But to guard against sticking from dirt or other causes: The keyboard keybar spring F (sometimes called the comb spring) is attached and intersects the keybar B at point 2. R shows a sectional top view of keyboard rod lower guide T as the slot 10 should be when new, and S shows same when it is badly worn by the motion of the keyrod G.

When guide slot is worn as shown at 11 (Fig. 32) the keyboard rod is apt to bind and the spring H would not be strong enough to bring the rod back to its position. The guide T should then be renewed and the old one repaired at leisure, by soldering a piece on the bottom and cutting new slots.

These parts will give no trouble if care is taken to keep them clean.

The Metal Pot.

Figure 33 shows a sectional view of metal pot and well; also mold-disk, with a line of matrices assembled in front of mold ready to cast a slug.

Causes of Squirts.

Squirts will sometimes occur even if the pump-stop attachment is supposed to entirely prevent them. Two of the frequent causes of this trouble are as follows:

First—When a line is given to the first elevator, just as the machine is about completing its revolution to deliver the previous line, and before the elevator is fairly settled into place, the line may become twisted, although not enough to prevent it from going down into the casting pawls. The mold cannot come forward far enough to close up tightly on account of the twisted matrices, and the result is a squirt, and the metal flies all over the mold face and into the elevator jaw, soldering it up and stopping the machine.

Second—If the part of the elevator jaw which holds the upper ears becomes sprung, the matrices will twist and you will get a squirt.

If vise automatic is not set properly, as described under Fig. 15, a squirt is liable to occur.

When a squirt occurs from the first cause, many operators open the vise and force down the jaw until the line breaks away from the mold disk. This will give rise to the second cause, by springing the parts of the jaw referred to. This should never be done, but this part of the jaw should be loosened by taking out the three screws that hold it in place and gently work the vise and line loose. Clean the squirt and put piece back in place.

Directions for Facing Mouthpiece.

In many instances a machine will squirt metal back of the disk if the metal is very hot. As a general thing, this is laid to the gas, but in nearly every instance it will be found that it is caused by the mouthpiece not being true with the back of the mold.

In some cases it will be found that the mold is warped slightly, but not often.

If the back knife does not trim the bottom of the slug perfectly the metal will adhere to the back of the mold, making high lines (i. e., lines over .919, as explained under Fig. 39), and also prevent good contact between the mouthpiece and mold, which would, of course, cause metal to squirt back of the mold disk.

To prevent this, the mouthpiece should be faced up true with back of mold, as follows: First send a line through the machine, stopping at casting point; then screw up the nut on end of pot lever eyebolt until it touches the pot lever. This takes up the pot pressure, so that when the vise is let down the metal pot will retain the same position as when casting a line. Then disconnect the vise-closing jaw screw connecting rod by taking out the wing pin on end of vise-closing jaw lever. This will prevent the rod from being bent or broken when vise is let way down.

Then let the machine finish the revolution. Now throw off the driving belt and pull out pot pump plunger pin and turn machine by hand to casting point, disconnect mold disk slide and pull out disk B (Fig. 34); thoroughly clean back of mold A (Fig. 34) and cover with red lead mixed with oil, or it will be found much better and easier to use prussian blue oil paint, a tube of which will not cost over 10 cents.

Rub the back of mold with this paint; push disk B in until the back of mold A touches the mouthpiece X (Fig. 34); then turn mold disk back and forth, rubbing the back of mold over the mouthpiece. The blue paint will thus be transferred to the mouthpiece, and show the high points.

Should the paint show on one end only, throw the metal pot around by means of set screws to be found in foot of pot legs until it is about true: then, with a small coarse file, file off the blue spots, which are the high or uneven places. Then push the mold in once more, and again rub mold on mouthpiece and file off blue or high spots as before. Continue this operation until the paint shows in small spots all over the mouthpiece.

Before finishing this operation be sure to put in the cross vents between the holes with a cold chisel, making them a little deeper at the top, as shown in Fig. 35. This will prevent porous or spongy slugs.

After connecting the machine up again, put on the driving belt and run through another line, stopping, as at first, at casting point. Then let out the nut on end of pot lever eyebolt until it is about ⅛-inch from back of pot lever.

If this is done as described there will be a perfect lockup on the mold both back and front, the only metal trimmed from back of mold being that from the vents.

Care of Matrices, Spacebands and Magazine.

It is essential that these parts receive the most careful attention. Matrices should be washed only when absolutely necessary, which would be if oil should collect on them. This will not happen if machine is properly cleaned and oiled.

Matrices that have been used a long time will sometimes show slight burrs, caused by walls of matrices being crushed. If they are not washed these small cavities will become filled up with dirt and metal so that print will look clear. Washing would, of course, take this dirt and metal away and burrs would show worse than before.

Instead of washing matrices, rub the sides on a piece of felt; then lock them up in a galley and clean the face and front so the operator can read the lines in the assembling elevator.

When a letter sticks in the magazine, take it out and, after making sure that ears are not burred, polish the ears with graphite and wipe them clean.

If a new set of matrices is treated in this way before putting them into the machine there will be little or no trouble with them sticking in the magazine.

Any burrs on the ears should be filed off, or they also will cause the letters to stick.

In cleaning the magazine, do not use benzine unless oil should have collected there by some means.

Be sure to lift up matrix guards at the lower end of magazine 2-2-2-2 (Fig. 36) and clean the channels on under side of these guards; also the channels A (Fig. 36).

The spacebands should be carefully inspected and metal should never be allowed to collect on the slide. Metal on the spaceband slides will destroy a set of matrices in a very few hours.

When cleaning spacebands, never use emery cloth, as this polishes the slide and causes the metal to adhere to it. The best way to clean spacebands is to rub them in graphite on a board or piece of felt nailed on a board.

Lapping and Cleaning Molds.

If a mold is warped (as referred to under directions for facing mouthpiece), the only way to fix it is to lap it down on a lapping block.

Figure 37 shows the lapping block B and mold C that is to be lapped.

A lapping block is one of the most essential tools to have in an office. If you do not have this block procure it at once from the Linotype Company, or one of the stock rooms. This block is of cast iron, corrugated on one face.

To use it, sprinkle a small quantity of emery and benzine on the corrugated face; then rub the mold back and forth, as shown in Fig. 37, until you have a perfect surface.

This block is also used to sharpen all the knives on the machine the same way.

A mold should be taken apart and cleaned and polished at frequent intervals, or the small grooves which make the ribs on the slug will fill up with dirt and cause the slugs to stick.

Adjustable Molds and Liners.

Figure 38 shows an adjustable mold and two liners. These molds are made in three sizes for each body, No. 14, No. 24 and No. 30, and cost $30 each.

No. 14 will take liners to cast any length of line from 14 ems down as short as may be desired. No. 24 will take liners to cast any length from 24 ems to 7 ems, both inclusive. No. 30 will take liners to cast any length of line from 30 ems to 13 ems, both inclusive.

These liners cost $1.50, and are interchangeable for any size mold of the same body. For instance, a No. 2 minion liner will give 12 ems in a No. 14 mold, 22 ems in a No. 24 mold, and 28 ems in a No. 30 mold. This, of course, would apply to any size liner.

The Space Bands.

Both sides of the spaceband slide 1 and 2 should measure the same at top and bottom, but side 1 should never be thicker than side 2. On the other hand, if side 2 be .001 thicker it will insure a better lockup of the matrices.

Spacebands are made in two classes, thick and thin. The thick bands present a minimum thickness of about .0375 of an inch in the line, and expand to .1, and are stronger and heavier than the others.

The thin bands present a minimum thickness of about .032 of an inch in the line, and expand to .095 of an inch, and are adapted for use where very thin spacing is required; for example, in connection with very small faces.

Point System of the Mergenthaler Linotype Co.

This point system—adopted for convenience in measuring—is nearly identical with that of Didot, as adopted by the United States Typefounders’ Association. The size of a pica em, as understood before the adoption of the point system, was one-sixth of an inch, or .166⅔. The pica em adopted by the United States Typefounders’ Association measures .166, while the Linotype pica em measures .168. The United States Typefounders’ Association’s unit of measurement, or point, is .01383. The Mergenthaler Linotype Company’s is .014. Therefore 12 points × .014 = .168, or the Linotype pica em.

All the Linotype matrix measurements are made on the basis of .014 to a point, and .168 to an em pica. The following table will furnish an illustration of these dimensions:

To measure Linotype matter, take an em space in the font to be measured, and ascertain how many times it is contained in the matter to be measured. The quotient will show the correct number of ems.

The length of molds is calculated on a basis of 166⅔ to an em pica, while the body or thickness of slug is calculated according to the above table.

The slug should be the same thickness at points 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Fig. 40). If the machine locks up properly, and the back knife is set right, the slug should measure 918 to 919 thousandths high from bottom of slug to top of letter.

Matrix Hair Spaces.

These are furnished as sorts. They are similar in shape to the em and en spaces, but are inserted in the line by hand and automatically returned by the machine to the quad box. They are of the following thicknesses, respectively: .012, .013, .014, .015, .016, .017, .018, .019 and .020 of an inch. Regular thin spaces measure .028, .031, .035 and .0385.

Adjustment of Mold Slide and Disk.

Adjustment of the mold slide is done by means of two set screws, which adjusts the gib on which it slides. This gib should be adjusted so that the slide has .007 play. This will allow it to work freely.

The mold disk is held in position for casting and trimming the slug by means of pins attached to the vise, called mold disk locking studs. The studs are located in relation to the mold disk locking bushings at the factory so as to give perfect alignment of the matrices. They are dowelled in place and should never be changed.

Should the bushings or studs become badly worn at any time, renew them and thus keep the alignment perfect.

The forward motion is imparted to the mold slide by means of a roller which runs in a groove in the mold cam and driving gear. This roller is connected with the mold slide lever by means of an eccentric pin that has a pin attached, which serves as a handle with which to adjust it.

To adjust the slide, loosen the screw which holds the eccentric pin with the T or a small monkey wrench, and turn the handle so that the slide will come forward until the face of the mold is within .01 inch of the vise movable jaw at the time when the line in first elevator is to be justified. If pin is set so as to throw the disk too far forward it would bind the spacebands and matrices and prevent the justification levers from driving up the bands sufficient to space the line, which would cause an indention of the line. On the other hand, if the mold disk does not come forward far enough, it will not give a good lockup, owing to the metal pot having to spring the disk too far in making the final lockup.

Directions for Putting in a New Verge.

To put in a new verge, first lock up the machine and disconnect the rods; then take off the magazine and place on a bench or other suitable place, bottom up; then take off the verge partition locking strip (which is held in place by some of the partition’s ears being bent crosswise) up to the verge that is to be removed. Withdraw the verge rod until you have reached the verge to be renewed; at the same time follow it up with another rod, which will keep the other verges in place. Then take out the verge.

In putting in the new one, be sure the hole is large enough to allow the verge to work freely. Then push the verge rod back into place. Put back the locking strip and bend the partition’s ears to hold it in place. The magazine is now ready to be put back on the machine.

Alignment of Faces.

The following faces will align with each other and interchange table characters on their respective bodies:

Ruby No. 18 with itself only.

Agate Nos. 1, 2, 3, and Agate Bold Face.

Nonpareil Nos. 1, 2, 3, 12, Nonpareil Old Style No. 1, Nonpareil Italic No. 1 and Nonpareil Old Style Italic No. 1.

Minion Nos. 1, 2, 3, 21, Minion Doric, Minion Bold Face, Minion Gothic, Minion Italic Nos. 1, 3, Brevier Nos. 1, 2, 4, 19, Brevier Italic No. 1 and Brevier Ionic.

Brevier Old Style No. 1, Brevier Old Style Ronaldson, Brevier Old Style Italic No. 1, and German Brevier figures.

Long Primer Nos. 1, 13, Long Primer Old Style No. 1, Long Primer Old Style Ronaldson, Long Primer Clarendon, Long Primer Italic Nos. 1, 13, and Long Primer Old Style Italic No. 1, Bourgeois No. 13 and Bourgeois Italic No. 13.

Small Pica Nos. 1, 9, Small Pica Old Style No. 1, Small Pica Old Style Ronaldson, Small Pica Italic Nos. 1, 9, and Small Pica Old Style Italic No. 1.

Small Pica Gothic with itself only.

German Nonpareil with itself only.

German Brevier with itself only.

German Bourgeois No. 2 with German Bourgeois Bold Face No. 1.

German Long Primer No. 2.

When table characters are ordered changed from No. 1 to No. 2 face, or vice versa, in any font, the following characters are usually changed: Regular figures from 1 to 0, fractions, figure space, $ £ * . ‥ also † ‡ [ ] ℀ % § ⅌ ¶ / ° ‖ + × ÷ = ⎧ ⎩ { } ⎭ ⎫ and all the other special signs when ordered.

Keyboards.

Supplies Which Should Be Kept in Stock.

It will be found a great convenience, as well as a saving, to keep the following list of supplies on hand, so that if any of these parts should break or wear out they could be renewed at once and machine would not have to stand idle until they could be procured from factory or stock rooms.

The expense will be small, but the time saved by having these parts at hand in an emergency will more than pay for the outlay:

Numbers and Sizes of Channels—Sizes of Verges, Pawls and Ears of Matrices.

All figures, except in numbers of channels, in thousandths of inches.

*Channel No. 39 takes .125 verge and .70 pawl.