Improvements in Type Setting and Distributing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 24th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Setting and Distributing Machines.
We, ALEXANDER ROSDESTWENSKIJ of Rue Nicola No. 9, St. Petersburg,
Bachelor of Mathematics, and EUGENE BOUNIMOWITCH of Rue Sytninskaja No. 20,
St. Petersburg, Bachelor of Mathematics, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to improvements in machines or apparatus for setting
or distributing type, the moving or working parts of which are partly actuated
and controlled by means of electro magnets, and partly by other means in the
manner to be hereinafter described.
The process in connection with the said machine or apparatus consists mainly
of two movements, viz., firstly, the setting of a line of type, and secondly, the
pushing or placing of the said line of type already set.
-
The said machine or apparatus is composed of the following parts:
1. Small magazines or cases for holding the types, said magazines or cases
being of a hollow rectangular shape. The dimensions of said cases, (that is to
say, height, breadth, and length) depend on those of the types placed therein,
as well as upon the number thereof. For one kind of type there are about
one hundred of such cases, with small and large letters, numbers and signs All
the cases are arranged in a row according to the alphabet, and are placed in a
frame common to them all in such a way that if required, the signs and numbers
come first in order, and then the letters, one small letter following the
corresponding capital letter.
The corresponding representation of the letters, signs or numbers, are shewn
on keys, to be hereinafter described, one such row with one kind of letter can
follow another row with another kind of letter and so on, so that practically the
number of the types is unlimited.
2. A contrivance which may be termed an appendage, or cranked lever, which
is attached one on each side of each small magazine or case, and is composed of
two parts, viz., the cranked lever proper, and an axle or bar on which is fitted
a sleeve. This said cranked lever rotates on a horizontal axle, having bearings
in two bracket seatings attached to the two opposite lying side walls of the case
or magazine.
In the lower part of these said side walls of each case or magazine is a slot
parallel to the floor or bottom of the case, into which the upper bent part of the
cranked lever can easily enter. The upper arm of said cranked lever is controlled
by a spring attached to the side wall of the case or magazine, the action of which
is to push this upper arm at its upper bent part away from the slot aforesaid.
3. This appendage or cranked lever aforesaid receives its motion from a
horizontal lever, on the outer end of which is a key or plate having a representa-
tion of the letter, figure or sign corresponding to those in the case or magazine
connected therewith, and at the inner end of said lever, a bevelled edge bar or
prism, (which may be either solid with, or fixed to the said lever) having the
edge upwards. This horizontal lever oscillates on a horizontal shaft.

page_text: By striking the key and depressing the outer end of said horizontal lever, the
inner end having the wedge shaped piece or bar is raised, and coming in contact
with the sleeves of the pair of appendages or cranked levers aforesaid, pushes
them apart, and thereby forces the upper bent part of said cranked levers into
the slots aforesaid and holds the type, letter, figure, or sign, up, and simultaneously
allows the letter or the like under it to fall out, on to a moveable sheet or table
underneath.
By reference to the drawings to be hereinafter described it will be readily seen
that when the key is released from its depressed position the wedge simultaneously
falls, and the sleeves return to their former position, at the same time the types
held up, fall, but are kept in the magazine or case by the lower horizontal arm
of the aforesaid bent lever. The parts are so arranged that the second letter,
figure or sign of the column in the case, counting from the bottom, is gripped when
the key is depressed so that one piece of type only falls on to the table or sheet
underneath, each time said key is touched or depressed, this action being continued
at each depression. As soon as the key is free from the pressure produced for its
depression, it rises immediately owing to the action of a spring under the outer
portion of this horizontal lever, and the prism falls, and the letters in the
magazine or case above fall with it, but are retained in the case by the lower
portion of the crank lever aforesaid, which closes the bottom of the case by the
pressure of the springs attached to the side walls.
In order to push the letters or other figures or signs together after they have
ciropped out from their several cases, and at the same time secure their being kept
in their corresponding position in the row of type ietters they are allowed to fall
on to a metal plate forming a composing stick, which is guided in a frame, and
by means of a slide that moves along the frame backwards and forwards in a
manner to be hereinafter described, are pushed towards or against the left hand
side of the composing stick.
If the type which has just fallen out is pressed by the slide up to the type
already collected at the left hand side of the composing stick, the said composing
stick is jerked by the pressure brought to bear on the types by the said slide
again to the left to the extent of the width of the type, so that the right hand end
of the row of types on the composing stick regularly assumes the right position
opposite to the left hand end of the row of type cases or magazines, and the stroke
of the slide can be regularly maintained.
As will be seen several keys may be pressed simultaneously provided that the
characters in the sentence corresponding therewith follow one another in the same
order from left to right as the type magazines or cases follow one another from left
to right in the row of type cases, and all the types which have fallen on to the
composing stick can be pushed together against the left hand side of the composing
stick by a single forward movement of the slide.
4. For moving the slide backwards and forwards, either electrical or mechanical
apparatus may be employed. The first of these contrivances consists of two
electromagnets, from the armatures or keepers of which issue wires or cords
which are wound round the axles of rollers or cylinders. Wires or cords pass
round said rollers or cylinders, and thence pass over guide rollers and are
connected with the slide. Closing circuits are effected by means of special keys,
so that the slide is caused to move either backwards or forwards.
5. If desired instead of employing electromagnets, the aforesaid slide can be
operated by means of a pedal attached to a lever, in connection with which cords
or chains issue from the two ends of the lever, these said cords or chains being
wound round the axles of rollers or cylinders in the same manner as described for
the electromagnet contrivance.
By pressing down the pedal the slide is drawn to the left, upon releasing the
sanie, a spring raises the left end of the lever and operates so as to cause the slide
to move back to the right again.
The setting of type with the help of this machine thus reduces the work of the

page_text: compositor to the striking alternately of one or more keys, and then the key for
controlling the electromagnet, or working the pedal aforesaid.
When the composing stick has been thus filled with a line, the latter is put on
to the composing galley being divided for the purpose as may be required.
Several rows of type cases may be arranged one behind the other, so as to enable
types of different sorts to be set with one machine. If it be desired to change
from one sort of type to another, it is only necessary to push the keyboard, on
the table, with the keys and frame connected therewith towards the particular
row of type cases, so that the bevelled edge or prism at the inner end of the
horizontal lever of the key is in proper position under the sleeves of the cranked
lever of the corresponding type cases. It is best that each row of type boxes
should have their own slides, only the slide of the row of type boxes or cases
actually at work being connected with the cylinders or rollers of the electro-
magnets, whilst the remaining slides are uncoupled by releasing the cords or
chains belonging thereto.
In order to distribute the set up types and place them in the empty magazines
or cases, the types are taken line ways (a line at a time) from the table on which
the set types are placed or carried away, by means of a small shovel and plate.
The types are first laid on their broad side by moving the hand along each side,
and are then placed lineways in right order in cases or magazines similar in
appearance to the storing cases or magazines hereinbefore described.
These said magazines or cases are afterwards taken apart by means of a certain
mechanism. An essential part of this mechanism consists of a rod or lever which
rctates on an axle. On one arm of this rod or lever is a key or plate, having
thereon the representation of a certain letter or sign, as in the type setting keys
or plates. On the other arm of said rod or lever rests the arm of a bent lever,
said lever also rotating on an axis or spindle. The other arm of this said bent
o cranked lever rests upon the sleeves of the appendage or cranked lever
herein before described, belonging to the magazine or case serving for the
distribution of the type, so that when the key plate is pressed, only one letter falls
cut of the distributing magazine or case into an empty case.
As in the type
setting apparatus, the empty cases or magazines are placed under the apparatus
in corresponding alphabetical order.
The magazines that serve for the type distributing apparatus, is arranged
together with the corresponding levers, parallel to the openings of the type
setting magazines or cases, and the letters of the distributed formes, are placed in
the corresponding magazines or cases thereby.
The motion of the magazine or case serving for the distribution of the type is
effected by the hand, and when said magazine or case comes over the opening of
the corresponding letter the key is pressed, and the letter or sign falls down into
its proper case.
In order that our invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front sectional view of the machine,
Fig. 2 a cross section of the same, Figs. 3 and 4 being front and side views of
the appendage or crank lever arrangement attached to the lower part of the
magazine or case containing the types, and Fig. 5 a front sectional view shewing
the levers in operation holding the type. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the means
for operating the slide by means of an electro magnet, and Fig. 7 detail of the
appliance for operating the same by the foot or hand. Fig. 8 is a plan of the
type distributing arrangement, Fig. 9 a detail of the levers for operating the same,
and Figs. 10 and 11 are views of the trays or shovels and plate used in distributing
the type.
In these several views A is the table of the type setting machine, B B B are
vertical type magazines or cases, each containing the types C C C for some letter,
sign or mark, which lie loosely together one above the other. At the lower end
of each type case and on either side thereof, is a plate lever b pivotted at il and ‹,
having at its top and bottom end bent or crank lever plates 6 and 62, the upper 63

page_text: being chamfered down on the underside to grip the types better. s are springs
attached to the sides of the type cases, holding the plate levers 6 generally in
position as shewn by fully drawn lines in Fig. 3, so that the lower lever plates b₁
protrude below the lower openings of the type case and prevent the types contained
therein from falling out. This lower lever plate 6 is continued horizontally on
one side, in the form of a rod or spindle 63, at the end of which a sleeve or roller b
is fixed. Between the rollers or sleeves 6 of each type and underneath the same
lies the wedge shape end 65 of the key lever 66 (Fig. 2) at the outer or opposite
end of which is provided key plates or tablets b having on its surface the letter,
figure, sign or representation of the types in the corresponding magazine or case.
This horizontal lever 66 oscillates on a pin, having its bearing in brackets 68
attached to a frame D on the table A. If the key is pressed down the wedged
shaped end or prism 65 therefore is raised and is pushed between the rollers 6'
and presses them apart. The effect of this is that the lower appendages or
cranked levers b¹ of the plate levers 6 sets free the lower opening of the type
magazine or case belonging thereto, whilst the upper cranked levers 62 are
projected through the slots into the inner part of the type case, and pressing
against type opposite the projected edges of said levers holds the same as indicated
by the full lines in Fig. 5. The lowest type in the case thereupon falls out by
its own weight, the rest however are kept back by the projections 62 in the manner
described. When the key 67 is released it is brought back into a stationary
position by the springs 69, the levers 6 being also returned to the position of rest
by their springs s as shown in Fig. 3, and the types contained in the case drop
until they lie on the lower cranked levers b¹. The types thus taken out of the
type cases fall on to a composing stick D¹ guided in the frame, and by means of
a slide E under the type cases B B B which moves along the frame backwards and
forward in a manner to be hereinafter described, is pushed towards or against
the left side of the composing stick D', as shown in Fig. 1.
If the type which has just fallen out is pressed by the slide E up to the type
already collected at the left hand side of the composing stick, the said composing
stick is jerked or moved by the pressure brought to bear on the types by the
aforesaid slide E again to the left to the extent of the width of the type, so that
the right hand end of the row of types on the composing stick regularly assumes
the right position opposite to the left hand end of the row of type cases, and the
stroke of the slide can be regularly maintained. As will be seen, several keys
may be pressed simultaneously, provided that the characters in the sentence
corresponding therewith follow one another in the same order from left to right
as the type cases, and all types which have fallen on to the composing stick can
be pushed together against the left hand side of said stick by a single forward
movement of the slide.
For moving the slide E backwards and forwards either electrical or mechanical
apparatus may be employed. The first of these consists of two electro
magnets FF, from the armatures or keepers of which issue wires or cords, which
a:e wound round the axles f of rollers or cylinders f¹; similar wires or cords are
wound round said cylinders f¹, said wires passing round guide rollers and are
connected with the slide. A special key 60 is provided having contact
pieces m² m², arranged in the circuit closing of a battery as shown in the drawing
(Fig. 6) of the arrangement for putting in circuit. If the key 6º be pressed down
when one or more of the types have dropped down on to the composing stick in
the manner hereinbefore described, the electro magnet is put in circuit by means
of the contact piece m², and attracts its armature or keeper, whereby the slide is
drawn to the left and presses the types, which have fallen on to the composing
stick against the left hand side of the same. If now the key 6° be released, the
contact piece m¹ puts the electro magnet F¹ into circuit and the slide E is drawn
back again to the right.
Instead of employing electro magnets an alternative plan may be adopted in
which the slide E can be operated by means of a pedal g belonging to a lever G

page_text: (Fig. 7) in connection with which cords or chains issue from the two ends of the
lever, these cords or chains being wound round the axles f of the rollers or
cylinders ff. Similar cords or chains are wound round said cylinders f¹ f¹ and
pass over leading pulleys and f and are attached to the slide E. By pressing
down the pedal g, the slide is drawn to the left, and upon releasing said pedal, a
spring raises the left end of the lever G, and operates so that the slide E is caused
to move back to the right again.
The setting of type by means of this machine reduces the work of the compositor
to simply striking alternately one or more keys 67, and then the key 6º, or to
treading the pedal g.
When the composing stick has thus been filled with a line of type, the latter
is put on to the composing galley, being divided for the purpose as may be required.
As will be seen from the illustrations shewn in Fig. 2 several rows of type cases
or magazines B B B may be arranged one behind the other so as to enable types
of different sorts to be set with one machine. If then it be desired to change from
cne sort of type to another, it is only necessary to push the keyboard, in the
table A, which consists of the keys 66 60 and of the frame D, directly towards the
particular row of type cases or magazines, in order to bring the wedge shaped
ends 65 of the keys 66 between the rollers or sleeves 67 of the corresponding cases
or magazines.
It is best that each row of type cases or magazines should have their own
slides E, the slide only of the row of type cases actually at work being connected
with the cylinders or rollers f', whilst the remaining slides are uncoupled by
releasing the wires or cords f2f belonging thereto.
or
In order to distribute the set up types, and place them in the empty magazines
or cases, the types are taken lineways (a line at a time) from the table on which
the set types are carried away by means of a small shovel S (Fig. 10) and a small
plate P (shown in Fig. 11). First the hand is moved along each side, in order to
lay the type on the broad side, it is then placed lineways in right order in a case
or magazine having an appearance exactly like the cases or magazines herein-
before mentioned. The process of distributing the type from this case
inagazine is effected by means of a certain mechanism, the essential part of which
consists of a rod 8 (Fig. 9) which rotates on an axle 9. On one end of this rod
or lever is a key 10 and on the other rests the arm of a bent or crank lever 11
rotating on a horizontal axis 12. Under the other arm of this said crank lever
are the sleeves or rollers, arranged in the same manner as shown in the type
setting apparatus at 64. The operation for releasing the bottom type letter cr
sign in this distributing case or magazine is exactly the same as for a magazine
or case for releasing a type in the type setting apparatus. When therefore the
key 10 at the end of the rod 8 is pressed, only one letter falls out of the distributing
magazine or case into an empty one underneath it. These empty cases or magazines
are placed under the apparatus in alphabetical order, in the same manner as for
setting the type. In the drawing Figure 8 only the upper openings which serve
for the distribution of the type are shewn. The case or magazine holding the type
to be distributed is arranged together with the lever and key above and parallel
to the opening of the type magazines or cases, and the letters of the taken-out
formes are put into the corresponding cases. The type holding magazine is pushed
backwards and forwards along the type cases and slide on the rods X T and tr
which form part of a frame and the whole system X T tr also move along the
rods M N and K Z, the motion of this part of the apparatus being effected by the
hand, and when the magazine or case holding the types to be distributed comes
over the case or magazine for the letter corresponding to the bottom letter of the
set of types to be distributed the key is pressed and the particular type letter or
sign drops out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-

page_text: vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
1. The provision of a type setting machine, in which the types of different
printing characters are arranged in their proper positions in vertical cases or
magazines, said cases being controlled by levers and finger keys, whereby the
bottom type is released and the remaining types are held in position, substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth and described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
2. In type-setting machines, the provision of a slide for taking the types
(actuated by keys and levers and thereby let fall on to a form or plate) and re-
moving the same to a composing stick, whereby it is also made possible for several
keys to be struck simultaneously and several types pushed together at one and the
same time, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In type setting machines, the provision of electromagnets for the purpose of
actuating the slides for removing the types and moving the same backwards- or
forwards, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and described and
illustrated by the accompanying diawings.
4. In type setting machines, the provision of foot levers and mechanism in
substitution for the electro magnets hereinbefore described for actuating the slides
for removing the types, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
5. In Type setting machines, the arrangement of several rows of type cases,
each of which can be used for another and different kind of type each standing
in a plane one behind the other, the arrangement by which the keyboard can be
pushed and placed in connection with each row of type cases, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
6. In type setting machines, the provision of an apparatus for distributing the
type and refilling the cases for type setting, substantially as and for the purpose
herein set forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
7. In type setting machines the provision of a small shovel and plate for col-
lecting the type for distribution, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth and described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
8. In type setting machines the combination of magazines or cases for holding
different types letters or characters, the means of controlling the same by levers
and finger keys for releasing said types; the provision of a slide or slides for
removing the types to a composing stick, the means of actuating said slides by
electromagnets, or by foot levers and mechanism; the provision and arrangement
of several rows of type cases one behind the other, and means of pushing the
keyboard into connection with each row of type cases; the provision of apparatus
for distributing said type, and of shovel and plate for collecting said type; all
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
9. The application of this invention to any form or kind of type setting machine.
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Monument Chambers, London, E.C., Applicants' Agent.