US1094891A - Distributing mechanism for type-cases. - Google Patents

Description

H. C. GAMMETER. DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR-TYPE CASES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1907.

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Patented Apr. 28

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H. G. GAMMBTBR.

DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR TYPE GASES. APPLICATION FILED MAR.5,1907.

1,09%,891 Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

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@NTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY O. GAMMETER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MULTI- GRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-CASES.

Application filed March 5, 1907.

To all (0710721 it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. GAMMETER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Distributing Mechanism for Type-Cases, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide simple and efficient mechanism for distributing type into the respective holders or repositories of a suitable case.

The invention is well adapted for embodi ment in a small, manually operated machine adapted to distribute and carry type grooved on their edges, such type, for example, as are used on the duplicating machine commercially known as the ltiultigraph, and are shown in my Patent No. 836,026.

lVhile the invention is adapted for the embodiment referred to, it is not specifically limited thereto. It comprehends the com bination of a type case having a series of upwardly extending typeholders, with mechanism adapted to be shifted over the upper ends of the holders and release the type allowing it to drop into the holder desired, the distribution being controlled by the position of the shiftable mechanism and not depending on specific nicking of the type.

The invention provides convenient operating means and suitable indicating mechanism.

The invent-ion may be conveniently summarized as consisting of the combination of elements or their equivalents set out in the claims for carrying out the above features and other features hereinafter more fully explained.

My distributing mechanism may be very conveniently combined with a type case having banks, one behind the other and arranged to discharge the type singly at their lower ends. The distributing mechanism is shown herein in such combination. The type case, itself, however, is made the subject of my divisional application #554356 filed April 9th, 1910, resulting in Patent No. 1,052,333, Feb. 4,1913.

The drawings illustrate my invention embodied in a manually operated device com bined with a type case, which is the subject- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914. Serial No. 360,777.

of my divisional application referred to and is adapted for use with type the individuals of which are all similarly grooved for purposes of retention.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the device complete; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on a plane extending from front to back; Fig. 3 is a plan; Fig & is a detail in section on the line 44 of Fig. 3 looking to the rear. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the main shaft and its arm which operates the releasing mechanism; Fig. 6 is a detail showing the rock shaft of the releasing mechanism; Fig. 7 1s a perspective view illustrating the typecarrying device and showing the bottom type in one of the repositories in position to be engaged by such tube.

It will be convenient to describe first the type case itself; though, as already stated, the same is not claimed herein, but in my divisional application.

As shown in the drawings, 10 represents a suitable standard which carries the type case proper. The latter has a vertical front plate 11, end plates 12 and 13, and back plate 14, and numerous vertical partitions 15 extending fro-m the front plate to the back plate and having on their sides vertical ribs 16. The ribs of one partition are opposite the ribs of the next, as shown in Fig. 3. The type, indicated by 20, have grooves 21 on their opposite sides, which grooves are adapted to slide over the cooperating ribs of adjacent partitions. Each two ribs, therefore, provide a type repository.

As shown, there are four banks of repositories, one in front of the other, between the front plate and back plate. To illustrate their action in receiving and holding type, four of the type are shown at 20 in Fig. 3. It willbe understood that if the type are brought into position over the ribs and are then released, they will fall by gravity into the repositories thus provided. Fig. 2 shows three of the repositories containing type and one empty. The bottom type of the pile in each repository rests on a block 23 at the base of the repository carried by a cross bar 2-1. Each of the four banks of repositories terminates some distance above the bank at the rear thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom edge of each plate 24 being higher than the lower edge of the repository next at the rear thereof. The bottom type in every repository is therefore accessible hour the front of the case. The ribs l i terminate a short distance above the blocks this distance being son ewhatgreater than the thickness of one type and less than the thickness of two types, while the partition walls ext-end slightly below the upper edges of the bottom type. The bottom type is theretore tree from the .ribs and may be moved forward on the block 23. but cannot tall. oil sidewise. The blocks 23 have a widtl about equal to that oil: the shank of the type between the two grooves 21.

in Fig. 'l' is she vn a tube 30 having a longitudinal slit 31 of width slightly greater than the shank of the type. The tube is preterably curved atone end and the rear portion thereof is cut otf diagonally at this curved portion so that two prongs 32 are provided. These prongs may be passed upwardly on opposite sides of the block 23 into grooves 21 ot' the type. Then a slight :l'orward movement ot the tube eraws the i forward oil of. the block 23, all wing 1 drop by 'avity into the grasp of the t ibe 30. The type gradually pass around t of this tube as one after the other Lied out of the anions case and a of the tube into an upwardly inv a spring clip 34: sprung around the tube nea its other end as shown ii Pig. T. This t1 'ed split tube is claimed in my divisicna ipplication ilo. 585,213, tiled ()ctober st. U10. resulting in Patent No. l O ltl fli l Dec. 31. 1912. The blocks are preferably tapered at their lower edges to allow the easy placing of the tube fork about them.

i hi the taco ot the plates 24- directly below the blocks 2 re suitable characte s, as shown in Fig. l. to indicate the characters contained in the ease.

ll ith this mechanism, an operator may assemble type on the tubular holder with great rapidity. lle simply moves the tube around i hand and litts its prongs up\ 'ard,

3 strasldlinir ne blocks and passing into the grooves il' 1e. when a slight. tor'vard mo: is the type to paus down the ibe. on as any type is released the type remaining in tie repository above descends. so that the bottom type rests on the bloci: ready for the next removal. jitter the line is assembled along the tube it may trans't'errml by hand to suitable M any pr'nting' mechanism, the clip 3%. being re- 1 moved to allow it to pass out of the straight end of the tube.

jitter printing, the line oi? type may be rctu "lied to a suitable holder which may be ili' ube similar to the tube 30. This i ahifted around over the respective icsito ies and the bottom jpe e eaccd by t m r mechanism which constitute the SlllJjQCl matter of the present application and will now be described.

lionited over the top of the type case proper is a carriage ll-O which has downturned flanges with inwardly projecting ribs 42 and 4:3, occupying grooves 4t and i in the trout and rear plate respectively ot the type case, this carriage being thus slidable lengthwise at the type case. Mounted in the :airage it) so as to slide from trout to rear is a plate 416 which carries a block 4-? adapted to receive and hold the tube d8 which constitutes the type carrier the lower end, of this tube occupying a recess in the block.

It will be apparent that by shifting the plate it; forward or back and by shitting the carriage laterally the tube 48 may be brought directly ove' any of "he repositories. To so shift the plate and aiii'iag'o l provide the shat't 50 which extends paralel with the plate ii") being journaled in the trout plate 411 oi? the carriage and in an ear 52 near the rear anl in an intermediate portion of the carriage between such ear 1 nd plate. This shaft is not only adapted to be turned on its axis but may be shifted longitudinally through its bearings. Plea],- its rear end on its uppe" and lower sides are notches which are occupied by springs secured to the plate. to. this means whenever the shat't is shitted longitudinally the plate i'uoved correspondingly. A suitable plunger is pressed upward by a spring 58 and is adapted to occupy one of several depressions in the plate 4 6, thereby pre venting displacement to the same and insuring proper alinement from itront to back.

To properly position the carriage laterally over the re1i ositoiies. I provide the pawl splined to the shaft and having a nose adapted to enter between projections (31. "formed along the upper edge of the front plate ll, these projections being substantially in line with the front ends of the partitions 15. The shaft 50 is provided with an operating knob (35. This knob allows the shaft to be shifted longitudinally as desired and provides means for shifting the ca 'riag'c late'ally. its the carriage is brought to position a slie'ht rotation of the shaft causes the pawl nose to enter between the projections 1 thereby accurately positioning the carriag It will be seen from the above description that by properly moving the knob and the mechanism connected therewitlr alinement of the type with any repository in the ase is obtained.

The same rocking ot the shall; 50 which. ace irately yositions the carriage operates also at the end of such movement to actuate mechanism to release the type allo vingr them to drop by gravity into the selected repository. The type are normally held by the prong of a double spring 71 secured to the block 47. Above this prong 70 is another prong 72 of this spring, the distance between the two being about equal the thickness of the type. The prong 72 normally stands with its front end just at the rear of the line of travel at the rear end of the type as shown in Fig. 2. The prongs 70 and 72 are retained in this position by the short rock shaft 74 which is mounted in the block 47, the spring 70 normally occupying the notch 75 in such shaft and the spring 72 normally resting against the shaft just below the notch 76. This rock shaft bends forward as at 77 alongside of the block 47 and near its forward end it extends into a fork on an arm 78 carried by the shaft 50. As the shaft 50 rocks, the first portion of the movement locks the carriage in place and accurately positions it as heretofore described. Just as this takes place the arm 78 has acted on the arm 77 sufliciently to rock the shaft 74 to force the spring 70 out of the notch 75, the spring being engaged by the peripheral surface of the rock shaft above the notch. At the same time the spring 72 enters the notch 76 and springs forward. The result is that the lowest type is released and the type next above it is engaged. The type released by the prong 7 O, as above described, descends by gravity between the gibs 80 which are secured to the block a7 in position to have their edges a continuation of the edges of the tube 48. From these gibs the type drops into the repository provided by the alined ribs 16. After the type is released the operators pressure on the knob 65 allows the springs 56 to return the shaft 50 to normal position, returning the springs 70 and 72 to their normal position, the pile of type in the tube 48 thus descending a distance equal to the thickness of one type to cause the bottom type to rest on the spring 7 0.

It will be seen from the above description that to distribute type contained in the tube 48 it is only necessary to move the knob in or out, shift the carriage laterally and slightly rotate the knob. A suitable pin 81 carried by the shaft 50 may limit extreme movements; however, the plunger 57 restrains the shaft in whatever position, forward or back, it is placed.

The face of the type in the tube as are visible from the front of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. To indicate when the tube is over the proper repository, which is the one corresponding to the lowermost type, I provide a suitable chart 85 on the front side of the plate 11 below the carriage. This chart is formed in lines corresponding to the difierent banks of repositories, there being four lines in the illustration to represent the four banks of repositories. A suitable pointer 86 is carried by the carriage and shifted laterally with it so that it indicates at once those four repositories which are in the front to back plane through the type. The top line of the chart corresponds to the front bank of the repositories, the next line to the next rearmost bank, and so on.

To enable the pointer to indicate for which of the banks of repositories the tube 48 is set, I mount the pointer slidably in the carriage. I provide gear teeth 87 on the front side of the pointer and these mesh with a pinion 88 which is on a short shaft 89 parallel with the front plate of the carriage; and on the other end of this shaft is a pinion 90'which meshes with the teeth 91 formed along the shaft 50. The result of this is that as the shaft 50 is shoved inward to carry the tube backward from the front bank of repositories the pointer is thereby moved downward so that it is always opposite that horizontal line of the chart which corresponds to the bank of cases over which the type in the tube are located.

.Vith my indicator, as the knob is forced inward to position the tube from front to back the pointer moves laterally, so that when the carriage is brought to rest with the pointer at a character corresponding to the bottom character in the tube, the position is correct for rocking the shaft to release the type. In actual operation the rearward movement and the lateral movement are performed simultaneously so that the pointer travels diagonally downward, and just as it comes to rest at the proper character the rocking of the shaft releases the bottom type, which corresponds to that character. The operation may thus be very rapid as well as accurate.

I claim:

1. The combination of a series of repositories arranged in parallel banks with open upper ends, a carriage mounted to travel over said ends, a slide mounted to travel on the carriage, and a type holder mounted on said slide and formed of a removable tube open in front and adapted to hold a column of type facing forwardly.

2. The combination of a series of repositories arranged in parallel banks with open upper ends, a carriage mounted to travel over such ends, a slide mounted to move on the carriage, a holder for a column of grooved type carried by the slide and consisting of a slotted tube, the edges of which adjacent to the slot engage the grooves of the type, and an escapement adapted to coact with the feet of the type as they descend.

3. The combination, with a type case having type holders extending side by side and also from front to back, of a distributing mechanism having a movable member mounted on another movable memwith her, whereby the former member partakes of a movement from side to side and front to back, each movement being independent of the position given by the other, a holder for a column of type carried by the first mentioned movable member and comprising a pair of parallel or ges engaging grooves in the opposite sides of the type, and an escape ment adapted to engage the feet of such type and operating to release them singly.

4-. The combination of a series of type repositories, a member shiftable with reference thereto and adapted to carry type, a shiftahle rod for operating said member, and mechanism for releasing the type operated by turning said rod on its axis.

The combination of several series of type holders arranged in banks, a carriage adapted to travel over said holders, a slide mounted to travel across the carriage, a shiftable rod for operating the slide, and mechanism for releasing the type operated by rocking said rod.

(3. The combination of seveal series of type holders arranged in banks one in front of the other, a carriage adapted to travel over the upper ends of said holders, a slide mounted to travel across the carriage, shiftable rod for operating the slide, mechanism for releasing the type operated by rocking said rod, and mechanism for insuring proper position of the carriage, also operated by rocking said rod.

7, The combination of a type case provided with partitions, having ribs on their opposite sides, a carriage adapted to travel over said case, a slide adapted to travel across the :arriage, means mounted on the slide for carrying the type grooved on their opposite sides, means for positioning the slide and the carriage to bring the type over the repository provided by adjacent ribs on the partitions, and means for releasing such positioned type.

8. The combination of a casing having type repositories with open upper ends, a carriage slidably mounted on the casing and extending across such upper ends, means carried by the carriage for holding type to be distributed, mechanism for positioning the same over the desired type repository, a series of beveled shoulders carried by the casing, and a cooperating member carried by the carriage to accurately position the carriage.

9. The combination of means for holding type, retaining means having two spring fingers, a rock shaft having eccentric surfaces against which such lingers bear, and means for rocking said shaft to present said fingers alternately to the type.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aliix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARRY C. GAE-IIMETER. lVitnesses ALBERT H. BATES, G. A. MYERS.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

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