US1584570A - Composing stick - Google Patents

Description

May 11 ,1926; 1,584,570.. w. R. CRANDALL l l GOMIOSING STICK Original Fil/ed March 3Q. 1923 3mm/toc WR. Crandall Patented May 11, 1926.

UNITED sr WELLER R. CRANDALL, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS, ASSIGNOI, TO GEORGE R.' ADAMS,

OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. i

COMPOSING STICK.

Application filed March 30, 1923, Serial No. 628,933. Renewed January 18, 1926.

My invention relates to composing stic rs for use by job printers, and has for its objectthe provision of a stick which may be easily and quickly adj usted to permit setting up of lines of any desired length, and also to provide a stick in which the setting up of standard jobs may be facilitated by overcoming theloss of time now occurring in adjusting the stick to the job to be set up. The invention also seeks to provide means whereby the adjustable head may be securely held in a set position and also to provide means whereby the lines may be lengt-hened slightly so that they will not be apt to fall while being locked upon the press. These several stated objects, and other objects which will incidentally appear, are attained in such a device as is illustrated in the aecompanying drawing, and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

1n the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view ot a composing f stick embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a sectionoi the adjustable head taken in a plane `extending centrally through the head and parallel with the base of the stick, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The composing stick proper consists of a flat sheet metal base or bottom 1, a rail or side bar 2 extending along one side edge of the bottom, and a ixed head 3 at one end of the same. The side bar and the ixed head are of somewhat heavier material than the bottom and are riveted or otherwise rigidly secured thereto at a right angle to the same and to each other. The side bar or rail 2 has openings t :formed therethrough, and these openings are spaced apart one-half an em, while at the opposite side edge of the base or bottom 1 on the upper face of the same are marked graduations which are likewise one-half an em apart, and at intervals along the scale thus produced the indicating marks are extended inwardly over the face of the bottom 1, as shown at 6, so

as to dene the length of lines used on standard jobs.

The adjustable head 7 consists of a block of'suitable durable material and comprises a transverse branch 8 having an underlying hook 9 adapted to engage around the free edge of the base 1 and thereby guide the adjustable head in its movements and also hold it to the base of the stick, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 3. The head also comprises a longitudinally extending branch 10 having a groove 11 in its under side adjacent its edge adapted to tit snugly but slidably over the rail or side bar 2 so as to co-operate with the underlying hook 9 in holding the head in proper position upon the stick. The longitudinally extending branch of the head is constructed with a chamber 12 in which is mounted a lever 13 equipped withteeth or pins 111 at its inner end projecting laterally outwardly so as to engage some of the openings 4f. A spring 15 is housed within the head and bears upon the end of the said lever so as to tend constantly to hold the teeth or pins 14.- toward the side bar 2 and in engagement with the proper openings t therein. At the outer end of the lever 13 is pivotally attached the shank 16 whereby pressure may be exerted upon the lever in opposition to the spring 15 to withdraw the locking pins or teeth 14 from the side bar 2 to permit the head to be adjusted. A thumb piece 17 is provided at the outer end of the shank 16 and is slidably itted thereto so that it may be set to bear against the branch 10 of the head and thereby lock the latch in engagement with the rail, or may be set in alinement with the shank for releasing the latch. The transverse branch ot' the head is provided with sockets 18 receiving studs or pins 19 on the innerv side of a rest or shim plate 2O which is adapted to bear against the upper tace ot the bottom 1 ot the stick and be held against the ends of the matter set up upon the stick. Extending centrally from the said rest through the head is a screw or threaded stem 21, and upon the outer end of the said screw is a nut 211 bearing against the outer side of the head whereby the rest may be locked in a set position. As shown in the drawing, a space 25 will be produced between the rest 20 and the head, and in this -space leads or shims having a thickness equal to one-half an em or a point may be inserted so asto hold the rest rmly against the ends of the matter set up. lf the shims be removed, the rest 2O may be withdrawn from the composed matter without disturbing it so that it may be handled easily and successfully by the lockup man. It is to be understood that, if preferred, the shim plate may be fitted upon the iixed head 3.

In job printing otlices, a large percentage oi the work is standard in character, that is to say, the lines ot type are o'tl tixed length and ordinarily considerable time is lost in adjusting the composing,` stick so that the lines will be ot' the proper length. 1t will be noted that in my device the lines ot graduations, indicated by the reference numeral (i, are extended inwardly beyond the scale 5 and have certain legends displayed in connection therewith so that the adjustable head 7 may bequickly brought to the pror` er point of the stick to conform to the mattei' to be set up. 1When the job is divided among several compositors, the composing sticks may all be Set quickly to exactly the same n'ieasurements so that the parts ot the. job may be easily brought to- Lether without re-adjustinent after they have been set up. To adjust the heads 7 to the desired point et the stick, it is only necessary to exert slight pressure upon the thumb piece 17, thereby withdrawing' the locking teeth or pins 14 from the side bar 2 and then push the head to the proper point on the scale 5, whereupon the thumb piece 17 may be released and the spring 15 will at once cause the locking` pins or teeth 14 to engage the adjacent openings #t and hold the head in the set position. A slot 22 is provided between the head 7 and the base 1 ot the stick so that in setting,` up book headings the copy may be slipped through the slot and the type set on top ot the copy.

My improved composing stick is exceedingly simple and inexpensive and will be found highly eflicient as a time-saving,r tool in job-printing oiiices.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. rlhe combination with a composing?r stick, ot a head fitted thereto and having,lr an opening' extending therethrough longitudinally ot' the stick, a'rest disposed at the inner side ot the head, a threaded stem extending from the rest through the opening in the head. and a nut mounted on the said stem and bearing against the outer side oi the head.

Q. The combination with a composing stick having a series ot openings extending through its side rail, ot a head slidably titted upon the stick, a lever mounted within the had, lockingY teeth carried by the lever and adapted to engage any ot' the openings in the side rail ot' the stick, means bearing' upon one end ot the lever to hold the locking teeth in engagement with the said openings, and means at the opposite end ot the lever operable to release the locking' teeth troni the openings, said means including a thumb piece shiftable to engage against the side ot the head and thereby prevent release of the locking teeth.

3. The combination with a composing,r

stick. ot a head constructed at its ends to slidably engage the edge of the bottom of the stick and the side rail of the stick respectively, and means housed within the head to engage the side rail of the stick and lock the head thereto in a set position, a slot being;` provided between the head and the bottom of the stick to permit copy to be inserted under the head.

In ltestimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

WELLER R. @RANDALL [Ls]

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