Part 10

The _Bottom-Plate_ is made of _Iron_, about two Inches and three quarters long, and about the same breadth; its thickness about a _Brevier_: It is planisht exactly flat and straight: It hath two of its _Fore-Angles_, as _a a_ cut off either straight or rounding, according to the pleasure of the Workman.

About the place where the middle of the _Carriage_ lies, is made a Hole about a _Great-Primmer_ square, into which is rivetted on the upper-side a Pin with a Sholder to it, which reaches about half an Inch through the under-side of the _Bottom-Plate_. This _Pin_ on the under side the _Bottom-Plate_ is round, and hath a _Male-Screw_ on its end. This _Pin_ is let through a Hole made in the Wood of the _Mold_ to fit it; so that when a square _Nut_, with a _Female-Screw_ in it, is turned on the _Male-Screw_, it may draw and fasten the _Half Mold_ firm to the Wood.

The Hind side of the _Carriage_ lies on this _Bottom-Plate_, parallel to the Hind side of it, and about a _Two-Lin’d-English_ within the Hind Edge of it; and so much of this _Bottom-Plate_ as is between the _Register_ and the left-hand end of the _Carriage_ (as it is posited in the Figure) is called the _Stool_, as _g g_ in the under-half of the _Mold_, because on it the lower end of the _Matrice_ rests; but on the upper half of the _Mold_ is made a square Notch behind in the _Bottom-Plate_, rather within than without the Edge of the _Carriage_, to reach from the _Register_, and half an Inch towards the left hand (as it is posited in the Figure) that the upper part of the fore-side of the _Matrice_ may stand close to the _Carriage_ and _Body_.

¶. 3. _Of the_ Carriage.

On the _Bottom-Plate_ is fitted a _Carriage_, (as _a_) This _Carriage_ is almost the length of the _Bottom-Plate_, and about a _Double-Pica_ thick, and its Breadth the length of the Shank of the Letter to be cast.

This _Carriage_ is made of _Iron_, and hath its upper-side, and its two narrow sides filed and rubed upon the using _File_, exactly straight, square and smooth, and the two opposite narrow sides exactly parallel to each other.

On one end of the _Carriage_, as at g, is made a long _Notch_ or _Slit_, which I call the _Female-Gage_: It is about a _Double-Pica_ wide, and is made for the _Male-Gage_ of the other part of the _Mold_ to fit into, and to slide forwards or backwards as the thickness of the Letter to be cast may require.

¶. 4. _Of the_ Body.

Upon the _Carriage_ is fitted the _Body_, as at b. This _Body_ is also made of _Iron_, and is half the length of the _Carriage_, and the exact breadth of the _Carriage_; but its thickness is alterable, and particularly made for every intended _Body_.

About the middle of this _Body_ is made a square Hole, about a _Great Primmer_, or _Double-Pica_ square; and directly under it is made through the _Carriage_ such another Hole exactly of the same size.

¶. 5. _Of the_ Male-Gage.

Through these two Holes, _viz._ That in the _Body_, and that in the _Carriage_, is fitted a square _Iron Shank_ with a _Male-Screw_ on one End, and on the other End an Head turning square from the square _Shanck_ to the farther end of the _Body_, as is described at c; but is more particularly described apart at B in the same Plate, where B may be called the _Male-Gage_: For I know no distinct Name that _Founders_ have for it, and do therefore coyn this:

_a_ The _square Shanck_. _b_ The _Male-Screw_.

This _square Shanck_ is just so long within half a _Scaboard_ thick as to reach through the _Body_, _Carriage_, and another square Hole made through the _Bottom-Plate_, that so when a _square Nut_ with a _Female-Screw_ in it is turned on that _Pin_, the _Nut_ shall draw and fasten the _Body_ and _Carriage_ down to the _Bottom-Plate_.

The Office of the _Male-Gage_ is to fit into, and slide along the _Female-Gage_.

¶. 6. _Of the_ Mouth-Piece.

Close to the _Carriage_ and _Body_ is fitted a _Mouth-Piece_ marked _d e_. _Letter-Founders_ call this altogether a _Mouth-Piece_: But that I may be the better understood in this present purpose, I must more nicely distinguish its parts, and take the Freedom to elect Terms for them, as first,

_c c e_ The _Mouth_. _d_ The _Palate_. _c c_ e _d_ The _Jaws_. _d d_ The _Throat_.

Altogether (as aforesaid) the _Mouth-Piece_.

The _Mouth-Piece_ hath its _Side_ returning from the _Throat_ filed and rubb’d on the _Using-File_ exactly straight and square to its _Bottom-side_, because it is to joyn close to the Side of the _Carriage_ and _Body_; but its upper-Side, _viz._ the _Palate_ is not parallel to the _Bottom_, but from the Side _d d_, _viz._ the _Throat_ falls away to the _Mouth_ e, making an _Angle_ greater or smaller, as the _Body_ that the _Mold_ is made for is bigger or less: For small _Bodies_ require but a small _Mouth_, because small _Ladles_ will hold Metal enough for small Letters; and the smaller the _Ladle_, the finer the _Geat_ of the _Ladle_ is; and fine _Geats_ will easier hit the _Mouth_ (in a Train of Work) than the course _Geats_ of Great _Ladles_: Therefore it is that the _Mouth_ must be made to such a convenient Width, that the _Ladle_ to be used and its _Geat_, may readily, and without slabbering, receive the Metal thrown into the _Mold_.

But again, if the _Mouth-Piece_ be made too wide, _viz._ the _Jaws_ too deep at the _Mouth_, though the _Geat_ of the _Ladle_ does the readier find it, yet the _Body_ of the _Break_ of the _Letter_ will be so great, that first it heats the _Mold_ a great deal faster and hotter; and secondly, it empties the _Pan_ a great deal sooner of its Metal, and subjects the Workman sometime to stand still while other Metal is melted and hot: Therefore Judgment is to be used in the width of the _Mouth_; and though there be no Rule for the width of it; yet this in general for such _Molds_ as I make, I observe that the _Orifice_ of the _Throat_ may be about one quarter of the Body for small Bodies; but for great Bodies less, according to Discretion, and the _Palate_ about an Inch and a quarter long from the _Body_ and _Carriage_. The reason that the _Orifice_ of the _Throat_ is so small, is, because the Substance at the end of the _Shanck_ of the Letter ought also to be small, that the _Break_ may easier break from the _Shanck_ of the Letter, and the less subject the _Shanck_ to bowing; for the bowing of a Letter spoils it; and the reason why the _Palate_ is so long, is, that the _Break_ being long, may be the easier finger’d and manag’d in the breaking.

If it be objected, that since the smalness of the _Break_ at the end of the _Shanck_ of the Letter is so approvable and necessary for the reason aforesaid, then why may not the _Break_ be made much more smaller yet? The Answer will be, No; because if it be much smaller than one quarter of the Body, Metal enough will not pass through the _Throat_, to fill both the _Face_ and _Shanck_ of the Letter, especially if the Letter to be cast prove thin.

Near the _Throat_ and _Jaw_ is made straight down through the _Palate_ 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.