or a portion of a circle around or over a revolving wheel or
frame, the said wheel carrying a number of pickpockets, each of which
is capable of withdrawing type from one of the pockets, the preciso
pocket upon which cach pickpocket shall operate being in one arrange-
ment determined by the position of the perforations in a strip of paper
acting in concert with a system of levers and triggers or fingers in
manner as or nearly as follows:-The system of perforations which I
have found suitable is similar to that employed in my former and herein-
before mentioned apparatus, in which each letter or sign is represented
by two or more perforations, the distinctions between the several letters
or signs being effected by changing the positions of the perforations from
one to another of a series of straight lines or imaginery lines, as, for
example, fourteen, which number will in ordinary cases be found to be
sufficient. The strip of paper thus perforated is passed by an intermittent
movement over a perforated drum or plate and into contact with a series
of fourteen pins attached to or formed on a corresponding number of
levers or triggers, each movement of the paper bringing two perforations.

page_text: opposite to two of the pins, which said two pins enter the said perfora-
tions, and the corresponding levers move into position to set one of the
pickpockets. Each pickpocket is fitted with a series of fourteen triggers
or tumblers, which as the composing wheel revolves pass under or over
the aforesaid fourteen levers, and the two levers just referred to operate
upon the two corresponding triggers, and the said triggers lock or set
the pickpocket and prevent it from rising to withdraw a type until such
time as the said triggers are thrown out of action again. Each
type pocket is fitted with a projecting piece or key suitably formed to act
upon two of the aforesaid triggers at the same time in order to unlock
the pickpocket, the key belonging to each pocket being formed to act
on the two triggers corresponding to the two perforations representing
the letter or sign contained in the said pocket, so that as the composing
wheel revolves cach pickpocket after being locked remains so locked
until it arrives at the pocket containing the letter or sign for which it
was set, when being unlocked by the aforesaid key it will risc and will
withdraw a type from the said pocket. The type withdrawn from the
pocket is retained by the pickpocket until it arrives at the delivery
channel, when it is withdrawn or discharged from the said travelling
pickpocket by a stationery apparatus, acting in manner similar to the
pickpocket employed in my former and herein-before referred to appa-
ratus, or in manner as will be herein-after described.
In another arrangement cach pickpocket is provided with locking
triggers, and the said locking triggers are moved laterally into various
positions coinciding with the positions of the above mentioned perfora-
tions, in which case I prefer to employ a guide plate formed with annular
grooves, into one of which cach trigger is led or guided, the said groove
retaining the trigger in position laterally, and also in the required
position to lock the corresponding pickpocket until such time as the
said pickpocket is required to act, at which time the triggers will have
arrived at recesses in the grooves, and have lost the support which
enabled them to keep the pickpocket out of action, and the said pick-
pocket will rise and withdraw a type; or in a modification of this
arrangement I set two of the triggers on each pickpocket, so that the
said triggers may run on the surface of a guide plate which keeps the
pickpocket locked until the said triggers arrive at recesses as aforesaid,
the succeeding action being as in the former example. I sometimes
employ "spaces" made of a suitable metal or material, and corrugated or

page_text: grooved, so as that a line of type containing a number of the said spaces
may when required be reduced in length by the application of an end
pressure, in order that the lines may be uniform in length.
The within-described arrangements for locking the pickpockets may
be varied, and a number of levers and triggers, other than fourteen, as
herein mentioned, may be employed, and a single "trigger" or a number
of "triggers," other than two, may be caused to lock a pickpocket if
required, and also if preferred or found to be desirable an arrangement of
finger keys and levers may be employed to set the triggers in lieu of the
employment of the perforated paper herein mentioned.
In order that the said Invention may be better understood I havo
attached hereunto two Sheets of Drawings illustrative of the arrange-
ments which I have adopted when carrying the said Invention into
effect, the said Drawings having similar letters of reference marked upon
corresponding parts in the various Figures.
Referring in this place to Sheet 1 of the said Drawings, Fig. 1 is
a plan representing a portion of a composing machine of the improved
construction, and Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line X, in
Fig. 1, the two views being drawn about half the full size. The
portion of the machine broken away in Fig. 1 is merely a continuation
of the circular rings and a repetition of the type cases, pickpockets,
and other parts fully shewn in the Drawings. In the said Figures
A is a circular or nearly circular foundation plate or ring, which is
connected by arms with a central boss which is bored out to receive
the axle of the revolving wheel B. To the said foundation plate are
fixed brackets a, a, two of which are situated in the portion of
the machine not shewn, the said brackets carrying the fixed circular
rail C, in or upon which the type cases or pockets D are mounted, and
the rail or guide plate E, the use of which will be explained hereafter.
In the example illustrated the type pockets are arranged in sets of seven,
each set being formed together in one metal case capable of containing
seven columns of type, one of the said cases being shewn about full size
at Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3, which is a view of the top of the case, the
said case is shewn as divided into seven type pockets by means of thin
partitions, each column of type resting upon two ledges fixed to the lower
end of each partition. The front of the case is formed as a slide b,
which can be withdrawn when the pockets have to be filled with typo.

page_text: Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the case with the slide partially withdrawn,
and shows a column of type in one pocket resting on the aforesaid
ledges, between which ledges is a space sufficient for the introduction of
the finger which at the proper time withdraws the lowest type of the
column. The fingers which effect the said withdrawal of the type are
carried by the pickpockets F, F, which are arranged at equal distances
around the circumference of the revolving wheel B, each pickpocket
being set by means of the composing apparatus G to withdraw one or
more letters from one of the cases or sets of seven pockets, twenty of
which said sets are employed in the example illustrated, and after
passing under the said type cases and withdrawing the type for which
it was set the said type is withdrawn from off the surface of the revolving
wheel by the delivery apparatus H. The wheel B is caused to revolve
by the revolution of the shaft b', which is fitted with the worm ō³, which
gears with the worm wheel 7 fixed to the end of the axle of the said
wheel, the said rotation being effected by hand or power, as is most
convenient. Fig. 5 represents a portion of a strip of paper perforated
to suit the composing apparatus. This example differs slightly from the
one illustrated in the Drawings attached to my former and herein-before
mentioned Patent. In the present example the fourteen longitudinal
rows of perforations are divided into two sets of seven, the presence of a
perforation in any one of the longitudinal rows of the upper set,-as, -for-
example, the fourth row, determining that the corresponding finger in a
pickpocket shall be set to withdraw a type from the central pocket in
one of the twenty cases, the precise case operated upon being determined
by the position of two perforations on the lower set of seven lines. It
will be seen that in the upper set cross rows of from two to seven
perforations are formed in some places. By the action of these said
cross rows a number of letters up to seven may be withdrawn from a
single case of pockets, as will be herein-after explained.
The action of the principle parts of the apparatus will be better under-
stood by reference to Sheet 2, wherein the said parts are drawn detached
and of the full size. In the said Sheet, Fig. 8 is a front clevation of
the composing apparatus G. Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same taken
on the line Y, in Fig. 10, and the said Fig. 10 is a plan of the said
apparatus. In the upper portion of Fig. 8 is shewn a portion of the
fixed upper ring C, which supports the type cases and the revolving
wheel B, which carries the pickpockets F. In the said Figures c, c,

page_text: are two cylinders which are mounted on the shaft d, which is fitted
to revolve in the side frames. The said cylinders are connected together
by the piece c³, and are prevented from revolving with the shaft d
by the screw c, and a row of perforations is formed on the upper
surface of cach cylinder or in a plate fixed therein. Two sets of levers
marked 1 to 14 are mounted on the shaft e, and are formed or fitted
cach with a peg which enters one of the aforesaid perforations in the
cylinders c, c, each of the said levers corresponding with the row of
perforations (on the slip of paper illustrated in Sheet 1) bearing a
corresponding number. A central wheel is fixed on the shaft d,
and bears on its circumference a row of pins which correspond with
the row of perforations formed continuously down the centre of the
strip, so that when the strip of paper is placed on the cylinders c, c,
the said pins will enter the said perforations, and as the shaft d revolves
the said strip will be fed forwards in the direction of the arrow in
Fig. 8, and will pass under the pins formed on the levers 1 to 14. The
said revolution of the shaft d is effected through the ratchet whicel f',
which is fast thercon, the teeth of the said wheel being acted upon by
the pawl g, which is mounted on the lever g. As the wheel B revolves
in the direction of the arrow, studs or projections h, corresponding to
the number of pickpockets, in this case nineteen, come into contact with
the lever and depress the same, thereby imparting a rocking motion
to the shaft 2, and to the levers and ', which are fixed thereon, and
the lever / being connected with the said lever g' by the rod g the said
lever is lifted and the pawl thercon moves the ratchet wheel partly round;
this movement being effected at the passage of cach pickpocket so that
the strip of paper is fed forwards intermittently, each movement being
equal to the distance between the cross rows of perforations. When
the said lever /' is depressed, as aforesaid the bar g, which is attached
to the levers and h', comes into contact with the peg levers and raises
them until the pegs are clear of the perforations in the barrel and
the paper, the continued movement of the shaft causing the paper
to be fed forwards as above described, and on the stud ceasing to act
on the lever the said lever rises and the pegs on the levers are lowered
on to the surface of the strip of paper which retains them in the position
of the lever 13 in Fig. 8, with the exception of those levers the pegs
of which coincide with perforations in the paper, as the said perforations
admit the said pegs to enter the perforated plate, and the said levers

page_text: fall into the position of the lever 14. All the levers thus falling into
the lowest position are in a position suitable to set a pickpocket, and as
after the passage of each pickpocket the paper is moved forwards and
the levers reset, each succeeding pickpocket may be set by means of the
perforated paper to withdraw any desired type or number of type
contained in any one of the cases or sets of seven pockets, the setting or
locking of the pickpockets being effected as follows:-The levers 1 to 7
are each formed with an arm, two of which appear in Fig. 8, and arc
marked 5 and 7. Those arms, which are formed on or attached to the
levers which fall into the lowest position, move into the position of the
arm 7, and thereby raise a corresponding number of the arms or inclincs
i, i, which are mounted on the shaft i, the said arms or inclines corre-
sponding in number to the said levers and to the fingers in cach pick-
pocket. The levers 8 to 14 are each formed with a projecting end, which
is connected to one of a set of seven rods or pins j, j, each rod being
connected to one of the said levers, so that those rods which are con-
nected to the two levers which fall to the lowest position are raised
above the other rods. Each pickpocket is mounted on a stud k, which
is fixed to the revolving wheel or ring B, and is fitted at one end with a
set of seven type fingers or withdrawers 1, 1, which are fitted to slide
up and down to a certain extent in the said pickpocket, and on the
spindle fixed at the other end of the pickpocket is mounted a set of
seven tumblers or triggers m, m. As the said pickpocket passes over the
composing apparatus those of the rods which come into contact with
those of the inclines which have been raised as aforesaid are pushed
upwards, as is shown in Fig. 8, and are then in a position suitable to
withdraw type from the pockets. At or nearly at the same time two of
the triggers m come into contact with the two rods which are raised
above the others as aforesaid, and the said triggers are thereby moved
into the position shewn in the pickpocket, which is to the extreme right
in Fig. 8, in which position the rounded ends of the said triggers bear
upon the surface of the ring or rail E, and thereby lock the pickpocket,
that is to say, prevent the type fingers which have been set by the
inclines as aforesaid from rising sufficiently high to withdraw type from
the pockets. As the wheel B revolves the pickpocket continues so
locked until the two triggers which have been set arrive at two recesses
or pitfalls Z³ in the rail E, when the said triggers losing their support
the spring will force down the end of the pickpocket into the position

page_text: shewn in Fig. 11, and the type fingers being thus raised those of the
number which have been set will enter the grooves in the lower ends
of the corresponding pockets in the case D, and will withdraw type
therefrom in manner as shewn in the said Figure, and also in Fig. 2,
Sheet 1. The said type fall on to the wheel B, and are carried round
until they arrive at the delivery apparatus. The aforesaid recesses or
pitfalls are variously situated on a number of grooves or imaginary lines
corresponding to the number of the triggers m, and of the lines of
perforations 8 to 14, in Fig. 5, so that any two of the said triggers
which have been set as aforesaid will only once during a revolution
of the wheel B simultaneously meet with recesses in their lines of
Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the aforesaid delivery apparatus ;
Fig. 14 a plan of the same, and Fig. 6, in -Sheet 1, is a side elevation
thereof, the said Figures being drawn about full size. In the said
Figures, o is a cam, shewn more clearly in Fig. 1, the said cam acting
on a bowl p, which is mounted on the end of the sliding bar p', the
action of the cam being such as that the said bar is caused to slide
outwards in the direction of the arrow as many times during the
revolution of the wheel B as the whole number of the pickpockets;
the return movement of the bar being effected by means of tho
spring p. As cach type or row of type is brought by the revolution
of the wheel near to the arm q, in which the aforesaid bar slides, the
said bar makes the aforesaid outward movement and a finger attached
thereto sweeps the said type off the wheel and into the channel, along
which they are pushed by succeeding type until they pass on to an
endless band. The said band is mounted on the two pulleys s and s²,
the pulleys being fixed to the shaft &, on which is also fixed the bevil
wheels, which gears with the corresponding wheel t, which is fixed to
the shaft, and as the said shaft is connected with the main driving
shaft by the bevil wheels and shaft u, u, in Fig. 1, a revolving motion is
imparted to the pulley 8, and the aforesaid band is caused to travel in
the direction of the arrow, the type thereon being carried forward until
stopped by the bar v. On the upper end of the shaft is fixed a
crank, the pin of which slides in the slotted lever, and as the said
shaft revolves imparts a vibrating motion thereto. The opposite end
of the said lever is connected by the link with the sliding block v',
on which is mounted the finger or trigger ², shewn in Fig. 15, the said

page_text: trigger being free to swivel within limits on the stud on which it is
mounted. So long as there are no type in position to be discharged the
trigger moves to and fro in the position shewn in Fig. 15, but on a type
coming into contact with the projecting end of the lever wo, the said
lever is put in motion, and the end of the piece w¹ jointed thereto is
projected across the line of motion of the upper arm of the trigger, so
that the said arm coming into contact with the said picce the trigger
is caused to swivel to an extent that will cause the end thereof to come
into contact with the type at the next forward stroke of the trigger and
to push the type off the band and on to the top of the column of type
contained in the delivery channel w². Towards the termination of the
forward stroke of the trigger the arm thereof comes into contact with
the pin 5 in Figure 15, and the said trigger is returned to the position,
as shown in the said Figure. On the shaft is fixed a cam which
operates upon the lever x, which is mounted on the stud, one end of
the said lever being by preference forked, as shewn in Fig. 14, and over-
hanging the column of type in the delivery channel, the action being
such as that after each addition of type to the column-the-said-column.
is pressed down by the forked end of the lever. As cach pickpocket
approaches the delivery apparatus a projecting stud on the pickpocket
mounts an incline on the end of the bar y, and the pickpocket is thereby
swivelled into the position shewn in Fig. 12 in order that the type
fingers may clear the finger and the arm q in which the bar p¹ slides,
the said position being maintained until the said fingers are below the
said arm when a hollow in the said bar, shewn in dotted lines under thic
stud, allows the said fingers to rise and to be pressed against the
under side of the said arm, whereby they are brought to an uniform level
and are then ready to be set by the inclines i, i, as aforesaid. In like
manner as the triggers pass under the said stud the upper ends of the
triggers come into contact with the under side of the said stud, and those
which have last been set or locked are returned to the position for being
again set.
Fig. 16 is a cross section through the pocket rail C and the rim of
the wheel B. The vertical partitions of thin metal shown in the said
Figure are carried around the rail C, with the exception of a space
sufficient for the working of the delivery apparatus, annular races
being thus formed which keep the type when being withdrawn from the
pockets from falling into a position on the wheel B, which will interfere
with the action of the apparatus. In order to compose or set up typo

page_text: the type pockets are filled or partially filled with type, each letter or
sigu being placed in a pocket or in one of a number of pockets set apart
for it as is usual. To obtain the greatest efficiency the arrangement of
the type in cach pocket or in a portion of the pockets is such as that the
letters forming words or parts of words in frequent use are in the same
order of sequence in the said pockets as in the said words, so that as the
pickpockets travel under the sets of seven pockets they may in many
cases withdraw type from two or more and in some cases from even the
whole of the said set at onc operation. The strip of paper is perforated
to suit the said arrangement of the type, and is fed through the
composing apparatus by a step movement, as has been before described,
and as each combination of perforations in one cross row is brought
over the perforated plate on the top of the cylinder a pickpocket is
set to correspond with the said combination, and as each pickpocket
may be set to withdraw at least one type it will be seen that the speed
of withdrawal is comparatively great. The type so withdrawn are
delivered in manner as has been sufficiently described, and are taken
in suitable quantities from the delivery channel to be justified, or
a justifying apparatus may be connected with the end of the said
channel.
Modifications of the apparatus herein described or of portions thereof
may be employed to distribute type, as mentioned in my Provisional
Specification, as, for example, the strip of paper may be caused to
regulate the setting of a number of travelling pickpockets which would
withdraw type from a single type resevoir, into which the lines of type
would be fed, and each pickpocket would when arriving at the pitfalls
for which it was set allow the type to be withdrawn by one of a number
of delivery apparatus arranged around the machine.
Fig. 7, Sheet 1, represents a row of type with intermediate spaces
corrugated as herein-before mentioned. The said spaces being formed
of soft metal admit of a row of type being shortened more or less by the
application of an end pressure in order to assist in the justifying. The
small detached views in the said Figure represent an elevation and two
cross sections of grooved spaces. The said grooves are formed on one or
both sides of the spaces, and as the said spaces are or may be made of
a soft metal or alloy the application of an end pressure to a row of type
containing such spaces will cause the sharp tops of the ridges between
the grooves to be flattened, and the line may thus be shortened.

page_text: The arrangements herein-before described and illustrated in the
Drawings may be considerably modified, as, for example, a number
of pockets, cither less or more than seven, may be combined together
to form one case or set; or each pocket may be seperate and a number
of pockets, or of sets of pockets other than twenty, and of pickpockets
other than nineteen as herein mentioned, may be employed, the number
of the peg levers, fingers, triggers, and of the longitudinal rows of
perforations in the strips of paper being varied accordingly.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and methods
for carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details so
described; but that I claim,-
First. In reference to type composing or distributing machines, the
action of which is governed in each case by a strip of paper or other
material which has been perforated before being fed into the said
machine, combinations of the said perforations representing the charac-
ters, letters, signs, or spaces required to be composed or set up, I claim
setting, travelling, or moving type withdrawing apparatus, herein styled-
pickpockets, by means of the said perforations, so as to enable the said
pickpockets to withdraw the required type from stationery pockets,
receptacles, or resevoirs.
Secondly. In reference to composing machines, arranging the said
pockets or type resevoirs in sets of two or more, or dividing-each
pocket or resevoir into two or more compartments, and so forming
and operating upon each type withdrawing apparatus or pickpocket as
that it may after being set and at one operation withdraw type from
two or more of the said pockets or resevoirs, or from two or more of the
said compartments.
Thirdly. The employment of the ring or rail E, or a modification
thereof having recesses or pitfalls varied in position, as herein-before
described for the purpose herein set forth or for a similar purpose.
Fourthly. The arrangement of apparatus for discharging the type
from off the travelling band and into the delivery channel, and the
contrivance for regulating the action of the said apparatus, substantially
as herein described and as illustrated in the attached Drawings.
Fifthly. Forming corrugated or grooved spaces as and for the purpose
as herein aforesaid.

page_text: And, lastly. The general arrangement and construction of the parts
of the composing machine, substantially as herein described and as
illustrated in the attached Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mackie, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Signed and scaled by the said
Alexander Mackic, in the
presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
ALEXANDER MAOKIE. (L.S.)
Agent to the Petitioner,.
3, Smithy Door,
Manchester.