Improvements in Machines for Distributing Printing Type.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Distributing Printing Type.
I, JACOB SALOMON, of Ohestrasse 3, Hannover, in the German Empire,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in machines for distributing
printing type, for the purpose of facilitating such operations.
For distributing type the page or block of type placed upon the galley of
the distributor, and kept continually pressed in one direction by a weighted
follower. Under the forward line of the page an elevator-plate rises and falls.
On this plate one line of type at a time is lifted into a channel, along which it is
pressed by another weighted follower, at right angles to the first. One character
or type at a time is thus cut off from the end of the line by a spring-actuated
type-driver, vibrating at right angles to the line, and is made to select the first type
only, whatever its thickness. When the last character of a line has passed into
the machine, the plate automatically sinks below the level of the bottom of the
line, the page is forced over it, and the plate again rises with a new line; and so
on until the last of the page enters the machine. As the type is pushed off the
line by the type-driver, it is received by one of a series of carriers, of which there
are two rows. As the type-driver pushes forward each type, the plunger driving
the characters in the front row by means of a stud on its face, opens a spring
in exact time to receive the type; and, as the plunger recedes, the withdrawal
of the stud allows the spring to close upon and hold the type. The edge of the
type, opposite the usual foundry-nick, is notched or nicked with two shallow
machine-nicks differing in position for every type used in the distributor. This
nicked edge, as it is held in the carrier, is exposed to the action of a nick-pin and
feeler-slide mechanism. Each feeler-slide, of which there are as many as there are
kinds of type, carries two or more pins adapted to enter the exposed nicks of its
particular type. As the carriers pass along, they rest for an instant in front of
each feeler-slide, and, while they rest, the feeler-slide comes forward to the type.
If the nick-pins and nicks in the type do not correspond, they pass on. When
a carrier presents to a feeler-slide a type whose nicks correspond to the nick-pin, it
enters and goes forward. Each type, as it leaves the carrier, is drawn into a
channel in a front plate, through which it drops easily and cannot turn. Each of
the front plate channels leads into the top of a conductor tube, which leads the
type to its appropriate place or channel in the case or hopper below; as each type
falls into place, it is pushed along and room made for the next.
The type case or hopper is composed of a series of (preferably) 28 parallel
channels, in which the type stand in regular rows, side against side, with faces
outward and pointing in the same direction.
Dated 2nd April 1894.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Machines for Distributing Printing Type.
1, JACOB SALOMON, of Ohestrasse 3, Hannover, in the German Empire,
Manufacturer, 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 :---
My improvements in machines for distributing printing type, relate to that class
of machines, for which Letters Patent were granted to Sydney Pitt, dated
23rd November 1881, No. 5127; and consist in an improved arrangement and
construction of some of the working parts of such machines, and of the mechanism
actuating the same; which has the effect of increasing the efficiency and smoothness
of operation of type distributors of the above mentioned class.
The particular kind of type-distributing machine to which this invention is
applicable, is that class of type-distributing machine which distributes type
automatically from a column into the separate channels of a case, in which they are
so arranged as to be ready for use in an automatic type-setter. This machine
performs a series of operations by which the aforesaid result is produced. First,
by means of automatically acting mechanism, a line of types is separated from
the column of which it forms a part, from its place on a table or galley, and is then
by itself presented to the action of the machine for distribution. Secondly, a
single type is separated from the end of the line, and forced into the hold of a
travelling carrier, which receives it, and transports it away from the point of
reception, giving place to another carrier, which, in its turn, repeats the movement.
Thirdly, the types thus held in these carriers are moved along step by step, resting
at each step within separate and independent carriers, and, while at rest within the
carriers are subjected to the contact of feelers (of which there are as many as
there are denominations of type to be distributed) which, by suitable mechanism,
are caused to be brought against the exposed edges of the type, and which
ascertain the denominations of the type by entering, or failing to enter, notches
cut into the edges of the type in different positions, and different combinations
for different denominations of type. Fourthly, when a type is brought in front of
a feeler, whose projections match the notches cut in its edge, a book, moving with
the feeling apparatus, is allowed to fall and catch a sliding ejector in the carrier,
against which the type is supported, and, as the feeling-apparatus is withdrawn, the
book pulls the sliding ejector forward, and thus forces the type from the carrier,
and permits it to enter the mouth of a conductor, through which it drops into the
appropriate one of a series of channels placed at the bottom ends of the type
conductors.
A machine of this character is necessarily a more or less complicated mechanism,
and, as the same operates automatically, a large number of parts are moving at
the same time, some of them at a high rate of speed. As a result thereof, if any
of them become worn, they have to be replaced; and, as they become worn, they
impede the proper action of the machine and diminish its efficiency.
The object of the present invention is primarily to obviate these objections, and
secondly to substitute more positive and more efficient forms of mechanism for
driving certain portions of the machine.
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.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, showing the improvements in the construction of the
type-driver.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the type-driver and feed mechanism.

page_text: Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the specific improvement in the construction of
the type-driver.
Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the entire machine, showing the adjustment
of the raceways, the device for positively throwing down the feeler hooks, and the
adjustment of the channel grooves.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the raceways.
Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the plunger mechanism, which drives the
carriers cross-wise.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same plunger mechanism, shown in Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the plunger itself.
Fig. 10 is an elevation of the mechanism for driving the carriers longitudinally
in the raceways.
Fig. 11 is a partial plan of the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is an end view on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11.
Fig. 13 is a detail view of the rollers shown in Fig. 10.
Figs. 14 to 21, inclusive, are diagrammatic views of the operation of the plunger
mechanism.
Fig. 22 is a perspective view of the mechanism which actuates the plunger
mechanism.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, W' is the driving shaft of the machine.
V2 is a
cam, fast on the shaft W₁, which actuates the type-driver p², by means of the
lever-arm Y, Y¹, pivoted at Y³. B is the page table upon which a page of type is
placed. Jis the page-follower, sliding upon the rod J. J is a button, to which
is attached a cord, which passes over a loose pulley K2, and to the end of which a
weight is attached, whereby the page follower J1 will be kept continuously pressed
against the page of type, thus moving it forward as it is removed by the type
raiser, line by line. S is the line follower, provided with a button c², connected
with a cord c, passing over a pulley c², upon the frame of the machine, and
attached to a weight, by means of which the line follower S is kept constantly
pressed against the line of type t, so forcing it forward as the letters are picked
off one by one. s and stare cylinders placed upon the frame of the machine,
containing spiral springs, which are adjusted by the set screws s² and s³, so as to
form impact points for the lever arm Y', which limit the stroke of the type-
driver p
s is a lever which is actuated by suitable mechanism, and which
operates to throw back the type follower S, when the line of type has been
exhausted, so that it may begin to operate upon the next line, which will have been
pushed forward by the page follower J. N is the adjustable side of the page
table B, regulated by the thumb screw 5. N is the adjusting rule. T is the
line-raising mechanisin, which raises the front line of type from the page, as soon
as it reaches the face of the page table. t is the line of type presented to the
type follower. ¹ is the last letter at the end of the line. M and M¹ represent
the carriers. The various details of these portions of the mechanism have all
been fully described in the aforesaid Letters Patent.
In the ordinary forms of type driver as heretofore used in the machines
constructed in accordance with the said Letters Patent, the front edge of the
type driver picks off from the advancing line of type a single letter at a time,
and carries the same forward in the type finger, and forces the same into the
clutch of the carrier M, which is advanced by the carrier plungers so as to be
opposite thereto, which clutch is opened by a stud placed on the end of the plunger,
against which the plunger throws the type carrier, when it is moved into line.
The forward edge of the type driver becomes gradually worn from the impact,
and, as a result the same fails to act properly upon the first letter of the line, and
to pick off the same as it should. Consequently the letter is improperly grasped
and is delivered to the carrier sometimes in an oblique or slanting position, and is
therefore not properly presented to the feeling mechanism.
To obviate this difficulty, I provide, upon the front edge of the type driver, a
bevelled tongue or face piece p³, of the character shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which is

page_text: cut to fit corresponding indentations upon the front edge of the type driver p².
This tongue is held in place by the screw p', Figs. 3 and 4, and may be readily
removed by unscrewing the same. This face plate p³, may be made of tempered
steel, and be removed and replaced from time to time as it becomes worn, without
taking out the type driver, which is a great advantage, and in this way the front
edge of the type driver can always be made to oppose a hard flat surface to the
end letter of the advancing line of type, without stopping the machine any
appreciable length of time. To this improvement however I make no claim.
The mechanism for controlling the type on the galley is the same as that
described in the aforesaid Letters Patent 512781 and need not be referred to
further.
This plate is not shown in Figs. 1 and 2, on account of the smallness of the
scale, but taking these figures in connection with Figs. 3 and 4, its function and
utility will be at once apparent.
In the previously constructed machines, a certain difficulty has been experienced
in moving the carriers longitudinally in the raceways, owing to the fact that, as
the carriers become worn, they do not correspond with the channel in the front
plate leading to the case, and they also slide in the raceway and rattle, and arc
sometimes liable to fail in retaining their parallelism.
A part of my improvements consists in adjusting the size of the raceways to
the carriers, from time to time, as they become worn, by constructing the
raceways as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which they are shown to consist of
movable plates M2 M2, which hold the carriers M and M' in the manner shown in
Fig. 5. These plates are provided with slots, through which pass suitable
screws M³, which screw down into screw openings in the bed-plate A. By turning
the screws M³ M³, the raceways M2 M2 can be loosened, and may then be moved
or shifted laterally in and out, upon the slots, and thus fitted to the carriers, as the
latter, or the grooves in the raceways themselves, become worn.
It is also desirable that the back plate F, containing channels or grooves K,
through which the type passes, on being ejected from the carrier, to their proper
compartment in the case under the machine, should also be provided with an
adjustment which will enable a continuous surface to be formed and preserved,
between the front surface of the plate F and the front edge of the raceway M². This
is accomplished by attaching the plate F, containing the grooves K, to a horizontal
plate A, Fig. 5, which is arranged to slide upon a stud a, at the bottom of the bed
plate A, and is moved laterally by the bolt A2 passing through the stud a, as
shown in Fig. 5. By rotating this bolt A2, the plate A', and with it the plate F,
is moved to the right or left, and, as a result, the front surface of the raceway M²
is made continuous with the surface F at the point; if the line of continuity
for any reason becomes broken. The plate A¹ may be supported under the bed
plate A as shown in Fig. 5, or in any other convenient manner.
A further part of my improvements consists in providing mechanism which,
(wheu the feeler hooks H, actuated in the manner described in the aforesaid
Patent, drop and engage with the ejector in the carrier), will operate to positively
prevent any hook thus falling from tripping or slipping up, and loosening its hold
upon the ejector, until after the feeler mechanism has operated. This is part
of the improvement shown in Fig. 5. Here Z is the bed plate, on which the
feeler mechanism operates, Z' is the sliding bar actuating the feelers, and Z' the
series of bearings in which the feeler hooks H H are pivoted. His the feeler
hook, and a spring his provided for each hook placed as shown in Fig. 5, upon a
rody just at the back of each hook. This rod g is pivoted as shown, and is turned
by a lever bar, which is actuated by an arm i, carried by a horizontal rod i².
A roller V is provided upon the shaft W' of the machine, having a cam von its
periphery, which engages with a roller 22, on the rod . This rod slides in a
suitable bearing, and is kept against the roller V by the spring 3, and, when the
cam, by the revolution of the roller, comes in contact with the roller ", it causes
the rod to slide to the left, thereby moving the arm and throwing the lever

page_text: from right to left, which in turn causes the spring to come in contact with the
upper surface of the feeling hook H, and to hold it down for an instant, until the
cain v has passed the roller. Thereupon the spring moves the rod back to
its normal position, raising with it the spring h.
The roller V is of such size, and the cam thereon is so arranged, that it will
operate to slide the lever A1 only at the instant when the feeler hooks H are
dropped over the ejector, and just at the moment when they come in contact with
the ejector.
A similar spring device is arranged behind each feeler hook throughout the row,
and the arrangement of the cam is such that the spring has no effect, except upon
that particular feeler hook which drops and clutches the ejector, which of course
takes place when the particular feeling mechanism has selected the proper letter.
A further part of my invention is the improvement in the construction of the
plunger mechanism for throwing forward the carriers as they reach the end of the
raceway, which is designed to obviate the difficulty experienced in the existing
machines, in which the arrangement of the plunger mechanism was such that, when
the plunger became worn, it could not readily be replaced without taking that
section of the machine apart. The object of the present improvement is to provide
the end or tooth of the plunger with a removal or interchangeable face piece,
which may readily be removed and changed. This is accomplished by constructing
the end of the plunger O with a mortised slot or tenon, as shown in Fig. 9, into
which tenon a tooth o fits. This tooth is held in position by the pin oº. The
plunger O is pivoted as before at 07 (Fig. 7) and is actuated by the sliding bar o³,
which in turn is operated by the lever Q, moved by the cam groove V+, formed in
the cam roller V, fast on the driving shaft W' of the machine. This tooth 08 is
made of extra tempered steel, and may be readily removed and replaced without
removing the plunger O. The rock bar Q is pivoted to the frame of the machine
at Q, and a spring Q2 is provided, attached at one end to the frame of the
machine, engaging at its opposite extremity with the block of over which falls the
hook of the tripping lever ot, pivoted at o³ to the rocking bar Q. The spring Q
engages with the block o so as to hold it against the rock bar Q. The spring Q
rests also against the surface of the roller V5. The bar Q carries a roller Q', which
runs loosely in the cam groove V* of the roller.
As the roller V5 rotates the cam
groove V throws the rock-bar forward and backward, once in each revolution,
moving therewith the sliding plunger bar o² in and out. If, for any reason, the
plunger bar o gets caught, so that it cannot move, the lever of is tripped off of the
block o, and the rock bar Q ceases to push the plunger bar forward and backward,
and, until the shaft is stopped, it merely slides the block of forward and backward
on the pin o, until the normal conditions are restored. To this improvement
however I make no claim.
A further part of the invention is the arrangement of the plunger mechanism
for the purpose of moving the carriers laterally in their raceways.
A great
difficulty experienced in the existing machines is the pounding or hammering of
the carriers in their lateral passage through the raceways, particularly as they
reach the end of a line. The object of this mechanism is to avoid this difficulty,
by moving up the end blocks to meet the carriers, then moving up the carriers in
one continuous solid line, and then releasing the line, so as to permit the plunger O
to operate on the end carrier, when the line is released. This is accomplished by
automatically withdrawing the holding block at one end of the line of carriers,
before the plunger at the other end of the line operates to shift the line, and then
closing up the line before moving the same as a whole, and imparting to the closed
line a constant movement, or intermittent movement, for such intervals as may be
necessary to enable the feelers to perform their proper functions, thereby avoiding
the hammering and pounding of the carriers at the end of the raceways.
Fig. 10 is an elevation of the mechanism for driving the carriers through the
raceways; and Fig. 11 is a plan partly in section, of the mechanism shown in
Fig. 10.

page_text: In these figures W₁ is the driving shaft and W2 is a double bevel-edged bent
cam roller, fast on the shaft W¹. The cam roller W2 rotates between two pairs of
rollers R' R³ and R2 R*, the members of each pair being placed on opposite sides of
the same, arranged to rotate on the sliding bearings N. N¹, as shewn in Fig. 11
whereby a horizontal throw or sliding movement is imparted to the sliding toothed
racks 2 and 3, and to the rods and u', the bearings of which slide laterally
in suitable bevelled seats e e' (see Fig. 12) upon the frame of the machine.
The first pair of racks engage with a pinion, and the second pair of
racks engage with a pinion, and, as a result, an opposite motion is given to
the rack to that given to the rack. The first pair of racks is connected
with a block m' at one end of one raceway, which they move longitudinally back-
wards and forwards; and the second pair of racks is connected with a plunger m²;
which they move longitudinally forward and backward at the same end of the other
raceway. Each pair of racks thus operates two plungers at opposite ends, and on
the opposite side of the raceway. The ends of the bed plate A are provided with
the slots nn (Fig. 6) to permit of the proper motion of the plungers and blocks m
and m¹. The rods u and u' (Figs. 10 and 11) are moved directly from the racks
connected with the rollers R¹ R³ and R2 R, and in an opposite direction from the
racks and r³.
The details of arrangement of these mechanisms are shewn in Figures 10 to 13
inclusive, and also in Fig. 22.
The roller R', which is driven inward directly from the cam W2, engages through
the rod u, with a block m, at one end of the raceway, and which closes up the end
of the line of carriers M; and the rack r, which is driven from the cam, by the
roller R, engaging, through the pinion, with the second rack 2, is driven
outward at the other end of the other raceway. The same operation takes place
by the movement of the roller R upon the rod u' and the movement of the roller R³
on the rack 3.
For the purpose of preventing any injury to the plunger mechanism, in case the
line of carriers, for any reason becomes blocked and ceases to move, there is
attached to the block m², (Fig. 8 and Figs. 14 to 21 inclusive) a rod m³ passing
through a cylinder m, and a screw nut m is pivoted, screwing down over the end
of the rod m³. The cylinder m is attached at one end to the extremity of the
rod u and at the other end, in the case of the other line, to the rack 5. The result.
of this construction is such that if for any reason the carriers become blocked,
the blocks m² being thrown forward by the plunger mechanism, will simply press the
spring within the cylinder m and prevent any injury to the line of carriers.
rods u are held in position at their outer ends by means of a stud n², Fig. 11 which
is placed in a slot on the bed plate of the machine in the manner shown in
that figure.
The
A handle is pivoted as shewn in the various views, for the purpose of releasing
the block m in case of any sticking of the parts. It is pivoted in the manner
indicated, and is simply thrown down and when released permits the rod m³ within
the cylinder m to slide back into the cylinder. The block is provided with an
opening n covered with a plate N³ (Fig. 13) which is provided with a handle N
which screws down into a corresponding opening into the bed plate A, through
the opening n³, in the manner shewn in Fig. 13, thereby not impeding the lateral
motion of the block m', and in this manner protecting the pusher mechanisin at
the top.
The result of this movement is such that, as the block m¹ moves forward in one
raceway the block at the other end of the other raceway moves forward in an
opposite direction, and vice versa, and, when the block m¹ moves backward at the
end of one raceway, it also moves backward at the end of the other raceway a
distance sufficient in each case to enable the plunger mechanism O, referred to
above, to move forward and throw out of one raceway into the other raceway, a
single carrier at each end of the line. After the carrier is thus thrown forward,
the curve or dwell on the cam W2 is so slight that no lateral motion is imparte l

page_text: to the rollers R' R³ and R R', and the line of carriers remains standing for a
sufficient period of time to enable the type driver to throw a single letter from the
line of type into the carrier. Then the cam W2 commences to act again, and the
block at one end of the line is thrown forward, so as to close up the separate
carriers into a continuous line, and the entire mechanism is then caused to move
forward laterally, by the curve of the cam-wheel W2 so as to bring the carrier at
the extreme end of the line opposite to the end of the other raceway; whereupon,
a space having been prepared by the operation of the mechanism upon the line in
the other raceway, the blocks recede and leave the line open, and thereupon the
plunger at this end of the line throws the carrier at the extreme end of the first
line into the space thus provided in the second line, and the same operation takes
place in a reverse direction at the other end of the line.
The bearings for the rack are dovetailed at e' so as to slide in suitable dovetailed
seats e cut or mortised in the surface of the bed plate A. in the manner shown in
Figures 12 and 13.
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 type distributing machines of the description aforesaid the combination
with the bed plate of the raceways having adjustable plates for regulating the
width of the carrier channels, and an adjustable back plate F, containing the type
channels; a sliding plate placed under the bed plate, to which said back plate is
attached, and means for moving the same so as to adjust it to the adjustable plates
forming the raceways, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
2. In type distributing machines of the description aforesaid, the combination
with the bed plate of the race-ways, having slotted plates for regulating the width
of the carrier channels, and screws whereby the slotted plates are removably and
adjustably screwed, and a horizontal plate A' supported beneath the bed-plate,
having a back plate and a bolt F2, by which it is moved to adjust the plate to the
adjustable plates of the raceways, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings.
3. In type distributing machines of the description aforesaid, the combination
with the feeler-hooks of springs, a lever whereby the springs are actuated, a main
shaft with which the lever is connected, and mechanism whereby, when the feeler-
hooks fall, the springs are thrown into operation and bold down those feeler-hooks
which engage with the ejector of one or more carrier or carriers when the feeling
mechanism operates; substantially as herein before described, and illustrated by
the drawings.
4. In type distributing machines of the description aforesaid, the combination
with the feeler-hooks of the spring the sliding rod t¹ actuating the spring, and
the cam roller V having a cam V, actuating the sliding rod substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
5. In type distributing machines of the description aforesaid the combination,
with the raceways, of a plunger and end block in each race-way, the plunger in
one raceway being arranged alongside the end block of the other raceway and
means substantially as described for moving the plunger and the end block at the
end of each raceway in opposite directions; then moving the plunger and the end
block in one raceway in one direction, and the plunger and the end block in the
other raceway in the opposite direction, and then moving the plungers in opposite
directions for permitting the shifting mechanism to effect an exchange of a carrier
at each end of the line, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the drawings.
6. In type distributing machines of the description aforesaid, the combination,
with the race-ways, of the sliding bearings, each bearing having a rack-bar and
a pair of rollers; a cam-roller working between the rollers of each pair of rollers;

page_text: a plunger and end block in each race-way, rods connecting the bearings with a
plunger and with an end block respectively at one end of the raceways, a plunger
having a rack-bar and an end block having a rack-bar at the other end of the
race-ways; and pinions connecting the rack-bars in pairs, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
7. The improvements in machines for distributing printing type, substantially
as and for the purposes described.
Dated 07th Antakan tear
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.