CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMPOSING' OR SETTING TYPE FOR PRINTING
Year: 1865

page_text: Sealed the 20th February 1866, and dated the 8th September 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mackie and
James Procter Jones at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 8th September 1865. .
We, ALEXANDER MACKIE, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster,
Newspaper Proprietor, and. JAMES PROCTER JONES, of the same Place,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR COMPOSING' OR SETTING TYPE
FOR PRINTING," to be as follows:-
Our Invention is designed for the purpose of delivering or supporting
type" from the cases containing it to a "composing stick" in proper order
to form words, and the improvements consist in a novel combination, arrange-
ment, and construction of mechanism to effect the said purpose. !:
The type is contained in a series of channels or cases placed; side by side,
and lies lengthwise across the said channels. These channels or type recep-.
tacles are contained in or supported by two long narrow tables or platforms,
and are placed at an angle or diagonally to the line of the.. platforins, each

page_text: platform being also placed at a considerable inclination, one on the right and
the other on the left hand of the operator, the lowest ends of each platform
delivering the type by means of channels or spouts into a "composing stick'
or other receptacle situated between them, which has a sliding movement
on an inclined frame, so that it may be raised or lowered by the foot, hand, or
knees of the operator as the type accumulates therein. At the front or
delivery edge of these platforms a small channel or trough extends from the
top and terminates in a narrow spout at the bottom, and the type are retained
in their cases by the inside edge of this channel being slightly elevated, and
have a constant tendency to rest against this edge by gravitation from the
angle of the cases, and also from a slight forward inclination of the platforms
towards the trough or channel; the propulsion of the type may also be further
insured by means of weights or springs from behind. To liberate the type
from the cases and deliver it into the channels or trough a series of lettered
keys are employed, which act upon an arrangement of levers, one of which
lifts the front type over the elevated edge into the channel, down which it falls
by gravitation into the composing stick," and simultaneously another finger
or lever presses upon and holds the next type behind to prevent the delivery
of more than one at once, springs being employed beneath each key to bring
it into position again; thus as any key is struck a corresponding letter will
be delivered to the inclined trough or channel down which it passes into the
"composing stick," which is depressed by the operator or by self-acting means
as the type accumulates..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Mackie and James Proctor Jones in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 8th March 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALEXANDER
MACKIE, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Newspaper Proprietor,
and JAMES PROCTOR JONES, of the same Place, Mechanic, send greeting. :
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight-hundred-and-sixty-five,-in-the-twenty-ninth-year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alexander Mackie and James Proctor Jones, Her special license that
we, the said Alexander Mackie and James Proctor Jones, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alexander Mackie

page_text: is
and James Proctor Jones, our 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 CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR 'COMPOSING.' OR
SETTING TYPE FOR PRINTING," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Alexander Mackie and James Proctor Jones, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 Alexander Mackie, 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 follow-
ing statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
:-
Our Invention is designed for the purpose of delivering or supplying
type" from the cases containing it to a "composing stick," in proper order
to form words, and the improvements consist in a novel combination, arrange-
ment, and construction of mechanism to effect the said purpose.
"
The type is contained in a series of channels or cases placed side by side,
and lies lengthwise across the said channels. These channels or type recep-
tacles are contained in or supported by two long narrow tables or platforms,
and they are placed at an angle or diagonally to the line of the platforms,
each platform being also placed at a considerable inclination, one on the right
and the other on the left hand of the operator, the lowest ends of each platform
delivering, the type by means of channels or spouts into a " composing stick
or other receptacle situated between them, and which has a sliding movement
on an inclined frame, so that it may be raised or lowered by the foot, hand,
or kuce of the operator as the type accumulates therein. At the front or
delivery edge of these platforms a small channel or trough extends from the
top and terminates in a narrow spout at the bottom, and the type are retained
in their cases by the inside edge of this channel being slightly elevated, and
have a constant tendency to rest against this edge by gravitation from the
angle of the cases, and also from a slight forward inclination of the platforms
towards the trough or channel; the propulsion of the type may also be further
insured by means of weights or springs from behind. To liberate the type

page_text: from the cases and deliver it into the channel or trough a series of lettered keys
are employed which act upon an arrangement of levers, one of which lifts the
front type over the elevated edge into the channel down which it falls by gra-
Vitation into the "composing stick," and simultaneously another finger or
lever presses upon and holds the next type behind to prevent the delivery of
more than one at once, springs being employed beneath each key to bring it
into position again; thus as any key is struck a corresponding letter will be
delivered to an inclined trough or channel down which it passes, into the com-
posing "stick," which is depressed by the operator or by self-acting means as
the type accumulates.
1
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings having similar letters
of reference marked thereupon.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of the tables or platforms-supporting the
typé, and also the troughs on the said platforms down which the type is
delivered to the "composing stick" when liberated from the type receptacles
contained on the aforesaid tables; Fig. 2 represents an enlarged view of the
levers or catches in connection with the key-board and lever which are
employed to retain and liberate the liberate the type as' desired; and Figs. 3
and 4 represent respectively the angular or diagonal positions of the table and
platform as seen in their side and front elevations.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a, a, is the framing or support upon which the
tables or platforms b containing the type receptacles c are supported; the
type d are retained in their cases by the projecting ledge e, against which
they liave a constant tendency to rest by their weight, and the attraction of
gravitation, which principle is applied by means of the inclination and angle
of the platform and cases from one end to the other, and also from the slight
inclination forward or from back to front of the platforms 6 towards the
trough or channel f down which the type moves, and is delivered to the com-
posing stick g when liberated from the cases or type receptacles c, the action
of which is as follows:-A series of lettered keys are so arranged at the
front edge of the table or platform b that each separate receptacle for type on
such table is represented by one of the aforesaid keys, the key-board. being
placed outside the trough or channel f, and is so arranged that each key
which is supplied with the levers or fingers h and i shall, upon being depressed,
liberate the front type resting against the ledge e, and at the same time retain
the type immediately behind the one liberated; this is effected by the levers h
and in the following manner-When any one of the keys are depressed
the lever i lifts the front type over the elevated edge e into the channel f

page_text: down which it falls by gravitation into the composing stick, and simul-
taneously with the release of such front type the finger or lever i is caused to
press upon and hold the next type behind, thereby preventing the delivery of
more than one type at once, the springs being employed beneath each key to
bring it into position again; thus as the key is depressed a corresponding
letter will be delivered to the inclined trough f, down which it passes into the
composing stick "g, which is depressed by the operator as the type accu-
mulates, either by hand or by means of a foot-treadle and band which
sustains the composing stick.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with. the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, we wish it to be distinctly
understood that we claim,-
First, the application of the attraction of gravitation by so inclining,
sloping, and arranging the platforms supporting the cases and type that upon
being liberated from the cases the type shall become transferred therefrom to
the "composing-stick" or receptacle placed to receive it.'
Secondly, we claim the arrangement, construction, & combination of the
apparatus as herein-before described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the
Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mackie, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ALEX. MACKIE. (L.S.)