US174900A - Improvement in type-distributing machines - Google Patents

Description

8Sheetrs-Sheet1. `C. W. DICKINSON.

TYPE DISTRIBUTING MACHINE. No.174,900. A Patented March 21,1876.

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TYPE DISTR'IBUTING MACHINE. N0.1'74,900. Patented M arch 21,1876.

f 8 Sheets-Sheet 3.

NFETER8. PHOTGUTHOGRPMER, WASHINGTON, D. C4

8 Sheets-Sheet 4. C. W. DICKINSON.

TYPE DISTRIBUTING MACHINE. No.174,900. Patented March 21, 187e.

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N- PETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D CV C. W. DNKINSON.

TYPE DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

Patented March 21,1876.

VIVIV 8 Sheets-'Sheen 5.

NJETERS, PNOTU-LITHOGRAPMER, WASHINGTON, D. C.

@Wies/Umm 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

C. W. DICKINSQN. TYPE DISTRIBUTING MAcHINE.

No.174.900. Patented March. 21,1876.

NJTERS. FHDYO-LITHDGRIPHER. WASHINGTON. D. CV

UNITED STATES CHARLESKW. DIOKINSON, OF WASHINGTON, D. C., ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL W. i

PATENT QEFICE.

GREEN, OF BROOKLYN, AND `SAID GREEN ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD N.

-DIVCKERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

TRUSTEE FOR HENRY A. BURR.

IMPROVEMENT IN TYPE-DISTRIBUTING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. l 74,900, dated March 21, 1876; application filed August S, 1872.

' To all /whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. DIOKIN- `sola, of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented sa new-and useful Im proveinent in Machinery for Distributing Printing-Types,

of which the following is a description:

A columnor page of prin-tingtypes havingbeen used-for printing, must be distributedE into separate holders, euch ot' which contains types of one denomination only, preparatory to a second settingfof theml for a new use. Ordinarilythis operation is'performed by hand,

and, although many attempts .have been made to do it by machinery, the diiculties attending ils-are so great that none ofthe machines have been ysuiicien-tly practical to supersede manual labor My invention is designed to overcome these diiculties, and to distribute type'autoinatically from a column yinto'the.

separate channels of a-case, inwhich -t-he'vare so -arranged as to lbe ready for use in an antomatictype-setter.

The series yof loperations by which "this result is' produced is this: First, a line of types is sepa-rated from the column oi' which it forms a part,"andvby itself 1s presented to the action of lthe?machine for distribution. Secondly, a single type iseseparated from the end ot the line, audvforced into the hold ot' a travel-ing carrier, which receives it and transports vit away from zthepeint of reception, giving plucef to another carrier, which, in its turn, repeats the movement. Thil-diy, the types thus held in these carriers are moved along step by step,

resting'ateach step, and while at rest sub- -Bted tothe contact ot' feelers, (of which there are asmany-as there are denominations ot' typesfto be distributed,) whichare brought ,agninstthe exposed edges of the type,.and

which ascertain the denomination of the type by entering, or failing to enter, notches cut in the edges of the type in di'erent positions land"d-iiierent combinations for different denominations of tyle. Fourthly, when a type is brought'in'front of a t'eeler whose projections match the notches cut in its edge, a'. hook moving with the feeling apparatus is allowed' to fall and catch a sliding ejector in the carrier, against which the type is supported,

and as the feeling apparatus is withdrawn, the hook pulls the sliding ejector forward, and thus -forces th'etype from-the carrier, and permits it to enter the mouth of a conductor,- through which it drops into the appropriate one ot a series of channels constituting a case placed at the 'bottom ends of the type-conductors. Fit-thly, when in the said channel the' type is pushed along far enough to make room for the next one which may drop, and as each succeeding one drops the whole Arow in that channel is pushed along a distance equal to the thickness of said type last -entering, and there left. When the case is full, it may be removed and placed in a setting-machine. y

The following is a `description of the machine as constructed by me, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part-ot' the description thereof.

Figure 1 represents a front perspective view .of themachine; Fig. 2, atop view .or

genera-l plan; Fig. 3, -a rear view oi` themachine; Fig. 4, a view of one end. Thesefour figures connected' give the relative positions ot' the various levers, wheels, cams, shafts, carriers, hooks, &c. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the driving-pulley,frictionclntch, and starting and "stopping apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a portion of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view, showing ya section of the bed or bearing forthe type :chairs or carriers; also the bearing orguide :for the-tbeler-bars, and appropriate attachmen-t forgiving motion to the same. Fig. 8

serves more fully to illustrate Fig. 7,v being a l top view or" said figure, and, in connection with Figs. 4, 9, and 10, intended to show the manner ofplacing the type in the carriers. Fig. 9 gives a front view ot' the front plate P, Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is an end view of one ot the carriers.` Fig. 1.1 is an elevation ofthe carrier, Vwith a part removed to show the mortise or cavity for receiving the ejector.4 Fig. l2 is the type-ejector, for removing the type from the carriers. Fig. 13 is an end View of the type-galley and movable hearing for the type, and attachments for giving motion to the same. Fig-14 is a representation of the feed-clutch alld arms or levers for regulating its action. Figs. 15 and 16 are lnodilied forms of the apparatus for separating the. illdividual types from the lille, and forcing them into the carriers. Figs. 17, 18,19, and 20 rep resellt top views, showing th'e type-driver, the

- ty pe-guidillg tongue andits controllin g-spl'in g,

the rest-block alld its governing-lever, andthe.

which actnate the drivers which transfer the carriers flolll one way to the other, and thel plnngers which more the carriers sidewise in their ways. I

The several parts of 'the machine' .arejsupported by stallclliolls or posts X O, and suitable brackets rising from the bed-plate A, and are actuated byl a main shaft, 0, journaled ill hangers X", depending from the bed B, and; driven by a pulley, A', ill manner hereinafter explained.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A colllmll or page ot' type is laid ill the galley D, which is set at all inclination sncient to prevent the type froln falling apart or separating at the exposed ends of the lines. V4 representsa page-follower, {itt-ed to slide ill the galleyD, whichl is pressed against the page of type .by the weigllt W, and which shoves forward the page, lille by line, as the vlines are successively distributed. E is a lever orswinging plate, which, ill the position shown ill Flgs. 1 and 13, slluts the inside elld 'of the galley D, and prevents the type from being shoved bythe page-follower any farther l' than illto contact with its face. This lever E .is a plate of tllill metal, somewhat thinner than the tllicklless of a lille of type, alld is capable of vibrating aroulld a cellter, 10, so as -to fall below the lower edge of the page of type in the galley D. Wllell it does fall into" that position, the page of type is then pushed forward by the page-follower V", and the up per edge ofthe swinging plate E is ullder the l forward'line of type, and when the swinging plate E is raised again illto the position shown, it elevates that line oftype into a channel -formed by the parallel plates F and 9, Figs. 2

and 18, where it stands upoll the edge ofthe .swinging plate-E in a level position. -The plate 9 is rigidly secured to the bed B, and

the plate F is removable, being held in place by tellons 1 entering one ofits ends,l while its oppositeend rests upon theupper edge of one side ot' the galley, where it is held by a lockingarln, 2, whose shoulder bea'rs against it. -This plate can thus be renloved when', access to the type under or behind it is desired. The

line-follower G is pressed up against the outer end of this ,line of type by the weight X'", whichis connected with that follower by a cord rulllling over a pulley, and this'follower -shoves forward-the line of type as fast as .the

machine tak'es away the single types from the inner elld of the lille. The cord lis attached to the weight by all intervening spring, 1l, which causes the lille-follower to press forward without jarrillg against the type. Whell a lille of type has been exhausted, alld it becomes necessary to sllpply another in its place, the line-follower G is withdrawn, the swinging plate E drops down below the bottoln of the next lille of type ilr the page, the page of type is pushed forward by the page-follower V, the swinging plate Eis raised to its original position, and the lille-follower G again perlllitted to press upon the elld of ,the new lille -of type,repeati ll g the operatioll just described. This compound effect is produced by the cooperation of the transverse sllaft K, the ratch-i et U", the pawl E'", tllelevers K'" and Gf", (shown ill detail' ill Figs. 3, 13, and 14,) and 'the'ca'nl H, the levers N alldL". (Shown in Fig. 1.) The modey of their operation is this:

A pin, p", on the line-follower G comes in con- I tact, with theupper end of the le\'er`K Fig. 1, as seen ill Fig. 2,' when the line-follower G has traveled near the extrelne elld of its lnotioll ill pushing forward the line of type, and presses the .lever K' over toward the plate F.

As a consequence, 'the shaft -HU vibrates a little, and the lever G'", which 4is llpoll the shaft H'", is carried away from the elld of the pawl E'", which otherwise rests against the end of the lever G". The pawl, being thus released, is forced by the spring F'", Fig. 14,

into colltact with'the ratchet, whereby the clutch-wheel D' 'is for the moment-connected with the ratchet C'", which-ls in constant no tation imparted to it through a worm on the main 1, and 4, Fig. 13. The am H operatssjupon the-pill at the end'of theflever N", which, vibrates .around the shaft M', and which=tllere by causes the lever L toi movevawayffrbln the plate F. A pill, 21, on the line-follower G carries a friction-roller, 22, which projects across the plane in which the lever L'" moves, and is outside of the lever, and,as a consequence, when the lever isdriven. back by the cam H, it withdraws the linefollower. G from its advanced position, and makesrooln forthe new lineof type to be raised into' the position from which the last of lilleftype has been pushed; at the same time the calu'4, operating upon the swinging-plate E through the pin 5, Fig. 13, allows it'to'collle down below the lille of type, and again elevates it when the type have been Vpushed forward in the galley D a'cross itsupper edge. The lever K', being relieved from .the pressure of the pill on' the line-fob lower G by the 'withdrawal ot the said follower, lis pressed outward again by thespril'lg S to driving-shaft O ofthe machine-.and the' wormwheel B"r The clutch-wheelDlfis se# Fig. 13, as the shaftvK rotates; and, as a con'4 sequence, at the end of one revolution the trawl E'" is disengaged from the ratchet, and the shaft K ceases to rotate, leaving the cams in the .position shown in Fig. 1 until the pawl -E"' is again allowed to engage with the ratch- '2 and 17 to 22, which in` one position closes up the end of the channel, and so prevents any type from being forced from it by the liliefollower Gr. This movable rest 7` rises from one end'ofa supportingplate, 33, which slides freely inisuitahle bearings, in which it has a motion equal to the thickness of the thickest type, and is held in position by the lever 8,

the other end of which is controlled by a cam,

`apparatus for detaching altype from the end ,of lthe line and driving it into the carrier. -The object of this modification .is to apply a less'degree of force to the type which is tohe 20, on the main shaft of ythe machine. This cam gives a'reciprocating movement to the powerend of the lever in the direction of the main shaft 'of' the machine, and is so shaped that when the type presses against the movahle rest 7, (which is supported by the end of the lever 8,) as the shaft 0 revolves, the lever 8 permits the movable rest 7 to gradually vield under the pressure given to the type by the line-follower G. The rest 7 is cut away, as

in Fig. 22, to admit the passage of the type,-

driver J through it, and also to accommodate in like manner the spring-tongue 15. When lthe movable rest 7 has thus beenpermi'tted'to move far enough to allow the thick-ness of one type to pass beyond the end of the type-chan! nel, the type-driver J, which has been pressing upon the edge of the type, drives the type 'before it, as in Fig. 18, cutting it oli' from the line of type of which it was the advanced one, and the. t ypeldri'\'er J closes the end ofthe channel, and so prevents any further movenient ofthe line of type.

This type-driver J is at the end of'a lever, U, Fig. vibrating on the shaft Km', and coni iected,' through that shaft, with the lever J', whose end is operated upon by the cam M. on

the main shaft 0. A spring, S4, forces thev leverjJ' `into contact with the cam M, and as the cam permits' it the spring causes the shaft Km' to'vvibrate, and withitthe type-driver J, whosefnnction has been already described. An'otherilever, L, hungloosely on theend 'of theshaftKW, is close alongside of the lever U, 'andisoperated through the lever L' by the cam N.' (Shown in dotted lines behind the cam M, in Fig-4, and in full li1ies,-Fig. This VleverL has `a spring-tongual, projecting inward near its'uppefr en'd,`s in Figs". 2 and 8.. -.In these figures the tonguefisshown,composed of aspring.4 In' Figs.y 15 'to 20 the ton glie is rigid in itself,l vilratingupon a center, and. Ycontrolled hy an independent spring. The operations of these forms are identical.

The 4object of this spring-tongue 15 is to guide the type into the carrier T', where it is held when driven forward by the type-driver J; and for that purpose the spring-tongue at the end'of the lever L moves in advance of the lever U, passes behind the spring S", and assunieslhe position shown in Figs. 8 and 18. The type I is then driven forward bythe type driver J, and forces sidewise the spring'- tongue at the end of the-lever L, and at the same time through it moves sidewise the spring S' (which rests 'upon the springtongue in the lever L) in the carrier T', as in Fig. 19, and so permits the type I to be caught under the spring S'" fixed upon the side of thecarrier T. The leverL is then withdrawn',-

and with it the spring-tongue, leavingy the type caught and held in the carrier, as in Fig. .20; and then the type-driver J is withdrawn,

and the lever 8 presses up the movable rest 7v against the line of type, ready for a repetition of the operation.

Figs. 15 to 20 present a modified form of the detached while the line is moving forward under the pressure of the weight or spring which -is pushing it into the machine, and at the saine time, as each type is detached from the line, to apply to it the pressure necessary to .carry it into the carrier. In this modification the typedriver J is separated from the lever. 'U and made to slide in a channel or groove in ,the frame for that purpose, and is moved backward and forward in a straiglitline'instead of in a curve, as shown in Fig. 4; This type-driver is operated on by the lever U, through the pin P4, and the hole in the lever elongated in the direction ofthe motion, seas to permit either the pin'or the lever to move without moving the other. "A spring, S2, presses against the back end of the typedriver and tends to force it forward. The shape of the cam M on the driving-shaft is such that When the lever U is carried backward, so as to withdraw the type-driver from-' contactv with the type and out of theway of the line of type, the spring S2 is compressed,

and as the` cam revolves and the lever J',

which operates the leverU, is drawn forward by the spring S4, which holds its end in contact with the cam, the elongated opening in.

the end of the lever U, through which vthe pin P4 passes, permits the lever U to come for'-A ward without necessarily moving the typedriver with it, the effect of which is that the l type-driver, during that time, is driven by the enough to detach' spring S2, which is strong the forward type in the line and `drive it for- Ward, without putting upon it any more pr'e's's;` ure than is necessary for that purpose, there-v by diminishing the friction resulting from the movement of the line of type which would hel prodncedlby the application of a. pressure greater than necessary to detach. a single type. When the spring S has detached the type and carried it forward a short distance, then the shape of the cam permits the lever U to overtake the type-driver J, and to drive the type into the carriers with the greater power applied to that lever by the coiled spring S, or substituted weight used for 'that purpose. This modification makes the machine work more easily, and renders less power necessary upon the line-follower G, which shoves the lille of type endwise into the machine.

Figs. 15 to 20 show also' the tongue 15 constructed to operate in a right line. 1t is swung at its rear end on hangers forming a part of the right-line slide C", which is operated on by the lever L through the pin P5. The tongue 15 is`pressed inward by a spring, c", fast upon the side plate 26, and extending through an elongated slot in said plate into engagement with said tongue. More precision is' gained by -the straight'line movement` and by sepa-rating the parts at the pin P.

These modifications ot' detail are exhibited as the best which have occurred to the inventor; but the principle of action is capablev ot a variety of arrangements without substan tial alteration.

The next instrument in the operation is the.

carrier, whose oice it is tof carry the type from the place where it is received to the place where it is linallyjwithdrawn from it and droppedthrough a conductor into its appronsto insure uniformitv in the size and bearings of the entire series which are used in the machine. These carriers are cored out to permit the ejector R to work in them, as shown in Fig. 11. A spiral spring, 16, is soinserted in the longitudinal slot in the ejector as to torce it back in the carrier to give room for the type I, as shown in Fig. 7, where o'ne of the type is represented in' frontof the ejector und held fast by the spring S'. This ejector can be drawn forward, compressing the spiral spring 1 6, rand moving far enough to push the typeI out ot' the hold of spring S. The

spring S is fixedv inthe side of the carrier,` and when' the type is inserted under it holds,

it there until the ejector is brought into action to detach the type. There are as many of thesecarriers needed as at least twice the number of denomination of type which-are to be used in the machine In the bedB of the machine there are two ways, Z, separated 'from' each other by a partition B", Fig. 7, in which ways the carriers move step by step in opposite directions. In Figs. 2, 23, and 2i these, carriers T' are shown in plan arranged in rows in the two ways When the machineis at rest these two ways are tlled with the carriers, except space for one carrier at the entrance end of. each way At 'the entrance end of the `front way one ol these carriers is in the position shown in 8, ready to receive a type. When the type has been inserted in the manner: already de scribed, both rows of carriers are moved lengthwise in opposite directions. This oper ation is performed by plungers'H H, Figs. 2, 23, and 24, the motion ofoue' of `which will now be described: A doubletaced cam, Y', constantly revolved by the main shatt O, bears on one side against a friction-roller, Z', pivoted in the end of a slide, X', to the opposite end ot'l which the pl'unger-actua.ting lever V' is hung. v This lever V is thus vibrated, and imparts short reciprocations to the plunger H through the pl'ungershaft 0, with which the end ot' the lever engages. When the swell of Ithe. cam Y passes the friction roller Z', the slide thus relieved from it is moved in the opsite direction by a spring, 24, on the plungershaft 03, and the front row ot' the carriers T' is thus moved lengthwise a distance equal to the thickness of a single carrier. The plun ger H, which moves the rear row ot' carriers, is actuated by precisely the same means, namely, a plunger-shaft, 0, lever V3, slide X4, and friction-roller Z. actuated from the opposite side or face ofthe cam Y', their position andinotions being the connterpartot' those just described with reference to the plunger H. Though this mechanism is arranged to vin ove therows of carriers onward by .the

motion derived from the springs 03,04, and to retract the pl-ungers by motionvderived from the cam, the reverse operation may be l accomplished by reverse movements o t' thel same mechanismthat is, by permitting the cam to drive the-plungersI and the'sp'ringsto withdraw them. But the first method is preferable, since in case of any sticking ot' the `carriers there is less liability tov injure the mechanism. v i f v When these plungers'are withdrawn lspace is let't between the faces ot' ,plunger and the end of its row of carriers wide'euough for another cari-ier, andinto these. spaces one of the carriers from the rear row is forced forward, and one ofy the carriers from the front row is forcedbackward, as in Fig. 24. This operation is,Y pertormeduby driversy`A, Figs. 2, 4, 23, and 24, which are bars movedv forwa'xrd and backward by Vthe grooves 28.,0fcams Q"f on the main shaft, operating through studs or rollers the twolevers, one of w hich',f l, isseen in Fig; 4. These drivers A are eachtitted at Aits front end with a latch, E pressed by a spring, 17, into aposition for en aging with the carrier. The' latch upon the river which forcesthe carriers" of the rear row forward is `shown in Fig.`4 as springing iubehlnd the carrier, and as this driverA/ff'is movedforward nie lawn retains um;v position., towing the carrier before it, as in Fig. 2 4', butas'the i out carrying with it the slide I.

driver is withdrawn, the latch E is pressed outl of the way by the carrier which has been moved into position by its plunger until it passes the extreme end of that carrier, when 1t springs across itsend, and is in position to force it forward. The latch upon the other driver A, which forces backward a carrier from the front row, is operated in `a similar manner, but springs inward in front of the carrier instead of behind it. The effect prol duced by these two drivers is that they simultaneously transfer one carrier each from the opposite ways, thus lling up the space in each way left by the last movement sidewise ofthe end carrier of each row by .the plun gers H H", and leaving a vacant space into which one from each of the rows of carriers can be forced, as Lefore described. The effect of the operation of the'plungers H H" and the drivers A"jis, that at each revolution of the main shaft 0 of the machine every carrier is moved one step onward-that is, each carrier in the front row is moved one step to the right, each carrier in the rear row is moved one step to the left, the advanced carrier in the front row is moved backward to the beginning of the rear row, and the advanced carrier in the rear row is moved forward to the beginning ofthe front row.

The object of this movement of the carriers step by step is to bring the type that are held in them successively into positions where they can be selected by the automatic selecting apparatus, .which constitutes the next important part of the machine, and which will now be described.

This apparatus consists of a series of hooks, S', pivoted at 23 to reciprocating slides I", which are guided between division-plates K", and vibrate forward'and backward in a line at right angles to the ways in which the carriers move. There are at least as many of these hooks as there are denominations of 'type used in the machine, and their oice is to withdraw the type from the carriers at the proper time. Figs. '7 and 8 exhibit this part ofthe apparatus in sectional elevation and in plan. W is the vibrating frame, which is moved by two rods, F, which rods are moved by a cam on the main shaft, operating upon them through pins 3 fixed on arms F4 depending from each rod, one of which is shown in Fig. 4. The cam is shown by the curved dotted groove 27, in which the pin 3 travels. This cam i's so shaped as to vibrate the frame W forward and backward while 'the carriers arc at rest in their ways. 1n this instance this cam-groove 27 is on the inner face of the cam Q, whose outer face actuates the lever T. But in practice these devices would be driven by separate cams. The reciprocating slide I, which carries each ofthe hooks S', is notched at 29 to tit over the frame W, as shown in Fig. 7, and is pressed forward toward the carriers by the spiral spring 14. This spiral spring permits the frame W" to move forwardwith, The inner -dotted linesin Fig. 7.

ends of the slides I are provided with 'pins L", which are arranged in different positions Afor every denomination of type, and constitute the feelers for the type, the type being nicked to correspond with the position of these pins for each denomination. Each slide I is also provided with arest-block, 13, projecting over the top of the slide. This restblock is carried on and fast to a rod, J, moving in the slide, and actuated by a spiral spring, which tends to keep its forward end beyond the face of the slide and in alignment with the outer ends of the feeling-pins. On this rest-block the hook S' is supported by its lug 0, so that it cannot fall low enough to catch the point of the ejector lt, but when the rest-block is pushed backward the hook can fall and catch the point ofthe ejector. The front plate Y is perforated with holes in such positions as to allow the rods J and the feelers L" to reach the type, as will be described. M, Fig. 7, is a bar which holds the slides I" in place, and also serves to elevate the hooks S as they are withdrawn, by means of their cam-projections N.

The operation of this selecting apparatus is as follows: As the slides I" are brought forward the feelers Lll come lin contact with the types in the carriers, if there are any. It" the feelers L find nicks in the type corresponding with them, they will enter those nicks,

and so the slides l" canadvance along with the movement of the frame W until the feelers reach nearly or quite to the bottom of the nicks, as shown at Fig. 7, where I is a type, and where the feelers are represented in one of the slides as reaching to the bottom of the nicks. When the feelers have thus entered the nicks, the sliding-rod J, carrying the rest-block 13, comes in contact 'with the type, and is arrested in its forward movement; but as the slide l is still advancing, it is appa-` rent that the spiralspring on thesliding-rod J must be compressed, and the rest-block on that sliding-rod stand still iu reference to the lug O on the hook which is advancing. When the lug O has passed forward beyond the rest-block, the hook drops and catches over the point of the ejector R, as shown in When the frameW returns, it carries with it the hook which is engaged with the ejector R. and the type I in the carrier T is drawn out from the hold of spring S' andas the hook is still further withdrawn, the cam N comes in contact with the bar M", and the hook is lifted-'out of engagement with the ejector, which being released, is forced back by its spring 16 to its normal position in the carrier, and so makes room in the carrier for it to receive another type in front ot' its ejector R when it shall have again reached the proper place. But it' the feelers L, as the slide l is brought forward, do not tnd nicks in the type corresponding with them, they come in contact with the smooth edge of thetype, and of course arrest the further movement of the slide I,

in which casethe frame W'" still continues its movement, and compresses the spiral spring 14, without inj uring the type. Under these cir-v cumstances, the slidingrod J" is not pushed backward, and thehook is therefore held by the lug O", and not engaged with the ejector.

The manner in which this apparatus selects the type is very apparent. Each carrier holding a type presents it successively to the feelers of each of the slides I". If the feelers of any slide do not find corresponding nicks in the type, they' can not. enter, `and consequently the vtype is not disengaged from the carrier, but is moved on another step and presented to the feeders of the next slide, and so on until it Vcomes to a slide whose feelers correspond with its nicks, when it is drawn into the recess or way 19 formed in the front plate Y, Figs. 9 and 23, disengaged and directed into a conductor P, which guides -it downward into its appropriate groove or channel in the case As the presence of a type in a carrier reaching the receiving position would prevent a new type from being inserted, and thus derange the machine, the last hook is allowed to drop and engage with the ejector of the last carrier inthe front row at each forward movement of the frame W'", and thus to disengage from each carrier presented to it whatever type may have passed thep're ceding hooks. This prevents the retention of a type by any carrier passing from the front to the rear row. As there are some characters of comparatively infrequent use, which are not nicked, and consequently. will not be withdrawn by any of the slides carrying feelers, this provision is necessary.

The conductors are thinmetal rectangular pipes` P, Figs.v 1, 3, 4, and 9, large enough to pi-rmit'the type to drop freely through them, and not large enough to permit the type to turn in them. These conductors are twisted ninety degrees, so that the types which enter them at the top with their nicks facing the front of the machine, are turned one quarter around, and when they reach the bottom of the conductor have their nicks facing one end of the machine, and are f dropped into the channels of the case with their nicks all Vfacing one side of the same.

The case W is also shown at Figs. 1, 3, and 4, and consists of a number of partitions,a, dividing the case into a series of grooves or channels, b, each wide enough for a type, into which the types are dropped from the conductors P. This case is removable from the machine, and is supported on bearing P', where it rests in an incline position Vwhich is highest at its receiving end, thus inclinin g the types forward upon each other, in which position they are retained by gravity, as is apparent.

Ineach channel is a spring-slug Q', against which the line of types rests, and which readily slides as additional types are dropped in and advanced, as will now be described. The lever R is fast to the shaft Q,and its freeend follows a double cam U", see Figs. 2 and 3, on the main shaft 0, in contact with which itis held bya spring O'. This shaftQ vibrates a series of levers It, each extending into its appropriate -lgroove -b of the case W, as 'in Fig. 4. Each revolution of the main shaft -thns vibrates the whole series of levers B.v twice, pushing forward each type as it drops, and with it the whole row before it, a distance equal to the thickness of that type, thus leaving roomfor another type to drop in when the levers are moved rearward. There are two forms in which this apparatus for pushing the type into the groove ofthe case may be made, both shown at Fig. 4. In the arrangement lattached to the machine the levers R have a curvilinear motion. tus representing the same'operation the levers R have a right-line motion, thereby 'avoiding any tendency to lift the type in the case. Either plan will work but the one shown detached is preferable. when the case is filled with type itmay be removed, and an empty one substituted, so that the machine may be kept constantly at work.

The machine is driven by a belt which runs:

upon the pulley A', Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, and it is desirable to yhave an apparatus which will instantly -errest' the -movement of A the shaft 0, in case of obstruction in the operation of the machine. This object is accom lished by the apparatus shown iu detail at Fig. 5. The pulley A' drives the machine by means of the friction of its interior surface upon the leather disk R, which is rbetween it and themetal disk B', and is pressed against the leather disk R by the spiral. spring 1"', which is inthe hub V, and which is compressed by the screw A"". 0n the inner side of the disk' B' is another disk,(}'", and a leather disk, R", between them. This inner disk 0"" is connected, by two columns, D', to an outer. cross-bar, C', which is mounted on the hub V. When the spring I'" is at liberty to act, it presses against the head of the screw A'"' and against the bottom ofcthe hub V, forcing the pulley A' against the outside of the leather disk R5, and creating a friction between the pulley and the metallic disk B' attached to the hub R', through which the shaft() is driven. But when the hub V is drawn out, so as to withdraw it from contact with the head of the pulley A', thefriction on the outside of the leather disk R5 is taken away, and if the hub V is withdrawn far enough, itwill apply friction to the disk B' through the inside leather disk R", and as the disk 0"" cannot revolve because the columns D' will come in contact with the belt, the machine must be stopped. When the machine is in operation, a lever, F', which is connectedl with the rod G', is in the position indicated by the solid lines in Fig. 5, and the rod G' is caught by a notch in an arm, I', fast to the frame of the machine, as shown in Fig. 6, which is another view of that part In the detached apparivof the apparatus. The bent lever L"", Figs. etand 5, has one end 30 of it overreaching the hub R', which is fast on the shaft (l), through which the machine is driven. This hub has a cam Vwith a number of projecting steps, as seen at VM', upon it... which will strike the end 30 of the lever L"" unless it is moved sidewise out of their way; and it they do strike it, they will tilt the lever Iz"" and depress its inner end 3l. Its inner end 31 rests upon the rod G', on the same side of it as the notched arm I', and if that lever is tilted it will depress the rod G', and liberate it from the notched arm I'. The plunger-shaft O3, which moves the carriers, rests against the bend ot' the lever L', which has a motion around its fnlcrum K' at right angles to its tilting motion, as shown in Fig. 6. The spring N"" keeps the lever L"" in contact with the end of the plunger-shat`t O3. When the machine is in operation, if the plunger-shaft O3 is worklng properly', the end 30 ot' the lever L"" will recede at the time when the steppedcam M' is nearly in contact with it; and as the stepped cam M' revolves, the lever-end 30 is vibrated horizontally, and so prevents the stepped cam M' from engaging with it. Butii' from any cause the carriers are not moved their appropriate distance, the end 30 of the lever is not vibrated out of the way of the stepped cam M',

and, as a consequence, the said cam M' engages with and raises that'end of the lever, depressingr its opposite end, and unhooking the rod G from the notched arm I'. When this happens, the spiral spring C" on the rod G' forces the end ot' the lever F' outward, its inner end being supported upon a fnlcrum at 33, and, as a consequence, the hub V is drawn awayby the hellend-socket connections at E', and the friction between the pulley A' and the disk B immediately suspended, while at the same time friction of rest is imposed through the vdisk 0"", and the machine instantly stops.

It is apparent that the new mode of operation exhibited in the mechanism herein described may be practiced by the aid of details in machinery quite different from those eX-hihyited in the single form presented by the drawings makingfpart ot' this description. As is well known to mechanics, the different movements of the working parts of this machine may be imparted to them by means oi' cams or gear-wheels arranged differently from those herein exhibited,and proba-bly no two mechanics, having the new mode ot' operation herein described presented to them, would construct a machine in precisely the same form. When the-impelling mechanism is shown as driven one way by a positive motion and the other way by a spring, it is apparent that the motion may be reversed in most cases, and it is apparent that the relative positions of the cams may be changed, in which case the leversor slides would assume different shapes and directions. The invention does not con? with actuating means, substantially as described, whereby it is forced against the type, first by a feeble spring-pressure, sufficient only to detach the type from its connection with the lille of type, and afterward, when the type has been detached, by a stronger spring-pressure, for the purpose' of carrying the type into a position where it iscoritrolled by another mechanism in the distributingmachine.

2. The combination, with a type-dr-iver and l a type-carrier, of an lelastic tongue, which is moved in advance of the movement of the type-driver, and which constitutes a guide for leading the type into the carrier as it is forced in by the type-driver, and which opens the clutch ofthe type-carrier, substantially as described.

3. In a type-distributing machine, type-carriers, each so constructed as to receive andhold a type, each carrier being a complete independent removable instrument for that purpose by itself', substantially as described.

4. I n combination with the type-carriers, two plungers, constructed substantially as described, moving in opposite directions, the one operating on the front and the other on the' rear row of carriers, or other equivalent. devices for moving al number of type-carriers withan intermittent motion,. permitting an l interval of rest for the purpose of removing the type, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the type-carriers, two drivers, constructed substantially as described, moving in opposite directions, simultaneously acting, the one forcing one carrier from the front to the rear row, and the other forcing one carrier from the rear to the front row, with an intermittent motion, substantially as described.

(i. The combination of' cams Q2 and Y' with the plungers and drivers, substantially as described, for presenting a constant succession of type-carriers to the type-driver, a single one at each stroke of the type-driver, for the purpose of receiving the type, substantially as described. l

7. In combination with the vtype-carriers, the two pairs ot' channel-ways for the movement ot' the carriers, arranged and constructed substantially as described, so that the rows of carriers in each pair will be moved in lines parallel to each other and in opposite directions, substantially as described. 4

8. The combination of the hook or catch,

in the carrier, substantially as described.

for ejecting `the type from the carrier, with a wit-l1 a. series of hooks or catches for ejecting sliding detenl. for dropping the hook into acthe type from the carrier at the appropriate tion, and aslide armed with projecting pins places, substantially as described. for determining the denomination ot' the type CHARLES W. DIGKINSON \Vitnesses:

JOHN R. YOUNG,

CLEMENT l. DxoKINsoN.

9. The combination ot' independent traveling carriers, carrying type to be distributed,

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