US1928831A - Typographical casting machine - Google Patents

Description

Get. 3, 1933. G. A DQXEY 1,928,831

TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 7. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE Y; M K

Gd. 3, 193:5. A, DOXEY 2,928,831

TYPOGRAPHICAL GAS TI NG MACHINE Filed Jan. 1952 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY 7 Oct. 3, 1933. G. A. DOXEY TYIOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 7, 1932 m s w IN VENTOR A TTOR Ys Patented Oct. 3, 1933 TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE George A. Doxey, Staten Island, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application January 7,

20 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical casting machines, such as linotype machines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patcut 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 composed in line, the composed line transferred through an intermediate channel into a vertically movable first elevator which carries the line to a slotted mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce the type characters thereon, and the matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine from which they started.

While these machines are capable of handling a variety of matrix fonts, it is frequently desirable to cast a few lines from some particular font or fonts notcarried at the time in the machine, and in such instances it is customary either to compose the matrices by hand in the assembler or to employ a special form of hand stick in which there may be composed by hand matrices of regular or machine-composed size or matrices too large or otherwise not intended for machine composition.

The present invention contemplates certain improvements in the machine which will permit hand-composed matrix lines to be handled with much greater ease and facility than heretofore. To this end, specifically, the structure of the intermediate channel is made to include a detach-' able section which is provided with means for converting it into a hand stick when detached. In its converted state, the detached section is capable of handling not only matrices of the different sizes required but in addition the regular linotype spacebands, so that a line composed therein may be justified in the same way as if composed directly in the machine. After a line has been composed in the detached converted section, the latter is reapplied to the machine and then restored to its original or normal condition, it being'understood that the composed line will then be supported in the intermediate channel in the regular way. The line is now transferred by hand into the first elevator which presents it to the line clamping, justifying and casting devices in the regular way, the line being handled precisely as if it were composed in the machine itself and forwarded automati 1932. Serial No. 585,205

(c1. BSD-26) elevator bar and the latter carried upwardly for a slight distance above the upper transfer channel, the spacebands at the time remaining in said channel. At this point, the operation of the machine is manually arrested, and the matrices stripped off the second elevator bar by hand. The machine is then restarted and allowed to complete its cycle of operation, the spacebands thereby being restored automatically to the spaceband' magazine of the machine. Of. course, if desired, the spacebands could be removed by hand from the uppertransfer channel at the time the machine is brought to rest for the hand removal of the matrices.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely in preferred form andby way of example and as applied to a commercial linotype machine, but obviously many changes and variations may be made therein and in its modeof application which will still be comprised within its spirit; It should, therefore, be understood that'the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so ,far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is'a front view of a portion of a linotype machine equipped with the present improve- 'ments;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the intermediate channel with a line of hand composed matrices positioned therein, the receiving end of the first elevator being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of theparts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the intermediate channel showing the matrix retaining bar and end Walls of the detachable sectionor hand stick thrown back into their inactive position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing a composed line supp rted in the hand stick;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the hand stick detached showing a composed matrix line supported therein; and

Fig. '7 is a detail face view of a regular twoletter matrix.

In the normal operation of the machine, the matrices X and spacebands Y (Fig. 1) are released from their respective storage magazines X and Y by the manipulation of a keyboard (not shown) and are delivered, one at a time, to the assembler A wherein they are stacked in line under the influence of a star wheel a. When the line is completely composed, the assembler is raised into registry with the intermediate channel B and trips the delivery slide C, which thereupon transfers the line from the assembler through said channel and into the vertical movable line transporter or first elevator D. By this, the active, stroke of the delivery slide, the machine cycle of operation is inaugurated andthe last matrix of the composed line is located immediately behind a pair of spring retaining pawls d (Fig. 2) arranged at the receiving end of the first elevator. The elevator now descends to present the composed line to the mold, where it is properly justified between the usual clamping jaws preparatory to the casting of the slug. After the slug casting operation, the first elevator D is raised to its uppermost level and the line transferred therefrom into the upper transfer channel E (Fig. l) the matrices at this time being caused to engage the second elevator bar which carries them upwardly for distribution into their magazine X and thespacebands being left behind in the channel E and later returned to their magazine Y 'Ihe'matrices X, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 7, are representative of the regular two-letter variety, while the matrices X shown in Figs. 5 and 6, are representative of the headletter or display variety, the former being provided withtwo superposed characters at of small size and the latter with but a single character (1: of much larger size. The individual matrices of both varieties are formed as usual with the upper and lower projecting ears 11: .10 and the V-shaped I distributing notches :0

The spacebands Y are of regular construction, each comprising the relatively fixed wedge-shaped member 11 and the movable longer. wedge-shaped member 11 these members being slidably connected together so that the longer members may be driven upwardly to expand the composed lines in effecting justification. Theshorter members g of the spacebands Y (see Fig. 5) are formed at their upper ends with V-shaped clearance notches 11 corresponding to the distributing notches x of the matrices, and also with projecting ears 11 by means of which the spacebands are sustained during their circulation through the machine.

In the use of the two-lettermatrices X, it is customary to compose them at an upper level in the assembler A to bring their lower characters into casting position, or at a lower level therein to bring their upper characters into casting position; whereas, in the use of the head-letter matrices X it is customary to compose them at the lower level in the assembler and to arrest the first elevator in a slightly raised position with reference to the-mold so as to bring the single characters 1: of these matrices into propercasting position. l i

As best shown in Fig. 4, the structure of intermediate channel B includes mainly,'a front side wall B and a rear side wall B these two walls being screwed together in predetermined spaced relation and secured to the front of the machine frame. To givethe individual matrices and spacebands of composed lines the required support "in their passage through thechannel B, it is provided with three pairs of superposed hori-- z'ontal rails b b b The uppermost pair of rails b is devoted to the spacebands Y, being arranged to "cooperate with the projecting ears y thereof,

. while the intermediate and lowermost pairs of rails'b and b are devoted to the matrices. The rails b are adapted to cooperate with the upper projecting ears 1: of the matrices if composed at the lower level in the assembler A, and the rails 13 are adapted to cooperate with the lower projecting ears x of the matrices if composed at the upper level in the assembler. The intermediate rails b are therefore common to both the regular matrices X and the display matrices X while the lowermost rails b are individual to the two-letter matrices X.

The several pairs of rails b b and 1) are formed directly on front and rear anti-wear plates 13 and 3*, the inner faces of which are grooved longitudinally at 12 and b to produce the uppermost-and lowermost rails b and I) respectively, and recessed at 11 to produce the intermediate rails b Ordinarily, these wear plates B and B are secured to the respective side walls B and B of the intermediate channel and thus constitute permanent parts of the machine. According to the present invention, however, the front plate B for reasons presently to appear, is

vfastenedto a removable section F of the front wall B which latter, as shown best in Figs. 4

and 5, is cut away at the top or made lower than usual to accommodate the said section.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the section F is detachably connected to the wall B by means of latch pins or detents B and is sustained thereon in a truly vertical position by a pair of banking screws 12*. The latch pins 13 (Fig. 3) are slidably mounted in suitable housings B and are arranged to engage in'corresponding apertures f (Fig. 4) formed in lugs F projecting from the front face of the removable section F near the opposite ends thereof. Each latch pin B isheid in its active or looking position by a compression spring 19 and is retractible at will, to break its engagement with the corresponding aperture f, by means of a finger grip or handle I)? projecting forwardly from the pin through an elongated slot b formed in the associated housing B Thebanking screws b are mounted in the upper edge of the front wall B behind the latch pins 13 and are arranged to engage the lower edge of the'section F when it isattached to the chan nel B. A flat spring B pivoted at its lower end to the front wall B and reacting against the section F, tends to press the latter rearwardly about the pins B as a fulcrum and maintain it resiliently engaged with the banking screws 22 With this arrangement, the section F may be instantly disconnected from the channel B for removal by merely swinging the spring B downwardly out of engagement with the section F to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, and then withdrawing the latch pins B from engagement with the lugs 15. I

Considered as a separate and independent element, the section F in size and weight is suitable for use as a hand stick, as intended, and in adapting it for such use, it is provided with a pair of fingers 1 between which a line of matrices and spacebands may be composed as well as with a bar 1? for holding the composed line in place upon the supporting rails.

In this instance, the bar'l is V-shaped and arranged to engage in the V-shaped notches formed in the upper ends of the matrices and spacebands, being hingedly connected to the section F through the medium of a pair of integral arms P, which latter are mounted on cross pins f and guided in vertical cuts or notches 13 formed in the upper edge of the plate B The notches 13 present each a vertical portion b and an inclined or beveled portion b which serve respectively through their engagement with the arms F to locate the bar F in its active and inactive positions (compare Figs. 6 and4). V

..The fingers F (as shown in Fig. 5) are attached tothe Opposite ends of the barF in order that they may be carried out of engagement with the matrix line as the bar is swung to its inactive position, this latter operation being effected manually after the section F has been restored and locked in place on the structure B. However, to permit angular adjustment of the fingers, as may be desired during composition, they are pivoted to the. bar F by screws I which exert sufficient friction on the fingers tomaintain them yieldingly in any position to which they may be moved. The arms F of the bar F may likewise be maintained under friction by their pivot pins f for the sake of convenience in handling the stick and also to facilitate composition of a matrix line between the fingers F I V} While the hand stick above described (see Fig. 6) presents but a single side wall B the matrices and spacebands will be properly supported and held in place thereon both during and after composition. Thus, the inner face of the plate B (as may be noted in Fig. 6) is shaped to fit between the upper and lower projecting ears of the matrices and hence will restrain them against endwise displacement and keep them at all times engaged with the rail b it being understood.

that during composition of a line the section F will be held normally at a backward inclination or in a semi-horizontal position. The spacebands during composition will be kept in line by the engagement of their projecting ears 1 in the groove b" of. the plate B and, if need be, may be held against edgewise displacement by the bar F which can be set in'the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. When composition is completed and the line receives support at both ends by the fingers F the bar I is moved to the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 6, where it fits snugly within the V-shapednotches r of the matrices and the corresponding notches of the spacebands and thereby serves to hold the line inplace upon the plate 3, preventing any edgewise displacement of the matrices or spacebands or lateral displacement of the line as a whole. It hardly needs to be stated that when the matrices are supported on the rail 1), their V-shaped notches will be aligned with those of the spacebands, so that the bar F may function in the manner just stated. In the useof the section F as a hand stick, matrices will not be composed on the lower rail 1) and its presence could be omitted altogether, were it not for the fact that the section, when not employed as a hand stick, must match up with the rear wall of the intermediate channel in handling machine-composed matrices standing at different levels.

' According to the foregoing improvements, whenever it is desired to convert the movable section F of the intermediate channel B into a hand stick, it is first detached in the manner before described, and the bar F then swung overto the .position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6,

, rices facewise as they are stacked in line, and

when the line has been completely composed, the

bar pushed down to the full line position shown in Fig; 6. The finger F at the right, which determinesthelength of the line, may be placed in position during composition or swung down after the last matrix has been composed, as may be found most convenient. With both fingers F and the bar F in place,the line is firmly supported in all directions, and the whole unit may therefore be handled with all convenience and safety.

In applying the section F with the composed line to the machine, the latch'pns B are retracted within their respective housings to clear the lugs F and the section then pushed rearwardly on the banking screws b to carry the projecting ears g of the spacebands and the upper projecting 'ears 0: of the matrices into engagement with the rails b and b of the statfonary rear wall B of the channel B (see Fig. 4). The latch pinsB are now released and allowed to snap into the aligned apertures of the lugs F and" the retaining spring B is turn-ed upwardly infront of the stick to hold it in upright position as determined by the banking screws 22*. The only remaining operation required to prepare the line for transfer from the channel B into the first elevator D is that of swnging the bar F and the attached fingers F forwardly out-of engagement with the line to the idle position shown by the full lines in Fig. 4. In this operation, the fingers F may engage the front face of the rear plate B but, being pivoted to the bar F they will yield about ther pivotal axes and finally assume a horizontal position out of the way of the composed line as the arms F of the bar approach the bottom walls or the notches B Thetransfer of the composed line is effected manually, and the proper position thereof as it comes to rest'in'the first elevator D is determined by the spring reta ning pawls d, the operator being able to feel the action of these pawls as the last matrix of the line is pushed past them. The operationof the'machine is now started by meansof the clutch control handle common to all commercial linotype machines, and the composed line is handled automatically in the customary way, the line being locked up" and justifled and a slug cast therefrom in the well known manner. as the cycle proceeds and the transporter rises into registry with the upper transfer channel E (Fig. l), the matrices of the line are transferred onto the second elevator bar (not shown), from which they are stripped by hand after the operation of the machine is manually arrested, and the spacebands are delivered to the storage magazine Y or removed by hand from the transfer channel. Of course, the matrices could be run pi if desired, in which case the machine would be allowed to complete its cycle of operation without interruption.

Having thus described my inventionfwhat I claim is:

1. In or for a typographical casting machine adapted to handle matrices and spacebands formed with projecting ears, a hand stick including, in combination, means for supporting the matrices and spacebands of a composed line bytheir projecting ears at one side only of the line, and. means for holding the line against displacement on the supporting means.

2.- In or for a typographical casting machine adapted to handle matrices and spacebands matrices and spacebands of a composed line by their projecting ears, and means for holding the line against displacement on said rails} 3. A hand stick as specified in claim 2, characterized by the fact thatthe said holding means include a bar arranged to cooperate with both the matrices and spacebandsfor restraining the composed line against lateral displacement, and a pair of end walls for restraining the line against endwise displacement.

4. A hand stick as specified in claim 2, characterized by the fact that the matrix supporting rail is formed on a plate which fits against the contiguous edges of the matrices between their upper and lower projecting cars so as to support them edgewise andmaintain them individually against longitudinal displacement on the said rail.

terized by the fact that the spaceband supporting rail is formed by a groove extending longitudinally of the side wall of the stick and wherein the projecting ears of the spacebands engage.

6. In or for a typographical casting machine adapted to handle matrices and expansible spacebands, a hand stick comprising a single sidewall, means for supporting the matrices and spacebands of a composed line vertically thereon, a bar hinged to the side wall for preventing lateraldisplacement of said line, and a pair of fingers mounted on the bar for sustaining the line endcombination with means for supporting themat rices and spacebands of a composed line in casting position, of a channeled structure from which said line is transferred to the supporting means, said structure including a detachable section adapted for use as a hand stick when detached.

9. In a typographical casting machine, the combination with-means for supporting the matrices and spacebands of a composed line in casting position, of a channeled structure from which said line is transferred to the supporting means, said structure including a detachable section, and means mounted on the section for converting it into a hand stick when detached. V

10. A channeled structure as specified inclaim 9, characterized by the fact that the detachable section is formed with means for supporting the matrices and spacebands vertically by their projecting ears, and that the converting means therein referred to consists of a bar movable into engagement with a composed line for holding it against lateral displacement on the supporting means, and a pair of fingers movable into position to act as end walls for the composed line.

11. In or for a typographical casting machine adapted to handle matrices and expansible spacebands formed with. projecting ears, a channel structure comprising a detachable section convertible at will into a hand stick, said stick including a pair of end walls, a single side wall, rails formed on the side wall for supporting the matrices and spacebands of a composed line by their projecting ears, and a bar'movable into en- 5. A hand stick as specified in claim 2, charac-' 7. A hand stick as specified in claim 6, characside walls for supporting the matrices and spacebands of a composed line during'transfer to casting position, the front side-wall of said structure including aflxed lower section and a detachable upper section, means carried by the upper section for converting it into a hand stick when detached, and means for locating the said section in the proper position relative to the rear side wall when it is applied to the machine.

13. A channel structure as specified in claim 12; including latch pins for locking the said removable section in place, banking screws for sustainingthe section in a truly vertical position, and a springfor holding it resiliently engaged with said screws.

14; In or for a typographical casting machine adapted to handle matrices and expansible spaceba'ndsformed with projecting ears, a channel structure comprising an integral rear side wall iormed with horizontal rails, and a front side wall made up of a fixed lower section and a detachable upper section formed with horizontal rails corresponding to those of the rear Wall and serving in conjunction therewith to support the matrices and spacebands by their projecting ears, said upper section being provided with a pair of lineconfining fingers movable to active and inactive position and with a retaining bar likewise movable to active and inactive position, whereby said upper section may be converted into a hand stick when detached.

15. In a typographical casting machine, the combination of 'a line transporter, and a matrix guide channel arranged for alignment therewith, one wall of said channel being removable at will and useable as a hand stick for the composition of a line of matrices therein.

16. In a typographical casting .machine, the combination of a line transporter, and a matrix guide channel arranged foralignment therewith and having rails formed on its opposite walls for supporting matrices therein by their projecting ears, one wall of said channelbeing removable at will and useable as a hand stick for the composition of-a line of matrices therein.

17.'In atypographical casting machine, the combination of a line transporter, and a matrix guide-channelarranged for alignment therewith, one wall of said'channel being removable at will and useable as 'a hand stick for the composition of a line of matrices therein, andsaid wall being equipped with means to hold the composed line in place thereon while it is removed from the machine.

18. In a typographical casting machine, the combination 'of a line transporter, and a matrix guide channel arranged for alignment therewith, one wall of the channel being removable at will and useable as a hand stick for the composition of a line of matrices therein, and said wall being provided with a bar pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to be heldin engagement with the line of matrices to prevent lateral displacement thereof, and a pair of fingers pivotally attached to the opposite ends of said bar and adapted to form end abutments for the composed line of matrices.

19. In a linotype machine, the combination of the vertically movable first elevator, the vertically movable assembling elevator, and the stationary intermediate channel arranged to align with the first elevator when the latter is in its normal position of rest and to align with the assembling elevator when the latter is in its up-' tory to their delivery to the casting mechanism, of a typographical machine, which consists in removing a section .of a given organ of the machine normally arranged to handle machinecomposed matrices, composing a line of the matrices by hand in said section, and then restoring the section to its original place in said organ so as to locate the matrix line in the proper position for delivery.

GEORGE A. DOXEY.

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