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TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES FOR APPRENTICES--PART I, No. 3.
TYPE CASES AND
COMPOSING-ROOM
FURNITURE
A PRIMER OF INFORMATION ABOUT
TYPE CASES, WORK STANDS, CABINETS,
CASE RACKS, GALLEY RACKS,
STANDING GALLEYS, &c.
COMPILED BY
A. A. STEWART
PUBLISHED BY THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA
1918
COPYRIGHT, 1918
UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA
CHICAGO, ILL.
Composition and Electrotypes contributed by
The Blanchard Press
New York
CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTORY 5
EARLY TYPE CASES 9
SIZES OF TYPE CASES 11
STRUCTURE OF TYPE CASES 12
CASES FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES 14
COMPOSITOR'S WORK STANDS 16
CASE STANDS AND RACKS 18
THE MODERN TYPE CABINET 20
IRON CASE BRACKETS 22
WOOD RUNS AND STEEL RUNS 24
EXTENSION FRONTS AND BACKS 25
FURNITURE RACKS 26
SPECIAL CABINETS 28
REVIEW QUESTIONS 30
GLOSSARY 32
INTRODUCTORY
The essential articles of furniture in a modern composing room may be
classified broadly, omitting obvious details for the present, under the
following heads:
1. CASES for type for general composition; for borders, type
ornaments, accented letters, fractions, extra sorts, etc., and for
engraved plates, and electrotypes; for spaces and quads, brass
rules, leads, slugs, metal furniture and large spacing material,
and for wood type. Also cases in special cabinets for printed
specimens, paper samples, etc.
2. WORK STANDS AND CABINETS--Open wooden frames with or without
racks, to hold cases on top; made single or double; with working
top. Cabinets, with working top, holding cases, enclosed on sides
and back; made single, double, or triple size. Cabinets are made of
pressed steel as well as of hard wood.
3. CABINETS AND STORAGE RACKS FOR CASES--In addition to the racks
in working stands and cabinets, there are standing racks, cabinets
(flat top for holding miscellaneous articles or material, and
galley top for temporary storage of live or dead matter), etc.
4. GALLEY CABINETS AND RACKS--These are to hold galley matter
waiting return of proofs, or for pages made up and waiting to be
locked up for electro foundry or for the pressroom. They may be
placed in any convenient place, or are sometimes in movable form to
be taken from composing or correcting stands to the make-up stand
or imposing table.
5. FURNITURE RACKS AND CABINETS--For labor-saving fonts of reglet,
wood furniture, soft metal or steel furniture, etc.
6. STANDING GALLEYS--These are stands with inclined tops divided
sometimes horizontally and sometimes perpendicularly into narrow
columns, for holding live or dead standing matter--usually the
latter awaiting distribution. The lower part of the frame is
usually provided with racks for cases, letter-boards, galleys, or
other storage facilities.
7. IMPOSING TABLES--Large flat surfaces upon which pages and forms
are imposed and locked up for electrotype molding or prepared for
the press. These consist of polished marble slabs on strong frames
or tables, with drawer for quoins, etc., and also furnished below
with galley racks, receptacles for wood or metal furniture,
letter-boards, chase racks, etc. The more common modern imposing
tables are made of steel, on iron frames, with the lower parts
fitted for the storage of material used in locking up forms.
8. PROOFING APPARATUS--Proof planer and mallet, galley press, hand
press, modern curved-surface machines, automatic proofing machines,
self-feeding and self-inking. These also include proof rollers, ink
tables, shelves for proof paper, and receptacles for benzine or
other type-washing liquids.
In addition to the foregoing brief summary there are numerous other
items of composing-room equipment, large and small, provided for the
particular needs of the work carried on in the place. Many of these
items, however, are not in extensive use, as in many places the needs
they would serve might not warrant the expense of their installation.
The specialties of the printing industry nowadays affect the
composing-room as well as the other departments.
A particular article which is useful and profitable in one place may be
quite superfluous and an unnecessary expense in another. The kind and
quantity of the work done in any workroom usually governs the kind and
the extent of the equipment provided--making allowance always for the
customary variation in individual judgment and the proprietor's ability
to purchase.
There is a wide range of choice from a plain wooden double stand with
two pairs of cases, at which two persons may work, costing six to ten
dollars, to a latest pattern steel working cabinet, also providing for
only two workers, costing one hundred dollars, or even more.
There are, however, certain articles and facilities fundamentally
necessary to carry on the work of a composing room. The particular form
of these--whether simple and inexpensive or elaborate and costly--is a
question for the proprietor or manager to consider.
The articles of furniture classified under items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in
the foregoing list, are those treated in this book; those referred to in
item 7, Imposing Tables and Lock-Up Appliances, being considered in a
separate volume (No. 4). Proof Presses, item 8, are also treated in a
separate book (No. 5).
COMPOSING-ROOM FURNITURE
_Early Type Cases_
Probably the first article which Gutenberg and his co-workers provided,
after their types were cast, was a tray with small compartments for
holding the various letters of the font, so that each letter, as it was
required for composing, could be readily selected. There may not have
been a composing stick used at first, it is reasonable to suppose, as it
was quite feasible for the types to be assembled in lines directly into
the frames in which they were held during the printing. A case in which
to hold the type, however, was a first and obvious necessity.
The early type cases are shown in pictures of the time as made of a
single tray containing all the characters of the font and resting in a
slanting position on a rude frame or "horse," at which the compositor is
usually seated. All the boxes of the case are represented as of the same
size, which probably was not the fact even in early practice any more
than it is today. Early designers and artists no doubt overlooked or
ignored what they considered an unimportant detail, just as today they
often persist in misrepresenting the true outline of the printer's
lower-case. One does not need to take much thought or to have much
experience to understand that in all printed languages some characters
are used more than others and therefore more types of these letters and
larger boxes to hold them should be provided.
For a long time the large single case with boxes for the entire list of
characters was used, and these are still common in many European
composing rooms. In English and American workshops, however, the pair of
cases, one above the other, for many years has been the rule for large
fonts in book and news work. These cases, being smaller and holding but
a part of the font, are more convenient for storing and for moving from
place to place about the room as they are needed for use.
The cases described by Moxon in 1683 are in pairs, and the arrangement
of the letters in the lower case, as shown in his illustrations, bear a
close similarity to the plan of English cases of today.
[Illustration: Fig. 1. Early Type Case.]
Early American cases came from England and naturally they conformed to
the customs of the time and place of origin. Probably in no other
important particular has the tendency of printers to hold to past
methods been more strongly emphasized than in their refusal to adopt any
important change in the style of the most used type cases and the
arrangement of the types in the boxes. Force of habit and dislike for
innovation have kept practically unchanged for two and a half centuries
the relative positions of the chief characters in the case. At the same
time there has been universal acknowledgment that the adoption of some
of the suggested improvements would add greatly to convenience and
economy; and further, that many of these improvements could be adopted
with an effort and expense so small as to be out of all proportion to
the advantages obtained.
_Sizes of Type Cases_
The standard type case of today is 32-1/4 inches wide, as it lies on the
work-stand, and 16-5/8 inches--or slightly more than one half of the
width--from the front to the back or upper edge. The usual depth of the
outside frame is 1-3/8 inches, the minor inside partitions being
slightly lower than the outside frame and middle crossbar, thus making
the normal depth of the boxes approximately 1 inch. These dimensions
vary only by fractions of an inch from those given by Moxon, and they
seem to have been quite uniformly adhered to as an acceptable size for
printers' cases.
Other sizes of cases, however, have been made and quite commonly used
during the last half century. Those now listed in the dealers' catalogs
are known as three-quarter size (26-1/2 inches wide by 16-5/8 inches
front to back) and two-third size (21-3/4 by 16-5/8 inches). There is
also another size known as the Rooker case, used to some extent in
newspaper composing rooms, the dimensions being 28-1/2 x 14 inches,
which is about one-fifth smaller than the standard case. It holds nearly
the same quantity of the smaller sizes of type and has the advantage of
occupying less room.
[Illustration: Fig. 2-a. Upper Case.[A]]
[Illustration: Fig. 2-b. Lower Case.]
When printing offices employed but few workmen and there was small
equipment, the need for economizing space did not seem a pressing one.
Large cases with small fonts, and open-frame working stands with few or
no racks or shelves for storage of extra material, were not considered
extravagant so long as the original cost was small. The employment of
larger numbers of workmen, however, and the consequent additional
equipment of cases, with racks, cabinets, imposing tables, and other
facilities concentrated in city buildings where the cost of rent, light,
heat, etc., is high and constantly increasing, have made the utilization
of waste space a matter of urgent necessity. The three-quarter,
two-third cases, and even smaller sizes, which can be kept in smaller
racks and cabinets, have therefore been found convenient in many places,
but these must be provided with suitable racks or cabinets of the proper
size. The smaller cases are sufficient to hold many of the usual small
fonts, as well as the ordinary auxiliary material, like type borders,
ornaments, small electros, etc. Small cases, with their lesser weight of
contents in type metal, often give distinct advantage in the ease with
which they may be handled.
[A] In many composing-rooms the fractions and commercial signs
are not now kept in the regular cases, but in special cases apart from
the font.
_Structure of Type Cases_
Type cases are made of wood thoroughly seasoned to prevent as much as
possible any shrinking after they are finished and have remained for
some time in the usually dry air of a composing room. It is not so
common a custom now, as it was formerly, to sponge type on the galley
before distributing and to allow the surplus water to flow into the
case, thus subjecting parts of the case to excessive dampness. The old
type cases, under such careless usage, were quickly warped and cracked.
The splitting of the bottom and the separation of the partitions allowed
small types to drop out and to shift under the partitions. These defects
were partially overcome by papering the bottoms of the boxes, the
proper accomplishment of which was at one time considered a part of the
compositor's duty.
The modern American type case is better made than its predecessors,
being so far superior in several essential particulars as to be a
distinct achievement in factory woodwork. A type case, with 49 to 100 or
more small boxes, is not a simple thing to make by hand labor. While the
making of the outside frame and the bottom involve no special
difficulties, the box partitions and their proper fastening to each
other and to the bottom of the case require patience and skill. Only a
highly developed system of specialization could provide the cases of
today at the prevailing cost.
[Illustration: Fig. 3. Section Showing Triple-Veneer Bottom of Case.]
The bottom of the old-time case warped and split easily because it was
made of a single thin board. The modern case has a bottom made of
three-ply wood, the middle layer having the grain across that of the
other two. (Fig. 3.) These three layers are thoroughly glued together
and the upper side is smoothly covered with a strong paper before the
partitions are fastened to the bottom. The common styles of case have a
strong bar of the same thickness as the outside frame across the middle.
In several styles there are two or even more crossbars. These crossbars
serve not only to divide the main sections of boxes, but they also act
as strong braces to which the bottoms are fastened, giving greater
rigidity to the entire case.
[Illustration: Fig. 4. Detail of Type Case, showing at A how bottom is
fitted to side frame.]
The bottom of the case is fitted into a groove made in the outside
frame, so that it cannot be easily separated. This groove being
slightly higher than the lower face of the side frame, upon which the
case slides back and forth in the rack, keeps the bottom up far enough
to allow it to pass clear of the runs, or of any case or shelf below.
The partitions are made by strips across the full width of each section
of the case from outer frame to outer frame or to crossbar. The strips
are crossed at the corners of the boxes by mortising each piece one half
of its depth at the proper place--one from above and the other from
below--and dovetailing the cross pieces together. (Fig. 4.) The corners
of the boxes are then re-enforced by brass clasps made to fit over the
top of the partitions and held by a long pin driven down through the
dovetailed partitions and clinched at the bottom of the case. (See Fig.
5.).
[Illustration: Fig. 5. Clasp and Pin Fastening at corners of boxes in
modern type case.]
_Cases for Various Purposes_
While wooden cases are used by printers chiefly for holding type fonts,
they are now also used for a large variety of auxiliary material which
it is necessary to keep more or less carefully classified in convenient
containers. The increasing quantities and varieties of this material now
needed in an average composing-room make convenient receptacles and
orderly, systematic arrangement a necessity if the work is to be carried
on without excessive waste. In no other trade is there a greater
multiplicity of details to be considered in order to obtain a finished
product, and a thoughtless, unnecessary waste of time, effort, or
material in attending to these details adds enormously to the expense of
the product. And so it is becoming the practice of good managers to use
cases more abundantly than formerly and to store them in convenient
racks and cabinets, so that this large mass of material may be kept
classified and may be obtained quickly when needed.
Besides the ordinary pair of upper case and lower case, many styles of
single cases are made to hold a complete font of capitals, lower case,
figures, points, etc., and others are planned to hold small capitals in
addition. Some are made for fonts of capitals, figures, and points only;
some for figures only (especially for time-tables and tabular work), for
fractions, accented letters, special characters and sorts, for leaders,
type borders and ornaments, etc. A large variety of cases are planned
for labor-saving fonts of brass rule. Others are made especially for
spaces and quads, for leads and slugs, and for metal furniture. These
are made in many sizes, from the small space-and-rule case, 5 inches by
6-1/4 inches, which can be placed beside the compositor's galley, up to
the mammoth metal furniture case, 18 inches by 72 inches, covering a
space equal to the top of a double stand. Dealers' catalogs now show
from seventy-five to a hundred or more different kinds of cases for
printers' use.
[Illustration: Fig. 6. Italic Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 7. New York Job Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 8. Triple Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 9. Greek Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 10. Space and Quad Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 11. Lead and Slug Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 12. Wood Type Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 13. Metal Furniture Case.]
[Illustration: Fig. 14. Wood Type Case, with cross bar.]
[Illustration: Fig. 15. Blank Case for electrotypes.]
_Compositor's Work Stands_
Primarily a working case-stand for a compositor serves two purposes. It
should hold the cases in a position where he can work with reasonable
comfort, and it should be fitted to contain the necessary material for
his immediate use. For the first purpose the height of the case, working
top, or shelf, should conform approximately to a level that will be
comfortable for the individual workman. A tall man may work easily at a
case which would be too high for the comfort of an apprentice, and a
case at the right elevation for one below the average height would cause
a habit of tiresome, if not unhealthful, stooping in a tall person. It
often happens in some places that such conditions may not be adjusted
without some bother, and an uncomfortable temporary position may not be
a serious matter for very brief periods. The tendency in well-managed
workrooms, however, is to remedy such improper situations and not to
permit workmen to work habitually under conditions which may be easily
improved. "The height of a compositor and his frame," said an early
authority among printers, "should be so adjusted that his right elbow
may just clear the front of the lower case by the _a_ box, without the
smallest elevation of the shoulder"; and this seems a wise general rule
to observe.
When the type case is placed at a height at which the compositor may
stand erect before it, the boxes are more readily reached by the hand if
the back of the case is at a slight elevation. A case lying perfectly
flat must be somewhat lower, in relation to the compositor's arms, than
when it is resting at an inclination, in order to take types from it
with the same facility. Consequently the custom is to place working
cases and working tops or shelves at an inclination upward from the
front to the back.
This inclination serves also as the most convenient kind of a rest for
galleys upon which loose lines of composed matter are handled. Lines of
small type will not stand upright without support of some kind, even on
a perfectly level, smooth, rigid surface. The universal custom,
therefore, is to place galleys of type matter in a slanting position, so
that the ends of the lines will be higher and all the matter will rest
firmly against the lower rim of the galley. A galley in this slanting
position, with the first letter in the line resting against the lower
rim and the words reading upward, is the safest and most practicable
manner in which to make corrections, lift out or insert whole lines
singly or in groups, or to handle types generally in certain difficult
composition, making-up pages, etc. After the pages are tied up or
surrounded by side supports in some manner they may be conveniently
handled on a level surface. Ordinary linotyped matter, which consists of
a single piece for each line of words, and consequently is not liable to
pi, may be, and usually is, handled throughout on level tables; but
types are easily and safely handled only when they may be placed against
the lower rim of an inclined galley.
[Illustration: Fig. 16. Compositor's Work Stand--Front Side.]
[Illustration: Fig. 17. Compositor's Work Stand--Rear View.]
_Case Stands and Racks_
A simple and inexpensive working stand to hold type cases for composing
is that shown in Fig. 18. This is made of wood and has a rack in the
lower part for holding extra cases. It will be noticed that because the
rack is wide enough to take the full-size case, the top of the stand is
several inches wider than the case, and the side frames are therefore
too far apart to support the ends of the case. To enable the cases to be
held safely, an extra arm is placed inside near the side frame to hold
one end of the case. The surplus space beside the working cases is
usually furnished with a sloping shelf or narrow galley rest convenient
for holding a galley, leads, or other articles, thus allowing the case
to be kept clear for composing. (See Fig. 19.)
[Illustration: Fig. 18. Single Stand]
[Illustration: Fig. 19. Iron Case Stand with Galley Rest on side.]
A rack used to hold cases that are not often used is shown in Fig. 22.
Racks of this kind are made in different sizes to hold ten to thirty
cases, and in double tiers to hold forty to sixty cases.
[Illustration: Fig. 20. Double Stand with Galley Rest between working
cases.]
Tall racks which hold cases too high to be reached comfortably by a
person standing on the floor are not to be commended. While they may
occupy less floor space and because of this seem to be an advantage
where there are a great many cases that are seldom used, this advantage
is usually more than offset by their disadvantages. The upper cases are
difficult to handle and are liable to be pied. If the tall racks are
near a window they obstruct the light.
[Illustration: Fig. 21. Double Stand for tier of full size cases and
tier of two-third cases.]
A double stand of similar character to Fig. 18 is shown in Fig. 21, in
which the space below is fully utilized for two racks, one for full-size
cases and the other for two-third cases.
[Illustration: Fig. 22. Case Rack]
Many foremen do not approve the small size cases for type in common use,
preferring to have all the cases of a standard size, so that they may
fit the regular racks and stands and be interchangeable throughout the
department. To provide for this, double stands are made which have a
double tier of racks for full size cases, as shown in Fig. 20. This
double stand has the extra space on the top utilized by a narrow galley
shelf in the middle between the inclined case supports.
Another class of wooden case-stands is made with the frame having a flat
top or table upon which is fastened a set of iron brackets to hold the
working cases in an inclined position. These styles are illustrated in
Fig. 23.
[Illustration: Fig. 23. Double Stand with working cases held on iron
brackets.]
_The Modern Type Cabinet_
The closed-in cabinet is the modern plan for a compositor's working
stand and for holding cases of type in common use. This is a frame or
stand enclosed at the sides and back to exclude dust and debris from the
cases. The case runs are thin (often of steel) and close together and
the fronts of the cases are made with extra high rims, so that when all
are pushed into place they present a closed front also.
[Illustration: Fig. 24. "Adman" Cabinet has equipment for two
compositors, supply of leads and slugs and assortment of materials such
as brass and copper thin spaces and quads.]
The printer's cabinet is now made in a multiplicity of styles and in
several sizes. The frames are usually of hard wood, but during the past
few years they have been made of pressed steel. Usually they provide
for one or more tiers of standard wooden cases for type, etc. Some of
the latest patterns combine in one structure racks for type cases and
facilities for holding assortments of the various kinds of material
which a compositor ordinarily uses, with provision for some special
material, as well as ample working space for galleys, etc. They are
planned to concentrate the frequently used material near to the
compositor's hands, to enable him to save the time occupied in going
from place to place about the room.
The old-style working stand or cabinet as illustrated in Figs. 20, 21,
usually made it necessary for a workman to stand directly in front of a
number of cases which he rarely used but which might be frequently used
by other compositors. In small workshops this arrangement offers no
inconvenience and there need be little loss of time or patience among
courteous fellow workmen. In large departments, however, especially
where floor space is pretty fully occupied and the working spaces are
narrow, a permanent workstand directly over a group of cases that are
frequently used by several persons has been found to be an annoying and
time-wasting arrangement.
[Illustration: Fig. 25. Double "City" Stand with working cases and case
racks. Note that the lower case may be pushed up when necessary to allow
access to galley underneath.]
About thirty years ago a radical change of this practice was proposed,
and is now being gradually adopted for modern equipments. This plan
places the working stand on one side of the cabinet and the case rack on
the other side, so that there is freer access to cases by all workmen.
The original styles of these stands and cabinets were called "Polhemus,"
after a New York printer, John Polhemus, who arranged his
composing-room in this manner.
The case-front side of the cabinet is provided with a galley top for
holding standing matter, etc., while the opposite side (the closed-in
back of the case rack) is surmounted with brackets for type cases,
galley shelf, etc., and is used as the working stand.
[Illustration: Fig. 26. Polhemus Cabinet, case rack and galley top.]
[Illustration: Fig. 27. Polhemus Cabinet, working side, lower case on
tilting brackets.]
Polhemus cabinets (Figs. 26 and 27) and others embodying this plan have
been made in a variety of sizes--single, double, and triple cabinets,
the larger sizes providing for galley racks and sorts drawers, as well
as the three tiers of type cases.
_Iron Case Brackets_
The cast-iron case brackets used on flat-top wooden cabinets and case
racks are made in a variety of styles. They have advantages over the
case supports formed by the top of side frames of the old style wooden
stands shown in Fig. 21, in that they allow use of the space below the
cases, and provide a more convenient placing of the upper case. The
style of bracket shown on the stands illustrated in Figs. 23 and 30
allows the upper case to be brought nearer to the front, making it
easier to reach all the boxes and yet leave ample room to get at the
upper boxes of the lower case. The stand or cabinet may be placed close
against a wall or other frame, as the upper case does not overhang at
the back. The position of the inclined working cases on top may be fixed
at any desired place on the top of the cabinet by changing the position
of the brackets. One style of bracket (Fig. 29) is made to fasten to the
extreme fore edge of the shelf, this bringing the front of the lower
case out beyond the front line of the cabinet.
[Illustration: Fig. 28. "Window" Cabinet, for two compositors.]
[Illustration: Fig. 29. Case Cabinet with iron brackets for working
cases on top.]
A number of years ago a tilting bracket (shown in Figs. 27 and 28) for
the lower case was introduced and this has been used to some extent. The
ostensible advantage of this is to allow the lower case to be tilted up
from the front so that easier access is given to a galley shelf or other
space under the case. This is a convenience in some instances, but the
unstable nature of the case support is liable to be a disadvantage; a
full case suddenly tilted is likely to cause types to be thrown into
adjoining boxes; or a galley, leads, or other material on top of the
case may slide down back when the case is tipped forward. A style of
bracket which has proved serviceable is that shown on the case stand in
Fig. 30.
[Illustration: Fig. 30. Quadruple Stand.]
Brackets for holding galleys are furnished in several varieties, one of
which is illustrated in Fig. 31, etc. These are temporary rests for
galleys, while the matter on them is waiting for return of proofs, for
making up, etc. They are fastened to a wall or strong frame in some
out-of-the-way place, or they may be fitted on special standards near
the type cases or the make-up table. The galley cabinet, similar to that
illustrated in Fig. 32, is a more expensive article of furniture for
this purpose, but it is usually more satisfactory.
[Illustration: Fig. 31. Galley Brackets forming a rack fastened to
wall.]
[Illustration: Fig. 32. Galley Cabinet.]
_Wood Runs and Steel Runs_
Early wooden case racks were fitted with strips of thin wood upon which
the cases were moved in and out. These slender strips were not always of
perfect grain and were difficult to attach firmly to the side frame.
They warped and split easily, and the nails and screws with which they
were fastened would work loose. In order to have them strong they had to
be thick, and this thickness gave a wide space between the cases so that
fewer cases could be kept in a given space.
To avoid these disadvantages case runs are now made of flat strips of
steel fastened to the side frames of the rack or cabinet. In some
cabinets they are fitted between side slats of wood, and a couple of
perpendicular iron rods are run through holes in the slats and the steel
strips from top to bottom of the rack, binding the pieces together and
to the side frame, making a particularly substantial rack. Another style
of steel run is made of a wider strip of iron bent the entire length
into a right-angle shape. Screw holes on one side of this angle strip
enable it to be fastened to the side frame, the other angle of the
strip being used to support the case.
_Extension Fronts and Backs_
In all composing-rooms there are many cases at which it is necessary to
work for only a few moments at a time, to set a single line, or to make
a correction, etc. In order that cases kept in racks or cabinets may be
used quickly it is necessary that each one may be pulled out clear of
the case above, so that all the boxes at the rear are accessible. In the
old-style racks this was attained by having the runs several inches
longer than the width of the case, and placing an upright strip or stop
at the rear to allow the cases to be pushed back far enough to leave
three or more inches of the run exposed in front. This front space is
sufficient to support the case temporarily while it is pulled out from
those above in full view. (Fig. 33.)
[Illustration: Fig. 33. Double Case Stand, showing the cases in rack
pushed back from front, to permit exposure of all boxes when a case is
pulled forward for setting type.]
In many type cabinets, however, the practice is to keep the front of all
cases flush with the front of the cabinet frame. This allows no front
support for a case that is pulled out far enough to expose all the
boxes, and so the side frames or rims of the cases are extended three or
four inches back beyond the case itself. These extensions serve as stout
arms at the rear of the case to hold it in the front of the rack when
the case is pulled forward. When the case is carefully handled this plan
serves the purpose if the extensions themselves are not drawn entirely
clear of the case above. Its security depends somewhat upon the style of
the runs and how carefully the cases fit their places. A disadvantage
of this plan is that the cases having these long rear extensions are
awkward to place when they are taken from their racks to be used on top
of ordinary working stands.
The later method of providing for this is to place the cases further
back in the rack, as in the old-style stand, and have the runs on the
cabinet extended entirely to the front. This is the extension front, and
in modern cabinets the rims are of thin steel, as already described.
(Fig. 34.) With this arrangement the cases have no protruding arms and
can be conveniently placed anywhere; standard cabinet cases can be
placed on working stands or temporarily in any convenient case rack.
[Illustration: Fig. 34. Extension Front Case Rack.]
_Furniture Racks_
In the composing-room of a generation ago--and unfortunately in some
unprogressive places today--the strips of blank material known as reglet
and wood furniture were usually kept in disorderly manner in a large box
or drawer under or near the imposing stone. The material was usually
obtained in lengths of one yard and a small hand-saw was at hand to cut
any lengths required. In time there was an accumulation of all sorts
jumbled together in the drawer in a manner to make it difficult to find
needed pieces without loss of time. Often the quickest way to obtain
the right piece was to cut off a longer one.
[Illustration: Fig. 35. Furniture Cabinet for labor-saving fonts of wood
or metal furniture.]
[Illustration: Fig. 36. Imposing Stone Frame with labor-saving furniture
in side.]
This wasteful method was the universal custom before the era of the
labor-saving assortment stored in orderly fashion in a cabinet and
placed within instant reach of the workman. The common-sense modern
method is the well-stocked rack or cabinet with a compartment for each
size of the series, with the compartments numbered and the larger pieces
of the material numbered to correspond. An arrangement like this invites
an orderly habit in persons who would otherwise be careless.
The usual style of furniture rack is shown in Fig. 35. This is made in
several sizes to hold quantities large or small according to the
requirements of the room. The position of a rack like this should be
near the stone at a level near the height of the working surface.
[Illustration: Fig. 37. Standing Galley, or Bank, with letter boards,
galley racks, and galley top.]
Another style of furniture and reglet rack is that fitted into the frame
of the imposing table or into an adjoining stand or cabinet. This is
illustrated in Fig. 36. It will be noticed that all the different
lengths present a surface flush with the outside of the frame. This is
because the depth of the compartments is varied to accommodate the
several lengths of furniture at the back, instead of at the front as
shown in Fig. 35.
_Special Cabinets_
Among the new articles supplied for the compositor's use are cabinets
for holding assortments of metal furniture, brass rules, leads, slugs,
and small cases or drawers for special material. The tops of some of
these cabinets hold the lead and rule cutter and the rule-mitering
machine, with a small inclined shelf above, as shown in Fig. 38. These
cabinets will hold a large amount of material in small space. When
conveniently situated and properly supplied with material they save time
and effort on the part of the compositor.
[Illustration: Fig. 38. Work Bench and Auxiliary Cabinet.]
[Illustration: Fig. 39. Cabinet for Script Type, Borders, or other small
characters which can be kept standing face up.]
Another cabinet that is useful is the script type cabinet. This holds
the cases inclined upward from the left. The compartments are narrow,
running horizontally with the front. In these the types are held face
up, so that they may not be injured by rattling about when the case is
moved back and forth. The cases may be used for borders, special
characters, or any small items which it is desired to keep standing face
upward. The compartments of the cases may be made wide or narrow to
accommodate the size of the types they are to hold.
[Illustration: Fig. 40. Sort Cabinet, for storage of extra quantities of
type, etc.]
[Illustration: Fig. 41. Rack for leads, or brass rules in assorted
standard lengths.]
The apprentice who wants to learn about the latest and best feature of
composing room equipment should make a special point to examine the
catalogues of manufacturers and dealers in printers' supplies. These
catalogues continually show new and improved articles that are finely
illustrated and specifically described as to their particular
advantages.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS
The following questions, based on the contents of this pamphlet, are
intended to serve (1) as a guide to the study of the text, (2) as an aid
to the student in putting the information contained into definite
statements without actually memorizing the text, (3) as a means of
securing from the student a reproduction of the information in his own
words.
A careful following of the questions by the reader will insure full
acquaintance with every part of the text, avoiding the accidental
omission of what might be of value. These primers are so condensed that
nothing should be omitted.
In teaching from these books it is very important that these questions
and such others as may occur to the teacher, should be made the basis of
frequent written work, and of final examinations.
The importance of written work cannot be overstated. It not only assures
knowledge of material but the power to express that knowledge correctly
and in good form.
If this written work can be submitted to the teacher in printed form it
will be doubly useful.
QUESTIONS
1. What classes of furniture are essential in modern composing-rooms?
2. Give a general statement of articles in each class.
3. What determines the selection of furniture for any given office?
4. What was the first thing needed in a composing-room after the type
had been cast?
5. How was it made originally?
6. How is it now made?
7. What are the dimensions of the standard type case of the present
time?
8. What other sizes are sometimes used?
9. What effect has the need of economy of space had upon the use of type
cases?
10. What are type cases made of?
11. What difficulties were experienced?
12. How were they avoided?
13. Describe the construction of a modern type case.
14. Give some of the uses for which special cases are provided.
15. What are the two purposes of a working stand?
16. What is the proper height for a stand?
17. Should the case lie flat when in use, and why?
18. How are galleys placed for holding type, and why?
19. Describe a simple working stand.
20. How are infrequently used cases stored?
21. What should be avoided in this method of storage?
22. Describe a modern type cabinet.
23. What difficulty arose in working at the earlier forms of cabinet,
and how was it avoided?
24. Describe a Polhemus cabinet.
25. What is the advantage of iron case brackets?
26. What are the advantages and disadvantages of tilting case brackets?
27. What are galley brackets?
28. What is a better article for the same purpose?
29. Compare wooden and steel case runs.
30. How are steel case runs constructed?
31. Describe and compare several methods of constructing case racks so
that the case may be used without removing it from the rack.
32. What was the old method of keeping reglets and wood furniture, and
what was its disadvantage?
33. Describe some modern methods of keeping this material.
GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS
ALLEY--The floor space between two stands or cabinets.
ANNEX BOX--A small wood or metal cup or box attached to the type case
for holding special characters.
BANK--A high table with the top inclined upon which composed type is
placed temporarily. See _Dump_.
BLANK CASE--A wooden tray without partitions, or with one partition
only.
BOX--A subdivision of a type case, in which a quantity of one particular
character is kept.
BRACKET--An arm or support, usually of metal, to hold cases on top of a
stand, to hold galleys, etc.
CABINET--An enclosure for cases, shelves, or boxes, closed up on the
sides and back. See _Stand_.
CALIFORNIA JOB CASE--An extensively used type case arranged with boxes
to hold capitals, small letters, figures, points, and the usual
characters of a job font, complete in a single tray.
CAP CASE--The top case of a standard pair of book or news cases. The
capital case, or upper case.
CASE--The printer's name for the shallow wooden tray with small
compartments for holding types and other materials.
CASE CLEANER--A frame like that of a type case with a wire bottom, used
to assist in cleaning out type cases that have become foul with dust,
grit, or similar dirt. The case cleaner is placed on top of the type
case, fitting snugly over each box, and the whole turned up-side-down to
transfer the type into the wire bottom. A gentle shaking then sifts out
the dirt. When the case is turned back again the types go back into
their original boxes. A vacuum cleaner, a small bellows, or an air pump
are sometimes used for cleaning type cases.
COFFIN--The box-like frame surrounding an imposing stone on its stand.
DUMP--The place in a composing room where dead matter is kept until it
is distributed; sometimes said of a standing galley where compositors
place their composed lines to be assembled for proofing, etc. See
_Bank_.
EMPTY CASE--A case without the letters or types needed to compose lines.
The case may have other letters, but some boxes are empty.
FORM RACK--For holding printing forms that are locked in chases, before
or after printing. It usually holds them in a perpendicular position.
FOUL CASE, OR DIRTY CASE--One in which the type or other material is
badly mixed or which has material that does not properly belong there,
as in hasty distribution or because of carelessness.
FRAME--Another name for the compositor's work stand or case rack.
FURNITURE--In printing-office speech this term is used to mean small
pieces of wood or metal designed to fill the blank spaces larger than
leads, slugs, spaces, and quads. Furniture is placed between pages and
around forms locked in chases.
GALLEY--A shallow tray used by compositors to hold type after the lines
have been set and transferred from the composing stick.
GALLEY RACK--A place for holding a number of galleys in order.
HARRIS RULE CASE--A quarter-size case for holding assortments of brass
rules. Four of these trays may be kept in a regular full size blank
case, similar to Wisconsin quarter cases. See size of cases.
HELL-BOX--The receptacle for old, broken, or discarded types.
ITALIC CASE--A style of case to hold a complete font of capitals, small
letters, points, figures, etc. Similar to the California job case, but
with more boxes on the capital letter side. See page 15.
JOB CASE--A general term meaning a type case which holds a complete font
of type; in distinction from a case which holds only part of a font,
like the ordinary news or book case.
JOB GALLEY--A short galley to place on the work stand for making up
pages, small forms, etc.
LABOR-SAVING--Said of assortments of leads, rules, furniture, etc.,
provided in assorted sizes. The sizes are commonly multiples of 6-point
or 12-point, and several small pieces may be combined to fill a large
space, thus saving the labor necessary to cut each piece to fit its
place.
LAYING TYPE--Placing a new assortment of type in its case.
LAY OF THE CASE--The particular plan or arrangement of the types in the
various boxes of a case.
LEADER CASE--A small case or series of boxes for holding brass or
cast-type leaders.
LETTER BOARDS--Movable shelves in racks, under imposing tables, and
elsewhere, to hold standing type matter, etc.
LOW CASE--A case with a small portion of the font in it. See Empty Case.
LOWER CASE--The bottom case of a pair of book or news cases, which rests
nearest the compositor. See page 12.
NEW YORK JOB CASE--A case for holding a font of small capitals in
addition to the capitals, small letters, figures, etc., of the usual
fonts. See page 15.
REGLET--Thin strips of wood, similar to thick leads; used for making up
large pages and filling in forms.
SIZES OF CASES--There are a number of standard sizes of cases for
printers' purposes, allowing a considerable range in adapting these
important articles for particular uses. The common sizes are as follows:
Regular full-size case 32-1/4 × 16-3/4 in.
Three-quarter size 26-1/4 × 16-3/4 in.
Two-third case 22-3/4 × 16-3/4 in.
Rooker Case (formerly popular in newspaper
composing rooms) 28-1/2 × 14 in.
Wood type case 32-1/4 × 23 in.
Mammoth wood-type case 44 × 23 in.
Bettis case, for leads, rules, etc 72 × 18 in.
Bettis case, for leads, rules, border, etc 72 in. × 7 in.
Harris case, for rules, border, etc in. × 7 in.
Wisconsin quarter case in. × 7 in.
"Sanspareil" half-size case 15-1/4 × 14-3/4 in.
SORT CASE--For holding extra or special types, etc., with open sides and
back.
STAND--The working frame at which a compositor sets type; in distinction
from a cabinet, which has closed sides and no back.
TRIPLE CASE--A case divided into three principal sections, each section
having forty-nine boxes, like one-half of the common capital case.
UNIT TYPE CABINET--A container for type cases similar to a sectional
book case. The parts are built in sections about 12-1/2 inches high,
holding eight or ten cases. There is a base piece upon which the cabinet
rests, and a top piece. Any number of the sections may be put together
to provide room for additional cases as needed. These cabinets have
cases of different depths to provide for fonts of different sizes;
shallow cases for job fonts of small types, and other cases of varying
depths to give room for larger fonts.
TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES FOR APPRENTICES
The following list of publications, comprising the TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL
SERIES FOR APPRENTICES, has been prepared under the supervision of the
Committee on Education of the United Typothetae of America for use in
trade classes, in course of printing instruction, and by individuals.
Each publication has been compiled by a competent author or group of
authors, and carefully edited, the purpose being to provide the printers
of the United States--employers, journeymen, and apprentices--with a
comprehensive series of handy and inexpensive compendiums of reliable,
up-to-date information upon the various branches and specialties of the
printing craft, all arranged in orderly fashion for progressive study.
The publications of the series are of uniform size, 5 × 8 inches. Their
general make-up, in typography, illustrations, etc., has been, as far as
practicable, kept in harmony throughout. A brief synopsis of the
particular contents and other chief features of each volume will be
found under each title in the following list.
Each topic is treated in a concise manner, the aim being to embody in
each publication as completely as possible all the rudimentary
information and essential facts necessary to an understanding of the
subject. Care has been taken to make all statements accurate and clear,
with the purpose of bringing essential information within the
understanding of beginners in the different fields of study. Wherever
practicable, simple and well-defined drawings and illustrations have
been used to assist in giving additional clearness to the text.
In order that the pamphlets may be of the greatest possible help for use
in trade-school classes and for self-instruction, each title is
accompanied by a list of Review Questions covering essential items of
the subject matter. A short Glossary of technical terms belonging to the
subject or department treated is also added to many of the books.
These are the Official Text-books of the United Typothetae of America.
Address all orders and inquiries to COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, UNITED
TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U. S. A.
PART I--_Types, Tools, Machines, and Materials_
1. =Type: a Primer of Information= By A. A. Stewart
Relating to the mechanical features of printing types; their sizes,
font schemes, etc., with a brief description of their manufacture.
44 pp.; illustrated; 74 review questions; glossary.
2. =Compositors' Tools and Materials= By A. A. Stewart
A primer of information about composing sticks, galleys, leads,
brass rules, cutting and mitering machines, etc. 47 pp.;
illustrated; 50 review questions; glossary.
3. =Type Cases, Composing Room Furniture= By A. A. Stewart
A primer of information about type cases, work stands, cabinets,
case racks, galley racks, standing galleys, etc. 43 pp.;
illustrated; 33 review questions; glossary.
4. =Imposing Tables and Lock-up Appliances= By A. A. Stewart
Describing the tools and materials used in locking up forms for the
press, including some modern utilities for special purposes. 59
pp.; illustrated; 70 review questions; glossary.
5. =Proof Presses= By A. A. Stewart
A primer of information about the customary methods and machines
for taking printers' proofs. 40 pp.; illustrated; 41 review
questions; glossary.
6. =Platen Printing Presses= By Daniel Baker
A primer of information regarding the history and mechanical
construction of platen printing presses, from the original hand
press to the modern job press, to which is added a chapter on
automatic presses of small size. 51 pp.; illustrated; 49 review
questions; glossary.
7. =Cylinder Printing Presses= By Herbert L. Baker
Being a study of the mechanism and operation of the principal types
of cylinder printing machines. 64 pp.; illustrated; 47 review
questions; glossary.
8. =Mechanical Feeders and Folders= By William E. Spurrier
The history and operation of modern feeding and folding machines;
with hints on their care and adjustments. Illustrated; review
questions; glossary.
9. =Power for Machinery in Printing Houses= By Carl F. Scott
A treatise on the methods of applying power to printing presses and
allied machinery with particular reference to electric drive. 53
pp.; illustrated; 69 review questions; glossary.
10. =Paper Cutting Machines= By Niel Gray, Jr.
A primer of information about paper and card trimmers, hand-lever
cutters, power cutters, and other automatic machines for cutting
paper. 70 pp.; illustrated; 115 review questions; glossary.
=11. Printers' Rollers= By A. A. Stewart
A primer of information about the composition, manufacture, and
care of inking rollers. 46 pp.; illustrated; 61 review questions;
glossary.
12. =Printing Inks= By Philip Ruxton
Their composition, properties and manufacture (reprinted by
permission from Circular No. 53, United States Bureau of
Standards); together with some helpful suggestions about the
everyday use of printing inks by Philip Ruxton. 80 pp.; 100 review
questions; glossary.
13. =How Paper is Made= By William Bond Wheelwright
A primer of information about the materials and processes of
manufacturing paper for printing and writing. 68 pp.; illustrated;
62 review questions; glossary.
14. =Relief Engravings= By Joseph P. Donovan
Brief history and non-technical description of modern methods of
engraving; woodcut, zinc plate, halftone; kind of copy for
reproduction; things to remember when ordering engravings.
Illustrated; review questions; glossary.
15. =Electrotyping and Sterotyping= By Harris B. Hatch and A. A. Stewart
A primer of information about the processes of electrotyping and
stereotyping. 94 pp.; illustrated; 129 review questions;
glossaries.
PART II--_Hand and Machine Composition_
16. =Typesetting= By A. A. Stewart
A handbook for beginners, giving information about justifying,
spacing, correcting, and other matters relating to typesetting.
Illustrated; review questions; glossary.
17. =Printers' Proofs= By A. A. Stewart
The methods by which they are made, marked, and corrected, with
observations on proofreading. Illustrated; review questions;
glossary.
18. =First Steps in Job Composition= By Camille DeVéze
Suggestions for the apprentice compositor in setting his first
jobs, especially about the important little things which go to make
good display in typography. 63 pp.; examples; 55 review questions;
glossary.
19. =General Job Composition=
How the job compositor handles business stationery, programs and
miscellaneous work. Illustrated; review questions; glossary.
20. =Book Composition= By J. W. Bothwell
Chapters from DeVinne's "Modern Methods of Book Composition,"
revised and arranged for this series of text-books by J. W.
Bothwell of The DeVinne Press, New York. Part I: Composition of
pages. Part II: Imposition of pages. 229 pp.; illustrated; 525
review questions; glossary.
21. =Tabular Composition= By Robert Seaver
A study of the elementary forms of table composition, with examples
of more difficult composition. 36 pp.; examples; 45 review
questions.
22. =Applied Arithmetic= By E. E. Sheldon
Elementary arithmetic applied to problems of the printing trade,
calculation of materials, paper weights and sizes, with standard
tables and rules for computation, each subject amplified with
examples and exercises. 159 pp.
23. =Typecasting and Composing Machines= A. W. Finlay, Editor
Section I--The Linotype By L. A. Hornstein
Section II--The Monotype By Joseph Hays
Section III--The Intertype By Henry W. Cozzens
Section IV--Other Typecasting
and Typesetting Machines By Frank H. Smith
A brief history of typesetting machines, with descriptions of their
mechanical principles and operations. Illustrated; review
questions; glossary.
PART III--_Imposition and Stonework_
24. =Locking Forms for the Job Press= By Frank S. Henry
Things the apprentice should know about locking up small forms, and
about general work on the stone. Illustrated; review questions;
glossary.
25. =Preparing Forms for the Cylinder Press= By Frank S. Henry
Pamphlet and catalog imposition; margins; fold marks, etc. Methods
of handling type forms and electrotype forms. Illustrated; review
questions; glossary.