a square Hole (as at _k_.) This square Hole hath all its Sides on the
_Upper-Plain_ of the _Palate_ opened to a _Bevel_ of about 45 Degrees,
and about the depth of a thick _Scaboard_. Into this square _Hole_ is
fitted a square _Pin_ to reach through it; and within half a _Scaboard_
through a square _Hole_, made just under it in the _Bottom-Plate_ which
the _Mouth-Piece_ lies upon. On the upper end of this square _Pin_ is
made a square _Sholder_, whose under-sides are filed _Bevil_ away,
so as to comply and fall just into the _Bevil_ made on the _Palate_
aforesaid, and on the under end of the _Pin_ is made a _Male-screw_
long enough to contain a square _Nut_, with a _Female-screw_ in it
about a _Pica_ or _English_ thick, which _Nut_ being twisted about the
_Pin_ of the _Male-screw_, draws and fastens the _Mouth-piece_ close
down to the _Bottom-Plate_, and also close to the _Carriage_ and _Body_
of the _Mold_.
Note, that the square _Hole_ made in the _Bottom-Plate_ to receive the
square _Shanck_ of the _Pin_, must be made a little wider than just to
fit the square _Shanck_ of the _Pin_, because the _Mouth-piece_ must be
so placed, that the end of the _Jaw_ next the _Throat_ must lie just
even with the _Body_ it is to be joyned to; and also that the _Throat_
of the _Mouth-piece_ may be thrust perfectly close to the Sides of the
_Carriage_ and _Body_: And when Occasion requires the _Shanck_ of the
Letter to be lengthned, it may be set farther off the _Carriage_, that
an _Asidue_, or sometimes a thin _Plate_ of _Brass_ may be fitted in
between the _Carriage_ and the _Throat_ of the _Mouth-piece_, as shall
farther be shewed when I come to justifie the _Mold_.
¶. 7. _Of the_ Register.
Behind the _Mold_ is placed the _Register_, as at _f i h_, which I have
also placed apart in the aforesaid Plate, as at C, that it may the more
perspicuously be discerned, and a more particular account of its parts
be given, which are as follows:
C _a a b c d e_ The _Register_.
_a a_ The _Sholders_.
_b c_ The _Neck_.
_d_ The _Cheek_ returning square from the Plate of the
_Register_, and is about an _English_ thick.
_e_ The _Screw Hole_.
It is made of an _Iron_ Plate about a _Brevier_ thick; its upper-Side
is straight, but its under Side is not: For at _a a_ projects downwards
a small piece of the same Plate, which we may call the _Sholders_,
of the Form you see in the Figure. These _Sholders_ have two small
_Notches_ (as at _b c_) filed in them below the _Range_ on the under
side of the _Register_, which we will call the _Neck_, and is just so
wide as the _Bottom-Plate_ is thick. This _Neck_ is set into a square
_Notch_, filed so far into the _Bottom-Plate_, that the flat inside of
the _Register_ may stand close against the hind side of the _Carriage_
and _Body_; and this _Notch_ is filed so wide on the left-Hand, that
when the side _b_ of the _Neck_ stands close against the left-hand
Side of this _Notch_ (as it is posited in the Figure) the _Cheek_ of
the _Register_ stands just even with the Edge of the _Body_. And this
_Notch_ is also filed so wide on the right-Hand Side, that when the
_Neck_ at _c_ stands close against the right-hand Side of the _Notch_,
the _Cheek_ of the _Register_ may remove an m, or an m and an n from
the edge of the _Body_ towards the right hand: And the _Sholders a a_
are made so long, that when either Side of the _Neck_ is thrust close
against its corresponding side in the _Notch_ of the _Bottom-Plate_,
the upper Edge of the opposite _Sholder_ shall hook or bear against the
under-side of the _Bottom-Plate_, and keep the whole _Register_ steady,
and directly upright to the Surface of the _Bottom-Plate_.
In the Plate of the _Register_, is made a long square Hole, as at
_e_, just wide enough to receive the _Pin_ of a _Male-screw_, with a
_Sholder_ to it, which is to fit into a _Female-screw_, made in the
Edge of the _Carriage_, that when the _Male-screw_ is turned about in
the _Female-screw_ in the _Carriage_, it shall draw the _Sholder_ of
the said _Male-screw_ hard against the upper and under Sides of the
square Hole in the Plate of the _Register_, close to the side of the
_Carriage_ and _Body_.
The reason why the Hole in the Plate of the _Register_ is made so long,
is that the _Cheek_ of the _Register_ may be slid forwards or backwards
as occasion requires; as shall be shewn when I come to justifying the
_Mold_.
¶. 8. _Of the_ Nick.
In the upper half of the _Mold_, at about a _Pica_ distance from the
_Throat_, is fitted into the under-side of the _Body_ the _Nick_: It
is made of a piece of _Wyer_ filed flat a little more than half away.
This _Nick_ is bigger or less, as the Body the _Mold_ is made for is
bigger or less; but its length is about two _m_’s. It is with round
_Sculptors_ let exactly into the under-side of the _Body_.
In the under-half of the _Mold_, is made at the same distance from the
_Throat_, on the upper-side of the _Body_, a round _Groove_, just fit
to receive the _Nick_ in the upper half.
¶. 9. _Of the_ Bow _or Spring_.
This is a long piece of hard _Iron Wyer_, whose Diameter is about a
_Brevier_ thick, and hath one end fastned into the Wood of the under
half of the _Mold_, as at _h_; but it is so fastned, that it may turn
about in the Hole of the Wood it is put into: For the end of it being
batter’d flat, a small Hole is drilled through it, into which small
Hole the end of fine _Lute-string Wyer_, or somewhat bigger is put, and
fastned by twisting about half an Inch of the end of the _Lute-string_
to the rest of the _Lute-string_: For then a considerable Bundle of
that _Wyer_, of about the Size of a Doublet Button, being wound behind
the Hole, about the end of the _Spring_, will become a _Sholder_ to it,
and keep the end of the _Spring_ from slipping through the Hole in the
Wood: But this _Button_ or _Sholder_ must also be kept on by thrusting
another piece of _Wyer_ stiff into the Hole made on the end of the
_Spring_, and crooking that _Wyer_ into the Form of an S, that it slip
not out of the Hole.
The manner how the _Spring_ is bowed, you may see in the Figure: But
just without the Wood is twisted upon another _Wyer_ about an _English_
thick five or six turns of the _Wyer_ of the _Spring_, to make the
whole _Spring_ bear the stronger at its point: For the Office of the
_Spring_ is with its Point at _g_, to thrust the _Matrice_ close
against the _Carriage_ and _Body_.
¶. 10. _Of the_ Hooks, _or_ Haggs.
These are _Iron Wyers_ about a _Long-Primmer_ thick: Their Shape you
may see in the Figure: They are so fastned into the Wood of the _Mold_,
that they may not hinder the _Ladle_ hitting the _Mouth_. Their Office
is to pick and draw with their Points the _Break_ and _Letter_ out of
the _Mold_ when they may chance to stick.
¶. 11. _Of the_ Woods _of the_ Mold.
All the _Iron_ Work aforesaid of the _Mold_ is fitted and fastned on
two Woods, _viz._ each half one, and each Wood about an Inch thick,
and of the shape of each respective _Bottom-Plate_. The Wood hath
all its Sides except the hind-side, about a _Pica_ longer than the
_Bottom-Plate_; but the hind-side lies even with the _Bottom-Plate_.
The _Bottom-Plate_, as afore was said in ¶. 2. of this §. hath an _Iron
Pin_ on its under-side, about half an Inch long, with a _Male-screw_ on
its end, which _Pin_ being let fit into an Hole in the Wood does by a
_Nut_ with a _Female-screw_ in it draw, all the _Iron_ Work close and
fast to the Wood.
But because the Wood is an Inch thick, and the _Pin_ in the
_Bottom-Plate_ but half an Inch long, therefore the outer or under-side
of the Wood (as posited in the Figure) hath a wide round Hole made
in it flat at the Bottom, to reach within an _English_, or a _Great
Primmer_ of the upper-side of the Wood. This round Hole is wide enough
to receive the _Nut_ with the _Female-screw_ in it; and the _Pin_
being now long enough to receive the _Female-screw_ at the wide Hole,
the _Female-screw_ may with _round nosed Plyers_ be turned about the
_Male-screw_ on the _Pin_ aforesaid, till it draw all the _Iron_ Work
close to the Wood.
The Wood behind on the upper half is cut away as the _Bottom-Plate_ of
that half is; and into the thickness of the Wood, close by the right
and left-hand side of this _Notch_ is a small square _Wyer-staple_
driven, which we may call the _Matrice-Check_; for its Office is
only to keep the _Shanck_ of the _Matrice_ from flying out of this
_Notch_ of the _Mold_ when the _Caster_ is at Work. And the _Nuts_ and
_Screws_ of the _Carriage_ and _Mouth-piece_, &c. that lie under the
_Bottom-Plate_, are with small _Chissels_ let into the upper-side of
the Wood, that the _Bottom-plates_ may lie flat on it.
Sect. XVI. _Of justifying the_ Mold.
Although the _Mold_ be now made; nay, very well and Workman-like made,
yet is it not imagin’d to be fit to go to work withal; as well because
it will doubtless Rag (as _Founders_ call it; for which Explanation see
the Table) as because the Body, Thickness, Straightness, and length
of the _Shanck_ must be finisht with such great Nicety, that without
several Proofs and Tryings, it cannot be expected to be perfectly true.
Therefore before the sinking and justifying the _Matrices_, the
_Mold_ must first be _Justified_: And first, he justifies the _Body_,
which to do, he casts about twenty _Proofs_ or Letters, as they are
called, though it matters not whether the _Shancks_ have yet Letters
on them or no. These _Proofs_ he sets up in a _Composing-stick_, as
is described in §. 17. ¶. 2. Plate 19. at G, with all their _Nicks_
towards the right Hand, and then sets up so many Letters of the same
_Body_, (which for Distinction sake we will call _Patterns_) that
he will justifie his _Body_ too, upon the _Proofs_, with all their
_Nicks_ also to the right Hand, to try if they agree in length with the
same Number of Letters that he uses for his _Pattern_; which if they
do not, for very seldom they do, but by the Workman’s fore-cast are
generally somewhat too big in the _Body_, that there may be Substance
left to _Justifie_ the _Mold_, and clear it from _Ragging_. Therefore
the _Proofs_ may drive-out somewhat, either half a Line (which in
_Founders_ and _Printers_ Language is half a _Body_) or a whole Line.
(more or less.)
He also tries if the two sides of the _Body_ are parallel, _viz._ That
the _Body_ be no bigger at the _Head_ than at the _Foot_; and that
he tries by taking half the number of his _Proofs_, and turning the
Heads of them lays them upon the other half of his _Proofs_, so that
if then the _Heads_ and _Feet_ be exactly even upon each other, and
that the Heads and Feet neither _drive-out_, nor _get in_, (_Founders_
and _Printers_ Language, for which see the Table) the two sides of the
_Body_ are parallel; but if either the _Head_ or _Foot drives out_, the
two sides of the _Body_ are not parallel, and must therefore be mended.
And as he has examin’d the Sides of the _Body_ so also he examines the
thickness of the Letter, and tries if the two Sides of the thickness
be also parallel, which to do, he sets up his _Prooves_ in the
_Composing-stick_ with their _Nicks_ upwards. Then taking half of the
_Prooves_, he turns the _Heads_ and lay the _Heads_ upon the _Feet_ of
the other half of his _Prooves_, and if the _Heads_ and _Feet_ lies
exactly upon each other and neither _drive out_ or _get in_ the two
Sides of the thicknesses are parallel. But if either the _Head_ or
_Foot_ _drive-out_ the two Sides of the thicknesses are not parallel;
and must therefore be mended.
Next, he considers whether the sides of the _Body_ be straight, first
by laying two Letters with their _Nicks_ upwards upon one another, and
holding them up in his Fingers, between his Eye and the Light, tries if
he can see Light between them: For if the least Light appear between
them, the _Carriage_ is not straight. Then he lays the _Nicks_ against
one another, and holds them also against the Light, as before: Then he
lays both the _Nicks_ outward, and examines them that way, that he may
find whether either or both of the _Carriages_ are out of straight.
But we will suppose now the _Body_ somewhat too big, and that it drives
out at the _Head_ or _Foot_; and that the thickness _drives out_ at the
_Head_ or _Foot_ and that the Sides of the _Body_ are not straight.
These are Faults enough to take the _Mold_ asunder: but yet if there
were but one of these Faults it must be taken asunder for that; by
unscrewing the _Male-Gage_, to take the _Body off_ the _Carriage_, and
the _Carriage_ off the _Bottom-Plate_.
Having found where the Fault of one or both sides of the _Body_ is,
he lays the _Body_ down upon the _Using-File_; and if the Fault be
extuberant, he rubs the Extuberancy down, by pressing his Finger
or Fingers hard upon the opposite side of the Body, just over the
extuberant part; and so rubbing the Body hard forwards on the
_Using-File_, and drawing it lightly backwards, he rubs till he has
wrought down the extuberancy, which he examins by applying the _Lyner_
to that side of the Body, and holding it so up between his Eye and the
Light, tries whether or not the _Lyner_ ride upon the part that was
extuberant; which if it do, the extuberancy is not sufficiently rub’d
off, and the former Process must again begin and be continued till the
extuberancy be rub’d off. And if the Body were too big, he by this
Operation works it down: Because the extuberancy of the _Body_ rid upon
the _Carriage_, and bore it up.
And if the fault be a _Dawk_, or Hollow in the _Body_, then he Works
the rest of that side of the _Body_ down to the bottom of the _Dawk_,
which by applying the _Lyner_ (as afore) he tryes, and this also
lessens the _Body_.
If the _Body_ drive-out at _Head_ or _Foot_, he lays the weight of his
Fingers heavy at that side or end of the _Body_ which is too thick, and
so rubs that down harder.
If the thickness of the Letter, drive-out at _Head_, or _Foot_, he
Screws the _Body_ into the _Vice_, and with a flat sharp _File_,
files the _Side_ down at the _Head_, or _Foot_. At the same time, if
the _Shanck_ of the Letter be not Square, he mends that also, and
smooth-files it very well.
Then he puts the _Mold_ together again: And melting, (or laying aside)
his first _Proofs_, lest they should make him mistake, he again _Casts_
about twenty New _Proofs_, and examins by them as before, how well he
has mended the _Body_, and how near he has brought the _Body_ to the
size of the _Pattern_: For he does not expect to do it the _First_,
_Second_, or _Seventh_ time; but mends on, on, on, by a little at a
time, till at last it is so finisht.
If the _Body_ prove too small, it is underlaid with a thick or a thin
_Asidue_; or sometimes a thin _Plate_ of _Brass_.
Then he examins the _Mouth-piece_, and sees that the _Jaws_ slide
exactly true, upon every part of the _Pallat_ without riding.
If the _Throat_ of the _Mouth-piece_ lie too low, as most commonly it
is designed so to do; Then a _Plate_ of _Brass_ of a proper thickness
is laid under it to raise it higher.
He also Justifies the _Registers_, making their _Cheeks_ truly Square.
And Screwing them about an n from the Corner of the _Body_.
He tryes that the _Male_ and _Female-Gages_ fit each other exactly,
and lie directly straight along, and parallel to both the Sides of the
_Carriage_.
All this thus performed he needs not (perhaps) take the _Mold_ assunder
again. But not having yet consider’d, or examin’d the length of the
_Shanck_ of the Letter, he now does; and if it be somewhat too long (as
we will suppose by forecast it is) then the _Body_ and _Carriage_ being
Screwed together, and both the Halves fitted in their _Gages_, the
Edges of the _Carriage_ and _Body_ are thus together rub’d upon the
_Using-File_, till the _Carriage_ be brought to an exact length.
Having thus (as he hopes) finisht the justifying of the _Mold_; and put
it together, and Screwed it fast up, he puts the two Halves together,
and then Rubs or Slides them hard against one another, to try if he
can perceive any little part of the _Body_ Ride upon the _Carriage_,
or _Carriage_ ride upon the _Body_: To know which of them it is that
Rides, or is extuberant, he uses the _Liner_; applying it to both
the Places, as well of the _Body_ as the _Carriage_: where he sees
they have Rub’d or bore upon one another: And which of them that is
extuberant, the Edge of the _Liner_ will shew, by Riding upon it: And
that part he Files upon with a small flat and very fine _File_, by
little and little, taking off the extuberancy, till the _Bodies_ and
_Carriages_ lie exactly flat upon, and close to one another: Which if
they do not, the _Mold_ will be sure to _Rag_.
§. XVII. ¶. 1. _Of Sinking the_ Punches _into the_ Matrices.
That the _Matrice_, and all its parts may be the better understood, as
I shall have Occasion to Name them, I have given you a _Draft_ of the
_Matrice_ in Plate, 18 at E. and shall here explain its parts.
_E_ The _Matrice_, wherein is Punched E, the _Face_ of
the _Letter_.
_a_ The _Bottom_ of the _Matrice_.
_b_ The _Top_ of the _Matrice_.
_c_ The _Right-side_ of the _Matrice_.
_d_ The _Left-Side_ of the _Matrice_.
_f g_ The _Face_ of the _Matrice_.
_h i_ The _Leather Grove_ of the _Matrice_.
In the _Back_ or _Side_ behind the _Matrice_, just behind E is filed
in athwart the _Back_, from the right to the left-Side a _Notch_, to
settle and hold the point of the _Spring_ or _Wyer_ of the _Mold_ in,
that the _Matrice_ fly or start not back when it is at Work.
As I told you (in §. 11. ¶. 1.) that the _Punches_ are to be made of
several Thicknesses, for reasons there shewed; and that therefore
the _Letter-Cutter_ makes _Wooden Patterns_ for his several Sizes of
Thicknesses as well as Heights; so now I am come to the _Sinking_ of
the _Punches_ into the _Matrices_, I must tell you again that the
_Letter-Cutter_ or else the _Founder_, (either of which that _Sinks_
them; for sometimes it is a Task Incumbent on each of them) considers
the Thicknesses of all the _Punches_ he has to _Sink_, though Heighth
he need not consider in _Sinking_ the _Matrices_: For the _Matrices_,
by reason of their length in _Copper_ upwards and downwards, have
Substance enough and to spare, for the longest Letters to be _Sunk_
into them: Therefore I say, he only considers the several Thicknesses
of all the _Punches_, and makes _Wooden Patterns_ for them, marking
with a Pen and Inck the number of each size, on the _Pattern_ as before
he did for the _Steel-Punches_: But the _Patterns_ he made for the
_Steel-Punches_ will be too Thin for the _Copper Matrices_: Because the
_Steel-Punches_ by _Sinking_ into the _Matrices_, stretch and force
the Sides of the _Copper_ out, and sometimes crack them for want of
Substance; and at other times carry or force the Substance of the
_Matrice_ so low with their _Sholder_ if the _Letter_ be broad, that it
creates a great Trouble to rub them _Flat_, (as it is called) because
it is done upon the _Using-File_.
Therefore he makes _Wooden Patterns_ for every of the former siz’d
_Punches_, so thick or rather an n thicker at the least, then he
made the _Wooden_ _Patterns_, that the _Steel-Punches_ were made to
be _Forged_ by, that there may be Substance enough on each side the
_Copper_ to bear the dilating that the sinking of the _Punch_ into it
will make, because the _Counter-Puncht-Letters_ are Thicker by their
_Stems_ and _Footing_ or _Topping_ than the _Counter-Punches_ made for
them need be.
Therefore (as before) for three sizes of _Punches_ to be
_Counter-Puncht_, he made three several siz’d _Patterns_; so now for
the several siz’d _Punches_ that are to be _Sunk_ into _Matrices_, he
makes three several siz’d _Patterns_ of _Wood_ for the _Copper-Smith_
to draw out _Rods_ of _Copper_ of those several Sizes by, and each of
them (as aforesaid) an n, and for the Thick _Letters_ an m (at least)
Thicker than the _Patterns_ were made, for the _Steel-Punches_ to be
Forged to a size by.
In the Forging of these _Copper-Rods_, he instructs the _Copper-Smith_
to make Choice of the softest _Copper_ he can get, that the
_Steel-Punches_ may run the less hazzard of breaking; and sometimes (if
too soft Temper’d) battering their Stroaks.
The _Rose Copper_ is commonly accounted the softest: But yet I have
many times _Sunk Punches_ indifferently into every sort of _Copper_.
Nay, even cast _Copper_, which is generally accounted the Hardest:
Because _Copper_, as well (as some other Mettals) Hardens with Melting.
These _Rods_ of _Copper_ are (as I told you in §. III. ¶. 1.) to be
Cut into small Lengths, each about an Inch and an half long, and a
_Great-Primmer_ or _Double-Pica_ deep; and for great Bodyed _Letters_ a
_Two-lin’d-English_ deep; But their Thickness not assignable, because
of the Different Thicknesses in _Letters_, both of the same and other
_Bodies_, as in part I shewed, in §. II. and more fully in this present
§. and ¶.
The reason why the _Copper-Rods_ are Forg’d so deep, is, That the more
substance of _Copper_ may lie under the _Face_ of the _Punch_: For
if the _Rod_ have not a convenient depth, the _Face_ of the _Punch_
in _Sinking_, does the sooner ingage with the Hardness of the _Face_
of the _Stake_ it is _Sunk_ upon: And having with a few Blows of the
_Hammer_, soon hardned the _Copper_ just under the _Face_ of the
_Punch_, as well the hardness of the small (thus hardned) _Body_ of
_Copper_ just under the _Face_ of the _Punch_, as the Hardness of
the _Face_ of the _Stake_ contribute a complycated assistance to the
breaking or battering the _Face_ of the _Punch_. But if the _Rod_ be
deep, the Substance of _Copper_ between the _Face_ of the _Punch_ and
the _Stake_ is less hardned, and consequently the _Punch_ will _Sink_
the easier, and deeper with less Violence.
But sometimes it has happ’ned that for the _Sinking_ one _Matrice_ or
two, I have been loath to trouble my self to go to the _Copper-Smiths_,
to get one Forg’d: and therefore I have made shift with such _Copper_
as I have had by me. But when it has not been so deep as I could have
wisht it, I have just entred the _Punch_ into the _Matrice_ upon the
_Stake_, and to _Sink_ it deep enough, I have laid it upon a good thick
piece of _Lead_, which by reason of its softness has not hardned the
_Copper_ just under the _Face_ of the _Punch_; but suffered the _Punch_
to do its _Office_ with good Success.
Having cut the _Copper-Rods_, into fit Lengths with a Cold _Chissel_,
He files the end that is to stand upon the _Stool_ of the _Mold_
exactly square, and the Right-side of the _Matrice_, that stands
against the _Carriage_ and _Body_, also exactly Square and smooth
upon the _Using-File_. Then he places the filed end, or _Bottom_ upon
the _Stool_, with the _Face_ of the _Matrice_ towards the _Carriage_
and _Body_, and the Right-side of the _Matrice_, close against the
_Register_: Then if the _Punch_ to be sunck be an ascending Letter.
He with a fine pointed _Needle_, makes a small Race by the upper-side
of the _Carriage_ upon the _Face_ of the _Matrice_, and that Race is
a mark for him, to set the top of the Ascending _Letter_ at, when he
_Sinks_ it into the _Matrice_: So that then placing the _Punch_ upright
upon the middle of the Thickness of the _Matrice_, the _Matrice_ lying
solid on the _Stake_: He with the _Face_ of an _Hammer_ sizable to the
bigness of his _Punch_, cautiously knocks upon the _Hammer-end_ of the
_Punch_, with reiterated Blows, till he have driven the _Punch_ deep
enough into the _Matrice_.
But if it be a short _Letter_, or a Descending _Letter_, and not
Ascending also: Then he elects any _Cast-Letter_ of the Thickness
of the _Beard_, (as _Founders_ and _Printers_ call it) For which
Explanation see the Table, and he lays that _Letter_ upon the _Surface_
of the _Carriage_, and then placing the _Bottom_ of the _Matrice_ to be
_Sunk_ as before, on the _Stool_, and against the _Register_, He draws
with a _Needle_ as before, a race above the _Surface_ of that _Letter_,
against the _Face_ of the _Matrice_, and that race is a Mark for him
to place the _Head_ of the _Letter_ by. Then managing the _Punch_
and _Hammer_ as before was shewed, he _Sinks_ the _Punch_ into the
_Matrice_.