Improvements in Mechanism for Casting Curved Linotypes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left. 15th Anc 1807 Accepted
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22nd ou
1007
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Casting Curved Linotypes.
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Sole Manufacturers, Licensors and Vendors under the "Linotype" Patents
and FERDINAND JOHN WICH of No. 11 Hulme Street, Oxford Road, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
In a linotype machine, and particularly in the well known Mergenthaler linotype
machine, the composed line of matrices and space bars is held by a pair of bars, one
along the front and the other along the rear face of it, before and up to the mould.
The ends of the line are held between a pair of vice jaws. So long as the contacting
faces of the mould line, and front bar of the yoke, are straight, the cast linotype must
also be straight. The present invention relates to improvements,in mechanism for
casting curved linotypes, such as are required to stand on a cylinder with their lengths
at right angles with the axis thereof.
In carrying the invention into effect, the rear face of the front bar above mentioned,
has an arcual cavity formed in it and lengthwise of it. The radius of this cavity is
that of the smallest cylinder on which linotypes are likely to be used. Across this
cavity there stretches an elastic plate which, resting upon the straight portions of the
plate, bridges the cavity, and presents, until it is bent, the usual straight face, to the
composed line. The elastic plate is held to the front plate by screws or any other
suitable device. A portion of this device is of a yielding character, for instance, fixed
screws standing in slots in the elastic plate, so as to allow of a slight motion on the
part of the plate. There is provided in the fixed plate in front of the cavity, and
preferably immediately opposite its centre, an adjustable device adapted to limit the
distance to which the elastic plate can be forced into the cavity by pressure from
the rear exerted upon its rear face. A line of backing up screws may be used for the
purpose.
Both front and rear faces of the block in which the mould cavity is formed, are bent
to the required arc. This block is preferably, detachable, so as to be substituted by
another of another radius or by a straight one.
The lips of the mouth of the delivery spout of the metal pot are also curved to the
required arc.
The necessary modification in the mounting of the knife for trimming the concave
foot of the curved linotype is as follows. The knife is adapted to slide to and from
the said foot. In the Mergenthaler linotype machine the mould block is carried by
a vertical wheel revolving about a horizontal axis. A spring behind the knife keeps
its cutting edge up to the rear face of the wheel, that is to say, in the plane of the
rimmed foot. As the concave face of the mould block comes along, the spring
nakes the cutting edge follow it whereby the foot is trimmed truly to the required
rc. The knife is provided with a suitable surface outside its cutting edge proper,
o engage with the rear face of the mould block.
The adjustable device above mentioned is set to limit the motion of the elastic
late, according to the desired shape of the linotype, and a mould block and pot
nouth of the desired shape mounted to correspond.
Dated this 19th day of June 1896
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Mechanism for C
We, THE LINOTYPE COMPANY, LIMITED, of No. 188 Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Sole Owners of and Sole Manufacturers, Licensors and Vendors under, the
"Linotype" Patents, and FERDINAND JOHN WICH of No. 11 Hulme Street, Oxford
Road, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, 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 improvements in mechanism for casting curved
linotypes. A linotype is a moveable printing bar of a determined length according
to the width of the column or page in the printing of which it is to be used, having
the type on its edge duly spaced and justified and at the same time, incorporate
with the body. Linotypes are, practically known in this country only as the product
of the Mergenthaler linotype machine. This will be found fully described in the
Specification of Letters Patent 145821890. The present invention is applicable to
all linotype machines in which the selected matrices and space bars, composed into
a line, is held in front of a mould having a metal injecting pump on the other
side. It has, however, been conceived and developed with special reference to the
Mergenthaler linotype machine above mentioned; and for that reason as well as
because that machine is the only one in practical use in this country, its application
thereto has been selected for illustration and detailed description.
In the same machine, when the composed line of matrices and space bars are
in the casting position, it is supported between a pair of bars, one along the front
and the other along the rear face of it. These hold it between a fixed abutment
on the front face of it and the mould cavity in a part known as a mould wheel on
the rear side of it. The ends of the said line are held between the two jaws of a
vice which cramps it lengthwise. Behind the mould wheel, there is a metal pot,
the delivery mouth of which fits up to the rear face of the mould, and a metal
injecting pump. Hitherto, the Mergenthaler linotype machine has been made and
sold in this country with straight supporting bars, straight mould, delivery pot
mouth, and straight composed line, a combination which yields straight linotypes.
It is obvious that straight linotypes cannot be held to the surface of a printing
machine cylinder unless they stand thereon parallel with the axis of the cylinder.
If they are required to stand transversely thereon, that is with their lengths at right
angles with the said axis, they must be curved to corresponding radii along both their
feet and their printing edges. The front and rear faces of the mould as well as the
delivery mouth of the metal pot, and the mechanism for trimming the foot of the
linotype, must be modified accordingly.
The present invention consists therefore in the combination with the supporting
bars, the mould and the mouth of the delivery pot, of improved means by which curved
operative faces of the desired radii are substituted for the hitherto straight ones,
respectively. It further includes means by which the said curved operative faces may
be replaced by straight ones, respectively.
Referring to the accompanying figures which are to be taken as part of this
specification and read therewith:
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the vice frame, transporter, mould
wheel and metal pot looking at the machine from the right hand side.
Figure 2 is a plan partly in section corresponding with Figure 1 excepting as to the
position of the metal pot.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the improved mouth piece of the metal pot.

page_text: Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is an elevation of a curved printing bar.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of a curved mould block.
Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the improved top of the elevator.
Figure 9 is an inverted plan corresponding with Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a rear elevation of the improved mould wheel and one mould block.
Figure 11 is a plan of the improved trimming knife for the foot of a printing bar,
looking at it in the direction of the arrow in Figure 12.
Figure 12 is a section taken along the line 12-12 of Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a section taken along the line 13-13 of Figure 11, looking at it in the
direction of the arrow..
The above mentioned composed line of matrices and space bars is represented in
Figures 1 and 2 by matrices Y. y', y' are the shoulders or lugs by which they hang
from the two bars N', N. These latter are horizontal, parallel with each other and
stand wide enough apart to receive the composed line between them. They them-
selves are held to and hung from, a frame N adapted to slide with a reciprocating
vertical motion in suitable guides in the front of the main frame A of the machine.
These three parts, bars N1, N2 and frame N, are referred to in the specification of the
Letters Patent above mentioned as the "yoke N." Throughout this specification the
term "transporter" is substituted for "yoke." Each bar N1, N2, is provided with
an antoniatic latch n20 adapted to rise as the composed line is delivered into
the transporter and to close behind it after it has been so delivered. The front
plate N' is continued downwards below the bottom edge of the rear plate N² for a
distance equal to nearly the entire depth of a matrix Y.
Hitherto the rear face of the front plate N' has been, like the opposite or front
face of its fellow plate N2, rigid. The present invention requires that it be capable
of being replaced at will by a surface that is curved in the direction of the length of
the composed line, to a radius corresponding to that of the cylinder of the printing
machine, above mentioned, and further that the said curved surface be capable of
being replaced at will by another of a different radius or by a straight one, each of
such surfaces being perfectly rigid in its respective working position. This requisition
of the capacity for a double replacement extends also to the mould and the delivery
mouth of the melting pot.
The above described capacity of replacement is imparted to the said rear face by
means of the combination in and with it of and arcual cavity and an adjustable elastic
plate. N³ is the arcual cavity. It stands in the bar N¹ behind the composed line,
extending along the bar for the maximum length of the line and is (as shewn in
Figure 1) preferably, not wider than the distance between the top and bottom
shoulders or lugs y¹, y'. The radius of this cavity is that of the smallest cylinder for
which the machine is likely to be required to furnish linotypes. N' is the elastic
plate. The strains which it will be called on to resist and the degree of elasticity
which it must possess, point to spring steel of reliable quality as the proper material
for it. There is a suitable recess N in the rear face of the bar N' of the same size as
or not less than the plate N, and in which the latter fits flush with the said face of the
bar N¹. One end of the plate N is made fast to one end of the bar N¹, leaving the
adjacent portion of it to bridge the cavity N³ and the remainder to rest upon
the bar N on the other side of the said cavity.
The figures shew the end next to the mouth of the transporter as the fixed end, the
free end extending for a suitable distance along and within the rear face of the bar N'.
N are the screws by which the above mentioned fixed end of the plate N' is held to
the bar N. The remainder of the device by which the plate N is held to the
bar N', is of a yielding character adapted to allow of a slight motion of the respective
portion of the plate in the direction of its length, such as screws, No, passed into the
said bar on the opposite side of the arcual cavity N³, at suitable distances apart,
through elongated holes in the plate N, as shewn in Figure 8 from which some of

page_text: the screw heads have been omitted. There is preferably a fixed lining N° of both the
cavity N and the recess N'. The maximum curvature of which the plate. Ni
capable is, of course, one corresponding with the radius of the cavity N³. There is
provided in the fixed plate N' behind the cavity and preferably behind the centre or
maximum of it, an adjustable device adapted to limit the distance to which the plate N
can be forced back into the cavity N³ by pressure exerted on the rear face of the said
plate N
A line of backing up screws adjustable from the front face of the bar N¹, or
even a single screw N8, may be used for this purpose.
P is the fixed abutment standing immediately in front of the bar N¹. It is held to
the machine frame by vice screws p³, p. p¹, p² are the two vice jaws shewn as in
position for cramping the composed line between them. V is the metal pot and O, the
mould wheel. The pot V is supported on upright lugs pivotted by their bottom
ends (not shewn) to the main frame of the machine, so as to provide for its motion to
and from the casting position. In Figure 1, it is in the casting position: in Figure 2
it is waiting to be swung into it. The metal injecting pump is enclosed within the
casing of the metal pot, but its presence is indicated by a portion of its piston
rod v1.
According to the present invention, the straight delivery mouth in the intermediate
piece is retained, the combination (necessary in view of such retention) with it of a
removable curved one being provided for as follows. Along each edge of the inter-
mediate piece, there is a vertical ridge v which does not project to the front beyond
the plane thereof, in order that the latter may retain its capacity for fitting metal tight
up to a straight mould. is a slider undercut along both the bottom edges 8, 8, of
its rear face, whereby it can be held metal tight to the piece by sliding the said
edges over the respective ridges v. v is a convexity on the front face of the slider,
the said convexity being parallel with the concavity of the rear face of the plate N.
The arc of the convexity is not adjustable in respect of the radius of it as is that of
the plate N. For that reason, a separate slider v must be provided for each different
concavity which will be given to the said plate N4. The mould wheel O is in all
respects, save the one described further on with reference to the trimming mechanism,
including its capacity for rotation in a bearing o³, as heretofore. o is the mould cavity
in the mould block. This latter is detachable from the mould wheel O. It consists
of a top piece or cap plate o", a bottom piece o18 and two distance pieces or liners o¹³, o,
the four being held fast together by a screw at each end so as to frame the cavity o
between them. The mould block fits in a cavity o3 in the mould wheel O in order
that the delivery mouth of the metal pot V may reach it. It is held to the mould
wheel by screws passed through a flange o". According to the present invention, the
front and the rear faces of the mould block are curved to be respectively parallel with
the convexity. As neither of the said faces of the mould block are adjustable, being
in that respect like the convexity v, a separate mould block must be provided for
each different concavity which will be given to the plate N.
The improved trimming knife o2 is adapted to slide to and from the wheel O on a
bracket o springing from the bearing o³. 027 is a knife block adapted, to slide in a
double groove upon the said bracket in a direction parallel with the axis of the
wheel O. o is a finger projecting from the said block o" and so situated as to be
always in contact with the rear edge o29 of the rim of the mould wheel O, through an
antifriction roller os. 03 is a tail fast to and projecting from the opposite end of
the block o through a guide o springing from the bracket 02. 033 is a spiral spring
surrounding the tail o and compressed between the guide o32 and the knife block o27..
The outer end of the said tail is fitted with a screw threaded nut to regulate the degree
of compression in the spring 033. o is a concavity in the rear face of the mould
wheel O surrounding the rear face of the mould block on all sides. It is of a proper
radius to provide for the knife o gaining access to the rear face of the mould block
and parting company with it, easily and without jerking. 03 is a similar concavity in
the edge. The cutting edge of the improved trimming knife 26 is long enough
to ensure contact between some of it and every part of the foot of the linotype. The

page_text: knife itself is adjustably held to the knife block o" by screws 033 passed down into it
through slots in the said block.
The action of the invention is as follows.
The set screws or screw N8 are set to support the plate N parallel with the printing
edge of the curved linotypes to be cast, and the corresponding improved mould block
and delivery mouth are fixed in their respective positions. The mould wheel O and
the metal pot V are moved up into the casting position before the composed line is
cramped between the vice jaws pl, p. The front face of the mould block, therefore,
easily forces the said line backwards more or less throughout its length until it has
assumed the curve of the plate N'. If the latter is straight, the composed line
remains straight. During the rotary motion of the mould wheel O subsequent to
the cast, the resilience of the spring 3 keeping the roller o in close contact with the
rear edge o⁹ of the wheel rim, forces it down into the concavity o35, at the same time
taking the cutting edge of the knife o down into the concavity o3 and up to the rear
face of the mould block, with which it is held in contact throughout its length by the
pressure of the said spring 038. The said rear face of the mould block, therefore,
serves as a guide for the cut along the foot of the linotype, which is consequently made
parallel with the plate N*.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination in and with the front plate of the transporter or equivalent
organ of a linotype machine, of a rear face capable of being replaced at will by a
surface that is curved in the direction of the length of the composed line to a
radius corresponding with the required curvature of the linotype.
2. The combination in and with the front plate of the. transporter or equivalent
organ of a linotype machine, of a rear face capable of being replaced at will by a
surface that is curved in the direction of the length of the composed line to a radius
corresponding with the required curvature of the linotype and further capable of being
replaced at will by another of a different radius or by a straight one.
3. The combination in and with the front plate of the transporter or equivalent
organ of a linotype machine, of an arcual cavity and an adjustable, elastic plate
bridging the said cavity.
4. The combination in and with the front plate of the transporter or equivalent
organ of a linotype machine, of an arcual cavity; an adjustable elastic plate bridging
the said cavity; and an adjustable limiting or backing up device.
5. The herein before described combination with the straight delivery mouth of the
metal pot of a linotype machine, of a series of detachable curved delivery mouths.
6. The combination in a linotype machine, of an arcual cavity in the front plate
of the transporter or equivalent organ of the machine; an adjustable elastic plate
bridging the said cavity; and a detachable and changeable convex delivery mouth of
the metal pot.
7. The combination in a linotype machine, of a rear face of the front plate of the
transporter or equivalent part, capable of being replaced at will by a surface that is
curved in the direction of the length of the composed line to a radius corresponding
with the required curvature of the linotype and further capable of being replaced at
will by another of a different radius or by a straight one, with a straight delivery
mouth of the metal pot and a series of detachable and changeable convex delivery
mouths.
8. The combination in a linotype machine, of a series of detachable moulds of
different curvatures and a metal pot delivery mouth fitted with detachable convex
mouths of correspondingly different curvatures.
9. The combination in a linotype machine, of a rear face of the front plate of the
transporter, or equivalent organ, capable of being replaced at will by a surface that is
curved in the direction of the length of the composed line to a radius corresponding
with the required curvature of the linotype and further capable of being replaced by

page_text: another of a different radius or by a straight one; a series of detachable mould blocks
corresponding respectively as to conformation of operative surfaces with that of the
rear face above mentioned; and a metal pot delivery mouth capable of being straight
or curved to correspond with the rear face of any one of the series of mould blocks.
Dated this 15th day of Anril 1897
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.