74 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



similar construction, consisting of vertical rods of the same size, of a 

 similar number, between similar circular plates. The essential differ- 

 ence between them is, that the one is fixed, while the other is mova- 

 ble. All the rods have a longitudinal projection, by means of which 

 the types, having a corresponding incision, can be fixed, and slide up 

 and down ; the triangular form of the projection and the incision keep- 

 ing them in a horizontal position in which they are piled on the rods. 

 In the composing cylinder, the triangular projection on each rod ceases 

 at the lower extremity, so that the undermost type upon it can bo 

 pushed from its place by the action of a spring, which is moved by a 

 string, in. connection with a scale of keys corresponding to the letter? 

 or characters. By touching the key, a type is moved forward and falls, 

 in the same position which it had on the rod, into a funnel ; and on 

 the inclined plane of this it slides down into a spiral tube, which brings, 

 of necessity, all the types to a narrow opening connected with the re- 

 ceiver, in which the line, by type after type, is formed. By a com- 

 mon pedal, the composed line is continually moved forward, and after- 

 wards divided to the width of the page. If the compositor finds in the 

 MS. words requiring peculiar types, he indicates the place by a partic- 

 ular sign, and they are supplied afterwards. The types must be cast 

 expressly for the machine, every letter or character having an incision 

 of a different kind, corresponding with openings in the distributing 

 plate. The expense of the machine is upwards of 100, and a skilful 

 compositor, it is stated, can learn to use it in a few days. 



IMPROVED PRINTING-PRESS. 



A POWER-PRESS, involving some novel principles of construction, has 

 recently been invented by Mr. Jason Burdick, of Utica, N. Y. Its 

 principal advantages over any other press in use, are, that it prints both 

 sides of the sheet at once, and secures a perfect register, and is, there- 

 fore, well adapted to either book or newspaper work. It will print, 

 with the utmost ease, from five hundred to six hundred sheets per hour, 

 which is equivalent to ten or twelve hundred impressions on the ordi- 

 nary power-press. The press has two beds and two cylinders, one 

 directly over the other. The sheet is fed in at one end of the machine, 

 where it is secured by very ingeniously contrived steel clips ; it then 

 passes under one cylinder, receives an impression on one side, passes 

 on and up under the upper cylinder, receives an impression on the 

 other side, and is delivered a foot or so above the place where it was 

 taken in. 



Presses have before been invented to print both sides of a sheet at 

 once ; but the difficulty encountered was, that the side printed first, 

 the ink having no time to set and dry, soon inked and smutted the 

 tympan to such an extent, that it would off-set on the sheet and so 

 blacken it in a short time as to obliterate the impression. This diffi- 

 culty is obviated in Burdick's press by a movable absorbing blanket of 

 cotton fabric between the upper cylinder and the printed side of the 

 sheet, which, while the second impression is being taken, is pressed 

 down upon the side already printed, and absorbs, like a blotter, any 



