US2991873A - Auxiliary typographical casting machine - Google Patents

Description

July 11, 1961 Filed F eb. 1:5, 1959 J. a. FONTAS AUXILIARY TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1- lnvemor JEAN aAsroN Poms by PM Azlomeys July 11, 1961 J FONTAS 2,991,873

AUXILIARY TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvemor JEAN 645m FolvrAs a /wwv m After/23y:

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AUXILIARY TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 III I I Illlll llllllllliML illilllllllll II III II lllllll L lnvcmor JEAN aAsra/v FOA/7J45 United States Patent ce AUXILIARY TYPOGRAPHICAL CASTING I MACHINE Jean Gaston Fontas, 18 Rue Thier's, Perigueux, France Filed Feb. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 793,132 Claims priority, application France Feb. 14,1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 199-47) One of the essential parts in typographical printing plants is the hand composing room. in which. a typographer places in the gathering frame ofthe page to be printed the elements of page.

Most of these pages, particularly pages of newspapers and periodicals, catalogues and advertising notices, commercial papers such as writing paper,invoices, statements include elements which vary very much in nature and sizes, particularly texts in letters of small or mean body sizes, titles in types of more or less large size, advertisements and not-ice boards with various arrangements, for instance with fancy lines or rules to frame them or to part the columns and partitions:

2,991,873. Patented July I1,

machine. A broad description of this kind of stereotype apparatus may be found in the text book entitled; Linotype Machine Principles, published by the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, Brooklyn, N.Y. attempt has been quite satisfactory but, of co rse, the

. invention can be carried into effect with. any steredty-lif ing mechanism including several casting boxes, Also, the device for the transferring and removal of the set of matrices may differ from the described type.

It is not necessary to here in detail the stereotype apparatus of a Linotype, Roughly the apparatus consists of a heated pot containing 6. liquid printers metal, a pot pump plunger and .a idisd provided with several casting boxes ,(four to six). Each casting box is constituted. by a channel of a parallelism:

pedic section, which crosses through the thickness of the all these elements have different sizes and patterns; they I are separated from each other by blank spaces having different thicknesses and lengths.

The other departments of the printing plant are requested to supply the typographer very fast with these van'ed elements, so as not to delay his composition work.

The line block-s, of small or medium body size, are cast in Linotype machines. The large size types are to be chosen in numerous collections of printing types, which are very clostly and wear out fast or are to be cast, by means of matrices, in auxiliary typographical casting machines: a special casting machine is also required to obtain the varied lines, rules and blankspaces.

The hereafter described invention relates to a single auxiliary typographical casting machine which allows to obtain very rapidly, by means of a limited collection of matrices of the varied large size bodies and of the varied lines, rules and blank spaces, printing types, independent or in line-blocks, and also lines, rules and blank spaces of any size, suflicient for all usual requirements.

This casting machine is characterized in that it includes in combination a hand composing outfit to collect the sets of matrices and a stereotype outfit with several casting boxes of varied sizes.

The diversity'of the casting boxes meets the diversity of the Works to 'be'done so that, according to its sizes, each set of matrices can immediately be sent to the suitable casting box. The auxiliary casting ihachihes, for the present, are provided with a single casting box, thus bringing about a great loss of time for the adjustment of the sizes of this single casting box according to the sizes of the set of matrices.

Other advantages,- later mentioned, result also from this combination.

According to the preferred form of enibodi-ment, the casting machine includes, on the one hand, a hand com= posing stic and a stationary table fitted to receive the matrices the spacebands separating the words in said hand composing stick and, on the other hand, a device (known per se, particularly for Linotypes and similar machines) intended to stereotype, a mould disc provided with several moulds of dilferent sizes, and a device for the transference of the set of matrices from the stationary table up to the rnouth of the casting box in use and the removal of the matrices and the line-block.

By way of example, a form of embodiment of this auxiliary casting machine is described hereafter with reference to the annexed drawings. This machine has been built a conveniently modified stereotype outfit provided with a mould disk as used in a Linotype wheel and opens at both ends. At the appointed time, on the one hand, the movable head of the elevatrii (containing the set of matrices of the line to be cast brought down at the end of its vertical passage wayion the other hand, the injection inlet the melted metal in the pot are brought into contact with the open ends of the casting box in use. Thereby,-line-blocks are obtained, the basis of which has a thickness corresponding to the body of the types in the line. 7

According to the form of embodiment hereafter described, the auxiliary casting machine. includes, as a transferring mechanism for the set of matrices, a tilting shelf, in prolongation of the hand composing table and bearing rails upon which slides a hand driven carriage; this shelf can be brought inthe plane of the composing table to receive the carriage the set oimatrices, the carriage being provided with members to hold the set in position: when the shelf has been tilted down in a vertical position, these members transfer the set thrcu a horizontal passage-way in the elevator head. p I FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 illustrated infront longitudinal elevation the auxiliary casting machine, a set-of matrices being shown in five positions in succession: I

(a) On the composing table, when starting from the hand composing stick, a I (b) On the tilting shelf, I

(c) On same shelf after setting the fixation members, (d) Partly driven in the horizontal transferring pass sage-way, j (e) Nearly entirely driven in the carriage of the elevator of the stereotype outfit. I

FIGURE 6 is a view in longitudinal front elevation, at a larger scale, of the carriage with its control device, FIGURES 7 and 8 are respectively vertical and cross sections, along lines VlI--VII and VIIIVIII of FIG- URE 6. I

FIGURES 9, 10, 11 are detailed views, at a larger scale, of a safety device preventing any wrong move of the transferring carriage during the stereotyping process, FIGURE 12 is a front elevational view of the mould disc of the auxiliary casting machine, which is not ens tirely visible on FIGURES 1 to 5, said disc bein'g'fsup; posed to be separated from the machine. FIGUREfli is a side view of the mould disc, showing the ejectof device for the stereotyped line-block. I

A slightly slanting assembly in the shape of a desk, including a stationary composing table 2 and a self contained shelf 3 which can be tilted down from position in prolongation of the composing table 2 to the v'ef-i tical position, is set upon the frame 1 of the machine, at the end oppositeto the stereotype outfit. v

The stationary composing table 2 is provided on its' rear edge with a slide 5 upon which is placed 'the of matrices 31, with space bands 10 to' keep apart the words, said set coming from a hand composingd= vice (not shown). A push rod 32, integral with a block 6'sliding in guides 30 on the table 2, allows to push the combined matrices and space-bands 31 towards the next post.

At the end of the fixed composing table 2, is disposed the hinged shelf 3, provided with slides 13 and 51 which are exactly connected up with the slides and 30 of the table 2. The shelf 3 is, at its upper part, connected a; two slides 14 located in the same plane and extending towards the stereotype outfit. The assembly is pivoted on'an horizontal axis 35 (FIGS. 6 and 7). The shelf 3 is held in prolongation of the stationary table 2 by means of a pawl (FIG. 6) which can be operated by means of a finger 16. The whole composition, 31, is brought in sliding upon the plate 3 and is held in position, infron't and at rear, by two hinged guides 11 (shown as turned down) and 17 (shown as turned up) and by a small rule which is a part of a frame hinged upon the shelf 3 and which is applied upon the upper part of the set of matrices 31 when this set has been brought upon the shelf 3 in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. The two hinged guides 11 and 17 form a fork framing the set of matrices. The fork is interdependent with a transferring carriage 44 (FIGURE 8) which slides on the two rails 14 integral with the shelf 3. The carriage, as it will be explained in detail hereafter, brings the set of matrices up to the stereotype outfit.

By pressing on the finger 16, the shelf 3 is unlocked and comes automatically in the vertical position: the transferring carriage comes in line with a horizontal passage-way leading to the head 19 of the elevator of the stereotype outfit, said head being at that moment at the top of its vertical passage-way.

During the vertical tilting down of shelf 3, guides 11 and 17 follow and, at the end of the travel, the movable shutter supporting the small rule 12 is locked in position (FIGURE 7) holding in place the matrices. An adjustable alignment stop 38 (FIGURE 1) is provided on the plate 39 of the frame upon which rests the shelf 3 when in vertical position.

The carriage 44 (FIGURE 6) supporting the fork of the guides 11, 17 framing the matrices, is pushed on the rails 14 by means of the lever 8 (FIGURE 1) hinged upon a transverse axle 9 of the frame 1; the working handle 7 of the lever is shown above the desk. A connecting-rod 33, hinged upon the lever 8 in 18 (FIGURE 6) actuates at its end a slide 34 (FIGURE 8) movable upon the longitudinal horizontal axle 35. The turning of this slide is prevented by the engagement of log 36, integral with said slide, with an axis 37 parallel to axis 35.

As shown in FIGURE 8, this slide 34 is actuated by a strap 40 with which it is interconnected by axis 41: the strap 40 is hinged at the end of the connecting-rod 33 (FIG. 6). The carriage 44 (FIGURES 6 and 8) supports the guides 11 and 17 which form the fork framing the set of matrices: it is driven by the finger 42 engaged in a groove 52 in the slide 34.

When the shelf 3 is turned down vertically, the set of matrices 31 (maintained upon the rail 13 of the shelf between the guides 11, 17 forming the sliding fork interconnected with the carriage 44), comes in front of a 4 65, through the mould 61 in which the line-block 66 has been stereotyped.

When the lever 8 is actuated, the forked traveller 44 drives the set of matrices through the horizontal passageway in the vertically displaceable carriage so called elevator head which brings it in stereotyping position at the foot of its slide, that is in front of the mould of the disc 60 which has the needed size, after said disc has been adaquately rotated, as is well known in Linotype machines.

An additional push upon the handle 7 compresses the spring 22 mounted on the connecting rod 33 and starts the automatic stereotyping cycle.

If it is desired to double or to triple the line, it suffices to actuate once or twice more the lever 8. 'For an important series, it is possible to use, in a known way, an automatic device which can be easily contrived. At the top of the vertical passage-way of the elevator, in 25 (FIGURE 5) is arranged a safety' device to prevent a wrong working of the carriage during the moulding of the line. Therefore, anadjustable stop 26 (FIG. 10) allows to adjust the displacement height of the elevator carriage.

The operator, after composing'on the stationary table 2 a line with matrices having a suitable size, pushes, through the block 6, the assembly 31- 10 up to the guide 17 of the carriage of the tilting shelf 3; he lowers then the supporting rule 12 and turns down the shelf 3, actuates the lever 8 to bring the sliding carriage with the matrices and space-bands up to the elevator head (FIGURES 3 and 4). -By exerting an additional push upon the handle 7 (FIGURE 5), he starts the stereotyping cycle; an adjustable stop 53, interconnected with the lower part of lever 8, bears, at the end of its travel, upon a heel 54 connected by a small rod 55 (FIG. 5) with the stereotyping device; the elevator carriage 19 comes down, the line is stereotyped, the elevator goes up anew. Finally, after an adequate rotation of the mould disc 60, the stereotyped line is ejected from the mould 61 by means of the ejecting device shown on FIGURE 13. It is not necessary to wait for the end of the cycle to bring backwards the line of matrices: this operation can be carried out as soon as the elevator carriage has reached the stop 26 (FIG. 10) which consists in a threaded stem engaging a screw 27 interconnected with the frame 1.

At that moment, as will beexplained hereafter, the transfer carriage 44, which was locked during the up and down motion of the head in the elevator, is released and comes back to its position in FIGURE 1.

During the reciprocating motion of the carriage of the elevator, the matrices are guided, without any possible hooking on, between the guides 11 and 17; the stem 21 (FIGURES l, 2, 4, 6), pushing the space-bands downhorizontal passage-way supported by the frame 1 and to push by a link 63 the blade 64 of an ejector slide wards the upper part 28 (FIG. .10, 11) of the elevator head, abuts against the stop 26 which is vertically adjust able; this elevator head 28, when in abutment, brings about the spacing apart of the piece. 29 which pivots upon axis 43 and is guided by the play of the screw 44 in the slot 46. A finger 47 (FIG. 9), supported by the end 48 of the carriage 44, co-operates with a notch 49 provided in the face 50 of the plate 29.

As shown in FIGURE 11, the plate 29 moves aside and releases the transferring carriage which can move backwards. This displacement is then possible as soon as the elevator head is in its upper position and abuts against the stop 26.

Two typographers can effectively run the machine in same time. One (or several) typographer will compose the lines in hand composing sticks and the other stereotypes these composing sticks and places backthe matrices in the bin as they come back. The matrices are chosen (and, after use, replaced) in a case (bin with compartments) of. an unsual pattern and the composing of the set of matrices is made in the same way as with movable types* and a hand composing stick. The lines justifying requires only a few seconds as it only comes down to the placing of the guides 11 and 17 of the transferring carriage and the adjustment of the jaws (not shown) locking the set of matrices. v As the sterotyping cycle requires only 12 seconds, it is possible to sterotype five times in a minute the same' line with an automatic repeating device of a known type, mounted upon the sterotype outfit.

The various moulds (four to six for instance) of the mould disc of the stereotype outfit allow, in the special work for which this machine is intended, to obtain a great diversity and a great output either of line-blocks with varied large body sizes, either of lines, rules and spacings of different dimensions, as it suffices for each line-block to choose the suitable mould by rotating the disc of the requested angle. In addition, a same block can be automatically repeated as many times as desired.

' All these advantages are not to be found in the known auxiliary typographical casting machines, particularly because they do not possess a sterotype outfit provided with several moulds of various sizes.

What is claimedis: I w

1. Auxiliary typographical casting machine including a hand composing stick, a stationary table, two rails integral with said stationary table and fitted to receive, on the one hand the line of matrices composed in said hand composing stick, and on the other a hand pushing-rod, a tilting shelf mounted so as to be brought down, from its horizontal position in prolongation of said stationary table to a lower vertical position, two rails integral with said tilting shelf and disposed so as to be respectively in prolongation of the two rails integral with said stationary table when the tilting shelf is in the horizontal position,

whereby the line of matrices placed on one of the rails integral with the stationary table can be brought on the corresponding rail of the tilting shelf in its horizontal position by pushing said hand pushing-rd along the other rail of said stationary table, a small pivoting rule disposed so as to tighten the line of matrices against the tilting shelf and to prevent said line from parting from the rail whensaid tilting shelf is in the vertical position, a horizontal passage-way disposed so that the line of matrices placed upon the tilting shelf is brought facing its entrance when said tilting shelf is turned down to the vertical position, a stereotype outfit with a mould disc provided with moulds of different sizes and disposed below the outlet of said horizontal passage-way, means to transfer the line of matrices from said tilting shelf to the outlet of said horizontal passage-way, and elevator carriage disposed to bring down the line of matrices from the outlet of the horizontal passage-way to the mouth of the mould having the suitable size.

2. Auxiliary typographical casting machine according to claim 3, in which the means to transfer the line of matrices from the tilting shelf to the outlet of thehorizontal passage-way include rails parallel to said passageway, a carriage mounted to slide upon said rails, two pivoting arms interdependent with said carriage and disposed to frame the line of matrices placed on the tilting shelf and to tilt with said shelf and an operating lever mounted to push said carriage sliding on its rails and to drive through the horizontal passage-way the line of matrices framed by said pivoting arms.

3. Auxiliary typographical casting machine including a hand composing stick, a stationary table, two rails integral with said stationary table and fitted to receive, on the one hand the line of matrices composed in said hand composing stick, and on the other a hand pushing-rod, a tilting shelf mounted so .as to be brought down, from its horizontal position in prolongation of said stationary table to a lower vertical position, two rails integral with said tilting shelf and disposed so as to be respectively in prolongation of the two rails integral with said stationary table when the tilting shelf is in the horizontal position,

whereby the line of'matrices placed on one'of' thezrails integral with the stationary table can be brought on the corresponding rail of the tilting shelf in its horizontal position by pushing said hand pushing-rod along'the other rail of said stationary table, a small pivoting rule disposed so as to tighten the line of matrices against the tilting shelf and to prevent said line from parting from the rail when said tilting shelf is in the vertical position, a horizontal passage-way disposed so that the line of matrices placed upon the tilting shelf is brought facing its entrance when said tilting shelf is turned down to the vertical position, a stereotype outfit with a mould disc provided with moulds of different sizes and disposed below the outlet of said horizontal passage-way, rails parallel to said passage-way, a carriage mounted to slide upon said rails, two pivoting arms interdependent with said carriage and disposed: to frame the line of matrices placed on the tilting shelf and to tilt with said shelf an operating lever mounted to push said carriage sliding on its rails and to drive theli'ne of matrices framed by said pivoting arms up to the outlet of said horizontal passage-way, a spring connecting-rod, hinged upon said operating lever and mounted so as to start said stereotype outfit when the operating lever, at strokes end, abuts against an adjustable stop, and an elevator carriage disposed to bring down the line of matrices from the outlet of the horizontal passage-way to the mouth of the mould having the suitable size.

4. Auxiliary typographical casting machine including a hand composing stick, a stationary table, two rails integral with said stationary table and fitted to receive, on the one hand the line of matrices composed in said hand composing stick, and on the other a hand pushing-rod, a tilting shelf mounted so as to be brought down, from its horizontal position prolongation of said stationary table to a'lower vertical position, two rails integral with said tilting shelf and disposed so as to be respectively in pro long'ation of the two rails integral with said stationary table when the tilting shelf is in the horizontal position, whereby the line of matrices placed on one of the rails integral with the stationary table can be brought on the corresponding rail of the tilting shelf in its horizontal position by :pushing said hand pushing-rod along the other rail of said stationary table, a small pivoting rule disposed so as to "tighten the line of matrices against the tilting shelf and to prevent said line from parting from the rail when said tilting shelf is in the vertical position, a horizontal passage-way disposed so that the line of matrices placed upon the tilting shelf is brought facing its entrance when said tilting shelf is turned down to the vertical position, a stereotype outfit with a mould disc provided with moulds of different sizes and disposed below the outlet of said horizontal passage way, rails parallel to said passage-way, a carriage mounted to slide upon said rails, two pivoting arms interdependent with said carriage and disposed to frame the line of matrices placed on the tilting shelf and to tilt with said shelf an operating lever mounted to push said carriage sliding on its rails and to drive the line of matrices framed by said pivoting arms up to the outlet of said horizontal passage way, an elevator carriage disposed so as to bring down the line of matrices from the outlet of the horizontal passage-way to the mouth of the mould of suitable size, a bolt fitted to automatically lock said sliding carriage at the outlet of the horizontal frame, a finger arranged so as to release said automatic locking bolt when actuated by the elevator carriage coming up anew, at the end of said horizontal passage-way.

5. In a typographical casting machine of the kind which includes a stereotype outfit with a moulddisc provided with several moulds of different sizes, the provision of a hand composing stick, a stationary table, two rails integral with said stationary table and fitted to receive, on the one hand the line of matrices composed in said hand cornposing stick, and on the other a hand pushing-rod, a tilting shelf mounted so as to be brought down, from its horizontal position in prolongation of said stationary table to alower vertical position, two rails integral with said tilting shelf and disposed so as to be respectively in prolongation of the two rails integral with said stationary table when the tilting shelf is in the horizontal position, whereby the line of matrices placed on one of the rails integral with the stationary table can be brought on the corresponding rail of the tilting shelf in its horizontal position by pushing said hand pushing-rod along the other rail of said stationary table, a small pivoting rule disposed so as to tighten the line of matrices against the tilting shelf and to prevent said line from parting from the rail when said tilting shelf is in the vertical position, a horizontal passageway disposed so that the line of matrices placed upon the tilting shelf is brought facing its entrance when said tilting shelf is turned down to the vertical position, means to transfer the line of matrices from said tilting shelf to the outlet of said horizontal passage-way, and an elevator carriage disposed to bring down the line of matrices from the outlet of the horizontal passage-way to the mouth of the mould having the suitable size.

6. .In a typographical casting machine of the kind which includes a stereotype outfit with a mould disc provided with several moulds of different sizes, the provision of a hand composing stick, a stationary table, two rails integral with said stationary table and fitted to receive, on the one hand the line of matrices composeed in said hand composing stick, and on the other a hand pushingrod, a tilting shelf mounted so as to be brought down, from its horizontal position in prolongation of said stationary table to a lower vertical position, two rails integral with said tilting shelf and disposed so as to be respectively in prolongation of the two rails integral with said stationary table when the tilting shelf is in the horizontal position, whereby the line of matrices placed on one of the rails integral with the stationary table can be brought on the corresponding rail of the tilting shelf in its horizontal position by pushing said hand pushing-rod along the other rail of said stationary table, a small pivoting rule disposed so as to tighten the line of matrices against the tilting shelf and to prevent said line from parting from the rail when said tilting shelf is in the vertical position, a horizontal passage-way disposed so that the line of matrices placed upon the tilting shelf is brought facing its 8 entrance when said tilting shelf is turned down to the ver-' tical position, rails parallel to said passage-way, a carriage mounted to slide upon said rails, two pivoting arms interdependent with said carriage and disposed to frame the line of matrices placed on the tilting shelf and to tilt with said shelf, anoperating lever mounted to push said carriage sliding on its rails and to drive the line of matrices framed by said pivoting arms up to the outlet ofsaid horizontal passage-way, a spring connecting-rod, hinged upon said operating lever and mounted so as to start said stereotype outfit when the operating lever, at strokes end, abuts against an adjustable stop, and an elevator carriage disposed to bring down the line of matrices from the outlet of the horizontal passage-way to the mouth of the mould having the suitable size. r

7. In atypographical casting machine of the kind which includes a stereotype outfit with a vertical :mould disc provided with several moulds of difierent sizes, means for composing by hand a line of matrices, a stationary table fitted to receive said line of matrices, and means to trans fer the line of matrices from said stationary table to the mouth of the mould having the suitable size, the provision of a tilting shelf mounted so as to be brought down, from an horizontal position in prolongation of said stationary table, in which position said shelf is adapted to receive from the stationary table the line of matrices with their engraved faces being horizontally disposed, to a lower vertical position, in which the engraved faces of the matrices are vertically disposed as the mouth of the mold, the tilting shelf being further provided with means for retaining the line of matrices when said shelf is brought down to its vertical position.

8. A typographical casting machine according to claim 7, comprising further hand operatable means for automatically actuating by just one motion of the hand, but in a suitable succession, the transfer means of the line of matrices and the stereotype outfit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,481,442 Stevenson Jan. 22, 1924 1,980,110 Stouges Nov. 6, 1934 2,584,550 Carnes Feb. 5, 1952

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