IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING PRINTING TYPES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Mason, Machinist, of No. 14, Cross Street
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING PRINTING TYPES."
Sealed the 25th January 1878, and dated the 4th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Mason at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th August 1877.
THOMAS MASON, Machinist, of No. 14, Cross Street, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING PRINTING
TYPES."
A table having a slide in it fitted to travel forwards and backwards; on the slide
is fitted two files or other cutting substances, with grooves or depressions made in
them, said files being placed horizontally one over the other, with the grooves
opposite each other, the upper side of the under file being flush with the table.
Levers are inserted between the files at one or both ends which, when acted upon,
raises the top pile and allows the assorted types to be pushed in between the bevels
round the heads of the types sliding into the grooves of the files. The types are
guided through the files by two strips of steel passed between, but not touching the
files, and fixed diagonally on the table. At the end of these strips or guides is the
"setter," a small wheel with a notch filed in it, the rocking action of which "sets"
the types up ready for dressing. When the slide carrying the two files is propelled
forward, the levers are released, and the files close on to the types, thereby effecting
what is known as "rubbing" them on both sides at the same time. As the slide
returns the top file is again raised by the levers. Another line of unrubbed types
is fed in and the "rubbed" types presses to the " setter," in the notch of which
they are caught, and delivered on to the table or "setting-up" stick ready to be
dressed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Mason in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd February
1878.
THOMAS MASON, Machinist, of No. 14, Cross Street, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING PRINTING
TYPES."
This Invention consists of a table having a slide in it, fitted to travel forwards
and backwards; on the slide is fitted two files or other cutting substances, with
grooves or depressions made in them, said files being placed horizontally one over
the other, with the grooves opposite each other, the upper side of the under file
being flush with the table. Levers are inserted between the files at one or both
ends, which, when acted on, raises the top file, and allows the assorted types to be
pushed in between the bevels round the heads of the types, sliding into the grooves
of the files. The types are guided through the files by two strips of steel passed
between, but not touching the files, and fixed diagonally on the table. At the ends
of these strips or guides is the "setter," a small wheel with a notch filed in it, the
rocking action of which "sets" the types up ready for dressing. When the slide
carrying the two files is propelled forward the levers are released, and the files close
on to the types, thereby effecting what is known as "rubbing" them on both sides
at the same time. As the slide returns, the top file is again raised by the levers,
another line of unrubbed types is fed in, and the "rubbed" types passes to the
setter," in the notch of which they are caught, and delivered on to the table or
setting-up" stick ready to be dressed.
"
And in order that this my Invention may be properly understood, I will
proceed to describe the same with reference to the annexed Drawings.
Figures & 5, emarged views of
Scuter, arm, and C
Figure 6, plan view of a file or cutter.
Figure 7, plan of part of table shewn at an angle with the "knots" on the types,
overlapping each other.
Figure 8, another form of slide.
a, a, is an iron frame, to which the various parts herein-after named are attached; :
on the higher part of the frame is a table b, with groove b¹ running from right to
left, into which the rough types b² are assorted ready to be fed into the first pair of
files or cutters C, C', the table b is attached to and swings on the frame a at the
pivot 3, so that the groove b' can be placed at any angle to the files c, c¹; d, d¹, are
slides travelling to and fro, on to which the files C, C1, C2, C3, are fitted; e, e, are
guides running through but not touching the files, between which the types are fed
into the files and kept in line while being operated on; f is an incline down which
the types fall on to the "setter;" g is a fence fixed to and parallel with the incline
f, and when adjusted, prevents the "setter" f' removing more than one type at a
time from the bottom of the incline; f¹ is a wheel moving easily on a centre pin,
with a notch or recess f2 in its periphery forming a right angle with the incline f;
under the recess is a coned hole f³ in which the point of the rocking arm works,
and when moved sets the type in a vertical position; h, h, are levers, which, when
acted on by the inclined pieces h¹, h¹, opens the files to allow the rough types to be
fed in; i is a taperg revolving cutter running on centres for hollowing out the foot
of the types, driven by a band from the crank or shaft; i¹ is a spring, the flat face
of which, bearing on the types, keeps them level during the hollowing out of the
foot; jis the arm, which, moving on the centre pin with the point in the coned

page_text: hole f³, rocks the "setter" fl; another form of setter f' is shown on the top of
the arm in Figs. 4 and 5, which are enlarged views of "setter" and cam; it is
adjustable by the screw fo, which, with the spiral spring f6, raises or lowers it to
suit larger or smaller sized types, the tooth %, sliding in the slot k², is brought
forwards or backwards in contact with the teeth on the "setter" cam k2 by the
screw. The "setter cam k² has teeth upon its face for varying in conjunction
with the arm j, the speed of the "setting-up," and also regulates according to its
position on the shaft b the throw of the "setter;" the different sets of teeth are
numbered 1, 2, and 3.
"
Fig. 6 is a plan of a file or cutter, the groove B* across receives the "knots" or
bevels of the types, and the surface or body of the same lies flat on the file; 65 are
adjusting screws for levelling and setting the files.
The movements are communicated to the slide d by an eccentric and strap
attached to an arm m to the slide d', by a cam m³ and arm m², with a spiral spring m³
to return it and the "setter" by a cam before mentioned, all on the shaft,
running under the frame in bearings at each end, and driven by hand, foot, or
other power.
The files or other cutting materials made in a circular form, and revolving in
horizontal positions may be used, as shown by dotted lines at A, Figs. 1 and 2.
I prefer the types being assorted in _ shaped sticks (end view), and the full
sticks placed in the groove b¹, one after the other, as they are emptied.
Figure 8 is another form of the slide d, showing the top file c pivoted on the
pin d², by which arrangement the pressure of the files on the types is eased as the
slide returns.
I will now describe the operations of my type-finishing machine.
The rough types 62 are set up on their sides with the faces all one way, and
placed in the groove b¹, the "knots" on letters such as b, d, f, h, i, k, l, usually
project over the body of the type, and prevents them when set up on their sides
from closing together, but by laping the knots over each other they close, forming
a diagonal line easily moved in the groove b¹, as shewn in Fig. 7; letters such
as a, c, e, o, r, s, having no "knot" body-ways do not require the groove b¹ placed
at an angle. Guage types 66 are placed between the " rubbing" files c, c², and
dressing files C2, C3, at each end, which, with the adjusting screws 65, regulate the
space between the files into which the types are fed, guided by the strips c, e, the
"knots "sliding into the groove of the files. The top files are kept in position
by the covers d². The tooth k¹ in the rocking arm is brought into contact with
the set of teeth on the cam k², suitable to the size of the types to be finished (for
example, if the files are an inch wide, and pica the size of the types to be done,
No. 1 set is brought into action; if nonpareil is the size, No. 3 set), and the fence g
adjusted. The machine being now started, the slide d carrying the files c, c¹,
moves forward the lever h, which raised the top file to admit the rough types, is
released, and the spring n bearing on the top file presses it on to the rough types,
which are thus filed on both sides at the same time, until they are reduced to the
size of the guage types b, 6º. As the files come back to the starting point the
inclined piece acts on the end of the lever h, which again raises the top file, and
the rough types that are again fed into the files pushes the rubbed types between
the fence and incline f, down which they fall into the notch on the oscillating
"setter" wheel f1, which, when acted on by the arm j and cam k², forces the
bottom type up over the curve f", setting them in line in the usual vertical
position for dressing into the dressing files c, c³. The action of the dressing
files c², c, is similar to the rubbing files c, c¹; they are timed to stop until the
number of types (given by the teeth on the cam k²) is moved into them by the
'setter," and on moving forward reduce the types body ways similarly to the rubbing
files; in returning to their starting point the top file is raised by the
lever ; the fresh types moved in, pushes the dressed ones into contact with the
tapering revolving cutter i, which hollows out the foot, and pass from between the
guides e, e, on to the table or stick placed to receive them.

page_text: Having thus described the nature and object of my said Invention and the
manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I would observe in
conclusion that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein given, as I may
have modifications thereof without departing from the principles of my said
Invention; also, though by my peculiar combination and arrangement I can perform
the three operations of rubbing, setting-up, and dressing the type at one time, I may
in some cases use one or more of the several operations, either together or separately,
and that what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The general arrangement and combination of parts forming the improve-
ments in the machinery for manufacturing printing types, substantially as
herein-before described, and shewn on Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
2nd. The novel and peculiar form of the files or cutters and the opening
of the same to receive fresh type as herein-before described, and shewn on the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Mason, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.