Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Distributing Type.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HENRY CUTLER LELAND, of Waterbury,
County of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America,
Printer.]
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Distributing Type.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to the class of machines that are adapted for use in the
distribution of type, handling the matter as it is taken from the form, separating it
letter by letter and distributing it to a proper receptacle for each letter. In some
prior machines of this class the distributing is effected by mechanism that works
imperfectly and causes a considerable percentage of breakage of type, while the
parts are in a measure uncertain in their operation whereas extreme accuracy in
selection and distribution is required.
To this end my invention consists in details of the several parts making up the
type holding and type selecting mechanism, and in their combination, as more
particularly hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the drawings:
Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a part of a machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a detail view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a detail view in end elevation of the line holder.
Figure 4 is a detail view on enlarged scale of the back of the feeler block.
Figure 5 is a detail view on enlarged scale looking from the left in section
through the feeler block and in elevation of the line holder.
Figure 6 is a detail top view on enlarged scale showing the line clamp in one
position.
Figure 7 is a like view showing it in the position with the feeler engaged back of
the type.
Figure 8 is a detail view of like parts showing a feeler in the act of throwing
out a type.
Figure 9 is a detail side view of a feeler, on enlarged scale.
Figure 10 is a detail end view of a feeler and in side elevation of a type.
Figure 1 is a detail view in section through the feeler block showing the feeler
and the line of type.
Figure 12 is a detail view in section of the feeler block showing the feeler
engaged back of one of the type and in position to throw it out from the clamp.
Figure 13 is a detail top view of the line follower.
In the accompanying drawings the letter A denotes the line holder base that is
made of any suitable material and is arranged preferably so as to revolve about a
central point of support. On this base is arranged the line holder B, the line
holder bar b' being preferably a thin strip of metal supported edgewise in a vertical
position, the inner end being held by a support that allows a free swinging
movement of the outer end of the bar. The outer bar is a like strip of metal
supported in a vertical position substantially parallel to the other bar so as to form
a vertical channel D between the two bars, the channel being of a suitable width
to receive a line of type that is held in an upright position between the line holder
bars. This outer bar & has a lengthwise sliding movement in the support c as well
as a lateral movement towards and from the opposite bar 6. Near the outer end
of the bar a line holder block E is secured to the base A where it forms a support

page_text: for the clamp device F, consisting of the line holder bars and the mechanism for
holding a line of type between the same until such time as each type shall be
removed by the proper feeler and also has a function in connection with the
operation of the feelers which will be hereinafter described. In the clamp device
the crank arm is secured to the shaft 2 that is pivotally supported in an upright
position in the line holder block, and to this shaft is fastened the clamp spring
that extends between the shaft and the back side of the line stop 6 formed on the
end of the inner bar & which is thrust normally against the line of type thereby.
The outer end of the crank arm is provided with a slot f₁ that engages the
post on the link f; the latter being pivotally connected to the outer end of the
outer har 6, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and of the drawings. The tension of
the clamp spring f³ tends to close the outer ends of the line holder bars upon a line
of type that is thrust between the bars by convenient means, the type standing
upright between the bars and with one end resting upon the spring actuated
follower g of the line feed G. The outer end of the line of type rests against the
line stop that is formed by the hook-like projections on the outer end of the inner
line bar . On one side of the outer end of this bar is formed a hook-like pro-
jection, and on the end of the bar is also formed a bevelled face forming a feeler
cam On the opposite side from the hook like projection of the line holder
bar there is formed the feeler socket just large enough to receive the end of a
feeler, and the upper part of the bar is rounded off towards this socket, as shown
in dotted lines in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, the object of this rounding off
of the highest point of the cam being to allow the feeler to be thrust quickly
forward into the socket where its forward end will lie back of the type that is to be
removed from the line holder by the feeler.
The line holder block also bears a ward that is cam-shaped with rounded end
and is secured to the top of the bleck as by means of a screw overhanging and
projecting slightly beyond the hooked end of the line holder bar . The front end
of this ward is bevelled or cam-shaped and is rounded at the inner end, its
office being to encounter and support the several feelers and prevent the front
ends of the teeth from being worn off on the cam in the operation of throwing
out the type from the grasp of the holder bars. This ward encounters a pro-
jecting finger on the upper end of each of the feelers.
The line feed G consists of the follower g' that is located in the channel
between the line holder bars and is thrust forward by means of a spring of
suitable construction. In the form shown a coil spring is located in a spring
barrel, the periphery of the barrel having wound upon it the cord g³, one end
of the cord being fast to the barrel and the other end to the follower in such
manner as to normally operate to thrust the follower forward and against
a line
of type that is located in front of the front end of the follower. The follower is
attached to the outer line bar by a friction clamp 9 in such manner that the
forward movement of the follower tends to a degree to throw the outer line bar
forward with it; this forward motion of the line bar and of the line of type causing
the outer bar to close upon the line of type practically simultaneously with the
forward movement of the type line, and this simultaneous movement forms an
important feature of my invention.
The outer line holder bar 63 which has a sliding movement is connected to the
line holder block by means of the spring arm and link in such manner that the
sliding movement of the bar does not interfere with the operation of the spring that
serves to close the two bars together and clamp between them the line of type to
be distributed.
The feeler block H is secured to a frame or support in such a position that the
line holder base with the line of type may be moved past the outer ends of the
feelers h, the several feelers coming successively into line with the line of type. In
the form shown each feeler consists of a thin piece of metal, as steel, supported
in vertical slots in the block, a notch in the lower edge of the feeler serving, by
contact of the ends of the notch with the wall of the socket, to limit the lengthwise

page_text: movement of the feeler. The front end of each feeler is provided with a finger h²
and with a number of lateral projecting teeth h, the arrangement of the latter as
to distance between them and as to the length and breadth of the teeth corre-
sponding to the nicks in a certain type that the feeler is intended to engage in such
manner as to throw the type out of the grasp of the line holder. Each type has a
different arrangement of the nicks as to space between them, or as to number of
nicks, as illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings where the back of the type are
shown. The front end of each feeler is also cut away so as to enable the feeler to
be projected into the feeler socket that is less in height than the end of the line
holder bar. The feelers are each held in their forward position by means of
springs that are fastened to the feeler block and press against the feelers in such
manner as to thrust them forward.
The method of operation of the distributor is as follows:
A line of type having been thrust into the line holder the outer end of the line is
held by the pressure of the follower against the line stop 3, the nicks in the type
all being turned in the direction in which the line holder is moving, and this motion
of the line holder may be continuous or intermittent, preferably the former. There
are as many feelers having their outer ends projecting into the path of movement
of the outer end of the line holder as there are different type; each of the type is
distinguished by a peculiar arrangement of the nicks, and each feeler supported in
the feeler block has its teeth arranged in proper position to pass through these
nicks, as illustrated in Fig. 10 of the drawings.
In the forward movement of the line holder the bevelled face of the ward
encounters the end of the finger of each feeler and thrusts the feeler back so as to
thrust the part of the end of the feeler that bears the teeth back from the face of
the cam until about the highest point of the feeler cam 6 is reached, and then the
end of the feeler rides on the cam, slides quickly around the rounded end and the
feeler under the impulse of the spring is thrust forward behind the outer end of
the line of type. The feeler will be thrust into the feeler socket only a distance
equal to the width of the type to which the feeler is appurtenant, that is, the teeth
slip through the nicks of the type that they are intended to extract until they
encounter the edge of the type next to that one; this stops the forward movement
of the feeler, but as the line of type is being carried in the line holder in a direction
transversely across the line of movement of the feeler the latter which is held
against anything but slight lateral movement causes the type to be thrust outward in
a direction that causes the outer line holder bar to be slid backwards so that the type
engaged by the end of the feeler is uncovered on one side and liberated from the
grasp of the line holder bars. This type falls downward into any suitable
receptacle and the progressive movement of the line holder continues. As soon as
the type has been released the line of type is fed forward under the impulse of the
spring that thrusts the follower forward as already explained, carries with it, to a
certain extent, and simultaneously, the outer line holder bar which closes upon the
line of type at the same time that the outer type of the line encounters the line
stop and presents another type to be encountered by the proper feeler and
received by it.
As illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the feeler, when it is struck by the ward, is
pushed against the further edge of the slot h, but as soon as it slides forward into
the line socket it swings laterally against the further wall of the socket, as shown
in Fig. 7, the lateral play in this socket allowing the feeler to be thrust into the
socket in spite of the progressive movement of the line holder bar past the feeler.
As soon as the feeler is located in the feeler socket back of the type the progressive
movement of the line holder carries the feeler against the further wall of the socket,
as shown in Fig. 8, and this resistance to further lateral movement of the feeler
causes the type to be thrust outward and removed from the grasp of the line holder
bars. A sufficient number of feelers are located about the outer end of the line
holder base that is preferably circular in outline, and as many of the line holders as
can be accommodated are arranged side by side radially upon the circular base, the

page_text: feelers being arranged in the curved frame in suitable blocks concentric with the
line holder base.
By means of the several devices above described the type are successively
removed from the end of the line from within the grasp of the line holder bars
without the intervention of auy cams or like devices for throwing back the outer
holder bar or uncovering the type, the latter operation being performed auto-
matically by the obstruction presented by the outer end of the feeler that lies back
of the type to be removed. This is illustrated in Fig. 12 of the drawings. The
type and the end of the feclers are so constructed that the latter will slide behind
more than one of the type, provided they are of the same character, that is, bear
the same letter or character and therefore have the nicks similarly arranged as to
relative position. The sides of the type next beyond a given type forms the stop
that limits the forward movement of the feeler, and by the pressure exerted in the
forward movement of the line holder past the comparatively stationary feeler the
outer holder bar is slid backward until its outer end has uncovered all of the type
back of which a given feeler lies, and after such type are removed the line of type
is thrust forward so that the outer type of the line is ready to be engaged by the
feeler appurtenant to that type, that is, the one having the teeth arranged in
conformity with the nicks formed on the back of the type. The comparatively
simultaneous forward movement of the line of type and closing movement of the
line holder bar are important in gaining this result.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is ;
1. In a type distributor, in combination with a laterally moving line holder, the
line feed device appurtenant to the line holder, the line clamp and the feeler block
supporting the loosely mounted feelers, all substantially as described.
2. In a type distributor, in combination with a movable line holder base, the line
holder bars supported on said base, the outer bar having a lengthwise play, the line
holder block, the line clamp device, the line feed device appurtenant to the
line holder, and the feelers borne in a feeler block and adapted to engage the outer
end of the line of type as the said ends are presented to the several feelers in
succession, all substantially as described.
3. In a type distributor, in combination with the line holder base, the line holder
composed of the line holder bars, the line feed, and the clamp device as described,
and the feeler block supporting the spring actuated feelers loosely mounted in
sockets in the block that permit a lateral play of the outer end of the feelers, all
substantially as described."
4. In a type distributor, in combination with the movable line holder base, the
line holder bars supported on said base with the outer bar having a lateral and a
lengthwise play, the inner bar having on the outer end a line stop, the line clamp
and the line feed, all substantially as described.
5. In a type distributor, in combination, the line holder bars having a type line
channel between them, the line holder block supporting the clamp arm and its
engaging spring, the link connecting the outer line holder bar and the spring arm,
and the line feed device having a frictional hold on the outer line holding bar,
all substantially as described.
6. In combination, the line holding bars supporting the line feed spring, the
follower appurtenant to the line feed and having a frictional grasp on the outer line
holding bar, the feeler cam and the line stop on the inner holder bar, the feeler
socket in said bar and the spring actuated feelers loosely supported in the feeler
block and with their outer ends in the path of movement of the cam, all sub-
stantially as described.
7. In combination, the line holder bars having a type line channel between then,
the line feed device having a spring actuated follower located between the said
bars, the line holding clamp, the feeler cam borne on the outer end of the inner line

page_text: holding bar, the feeler block with the ward adapted to engage the finger of the
feelers, the feeler socket on the line holding bar, and the spring actuated feelers
having lateral teeth and with their outer ends in the path of movement of the feeler
cam, all substantially as described.
8. In combination, the line holder bars having a type line channel between them
the line feed device having a spring actuated follower located between the said bars,
the line holding clamp, the feeler cam with rounded surface adjacent to the feeler
socket, the feeler socket, and the feelers with lateral teeth and having a limited
lengthwise and lateral play, and with their outer ends located in the path of
movement of the feeler cam, all substantially as described.
9. In a type distributor, in combination, the line holder bars having a type line
channel between them, the line holder block supporting the clamp arm and its
actuating spring, the link connecting the line holding bar and the spring arm, the
line feed device with the follower having a frictional hold on the outer line holding
bar, the feeler cam, the line socket and the line stop on the inner feeler bar, the
spring actuated feelers having each a finger and the laterally projecting teetli, and
the feeler block having the feeler sockets, all substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of December 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.