Improved Spacing and Justifying Devices for Linotype Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
Communicated from abroad by PHILIP TELL DODGE, of Tribune Building,
Nassau Street, New York City, U.S.A., Engineer.]
Improved Spacing and Justifying Devices for Linotype Machines.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 6 Serjeant's Inn, Fleet Street,
n 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 ;-
Our invention has reference to linotype or matrix machines in which finger keys
are arranged to designate and assemble in line, letter matrices or letter dies, and
intermediate adjustable spaces, which are, as a final step, adjusted to space out or
justify the line to the predetermined length..
The invention has special reference to the spacing or justifying devices, and is
based upon the use, for each space in the line, of two co-operating reversely
arranged wedges, one of which remains at rest while the other is moved along it.
It is the aim of our invention to provide simple means for introducing wedges of
the Roy type speedily and properly into the line, and after use restoring them to
their original positions in the magazine or place of storage.
To this end we place the wedges, which are entirely distinct, or separate from
each other, in a magazine or holder, and combine therewith finger-key mechanism
by which these wedges are released and delivered to the line in course of composi-
tion; wedges of the two forms being released successively, so that each pair will
form an expansible space, having its outer faces parallel to prevent the tipping or
canting of the dies or matrices between which they are seated.
In the preferred form of my mechanism, one finger-key is connected with two
escapements, or releasing devices, so that a single action of the key will release in
succession two complementary wedges; but the two wedges may be delivered by
any other suitable finger-key mechanism.
Our invention is susceptible of embodiment in many equivalent forms, and may
be used in all or nearly all machines adapted to assemble or compose lines of dies
or matrices.
.
In applying our invention to, say, the well known linotype matrices, we make
use of a spacing device consisting of two oppositely tapered unconnected wedges.
One of the wedges is made of the same marginal form as the matrices, and is
provided at the top, like the matrices, with a distinctive arrangement of distributing
teeth, so that, after it has served its place in the line, the said wedge will be
returned like the matrices to one of the magazine channels from which it will be
discharged by the action of the finger-key, and escapement device of any suitable
character. Under this operation the operation of the finger key is followed by the
delivery from the magazine into the line, of a spacing wedge in the same manner
that the matrices are delivered.
The other wedge has its head or upper end provided with sustaining shoulders.
and made of the same general form as the heads of the spacing wedges, described
in the Patent No. 14582 of 1890, so that, after serving its place in the line, it will
be transferred like the Mergenthaler wedges to the space box or shoulder. These

page_text: single or solid wedges thus retained in the box, will be delivered, like the Mergen-
thaler two-part wedges, into the line below by an escapement or discharging device
of any suitable character, connected with a finger-key. In the form shown the
said other wedge is much longer than the one with which it co-operates so that
after the line is composed, the longer members may be advanced endwise throughout
to expand and justify the line.
It is to be distinctly understood, however, that the said other wedge may be made
short in length like the wedge first mentioned, and provided with distributing teeth
at its upper end, so that it will also be delivered by the distributing devices into
the magazine proper.
When two wedges are made of equal length, as above proposed, special devices
of any suitable character may be used to adjust the movable weige. These
devices, however, form no part of the present invention.
In order to facilitate the operation of the machine, and the introduction of two
wedges into a line by one operation of the key, I propose to connect a key with an
escapement for discharging the short wedge from the magazine and also with an
escapement for discharging the longer wedge from the holder.
We use a centrally pivoted escapement lever provided at opposite ends with
upwardly projecting pins, which, as the lever is vibrated, are thrust upward
alternately into the magazine so that they serve to permit the escapement of the
wedges one at a time. A spring tends to. hold the escapement in the position
shown, while a rod attached to the opposite end, is carried downward and connected
to a finger-key or lever. This lever is also connected through a rod, lever, and
rod, to a lever having upright arms by which the long spacing wedges are delivered
one at a time from the holder and permitted to pass into the line below.. When
the said finger-key or lever is depressed, it discharges one of the long spaces into
the line, and as it rises it acts through the escapement to discharge one of the
shorter spaces into the line. In this way it is that, by a single action of the finger-
key down and up, the two wedges are successively delivered.
Dated this 28th day of May 1895.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, late of No. 6 Serjeant's Inn, Fleet
Street, but now of No. 188 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 and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
...
The present invention relates to linotype machines in which finger keys
'mechanism is arranged and combined with suitable mechanism to select and
compose type matrices or type dies, as well as adjustable space bars into line, and
with mechanism for effecting the justification of the composed line by increasing
the thickness of the said space bars.
The particular part of the machine and its equipment with which the said inven-
tion concerns itself, is the space bars and the mechanism for composing them into
the line of type matrices or type dies, whichever the machine in question uses as its
'units.
The spacing device we propose to make use of consists of a pair of wedges,
tapered to the same angle, on one side face only, and in opposite directions.
The
two wedges are unconnected as far as mechanical connection is concerned. They

page_text: Their outer
nly co-operate together. Beyond this they are not connected at all. There are
wo series of them, each series as unconnected as are the two wedges of a pair.
The two wedges are used with their tapered side faces in contact.
ide faces are then parallel, thereby obviating any tipping of the type matrices or
ype dies to one side. The invention consists in providing simple mechanism for
composing the pairs of wedges above mentioned into the line speedily and properly
and for distributing them afterwards to their respective holders. To this end, the
wedges are divided into two series, according to the direction of their taper, each
series allocated to a separate holder, and further, there is combined with the said
holder and their contents, a finger key mechanism by which a wedge from each
series can be taken from its holder and composed into the line, a pair of wedges
standing there together with their inner and tapered side faces in contact with each
other and their outer and parallel side faces in contact respectively with a terminal
type matrix or type die of each of two adjacent words. In the preferred
mechanism, one finger key is connected with two escapements, so that a single
But any
action of the key will release the two wedges of a pair in succession.
suitable finger key mechanism may be adopted.
The invention is susceptible of embodiment in many equivalent forms and may
be used in all or nearly all machines adapted to compose lines of type matrices or
type dies. For the purpose of this Specification, the invention is described in
connection with the.well known Mergenthaler linotype machine described in the
Specification of Letters Patent 145821890.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spacing device or pair of wedges of different
lengths.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative form of wedge which may be
substituted for the longer wedge illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of a portion of a composed line of matrices and
pairs of wedges or spacing devices.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of a portion of the composing mechanism.
Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a matrix.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of the principal parts of a machine as well as of the
present invention.
B is the inclined magazine charged with the matrices Y and with one (or it may
be, with both) series of wedges. Each matrix is provided with a matrix proper y,
four shoulders y¹ and a distinctive arrangement of distributing teeth y². y' is a
notch operating in conjunction with the distributor. The matrices are arranged
according to character in channels in the magazine, down which they descend by
gravity. They are discharged, one at a time, from the mouth of the magazine, by
escapement devices connected with finger keys corresponding with the several
characters. As the matrices Y fall from the magazine through a series of upright
channels G, they are received on an inclined and constantly travelling belt H,
from which they are delivered, one after another, into a channelled and vertically
moveable assembling block I, their assemblage being facilitated by the rotary
angular wheel, which, acting against the last matrix, or wedge, as the case may
be, pushes the line forward step by step to make room for the entrance of the
succeeding matrices and wedges. The assembled line is first transferred by a pair
of arms L, L' through a stationary guide block M to a vertically moveable yoke N
by which the said line is first lowered to stand in front of the mould wheel O, and
then lifted to within reach of the distributing mechanism at the top of the machine
by which the matrices and space bars are returned the former to their respective
channels and the latter to their receptacle K. While the line is being held in front
of the mould in the mould wheel, a pump is caused to inject a supply of molten
type metal into the mould, so producing a linotype or printing bar bearing on its
edge all the characters in the line of matrices. For further particulars of the
reference
details of the construction of the machine of Letters Patent 145821890,

page_text: may be made to the Specification of it. Such reference will be found to be
facilitated by the use, where practicable in the present Specification, of the same
reference letters for the same parts.
The space bar of the Specification 14582180 is replaced by the pair of wedges
illustrated in Figure 1. It is such a pair that is referred to in this Specification
as a spacing device. One of these wedges, the short one P, has the same shape as
a matrix Y. All of these are stored in one channel of the magazine B. Each is,
further, provided at the top, in the same way as is a matrix Y, with a distinctive
arrangement of distributing teeth y so that after it has served its purpose in the
line, it can be returned by the distributing mechanism above mentioned and in the
same way as are the matrices, to its channel p in the magazine B, y is the notch
operating in conjunction with the distributor. The escapement controlling the
delivery of a wedge P from its magazine channel, and the delivery of it to the
assembling block 1, are the same as in the Mergenthaler Specification above
described. The other of them, the longer one Q, provided at its top with
suspending shoulders 7, 9, in the same way as the space bar of the Mergenthaler
Patent above mentioned. The receptacle K in which all the longer wedges Q are
stored, the releasing slide controlling the delivery of them, one by one, from the
said receptacle into the assembling block I and the mechanism for distributing
them to their receptacle K, may be the same as described in the Specification of
the said Patent.
The two series of wedges P, Q are tapered to the same angle, on one side face
only, and in opposite directions. They are stored in their respective magazines so
that one from one series shall meet its fellow from the other series with their
tapered faces in contact and their parallel side faces on the outside. Their
oppositely tapered side faces must be in contact in order that the motion of one
wedge (the longer one Q) over the other of them (the shorter one P) may result
in increasing the joint thickness of the spacing device. Their parallel side faces
must be on the outside of the said device to bear fairly over the parallel side faces
of the adjacent matrices without tipping them over to the right or left. This being
the case, when the magazine channel of the wedges P is on the right of the
machine and the receptacle of the wedges Q on the left of that channel, the same
wedges Qwill hang in their receptacle K with their tapered side faces facing to
the right and the wedges P, lie in their channel with their tapered side faces facing
to the left. It will now be seen how the two series of wedges are quite
unconnected and how the two wedges of a pair are unconnected, the two
co-operating together after they have been brought face to face but being without
any mechanical connection.
1
In order to facilitate the operation of the machine, and the introduction of a
spacing device into the assembling block I, by one operation of a key, it is
proposed to connect the latter with two escapements, one that of the channel p in
which the wedges P are stored, and the other, that of the receptacle K. Such a
connection is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 7. F is an escapement centrally
pivotted under the magazine channel p. It is provided at its opposite ends with
upwardly projecting pius f', which, as the escapement is vibrated, are thrust up
alternately into the channel, so that one wedge the bottom one--is allowed to
escape and the others to slide down the channel for a limited distance. f' is a
spring tending to hold the escapement F in the position illustrated in Figure 5.
E is a pull rod connecting the opposite end of the escapement to a lever D which
has its fulcrum in a rod d to the rear of the connection between the said lever and
rod. D' is a second lever likewise having its fulcrum in the rod d. d is a pressure
bar made fast upon the front ends of the two levers D, D¹. 1 is a pull rod from
the lever D to the bell crank lever 2; and 3, a pull rod from the opposite arm of
the bell crank lever 2 to the bell crank lever 4, the outer eud of which latter
carries the releasing slide k". When the pressure bar dis depressed the releasing
slide engages the front (right hand) wedge Q, lifts it out of the receptacle K
and drops it down the conductor k; and when it is let go, a wedge P is discharged

page_text: from its channel p and delivered into the assembly box 1 after the wedge has
got there.
The wedges Q hang below the composed line in order that they may be advanced
end wise through it over their respective wedges P, to justify the line. It is to be
distinctly understood, however, that these wedges may be made of any appropriate
length and may be replaced by short ones Q. These latter are illustrated in
Figure 2, and in dotted lines, in Figure 5. In contour, a wedge Q¹ is a replica of
a short wedge P, excepting as to the position of its tapered side face; which is on
the same side of it as is that of a long wedge Q. The short wedges Qare stored
in a channel in the magazine B in the same way as are the wedges P, and to the
left of the channel p to provide for a pair of wedges Q1 and P reaching the
assembly box I in proper order. They are delivered from the said channel and
distributed to it in the same way as the wedges P with respect to its channel.
All the above described wedges must be of the same width as the matrices.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed we desire to state that
we are aware that it has been proposed to use spacer bars consisting of double
wedges in reverse relation to each other to be employed by first inserting their
thicker ends in the line and then after withdrawing them to the required extent
and we make no claim to the general use of such bars or wedges for the purpose
of spacing and justifying type but we claim :-
1. In combination with a composing mechanism, two uuconnected series of
wedges tapered in opposite directions, and finger key mechanisms for composing
them in pairs into the assembling block, those of each pair in contact, substantially
as shewn and described.
2. In combination with a mould and means for supplying the same with molten
metal, a series of matrices, a series of wedges, a series of wedges unconnected with
the former and tapered in the opposite direction, and finger key mechanism for
composing the selected matrices, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In combination with a series of composing mechanisms, two series of uncon-
nected wedges tapered in opposite directions, a finger key, and escapement and
releasing mechanism to discharge a wedge of one series as the said key is depressed
and one of the other series, as it is let go, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
4. The combination of a series of matrices, two series of unconnected and
oppositely tapered wedges, a composing mechanism by which the matrices and
wedges may be composed in line, a mould to which the assembled line is presented,
and a distributing mechanism whereby the matrices and wedges are severally
returned to their respective magazine or receptacle, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Jha 1806
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.