US1599533A - Typographical distributing machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14 1926.

D. S. KENNEDY TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- ATT 1 RNEY$ Sept. 14 1926.

' D. S. KENNEDY TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING'MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY J 2 n Y @iMTTOR Y:

Filed Dec. 11, 1924 Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

rears-n [rare n t am DAVID sesame-Dr, or enoontrn, new Yeas, Assrsnonronnnonnrrmtnn LI-NOL GGMPANY, A CORPORATION CF NEW rYroGRArnIoAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

Application filed December 11, 192-4. Serial No. 755,245;

v This invention relates to typographical machinegsnch as linotype machinesof the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patent'to O Mergenthaler, No. 436, 532, wherein circulating matrices. are released from a magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled in. line, the composed line transferred to the face of a mold, the inold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype againstthe matrices which produce the typecharacters thereon, and the matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the. magazine from which they tarted. In some machines, such as the commercial Model 9, where matrices may be crown from several magazines'and mixed together in the same line, the d tributingmechanism includes a primary di tributor which first SOTJL'S the matrices according to font, anda plurality of main distributors which thereafter sort the matrices of the individuai'fonts according to, character and. restore them to-their' proper channels in the magazines. lVith this type of distributing mechanism, the matrices, after font separation, pass down chutes or tubes and enter so-called lower distributor boxes, from which they are fed one at a.- time to the main distributors under the control of reciprocating pawls or escapements; v In order that these pawls or escapemen-ts may cooperate properly with the matrices, the latter are provided in 'their'bottom edges with central notches, which necessarily vary in shape and depth according to the thickness of the individual matrices, Besides adding to the cost of production; such notche's' n th matrices materially limit the space ordinarily requirod for the; regular font notch-es and, moreover,seriously Weaken the matrices, especially when the latter are :t'ormed with other necessary cuts or notches. Furthermore, matrices comprising fonts used on other machines, such as those of the single; distributor class, are. excluded from use on machines of the multiple distributor class described. since they do not have the required central notches.

Primarily, the present invention isintended to obviate the foregoing difficulties and contemplates certain improvements whereby the distributing mechanism may receive. and handle matrices of all fonts whether they have or ha e not the Objection:

able central notches referred to. In the preferred embodiment llustrated, each of the lower distributor boxes 1s cleared of all moving parts, suchas the reciprocatingpawls or similar devices, and the matrices allowed to pass directly to the pick-opposition wher they are engaged by the lead ng ends ofthe screw-threads and advanced in the usual way along the "distributor bar for final dist-ribn T1101}, The constructlon of. the boxes is thus greatly simplified and thecost of manufacture reduced to a IIIIIUIHLIHL. The conveying .ISCI'BYVS'ZLI'B also. of special type, the threads thereof beingrecessed or cut away intheir following side faces at points adjacent their receiving ends to present suitable banking surfaces for the matrices as they emerge from the box andtoafford ample time for. pthelr getaway. Furthermore, means are provided whereby the matrices are maintained upright as they approach the ]-pick-'up position and there restrained against rearward displacementand abnormal upward displacement to insure their proper cooperation with the conveying screws.

It has also been found desirable in the use of a distributor box ofthis character, for reasons which will later be pointed out, to operate the distributin mechanism from an independent source ofpower. I e p In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely in preferred form. and by way of example and as applied to the specifictype of distributing mechanism indicated. -However, many -cl'1anges and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application, which willstill be comprised within its spirit, It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limitedto any specific form or embodiment except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sicle elevatio11 of'a linotype machine, partly in section, showing the two driving motors; f 1

F'g. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the improved distributor box and conveying screws; and

3 is a vertical, transverse. section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.-

The'matri'ces X'are; released from the primary distributor rails '(not shown). and dropped at a certain rate, or that determined bythe R. P; Mwof the priinary screws A,

into the tubes or chutes A A arranged in communication with the lower distributor boxes B, through which they are guided and sustained in upright position by the engagement of their projecting ears X with the upper and lower inclined rails B 13 Each distributor box directs the matrices to the corresponding main distributor which comprises as usual the longitudinally ribbed or permuted bar C and the set of matrix conveying screws C the arrangement being such that as the matrices emerge from the box they are picked up by the screws and advanced thereby across the horizontal rail extensions B into engagement with the bar C and thence along the same until finally released above their proper magazine channels. The foregoing parts and their mode of operation, except as hereinafter pointed out, are or may be of any approved construction, or as embodied in the commer cial Model 9 linotype.

According to the present invention and as before stated, each of the distributor boxes B is cleared of the usual separating or escapement devices and the matrices are allowed to slide uninterruptedly down the inclined rails B B until checked by contact of their projecting ears with the conveying screws. The latter (see Fig. 2) are preferablyof the general type shown in the Guest Patent No. 1,530,491, that is to say, the following side faces of the screw-threads, as distinguished from the leading side faces thereof, and at points-adjacent their receiving ends, are cut. away or recessed to present vertical circumferential surfaces C extending about half-way around the first convolution. These surfaces C ati'ord desirable banking surfaces for the matrices and. as a matter of fact, constitute stops which, under normal conditions, are presented to the projecting ears of the matrices as they emerge uninterruptedly, one after another, from the box. The matrices are thus squarely arrested at the desired point in the p ck-up zone, but inasmuch as they might have a tendency to recoil or rebound because of their impact with the screws and stop the distributor, the rails B B are provided with shoulders or abutments B which serve to restrain the matrices against rearward displacement when they reach the pick-up position. It will be noted that the restraining shoulders B are disposed in a vertical plane lying between that of the banking surfaces C and the tapered leading ends C of the screw-threads, so that the individual matrices are caused to pass beyond the screw ends C and be deposited upon the rail extensions B, where they may rest momentarily or until their projecting ears are engaged by the leading side faces of the'screw-threads With this arrangement, a matrix has ample room and time to reach the pick-up position before it is carried away by the screws, the shoulders B being located sufiiciently far from the tapered ends C of the SC16\ -threads and the banking surfaces C being of sufiicient circumferential extent to provide for any slight variation in the rat of delivery of the matrlces to the screws, due to friction or other delaying influences. It will now be seen that a matrix when released by the primary distributor will pass endwise through one or the other of the chutes A A enter the proper box B and be straightened up at X (Fig. 2), so as to engage the rails B B, and then slide downwardly facewise along the rails directly into contact with the banking surfaces C of the screws. These surfaces C are, of course, properly coordinated so as to stand in the same vertical plane and arrest the matrix squarely in upright position. Any liability to rebound or deflection is obviated by the shoulders E which thus maintain the matrix in proper position to be picked up by the leading ends of the screwthreads. It may be noted that the shoulders are located (as shown in Fig. 2) at such distance in advance of the banking surfaces 6 that the thickestmatrix cars will be accomm odated and matrices of all sizes guided accurately to the pick-up position.

Means are also provided whereby a matrix gravitating toward the pick-up position will be maintained upright at all times. To this end, the lower edges of the rails B are extended in parallelism with the upper inclined edges thereof to a point slightly beyond the vertical plane of the shoulders B and are located at such distance from said upper edges as to cooperate with the lower projecting ears of the matrices and prevent the latter from tilting or swinging forward- 1y atth'eir lower ends. Extensions B are in this way formed on the rails B and they serve the additional purpose of preventing a matrix when it reaches the pick-up position from being displaced above the shoulders B as n'iight otherwise result from its frictional contact with the rotating banking surfaces C lhe matrix conveying screws of the primary and main distributors are driven at the same speed so that the individual matrices will follow one another through the distributor boxes a certain distance apart and be successively picked up by the screws C The timing of the parts is such that, under normal conditions, the recessed portions of the sc ews C will receive the matrices one after another, the rate of their delivery to the pick-up position necessarily corresponding to the rate of rotation of the screws. I

In the commercial linotype machines (see Fig. l), the usual driving mechanism ineludes the cam shaft F and intermediate shaft G, theformer being intermittently driven from the electric motor E through the clutch member F andth-e' drive pulley F and the latter being constantly driven from the pulley F xby 'belting G Ordinarily, the distributorscrews are driven ap: proximately at the rate of 300 R. P. M., so

that the matrices will drop from the primary distributor at the rate of five a second.

Accordingly, and due to the distancepbe tween the primary and main distributors, several matrices are usually in course of gravitation at the same time, and hence a nism. operate the distributing mechanism from-the slowing up. of the distributor screws might cause the matrices to pile up in thedistribu tor boxes and stop the distributing mecha- Heretofore, it has been the custom to intermediate shaft G, which, as just stated, 18 constantly driven from the motor It.

However, in carrying.v out this invention,

it is proposed to operate the distributing mechanism by a separate motor D, which is entirely independent of the regular motor E. As shown in Fig. l, the motor D is mounted adjacent the distributor bracket 0 on a support D and drives the primary and main distributor screws through suitable belting D (indicated in dotted lines); As

a result of this arrangement, the distributing mechanism is operated continuously and uniformly at all times to insure the steady and uninterrupted distribution of thematrices and is not-affected in any way by the behavior of the regular motor 'E which is frequently slowed up from different causes,

such asthe sending through of a tight line, I

etc. i i l v r 7 Having thus described my invention, its

construction and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a setof matrix conveying screws, "the combination of guiding meansto direct the matrices uninterruptedly into position to.

be picked upby the screws,and means for restraining the matrices against rearward displacement when they reach suchposition- 2. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprisinga distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combi nation of a distributor box through which the matrices pass by gravity uninteri'nptedly into position to be picked up by the screws,

and means arranged to restrain the matrices against rearward displacement when they reach such position. i Y

3. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the (zombi nation of a distributor box through which matrices, pass by gravity, upper and lower guide rails arranged within said box to cooperatewith the projecting ears of the matrices land :direct:themuninterruptedly' into position to be picked up by the screws, and shoulders tormedon' saidrails tor-estrain the matrices against rearward when they reach the pick-imposition.

In a typographical distributing .mech anism comprising a distributor .bar and a of matrix conveying screws, thc..()0lfllj)l nation of a distributor box. roughwhiich "matrices pass by gravity .ui'iinterruptedly into position to .lIEiPlOliBt'l up by. thetserews, and means for restraining: the matrices against abnormal upward displacement when they reach su chep'osition.'j 5. In atypographical distributing"mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a displacement set of inatrixconveying screws, the combi nation eta-distributor box through which matrites pass by gravity into position to be wicked uo b the screws means for niaiu i v 7 taining the matrices'upright as they 'appreach the pick-up position, and means for restraining them against abnormal"displacement when they reach such position.

7. In atypographical distributing mechanism comprisinga distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws formed with matrix banking surfaces, the combination of a distributor box through which the matrices pass by gravity uninterruptedly into position to be picked up by the screws,ineaus tor maintaining *the matrices upright as they approach thev pick-up position, and shoulders for restraining said matrices against rearward displacement when they reach such position.

8. In a typographical distributing mech" anism, the combination of a distributor box through which matrices pass unii'iterruptedlyfby gravity, and a set of matrix conveying screws arranged to receive the matrices therefrom, the threads of' aid 's rews being cutaway in their following side faces at points adjacent their'recei-ving endsto pre sent banking surit'aces for the matrices as they emerge from the box. i

' 9.111 a typographical distributing mech'- anism, the combination of a distributor box through which matrices pass uninterruptedly by gravity, and a set of matrixconvey- 7 ing screws arranged to pick up the matrices as they issue from the box, the first convolution of the screw-threads being formed with vertical circumrerential banking surfaces adapted to arrest the matrices in the pick-up Zone.

10. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of a distributor box through which matrices pass by gravity, and upper and lower inclined guide rails arranged within said box to direct the matrices into position to be picked up by the screws, the lower edges of said upper rails being extended in parallelism with the upper inclined edges thereof to maintain the individual matrices upright until they reach the pick-up position.

11. In a typographical distributing mechanism, the combination of a distributor box through which matrices pass by gravity, a set of matrix conveying screws having the following side faces of their threads for a portion of the first convolution cut away so as to present vertical circumferential banking surfaces for the matrices, and abut ments arranged in a vertical plane in advance of said banking surfaces to cooperate with the projecting ears of the matrices in the manner set forth.

12. In a typographical distributing mechanism, the combination of a set of matrix conveying screws having the following side faces of their respective threads cut away from points adjacent the entrance of the grooves to present vertical circumferential banking surfaces for the matrices, a distrib-v utor box, guide rails arranged therein to direct the matrices to the said banking surfaces, and shoulders formed on said rails and arranged in a'vertical plane lying within' the cut-away portions of the threads for restraining the matrices against rearward displacement when they are arrested by the screw banking surfaces.

13. In a typographical distributing mech anism, the combination of. a set of matrix conveying screws formed with matrix banking surfaces, a distributor box, guide rails arranged therein to direct the matrices into engagement with said banking surfaces, and

shoulders formed on said rails to restrain the matrices against rearward displacement when arrested by the screw banking sur-' faces, the said shoulders being disposed in a vertical plane lying between the leading ends of the screw-threads and said banking surfaces.

14. In a typographical distributing ma chine, the combination of a primary distributor including a set of matrix conveying screws, a plurality of main distributors each likewise comprising a set of matrix conveying screws, means for driving the screws of the primary and main distributors in proper synchronism, distributor boxes arranged to receive the matrices from the primary distributor and guide them into position to be picked up by the screws of the main distributors, the latter screws being formed at their receiving ends with vertical circumferential banking surfaces to arrest the matrices as they issue from the respective distributor boxes.

15. In atypogra-phical distributing machine, the combination of a primary distributor, including a set of matrix conveying screws, a plurality of main distributors each likewise comprising a set of matrix conveying screws, the latter being formed with matrix banking surfaces in the following side faces of their respective screw-threads at points adjacent their receiving ends, means for driving the screws of the primary and main distributors in proper synchronism, distributor boxes arranged to receive the matrices from the primary distributor and guide them into position to be picked up by the screws of the main distributors, and shoulders, disposed in a vertical plane lying between the leading ends of the screwthreads and said banking surfaces, for re straining the matrices when'in the pick-up position against rearward displacement.

16. In a linotype machine, the combina-.

tion of the main cam shaft, and the distributing mechanism, with means for driving the said cam shaft, and separate andindependent means for operating the distributing mechanism, the two said means functioning simultaneously in operating their respective parts.

17. In a linotype machine, the combination' of the main cam shaft and the distributing mechanism comprising a primary distributor and a plurality of main distributors, with a motor for driving the cam shaft, and a separate motor for operating the distributing mechanism, the two said motors functioning simultaneously in driving their respective parts.

18. A typographical distributing mechanism according to claim 1%, characterized by the fact that it is operated from an in dependent source of power, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I have aiiixe'd my signature hereto.

DAVID S. KENNEDY.

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