Improvements in Machines for Distributing Type.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 18 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as allowed
by the decision of the Chief Examiner of the 15th day of April 1897.
Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Machines for Distributing Type.
JOHN TYRRELL BOYES, Secretary of The British Empire Type-setting
Machine Company, Limited, of 37 & 39 Essex Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in that class of type
distributing machine for which Letters Patent were granted to Sydney Pitt,
No. 512781, whereby the efficiency of the machine is increased by doubling its
discharge capacity, and by utilizing for this purpose certain elements existing in
the present form of machine, which during certain periods of time, while the
machine is in operation perform no function whatsoever.
It will be obvious, from an examination of the before mentioned patent, that,
after the types are removed from the carriers letter by letter, the carriers reach
the end of the raceway in which they travel, and are thereupon removed from
that raceway by appropriate mechanism, into a similar lateral raceway parallel to
and behind the raceway in which they are primarily moved, and are then moved
up the second raceway, entirely empty, in a continuous solid line, and, as they
arrive at the end of the line opposite to the point where the operation of receiving
a type from the line to be distributed commences, are again, by appropriate
mechanism, advanced into the first raceway, one by one, for the purpose of
receiving and transporting away the type from the point of reception.
It will be observed that during a period of time equal to that occupied by any
one carrier in travelling down the raceway, which equals the number of characters
in the particular font used, multiplied by the time occupied by each pause, or
step
"of the carriers, the returning carriers in the second raceway are performing
no function, by reason of the fact that they are empty, but at the same time are
being step by step advanced substantially in the same way as they are being
advanced in the first raceway, thus consuming the power in the machine.
According to my invention I provide appropriate mechanism for feeding a
second line of type to the empty carriers in the second raceway at the opposite end
of the machine, and also a second set of feeler mechanism and feelers actuated in
connection with the original feeling mechanism, to which the type in the carriers
in the first raceway are subjected, suitable channels being provided into which the
type from the carriers in the second raceway are dropped. By these means it is
possible to double the output of the machine and to make each set of mechanism

page_text: subject the type in each carrier to the selective action of the feeler mechanism for
each character during its travel along each raceway.
The invention therefore consists broadly, as hereinbefore mentioned, in doubling
the capacity for distribution, by means of the modifications and mechanism
hereinafter more particularly described; and in effecting certain modifications and
improvements in the particular feeling mechanism employed, by which the doubling
of the output of the machine is effected.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters
of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire machine,
Figure 2 a rear elevation of the entire machine,
Figure 3 an end view of the machine.
Figure 4 a vertical cross section of the machine on the lines 4, 4, of Figure 1.
Figure 5 a vertical section on the line 5, 5, of Figure 2.
Figure 6 a vertical section on the line 6, 6, of Figure 2.
Figure 7 a vertical section on the line 7, 7, of Figure 2.
Figure 8 an enlarged plan view of one end of the machine.
Figure 9 an enlarged view of a vertical section of the feeler mechanism and
raceway, through the centre of the machine.
Figure 10 a plan view of the parts shewn in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a plan view of the carriers in the rear raceway, and a portion of the
feeler mechanism on the line 11, 11, of Figure 12.
Figure 12 is a vertical section of the mechanism for selecting the types in the
carriers in the rear raceway.
Figure 13 is a longitudinal section of the same mechanism, on the line 13, 13,
of Figure 12.
Figure 14 is a view of the detail of the feeler mechanism connected with this
part of the machine.
Figure 15 is an enlarged plan view of the plunger mechanism employed for
advancing the carriers in the raceways and moving them at the end of the line
from one raceway to the other, and for opening the ejector or clutch of the carriers,
for the purpose of permitting the type to be received thereon from the type
driver.
Figure 16 is a vertical elevation of the carrier.
Figure 17 is a horizontal section of one of the carriers on the line 17, 17, of
Figure 11.
Figure 18 is a detailed view of the mechanism for driving the carriers in the
raceways and for opening the ejector or clutch of the carrier to receive the line
of type from the type driver.
Figure 19 is an elevation of the type channels.
Figure 20 is a cross section of the type channels and
Figure 21 is a perspective view of the type channels in which the types after
distribution are collected.
For the purpose of properly explaining the present improvements the various
elements found in the present machine, although some of them are common to all
machines of the type above described, will be separately described.
In the drawings A represents the bed plate of the machine. M¹ and M³ represent
the raceways in which the carriers travel. W represents the main driving shaft
of the machine which is driven from any suitable source of power. D is the
driving pulley, AA are the supports of the bed plate and A³ is the frame bed of
the machine. D¹ is the starting lever. A is the centre plate of the machine.
B is the type table or galley upon which a page of type is placed, of which there
are two, one at each end. K, K, are the type channels and V V the type cases,
M and M are the raceways and C, C, the carriers. These parts are all common
to every machine of the "Pitt" type. We come now to the various parts of the
machine.

page_text: (a) The Page Follower.-J is the page follower sliding upon the horizontal rod J',
attached to the arm J by means of the roller J3 as shewn in Figure 1. For the
purpose of keeping the page follower J constantly pressed against the body of type
to be distributed, a cord J is attached to it by the button J. This cord J
passes over a loose pulley J, carried on a suitable bracket, Figure 1 and at its
lower end a weight J' is attached. In this manner the page follower J is drawn
forward against the first line of the page of type as the type is removed from it
by the type raiser line by line.
(b) The Line Follower.-S is the line follower which, as shewn in Figures 1
and 2, slides horizontally forward and backward on the frame S. It is provided
at one side with a button S', to which is attached a cord S³, which passes over a
loose pulley S, upon the frame S, and to the lower end of which a weight S³ is
attached. In this manner the line follower S is kept constantly pressed against
the line of type T, thus advancing it forward as the letters are picked off by the
type driver one by one.
(c) The Type Driving Mechanism.-p represents generally the type driving
mechanism which is best shewn in Figures 7 and 8. This is composed of the typo
driver proper p, attached to the slide p², Figures 7 and 8, sliding against the
vertical plates p³, p³, on the side of the galley B. p is a bent lever arm, attached
at p10 to the frame of the machine, and at p to the type driver slide P.
PP are cylinders containing a spiral spring which is adjusted by the set
screw pp, so as to form impact points for the bent lever arm p, which limits the
stroke of the type driver slide p². The lower end of the bent lever arm pe
carries a roller p, which comes in contact with the cam p³, provided with the
boss p, on the main driving shaft W, as shewn in Figures 2 and 7.
(d) The Line Raising Mechanism. This is shewn in Figures 1, 3, 5, and 6. In
these T represents a line of type which has been advanced by the page follower J
over the front edge of the galley B. T' is a vertical plate extending along and
under the front edge of the galley as shewn in Figures 5 and 6. The plate T
is attached at its bottom to the standard T2 which slides vertically in bearings T3, T³,
in the lugs or shoulders T, T, on the frame of the machine. The standard T'
carries a horizontal cross head To, shewn in Figures 5 and 6, by which it is raised
at the desired moment by means of a cam G engaging with the cross hend T.
The arrangement of the parts is such that when a line of type T is advanced by the
page follower, and pushed over the edge of the galley, the plate T¹ will be in the
position in front of the edge of the galley, and on a level with the edge, and
the line of type so advanced will rest upon the plate T¹.
When this has been
accomplished the cam will engage with crosshead T on the standard T2, and
raise the line to the position shewn in Figures 5 and 6, and hold the same in this
elevated position until the type driver has picked off the type letter by letter.
(e) The Line Closing Mechanism.-This is shewn in Figures 1, 2, 7, 8 and 15. It
consists of a flat faced projection Q attached to a type finger or hook Q' pivotted
at the point Q2 to the galley. This type finger is normally held against the last
letter of the line of type in the position shewn in Figure 8 by the bent lever Q³
terminating in a sleeve Q pivotted on the shaft Q to the frame of the machine.
The extremity of the lever Q3, which comes in contact with the type finger Q',
carries a friction roller Q". The lower end of the sleeve Q carries an adjustable
arm Q attached to the sleeve by a bolt Q', this arin carries at its other end an
adjustable block Q8 to which is attached a bevelled friction roller Q, which is so
set as to travel along the surface of a cam Q10 on the driving shaft W. The
surface of this cam is uneven and throughout a certain distance slightly raised so
that when the friction roller Q' comes in contact with the raised portion of the
surface, a lateral motion will be imparted to the lever Q and the type finger Q'

page_text: will close up the end of the line, and be held in such position as long as the roller
is travelling over the raised portion of the cam surface, and when the same is
passed the finger will be released and the line opened for the type follower to
advance the next letter.
The Raceways.-These are situated in the main horizontal bed plate A of the
machine, and are designated by M and M. They are rectangular channels sunken
in the centre as shewn in Fig. 9 at m, m, for the purpose of diminishing the friction.
of the carrier as they pass through them. The front of each of the raceways
is open so as to permit the carriers to he acted on by the feeler mechanism,
openings m m are provided in the bed plate A. through which the types pass down
into the type channels. M and M represent respectively the rear walls of the
raceway, the former of which closes the front of the rear raceway and supports
the feelers for the carriers therein. The front of the front raceway M' is closed
by the vertical plate M. The ends of the raceways are closed by the blocks N* N*
at either end.
In the earlier machines the raceways are closed by blocks at either end, which
slide in an opposite direction to the plungers and hold the carriers rigidly, so that
the entire line of carriers is moved together. In the present case the movable
blocks are replaced by the fixed blocks No, No, and the plunger at the opposite end
of the line simply forces the entire line of carriers down the raceway in a body and
against the block N.
A cover N is provided with an opening therein, through which a handle N"
passes and which cover is arranged to slide as shewn in Figure 15, to permit access
to the clutch opening mechanism which will be hereafter described.
The mechanism for actuating the feeler hooks is shewn in Figure 4. Here l'is
a cam on the driving shaft W, which cam engages with the roller I at the
extremity of an arm attached to a rack I, which slides under the plate A. This
rack is attached to a rod 1 which in turn connects with a lug Z' attached to the
feeler slide Z2, and passing vertically downward through an opening in the bed
plate Z. A spiral spring I, encircling the rod 1 serves to hold the rack I and the
roller constantly against the surface of the cam 1', which is so curved that it
will during a certain time cause the rack I to slide from right to left, and thus to
advance the feeler hooks. An adjustment of the distance through which the rack
slides may be effected by the sliding bearing 1', which can be adjusted with
reference to the bed plate by the screw nut 1, and a further adjustment can be
effected by the screw nuts 1°, 1º, on the rod 1. Any other similar method of
adjusting the parts may be used.
The Carriers.-The peculiar form of the carrier necessary to carry out the present
invention is shewn in Figures 16 and 17. Here C represents the carrier generally.
Crepresents the frame of the carrier which is of the shape shewn, and C the
clutch pivotted on the pin C in the carrier frame.
In the old form of carrier the clutch could only be opened from one side or in
one direction. In order to enable the principle of the present invention to be
carried out the clutch is so constructed and pivoted that it will open in both
directions. This is accomplished by extending the extremity of the rear end of the
clutch in the manner shewn in Figures 15, 16, and 17, at the point C, and providing
openings C, and C, in the wall of the carrier on either side of the clutch, through
which openings a device is made to engage with the clutch and cause the same to
be opened from either side. The clutch is held normally closed by the spring C
which is placed in the position shown, or by means of any other convenient form
of spring.
The Carrier Driving Mechanism.-This is indicated generally by the letter O in
the drawings. It will be obvious that owing to the presence of the feeding
mechanism at both ends of the line of carriers, it will be impossible to drive the
carriers at the left hand end of the machine from the front raceway to the rear
raceway, as is done in the early machines. Hence the plunger O is at this end of
the machine arranged to draw instead of push the carriers one by one back into the

page_text: rear raceway subject to such modifications as are necessary by reason of this
changed operation. The other parts are substantially the same as before. O is
the plunger bar sliding on the bed plate A. To this the plunger O is pivoted at O'.
This bar is operated by the rock bar O pivoted at O, to the frame of the machine,
moved by the roller O running loosely in a cam groove O cut in the surface of
the roller O on the main driving shaft W₁. A spring O" is provided attached at
one end to the frame of the machine at O", engaging at its opposite extremity the
block O' over which falls the hook of the tripping lever Os pivotted at O' to the
rocking bar 08. As the roller O1 rotates the cam groove throws the rock bar
forward and backward once in each revolution, moving therewith the sliding
plunger bar in and out. If for any reason the plunger bar O gets caught so
that it cannot move the lever O' is tripped off of the block O', and the rock bar 08
ceases to push the plunger bar forward and backward, and until the shaft is stopped
it merely slides the block O' forward and backward on the pin O until the normal
conditions are restored. The left hand carrier plunger O is, as above stated
slightly modified, as shewn in Figure 5, and is slightly hooked at its upper extremity
so as to pass under the carrier as it moves forward, and when it reaches a certain
point to engage it, and permit the latter to be drawn from one raceway to the other,
as the plunger moves backward on the slide.
The Clutch Opening Device.-In order to open the clutch of the carriers as they
come to the end of the front raceway, so as to enable the second type driver to
insert a letter into them, a clutch opening device is employed, which is shewn in
Figure 15. It consists of an arm R pivotted at the point R to the bed plate A. To
the arm R is attached a rod R sliding in an opening R in the end block of the
raceway. This rod R' passes through the opening C in the carrier, which has
arrived at the end of the line, and is bevelled at the end as shewn in Fig. 15, so as
to impinge upon the clutch C and open the same when the rod is thrown forward.
A stud R2 is provided upon the cylinder N, Fig. 15, which stud contains a screw
rod R', which is of such length that when the plunger is moved forward, the rod
impinges upon the arm R, and moves it forward, and causes the rod R to slide
forward in its bearing, and to come in contact with the clutch C2 of the carrier at
the end of the line and open the same. A spiral, or other spring, R' placed in
suitable relation to the arm R, in the present case in a bearing sunk in the end of
the plate of the machine, shown in Figure 15, causes the arm R, and the rod R+ to
be normally held away from the carrier C and to be advanced only at such time as
the plunger moves forward.
The Various Minor Driving Mechanisms.-W represents the main driving shaft;
D a hand wheel at the end thereof; D is the driving pulley, carried on the
shaft W. D' is the starting handle, attached to the sleeve D', on the driving
shaft. D, D3, are two worm gears at either end of the driving shaft, which
engage with the spur wheels D7 (Fig. 2) on the cross shafts D, D, which are
supported on the bearings D, D. The shafts D' carry each two cams G and G
(Fig. 3). The latter lifts the line raising mechanism through the cross bar T, and
at the proper moment permits it to fall. The cam G throws back the line
follower S, by striking against the roller G on the arms C3 of the arm G,
pivoted at G to the bracket G. The shafts De ordinarily are stationary, and the
worm gear D simply turns the loose spur wheels D' on the shafts. When the
end of the line has been entirely reached, the tripper S10 on the line follower raises
the spring catch S, and pushes the upper end of the lever S' from right to left,
a distance sufficient to throw the lower end of the lever off of spring catch, S
which thereupon engages with the gear wheel D', and causes the cam G' to make
a single revolution. "A spring not shewn in the drawings forces the lever S' at the
end of the revolution back to its original position.
In order
The Throw Off Mechanism.-This is best seen in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 7.
to start the machine, the lever D' is drawn into a perpendicular position, and held
there by the stud Y on the lever D, engaging with the stud Y, on the arm Y.
Whenever this arm Y is raised the 2 studs above mentioned no longer engage

page_text: with each other, and the spring Y', acting upon the lever D¹, retracts it to its
original position, and thereupon the machine is stopped.
In order to raise the arm Y in various contingencies and thus to stop the
machine, 2 shafts Y3 and Y are provided, extending the length of the machine,
as shewn in Figure 1, and turning freely in openings in the framework of the
machine. Attached to these shafts are the arms Y₁ and Y3 engaging with a
pin Y on the arm Y. When either shaft Y18 or Y14 are turned the arms Y or Y¹
will be turned an equal distance and the arm Y' will be raised. Attached to the
shafts Y3 and Y are also the arms Y", Figures 1, 5 and 6, having projections 07.
Whenever either line plunger encounters an obstruction and fails to move the
carriers the hook O engaging with the block O' partially turns the block O' on
its screw pin O, and the hook O will thus be released and forced against the
projection O', thereby turning the shaft and raising the arm Y, and thus stopping
the machine as described. A similar arrangement is provided in the cylinders N,
not shewn in any of the drawings, but described in the said previous patent, by
which when the carriers fail to move laterally the arm N is forced down and
thereby (by similar mechanism) raises the arm Y with the result above described.
The Feeler Mechanism.-This is shewn in detail in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13
and 14. In these views Z is the bed plate which supports the feeler mechanism.
Z is the feeler slide by which the hooks and the feeler mechanism are actuated.
Z is a vertical arm attached to the slide passing downward through a suitable
opening in the plate Z by means of which the slide Z2 is in turn moved in either
direction. In the present case instead of the series of single hooks employed in the
earlier machines a series of double or articulated hooks are employed, as shewn in
Figures 9 and 10. H and H¹ represent one such double hook, pivoted together
at H2 as shewn. Each of these double hooks is in turn pivoted at H³, to
standards H, H, on the bars L'. L, L, are the neck pins, which are fastened
into the front face of the block L, attached to the end of the bar L. L³ is the
tripping pin which passes through a suitable bearing L, and the bar L', and the
block L. Lis the tripping hook which is pivoted to the block L as shewn in
Figure 9, and is actuated by the tripping block L' which is mounted upon the
tripping pin L³. The tripping hook is normally held forward in the position
shewn in Figure 9 by the spring L. The tripping pin and the nick pins pass out
and engage with the openings cut in the face of the type in the carrier, through
the openings L, L, in the plate M, which closes the front raceway M'. H' is a
lug upon the hook H, engaging with the tripping hook L, which holds the feeler
book H free of the ejectors E of the carriers, until such time as it is tripped by
the clutch of the feelers. The nick pins of the latter engage with the corresponding
nicks in the type held by the carriers, and the tripping pin coming in contact with
the edge of the type trips the tripping hook and permits the hook H to drop. A
second hook H¹ is in turn provided with the lug H7, arranged to engage the
ejector E of the carrier C of the rear raceway M2, and is provided with the curved
projection HB which, when the slide 3 is moved backwards, comes into contact
with the projections H, and raises the hooks clear of the ejectors. These hooks
are covered by a cover made in 2 parts X and X', and hinged at X2 as shewn in
Figs. 9 and 10, the edges of the 2 sections being cut away to permit the passage of
the feeler hooks H, and H', and being provided with the springs X X, for the
purpose of ordinarily holding the feeler hooks down until they are raised by the
action of the projections H.
For the purpose of selecting type from the rear series of carriers the selecting
mechanism shewn in Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, & 14 is provided.
In these views T represents as before a type held in the carrier C.
M³ represents the rear wall of the first raceway, "M" a series of short vertical
plates supported upon the rear plate M³ of the raceway M', in front of each
carrier upon rods M12, sliding freely in the openings M therein. Spiral or other
springs placed between the plates M³ and M serve to hold the plate M
against the face of the type held in the carrier C in the rear raceway M².

page_text: The face of each of the plates Me is provided with lugs or projections M', which
are arranged to fit into corresponding openings in the type and when the type in
the carrier is so advanced that the openings will come opposite to the projections,
the spring will force the projections into the openings and the type will be selected
from the carriers in the rear raceway in the manner hereinafter described.
As will be observed from Fig. 11, the lugs M' are slightly bevelled upon their
front faces, in order to permit them to slide easily into the nicks in the edge of the
type held in the carrier and thus effect the desired selection.
Each of the extended or second feeler hooks H' which actuates the ejectors of
the rear series of carriers, rests upon the arm F, Figures 10 to 14, pivotted on the
rods F to the plate M³, as shewn in Figure 13. F is a horizontal arm pivotted
on the rod F to the top of the plate Me, and moves forward or backward with the
plate Me as the latter moves on the sliding rods M" M¹².
It will be obvious from these figures that if for any reason the arm F² be moved
in the direction of the arrows shewn in Figure 14 the rod F will be thrown forward
and the hook H' will be released and permitted to fall. A spiral or other suitable
spring F is provided which holds the arm F normally under the hook H. The
arm is provided with an extension piece F shewn in perspective in Figure 14,
which is of such shape that when the plate Me moves forward, as shewn in Fig. 12,
and the feelers thereon M', M', engage with the nicks in the type, the projection F³
will be tripped by the end of the carrier holding the type in question, in the
manner shewn in Figure 11, and the arm F will thereupon be drawn from under
the hook H¹ and will assume the position shewn by the central arm in Figure 13,
and the hook H' together with the hook H, being moved forward by the
mechanism operating the feeler hook the hook will fall and clutch the ejector E
of the carrier, and the type E will be ejected by the ejector E, and will be
permitted to fall through the opening m² into its appropriate chaunel.
In Figs. 11 and 12 the mechanism is shewn in the position which it assumes
when the lugs M' have actually engaged with the type into the nicks of which they
fit, in other words when the selection of the particular type is completed, the
plate M will be forced forward to assume the position shewn in Figure 12 by
the action of the springs Ms, and at the instant when the plate M reaches
the position shewu in Fig. 12, the pivoted bar F2 will be tripped by the front of the
carrier and will assume the position shewn in Fig. 11 by the third carrier from the
bottom of the view, and the hook H¹ will be tripped off of the bar F and will drop
to the position shewn in Fig. 12. During this interval the feeler mechanism, by
reason of the peculiar curvature of the cam 1', will have remained stationary as
the curvature of the cam is such that the spring I will be compressed and the,
feeler slide Z³ held at the extreme forward point to which it is capable of being
moved, but the moment that the operation ceases either the hook H or the hook H¹
drops by reason of the selecting mechanism having engaged the corresponding
nicks in the type, and the hook thereby having tripped off of its tripper the
curvature of the cam I will thereupon begin to be such that the spring is no
longer compressed, and it will cause slide Z, to move backwards and the lugs He
and H' to engage with the ejector E of the appropriate carrier and eject the type
therein, which thereupon falls through the openings m¹ and m² into its appropriate
type channel. It will be observed from the examination of Figure 9, that by
connecting the hooks H and H', by the pivoted joint H³, either one, or the other
or both may be tripped according to whether or not the nick pins L and the nick
lugs M7 select or do not select type from one or the other or both of the carriers
in the 2 raceways. For example in Fig. 9 the feeler hooks are shewn in the
operation of being drawn backward from right to left by the feeler slide Z2, and
yet neither of them having been tripped the lugs He and H' slide clear of the
ejectors E of both of the carriers. If however the hook H' had been tripped then
it would have assumed with reference to the hook H the position shewn in
Figure 12, and if moved back in the way indicated in Fig. 9, it would catch the
ejector of the carrier in the rear raceway, as it is about to do in Figure 12, and

page_text: yet at the same time the hook H not having been tripped by reason of the fact
that no selection took place from the carrier in the front raceway, the lug H
would still be drawn clear of the ejector E in the front raceway, and that carrier
and the type held therein would be moved on by the carrier driving mechanism at
the next throw of the machine. The reverse operation would take place if the
hook H had been tripped by reason of selection from the type of the first carrier.
In such case the hook H' would retain substantially the position shewn in Figure 9,
except that the book H having fallen and been held down by the spring X, the
hook H would have been slightly tilted on the rod F, and the spring X in the
cover X would be slightly compressed.
The above description refers to a single set of feeler hooks only, but, as will be
apparent from the drawings, as many separate sets are provided as there are letters
of characters in the font of type used, the mechanism being in each case the same,
and the operation of the feelers the same throughout the entire machine.
Type Guiding Apparatus.-This is shewn in Figures 19, 20 & 21. It consists of
a plate K attached to the vertical bed plate of the machine A' by the screws K,
through the horizontal bars K, and slightly inclined as shewa. To these bars are
attached the type conductors K, K, by means of the mortised lugs K, K, on the
vertical bed plate K, by means of the dovetailed slots K', K, cut in the rear
faces of the type conductors. The type conductors proper K, Figures 19 and 20,
are a series of rectangular boxes open in front and grooved as shewn in Fig. 20, so
as to give to the type a quarter turn as they fall in the same manner as shewn in
the earlier machines. These are placed side by side as shewn in Figure 20. In
the earlier machines the type conductors were attached to a vertical bed plate A
by means of mortised grooves on their rear surface, which fitted into bevelled lugs
on the surface of the vertical plate A2. In order to remove any one of the inner
conductors when thus attached, all of the conductors before it in the row in the line
had to be removed before the particular conductor which it was desired to remove
could be slipped out. To obviate this difficulty the bevelled lugs are replaced by
the slats K, K, Figures 19 and 20. As will be observed the upper of these slats
is bevelled or mortised on its upper edge only, and the lower one is bevelled or
mortised on its lower edge only. These slats are attached through the plate K
to the bed plate A', as shewn in Figure 20. The upper is simply screwed in by
the screw K' at either end while the latter is provided with the slots K, K, at
either end so that by loosening the screws K the slats may be slightly raised or
lowered in reference to its position on the bed plate K'. The grooves on the rear
faces of the type conductors K are made slightly wider than the width of the
slats Kare bevelled, the former at the top, and the latter at the bottom only, as shewn
in Fig. 19, so that a space K' exists between the slot and the slat at both top and
bottom, as shewn in Figure 19. The result of this construction is that when it is
desired to remove any one of the conductors, all that is necessary to do is to unscrew
the lower screws K', loosen the lower slat, raise it a little in the slot, so as to fill up
the lower space K', whereupon the conductor may be pushed up on the upper slat a
distance equal to the space K', and the bevelled edge of the conductor will be released
from the bevelled edge of the slat, and the former may be readily removed. For
the purpose of replacing, the operation is effected in the reverse order.
The Type Advancing Mechanism. For the purpose of advancing the type as it
descends from the type conductors K, and enters the head of the type channels,
a device is provided which in Figure 4. In this view V V represent the type
cases of the general character shown in Figure 21. There are 2 of such
type cases one at either side of the vertical bed plate A inclined as shewn
in Figure 4 and supported on the frame A'. These are divided interiorly
into as many channels as there are type conductors K, and characters in the
font of type to be distributed. They are composed of a bottom plate e and the
ends of the channels are closed by the horizontal rods 2 and 3. The type cases V
are not attached to the plate A', but simply rest thereon, and are beld in position

page_text: by the cross bars v', which rest in suitable shoulders formed in the plate A¹.
In this way the cases may be removed and replaced from time to time as they
become full. For the purpose of advancing the type down the channels va
reciprocating pusher V is provided composel of a "Y" shaped bar of metal
extending beneath the vertical bed plate A the entire length of the same. This pusher
is attached at the base to a rocking shaft V, shewn in Figure 4, which is arranged
to rock upon a suitable bearing in the bed plate of the machine. The shaft Vis
rocked by means of a lever arm V; the extremity of which carries a roller V. An
irregularly shaped cam V is provided on the main driving shaft W of the machine,
and the lever arm V is normally held against the surface of this cam by a
spring V attached to any fixed point such as V10 on the bed plate of the machine.
The configuration of this cam is such that it will impart a reciprocating motion to
the lever, V which in turn will cause the "Y" shaped pusher to vibrate on the
rock shaft V from right to left. The 2 arms of the "Y" are provided with the
push-pieces V, there being as many of these as there are channels in the type
cases V, so that as the type falls from the conductor K into the channel v, it is
immediately pushed down into the channel and against the next letter in the line
already formed in the channel. This operation is continuous as long as the
machine is running. In order to effect an adjustment of the pusher V vertically
it is attached to the rock shaft V by the arms V", and an adjustment may he
effected by the screw nut V.
.
The Carrier Advancing Mechanism.-The mechanism which is employed in the
present invention for closing up the line of carriers and advancing them step by step
along the raceway is shewn in Figs. 2, 8, 15, and 18, and also generally in Fig. 1.
Here N', N', represent the 2 plungers at opposite ends and on the opposite side of
cach raceway. No the blocks which close up the ends of the raceways not occupied
by the plungers and which are consequently placed at opposite ends and on the
opposite side of each raceway. Ne the handle under which the cover N slides.
N the plunger rods which, as in the earlier form of machine, are arranged to slide
in the cylinders N, each of which contains a spring which normally holds the
plunger in the position shown in Fig. 15, and is adjustable by the nut N³.
A handle N is provided as shewn in Fig. 15, for the purpose of releasing the
plunger in case of any sticking of the parts. This block and the mechanism of
the cylinders N being found in all the earlier machines will not be described
further here. For the purpose of avoiding the use of the complicated mechanism
employed the earlier machines for moving up the end blocks to meet the carriers
and then moving up the carriers in one solid continuous line and then releasing
the line so as to permit the plunger to operate on the end carrier when the line is
released, a series of levers is employed which is shewn in Figure 18. In Figures 1
and 2 W is a cam attached to the main driving shaft W of the machine which cam,
as will appear from these figures, has one surface namely that shewn on the right
hand side in the drawings, bevelled so that when the cam comes in contact with a
roller No pivotted to a slide N under the bed plate of the machine it will cause
the slide to move to the right, so long as the roller N is in contact with the
thicker surface of the cam, and when relieved therefrom to stop and to be restored
to its former position by any convenient form of spring, such for example as the
spring N13 on the rod N', attached to the slide N" as shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
Each of the plungers is supported on a slide N" arranged to slide in opposite
directions at opposite ends of the 2 raceways in any convenient form of bearing.
One of these slides is rigidly attached to the slide N" by the bent rod N. The
other is pivoted at No to the lever N°, (pivoted on the bottom of the bed plate of
the machine) which in turn is pivoted to the slide N" at N". As a result of this
construction, when the slide N is moved from right to left, the right hand plunger
will be moved in the same direction, whereas the left hand plunger will be moved
in the opposite direction, and when the slide N" is moved in the opposite
direction, the reverse condition of things will take place.

page_text: In each case the line of carriers is forced through the raceway in the opposite
direction, until they come in contact with and stop at the blocks N° N which close
the raceway.
The clutch of carriers is opened at the right hand end of the machine, by a
knob at the end of the plunger N¹, which passes through the opening in the side of
the carrier and touches the clutch at C, and when the carriers are forced together
in the raceway, the knob, engaging with the clutch, opens it, and permits a type to
be inserted. In order to permit each clutch to be opened without interfering with
the adjacent carrier, a groove C' is provided on the side of each carrier to fit the
clutch when opened, as shown in Figure 17.
The method of operation of the machine is as follows:-
A page of type to be distributed is placed upon each of the galleys B B, the
page follower is set, and the starting handle moved. The shaft W begins to
rotate, and thereupon the carriers begin to travel down the raceways, the first line
of type is raised by the line lifter, from the page on each galley, and simultaneously
advanced by the line follower. As the carriers at the right hand end of the machine,
Figure 2, are advanced from the rear raceway to the front raceway by the plunger
mechanism, the clutch of the carrier is opened by the plunger knob, and a type is
separated from the end of the raised line, and forced by the type plunger into the
carrier. At the same instant the clutch of that, one of the carriers which has
arrived at the end of the front raceway M' in its journey from right to left, is
opened by the pin, R', passing through the opening in the carrier, and coming
in contact with the clutch, and the type plunger of the left hand table, inserts
therein a single type from the line of type lifted from the left hand galley. This
carrier is then drawn by the carrier plunger, at the left hand end of the machine,
from the front to the rear raceway the line of carriers in the raceway are then
closed up by the line plungers, o, and when thus closed the entire line of carriers,
is moved one step down the front race, and one step along the rear raceway, and
then stop. At this instant, the feeler mechanism begins to operate, and each
character, in each carrier, in each line, is subjected to the action of the two
sets of feeling mechanism. In each case where the nick pins or selectors of the
feeling mechanism, enter the appropriate nicks or cuts in a character of type held
in a carrier, the tripping rod will operate to trip the tripping hook; this in turn
will permit the corresponding feeler hook to fall and engage with the ejector of the
carrier, whereupon the feeler hook will be moved backward by the action of the
cam upon the main driving shaft, and the ejector will cause the particular type to
be ejected from the carrier and to fall down the passages m' and m² into the type
channels, from which they will be forced by the pushers into their appropriate case.
As each carrier reaches the left hand end of the front raceway, the clutch will be
opened so as to permit of the insertion of a type by the plunger of the left hand
table. It will be obvious that as the two portions, H and H', of the feeler hooks
are pivoted, they will fall quite independently of each other, according to the
character that may be presented to the selecting mechanism, although the selecting
mechanism of each is arranged to select the same character, and although both
will be moved laterally forward or backward by the throw of the cam on the
driving shaft. It will be apparent, therefore, that when the machine is working,
one line of carriers is travelling from right to left down the front raceway, and
that each is stopped for an instant, in front of cach pair of feeler pins, and is there
subjected to the operation of selection, and that at the same time, a second line of
carriers is travelling from left to right up the rear raceway, each of which is
stopped at the same moment as the carriers of the front raceway, and each is at
the instant that the front carriers of the raceway are subjected to the selection,
subjected to a similar selection. As there are as many carriers and different sets
of selecting mechanism as there are different characters in the font to be
distributed, all the characters will have been selected, and the carriers will all
have been emptied by the time they reach the end of either line, as no one character
can pass all of the selecting pins.
"

page_text: As soon as any character is selected and ejected, the projection H on the feeler
hook, as it slides backward, is engaged by the projection H' on the frame of the
machine. This lifts each portion of the feeler hooks for an instant a sufficient
distance to permit the slide of the hooks to carry them clear of and then rest upon
the tripping hook in the case of the hook H and the tripping lever F in the case.
of the hook H', where they will be held, until such time as the selecting pins select
a new character and they fall and engage the ejector as before.
During the operation of the machine, the various other portions of it, such as for
example the page follower, the line lifter, the line follower, and the carrier
plungers are all operated in substantially the same manner as in the earlier
machine; thus for example the page follower J is being continually advanced by
the weight J' attached to the cord J running on the roller J; the line follower
is constantly being advanced by the weight S attached to the cord S³, passing
over the roller S, until such time as the stop S comes in contact with the arm G,
at which the cam G will be rotated with the shaft D through the wheel D³ and
will engage with the roller G and force the arm G and the line follower back to
its original starting point, ready to begin to advance a new line; the line lifter will
be lowered at the moment that the last letter is pushed by the type plunger into
the carrier by a suitable cam or driving wheel and will as soon as a new line is
advanced raise the same and permit the type follower to begin its work. The
starting handle D' is connected by a sleeve D with the driving shaft W carrying
the driving pulley D' D' etc. and if for any reason any part of the machine gets
clogged or stuck the connection between the driving shaft & the starting handle is
thrown off and the machine will stop substantially in the same manner as was the
case with the earlier machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a type distributing machine the combination of a set of carriers charged
with type travelling in separate lines in opposite directions in parallel raceways and
selecting mechanism such as is hereinbefore described for each raceway whereby
each carrier at each pause of the line in cach raceway is subjected to the action of
the selecting mechanism.
2. In a type distributing machine, the combination with the principal feeler hook
of the articulated extension hook, for actuating the ejectors of the carriers of the
rear raceway substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In a type distributing machine the combination with the independent sets of
feeler mechanism, of the articulated feeler books as and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
4. In a type distributing machine, the combination with the two lines of carriers
in the raceways, of the articulated feeler hooks, each engaging with the ejectors
of the carriers, and the independent sets of feeler mechanism for actuating the
different joints of the hooks independently, all substantially as hereinbefore
described.
5. In a type distributing machine, the combination with the line of carriers in
the front raceway, of a plunger closing the rear raceway substantially as described
and means substantially as described, operated from said plunger for opening the
clutch of the last carrier on reaching the end of the front raceway.
6. In a type distributing machine the combination in the carrier of a pivoted
clutch extended backwards toward the rear end of the carrier with two openings
in the side walls of the latter whereby the clutch may be opened by pressure
exerted through one or other of the said openings upon the fore end or the rear
end of the clutch respectively as may be required substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in Figures 16 and 17 hereof.
7. In a type distributing machine, the combination with the plungers at the
end of a raceway, of a plate sliding on the bed plate of the machine, a lever arm

page_text: connecting one of the said plungers to said slide, an arm connecting the other
plunger to said slide, a roller on the slide, and a suitable cam on the driving shaft,
provided with a bevelled surface engaging with the roller, whereby the plungers
are caused to move equally in opposite directions, and a retracing spring for
moving the mechanism in the opposite direction, when the cam is released from
the rollers, substantially as herein before described and shown in Fig. 18.
8. In the type distributing machine herein before described, the combination with
the back plate of the type conductors, of the adjustable slats K bevelled as
described, means for attaching the same to the back plate, as described, and
separate type conductors provided with bevelled slots K' upon their rear faces, of
greater width than the bevelled slats, all as hereinbefore described and shown in
the accompanying drawings.
9. In a type distributing machine, the combination of two lines of carriers
travelling in opposite directions in parallel raceway, a set of independent selecting
pins opposite to each carrier, an articulated feeler hook composed of two parts one
of which is arranged to engage the ejectors of the carrier in the front raceway and
the other to engage the ejector of the carrier in the rear raceway, means substan-
tially as described whereby the feeler hook is actuated from the driving shaft of
the machine, and independent tripping mechanism for each pair of selecting pins
whereby each joint of the feeler hooks may be tripped separately, substantially as
herein before described.
10. In a type distributing machine, the combination with nick pins actuating
the ejectors of one set of carriers, of a plate Me provided with the projection M'
corresponding to the nicks in the types mounted on rods M12 and held against
the line of type by springs M8 actuating the ejectors of the other set of carriers,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
11. In a type distributing machine, the combination with articulated feeler
hooks and the nick pins actuating the ejector mechanism of the line of carriers,
in the rear raceway of pivoted arms arranged to engage with one end the front edge
of an advancing carrier when selection is effected of the type carried therein and
with the other end to trip the feeler hook from its support and allow it to drop,
substantially as herein before described.
12. In a type distributing machine, the combination with a set of carriers
travelling in separate lines in parallel raceways in opposite directions, of feeding
mechanism for inserting type into the carriers in the front line simultaneously at
both ends thereof, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
13. In a type distributing machine, the combination with a set of carriers
travelling in two separate lines in parallel raceways, of two independent sets of
type feeding mechanism substantially as described for inserting type in the front
line of carriers, two sets of selecting mechanism substantially as described for
selecting type from the carriers in each line and a series of independent type
conductors for each line of carriers whereby the type discharged therefrom is
carried into and assembled in suitable type cases, all substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown.
Dated 8th September 1896.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.