Improvements in Linotype Matrices and in Apparatus for Making them.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1900-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Linotype Matrices and in Apparatus for
Making them.
We, WILLIAM HENRY LOCK, Manager and Secretary of The Linotype Company
Limited, of 188, Fleet Street, in the City of London, MARK BARR, WARWICK
JAMES LEWIS and GEORGE WILLIAM HUGHES, of The Linotype Works, Broad-
heath, in the County of Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to improvements in the matrices used in lino-
type machines and in the apparatus for applying such improvements to the
samie. The nature of it will be best understood from a description of it as
applied to the matrices of the well known Mergenthaler linotype machine.
Various attempts have been made, such as those described in the Specifications
of Letters Patent 9732 of 1895 and 3085 of 1898, to fasten a wall or side plate
of steel to the matrix body on each side of the formative cavity. According to
the present invention, there is a hole through the matrix body near each end of
the formative cavity, and at a short distance therefrom. The diameter of a hole is
preferably wider than a side plate. Both the latter have their ends bent so
that when they themselves are in position against the matrix body, the said ends
stand in the respective holes, two side by side in each. When the plates and
their ends are in the positions described, each hole is filled with a solder or
cement that will not melt at the temperature of the molten linotype metal.
The object of the solder or cement fillings is to hold the side plates in position
in an efficient and permanent way, and to further that object, there may be pro-
jections from the plate ends as well as cavities in the sides of the holes for the
solder to hold by.
The side plates are fixed to the matrix bodies by any suitable means, but
preferably by the apparatus next described. The matrix bodies are fed down a
decline from which they are pushed one at a time by a reciprocating feeder
along a slot wide enough to receive them end to end, and adjustable in point
of width to suit the font of matrices. The leading matrix body, as it moves
along the slot, reaches a position where there is on each side of it, a reciprocating
clamp and side plate feeder. Each clamp is a bar adapted to slide in a guide at
right angles with the slot, and both are, together with the reciprocating feeder
above mentioned, connected to a disc crank or its equivalent, which is or may
be worked by hand. There is a certain degree of play between the feeder and
the crank so that the former shall work when the clamps are stationary, and
also between one of the clamps and the said crank in order that one clamp shall
work after, or follow, the other. Each clamp-is-provided-with-a-side-plate
carrier which slides along it, a spring being inserted between them so that the
clamp must compress the spring before it can advance the carrier. The side
plates are fed into their seatings in the carriers by any suitable means.
clamp is provided with suitable adjusting fingers to engage with the matrix
Each

page_text: body, to make the holes in it register with the pair of side plates to be fixed
thereto. If the side plates are of a magnetic material, the carriers are permanent
magnets to facilitate the work of holding them in the proper position.
The pot of solder or cement is preferably fitted with a pump and ports to the
following clamp, of the kind next described. The pot is high enough for the
level of the contents to be always above the holes in the matrix body. Its
piston has an annular groove near its bottom end, which groove registers with
a port in the pump cylinder at the time that the said bottom end holds the
bottom of the said cylinder closed, so that there is a clear way from the pot
through the cylinder to the delivery port during the first part of the working
stroke and the latter part of the return stroke of the piston, the working stroke
beginning as soon as the piston has passed the port leading from the pot to the
cylinder. The delivery port runs horizontally from the bottom of the pump
cylinder for some distance and then rises to run out through a convex nozzle.
The piston is fitted with a lever to raise it through its return stroke, a spring to
work it, and a detent to lock it up if it is to be raised by hand. There is a con-
cavity in a projection from the following clamp, which concavity is exactly
opposite the convex nozzle, and the delivery port is continued through it into and
along the following clamp where it terminates in two holes with which two
ports in the said clamp register when the latter is up to the matrix body, the
convex nozzle there fitting tightly in the concavity so as to make the delivery
port continuous from end to end. The portion of the ports along the said clamp
are lower than the adjoining portions at each end of it, so that it remains
charged. When solder or fusible cement is used as a filling, there is a suitable
heating agent such as a Bunsen burner under the pot, a second one under the
horizontal port to the nozzle, and a third under the following clamp. The port
in this latter is preferably a slot covered by a thin plate to facilitate the passage
of heat through it to the fusible contents.
The invention acts as follows. Matrix bodies are fed by the feeder from
the decline into the slot until there is one standing between the two clamps.
The pump lever is then raised and locked. The two clamps are moved one
after the other up to the matrix body thereby adjusting its position, clamping
it between them and inserting the bent ends of the two side plates in the two
holes in the said body, as far as they will go. The side plates being now in
position, the pump lever is unlocked and both holes are filled. The pump
lever is next raised and locked, the clamps and side plate feeders retracted and
the matrix body feeder feeds another one forward along the slot, thereby eject-
ing the one just dealt with. As the latter is being ejected, the side of it through
which the solder was injected passes a knife which trims off any projecting
fins.
The disc crank, pump piston for its return stroke, and pump lever detent may
be worked by hand independently of each other, or by any suitable cani mech-
anism adapted to actuate and to hold each in proper order as may be preferred.
Dated this 20th day of September 1899.
CHAS. S. WOODROFFE,.
Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.

page_text: JAMES LEWIS and GEORGE WILLIAM HUGHES, of The Linotype Works, Broad-
heath, in the County of Chester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
―
The present invention relates to improvements in the matrices used in linotype
machines and in the apparatus for applying such improvements to such matrices.
It has been devised with particular reference to the matrices of the Mergenthaler
linotype machine, and its construction for use therewith is the one illustrated in
the accompanying drawings. A matrix of the last mentioned machine is a flat
brass plate having a rectangular notch in one side edge and a formative cavity
in the bottom of the notch, the formative cavity being the matrix proper for
the respective printing face, and the notch forming part of the mould for the
body of the linotype. A formative cavity has a thin brass wall on each side of
it, each wall, with the adjoining one of the next matrix, producing the "white"
between the respective two letters in the printed line. The damage to which
these thin side walls are liable is explained in the Specification of British Letters
Patent 9732 of 1895 and that, as well as the Specifications of Letters Patent 3085
of 1898 and 9951 of 1899 describe different means for obviating that damage.
The means common to the three specifications just mentioned, is the substitution
for the brass side walls above mentioned, of separate steel plates fitted into suit-
able recesses in the side faces of the matrix body and held to the latter by
morticing or rivetting. But up to the present time no perfect method has been
invented for holding them to the body. Morticing is not applicable practically
to thin matrix bodies: and when the plates are rivetted to the bodies, the corners
of them soon stick out from the side faces so as to be caught by space bars or
other matrices during the process of assembling.
The present invention includes improved side plates, improved means for
holding them to the matrix bodies, and a special machine for inserting the side
walls in the matrix bodies and for holding them thereto.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of
this specification and read therewith,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a matrix body prepared for the present inven-
tion:
Figure 2, a perspective view of an improved side plate:
Figure 3, a perspective view of a modified form of an improved side plate:
Figure 4, a sectional elevation of the special machine on the line 4-4 of
Figure 5:
Figure 5, a plan partly in section:
Figure 6, a sectional end elevation of Figures 4 and 5 from the right:
Figure 7, a side elevation; Figure 8, a rear elevation, and Figure 9, a plan
of a matrix body in and to which the pair of improved side plates have been
inserted and held by the said machine.
y is the matrix body; a, the rear side edge of it; y, the notch in the edge a
the formative cavity in the bottom of the notchy, the vertical groove
in each side face of the body y; and 10, the ridge between each groove y¹ and
the edge a The above parts are all as heretofore.
1. 2, are two holes through the body y³¹, one above and one below the formative
cavity y', and both near to, and at the same distance from, the said cavity and
edge a. The diameter of a hole 1 or 2, preferably, exceeds the width of a side
plate. 3, 3, are the improved side plates having rebated ends 4. 4. The two
ends 4 of a plate 3 are both bent in the same direction and at right angles_with
the said plate their length being about half the thickness of a matrix body y".
When two plates 3 are applied to the respective sides of a matrix body y
their ends 4 stand in the respective holes 1, 2, two ends, top or bottom, in each
hole and at a little distance apart therein, as shewn best in Figure 8. When
the plates 3 and their ends 4 are in the position described, each hole 1, 2, is
filled with a cement or with a solder that will not melt at so low a temperature

page_text: as that of the molten linotype metal. The object of the fillings being to hold
the side plates 3 permanently and efficiently in working position, there must
be an appreciable margin of safety between the respective melting points of
the linotype metal and the solder. To further that object, the rebated ends 4
may have projections such as the corners 5 shewn in Figure 3, and the holes 1, 2,
too, instead of being parallel as shewn, may have cavities in their sides for the
filling to enter and set in.
The improved side plates and the fillings that hold them to the matrix
bodies y, may be applied to the latter by any suitable means. It is, however,
preferred to use the special machine next described and which is shewn as adapted
to work with a fusible solder as distinguished from a cement.
6 is a hopper supported on the base 7 on which it stands at an angle proper
for the matrix bodies y to slide down it by gravity, with the edges a uppermost
as shewn in Figures 4 and 6. S is a way in the top of the base wide enough to
receive the bodies 31 as they drop one by one from the hopper 6 and along which
they are pushed up to and past the side plate inserting and soldering mechanism
as described further on. As the bodies 1 differ in thickness according to fount,
the width of the way 8 must be adjustable. This requirement is met by
the L-piece 9, the upstanding portion 10 of which forms one side of the way 8
and can be set at the required distance from the opposite side of the said way,
by set screws 11 screwed down through suitable slots (not shewn in the figures)
in the said L-piece, into the base 7. 12 is a reciprocating feeder to feed the
matrix bodies 73 along the way 8. It stands normally with the leading portion
of it under the hopper as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. It is worked by the handle 13
fast to the disc 14 turning in a vertical bearing 15 in a bracket piece 16 fast to
the base 7-see Figure 4. The connection between the feeder 12 and the disc 14
consists of a lever 17 rocking on a stud 18 projecting from the base 7, its top
end carrying a rearwardly projecting stud 19 which engages in a vertical slot 20
in the feeder 12, and a rod 21 having one end pivotally connected to the bottom
end of the lever 17 and the opposite one connected to a lug 22 depending from
the disc 14. This last mentioned end is connected to the lug 22 by being screw-
threaded for some distance, having a nut 23 screwed down the thread, being
passed through a hole in the said lug and having a second nut 24 screwed on
to its end as shewn. The two nuts 23, 24 then stand one on each side of the
lug 22 and at a distance from each other much greater than the thickness of the
lug, to provide for a certain amount of loose motion, the use of which, will be
explained in due course.
A pair of side plates 3 are inserted in a matrix body by a pair of automatic
inserters, 25 and 26. The two are nearly opposite to each other, but not quite
so, in order that the rebated ends 4 of one side plate may enter the holes 1, 2,
to one side of the respective ends 4 of the other side plate. A reference to
Figure 8 will make it clear how the ends 4 of one side plate 3 are required to
be inserted to one side of the respective ends 4 of the other plate 3 when the
matrix body stands in the way 8 with its edge a up. The two inserters 25, 26
are very similar in construction but to prevent confusion the references to the
similar parts in the inserter 26 have a letter attached to them. 27, 27ª are
the rams: 28, 28", the sleeves through which they respectively work; 29, 29" a
spiral spring round each ram and resilient between a shoulder on it and one
on the inner face of the sleeve as shewn best in Figure 5. Each ram 27, 27"
stands normally a little away from the way 8 to provide seatings 31, 31ª for the
two side plates 3. The front sleeve 28 carries two fingers 32, 32, to engage
between the two shoulders y', y on what is then the bottom edge of the matrix
body undergoing insertion and cementing or soldering and one (or two) 33-
see Figure 6-to engage over the edge a to secure perfect register between the
holes 1.2 in the said body and the rebated ends 4 of the side plate 3 on each
side of it. 34. 34° are blocks upon the base 7 through which the sleeves 28, 28"
work and 35, 35ª are wedges to take up wear between them.

page_text: Both rams 27, 27ª are worked by the handle 13 already described through the
disc 14 to which each is connected by the respective links 30, 30, pivotting on the
disc studs, 70, 70", and on pins 71, 71, depending from the ends of the rams 27, 27.
The motions of the said rams are not quite synchronous for there is a slot 70b in
the disc end of the link 30%, the object of that slot being to provide that the
ram 27 shall come up to the matrix body in front of it a little later than
the ram 27, and remain in that position a little after the latter has been
retracted. Both rams are preferably rectangular in cross section. They are
also permanent magnets to enable them to hold on to the side plates. There
is an opening 36 in each side of the way 8 large enough to allow of the respective
ram 27, 27 to get up to the matrix body y
58 is a spring from near the outer end of the link 30 to the pivot that con-
nects the opposite end of the latter to the disc 14. It is put in tension by the
motion of the said pivot from the position shewn in Figure 5 along the slot 70b
due to a pull on the handle 13 in the direction of the arrow in the said figure,
and when the said handle is released it serves to retract the two rams 27, 27.
37 is the pot to contain the cement or solder. It is assumed that a fusible
solder is being used, and that being the case, proper devices for melting the
solder and maintaining its temperature are introduced. 38 is the cylinder of
a force pump for injecting the solder into the holes 1, 2; 39, the pump piston:
40, the piston rod; 41, a handle to lift the pump piston; 57, the spring pulling
on it from a fixed point on the base 7 to put it through its working stroke: 53, a
hand lever on a fulcrum 54; 55, its nose adapted to stand under the handle 41
to lock the pump piston 39 against the pull of the spring 57 and 56 is a spring
to pull the nose 55 into its inoperative position.
45 is a port through the side of the cylinder 38; 64 is an annular recess in
the piston 39 to register with the port 45 when the piston is at the top of its
stroke, and to be cut off from it as the piston is put through its working stroke,
the capacity of this recess being in excess of the joint capacity of a pair of
holes 1, 2 and 65, an annular flange on the foot of the piston to hold the bottom
of the cylinder 38 closed when the piston 39 is at the top of its stroke, and
therefore the pot 37 out of communication with the port 66. This latter leads
the cement or solder through the greater part of its way to the inserter 26. It
terminates in a nose 44 having a circular convex end.
45 is a chamber in the sleeve 28ª under the ram 27 and terminating in an
annular one 67 shewn in Figure 5. 68, 68 are two ports from the chamber 67
to register with and deliver fillings into the two holes 1, 2. 46 is a lateral pro-
jection from the side of the sleeve 28" next to the pot and pump already de-
seribed, and 47 is a port from the chamber 45 through the said projection, and
opening out through the concave end 48 of it. The shape and position of this
concave end are such that when the ram 27ª and sleeve 28ª are both up to the
matrix body y in front of them, the two ends 44 and 48 shall fit metal tight to
each other.
49 is a gas burner to melt the solder in the pot 37: 50, a second gas burner
to maintain the fluidity of the solder in the port 66; and 51, a third one to do
the same for the solder in the chamber 45". The latter opens out through the
bottom of the sleeve 28, the opening being closed by a thin metal cover 52 to
facilitate the passage of the heat through it. It is to be noted that the end 48
is at a higher level than the chamber 45 to the extent of being above the holes 1.
2 in the matrix body y being filled to keep the said chamber 45" full or fluid
metal.
60 is a block forming_the_terminal-portion-of-the-rear-side of the way 8. as
shewn in Figure 5. It carries a trimming knife 61 to remove any filling which
may be left by the ram 27ª projecting from the holes 1, 2 on that side of the
matrix bodies. No trimming knife is required for the front sides of the matrix
bodies because the ram 27 fits too tightly up thereto for burrs to be formed.
The terminal portion of the way 8, the one opposite the block 60 above

page_text: described, is adjustable exactly for width of way independently of the ☐ piece 9
with its upstanding portion 10 already described, by the following means. 75 is
an upstanding piece forming the front side of the said terminal portion. It is
carried by a block 76 slotted in the same direction as the Ĺ piece 9 to receive
a set screw 11, which is screwed down into the base 7. All these slots are too
short to shew in Figure 5, as they are covered by the heads of the respective
screws. 77 is a finely threaded set screw turning in a block 78 fast on the base 7
and having a circular flange 79 bearing against the block 76 to set the upstand-
ing piece 75 towards the block 60. The left hand end 80 of the piece 75 is
rounded off as shewn in Figure 5 to facilitate the entry of the matrix bodies y"
into the terminal portion of the way 8.
62 is a slope down which the plated and filled matrix bodies slide into a suit-
able receiver.
The apparatus above described acts as follows. Assuming that all the burners
are alight, the solder in the metal pot is molten, the handle 41 unlocked the
ports full of molten metal, and the hopper charged, a side plate 3 is inserted by
hand to stand horizontally in each seating 31 with its rebated ends 4 towards
the way 8. These plates being steel and the rams magnets, the latter im-
mediately hold on to the respective plates, and support them in proper inserting
position. The handle 13 is then pulled to the front, i.e., in the direction of the
arrow in Figure thereby first advancing the rams 27, 27ª, and secondly retract-
ing the feeder 12, whereupon the bottom matrix blank y" then in the hopper 6
drops down into the way 8. The handle 13 is then pushed back. first retracting
the rams and secondly making the feeder 12 push the matrix blank y" in the
way 8 forward therein for its own length. The above two motions are repeated
twice, which leaves the first matrix blank 1 between the rams 27 and 27ª as
shown in Figure 4. The handle 13 is then pulled to the front for the fourth
time, which is the first time to put the rams through an effective stroke. The
two sleeves 28, 28ª bear firmly. against the blank nipping it between them,
the fingers 32, 32, 33 securing the perfect register already described, whereupon
the springs 29, 29ª yield to the pressure exerted upon them by the shoulders on
the respective rams 27, 27" and the two side plates 3, 3 are inserted. The pump
handle 41 is next lifted so making the flange 65 shut the port 66 off from the
pot 37, whereupon solder from the pot 37 flows through the port 45ª and fills
the port 64. The handle 41 is then let go, whereupon the spring 57 puts the
piston 39 through its working stroke, thereby injecting solder into both the
holes 1, 2. The solder fills up each hole 1 and 2 and surrounds each rebated
end 4 by itself, thereby when it has set, holding them solidly to the matrix
body The handle 13 is then pushed back to first retract the rams 27, 27ª,
and secondly to feed forward the matrix bodies, another one having dropped from
the hopper 6 into the way 8 in front of the feeder 12 the last time it was pulled
forward, thereby putting another one between the rams 27 and 27ª. The play
between the lug 22 on the disc 14 and the nuts 23 and 24 on the rod 21, allows
of the rams 27, 27 being advanced and retracted while the feeder 12 is at rest
and vice versa, whereby the feeder leaves the matrix bodies 31 in the way 8
stationary during the time the rams are engaged with the first one, and the said
rams offer no obstacle to the feeding action of the feeder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The hereinbefore described combination of matrix body: holes therein;
and side plates having rebated ends adapted to fit in pairs in said holes.
2. The hereinbefore described combination of matrix body having two holes
through it, two side plates having rebated ends, and filling adapted to hold the
said side plates to the matrix body by holding the said rebated ends by pairs
in the respective holes,

page_text: 3. The herein before described combination of hopper, way, feeder and inserters
with a pot to contain the filling material, a pump to inject the same and ports
through which the injection can take place.
Total the 21st day of luna 1900
CHAS. S. WOODROFFE,
Chartered Patent Agent.