'A SYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF NEW TYPES, CONSISTING OF FRACTIONAL NUMBERS AND WORDS, AND IN THE COMPOSING BOARD EMPLOYED THEREWITH."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leopold Weiss, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria,
Compositor, for an Invention of " 'A SYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION AND
USE OF NEW TYPES, CONSISTING OF FRACTIONAL NUMBERS AND WORDS, AND
IN THE COMPOSING BOARD EMPLOYED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leopold Weiss at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1881.
LEOPOLD WEISS, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Compositor. "A SYSTEM
FOR THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF NEW TYPES, CONSISTING OF FRACTIONAL
NUMBERS AND WORDS, AND IN THE COMPOSING BOARD EMPLOYED THEREWITH."
دو
My Invention relates to improvements in type, whereby the operations of setting-
up and distributing are greatly expedited and facilitated.
The methods which consist in the employment of composing machines are
defective, because they neither comply with the requirements of practical
typography, nor offer any important advantage. In the first place it is not
possible to set up lines of a given length, and in the second place the apparatus is
incapable of distributing the type. The number of compositors required is so great
that the advantage of the machine is neutralized.
Now this Invention relates to a mode of dividing the case, and to a system of
combining letters or figures, forming fractional parts or members of words or,
numbers most frequently required by the compositor, whereby the work of setting
up type in any desired language may be performed with three times as much speed
as heretofore in the manner hereinafter described by the aid of examples of the
mode of arranging the type.
The new form of type required by the division of the words and numbers are
hereinafter termed grouped letters and figures.
The division of the words and numbers is so arranged that the grouped letters
and figures can be set up in the same manner as single letters and figures.

page_text: The occurrence of combinations of letters forming syllables or parts of words
consisting of more than four or five letters, and the consequent difficulty in the
practical working of the Invention, are obviated by employing in place of such
combinations groups consisting of a more convenient number of letters; thus, for
example, in lieu of forming the monosyllable "bound" in one piece, it is divided
into two groups, thus, bou nd, and in the same manner" birth" is divided into
birth, "bought " into bou ght, "branch" into bra nch, and so on.
The division is effected in such a manner that these "groups" are of general
application; for instance, nt is employed in the words "di sta nt," "fro nt,"
"thing," 334
gra nt," "mou nt," ng in "sli ng,"
<C
you ng."
The division of the numbers into groups is simple; it consists in the formation of
combinations of two and three figures. Single figures serve as connections.
The formation of the groups or combinations of letters and numbers is effected
-as next hereinafter described.
The moulds or matrices for casting the combinations are prepared by taking
casts of each letter separately from type especially cut for the purpose.
These casts of the letters and numbers, which are preferably of soft metal, are
combined to form the groups of letters, and matrices are obtained therefrom. by
producing a thick deposit of copper by means of electricity, and the said matrices
are employed for casting the required groups.
The casting is then performed in the same manner as in the case of single
letters.
The grouped letters are cast in such a manner that when put together no division
is apparent in the print; the words composed of a number of such groups appear
to be formed by a number of single letters put together.
An exception must be made in the case of certain letters and signs, which are
provided in casting with a small "space" in advance. This " space," which has
heretofore been required to be inserted separately between each letter in order to
properly space or justify the type, and involved great loss of time, is cast on to each
separate letter in advance.
The grouped figures are cast according to system, by which expression is intended
that the parts cast in small pieces are put together or superposed in combination
with larger pieces in such a manner that they are capable of being employed as
consecutive numbers, as well as for setting up tabular arrangements, the width of
a group consisting of two figures being made equal to the width of two single
figures, and so on.
The case for the type is arranged in the following manner for the facility of the
operation of setting up :-
1st. It is made of a semicircular form, and the boxes or cells are made of a
tapering shape, diminishing in size from the upper part downwards, whereby the
compositor is enabled to reach every part, and take up the type without
difficulty.
2nd. A round recess is provided, which enables the compositor to stand at a
convenient distance even from the upper boxes.
The division of the case into cells or boxes is effected according to the grouped
letters into which the words of the language are divided. The grouped letters and
figures are distributed in the boxes in such a manner that the most frequently
recurring groups are the most accessible. As a guide to the compositor, small labels
having the contents of the corresponding boxes printed thereon may be affixed over
each box.
The boxes are made of strong but not heavy materials, as for example of wood,
and are constructed in two parts to facilitate their manipulation.
Two or more ribs or bars are employed to support the semicircular partitions.
The case is provided with a ledge upon which lines may be placed.
The trestle or support for the case is also made of a circular form, and with a
circular recess, in order that it may not interfere with the movements of the

page_text: compositor, and is suitably adapted to enable the two parts of the case to be slidden
on to it.
In composing with the grouped letters the operation is performed in the same
manner as when setting up type with the single letters heretofore employed. The
single letters which are cast with a space in advance are to be employed, with
spaced type. These spaces cast in advance also serve to distinguish these letters
from the other single letters.
The letters with spaces cast on in advance are also so arranged that the large
single letters may be employed with them in order to accellerate the setting up of
spaced type.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Leopold Weiss in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th October
1881.
LEOPOLD WEISS, of Vienna, in the Empire of Austria, Compositor. "A SYSTEM
FOR THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF NEW TYPES, CONSISTING OF PRACTICAL
NUMBERS AND WORDS, AND IN THE COMPOSING BOARD EMPLOYED THEREWITH.'
My Invention relates to improvements in type and in the composing board or
case employed therewith, whereby the operations of setting-up and distributing are
greatly expedited and facilitated.
In setting up type in the manner heretofore customary in printing offices, when
it is desired to form a word or to represent a quantity by a number of arithmetical
figures or characters, it is necessary to take each letter or figure separately and
combine them together in order to form the word or quantity, and when distributing
the type employed to form the words or combination of figures, each letter and each
figure requires to be taken in hand separately and deposited in the corresponding
cell in the case.
This method has long been found to be inadequate to the rapid delivery of
power printing machines, and numerous proposals have been made with a view to
improving this branch of the art of printing. For example, it has been previously
proposed to cast together several letters representing the most frequently recurring
terminations, in order to accelerate the work of the compositor; but these attempts
have failed owing to the absence of systematic arrangement, and the inconvenient
size of the case required.
The methods which consist in the employment of type setting or composing
machines are also defective, since they neither comply with the requirements of
practical typography, nor offer any important advantage. In the first place it is
not possible to justify or set up lines of a given length; and in the second place the
apparatus is incapable of distributing the type. The number of compositors
required is so great that the advantage of the machine is neutralized.
Now this Invention relates to an improved mode hereinafter described of
arranging the cells of the case, and to a system of combining letters or figures
forming fractional parts or members of words or numbers most frequently required
by the compositor, whereby the work of setting up type in any desired language
may be performed with three times as much speed as is attainable by the methods
heretofore employed.
The new forms of type required by the division of the words and numbers are
hereinafter termed grouped letters and figures.
The division of the words and numbers is so arranged that the grouped letters
and figures can be set up in the same manner as single letters and figures. The
advantage resulting from this arrangement is greater in the case of certain words
than it is in the case of others, but will be evident on taking an average of, say,
20 lines of an ordinary book or newspaper.
The occurrence of combinations of letters forming syllables or parts of words
consisting of more than four or five letters, and the consequent difficulty in the
practical working of the Invention are obviated by employing in place of such
combinations groups consisting of a more convenient number of letters. Thus for
example, in lieu of forming the monosyllable "bound in one piece, it is divided
into two groups, thus, bou nd, and in the same manner "birth" is divided into
birth, "bought" into bou ght, "branch" into bra nch, and so on. The division is
efected in such a manner that these "groups
"
are of general
application, for

page_text: "><
"
$1
gra nt,"
instance, nt is employed in the words "di sta nt," "fro nt,"
mou nt,"
ng in "sli ng," "thi ng," you ng," and other similar words.
The division of the numbers into groups is simple, it consists in the formation of
combinations of two and three figures. Single figures serve as connections.
The improved type is manufactured by arranging series of separate types
corresponding to the letters or figures to be combined together, and then forming a
matrix therefrom by taking a cast by the electro-metallurgical process, from which
matrix the type consisting of the grouped letters or figures is cast.
The grouped letters are cast in such a manner that when put together in the
chase no irregular divisions or spaces are apparent; words composed of a number
of such groups appear in the printed copies to be formed by the combination of a
number of single letters.
Small single letters employed as connections, as well as the signs usually
employed in printing, such for example as [1?;: are provided in casting with a
sinall" space " in advance.
The "space" which has heretofore required to be inserted separately between
the letters, in order to properly space or justify the type, and involved great loss of
time; is now cast on to each separate letter in advance, and is made of a width
equal to one sixth of a quadrat of the corresponding fount. The expression, "in
advance" is employed as the single large or capital letters which have not been
cast in this manner may be employed with spaced type.
The grouped figures are cast according to system, by which expression is intended
that the parts cast in small pieces are put together or superposed in combination
with larger pieces in such a manner that they are capable of being employed as
consecutive numbers, as well as for setting up tabular arrangements, the width of a
group consisting of two figures being made equal to the width of two single figures,
and so on.
The difficulty of placing so many groups of words and numbers in a case in such
a manner as to enable the Invention to be carried out in practice is obviated by
means of a peculiar arrangement of the case or composing board next hereinafter
described.
It is made of a semicircular form, and the boxes or cells are made of a tapering
shape, diminishing in size from the upper part downwards, whereby the compositor
is enabled to reach every part, and take up the type without difficulty. A round
recess is provided which enables the compositor to stand at a convenient distance
even from the upper boxes.
The division of the case into cells or boxes is effected according to the number of
grouped letters into which the words of the language are divided. The grouped
letters and figures are distributed in the boxes in such a manner that the most
frequently recurring groups are the most accessible. As a guide to the compositor,
small labels having the contents of the corresponding boxes printed thereon in
thick letters may be affixed over each box.
The boxes are made of strong but not heavy materials, as, for example, of wood,
and are constructed in segments to facilitate their manipulation. Two or more
ribs or bars may be employed to support semi circular partitions, which, together
with radial partitions, form the cells. The case is provided with a ledge upon which
lines of type may be placed.
The support for the case is also made of a circular form and with a circular
recess in order that it may not interfere with the movements of the compositor,
and is suitably adapted to enable the parts or segments of the case to be slidden
on to it.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of the accompanying Drawings represents a plan of a case

page_text: containing the most important primary grouped letters employed in carrying out
this Invention.
Figure 2 (Sheet 2) represents a plan of a case containing a greater variety of
grouped letters than in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 3 (Sheet 3) is a similar view of a case containing simple or elementary
groups of figures, and Figure 4 (Sheet 4) is another similar view of a case containing
a greater variety of combinations or grouped Figures than the case illustrated in
Figure 3.
Figure 5 (Sheet 5) is a perspective view of a composing board or case on its
stand or support constructed and arranged according to this Invention.
The improved composing board or case is divided into a suitable number of cells
or boxes for the reception of the type or grouped letters by means of a series of
radial partitions A, A, and a series of concentric partitions B, B. The grouped
letters and numbers of the improved type are arranged or distributed in these cells,
as indicated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, the combinations of most frequent occurrence
being placed at the most convenient distance from the compositor, who is stationed
in a semicircular recess C at one side of the case.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, the letters in roman type indicate
the letters heretofore employed in "antiqua" printing, and the cells left vacant in
the Drawing contain the quadrats or spaces.
Figure 1 also illustrates primary combinations of the grouped letters, and gives
an illustration of the valve combinations to the English and other similar
languages. The saving of work by the employment of these primary groups
amounts, including the distribution, to about seventy five per cent.
Figure 2 illustrates a more complete method of grouping the letters constituting
a further developement of the Invention. The small roman letters are included in
this case, as they are of very frequent occurrence in setting up English type. By
the employment of grouped letters, arranged as illustrated in Figure 2, a much
greater saving of labor is effected than by the employment of the letters grouped
as illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a case containing grouped numbers in combinations not
exceeding two figures. The use of these grouped numbers effects a saving of about
two thirds of the labor required when ordinary type is employed.
Figure 4 illustrates a more complete developement of the system of grouped
numbers according to this Invention, and enables a saving to be effected equivalent
to about three fourths of the labor ordinarily required.
The improved case or composing board may be made in four segments, 1, 2, 3, 4,
for convenience of manipulation, as shown in Figure 5, Sheet 5, and is maintained
at a suitable elevation and inclination or angle upon a stand or support D, Figure 5,
of corresponding form in plan.
The lower part of the stand D may be provided with suitable recesses, into
which segments E of composing boards containing other founts of the improved
type may when not in use be slidden in the same manner as drawers.
In composing with the grouped letters the operation is performed in the same
manner as when setting up type with the single letters heretofore employed. Care
should be taken to avoid making unnecessary use of the single letters and figures.
The single letters are only to be used when no time is lost by so doing, or in the
case of words belonging to a foreign language. The single letters marked [ in the
Drawing are cast with a space in advance, and are employed as spaced type. These
spaces cast in advance also serve to distinguish these letters from the other
single letters. No special provision for the frequent use of italics for underlined
words is made for two reasons, videlicet, first, it would involve too great a loss of
time for the compositor to go to a separate case on account of a single word; and
secondly, it is not convenient, in combination with the improved system of grouped
letters, to employ a number of different type in a lower case. (Such an arrange-
ment is however possible if it is specially desired).

page_text: Lond/on, Tybu/rs/day, April 7
T/ur/ke/y and G/refec/e.
A/thefus, A/pri/l 5
The most con/fli/ct/ing ru/mo/re and op/in/io/ns
cir/cu/la/te as to the cofur/se of the G/o/ve/rn/ment. I/t
is as/ser/ted in one pa/per that it has no thou/ght of
con/vo/ki/ng the A/s/se/mb/ly, while an/ot/her us/ser/ts
that it will. con/vo/ke P/a/rl/ia/ment. I be/li/ev/e that
the M/in/is/try has lost its com/pa/ss, and is un/cer/ta/in
wh/at co/ur/se to fo/l/ow beyond de/cli/ni/ng the T/ur/ki/sh
pro/po/sa/ls whi/ch pu/bli/c op/in/ion will co/mp/el it
to do. The ge/ne/ral idfea see/ms to be that the
G/o/ve/rn/ment Be/cre/tly fa/vou/rs an ac/com/mo/da/tion,
and does not me/an war, and I am per/so/nal/ly of
this op/in/ion. The po/pu/lar fe/el/ing is un/fli/nch/ing,
all ac/cou/nts the
and
is
by
ar/my
eager for war, which ev/ent/ua/li/ty the G/o/ve/rn/ment must
ac/ce/pt un/less the P/o/we/rs ap/ply efffe/et/ive pre/ssu/re.
London, Thursday, April 7
Turkey and Greece.
Athens, April 5.
It
The most conflicting rumors and opinions
circulate as to the course of the Government.
is asserted in one paper that it has no thought of
convoking the Assembly, while another asserts
that it will convoke Parliament. I believe that
the Ministry has lost its compass, and is uncertain
what course to follow beyond declining the Turkish
proposals, which public opinion will compel it
to do. The general idea seems to be that the
Government secretly favours an accommodation,
and does not mean war, and I am personally of
this opinion. The popular feeling is unflinching,
the
army
is
and. by all accounts
cager for war, which eventuality the Government must
accept unless the Powers apply effective pressure.

page_text: In addition to the saving of labour effected by means of this Invention in the
operation of setting up the type, a corresponding economy on the labour requisito
for distributing is also effected.
The Invention thus enables a greater amount of matter to be set up in a given
time and a larger quantity of type to be distributed in a given time, and also
effects an important saving of 'time and expense generally.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is, or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The employment of types consisting of grouped letters or characters and
figures when the same are arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein before described.
Second. The composing board or case with its stand or support, the same being
constructed and arranged substantially in the manner herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leopold Weiss, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.