US1981835A - Spaceband for justifying matrix lines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1934. H, R, FREUND 1,981,835

SPACEBAND FOR JUSTIFYING MATRIX LINES Fi led March 3, 1934 X .u" L 7 INVENTOR a 6 7 z: fiZ'RMfi 7/R.FkU/VD ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 20, 1934 SPACEBAND Foa JUSTIFYING MATRIX LINES. I

Herman R. Freund, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Intertype Corporation, corporation of New York Brooklyn, N. Y., a

Application March 3, 1934, Serial No. 713,912 8 Claims. (01. 199-48) The present invention relates to improvements in expansible spacebands of the well-known type employed for justifying lines of .matrices assembled from the keyboard of matrix composing and line casting machines of the class disclosed .15 drive on the longer wedge member increases the 4 thickness or distance between the outer parallel faces of the spaceband and thus expands or justifies the line, the shortwedge member being retained against upward movement by lugs or ears at its upper end which project outwardly from the short member to engage. in grooves provided therefor in the line holding device or so-called first elevator of the machines in which these spacebands are commonly used.

While such spacebands as heretofore construct- 4 ed are suitablefor machine composition, in which case they are dropped from a storage receptacle into, the line, as required, in responseto the striking of a spaceband release key on the keyboard of the machine, theyare not well-suited for use in hand composition work wherein individual matrices, either too large to run in the composing machine or constituting short fonts of display characters, are picked from storage trays-and assembled by hand in a composing stick which may 'be adapted to present the line clamped therein directly to the mold of a slug casting machine or from which the line may be transferred-to. suitable line receiving means for presenting it to the 40 mold and, after the cast, transferred back to the stick from which the matrices may be distributed one by one into their proper. places in the storage trays. V I

Among the reasons why the usual style or type of spacebands are unsuited to hand composition is the fact that the lugs or earsat the top of the short member of such spacebands as heretofore constructed do not occupy the same level with the lugs or ears on the matrices.- Therefore, in

5. order to accommodate such spacebands on the composing stick, it is necessary to provide the stick with retaining rails at the required level for the spacebands as well as railsat another level for the matrices, and these different levels of assembly must thereafter be, maintained, whether the line is transferred from the stick to enable other devices to present it to a mold or remains in the stick during the casting of a slug from the matrices therein. Asa result,the.compositor is required to assemble the matrices and spacebandsat respectively different levels which consumes extr'a'time, the construction .of the stick is more complicated, and the castingof justified hand set lines can not be accomplished with satisfaction or efliciency. 7

These objections may be overcome to some extent by the spaceband disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,740,435 granted December. 17, 1929, whereinthe short member of the spaceband is provided with lugs or cars at the'same-level with and substantially conforming in shape to the upper pair of projecting lugs or ears on an ordinary matrix, so that the spacebands are supported on'the usual upper matrix supporting rails in the first elevator jaws. The short members ofsuch spacebands, however, are free to move vertically since the lugs at the top thereof are of less height than the vertical extent of the matrix channel in the elevator jaws. Accordingly, when the long members of such spacebands are driven upwardly during justification'of the line, the short members thereof are also free to be moved upwardly so, that the expanding range of the spacebands is not fully effective and the justifying action is not always satisfactory.

I The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved spaceband which will overcome all of the above-mentionedobjections, and to this end, the invention provides a spaceband the short member of which, in respect to certain essential features, has a configuration cor- I responding to'that of the matrices with which it is to cooperate. In its broadest sense, the invention contemplates the provision on the short member of a spaceband, of any means or facility, in addition to the lugs orears heretofore provided thereon, corresponding to a similar means or facility on the associated matrix, which will enable the spaceband tov be alined or retained, and particularly, to enable alinement and retention of the spaceband during its cooperation with matrices, by. the means ordinarilyprovided for alining and retaining the matrices.

For the purpose of illustration and Without restricting the invention. in any respect, the im- 05 proved spaceband is shown in the accompanying drawing in connection with a composing stick adapted for use with a typographical machine in a manner similar to that disclosed in my above-noted patent, but an improved form of that D stick has been chosen which constitutes the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 713,231 filed February 27, 1934, such improved form of stick being especially constructed to suit the spaceband provided by the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a spaceband embodying the present invention as viewed from one of its sides;

Figure 2 is an edge view in elevation of the spaceband shown in Figure 1, as viewed from the right in that figure;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the matrix line receiving jaws of the line transporter or so-called first elevator of a typographical machine, as viewed from the right hand or line receiving end thereof, showing one of the improved spacebands and also a matrix in position therein;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of a matrix line composing stick, showing one of the improved spacebands and also a matrix in position therein;

Figure 5 is an edge elevation of one of the improved spacebands having a relatively thick body or short member; 25

Figure 6 is an elevation of another embodiment of the improved spaceband according to the present invention;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a novel form of matrix adapted for use with the improved spaceband shown in Fig. 6; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse section through the improved spaceband taken on the line 88 in Fig. 1.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several figures.

In the present instance, the spaceband as shown comprises a long wedge member 1 having the usual longitudinal slot 2, the edges 3 of which are beveled or dovetailed to form guide surfaces which cooperate with similarly beveled or dovetailed edges on a bearing portion 4 on the inner side of the short member 5 of the spaceband, on which bearing portion the long wedge member 1 can slide freely up and down, as usual in spacebands of ordinary construction. According to the present invention, the short member 5, as shown, is also formed with oppositely disposed upper lugs or ears 6 which correspond to the usual upper lugs I or ears on a standard matrix, although these lugs or ears may be of the usual form and location. According to the present invention, however, one or more lugs or ears '7 are provided on the short member of the spaceband at or near the lower end thereof corresponding to a similarly located ear or ears on the matrix with which the spaceband is to cooperate. The ears 6 are preferably beveled or sharpened across their tops, as indicated at 8, the bevel extending partially down the sides of the ears, as indicated, for the purpose of facilitating the entry of the spacebands between the parallel faces of adjacent matrices, it being understood that the matrices are stacked fiatwise against one another on or in a composing stick, and unless beveled as indicated, the spacebands could not be inserted so readily between the matrices.

In Figure 3 a spaceband embodying the present invention is shown supported by its upper lugs 7 or ears 6 on the usual matrix supporting rails 9 and 10 in the front and rear jaws 11 and 12 respectively of the well-known first elevator of a typographical machine which elevator carries the line to and from the slug casting mold in the usual A and well-known manner, and the short member 5 of the spaceband shown in this instance has two lower ears 7 one of which lies adjacent to the alining and retaining rail 13 of the jaw 11. A matrix of the usual form is indicated as also supported on the rails 9 and 10 of the first elevator jaws by its usual upper lugs or ears, this matrix being behind the short member 5 of the spaceband and having the usual combination or distributor teeth 14 in its upper edge and character punchings 15 in its mold engaging edge, the matrix however otherwise conforming in outline to that of the short member 5 of the improved spaceband.

As will be clear to those familiar with machines in which these spacebands may be used, the long wedge members 1 of the spacebands are driven upwardly through the line of matrices in the line transporter or first elevator to expand or justify the line, and the matrices are retained against upward movement during justification by engagement of their lower front lugs against the under side of one or the other of the rails 13 and 16 in the elevator, according to whether the upper or lower character of the matrix is to be presented to the mold. Since the spaceband constructed in accordance with the present invention, has at least one lower ear 7 corresponding to one of the lower ears of the matrices with which it is to cooperate, it will be seen that the short member 5 of such spaceband will likewise be retained against upward movement by engagement of such lower ear thereon with one or the other of the rails 13 and 16 of the elevator, thus differing from the usual arrangement employing ordinary spacebands as heretofore constructed, wherein the grooves 1'7 and 18 provided in the jaws of the first elevator constituted the means for retaining the short members of such spacebands against upward movement, spacebands of the usual form as heretofore constructed having but one pair of upper ears located at a level above that of the upper ears on the matrices in order to enter the retaining grooves 17 and 18 at a higher level and especially provided for such purpose.

It will be understood however that one of the principal features of the present invention resides in the provision, in addition to the ears or lugs heretofore present, of a lug or ear, or the equivalent thereof, on the short member of a spaceband to serve as a means or facility for aligning and retaining the spaceband, especially while cooperating with matrices. The invention therefore contemplates within its scope the provision of at least one lower lug or ear '7 in addition to whatever upper lugs or ears the spaceband may have, whether such upper lugs or ears are of the usual kind or are formed so as to correspond substantially in location and configuration to upper lugs or ears or the like on a matrix, the addition of at least one lower lug or ear on the short member of the spaceband providing sufficient means or facility to enable the spaceband to be retained during assembly, as on a composing stick or in the first elevator of the machine, by cooperation with the same rails which are provided for retaining the matrices.

The convenience with which the improved spaceband can be assembled on a composing stick and the simplicity of construction rendered possible as a result of the novel features of the improved spaceband will be apparent from Figure 4 of the drawing. As shown in this figure, the composing stick comprises an integral one-piece bottom and side wall 20, the stick being viewed endwise and having its bottom and side walls extending in right-angularrelation;the, bottom or horizontal wall of the stick having asingle rail 21 extending longitudinally thereof in parallelism with but spaced'from the upright or side wall of .the stick adistance slightly greater than the length ofa standard matrix. The matrix in this figure is identified by the dotted lines indicating the usual combination or distributor teeth 14 in the V-notch at its top end, and since the short member of the improved spaceband has lower ears, and in this instance it has the configuration of the matrix in respect to all of its ears, it willkbe evident that the lower lugs or ears of both the matrices and thespacebands are alined by the common rail 21 on the stick and both elements of the composed line are held against sliding endwise by this rail. The upright or side wall of the stick has a bar 22-fixed to its inner side and extending along the length thereof in parallelism with therail 21, this bar entering the V-shaped notches in the upper ends of the matrices and spacebands andthus retain-- ing the matrices and spacebands against falling over side wise. The improved spaceband is thus adapted to be assembled with matrices in aconvenient manner and without the necessity of complicating the composing stick by providing for different levels of assembly andfor maintaining separate alinements of the matrices and the spacebands on the stick or by providing for different levels of the matrices and spacebands during transfer of the lines from the stick or upon presentation of the line in the stick to the slug casting mold, so that the casting of justified lines from matrices composed on a stick by hand is rendered practical and may be accomplished economically.

The short member 5 of the improved spaceband may if desired be made relatively thick, as shown in Fig. 5, for the purpose of providing a greater initial space between the character mat rices in a line before the spaceband is expanded. A spaceband of this form may be employed advantageously when the character matrices are relatively large as for example for producing slugs for printing head-letter or. large display lines. In such classes of printing, it is desirable to provide for spacing between Words which will be in proper proportion to the large characters, and the thickened short member of the spaceband as shown in this figure will serve to provide a wider spacing when such is desired.

Obviously, one of the lower or bottom ears 7, for example theone at the right in Fig. 3, may not necessarily be present on the short member of the spaceband, since this car is not used for alinement purposes. However, by providing both bottom ears '7 on the short member of the spaceband when such is possible, the spacebands may be assembled at random with respect to their edgewise position on the composing stick and yet present a lower or bottom ear to the rail 13 or 16 in the first elevator or to the rail 21 on the stick.

In Figure 6, which shows another embodiment of the invention, the short member 5 of the spaceband corresponds in configuration to that of the matrix 23 shown in Figure 7, such matrix having a body of greater length than the ordinary matrix in order to bear a character 24 of larger size, and in this instance the'configuration of the short member 5 of the spaceband conforms with that of the matrix shown in Figure 7 also with respect to the single lower ear 7 on the short member 5 of the spaceband which corresponds with the singlelower ear 25 on the matrix, the location of this eary25 on the matrix being the same as thatof the left-handear 7 on the spaceband as shown in Figure 3 or; the lower ear 7 at the bottom or resting on the composing stick in Figure 4, orthe corresponding ear on the usual matrix of ordinary length: The greater length of the short member 5 of the spaceband in Figure 6. provides the necessary extent of surface for cooperation with the fiat side of the longer matrix shown. in Figure. 7. The single lower ear 7 in Figure 6 serves to sustain the spaceband against therail .21 on the composing stick and against upward movement inthe first elevator by contact with the rail Her 16 in the first elevator jaws shown in Fig. 3 during justification,' and it will be apparent. that the single lower ear 25 on the matrix shown in Figure 7 also serves the same purposes.

Thus by'forming' the short member of the spaceband with the same configuration. as to length as that of'the'matrix and including in such configuration, in addition to the lugsv or cars heretofore present, at least one alining and retaining means or facility corresponding to a like means or facility at or near the lower end of the matrix with which the spaceband is to be used, the utility of the spaceband is enhanced since, whether the matrices are of ordinary length or extended length, the spaceband will be suitable for cooperation therewith in assembling, justifying and casting without requiring special provisions for supporting, alining or retaining it in the composing stick or in the casting machine. It will also be apparent that if the configuration of the short member according to the present invention includes an extension of its length as well as one or more lower lugs or ears corresponding in form and location with one or more of the lower alining and retaining means or facilities on a matrix, the spacebandwill be capable of cooperating with matrices I of correspondingly extended length or matrices of ordinary length.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and long members presenting parallel outer faces and adapted for insertion between adjacent matrices having parallel faces and ears projecting from their sides at the top and bottom in the plane of one of their faces,

the short member having ears corresponding to ly movable short and long wedge members, the.

short member having ears projecting from both sides at its upper end and beveled across their tops to present a sharpened edge, said bevel extending along the side edges of said ears for at least a portion of their length, and at least one ear projecting from a side of said short member at its lower end.

4. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and long wedge members of equal width, the short member having ears projecting 'Fil beyond its width from both sides at its upper end and at least one ear projecting beyond its width at its lower end, the thickness of the ears on the short member being less than the thickness of said member.

5. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and long wedge members of equal width, the short member having ears projecting beyond its width from both sides at its upper end and at least one ear projecting beyond its width at its lower end, the ears at the upper end of the short member being beveled or tapered across their tops, and the thickness of the ears on the short member being less than the thickness of said member.

6. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and long wedge members adapted to cooperate with the parallel side faces of matrices of different lengths but having similarly located alining and retaining lugs at their edges, the short member having a configuration corresponding in length to that of the longest matrix with which it cooperates and including in its configuration at least one alining and retaining lug corresponding to similar lugs on the matrices.

7. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and long wedge members adapted to cooperate with the parallel side faces of matrices of difierent lengths having upper and lower alining and retaining means at their edges, the short member having a configuration corresponding in length to that of the longest matrix with which it cooperates and including in its configuration a portion corresponding to at least one of the lower alining and retaining means on said matrix.

8. A spaceband comprising connected relatively movable short and long wedge members adapted to cooperate with the parallel side faces of matrices having upper and lower projecting ears at their edges and having body portions of standard length, and similar matrices of greater than standard length, the increased length of the latter matrices extending below the lower projecting ear thereon, said short member of the spaceband being of increased length to cooperate with the side faces of matrices of either of said lengths and having a configuration which includes that of at least one of the lower projecting ears on the matrices.

HERMAN R. FREUND.

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