A NEW AND IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING TYPE FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Harrison, carrying on Business at York
Street, Sheffield, as a Stereotyper, Type-founder, Printer, and News-
paper Proprietor, and at 13, Great Sutton Street, London, as a Stereotyper,
and rosiding at 36, Gell Street, Sheffield, for the Invention of "A NEW
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Harrison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th
April 1863.
I, SAMUEL ITARRISON, carrying on Business at York Street, Sheffield, as a
Stereotyper, Type-founder, Printer, and Newspaper Proprietor, and at 13,
Great Sutton Street, London, as a Stereotyper, and residing at 36, Gell Street,
Sheffield, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
AND IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING TYPE FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING," to be
as follows:-
At present the usual mode of making type is by casting each type separately.
I propose to cast a number of types together, and then cut or saw them into
separate pieces or types.
The advantage of my Invention is, that ten, or it may be fifty, types can be
cast with little more time and trouble than one.
In my Invention I include under the general description of "type" royal
arms, ships, and other ornaments usually cast by type-founders, but I do not
include anything which has not a face or printing surface.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Harrison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMCEL
HARRISON, carrying on Business at York Street, Sheffield, as a Stereotyper,
Type-founder, Printer, and Newspaper Proprietor, and at 13, Great Sutton
Street, London, as a Stereotyper, and residing at 36, Gell Street, Sheffield,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by IIer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of 1er reign,
did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
"Samuel Harrison, Iler special license that I, the said Samuel Ilarrison, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Harrison, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED MODE OF
MANUFACTURING TYPE FOR LETTER-PRESS PRINTING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Samuel Harrison, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal
of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Harrison, 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 in writing, that is to say:-
At present the usual mode of manufacturing type is by casting one letter
or type at once. I propose to cast a number of types, say, from ten to one
hundred at once, and then cut, break, or saw them into separate letters or
types.
The mode I adopt is as follows:-First, I get letters cut in type metal or
other suitable material, or for very large sizes I get them cut in wood, or I
get punches and matrices made in the present usual way, and cast therefrom
letters in the ordinary manner, one at once, or, to save trouble and expence,

page_text: I sometimes purchase founts of type such as those now ordinarily in use. By
any of the methods above stated I obtain founts of type such as those at
present in use.
To explain the more casily the further mode of procedure, I will fix upon
one particular size of type as an example. Of course the same process is
applicable to all other sizes, from the smallest up to about "six lines pica," for
which, and larger sizes, a little variation is necessary in consequence of the
use of cores, as will be hereafter mentioned. I will take the size called
pica." I first get small pieces or slips of brass, or brass rule without any
bevil, cut to "pica" body perfectly true; the thickness of these pieces of
brass is immaterial, but four to "pica" is a convenient thickness. The height
of these slips of brass or brass rule should be about "nonpareil" higher than
type height; this is important because if they were only type-high they could
not be firmly imbedded in the way that will be hereafter explained. Never-
theless the exact height, whether half a "nonpareil" or a "nonpareil," or a
"longprimer" higher than type is immaterial. Having procured theso slips
of brass of "pica" body and of the required height, and having made sure
that they are perfectly true in every respect, I set up a row of the " pica"
letters or types, and between each of the letters or types I place one, two, three,
or more of the brass slips already described. Two or three of the slips of brass
is the most suitable number to be placed between each letter or type. On each
sido of the row of letters or types, with brass slips between them, I place a type-
high bar of type metal or other suitable material, and I also place a type-high bar
at each end; I then lock up the wholo in a chase of brass, or other suitable
material, of course taking care that the letters are all properly down, and that
everything fits truly and perfectly. At this stage the "forme" has the
appearance of a row of letters with pieces of brass higher than type between
them, and the whole surrounded with type-high "furniture." The length of
the row of letters is not material, but I will take twelve inches as a convenient
length. It should here be remarked that I generally put together in one
chase and "forme" perhaps half-a-dozen or a dozen of the rows of letters as
above described, but for the sake of simplicity I am supposing a case in which
I proceed to work with only one row.
The next step is to place the chase or "forme" with the lotters, &c. in a
vat containing a solution of sulphate of copper and a sheet of copper suspended
above the row of letters, &c. I then connect the letters and sheet of copper
with an electro-battery, by means of which a coating of copper is deposited
upon the face of the letters, upon the projecting tops of the slips of brass, and
also upon the type-high furniture" which surrounds it. I need not enter

page_text: "
into details upon this point, because the process of depositing copper by an
electro-battery is well known, and forms no part of my Invention. I may
remark that between the type-high "furniture" which surrounds the letters
and the outer chase, I place wooden "furniture" as a non-conductor to
restrict the deposit of copper to the surface required. I allow the "forme
to remain in the vat for two or three days, or for a week or longer if necessary
until a proper thickness of copper has been deposited. The thickness of a
"nonpareil "I consider sufficient to givo proper strength and durability, but
I vary the thickness according to the size of the type and the strength required.
I now take the "forme" out of the vat, unlock it, and extract very carefully
the letters from between the pieces or partitions of brass. I have now the
matrix complete; it presents the appearance of a comb only that there are
flanges all round formed by the deposit of copper upon the type-high furniture
which surrounds the row of letters. There are the faces of the letters (or
rather of the matrices of the letters), and between each is a strong partition of
brass exactly type-high from the face of the letter in the matrix, the partitions
all being firmly and immovably consolidated into a strong plate of copper.
A matrix of this description is equal to anything that can be produced by
punches, and with careful usage will last any length of time. The partitions
being composed of two or three pieces of brass, and being imbedded and
incorporated with the copper the whole height of the face of the letter, and
about a "nonpareil" in addition, will not bend or yield in the least degree.
Sometimes, to give additional hold and security to the pieces of brass before
they are placed between the letters, I undercut or jag the tops of the pieces of
brass which protrude above the tops of the type.
In the next place I get two bars of steel or other suitablo material, exactly
type-high, planed and smooth, filed to perfection, and about two inches longer
than the row of letters already described. These bars are attached together
at the ends by regulating screws, so that they can be opened or shut to the
size or body of the letter, whatever that may be, and to form the ends are
pieces of steel or other metal type-high and about an inch long and of
whatever body may be required, placed between the two bars at each end,
and of course with the regulating screws passing through them. This forms
a type-bigh gauge, and so we will call it in the subsequent description.
In the case already supposed, I now put "pica" end pieces in the gauge,
and also insert the partitions of the "pica" matrix in the gauge that is
between the two type-high bars of steel; I then screw up tightly the regulating
screws at each end, and the end pieces being "pica" body, and the partitions
in the matrix being also "pica" body, the two bars of the gauge are and must

page_text: be exactly a "pica" distant from each other, so that when the metal is injected
the body of the letter cannot fail to be exactly "pica," as desired. To prevent
the matrix from being at all forced out of its place when the metal is injected,
I bave a metal plate placed at the back of the copper plate of the matrix (that
is, on the side of the matrix opposite to the face of the letters and opposite to
the brass partitions), and this metal plate is screwed to the bars of the type-
bigh gauge, the screws running through the flanges of the matrix, which of
course are bored for the purpose. The matrix is thus kept firmly in its place
by its flanges being held between the metal plate and the bars of the type-
high gauge.
We have now the matrix with its partitions fixed in the type-high gauge.
The appearance is exactly that of a row of small pigeon-holes. At the closed
end of each such hole or compartment is the matrix which is to form the face
of the letter. When the metal is injected, two of the sides of the letter will
be formed by the brass partitions, and the other two sides by the internal sides
of the gauge. The height of the letter when cast will be exactly type-high,
because the gauge is type-high, and because the brass partitions are exactly
type-high, measuring from the flanges of the matrix.
The next part is what a type-founder would call the break. It is made of
two metal bars fastened together with regulating screws, so that the thickness
of the metal which passes through may be adjusted, and the inner sides, except
at the end, are bevilled off, so that if metal were poured in it would be in tho
shape of a wedge. The length of the bars of the break, or rather of the part
which is bevilled off, must be the same as the length of the row of letters to
be cast.
I fix an oblong rectangular melting pot over a furnace. The melting pot
bas in front, about its middle, a slit across, the length of the row of letters to
be cast; adjusted to this slit aro lips parallel internally, but externally bevilled
off so as to fit into the break already described. Bars are fastened to the
melting pot below the lips, and on these bars the break slides backwards and
forwards on to the lips, while behind the type-high gauge with the matrix in
it slides to and from the break. The melted metal is in the pot, of course
below the slit, and it is forced out of the slit by a weight above the slit, to
which are attached a piston and lever; it is thus a sort of pump to force the
metal through the slit. The melted metal passes through the slit between the
lips (the width of which can be adjusted) and into the break, and thence into
the type-high gauge (or mould, as a type-founder would call it), and finally
strikes against the matrix or face of the letters to be cast. The force with
which the metal passes can be adjusted as circumstances may require. The

page_text: thickness of the body of metal which passes through the break where the
break touches the type-bigh gauge and partitions can also be adjusted; of
course tho type-high gange is so adjusted in relation to the neck of the break
of the mould that the break of the letter will run across the middle of the foot
of the letter.
In order to move the gauge and the break to and from one another and to
and from the lip of the melting pot at the end of the bars fastened at right
angles to the melting pot below the slit, I fix a guide screw and fly wheel to
turn it. One end of the guide screw is fastened to the plate at the back of
the copper plate of the matrix, which plates are also fastened to the type-
high
gauge. The operation is as follows:-When the guide screw is turned
in one direction it pushes forward along the bars in the direction of tho melting
pot the type-high gauge and the matrix. The gauge then comes up to the
break and pushes it forward on to the lip of the melting pot. Tho break is
thus held fast to the lip of the melting pot, and the gauge is held fast to the
break, so that when the metal is injected little or nono can escape from the
break or from between the break and the gauge. Of course the whole appa-
ratus must be nicely fitted and finished for this purpose. While the parts aro
in this position the metal is injected by the force pump and flows horizontally
into the mould and matrix, giving a beautiful face to the letter and a perfect
finish to all the sides. The guide screw is then turned in the contrary direc-
tion, and withdraws or pulls away from the lip of the melting pot both the
break and the gauge, which move along the parallel bars, at the end of which
the guide screw is fixed. The break is about an inch longer at each end than
the gauge, and when they have both travelled two or three inches from the
lip of the melting pot staples fastened in the melting pot at the proper
distance allow tho gauge to pass, but arrest the motion of the break by
holding its protruding ends. At this time the break and gauge are fast
together, being held by the wedge of metal which is in the break, and
which passes through into the foot of each letter in the row which has been
cast. The guide screw is still being turned, and as the break cannot move
further, being held by the staples, and as the wedge of metal in the break of
course cannot be pulled through the narrow neck, and as the gauge and the
matrix are being pulled away from the break the letters are pulled out, or
rather the gauge or mould is pulled off the letters, which then hang all in a
row separate from each other, so far as the body of the letter is concerned,
but attached to one another or all in one piece (as described in my Provisional
Specification), so far as the neck of the break and the wedge of metal in the
break are concerned. I may remark that the letters come out of their holes or

page_text: compartments quite readily if care has been taken to have the gaugo properly
screwed up to the body of the type required. When the letters are thus
hanging from the break I might cut or saw them off at the neck of the break
below the foot of the letter, but the easier way is to take hold of the entire
row of letters with something like a typefounder's finishing stick, and break
them off. They will break off very easily, because the thickness of metal at
the neck of the break need not be more than one-third or one-fourth of the
thickness of the body of the type. When the letters are thus broken off from
the break they are perfectly true and finished on all sides, and they are ready
set up in the finishing stick which holds them. All they now require is cutting
out at the foot, nicking with the usual tool, and finishing and examining in the
ordinary manner.
I will now make a few more general remarks in further explanation.
When I speak of "separate types" I do not necessarily mean a single letter.
For instance, oc, ff, ffi, and so forth, are separate types, although consisting of
two or more letters in one piece. This is well understood by printers and
type-founders, and perhaps need not have been named. With reference to the
slips of brass or partitions to be placed between the letters for the purpose of
being imbedded in the deposit of copper, I do not always necessarily have
them to reach down to the foot of the letter. In the case of largo letters,
which have to be cast hollow underneath, they could not well be so, and in
that case I have them to reach only down to the core. The letters themselves
are then all in one piece as to their lower part, and require cutting or sawing
separate. If I take a deposit on letters cut in wood, the face and sunk part
of the top of the letter have to be blackleaded or otherwise metallized to cause
them to take the deposit of copper. I have cast letters with the nick upon
them, to do which, after I have taken the deposit on the face, before the
letters are extracted from between the partitions, I take another. deposit on
the nick side of the letter; this, however, involves opening the type-high
gauge a little to get out the letters, so that I prefer the other way. When
I set up a row of letters to form a matrix, sometimes I have all of the samo
letter, say, the letter e, in one matrix; but in the case of founts of which only
small weights will be required, and in the case of large or fancy letters, I may
have a complete alphabet or fount in one matrix, so that I can cast a complete
fount without changing the matrix. Sometimes, in the same way, I get a
complete fount from two or three matrices. Of course I put more in of those
letters of which more are required, and vice versa. With reference to
"kerned" and overhanging sorts the type-high furniture is cut out to fit the
'kern," &c. when the matrix is taken. The letter is turned sideways for this
"

page_text: purpose if necessary. In casting these sorts there is a bevil in one side of
the type-high gauge where it meets the matrix, which will form a "kern," &c.
My general way is, as I have explained, to inject the metal horizontally into
the mould; but sometimes, in the case of type of three, four, or five line
pica" body, the lip of the melting pot (so far as the side view is concerned)
is like the spout of a pump, or a quarter circle, that is, the metal describes a
quarter of a circle in its course and descends upon the face of the matrix
perpendicularly; the object of this is to make the type solid and free from
"blows" with less trouble and care. When this plan is adopted, of course
several parts of the apparatus have to be arranged accordingly. In the case
of large letter cast with cores, the metal is injected generally in the manner
described immediately abovo the core, is let into the foot of the type-high
gauge, and the core has in it a slit or slits to admit the metal, and the coro
may be said to constitute the break which fits into the lip of the melting pot
or force pump, as the melting pot might be called.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for "A
New and Improved Mode of Manufacturing Type for Letter-press Printing,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion, that I claim,
generally, the mode of manufacturing type as herein described.
And, secondly, I claim, particularly, the mode of manufacturing type by
casting a number of letters or types at once or at one operation, and cutting,
sawing, or breaking them into separate letters or types, as herein described,
without restricting myself to any particular size or form of apparatus, or to
any particular mode of injecting the metal or of pulling out the type.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel IIarrison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W*. BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
Sheffield.
SAMUEL HARRISON. (L.S.)