Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

o, passing round a pulley on the axle p. Thus it will be perceived, that as the types are brought onward by the travelling belt or chain h, they are successively deposited or piled one upon another, on the top of the slider 7; and that the slider, by the accumulation of the types, pressed upon by the chain n, and roller m, or by the cam m*, in fig. 20, is gradually depressed, until a sufficient number of types have been built up upon it to form a line of the composition. It is necessary here to observe, that a face-plate must be placed against the slider l, to prevent the line of types dropping out, as the composition goes on; which plate is shewn at v, in the front elevation, fig. 10. For the more perfect illustration of this part of the mechanism, the receiver is shewn, on an enlarged scale, detached from the machine, at figs. 15, 16, 17, and 18.-Figs. 15, and 16, exhibit the receiver and its appendages, as seen in figs. 10, and 13; fig. 17, is an end or edge view of the same; and fig. 18, a back view.

In order to ascertain when a sufficient number of types have been accumulated upon the slider 1, to form one line of a page of composition, a counting or measuring apparatus is attached, as shewn in the several figures 10 to 14. This apparatus consists of a dial-plate a, seen in front of the machine in fig. 10, immediately under the rest-frame L, on which the compositor places his copy. Through the centre of this dial-plate an inclined shaft b, passes to the back of the machine, as seen in fig. 14. At the hinder part of this shaft there is a pulley c, carrying an endless chain, shewn in fig. 13; which chain passes round another pulley d, seen in fig.12, fixed upon a transverse shaft e. Upon this shaft e, there is also a similar pulley f, situate at the back of the receiver, seen best in the detached figure 18. To this pulley is affixed the end of a chain g; the reverse end of which chain is appended to the lower end of a vertical sliding rod h, constituting the back guide of the Tformed slider l, on which the line of types are built up, as described in reference to fig. 13; and upon the shaft e, is also affixed a pulley i, having a weighted friction-band passed over its periphery, to retard partially the descent of

the slider. The face of the dial a, is graduated with a scale, representing inches and parts of an inch, in order to shew, by the rotation of the index, how far the slider has descended, when the apparatus is at work, and consequently the length of the line of types accumulated on the top of the slider ; an adjustable index is likewise placed upon the face of the dial, as a mark for the workman to regulate the length of each line.

A ratchet-wheel k, with an adjustable click or catch, (see figs. 10, 11, and 12,) is placed upon the axle e, for the purpose of causing a hammer to strike a small bell k*, as a warning, a little time before each line of types is completed upon the slider. Thus one line of types having been built up upon the top of the slider 7, as indicated by the coincidence of the hands upon the dial-plate, the compositor turns the winch 1, on the shaft e, for the purpose of lowering the line of types to the bottom of the receiver. In order to transfer this line of types into the adjustingstick, after it has been thus lowered, the compositor moves a horizontal jointed lever m, seen under the keys in figs. 10, 11, and 14. This lever is connected by a rod n, with an arm p, attached to the slider q, which is a flat plate, moveable longitudinally on the face of the receiver, as shewn in figs. 10, 13, 15, and 16. The receiver is constructed of a flat upright plate r, r, against which the T-formed slider 1, works up and down, and in front of it is attached the face-plate v, before mentioned, leaving a narrow space between them for the sliders and line of types to pass, as shewn in fig. 17. At the end of the receiver r, is attached, by a joint, the adjusting-stick s, which is a box, formed by two parallel plates, turning up and down upon a pin t. The adjusting-stick s, being placed upright at the end of the receiver r, as in figs. 10, 13, and 16, and held fast in that situation by a catch u, the slider q, is moved laterally by the lever p, as before said, which forces the line of types out of the receiver into the adjusting-stick. The T-formed slider l, may now be again raised to the top of the receiver, by turning the winch 1; and it will then be ready for a fresh line of types to be built upon it, by the

means before explained. The adjusting-stick s, is now to be turned down into the horizontal position shewn at figs. 15, and 18, where an assistant compositor corrects any errors that may be necessary; and having done this, he raises the galley v, to the under part of the adjusting-stick s, by turning a handle, with an excentric w, into the situation shewn at fig. 15, and then draws, horizontally, a slider x, by which the types are allowed to descend into the galley, as shewn in fig. 18. The galley is mounted upon a hornshaped frame y, fixed at the end of the machine, and is suspended by pivots, upon a sliding frame z, which turns horizontally upon the horn-frame, by means of a pin-joint at its end. These parts are best shewn, upon an enlarged scale, at fig. 19. The galley, being occasionally drawn aside by the assistant compositor, is to be slightly inclined, for the purpose of having the lines of type spread out to the required breadth of the page, and leads introduced between the lines, when required.

The patentees, in their specification, shew a slight variation in the endless belt or chain, which conducts the types to the receiver; the chain, in this case, is made sufficiently broad to receive two types abreast, and a longitudinal bar, as a partition between the two types, extends along the machine, operating as a stop, when the types are severally projected from the racks, instead of the pendant strips of tin, shewn at k, k, k, in fig. 13.

Figs. 21, and 22, represent, in two views, an instrument which is denominated a "feeding stick," by means of which a column of types may be lifted from a groove of the distributing machine, and inserted in the proper compartment of the rack of the composing machine.

In these figures, a, a, is a straight rectangular bar, having a lip or flange b, at one end, and a slider or clip c, with a similar lip, moveable upon the bar a; this slider is made fast upon the bar by a thumb-screw, (when the feeding stick has been charged with types,) and a straight rod d, is passed through holes in both the clips b, and c; which rod must be withdrawn when a column of types is to be taken from one of the grooves of the distributing machine.

In taking up a column of types by this apparatus, the

bar a, is laid close alongside of the type standing in the groove of the distributing machine, the lip b, being in contact with one end of the column; then the slider e, is pressed up to the reverse end of the column, and made fast there by the thumb screw. The column of types is thereby clipt tight at its ends, and the rod d, is then introduced, to prevent the type from falling out. The feeding stick, with the types thus held, may be carried to the composing apparatus, and slidden down one of the perpendicular compartments of the rack; when, on withdrawing the rod d, and unscrewing the clip, the apparatus may be withdrawn, leaving the column of types inserted in the rack ready for use.

The following are the claims made by the patentees:First, the peculiar arrangement of mechanism or combination of parts constituting a machine for performing the operation called "distributing" the types; one form or construction of which is shewn in figs. 1 to 9, inclusive.

Second, the use of the grooved plates I, I, I, (as part of the first improvement,) in which the types are arranged in rows or columns: this plate, although shewn in a horizontal position in the drawings, may be placed in an inclined or perpendicular position.

Third, the method shewn in figs. 7, and 8, of lowering the types, line by line, from the galley into the travelling carriage.

Fourth, the use of a travelling or sliding carriage, by means of which, each type is consecutively brought over the proper opening through which it descends into its grooved plate.

[ocr errors]

Fifth, the indented rib w, and those parts of the sliding carriage which form a recess of the proper width to suit the thickness of the type, and into which the type is pushed, as shewn in the drawings.

Sixth, the use of the bent levers or keys q, whereby the sliding carriage is stopped over the proper aperture through which the type is to descend; and which keys, at the same time, act upon the pusher of the carriage, and thereby force the last type out of the line into the recess, which is formed of the proper width by the indented rib w,

already mentioned, acting upon a spring lever, connected to the sliding carriage, and which regulates the width of the

recess.

Seventh, the method shewn of forcing the types along the grooves of the grooved plate, by means of the shaft F, and a series of cams or excentrics, as at p; whether these cams are used by themselves, or in conjunction with levers or pushers for this purpose.

Eighth, the method shewn and described in reference to figs. 8, and 9, in which the sliding carriage and keys are dispensed with, and the types deposited, by hand, in openings or grooves i, i, made in the face of a plate or plates, placed in an inclined position; down which grooves, the types descend, by their own gravity, into the grooves or channels of the plate I, I, 1.

The patentees also claim distributing the types, by hand, into a case, (somewhat similar to a compositor's case,) from which they descend, by their own gravity, through openings made in the bottom of each compartment of the case, into grooves, channels, spaces, or receptacles, in which they are arranged in columns or rows, ready for the composing machine.

Ninth,-(in reference to the composing machine,) the general arrangement of the mechanism, shewn in the drawings.

Tenth, the peculiar method of pushing out one single type from a column in the rack frame, by means of pushers g, which are acted upon by the T-shaped levers, in connexion with the keys; so that when any key is depressed, it may, by any mechanical contrivance, push forward the corresponding pusher g, and thereby force out the type on to the endless band, which runs in a longitudinal groove at the back of the column of type; and by this means, the type is conveyed to one end of the machine, where it is deposited in the receiver, in the manner described.

Eleventh, the peculiar construction of rack frame, (as shewn in the drawings,) in which frame, the columns of types are arranged on both sides of the channel or groove, along which, the types, when pushed out, are carried to the receiver.

« ZurückWeiter »