A NEW OR IMPROVED APParatus FOR PUTTING STEREOTYPED LINE STRIPS IN COLUMN OR PAGE FORM AND JUSTIFYING AND SECURING THE SAME
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Merritt Henry Dement of 90 Cannon Street in the city
of London, gentleman for an Invention of “ A NEW OR IMPROVED APParatus
FOR PUTTING STEREOTYPED LINE STRIPS IN COLUMN OR PAGE FORM AND
JUSTIFYING AND SECURING THE SAME
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Merritt Henry Dement at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1883.
MERRITT HENRY DEMENT of 90, Cannon Street, London, Gentleman A NEW.
OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PUTTING STEREOTYPED LINE STRIPS IN COLUMN
OR PAGE FORM AND JUSTIFYING AND SECURING THE SAME
My improvement relates to the art of printing, and more especially to that
branch of the art wherein type indentations are made in strips which are after-
wards stereotyped in the form of metallic bars with type surfaces raised upon one
edge thereof; and it consists, generally, of an apparatus by means of which the
type bars may be broken in pieces of any desired length, and put in page or
column form, to be printed from, or again stereotyped.
I first provide a mechanism for holding the bar which is being justified and also
a bar which contains the corrections to be inserted; which mechanism consists of
two parallel shelves, which are capable of sliding laterally so as to bring either bar
in position. The shelves are secured to a plate which rests upon two transverso
bars, which in turn slide in slots cut in four posts secured to the table; to
facilitate the action of sliding, a small wheel, upon which the transverse bar rides,
is jourṇalled in the lower portion of each slot. The plate is so arranged that the
posts serve as guides in its shifting movement; when it rests against the two
upper posts, the lower type bar (which is the correction bar) will be in position to
be run out and broken; and when it rests against the two lower posts, the upper
type bar will be in position.
:
3
The shifting is accomplished by means of a bell crank lever;
the upper end of

page_text: the perpendicular arm connecting with a pin secured to a shoulder on the under
side of the plate, and the horizontal arm connecting by a chain or bar with a
pedal. By depressing the pedal, the lever throws the plate forward against the
two upper posts, and brings the lower type bar in position. A spring secured to
the table and connecting with the horizontal lever arm, serves, when the pedal is
released, to throw the plate back against the two lower posts, when the upper type
bar will be in position.
To the right of the plate is placed a fixed block, having cut transversely through
its upper surface a groove corresponding in shape & size to the type bar; which
block serves to hold the type bar in position while it is being cut or broken, one
side of the groove operating as one arin of a pair of scissors, the knife serving as
the other.
The knife is secured by a strong bolt to the side of the block; a horizontal arm
extending under the table being connected with a second pedal, so that when the
pedal is depressed, the knife is brought against the type bar with sufficient force
to break or cut the bar. The type bar is slided by the Operators fingers into
position to be broken at the desired point.
To hold the piece or pieces of type bar which may be broken off, a plate with
a single shelf similar in form to the shelves already described, is placed to the
right of the block, one end resting upon a support secured to the table and the
other being pivottod to the chase frame. The end next the knife is made capable
of moving with the knife as the momentum of the latter carries it past the cutting
point. A spring resting against a shoulder on the upper end of the support serves
to crowd the shelf back against a pin at the lower end of the support, which pin
is so situated that the shelf will then be in position. Inasmuch as there will
frequently be cut a piece of type bar as long as a line, this shelf should be long
enough to hold it, without its protruding into the chase, as the momentum of the
knife in the act of breaking might bond the end of the type bar which would
protrude into the chase.
The chase or justifying form consists of a series of adjustable or moveable bars,
between which the type bars are run in lines and which serve as supports therefor.
These supports may be secured in a variety of ways. I prefer to arrange them as
shown viz by making them sufficiently high to admit of their being strung upon
two parallel rods (or their equivalent), which penetrate them underneath the type
bars, and upon which they are arranged to slide so as to permit their being
separated sufficiently to allow the type bars to be readily slided between them; to
permit their being tightly pressed together, so as to hold the type bars rigidly in
place while being printed from; and also to permit their being then spread apart
so that the type bars may be readily removed after use.
The parallel rods upon which the supports ride, rest at each end in a fixed block,
which blocks are secured to a base plate. Upon the parallel bars at one end of the
plate and inside of and next to one of the fixed blocks, is placed a moveable
adjustable block, in which the end of a screw, which works in a worm in the fixed
block at that end, is secured, and by means of which screw the supports are pressed
together or loosened, as the case may be.
The forward side of the upper half of each support is cut away or recessed
slightly less than the thickness of the type bars so that when the type bar is run
in, it will slightly overhang the lower half of the support, and when the supports
are compressed the pressure will come upon the type bar instead of the lower or
wide half of the support, and the bar thus be held rigidly in place. The widened
edge at the top of the bars will extend over and cover the narrowed edge at the
top and rear side of the support.
For the purpose of admitting cams or cogs to hold the supports apart while the
type bars are being put in place, the lower portion of each support at the ends is
also recessed or cut away for a short distance. The remaining portion of the lower
half of the supports in the centre thereof longitudinally, which is left wide, serves
to hold the supports apart sufficiently to admit the cogs. Or, the supports may bo

page_text: described as consisting of bars of the same thickness as, or narrower than, the
shelf on the type bars, with means for holding them sufficiently apart to permit the
ready entrance of the cams for pressing them into position. In this form the type
bars would rest upon the tops of the supports instead of upon the chair seat, as
described elsewhere.
A spring of suitable strength is placed between this moveable adjustable block
or the fixed block at the other end, and the first support, and operates to press the
supports upward, so that each in its order will be in position to be operated upon,
as hereinafter described, by the cams or cogs, and yet leave room between the
fixed block at one end and the moveable adjustable block at the other, for the
insertion of the cams or cogs..
This spring may be so made as to be removed prior to the squeezing together of
the bars and supports
The Mechanism thus described is secured to a board or platform, the front side
of which rests upon the front side of a table the rear side being elevated at an
angle of about thirty degrees, as a matter of convenience to the Operator.
The means which I have invented to bring the supports in position one after the
other, and for holding them apart so that the type bars may be readily run in,
constitute one of the principal features of my improvement. It will be seen that
it is necessary to have the supports come and remain rigidly in position one after
the other at the right of the shelf which receives the typo bars after they are cut;
so that the bars may be run in; also, to have the support next forward kept at
such distance that there will be room to readily run the type bars in place; also
means for moving up the Chase, line by line as the lines are filled; also to release
the chase so that it may be moved backward in case of making corrections; also
means for compressing the bars and supports together so that the bars may not be
displaced in handling or printing; and ineans for relieving the pressure so that the
bars may be readily removed after use.
I accomplish some of these objects by the use in combination with the moveable
or adjustable supports of a series of cogs or cams which serve to spread the supports
apart an uniform distance, and to hold them rigidly in position; and which may
be readily removed so that the supports may be compressed. These cogs or cams
may be applied in various forms; for instance, in the form of cog wheels, or cam
chains, or a series of cams secured to a flexible strip.
In the first form the Chase should be made to ride upon a carriage or rack
which slides in grooves formed on the inner sides of parallel ridges on a cast iron
plate. This carriage or rack consists of a square frame fitted to the grooves at the
sides and provided with supports or guides at the lower end, against which the
chase is placed. Two wheels are journalled, one on each side of the chase, and
provided on their peripheries with cogs of a length to press the supports the proper
distance apart and with spaces between the cogs formed to receive the narrowed
ends of the lower portion of the supports, and thus hold them rigidly in position.
The wheels are so placed that as they revolve, the cogs, as they come on the
operating side of the wheels, will press in between the supports the proper distance
to hold two or more of them at a time; for instance, to hold the support to be
used, rigidly in position, and to hold the preceding one out of the way; the
succeeding cogs, in their turn, catching between the succeeding supports, until all
the lines are filled. The cogs should be bevelled to a point so that they will more
readily catch between the supports, especially when the supports may be slightly
out of position; and there should be square shoulders between the cogs so as to
hold the ends of the supports more firmly. The rack is provided with cogs on the
sides to receive the cogs on the wheels, the cam wheels being made sufliciently
thick to operate upon both the supports and the cog-rack at once. This insures
uniformity of action of the cog wheels.
The plate which forms the base of the chase may be cut away at the sides, so
as to be embedded in the cog rack; and permit the lower portions of the ends of
the supports to rest upon the sides of the cog rack; the cogs in the wheel

page_text: corresponding in sizo and relative position with the cogs in the cog rack. Thus
the lower portion of the cog wheel will operate in the cogs in the carriage and the
upper portion will operate upon the supports, and force them into position, or, the
wheel may be formed of two parts the lower portion operating in the cog rack and
the upper portion upon the supports. The ends of the supports should project!
over the cogs in the cog rack sufficiently to permit the ends of the supports to be
caught by the square openings or shoulders between the cogs on the wheels ;
while the cogs in the rack need penetrate no deeper than is necessary to operate
upon the cogs on the wheels.
The cog rack may be moved forward by the hand of the Operator. The move-
ment may be regulated in any suitable manner. I prefer to have a series of
notches upon a bar fixed longitudinally in the centre of the bottom plate; and to
attach to the end of the cog Rack a simple drop catch with a spring pressing the
catch down and pressing the lower end into the notches successively. The notches
should be so regulated as that thoy will correspond with the supports as they are
operated upon by the cogs; or in other words so that each notch will hold the
rack at the proper place to bring a support into position to receive the type bar.
To do this they should correspond in distance apart with the Cogs on the wheels,
so that, as the rack is advanced one notch, a cog brings the next support in
.position.
The object of connecting the rack with the cog wheels, is to provide a means by
which the latter will move in unison, and by which they may force the chase
forward. If the wheels operated simply upon the supports, they might not always
act in unison; and one end of a line or support might not be even with the other.
Instead of the cog rack, the wheels may be connected by intermeshing gear
wheels, or equivalent mechanism, underneath & substantially the same results be
accomplished.
A rack is also used in connection with the chase, because a number of chases are
required; and by having the rack provided with the cogs, and also with a drop
catch, it saves making each chase with those appliances. Besides, a single rack
can be more easily adapted to move. readily & freely in the grooves than could a
number of Chases.
The cog wheels may be used in a slightly different form, and perhaps with
equally good results, although the mechanism is somewhat more complicated. In
this form, on the under side of each wheel, in a circle, are placed a series of cogs,
corresponding in number and location with the cams
Operating in connection with these Cogs are two catches, one for each wheel,
which serve as stops, and are so situated that when they catch in the cogs, the
cogs then operating between the supports will hold them in position for running
the type bars in. These catches are formed upon the bent ends of a bar which lies
in a lateral horizontal position under the chase, and which is pressed upward so as
to hold the catches against the cogs, by means of a coil spring resting in a socket
in the casting underneath the chase; a bolt passing through the coil spring and
socket, is secured underneath the socket by means of a nut or pin.
The Chase is moved upward line by line by means of two catch levers or pawls,
one operating on the cogs in the under side of the outer rim of each wheel. By
pulling backward or downward on the outer rims of the wheels these levers or
pawls give a corresponding forward or upward movement to the inner rims of the
wheels, and the Chase is thus moved forward or upward. These catch levers or
pawls are held against the cogs by any suitable spring device; the one shown being
a bar similar to the one above described for the stops or catches, with bent ends,
which are caused to press upward against the levers by means of coil springs, one
near each end of the bar, the lower portion of each spring resting against the head
of a screw, the other or upper end of which is secured to the underside of the cast
iron frame, and the upper portion of the spring pressing against the bar.
The catch levers or pawls are pivotted to horizontal bars resting on the cast iron
frame and pivotted to it, the inner ends meeting and overlapping cach other under

page_text: the centre of the chase, and being slotted so as to admit a pin to connect them
with a hand lever, which, when operated, presses the inner ends of the bara
upward or forward, thus pulling the catch levers backward, and turning the wheels
one notch. The movement of the hand lever is regulated by a stop, and it is
returned to position by means of a spring, as shown.
For the purpose of releasing the four catches to permit a back ward movement of
the chase, the two horizontal bars which operate the catches, and which lie under-
neath the frame, are pressed down by means of a second lever, which overlies the
two bars, and the inner end of which is pivotted to a support underneath; so that
by pressing upon the outer end of the lever, the two bars, and the two inner
catches are forced downward, while the two catch levers or pawls are left free to
fall of their own weight. The wheels are thus left free to move backward.
A further modification of iny Invention consists in another method of holding
the supports in position and apart while the type bars are put in place, and
permitting the supports to be compressed when the chase is filled. This method
consists of a series of cams upon a strip of flexible material, or in a chain form,
which cams are forced seriatim in between the supports, by passing the chase
between two wheels, or by any suitable means; thus holding the supports in place
and apart; and which strip or chain may be readily removed to permit the supports
to be compressed. These cams should be similar in size and form to those described
upon the cam wheels. They may also be used in the form of two endless chains,
between which the chase passes, rigid plates on each side of the chase serving as a
backing to the chains to press and hold the cams in position; the chains at the
ends passing around wheels, substantially as shown.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a
perspective of the chase and carriage or cog rack, one end of the former being
elevated. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Chase. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cog
rack or carriage. Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows detail views of a
line support. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of part of Fig. 8, showing four supports;
and manner of arrangement on parallel rods z. Fig. 8 is a perspective of a portion
of the chase and carriage, with cog wheel K disconnected. Fig. 9 is a plan view
of swinging receiving shelf support I, knife c, and portions of Block N and cog
wheel K. Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing arrangement of sliding shelves and
mechanism for sliding the same. Fig. 11 is a sectional view, showing arrangement
of knife and mechanism for operating saine. Fig. 12 is a plan view of a modifi-
cation of my invention, showing mechanism for operating the cog wheels. Fig. 13
is a plan view of a central portion of plate D, with chase removed. Fig. 14 is an
end view of modification, showing side view of plate D. Fig. 15 is a sectional
view of plate D, showing operation of lever g in ungearing stops to permit the
sliding back of the chase. Fig. 16 is a plan view of plate D showing a modification
of my improvement with cams in the form of endless chains. Fig. 17 is a plan
view of plate D, showing a second modification thereof with cams on flexible strips.
Fig. 18 shows attachment of a spring for holding end of flexible strip. Fig. 19
shows detailed views of cam chain, and Fig. 20 is a sectional view of flexible strip
with cains, showing manner of attachment. A is the table; B the board or plate
upon which the apparatus is secured, the rear side being elevated by means of
supports G, to obviate the necessity of the Operator's stooping. C is the plate to
which are secured the slotted posts or supports, J. containing small wheels a' a', on
which ride the bars a which in turn support the plate F, which carries the shelves
W. W. and guards X X. The guards XX. serve to hold the type bars from falling
off the shelves W. W. N is the grooved block which holds the type bar while it is
being cut or broken by the knife C. L is the receiving shelf, one end being
pivotted to the plate V, the other resting and arranged to slide on the support I;
the spring M holding it when at rest in position against the pin b.
D is a cast iron plate secured to the plate B by supports HH, and provided
with two parallel ridges Q. Q, grooved on the inner edges to receive the cog rack
or carriage. R¹ is the base plate of the Chase or justifying form on which are

page_text: arranged the line supports Y, secured to the base plate R, by means of two parallel
rods z. z, which pass loosely through the supports, as shewn in figures 7 and 8;
and the ends of which rest in fixed blocks y and T, which are secured solidly to
the base plate. These supports are arranged to slide on the parallel rods, the
Bliding being regulated by the screw S in the plate T pressing against the moveable
plate U. P is a Spring catch which operates in the Cogs O, to hold the rack at
any desired point as the rack is moved forward or backward by the hand of the
operator. U is the spring which crowds the supports up into position to be
operated upon by the cogs or cams.
K. K. are the cog wheels which operate in the Cogs Z in the cog rack R, and the
cogs of which also serve as cams to press the line supports Y into position. Y. Y.
represents the line supports, Y' being the wide portion which serves as a support
for the type bars, and also to hold the support away from the next support, so as
to admit the cogs to press them apart; Y is the opening at the ends in which the
cogs or cams operate; Y are holes to receive the parallel supporting rods z. F¹ is
a shoulder on the under side of the plate F to which is secured a pin working in
the slot in the upper end of the bell crank F". A' is a rod connecting the bell
crank F with any ordinary pedal (not shown); the spring F1 serving to throw
the bell crank back to position when the pedal is released. is a rod connecting
another pedal (not shown) with the arm c¹ by means of which the knife is
operated. The spring c" serves to throw the knife back to position when the
pedal is released.
In the modification, the construction and operation is as follows; k is a bar with
arm extending downward in the socket u, and provided with nut v at the lower
end, and having on its ends catches r. r., which operato in the cogs g on the
under side of the wheels K. K., to hold the wheels from a backward motion. The
spring t serves to press the catches r. r. against the wheels K. K.
d. d. are catch levers or pawls pivotted on the ends of bars e. c., which are in
turn pivotted under the guides Q. Q. The bars e. c. are slotted at the inner ends to
receive the pin on the upper end of the lever f. This lever is pivotted at i, and
held in resting position by a spring h. By pulling backwards on the outer end of
the lever the slotted ends of the bars c. c. are pressed upward or forward, and
the outer ends and the catch levers d. d. are forced backward, thus causing a
partial revolution of the cog wheels K. K., and the consequent forward movement
of the chase to the next line. The bar o rests upon the springs p. p., which are
guided & supported by the headed rods passing through them, which are rigidly
attached to the under side of the plate D. The plates 8. 8. operate to press the catch
levers or pawls d. d. against the wheels K K, so as to catch in the cogs q. g is a
hand lever pivotted to support n, and resting upon the bar o and nut v; and so
arranged that when it is depressed it also depresses the nut vand bar k, releasing
the catches r. r., and also depresses the bar o, leaving the catch levers or pawls d. d.
free to drop of their own weight, thus permitting the free backward sliding of tho
chase and carriage.
K' in Fig. 16 are wheels at the ends of plates D' around which the cam
chain K", passes, the said plates forming a rigid backing for the cam chains or
strips when the chase and carriago are pressed into position between the said cam
chains or strips, as shown in Fig. 16.
In Fig. 17 K are wheels which operate to crowd the cams on the flexible
strip K in between the line supports Y.
The front end of the detachable cam strip Kis first pressed under the
springs S¹S at the front end of the chase; and the chase is then pressed in
between the loose rollers K', which said rollers force the cam teeth into position,
as the plate is pressed forward; thus properly placing the line supports, as herein
before described. The rear ends of the cam strips are pressed under the Spring S¹,
at the rear end of the chase, by the said rollers, and held rigidly in position. It is
obvious that with the two ends of the strip thus rigidly secured the middle teeth
of the strip inust retain their position between the line supports, and cause them

page_text: in turn to retain their relative positions, until secured or locked in place by means
of the thumb screw S, the flexible strip being first removed.
Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, & desire to
secure by lotters patent, are:-
1. The combination of the sliding shelves W. W, grooved block N, knifo o, and
receiving shelf L, substantially as and for the purposes shown & described
2. The combination of the sliding shelves W. W., a pedal, guide posts I. I. and
grooved block N, substantially as and for the purposes shown & described.
3. The combination of the sliding shelves W. W., grooved block N, knife c,
receiving shelf L and a chase or justifying form, substantially as and for the
purposes shown & described.
4. The combination of the sliding shelves W. W. grooved block N, knife c,
swinging shelf L, chase with moveable line supports Y and means for adjusting
the supports, substantially as & for the purposes shown & described.
5. In a printer's chase or justifying apparatus, the combination of the series of
adjustable moveable line supports, with menus for securing and compressing the
same, substantially as shown & described.
6. The combination of the series of moveable line supports Y, and means
substantially as described for securing the same to a support, with cams or cogs
by means of which they are held in position, substantially as and for the purposes
shown & described.
7. In an apparatus for putting type bars in page or column form, a series of
moveable or adjustable supports, in combination with cams or cogs, by means of
which the supports are held in position, and which cams or cogs are readily
removable to permit the supports to be compressed, with means for compressing
the type bars & supports together, substantially as shown & described.
8. The combination of the serios of moveable line supports Y, and means
substantially as described for securing the same to a support, with the cog
wheels K. K., substantially as & for the purposes shown and described.
9. The series of moveable supports recessed so as to admit the type bars, and so
that when compressed together the pressure will come upon the type bars and
hold them rigidly in position, with means for compressing the same, substantially
as shown & described.
10. The combination of the supports Y, rods z. c, and blocks T and y, and
means for compressing the supports, substantially as & for the purposes shown
& described.
11. The combination of the chase, cam wheels K. K, catches r. r., catch
levers d. d. and lever f, substantially as & for the purposes shown & described.
12. The wheels K. K. catches r. r. and catch levers d. d, and springs, in
combination, with the lever g substantially as and for the purposes showD
& described.
In witness whereof I, the said Merritt Henry Dement have hereunto set
my hand and scal this thirty first day of July in the year of Our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred & eighty throa