US2252507A - Typographical distributing machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12, 1941.

J. H. HILPMAN 2,252,507 TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING momma Filed Dec. '15. 939

2 SheetsSheet 1 .O O 2 O 15 Fig.1. 39 40 11 4432 10 44 1 0 I 25 i-' O O o '[NVENTOR 4% 4 J. H. HILPMAN 2,252,507 TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE Aug. 12, 1941.

Filed Dec. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [NVENTbR BY 4% 7 mvryw A TTZRNEY';

Patented Aug. ,1 2, 1941 TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE John H. Hilpman, Springfield Gardens, N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of New York Application December 15, 1939, SerialN 0. 309,340

16 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical distributing machines of the general organization represented in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 463,532, to O. Mergenthaler, wherein circulating matrices are released from a channeled magazine in the order in which their characters are to appear in print and then assembled incline, the composed line transferred to the face of a slotted mold, the mold filled with molten metal to form a type bar or slug against the matrices which produce, the type characters thereon, and the matrices thereafter elevated and returned through the medium of a distributor bar to the channels in the magazine from whence they started.

More particularly, it relates to machines of the class equipped with a plurality of magazines containing different matrix fonts. chines, the magazines are stored one above another in a so-called fshift frame which is adjustable upwardly and downwardly to bring one or another of'the magazines into operative position with respect to fixed assembling and distributing mechanisms. As a selected magazine is thus brought into operative position, the shift frame is locked by means of a pair of socalled slide bars operable by means of a hand lever located conveniently at the front of the machine. To prevent the slide bars from being moved to unlocking position until after all the matrices released from the magazine in use have been returned thereto, one of the bars is usually connected to a detector blade or feeler which extends along the entire length of the distributor bar. When distribution of the matrices is complete and the slide bars are moved to unlocking position prior to a magazine shifting operation, the detector blade is caused to move across the path traveled by the matrices as they are advanced along the distributorbar. In the event, however, that an attempt is made to move the slide; bars to unlocking position before distribution of the matrices is complete, the detector blade strikes against those matrices still traveling along the distributor bar and so arrests the movement of the slide bars before they reach their fully withdrawn or unlocking position. While this, oldarrangement serves the purpose intended, it is open to the objection that the matrices are frequently damaged, particularly the delicately constructed tooth combinations by means of which they are suspended from the distributor bar, and since matrices so damaged would clog or jam the distributing mechanism, If used" again, they must; be immediately r'eplaced In these mawith a consequent loss to the owner of the machine.

In accordance with the present invention, the

above noted as well as other difiiculties are avoided by interposing in the train of connections leading from the detector blade to its actuating slide bar a resilient connection which is adapted to yield in the event the movement of the detector blade is resisted by matrices on the distributor bar and to render active a stop mechanism which prevents the movement of the slide bars under such conditions to their fully withdrawn or unlocking position.

For a detailed description of the invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings wherein the invention has been shown merely in preferred form and by way of example. Obviously, however, many changes and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application which will still be comprised within its spirit, and it is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not to be limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: I Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of typographical distributing machine showing the present improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2, is an enlarged side elevation, showing in normal position the resilient connection between the slide bar and the rocking lever for the detector blade;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing the slide bar locked against movement;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 3 but showing the relative position of the parts when the slide bar is permitted to move to unlocking position without interference;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction indicated by line 55 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-B of Fig, 2.

As shown in Fig. 1, the several magazines H) are mounted on base frames H conjointly constituting a shift frame I2 which is movable upwardly and downwardly by means of a hand crank [3 to carry one or another of the magazines 10 into operative position with relation to a fixed assembler throat I4 and a fixed magazine entrance l5, the latter being associated with the distributing mechanism of the machine and adapted to direct matrices released from the channels.

The slide bars I! are operated by means of a" separate hand lever through the medium of a fore-and-aft rock shaft 2%, a vertically disposed link 2?, and a horizontal arm 28, a transverse rock shaft 29, and vertical arms 28 the latter being arranged in sliding engagement with pins which project inwardly from the slide bars ll at the forward ends thereof. The arrangement is such that, when the hand lever 25 is depressed by the operator, the slide bars ll are moved forwardly to unlocking position, with the banking surfaces 20 clear of the projecting lugs 22 on the base frames H. When the hand lever 25 is released, a pull spring 3! acts to restore the slide bars E1 to their normal locking position.

During a magazine changing operation, the shift frame i2 is raised slightly to break the engagement between the banking surfaces 20 on the gage blocks 18 and the lugs 22 on the frame of the magazine in use, the slide bars I! move forwardly to unlocking position, the shift frame [2 adjusted to bring the lugs 22 on the base frame of the newly selected magazine slightly above the level of the banking surfaces 2%] on the gage blocks I8, the slide bars ll returned to their locking position, and the shift frame l2 lowered the slight distance necessary to rest the lugs 22 of the base frame of the newly selected magazine on the banking surfaces 26 of the gage blocks I 8.

As usual in such machines, one of the slide bars if (that one shown in the drawings) is operatively connected to a detector blade suspended by pivoted side arms 36 from the cross beam 31 of the distributor bracket 38. The blade 35 extends along the entire length of the distributor bar it slightly below the level thereof, and it is actuated by the slide bar ll through the medium of a vertically disposed rocking lever 39, pivotally secured by a stud 40 to the distributor bracket 38. Under normal conditions, that is to' say, when the slide bars [7 are in their locking position, a pull spring 4| maintains the detector blade 35 and the rocking lever 39 in their inactive positions, as determined by the engagement of an adjusting screw 42 against a stop member 43, and under these conditions the lower end of the lever 3t banks against a stud 44 which projects outwardly from the rear end of the slide bar ll. When the slide bars H are pulled forwardly, the stud 44 engages the lower end of the lever 39 and the detector blade 35 is forced rearwardly against the action of the spring 4|. In the event that the bars ll are pulled forwardly after distribution of the matrices is complete, the blade 35 moves across the path traveled by the matrices as they are advanced along the distributor bar It and so permits the forward movement of the slide bars ll to be continued until they reach their inoperative or unlocking position, but if distribution of the matrices is not complete at the time, the blade 35 strikes against any matrices still traveling along the distributor bar [6 and so arrests the forward movement of the bars ll before they reach their inoperative or unlocking position.

The foregoing parts and their mode of operation are or may be the same as shown and described in the Kennedy U. S. Patent No. 1,528,434, to which reference may be had, if desired, for further details.

As before stated, the above described arrangement has, on numerous occasions, caused such damage to the matrices as to require their immediate replacement. To avoid this difficulty, which is the object of the present invention, the rocking lever 39, as best shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, is provided at its lower end with a pair of angular plates 50, 5| disposed on the opposite side faces thereof. The outside plate 53 is fixedly secured to the lever 39 and presents a flat bottom surface 54 which extends at an angle to the direction (indicated by the long arrow in Fig. 2) in which the slide bars ll move into and out of operative or looking position. At the rear, the plate 53 is also formed with a bevel edge 53, for a purpose presently to appear. The inside plate 5!, at its lower end, is pivoted by a stud 55 to the lever 39, and presents a flat bottom surface 51 and a recessed portion 58, the latter projecting forwardly so as to overlie the rear portion of the bottom wall of the fixed plate 58. A compression spring 63, interposed between the pivotedplate 5i and the lever 39, serves normally to maintain the recessed portion 58 in contact with the bottom wall of the fixed platetill, and under these conditions the bottom surface 5'! provided by the pivoted plate BI is spaced rearwardly from but flush with the bottom surface provided by the fixed plate 5i The stud 44, which projects outwardly from the rear end of the slidebar I7, is formed with a fiat top surface 62 for sliding contact with the flat- bottom surfaces 51 and 54 of the two plates 51 and 5t], respectively. The. stud 44 is also formed with a flat front face disposed at an acute angle to the topsurface 62 so as to :provide a front beveled edge 6| to cooperate with the rear beveled edge 53 of the plate-5U.

Under normal conditions, with the distributor clear of matrices, when'the slide bars ll are pulled forwardly, the top surface 62 of the stud 44 ridesalong the bottom surfaces 5'! and 54 of the two plates 50 and 5!, and since these fiat surfaces are disposed at an angle to the direction in which the slide bars I! travel, they operate with a cam eifect upon the lever 39, causing it torotate about its pivotal axis and press the detector blade 35 rearwardly in the usual manneragainst the action of its pull spring 4| (see Fig. 4);. However, in the event that the rearward movement of the detector blade 35 is are rested, as for example by its engagement with matrices traveling along the distributor bar Hi, the compression spring fill yields and so allows the pivoted plate 5| to move upwardly about its pivotal axis. Under such interference conditions, the beveled edge 53 on the fixed plate 50 remains in the path of the beveled edge 6! on the lug 44, and the engagement of these beveled edges locks the slide bars ll against further forward movement to unlocking position (see Fig. 3). Here it maybe noted that such locking of the slide bars [1 takes place before the spring 60 is compressed to the point where it would urge the detector blade 35 against the matrices on the distributor bar I6 with undue pressure.

It-will thus be seen that the invention provides not only a resilient connection between the slide bars Hand the rocking, lever 39 for the detector blade 35 which will avoid damage to the matrices whenever the slide bars are operated while matricesare undergoing distribution, but, in addition, a positive lock which will be brought automaticallydnto action by the yielding of the parts to prevent the slide bars from being moved far enough to releasethe magazine shift frame for operation;

While the invention has been shown only as applied to a detector blade to cooperate with matrices in course of distribution (this being the most vulnerable condition), nevertheless in principle the invention is equally applicable to a detectorblade in some other location, asfor example one mounted to move across the mouth of the magazine in use to detect the presence of any matrices protruding therefrom.

Having thus described -my*invention, what I claim is:

1. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a longitudinally slidable locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade operable bysaid device and adapted to be brought into engagement with matrices undergoing distribution, and means responsive to such engagement of the blade and matrices for preventing the longitudinal sliding movement of the looking device to inoperative position.

2. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade operable by said device and adapted to be brought into engagement with matrices undergoing distribution, and means for preventing the movement of the locking device to inopable locking device and detector blade which yields when the movement of said blade is arrested by contact with the matrices.

4. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a longitudinally slidable locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade operable by said device and movable across the path of matrices undergoing distribution, and a connection between the locking device and detector blade adapted to yield in the event that the movement of said blade .is arrested by contact with the matrices and to render active a stop which prevents the longitudinal sliding movement of the locking device to inoperative position.

5. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade operable by said device and movable across the path of matrices undergoing distribution, and means for locking both the locking device and the detector blade against further movement when the movement of the blade is arrested by contact with the matrices.

6. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade operable by said device and movable across the path of matrices-undergoing distribution, and means interposed between the lockingdevice'anddetector blade adapted to lock both said parts against further movement when the movement of the blade is arrested by contact with the matrices.

7. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combin'ation of a locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade operable-by said device and movable across the path of matrices undergoing distribution, resilient means interposedbetween the locking device and detector blade, and means operative by the relative yielding of said locking device anddete'c'tor blade to lock both said parts against further movement when the movement of the blade is arrested by contact with the matrices.

8. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, means for locking the shift frame against movement during distribution of the matrices, said means comprising a detector blade movable across the path of matrices undergoing distribution, a lever for operating said blade, a slide bar for controlling the operation of said lever, a resilient connection between said bar and said lever adapted to yield when the movement of said blade is arrested, and cooperative means rendered active as said connection yields to lock said bar against operation. a

9. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, means for locking the shift frame against movement during distribution of the matrices, said means comprising a detector blade movable across the path of matrices undergoing distribution, a lever for operating the blade, a slide bar for controlling the operation of the lever, cooperating stop surfaces, one presented by the bar and the other by the lever, and means rendered active when the movement of the blade is resisted to bring said stop surfaces into engagement to lock said bar against operation.

10. A locking means as set forth in claim 9, including a yieldable plate mounted on the lever and adapted to engage a stud projecting from the slide bar. a

11. In a typographical machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a locking device for the shift frame, a matrix detector blade operable by said device, and a yielding connection between said elements to limit the pressure exerted by the detector blade on the matrices contacted thereby.

12. In a typographical machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination ofa locking device for the shift frame, a matrix detector blade operable by said device, a yielding connection between said elements to limit the pressure exerted by the detector blade on the matrices contacted thereby, and means rendered active by the relative yielding of the locking device and detector blade to prevent the unlocking of the magazine shift frame.

13. In a typographical machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a locking device for the shift frame, a matrix detector blade operable by said device, a yielding connection between said elements tolimit the pressure exerted by the detector blade on the matrices contacted thereby, and means rendered active by the relative yielding of the locking device and detector blade to prevent the movement of the locking device to unlocking position.

14. In a typographical machine equipped with a magazine shift frame and a matrix detector blade to control the movements of said frame, the combination of a slidable locking bar for the shift frame, a pivotedlever for operating the matrix detector, a stud fixed to the locking bar and presenting a flat surface disposed at an angle to the direction in which the bar slides, and a pair of plates mounted on the pivoted lever and presenting fiat surfaces, normally flush with each other, for contact with the flat surface of said stud and similarly disposed, one of said plates being yieldable on the lever when the movement thereof is arrested by the matrix detector blade so as thus to limit the pressure exerted by the detector blade on the matrices contacted thereby.

15. In a typographical machine equipped with a magazine shift frame and a matrix detector blade to control the movements of said frame, the combination of a slidable locking bar for the shift frame, a pivoted lever for operating the matrix detector, a stud fixed to the locking bar and presenting a fiat surface disposed at an angle to the direction in which the bar slides, and a pair of plates mounted on the pivoted lever and presenting flat surfaces, normally flush with each other, for contact with the flat surface of said stud and similarly disposed, one of said plates being yieldable on the lever when the movement thereof is arrested by the matrix detector blade so as thus to limit the pressure exerted by the detector blade on the matrices contacted thereby, and the other of said plates being fixed on the lever and serving upon the yielding of the firstmentioned plate as a positive stop to engage the stud on the locking bar and prevent the movement of said bar to unlocking position.

16. In a typographical distributing machine equipped with a magazine shift frame, the combination of a longitudinally slidable locking device for the shift frame, a detector blade movable across the path of matrices undergoing distribution and adapted to yield with reference to the locking device when such movement is arrested by contact with the matrices, and means operative by such yielding of the detector blade to prevent the longitudinal sliding movement of the locking device to inoperative position.

JOHN H. HILPMAN.

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