The matrices pass through the magazine by gravity. Their release is
effected by mechanisms shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which are vertical
sections through the magazine, the keyboard, and intermediate
connections. Under each channel of the magazine, there is an escapement
_B_, consisting of a small lever rocking at its centre on a horizontal
pivot, and carrying at its opposite ends two dogs or pawls _b, b_, which
are projected up alternately into the magazine by the motion of the
lever. The key-rod _C_, suspended from the rear end of the escapement
_B_, tends to hold the lower pawl _b_ in an elevated position, as shown
in Fig. 5, so that it engages under the upper ear of the foremost matrix
to prevent its escape.
[Illustration: Fig. 5.]
When the escapement _B_ is rocked, it withdraws the lower pawl _b_, as
shown in Fig. 6, at the same time raising the upper pawl, so that it
engages and momentarily arrests the next matrix. As soon as the first
matrix has escaped, the escapement resumes its original position, the
upper pawl falling, while the lower one rises so as to hold the second
matrix, which assumes the position previously occupied by the one
released.
[Illustration: Fig. 6.]
Thus it is that the alternate rising and falling of the two escapement
pawls permits the matrices to escape one at a time. It is evident that
the escapements could be operated directly by rods connected with the
finger-keys, but this direct connection is objectionable because of the
labor required on the part of the operator, and the danger that the keys
may not be fully depressed. Moreover, it is essential that the
escapements should act individually with moderate speed to the end that
the matrices may be properly engaged and disengaged by the pawls. For
these reasons, and to secure easy and uniform action of the parts, the
mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is introduced between the finger-keys
and escapements. The vertical rods _C_, which actuate the escapements,
are guided in the main frame, and each is urged downward by a spring
_c_. Each rod _C_ terminates directly over one end of a rising and
falling yoke-bar _c2_, turning on a pivot _c3_ at the opposite
end. Each of the yokes _c2_ is slotted vertically to admit an
eccentric _c4_ turning on a pivot therein. A constantly rotating
rubber-covered roll _c5_ is extended across the entire keyboard
beneath the cams, which stand normally as shown in Fig. 5, out of
contact with the roll. When the parts are in this position, the cam-yoke
is sustained at its free end by the yoke-trigger _c8_, and a
cross-bar in the cam engages a vertical pin _c7_ on the frame,
whereby the cam is prevented from falling on to the roller, as it has a
tendency to do. Each of the yoke-triggers _c6_ is connected with a
vertical bar _c8_, which is in turn connected to the rear end of a
finger-key lever _D_. The parts stand normally at rest in the position
shown in Fig. 5, the roll _c5_ turning freely under the cam without
effect upon it.
When the finger-key is depressed, it raises the bar _c8_, which in
turn trips the yoke-trigger _c6_ from under the cam-yoke _c2_,
permitting the latter to fall, thereby lowering the cam _c4_ into
peripheral engagement with the rubber roll, at the same time disengaging
the cam from the stop-pin _c7_. The roll, engaging frictionally with
the cam, causes the latter to turn on its centre in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6.
Owing to the eccentric shape of the cam, its rotation while resting on
the roller causes it to lift the yoke _c2_ above its original
position, so that it acts upon the escapement rod _C_, lifting it and
causing it to reverse the position of the escapement _B_, to release the
matrix, as plainly seen in Fig. 6.
While this is taking place, the yoke-trigger _c6_ resumes its first
position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, so that as the rotating
cam lowers the yoke, it is again supported in its first position, the
cam at the same time turning forward by momentum out of engagement with
the roll until arrested in its original position by the pin _c7_.
It will be observed that the parts between each key lever and escapement
operate independently of the others, so that a number of cams may be in
engagement with the rollers at one time, and a number of escapements at
different stages of their action at one time.
The matrices falling from the magazine descend through the front
channels and are received on the inclined belt _F_, on which they are
carried over and guided on the upper rounding surface of the assembler
entrance-block _f1_, by which they are guided downward in front of
the star-wheel _f2_, which pushes them forward one after another.
The spaces or justifiers _I_, released from their magazine _H_, as
heretofore described, descend into the assembler _G_ in front of the
star-wheel in the same manner as the matrices.
The line in course of composition is sustained at its front end by a
yielding finger or resistant _g_, secured to a horizontal assembler
slide _g2_, the purpose of these parts being to hold the line
together in compact form.
[Illustration: Fig. 7.]
As the matrices approach the line, their upper ends are carried over a
spring _g3_, projecting through the assembler face-plate from the
rear, as shown in Fig. 7, its purpose being to hold the matrices forward
and prevent them from falling back in such a manner that succeeding
matrices and spaces or justifiers will pass improperly ahead of them.
The descending matrices also pass beneath a long depending spring
_g4_, which should be so adjusted as barely to permit the passage of
the thickest matrix.
[Illustration: Fig. 8.]
[Illustration: Fig. 9.]
After the composition of the line is completed in the assembling
elevator _G_, as shown in Fig. 8, the elevator is raised as shown in
Fig. 9, so as to present the line between the depending fingers of the
transfer-carriage _N_, which then moves to the left to the position
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9, thereby bringing the line into the
first elevator _O_, which then descends, carrying the line of matrices
downwards, as shown in Fig. 10, to its position in front of the mold and
between the confining jaws _P_, _P_, mounted in the main frame, which
determine the length of the line.
Figs. 11 and 12 show the casting mechanism in vertical section from
front to rear. When the first elevator _O_ lowers the line, as just
described, the mold and the pot _M_ stand in their rearward positions,
as shown in Fig. 11.
[Illustration: Fig. 10.]
[Illustration: Fig. 11.]
The mold-carrying wheel is sustained by a horizontal slide, and as soon
as the matrix line is lowered to the casting position, a cam at the
rear pushes the slide and mold wheel forward until the front face of the
mold is closed tightly against the rear face of the matrix line, as
shown in Fig. 12.
[Illustration: Fig. 12.]
While this is taking place, the pot, having its supporting legs mounted
on a horizontal shaft, swings forward until its mouth is closed tightly
against the back of the mold, as shown in Fig. 12. While the parts are
in this position, the justifying bar _Q_ is driven up and pushes the
spaces or justifiers upward through the line of matrices until the line
is expanded or elongated to fill completely the gap between jaws _P_,
_P_.
In order to secure exact alignment of the matrices vertically and
horizontally, the bar _Q_ acts repeatedly on the spaces, and the line
is slightly unlocked endwise and relocked. This is done that the
matrices may be temporarily released to facilitate the accurate
adjustment demanded. While the justified line is locked fast between the
jaws, the elevator, and the mold, the plunger _m2_ in the pot
descends and drives the molten metal before it through the spout or
mouth of the pot into the mold, which is filled under pressure, so that
a solid slug is produced against the matrices. The pot then retreats,
and its mouth breaks away from the back of the slug in the mold, while,
at the same time, the mold retreats to draw the type-characters on the
contained slug out of the matrices. The mold wheel now revolves,
carrying the rear edge of the slug past a stationary trimming-knife, not
shown, and around to the position in front of the ejector, as previously
described and shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the ejector advances and drives
the slug between two side trimming-knives into the galley at the front.