Printing

The compositor proceeds to set up the matter line by line until the stick is full. He then carefully removes the type from the stick and places it upon a shallow tray with raised edges on three sides called a "galley." When a galley is full, proofs are taken and read in conjunction with the manuscript, the reader carefully marking in by recognized symbols the corrections necessary. This is returned to the compositor who makes the necessary alterations by lifting, where necessary, the line out of the galley and replacing it in the stick, the reason for this being to ensure that justification of the lines is uniform throughout during the process of correction. When the work is completed finished proofs are pulled, usually in galley form, and sent to the author for correction.

The next operation in the production of a book is to make the type up into pages, the depth and width of which are deter mined by the size of paper on which it is to be printed. It is usual to send the author another set of proofs for a final "revise." When the work is finally passed for press, the pages are placed in such a position that when the sheet is printed and folded they fall in correct sequence. This is called "imposition," and includes placing the pages within an iron frame called a "chase," which, when there are a number of pages to be printed together, has crossbars—one across the length of the chase, the other across the width. The determined space between the pages is filled up with what is called "furniture," which is made of either wood or metal, and about a in. lower than type, so that it does not get inked during the process of printing. The whole is then locked up within the chase by means of a system of wedges, called "quoins," thus making the type and furniture portable. When this is ac complished it is known as a forme and is ready to be printed.

Composing Machines.

The setting of the type for news papers, magazines and books is now almost entirely a question of mechanical composition and the machines used for this purpose can be divided into two classes: (I) That which casts a "slug" (or line of type), such as the Linotype, Intertype, Typograph and Ludlow.

(2) That which produces justified lines of single types, and known as the Monotype.

Slug-Casting Machines.

Such machines as the Linotype and Intertype consist of a keyboard, magazines (containing matrices), casting apparatus and a distributing system. The compositor on these machines is called an "operator," and when he presses a key representing a particular character on the keyboard, it oper ates certain levers which allow a matrix, with the letter cut into its edge, to be released from the magazine. The matrix, dropping

on to a revolving belt, is carried automatically to an assembly box. By touching another key, a double wedge spaceband is placed between the words. When the line is full a lever is de pressed and causes the matrices and spacebands to be carried to a position in front of the mould, behind which is situated a pot of molten metal. While in this position, the line is justified by the pushing up of the spacebands from below, the line thus spreading out to the full measure. A plunger in the metal pot then descends and forces the molten metal into the mould and against the face of the matrices. The resultant metal bar or "slug" with the letters in relief is then automatically trimmed for height and thickness prior to its being ejected on to a receiving galley. The matrices from which the slug has been cast have meanwhile been lifted by an arm to the top of the machine, and are caused to travel along a serrated distributor bar until the matrix finds its way into its correct channel in the magazine. Each matrix has on its top edge a double series of seven teeth, the arrangement of same varying with each matrix. The individual matrix travel ling along the corresponding rail on the distributor bar eventually arrives at a break in the rail on which it has been hanging and has no alternative but to drop into its respective magazine channel.

All the operations are automatic and continuous, it being possible for three lines of matrices to be in circulation at the same time, one in course of assembly, another in the process of casting and a third in the stage of distribution.

The Typograph is a further and somewhat different expression of slug-casting machine. In this machine the matrices hang on a series of wires which converge fan-shape towards the point of assembly. As the operator touches the respective keys on the keyboard, the matrices slide by gravity down the wires to the point of assembly. The line is justified by means of circular space discs which expand as they are caused to revolve just prior to the casting. The slug cast by this machine does not require trimming to give either the height or the body width. The oper ation of distribution is performed automatically, the top frame of the machine tilting backwards and so reversing the angle of the wires when the matrices automatically slide back to their original postion.