381,872. Type-bar-making machines. HART, H., 9, Kingsway, London.-(Mergenthaler Linotype Co. ; 29, Ryerson Street, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.) April 21, 1932, No. 11471. [Class 100 (iii).] Assembling and aligning matrices ; escapements.-The machine is adapted to handle matrices of different lengths, such as the regular matrices of standard length as well as special matrices of much greater length. The special matrices Y, Fig. 15, are identical, except as to their length and the height of their characters, with the regular matrices X, Fig. 16, and may have either one or two characters. The aligning-surfaces x<6>, y<6> on the lower ears of the 'matrices are all located at the same distance from a common datum line passing through the lower edges of the characters. The escapements A<4>, Fig. 2, of the magazine A<1> containing the special matrices Y are set back from the delivery end of the magazine for a distance equal to the difference in length of the special and regular matrices. The shoot spring that guides the matrices into the assembler is adjustable lengthwise, to enable it to co-operate with either set of matrices. The assembler has two retractable rails cl, c<2>, Fig. 4, and a pair of fixed rails c<3>. The rails c<1>, c<2> serve to support the regular matrices in their upper and lower positions respectively, and also support the special two-character matrices Y in the upper position. The rails c3 serve to support the special two-character matrices in the lower position, and also support the special single-character matrices. Both of the rails c<1>, c<2> have short independently-movable sections at the receiving end. The assembler has auxiliary members C<4>, C<5> to support the special matrices at the sides of their upper ears when in the upper position. The intermediate channel D, Fig. 6, has a pair of rails d<1> to support both the regular and the special matrices by their upper ears when composed in the lower position. Rails d<2> support the regular matrices by their lower ears when in the upper position, and rails d<3> support the special matrices by their lower ears when in the upper position. Similar supporting-means are provided in the transporter or first elevator F, Fig. 8, and comprise a pair of upper rails f<1> and two single lower rails f<2>, f<3>. The mould G<1> has three aligning- ribs gl, g<2>, g<3>, the highest and the lowest serving for the special matrices, and the highest and intermediate ribs for the regular matrices. For the special two-character matrices, a filler-piece O<1> is employed for arresting the transporter at a higher level than usual. For the one-character special matrices a supplementary or a separate filler-piece is employed. Distributing matrices ; magazines. - The matrix supporting-rails f<2>, f<3> of the transporter are carried by a slide F<7>, Fig. 8, which is retracted by a cam as the transporter rises towards the distributer, so that the matrices fall to the lower level, or are depressed by a fixed bar. The matrix supporting-rails of the distributer box are provided with an upper pair of shoulders J<1>, Fig. 11, to form an abutment for the upper ears of both the regular and special matrices, and with two lower pairs of shoulders J<2>, J<3> for the lower ears of the regular and the special matrices respectively. The lower distributer screw K<1> is of larger diameter than the upper screws, and is spaced below them at such a distance as to engage both the regular and the special matrices. The matrix lifting-finger J<6> is vertically adjustable, to enable it to co-operate with both sets of matrices. Alternatively, the matrices may be lifted by a finger which engages them by their upper ears on one side. The magazineentrances for the two sets of matrices are arranged in inverted relation to each other, and are rotatably mounted, means similar to that described in Specification 230,731 [Class 100 (iii), Type making &c.], being provided for interchanging them. The partitions of the two entrances are of different heights, so that their upper ends are located at the correct distances below the distributer-bar to enable them to co-operate with the two sets of matrices. In a modification, both sets of matrices are conducted to their magazines by a single entrance, the partitions of which are formed by fixed lower sections Q<4>, Fig. 20, and movable upper sections Q<5>, which are adjustable vertically to vary the height of the partitions according to the matrices in use. The upper sections are mounted in a vertically movable frame T, which can be raised by means of a hand-lever and a cam-plate.