THE WORLD'S ADVANCE 



29 



ance the linotype is a very cumbersome 

 machine and cumbersome it must be 

 for the reason that its operation requires 

 so many intricate and awkwardly-shaped 

 parts. In front of the machine is a key- 

 board not unlike that of a typewriter, 

 although somewhat larger and contain- 

 ing a greater number of keys. The op- 

 erator sits before the keyboard and runs 

 the fingers of both hands lightly over the 

 different keys. As he presses them the 

 little brass moulds or "matrices" are re- 

 leased from their respective brass chan- 

 nels and drop on a belt conveyor which 

 carries them to the assembling mechan- 

 ism. Between the words the operator 

 presses a space bar which causes a steel 

 wedge arrangement known as a "space 

 band" to drop between the groups of 

 matrices forming the words. A bell 

 rings at the end of the line and the press- 

 ure of a lever by the operator causes the 

 spacing between the groups of matrices 

 to be automatically adjusted so that the 

 line about to be cast will be of the de- 

 sired length. The matrices and space 

 bands are then transported to the mouth 

 of the mould and an instant later a 

 plunger pressing downwards in the melt- 

 ing pot causes molten metal to be forced 

 into the mould and the matrices that cap 

 it, the metal being soon cooled into a 

 fairly smooth casting in the form of a 



The Casting Mechanism of the Linotype, Showing 



the Melting Pot, Plunger, Mouth of Mould and the 



Assembled Line of Matrices. 



The Elevator Arm in the Act of Taking a Line of 



Matrices which are to be Carried to the Distributing 



Mechanism. 



slab with the type faces along one edge. 

 Whatever irregularities there may be in 

 the slab or "slug" are subsequently re- 

 moved by trimming knives, after which 

 the slug is delivered into a tray at the 

 side of the operator. 



Meanwhile the operator has forgotten 

 about this particular line and has been 

 pressing the different keys for the next 

 one. At the same time the matrices 

 \vhich hav served their purpose are be- 

 ing taken care of. A long arm swoops 

 down from the rear of the machine and 

 picks up the row of matrices, leaving the 

 space bands behind it. The latter are 

 pushed over to one side where they are 

 available for the next call. The matrices 

 are carried upward to a screw conveyor 

 arrangement at the rear of the machine 

 and, one by one, started on a journey. 

 As the different matrices reach a posi- 

 tion above the opening of their respective 

 channels they drop into place and are 

 again ready for use. 



The foregoing is but one cycle of op- 

 eration of the linotype machine. The 

 same steps are involved in the casting 

 of each line. The operator keeps right 

 on with his work and the machine auto- 

 matically takes care of the justification 

 of the lines, casting, trimming and deliv- 

 ery of the slug, and distribution of the 



