Part 1

LINOTYPE MANUAL

GIVING DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS OF THE PROPER ADJUSTMENT AND CARE OF THE LINOTYPE

_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_

_Price, $2.00_

AGENTS

J. W. SUTHERLAND, 62 MCVICKER’S THEATRE BLDG., CHICAGO F. H. McCALL, 408 HALL BUILDING, KANSAS CITY

COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY F. H. McCall

CONTENTS.

BEST METHOD OF PLACING MACHINE 9

LINOTYPE MOTOR 12

THE MACHINE AS IT COMES FROM THE FACTORY AND HOW TO ERECT IT 13

TEMPERATURE OF THE METAL 23

THE GAS CONNECTIONS AND GOVERNOR 24

PURIFYING THE METAL 27

FORMATION OF DROSS UPON THE SURFACE OF LINOTYPE METAL 27

CARE OF FRICTION CLUTCH 28

TO ADJUST NEW STYLE AUTOMATIC STOP 30

TO SET VISE AUTOMATIC 30

TO PREVENT TRANSPOSITION OF MATRICES 36

THE ASSEMBLER STAR AND FRICTION SPRING 39

TO SET DISTRIBUTER BAR 40

TO SET THE MAGAZINE 41

TO SET DISTRIBUTER BOX LIFT 42

TO REMOVE SIDE OF KEYBOARD TO CLEAN CAMS 46

THE DISTRIBUTER BOX AND RAILS 49

THE SPACEBAND BOX AND PAWLS 53

KEYBOARD, MAGAZINE AND CONNECTIONS 57

THE METAL POT 61

CAUSES OF SQUIRTS 62

DIRECTIONS FOR FACING MOUTHPIECE 63

CARE OF MATRICES, SPACEBANDS AND MAGAZINE 67

LAPPING AND CLEANING MOLDS 69

ADJUSTABLE MOLDS AND LINERS 71

THE SPACE BANDS 72

POINT SYSTEM OF THE MERGENTHALER LINOTYPE CO. 73

MATRIX HAIR SPACES 74

ADJUSTMENT OF MOLD SLIDE AND DISK 75

DIRECTIONS FOR PUTTING IN A NEW VERGE 76

ALIGNMENT OF FACES 77

KEYBOARDS 79

SUPPLIES WHICH SHOULD BE KEPT IN STOCK 84

NUMBERS AND SIZES OF CHANNELS—SIZES OF VERGES, PAWLS AND EARS OF MATRICES 86

INTRODUCTION.

The object in view in compiling this book is to show by means of cuts and detail drawings the different adjustments and how to make same.

The automatics and how to set them.

The best method of placing machines in an office, with the necessary belting, shafting, etc.

Erecting machine, and other useful information in regard to care of same.

How to keep metal in good condition to obtain best results, and other instructions that will tend to the successful operation of the Linotype.

Best Methods of Placing Machine.

The machine complete and ready for operation weighs 1,925 pounds. In operation there is no vibration, and the machine may be safely placed in any building of ordinary strength.

Each machine requires somewhat less than one-quarter of a horsepower to drive it, but the allowance of one-half horsepower is recommended to insure steadiness of motion.

Each machine, including overhanging projections, is a little less than five feet square.

In placing machines allowance must be made for space sufficient to pass around and between them, and for seat of operator in front. A liberal allowance is 7x10 feet.

The driving pulley of the machine is 14½ inches in diameter and should be driven at about 62 revolutions per minute. _Never to exceed 66._ Any arrangement of shafting and pulleys which will secure this speed will answer.

Linotype Motor.

The Linotype Company has recently had a specially designed electric motor built which is adapted for speedy application to Linotype machines. These motors are cheap, compact, reliable and pleasing in appearance. Their application demands no change in the machine except to remove the driving pulley and substitute a gear wheel furnished with the motor.

The only connection required is the extension of a wire to an ordinary incandescent lamp socket or other suitable source of electric power. The use of these motors avoid the necessity for countershafts, pulleys and belts, and greatly improve the appearance of the office.

Motors wound for 115, 230 and 500 volts are carried in stock. The price, with all attachments, applicable to any machine, is $65.

The Machine as It Comes from the Factory and How to Erect It.

In shipping the machine the base and heavy parts, such as column, metal pot, cams, vise, etc., are assembled. The base being bolted with lag screws to three skids and boxed up, with the distributer bracket and step cleated in the top.

A second box, 20x24x18 inches, contains the key-board and reeds, intermediate bracket, channel-plate support, and all the small parts, such as vise-locking screws, flexible front, pi box and tube, second elevator, distributer box, keyboard rod guide assembled, all carriages, etc.

A third box, 44x26x16 inches, contains face plate assembled, magazine, set of matrices, two small boxes, one containing large and small assembler glasses, the other the magazine entrance.

A fourth box, 46x9x12 inches, contains distributer assembled and first elevator.

Take boards from base and roll it to its permanent position and remove skids, then cut the wires that bind levers C and J (Fig. 4). Then turn clutch A to the right until second elevator lever J (Fig. 4) is in the position shown in Fig. 5 and put on the distributer bracket A (Fig. 5). Then, in the order given, put on intermediate bracket D, upper rod guide F, channel plate support E, second elevator C (Fig. 5), and vise-locking screws 2 and 3 (Fig. 4).

Then put on keyboard C (Fig. 6) and put in rods B (Fig. 6), which are numbered consecutively, beginning with No. 1 at the left. Then put on first elevator A (Fig. 6), distributer N (Fig. 5), and belt P (Fig. 5), which should always be crossed so as to run away from the gears.

Now, with machine in position (Fig. 6), put on face plate N (Fig. 7), which is held by the three cap screws 2, 3 and 4 (Fig. 6), and magazine A and flexible front and glass C (Fig. 7) and connect spaceband lever, spaceband transfer carriage, distributer shifter carriages, line delivery carriage, assembling elevator, etc. Reversing these directions will, of course, show how to take the machine apart.

Before putting on driving belt it is advisable to turn machine over by hand, to be sure everything is all right. If all parts are connected properly there should be no binding and machine should turn easily.

Temperature of the Metal.

It is essential that the temperature of the metal should be kept uniform. If the temperature is too high, porous or spongy slugs will result, also defective faces and a weak surface, which allows the letters to sink in printing.

A temperature that is too low causes the metal to adhere to the mouthpiece and prevents the free flow of the metal to the mold.

We recommend that the metal in front of the well be kept at a temperature anywhere between 536 and 563 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature can be kept uniform by means of the gas governor attached to each machine, and can be supplemented by a gas pressure governor attached to supply pipe. (See Fig. 10.)

The temperature can be ascertained by plunging a thermometer reading up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit into the molten metal in front of the well and readings taken when the mercury remains constant. Heat the thermometer before plunging it into the metal. The bulb should be wholly covered by the molten metal.

When no thermometer is at hand the temperature may be obtained approximately by plunging a piece of paper into the molten metal. If it turns brown the metal is in a proper condition to cast. The temperature is too low if only a slight color is imparted to the paper; too high if a deep brown or black.

No other metal, such as brass, zinc, or stereotype metal should be mixed with linotype metal. It has been found that better results are obtained if the slugs are melted in a proper furnace and cast into ingots or blocks.

The pot will be kept more free from dross by this method than by melting the slugs in the metal pot of the machine.

The Gas Connections and Governor.

For one machine use a ½-inch supply pipe, and increase about ¼-inch for each additional machine, a 2-inch pipe being sufficient for a plant of twelve machines. A ½-inch feed pipe should be run to each machine.

A gas governor is furnished by the Linotype Company, as shown in Fig. 10, which should be attached to the main pipe near the machines. This governor, together with the one on the machine, will keep the gas at a uniform pressure. The governor (Fig. 10) works as follows:

When the gas pressure becomes too heavy it raises the float B, which sets in mercury at point J and A, and closes the valve C, points 1 and 2.

A small bottle of mercury is sent with each governor; also two small lead weights, which go on top of float B. The arrows show how the gas enters and leaves the governor.

Purifying the Metal.

The metal may be purified if, when in a molten state, a piece of green wood about 4 inches in diameter and 7 or 8 inches long, attached to an iron rod, is plunged into the molten metal and allowed to remain about 20 minutes, or until the boiling ceases.

The green wood causes the metal to boil violently, and the oxides contained in the interior of the molten metal are affectually reduced.

The metal should then be thoroughly stirred and the scum removed by an iron ladle.

The dross on the surface may be reduced by adding a few ounces of rosin to the molten mass.

Formation of Dross Upon the Surface of Linotype Metal.

Dross is a compound formed by the action of air upon molten metal. The oxygen contained in the atmosphere attacks most metals with which we are acquainted. The formation of this oxide takes place more rapidly and in larger quantities the higher the temperature of the metal.

This oxidation only occurs upon the surface of molten metal where the air has access and not in the center of the molten mass. It is easy to skim this dross from the metal by means of an iron ladle. It can then be reduced to metal during the operation of melting the slugs into blocks already described.

If this is done little loss will result. The principle of its reduction to the metallic state is this:

If such dross is heated in contact with carbonaceous material, such as rosin, the carbon and resulting gases formed in the process take away the oxygen contained in the dross, liberating the metal.

Care of Friction Clutch.

Care should be taken to keep the inside rim of pulley and clutch leather shoes free from oil; if not, the clutch will slip and fail to turn machine over. The clutch and pulleys should be taken off every two weeks and cleaned and oiled; if not, they will become dry on the shaft and cause the mold disk to carry over when the machine stops.

To take off the clutch and pulleys unscrew the nut E (Fig. 13) and loosen screw which holds clutch on the shaft; then clean shaft N (Fig. 11); then put it back and adjust as described in Adjustment of Automatic Stop.

The friction clutch spring S (Fig. 11) is sometimes too weak, and should be strengthened or renewed. To take out this spring, unscrew the cap or end of shaft as shown in Fig. 11.

To Adjust New Style Automatic Stop.

First—Adjust the automatic stopping pawl A (Fig. 14) to 15-16 inch from side of cam to back of pawl and adjust automatic safety pawl the same.

Second—Set the automatic stopping lever C (Fig. 14) so as to engage 3-16 inch with automatic stopping pawl A. Then clamp the vertical starting lever shaft K with set screw D (Fig. 12).

Third—By the adjusting nut E (Fig. 13) adjust the driving shaft clutch flange F (Fig. 12) to 29-64 inch from end of driving shaft bearing G (Fig. 12); then tighten check nut.

Fourth—By means of adjusting screw H (Fig. 12) take up the lost motion between the contact points I and J (Fig. 12), leaving 1-32 inch play; then tighten check nut.

To set friction clutch on machines with old-style automatic stop, simply tighten the nut E (Fig. 13) until there is 1-16 inch between flange F and driving shaft bearing G (Fig. 12), with starting lever open; then set vise automatic.

To Set Vise Automatic.

First set eccentric screw 6 (Fig. 15) on inner end of stopping and starting lever connection rod 8 (Fig. 15) so as to take up all lost motion between it and the vertical starting lever. Then set the eccentric screw 7 (Fig. 15) on outer end of the connecting rod 8 so as to take up all lost motion between it and vise automatic stop lever 4 (Fig. 15). To do this, pull out the vise automatic stop lever 4 with your finger until the inside end bears firmly against the vise automatic stop rod 1, which, in turn, comes in contact with the vise automatic stop mold disk dog 3 (Fig. 15); then pull out the starting and stopping hand lever 2 (Fig. 15) until machine starts. At the time when the machine starts the eccentric screw 7 should touch the outer end of the vise automatic stop lever 4, then there would be no lost motion and the vise automatic would act as follows:

In case of a tight line (which would not allow the first elevator to drop into the vise far enough to force the vise automatic stop rod 1 down to allow the mold disk dog 3 to pass over the pawl 5 in the stop rod 1) the disk coming forward would force the mold disk dog 3 against the pawl 5 in stop rod 1 which, coming in contact with inner end of vise automatic stop lever 4, would force the outer end of stop lever against eccentric screw 7, which would cause the machine to be shut off the same as if it were done by pushing the hand lever in by hand.

If the vise automatic is set this way it will stop mold disk nearly 1-16 inch away from matrices, leaving the first elevator free to lift up and a matrix to be taken out. This not only prevents a squirt, but saves the ears of the matrices in many cases.

To Prevent Transposition of Matrices.

In order to prevent transposition of matrices and spacebands the parts should be adjusted as illustrated in Fig. 31.

The assembler chute spring A, which lays between spaceband chute B and assembler rail C, should be set as low as its banking piece “a” will permit. Its lower end should be about midway between the lower end of the spaceband chute B and matrix catch spring E, and in line with them.

The space between the spring A and rail C at point 2 should be equal to the thickness of the capital W matrix.

The spaceband buffer F should be adjusted so that each band as it falls into the line will be supported by the buffer, with its ear about 1-32 inch above the top of the assembler rail.

The buffer wire should have a slight inclination downward toward the left, so that the ears of the bands will settle down as the line is assembled.

The matrix catch spring E should project through the assembler plate a sufficient distance to catch each matrix as it passes, and prevent it from falling back to the right.

The assembler slide brake H and spring L should be adjusted to prevent the assembler slide from jumping ahead to the left or continually vibrating as the matrices enter. If the assembler vibrates it makes it impossible for the operator to read the line, and the last letter will sometimes fall out when the assembling elevator is raised. This is caused by the brake H wearing at points 3 and 4, which lessens the tension of the spring L and takes up the space between bottom screw J and brake lever K at point 6, which should be about 1-32 inch. If brake H is not too badly worn at points 3 and 4 this trouble can be obviated by strengthening spring L and turning up screw J until you have about 1-32 inch space at point 6. Be careful not to get too much space at point 6, or the assembler slide would not return when the line has been released from the assembling elevator.

The Assembler Star and Friction Spring.

The assembler star should be renewed as soon as it is worn sufficient to prevent it from pushing the matrices inside the assembling elevator pawls, and it is advisable to renew the assembler chute rails at the same time.

The assembler star friction spring sometimes gets too weak to hold the star and it will slip. The assembler star friction disk will also wear out.

To renew these, take off the assembler Fig. 17 (this shows back view) and unscrew the nut C.

This cut also shows the intermediate gear B and assembler belt driving pulley A.

To Set Distributer Bar.

The distributer bar has a strip of brass about 1-16 inch wide set into it just above the combinations.

In setting it for height be careful not to set it too low. If set too low the matrix, in leaving the distributer box, will bind between the distributer box upper rails N (Fig. 27), M (Fig. 26) and the brass strip. If the matrices bind it will not only bend the ears, but also wear brass strip.

The bar should be set so that when matrix is about to leave the rails, and has entered onto the first combination of the bar, it will rest on the top of the rails and be perfectly free on the bar.

To make this adjustment, loosen the screws E and F (Fig. 19) and set the bar with the two set screws in top of distributer beam.

To set the bar endwise, the distance from the first combination (e) (Fig. 18) to the outside of the distributer front screw bracket A (Fig. 18) should be 2⅞ inches.

In the latest machines built this bar is adjusted in the factory and a pin driven into it just below screw F (Fig. 19). If bar is taken out it will always go back in its proper place, and the end adjustment will not be necessary.

To Set the Magazine.

In setting the magazine first see that the distributer-bar is set right, as shown in Fig. 18; then run two pi matrices onto the bar, one at each end, as 1 and 2 (Fig. 20); then raise or lower the magazine with screws E and F until there is about 1-16 inch space between the bottom of matrix and the channel-plate entrance partition at points 1 and 2 (Fig. 20); then tighten check nuts on screws E and F to prevent them from changing.

Next run a lower case “e” onto the bar by turning the distributer slowly by hand, and set the magazine sidewise until the lower case “e” drops as soon as it passes the second entrance partition, which would be the right hand partition for the “e” channel. When the machine is running the momentum will be sufficient to carry it to the center of the “e” channel. Then turn out the screws N and M (Fig. 20) until they touch the sides of the distributer bracket, and tighten the check nuts on the screws M and N so they will not change.

The next thing is to set the lower end of the magazine in relation to the rods J, Fig. 21.

First throw the rods into the verges; then touch the first and last keyboard buttons, which are lower case “e” and “—”; then turn rubber roller until the “e” and “—” rods are at their highest point; then raise or lower the magazine by screws in channel-plate support A (Fig. 20) and on column R (Fig. 5) until there is about 1-32 inch between the key rod and verge at point 8 (Fig. 32); then tighten the check nuts B on screws A (Fig. 21).

To Set Distributer Box Lift.

Turn out screw A (Fig. 20) until the lift C (Fig. 20) will not come down low enough to pick up the matrices; then turn the screw A (Fig. 20) until the lift C will just pick up all the matrices and tighten check nut on the screw. This will allow all extra motion to be on the upward motion which carries the matrix that much higher up into the distributer screws, so there would be little danger of bending the ear of the matrix.

To Remove Side of Keyboard to Clean Cams.

The keyboard cams should be taken out and thoroughly cleaned every six or eight months and oiled with a drop of clock oil on the journal pin. This will prevent them from sticking and causing transposition of the matrices.

The easiest way to take out the cams is to take off the back and front of the keyboard (Fig. 23). This is done by taking off the keyboard tray N (Fig. 23); then taking out screws I and A (Fig. 22) with the keyboard unlocked. The back, of course, comes off the same way. As these are dowelled, you would have no trouble in replacing them.

It will be found easier in putting them back if a small wire is run through the cam yoke triggers C (Fig. 31), locking them so they would enter the keyboard keybars B (Fig. 31) at point 3 (Fig. 31).

Figure 24 shows the keyboard with the front taken off, showing the keyboard keybars N in place and lower keyboard rod guide M.

The Distributer Box and Rails.

Figure No. 25 shows the distributer-box complete. The best way to take it apart to renew the rails B and C (Fig. 28) is to take out screws 1, 2 and 3 (Fig. 25) and take off side (Fig. 26).

The rails M and K (Fig. 26) and N and O (Fig. 27) have to be renewed when they have worn (as shown by dotted lines 1 and 2, Fig. 28) enough to allow two thin matrices to pass between points 1 and 2, rails C and B, and distributer-box bar pawl 3 (Fig. 28).

If the rails M (Fig. 26) and N (Fig. 27) are badly worn on the top 2 (Fig. 26) and 4 (Fig. 27) a matrix is liable to leave the box and enter on the distributer-bar diagonally, and if the distributer-box is not set properly the same thing will occur.

The Spaceband Box and Pawls.

To insure good work the spaceband box should be kept thoroughly clean.

To clean box, it will be necessary to take it off the machine and take it apart. To do this take out screw K (Fig. 29) and screws L, which hold the spaceband chute; drive out pin J and take off the pawl lever I (Fig. 29); then take out screws A and C and take off side.

Figure 30 shows inside of box. The screw 1 in pawl lever should be adjusted so that when pawl lever is down the pawls N and O will be low enough to clear the top rails C and J (Fig. 30) about 1-32 inch, with the screw resting on spaceband lever. If too low it will give a double motion to the pawl lever I (Fig. 29) and sometimes throw out two spacebands at once and clog the spaceband chute.

The spaceband center guide A (Fig. 30) will allow two bands to pass if it is not adjusted properly.

At the lower end of the guide is a half pin or ear on each side, which is to catch the second spaceband if pawl lever lifts two. This guide is adjustable and should be set so as to allow only one band to pass freely.