IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING TYPE
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING TYPE."-A communi-
cation.
Sealed the 30th June 1854, and dated the 24th April 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th April 1854.
T; WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING TYPE" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of various improvements upon a machine previously
patented in England by myself, on the 23rd day of April 1850, the object of
the various improvements being, 1st, the simplification of the parts, and a con-
sequent reduction in cost of the machinery; 2nd, by means of the improved
machine the type may be cast or produced with greater facility and accuracy
than in the former machine, as the working parts are actuated in a different
manner and with more certainty of action.
The first improvement relates to the mould and mould block, and the means
of actuating the same; and consists in mounting the adjustable part of the
mould in a mould, or between guides or registers, in which it can be moved up
or down with great accuracy, according to the thickness of the letter or type to

page_text: be cast. The adjustable half of the mould is also attached to the head or
joint means of a set screw, which will admit of this half of the mould being
moved on the centre screw or pin, or slightly in a lateral direction, in order to
enable the attendant to bring the two parts of the mould into connection or
contact with the greatest accuracy. The head to which this adjustable part is
connected is also affixed to the fixed part of the mould block by means of a set
screw, so as to admit of the head being turned in either direction. By this
means it will be seen that a compound adjustment is obtained, so that the
parts may be brought together with great accuracy.
In this improved machine the mould and mould block is placed in a vertical
position, instead of in an inclined or oblique position, as is usual, and in place
of employing a complication of levers and arms for opening the mould for the
purpose of allowing the cast type to fall out, as hias heretofore been the case.
This object is effected by means of a simple rod, connected at one end to a
fixed point of some part of the framing, and at the opposite end to the moveable
part of the mould block, so that when the mould block and its appendages are
moved forward to bring the opening of the mould to the nipple, or vice versa,
the rod will open and close the mould when required, and in a much more
efficient manner than it has heretofore been done. The mould block is moved
to and fro by means of a crank pin working in a curved slot, formed in an arm
connected with the standard of the mould block. By this means, the use of
cams, springs, and levers for actuating the mould block is dispensed with, and
the motion is rendered more smooth and certain than heretofore.
The next improvement relates to a novel construction of those parts con-
nected with the nipple, through which the molten type metal is injected into
the moulds, and has for its object to prevent the metal from being forced back
into the well instead of through the nipple when pressure is applied to it by the
descent of the piston. This object is effected by means of a moveable plug,
which is placed on the spindle of the stopper in the stopper or nipple chamber
immediately behind the nipple, and when the stopper closes the hole of the
nipple, and the piston of the pump rises, the molten metal runs into the nipple
chamber past the plug, then, upon the piston descending, pressure is applied to
the metal in the nipple chamber, and forces the plug against the hole or open-
ing at the back and through which the metal entered, and thereby prevents
its return, so that immediately the stopper is drawn back the molten metal
will rush out into the mould, and form the type.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th October 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administra-
tors, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING TYPE," being a communication
from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists of various improvements upon a machine previously
patented in England by myself, on the Twenty-third day of April, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty, the object of the various improvements
being, first, the simplification of the parts, and a consequent reduction in cost
of the machinery; second, by means of the improved machine the type may
be cast or produced with greater facility and accuracy than in the former
machine, as the working parts are actuated in a different manner and with
more precision and certainty.
The first improvement relates to the mould and mould block, and the means

page_text: of actuating the same, and consists in mounting the adjustable part of the
mould in a groove, or between guides or registers, in which it can be moved up
or down with great accuracy, according to the thickness of the letter or type
to be cast. The adjustable half of the mould is also attached to the head
or joint by means of a set screw, which will admit of this half of the mould
being moved on the centre screw or pin, or slightly in a lateral direction, in
order to enable the attendant to bring the two parts of the mould into connec-
tion or contact with the greatest accuracy. The head to which this adjustable
part is connected is also affixed to the fixed part of the mould block by means
of a set screw, so as to admit of the head being turned in either direction. By
this means, it will be seen that a compound adjustment is obtained, so that the
parts may be brought together with great accuracy.
In this improved machine the mould and mould block is placed in a vertical
position, instead of in an inclined or oblique position, as is usual, and in place
of employing a complication of levers and arms for opening the mould for the
purpose of allowing the cast type to fall out, as has heretofore been the case.
This object is effected by means of a simple rod, connected at one end to a
fixed point of some part of the framing, and at the opposite end to the moveable
part of the mould block, so that when the mould block and its appendages are
inoved forward to bring the opening of the mould to the nipple, or vice versa,
the rod will close and open the mould when required, and in a much more
efficient manner than it has heretofore been done. The whole of the mould
block is moved to and fro by means of a crank pin working in a curved slot,
formed in an arm connected with the vibrating arm of the mould block. By
this means, the use of cams, springs, and levers for actuating the mould block
is dispensed with, and the motion is rendered more smooth and certain than
heretofore.
The next improvement relates to a novel construction of those parts con-
nected with the nipple, through which the molten type metal is injected into
the moulds, and has for its object to prevent the metal from being forced back
into the well, instead of through the nipple when pressure is applied to it by the
descent of the piston. This object is effected by means of a moveable plug,
which is placed on the spindle of the stopper in the stopper or nipple chamber.
immediately behind the nipple, and when the small piston stops or closes the
hole of the nipple, and the piston of the pump rises, the molten metal will run
through the opening at back into the nipple chamber past the plug or stopper;
then, upon the piston descending, pressure is applied to the metal in the nipple
chamber, and will force the plug or stopper against the hole or opening at the
back and through which the metal entered, and thereby prevent its return, so

page_text: that immediately the small piston which stops the nipple is drawn back, the
molten metal will rush out into the mould, and form the type.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of one side of the machine; Fig. 2, a similar view of
the opposite side; Fig. 3 is a front view; and Fig. 4, a plan view of the improved
machine. a, a, a, is the bed or foundation plate, upon which are fixed the
standards b, b; the main driving shaft c is mounted, and works in bearings on
their standards, and actuates all the working parts of the machine. The
mould block for holding the matrix in which the type is cast consists of two
principal parts, & and d, both of which are secured to a vibrating arm e,
whereby the mould is moved to and from the nipple of the well or chamber
which contains the molten metal. These parts are shewn detached in Figs. 5,
6, and 7, drawn upon an enlarged scale, Fig. 5 being a section taken through
the well and its accessories, and also through the mould and matrix g & g',
shewing one-half thereof. The part d* of the mould block with its half of the
mould or matrix g* is fixed to the vibrating arm e, and only has a motion with
the said vibrating arm; but the part d, which I shall call the moveable part,
is connected to the cross piece h at the top of the vibrating arm e through the
piece *, by means of studs or centre pins i, i, and will thereby have a separate
swinging action, so as to admit of the two parts of the mould being drawn
asunder when it is required to open the mould. This object is effected by.
means of the rod j, which is attached at one end by a ball and socket joint to
the back of the piece h*, as shewn in Figs. 3, 4, 6, and 7, and at the other
end to some fixed part a of the framing or standards. From this it will be
seen, that when the vibrating arm e moves the mould block forward to the
nipple 5, (Figs. 6 and 7,) it will close the mould, ready to receive a supply of
metal; but when the arm e recedes, the rod j will pull back the moveable or
swinging part h* of the mould block, as shewn by dots in Figs. 2 and 7, and
will consequently open the mould, and allow the newly-formed type to be pushed
or fall out. In order to ensure accuracy in the meeting of the two parts
g and g of the mould, the part d of the mould block and also the part 9 of the
mould or matrix are made-adjustable. In place of the part d of the mould
block being connected directly to the cross piece h by means of the centre
pins i, it is secured in the first place to the piece h* by screws n, n, and this
piece h* is secured by a set screw 7 to an additional piece e*, which is mounted
on the centre pins i, i, so that by loosening the set screw 1, the piece * with
the mould block d may be slightly turned horizontally, so as to make the
mould g meet its corresponding piece on the other part of the mould block
with great accuracy. This will ensure the two faces of the mould meeting
properly; but as the thickness of different letters varies, it will also be necessary

page_text: to move the part g of the mould up and down in a corresponding degree. This
object is effected by mounting this part d in guides m, m, so that it may be
moved up or down vertically, and secured at any point by means of the set
screws n, n, behind. As these screws pass through slots made in the piece h*,
_there-is-room-for-considerable-variation-in-the-thickness-of-the-type,-and-
therefore a large variety of type may be made in the same machine by merely
altering the mould.
Having explained the construction and mode of adjusting the mould block
and mould, I will now proceed to explain the mode of actuating the several
parts. It has been already said that the mould block and mould are attached
to or connected with a vibrating arm e, which moves the mould to and from
the nipple, through which the metal is injected into the mould. This motion
is effected by means of a crank pin o (Figs. 2 and 3) on the end of the main
driving shaft, and which pin works in a curved slot p (Fig. 2) at the end of an
arm or bar, extending from and forming part of the vibrating arm e, and at every
rotation of the shaft e the pin o will bring the vibrating arm e and all it carries
backwards into the position shewn by dots in Fig. 2. q and r (Figs. 3 and 4)
are two cams on the main driving shaft c, the cam q being intended to actuate
the pump of the well, and the cam r for actuating the piston or plug in the
nipple. The upper end of a lever s rests on the periphery of the cam r; and on
the stud' t, on which the lever s is mounted, is another lever u, the upper end
of which is connected with one end of the horizontal lever v (Fig. 4). To
the opposite end of this lever the piston w of the nipple is attached; it will
therefore be seen, that when the end of the lever s comes against the smaller
diameter of this cam 1, the piston w of the nipple will be drawn back, and will
allow the molten metal to pass out of the nipple into the mould when the
plunger (Fig. 5) descends.
The descent of the plunger a into the well is effected by means of the
cam q, which acts on the lever y, the opposite end of which is connected by
means of a rod to the lever ábove. The stem of the plunger a being con-
nected to this lever, as shewn in Fig. 3, it will be seen that at
every rotation
of the main driving shaft c the plunger will be made to descend, thus forcing
the molten metal into the nipple chamber 4, from whence it will pass out into
the mould immediately the piston w of the nipple is drawn back, and the
exit aperture opened.
The matrix g', which is adapted to the mould, and forms the face of the
type, is held in its proper position by the levers 1, 2, which turn on studs
affixed to the vibrating arm e. A slight motion is given to these levers 1 and 2
at every vibration of the arm e, by causing their lower ends to bear against

page_text: studs or friction rollers 3, 3, aflixed to the framing; so that when the vibrating
arm e moves back, the lever 1 will draw back the matrix spring b, while the
lever 2 will at the same time cause the matrix to assume the position shewn
by dots in Fig. 7, and thereby relieve the type therefrom, and allow it to fall
out of the mould into a suitable receptacle below.
The last improvement relates to those parts connected with the nipple, and
will be best understood by referring to Fig. 5, in which f, f, is the well con-
taining the molten metal; a, the plunger, for forcing the metal into the nipple
chamber 4. The nipple is shewn at 5; and w is a piston or plug, which closes
the exit of the nipple until the proper moment when it is drawn back, and the
metal is forced into the mould, as has been already explained. The operation
of the several parts is as follows:-Molten metal is contained in the open space
above the well f, f, f, and therefore as the plunger a rises it will draw a small
quantity therefrom into the nipple chamber through the opening 7, behind the
nipple, and past the moveable stopper 8, which slides on the piston pin 6; and
when the plunger a descends, and acts upon the metal in the well f and the
nipple chamber 4, the cam r forces back the piston w with the stopper 8 on the
pin of the piston 6, and effectually prevents any metal from escaping through
the opening 7 behind, and through which it entered. Sometimes the stopper 8
is not connected with the piston pin 6, but is separate or distinct therefrom.
Having now described the Invention that has been communicated to me as
aforesaid, I would observe, in conclusion, that although I have shewn in the
accompanying Drawings the best means with which I am at present acquainted
for carrying into effect this Invention of improved machinery for casting type,
yet I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to the precise arrange-
ment or construction of parts herein shewn and described, as they may,
perhaps, be varied, without departing from the nature and object of the present
improvements; nor do I intend to claim all the parts separately, as some of them
have been heretofore used for similar purposes; but that which I consider to
be new, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid, is,―
First, the general construction or arrangement of parts herein shewn and
described, or any mere modification thereof, and also the mode of actuating
the same.
Second, I claim making the mould and mould blocks adjustable for the
purpose of facilitating and ensuring accuracy in the fitting or working of the
various parts, and whereby the mould and mould block can be altered with
facility to suit letters of different thicknesses.

page_text: Third, I claim the use of a moveable stopper, capable of moving indepen-
lently of the piston or plug, for the purpose of preventing the back flow of the
molten metal from the nipple chamber.
In-witness whereof, I-the-said-William-Edward-Newton, have-hereunto-
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)