IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CASTING AND CONSTRUCTION OF TYPES FOR PRINTING
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DUNCAN, of 72, Lombard Street, in the City of London, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-sixth day of June, in
the seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Duncan, Her especial license, that I, the
said John Duncan, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Duncan, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CASTING AND
CONSTRUCTION OF TYPES FOR PRINTING," which has been communicated to me
by a certain Foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters Patent there
is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John Duncan, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and scal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the sai
John Duncan, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, an
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are described in an
by the words following, reference being duly had to the Drawings hereunt
annexed, that is to say:
The object of my Invention is to perform, by means of a machine, the
motions required in casting type and in smoothing the same, and in setting i
up for examination, which motions have chiefly been hitherto performed by
hand, or if by a machine, then in a less perfect manner than by my newly
invented machine, which I am about to describe.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a view of the machine in
isometrical perspective; Fig. 2 is that geometrical elevation of the same
which would appear if the furnace and its appurtenances were taken away:
Fig. 3 is a geometrical plan of the same, the furnace included; Fig. 4 repre-
sents a method of withdrawing the matrix different from that shewn in the
other Figures; Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the furnace, flue, pump, and jet
pipe; and Fig. 6 is the spring slide of the setting-up box. In Fig. 1 the rest
of the machine is shewn as removed to a short distance from the furnace, in
order to obtain a better view of the parts. In each of the Figures certain parts
are omitted which could not be shewn without confusion, but a correct know-
ledge of the machine may be obtained by comparison of the whole. In all
these Figures the samo letters and numerals denote the same parts, except it
be otherwise expressed.
The operation of the machine may be shortly stated as follows:-The
pump 11, 12, injects a due quantity of melted metal into the mould B, B,
B', B. The matrix V is withdrawn by the sliding of the bar T, or otherwise
as herein-after described. The mold B¹, B', B, B, is opened by the lever D.
The type is carried away from the mold by the arms A, A, A, which revolve
on the axis from which they radiate, is broken from the jet at the separator
W, is drawn between the smoothing dies D, D³, by the sliding catch m, n, and
is finally deposited in the setting-up box J', J. The parts which perform or
are accessory to these motions receive the needful movements from the shaft
F and the several cams which it carries, which shaft may be turned by hand
with a winch, as shewn in the Figures, or by any other suitable power and
apparatus.
I proceed now to a more particular description of the several parts and
movements of the machine. The furnace 1, 1, 1, 1, is affixed to the sides of
the supporting frame 2, 2, 2, by brackets, as shewn in the Drawings. 3 is its
door for the admission of fuel.
4, 4, the receptacle or pot in which the metal
2,

page_text: is contained and melted. 5, 5, the frame which supplies a guide to the pump
rod. 6, 6, 6, 6, the fireplace and flues in which the current of heated air
follows the direction of the arrows till it arrives at any convenient chimney or
other means of draft and exit. In the isometrical Drawing, and in Fig. 3, the
cap which covers the flues near the jet pipe (7, 7, is omitted in order to give
sight of the partition 6 a, 6 a, by which the flue is divided into two parts, the
hot air ascending by that nearest to the furnace, passing over the edge of the
partition 6 a, 6 a, and descending by the other part, the object of which is to
prevent the formation of partial currents in the flue, by which the jet pipe (7, 7,
would be partially and insufficiently heated. 8 is the pump rod, surrounded
by the spiral spring, by which the pump is forced down to effect the injection
of the metal into the mold. 8 a is a screwed boss or nut by which the
strength of the spiral spring may be adjusted. 9, 9, is the lever by which the
pump is raised, as herein-before described. The pin which projects from the
pump rod applying to the notch shewn in the lever and the screw 10 serves to
adjust the injection of metal by the pump to the due and requisite quantity.
The piston or plunger of the pump marked (11) fits with tolerable correctness
into the cylinder 12; its connection with its rod 8, while it is sufficiently strong
and safe, is of so loose a kind as to allow it to take freely its own bearing in
the cylinder; into its central cavity 13 the melted metal flows by the hole 14.
When the pump is forced down the lower orifice of the cavity is closed by the
button valve or simple disk 15, which applies itself truly to the thin edge of
that orifice, and closes it in the manner of other valves; when the valve is not
so applied, that is, when the valve is open, the button or disk 15 rests on the
three half staples or bent wires 16, which are inserted in the end face of the
piston beyond the edge of the button, as shewn in the Drawing. I prefer to
make the lower end of the piston of the form represented in the Drawing,
finding that the sharp edge which surrounds the central cavity readily forces
its way through the viscid melted metal, and that the portion of metal which
intervenes between the button and the parallel part of the piston's face ensures
the due falling of the button on the lifting of the pump. By the depression of
the piston the metal is forced along the pipe 17, 17, which, with that portion
already described as the jet pipe 7, 7, forms its channel to the arm A, which
happens to stand opposite to the orifice of the pipe, through which arm it
passes into the mold B, B, B', B'. The pump is raised by the lever H, H,
which is acted on by the cam G, the abrupt notch in which permits the pump
to be suddenly forced down by its spring (8), and the metal to be thereby
injected into the mold with due effect. I find it necessary to make the pump
and jet pipe of cast iron, and previous to use to cover the surfaces to which

page_text: the melted metal applies with smoke from substances which have no resinous
matter in their composition, which covering of smoke requires occasional
renewal. The jet arms A, A, A, &c., radiate from an axis which turns in the
head block M, and which carries on its other end the wheel N, the notches
e, e, e, in the periphery of which correspond in number with the arms A, A.
I commonly use 12 arms and notches, but any other convenient number may
be used. The axis is placed a little in front of the line drawn perpendicular
to the horizontal face of the mold, at the place where the type is form'd, in
order that as the arms revolve they may not only bring the type forward but
lift it a little from the surface. The said axis also has liberty to slide a little
endwise in order that it may be closely pressed, by means herein-after described,
against the nipple formed on the end of the jet pipe 7, 7. The barn L gives
rotatory motion to this axis and its appurtenances by depressing the lever f,f,
which turning on its centre f¹ elevates by its other and the lever f, which turns
on the axis itself and carries the feed hand O. The pall P falling into each
notch e, e, successively holds the wheel N, and consequently the arms A, A, so
that as each arm comes into action the hole (a) in it shall accurately cor-
respond to the jet pipe and mold, and form the passage from one to the other.
The holes a, a, a, are made largest at the side towards the mold, that the jet
piece may be readily pushed out in that direction, as herein-after described.
Finding that the contact of the jet pipe, arm, and mold is liable to be rendered
imperfect by minute portions of matter which lodge on them, I use the wipers
(A, A, A, &c.), which are affixed to the same axis with the arms A, A, A, &c.,
and are placed alternately with them; each is a brass spring, covered for a
short distance near its extremity with a fabric composed of asbestos and cotton,
or either of them, as may be convenient. In revolving they press on and
wipe the surfaces which are to come into contact, and are themselves wiped by
the counter-wipers (A3, A3,) between which they pass, and which are con-
structed in the same manner, but are affixed to the frame and are of greater
acting width. The mold B is attached to the bar C, and with it receives
from the cam Q an endwise sliding motion, by which it is pressed against the
arm A, which happens to stand opposite, pressing the arm against the nipple
of the jet pipe 7, 7, and so completing and making safe the passage for the
melted metal into the mold. I prefer commonly to make this cam act on the
bar through a short and tolerably stiff spring, that the necessary pressure and
no more may be given to the contact of the mold, arms, and nipple, notwith-
standing any trifling misadjustinent of the parts. The volume and surface of
the bar C serve to carry off the heat from the mold, notwithstanding the
rapidity with which the types are cast, which cooling effect may be aided when

page_text: necessary by a current of air artificially induced. The matrix V is held in the
chops formed in the bar T, as shewn in the Drawing. The bar T is slided
endwise for withdrawing the matrix previous to opening the mold, which
motion is also effected by the same cam Q. These dependent motions of the
two bars T and C are made to follow in due order and degree by the following
means: The cam Q acts on them through the slide R, to which the spring
before suggested is attached (if used at all), and the bar T, which carries the
matrix, partakes accurately of all its motions, being connected with it by a stud
U, which is fixed in the said bar T, passes through a mortice in the bar C,
and fits truly in a hole in the slide R; but the mortice in R is made of such
length and so placed that the stud U never touches that end of it which is
towards the mold, and thus allows the face of the matrix itself to press forward
the mold B and its bar C, by which means the perfect contact of the matrix
and mold is effected; but in returning, the bar T with the matrix moves some
distance before the stud U comes to the hinder end of the mortice, and draws
back the bar C with the mold. The motion of these bars and slide towards
the furnace is given by the cam Q. and those in the opposite direction by the
spring S. The mold is hinged at b, its hinge being attached to a stem which
admits of the mold being adjusted to any width of type, after the manner of
French molds. It is opened by the lever D¹, D¹, which engages with the
hook piece d. The lever is lifted by the piece J sliding in the block K, which
receives its motion from the cam I acting through the lever d', d', whose
centre is at d. The spring E serves to hold down the top of the mold with
suflicient force through the lever D¹.
Figure 4 exhibits a different method of withdrawing the matrix, which for
some kinds of type I prefer. In this method the matrix is made to revolve in
small are round the upper edge of the mold as a centre, the matrix when in
work being held in close contact with the faces of the mold by a spring, as is
often practiced in casting types by hand. The lever D is lifted by the same
liding piece J which lifts the lever D', on which lever it also has its centre;
ut in order that the matrix may be safely withdrawn before the mold is
pened, the two levers have their lower edges so placed with respect to each
ther that the straight face of the sliding piece J lifts the lever D before it
cts on D'. The lever D³ raises, by means of a chain, the lever D³, whose nib
r projection presses on the matrix at a point above the upper edge of the
old, and turns it in a small are round that edge, thus withdrawing the lower
art of the matrix from its contact with the mold. The spring D is so
trained as to press the matrix safely against the faces and stool of the mold in

page_text: all the three directions, forwards, sideways, and downwards, in which its
accurate contact is required. When this method is adopted, the bar C, which
carries the mold, must be connected with the slide R, so as to partake of its
motions as the bar T did before, in order that the mold may be duly pressed
against the arm A and the nipple of the jet pipe 7, 7.
The division of the type from the melted metal is effected accurately, at the
touching faces of the arm and nipple, in the following manner :-The arm A
is colder than either the mold or the jet pipe; the metal, which passes rapidly
through it into the mold, is not chilled in that quick passage, but the instant
the mold is full, and consequently the current ceases, the metal in the arm
begins to become solid, and at the same instant the metal in the jet pipe is
slightly withdrawn from contact with it by the up stroke of the
The
pump.
arms A, A, &c., in their revolution carry the type away from the mold, one by
one, as they are cast. The plate W, which I call the separator, is so placed
that when an arm A, holding a type, arrives opposite to it, the type very nearly
touches it. Each type is broken off and pushed between the spring picce i, i,
and the separator W by the slide j, j, actuated by the lever A', A', which is
moved in one direction by the cam C', and in the other by the spiral spring k.
Each type remains here during several revolutions of the engine, being
gradually pushed on the following type, by which delay the type becomes
cool enough for the subsequent operation of smoothing. From this situation
they are drawn by the lip n of the piece m, carried by the slide F, F, which
slide is moved back and forth by the cam H', acting through the slide I' (with
its two rollers, one on each side of the cam), and the lever G'. The lip n
draws them through the smoothing dies D³, D, and deposits them exactly at
the opening p, p, in the setting-up box 1, 1, into which opening each, as it
arrives, is pressed by the depressor K, which is moved a pin in the cam C¹,
and back again by the spring Cs, and which moves just so far as to leave the
type a little below the surface of the box ready to receive the next. The
cavity p, p, is made of such a size as to fit the type freely, and the column of
type contained, it is supported by a spring slide Fig. 6, which is so adjusted as
to yield conveniently to the force of the depressor K. I prefer that the setting
up box should not exceed three feet in length. The smoothing dies D, D5,
are made of steel and faced very true. They are cut across by the saw kerfs
0, 0, 0, &c., which are burnished into a series of delicate cutting edges by
which the smoothing of the type is effected. The upper die is pressed to work
by the spring 7. The set screws 1, 1, in the upper die serve to adjust the
width between the dies. When an arm A arrives at its next position beyond

page_text: the separator W, the punch or wire h is advanced and forces out the jet piece.
This punch is carried by the slide x, which receives motion, through its study,
from the cam z.
The removal of the type from the mold may be effected in a simpler way
than I have now described, viz, by placing or forming the mold B in such
a manner that that surface which is now horizontal shall then be inclined to the
horizon at an angle of not less than 16 degrees or more than about 40 degrees,
so that the type on the mold being opened may slide away from the place on
which it was cast towards the place now occupied by the separator W, and
thus make room for the next. The sticking of the type in the mold is
relieved by the heel of the stool in rising touching the small part of the type
which projects beyond the mold on the withdrawal of the matrix, which takes
place without injury to the face of the type. This plan renders unnecessary
the arms A, A, and the parts concerned with them, the mold applying itself
immediately to the jet pipe 7, 7, and necessitates the omission of those parts
of the machine which effect the smoothing and setting up. In consequence,
however, of the omission of the arms A, A, (which being always cooler than
the mold or jet pipe tend to prevent leakage of the metal by chilling it,) it is
necessary when this plan is used to provide for the accurate fitting of the mold
and jet pipe, which I effect in the following manner :-The pipe is enlarged in
diameter for a short distance from its extremity, the enlargement terminating
in a hollow spherical face. In this enlargement is placed a pipe whose
internal diameter corresponds with that of the pipe 17, 17, and which
externally fits loosely in the enlargement. This short additional pipe projects
a little beyond the jet pipe; its outer end forms the nipple, while its spherical
inner end fits closely to the bottom of the enlargement and prevents the escape
of the metal, the nipple thus easily adjusts itself to an accurate fit with the
mold. Z, Z, Z, Z', are the upper edges of the frame to which the furnace is
affixed, and on which the rest of the machine may be slided to its due position
in respect of the furnace, and there secured. The lower parts of this frame
are not shewn, as they are in no respect peculiar, and may be made of any
convenient height or shape; nor have I described the several frames, pedestals,
slide cases, centres, or other supports, which are sufficiently shewn in the
Drawings, or which may be readily inferred.
The order in which the several motions of my said invented machine occur
is as follows:-1 begin with the pump uplifted and ready for an injecting
stroke. The pump is forced down, the matrix is withdrawn, the mold is
opened, the arm carrying the mold is advanced one step in its rotation.
Nothing more occurs to the individual type then cast till the third motion

page_text: afterwards (if twelve arms be used), when it reaches the separator, and the
other operations follow as before mentioned, the type advancing a step at each
successive revolution of the shaft F, until it is deposited in the setting-up box;
but on the type being carried away from the mold by the arm, the mold closes,
the matrix is carried up, the matrix, mold, arm, and jet pipe, are pressed
together, and the pump having in the meantime been raised, the whole is
ready for another injection of metal by the next stroke of the pump, and so on.
The motion by which the punch h pushes out the jet pieco which remains in
the hole a, in the arm A, after the type is broken from it, may take place at
any part of the time during which the arms are stationary. I find that the
machine produces the best effect when worked at the speed of from 60 to 100
revolutions
per minute.
And now having described the machine by which the improvements secured
to me by the said Letters Patent are effected, I wish it to be understood that
I do not claim the parts of the said machine separately or combined, except as
herein-after described; neither do I limit my claim to the particular com-
bination or arrangement I have now described, since it is evident that the
parts of the machine may be varied in unimportant matters in many equivalent
ways; but I do claim as follows:-
1st, whereas a spring has heretofore been used for the return stroke of a
pump when employed in casting type, leaving the injection of the metal to be
effected by force of hand, I claim contrariwise the application of a spring to
the injecting stroke of the pump.
2nd, I claim the use of the divided flue through which the jet pipe passes,
the division of which flue produces the more perfect heating of the said pipe.
3rd, I claim the mode of constructing the plunger and valve of a pump to
be used in casting pipe, as herein-before set forth.
4th, I claim the use of the radiating arms A, A, &c., for constituting part
of the channel removeable from the mold and jet pipe, by which the melted
metal reaches the mold, and for carrying away the type from the mold when
cast.
5th, I claim the attaching of the mold to a bar of metal, large enough to
carry away the heat from the mold with sufficient rapidity, notwithstanding
the rapid casting of the type.
6th, I claim the first-described mode of carrying up and withdrawing the
matrix, so as to press the matrix, mould, arm, and jet pipe together, and after-
wards to separate the same in due time and order.
7th, whereas the turning of the matrix on the upper edge of the mold, and
the pressing of it into due contact with the mold by a spring, have been afore-

page_text: time in public use, I claim so much only of the second mode of carrying up
and retracting the matrix as is necessary to produce the said motions of the
matrix in due time and order, and of bringing the mold into contact with the
arm and jet pipe, without the interposition of the matrix and its slide.
8th, I claim the construction and use of the smoothing dies, as set forth;
and in combination therewith I claim the manner of arranging the separator
and the apparatus by which the types are pushed forward and carried between
the smoothing dies and deposited in the setting-up box.
9th, I claim the manner of setting up the type preparatory to its being
examined and dressed by the use of a setting-up box, substantially as herein-
before described.
10th, I claim the use of a mold, whose lower face on which the type rests is
placed at an angle, which permits the type to slide away when the mold is
opened, as herein-before described, when such mold is used in combination
with any of the other parts of the machine herein described and claimed which
can be used in such combination.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Duncan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three