Read Ebook: Type Cases and Composing-room Furniture A Primer of Information About Type Cases Work Stands Cabinets Case Racks Galley Racks Standing Galleys &c. by Stewart A A Alexander A

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 188 lines and 15125 words, and 4 pages

Polhemus cabinets and others embodying this plan have been made in a variety of sizes--single, double, and triple cabinets, the larger sizes providing for galley racks and sorts drawers, as well as the three tiers of type cases.

The cast-iron case brackets used on flat-top wooden cabinets and case racks are made in a variety of styles. They have advantages over the case supports formed by the top of side frames of the old style wooden stands shown in Fig. 21, in that they allow use of the space below the cases, and provide a more convenient placing of the upper case. The style of bracket shown on the stands illustrated in Figs. 23 and 30 allows the upper case to be brought nearer to the front, making it easier to reach all the boxes and yet leave ample room to get at the upper boxes of the lower case. The stand or cabinet may be placed close against a wall or other frame, as the upper case does not overhang at the back. The position of the inclined working cases on top may be fixed at any desired place on the top of the cabinet by changing the position of the brackets. One style of bracket is made to fasten to the extreme fore edge of the shelf, this bringing the front of the lower case out beyond the front line of the cabinet.

A number of years ago a tilting bracket for the lower case was introduced and this has been used to some extent. The ostensible advantage of this is to allow the lower case to be tilted up from the front so that easier access is given to a galley shelf or other space under the case. This is a convenience in some instances, but the unstable nature of the case support is liable to be a disadvantage; a full case suddenly tilted is likely to cause types to be thrown into adjoining boxes; or a galley, leads, or other material on top of the case may slide down back when the case is tipped forward. A style of bracket which has proved serviceable is that shown on the case stand in Fig. 30.

Brackets for holding galleys are furnished in several varieties, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 31, etc. These are temporary rests for galleys, while the matter on them is waiting for return of proofs, for making up, etc. They are fastened to a wall or strong frame in some out-of-the-way place, or they may be fitted on special standards near the type cases or the make-up table. The galley cabinet, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 32, is a more expensive article of furniture for this purpose, but it is usually more satisfactory.

Early wooden case racks were fitted with strips of thin wood upon which the cases were moved in and out. These slender strips were not always of perfect grain and were difficult to attach firmly to the side frame. They warped and split easily, and the nails and screws with which they were fastened would work loose. In order to have them strong they had to be thick, and this thickness gave a wide space between the cases so that fewer cases could be kept in a given space.

To avoid these disadvantages case runs are now made of flat strips of steel fastened to the side frames of the rack or cabinet. In some cabinets they are fitted between side slats of wood, and a couple of perpendicular iron rods are run through holes in the slats and the steel strips from top to bottom of the rack, binding the pieces together and to the side frame, making a particularly substantial rack. Another style of steel run is made of a wider strip of iron bent the entire length into a right-angle shape. Screw holes on one side of this angle strip enable it to be fastened to the side frame, the other angle of the strip being used to support the case.

In all composing-rooms there are many cases at which it is necessary to work for only a few moments at a time, to set a single line, or to make a correction, etc. In order that cases kept in racks or cabinets may be used quickly it is necessary that each one may be pulled out clear of the case above, so that all the boxes at the rear are accessible. In the old-style racks this was attained by having the runs several inches longer than the width of the case, and placing an upright strip or stop at the rear to allow the cases to be pushed back far enough to leave three or more inches of the run exposed in front. This front space is sufficient to support the case temporarily while it is pulled out from those above in full view.

In many type cabinets, however, the practice is to keep the front of all cases flush with the front of the cabinet frame. This allows no front support for a case that is pulled out far enough to expose all the boxes, and so the side frames or rims of the cases are extended three or four inches back beyond the case itself. These extensions serve as stout arms at the rear of the case to hold it in the front of the rack when the case is pulled forward. When the case is carefully handled this plan serves the purpose if the extensions themselves are not drawn entirely clear of the case above. Its security depends somewhat upon the style of the runs and how carefully the cases fit their places. A disadvantage of this plan is that the cases having these long rear extensions are awkward to place when they are taken from their racks to be used on top of ordinary working stands.

The later method of providing for this is to place the cases further back in the rack, as in the old-style stand, and have the runs on the cabinet extended entirely to the front. This is the extension front, and in modern cabinets the rims are of thin steel, as already described. With this arrangement the cases have no protruding arms and can be conveniently placed anywhere; standard cabinet cases can be placed on working stands or temporarily in any convenient case rack.

In the composing-room of a generation ago--and unfortunately in some unprogressive places today--the strips of blank material known as reglet and wood furniture were usually kept in disorderly manner in a large box or drawer under or near the imposing stone. The material was usually obtained in lengths of one yard and a small hand-saw was at hand to cut any lengths required. In time there was an accumulation of all sorts jumbled together in the drawer in a manner to make it difficult to find needed pieces without loss of time. Often the quickest way to obtain the right piece was to cut off a longer one.

This wasteful method was the universal custom before the era of the labor-saving assortment stored in orderly fashion in a cabinet and placed within instant reach of the workman. The common-sense modern method is the well-stocked rack or cabinet with a compartment for each size of the series, with the compartments numbered and the larger pieces of the material numbered to correspond. An arrangement like this invites an orderly habit in persons who would otherwise be careless.

The usual style of furniture rack is shown in Fig. 35. This is made in several sizes to hold quantities large or small according to the requirements of the room. The position of a rack like this should be near the stone at a level near the height of the working surface.

Another style of furniture and reglet rack is that fitted into the frame of the imposing table or into an adjoining stand or cabinet. This is illustrated in Fig. 36. It will be noticed that all the different lengths present a surface flush with the outside of the frame. This is because the depth of the compartments is varied to accommodate the several lengths of furniture at the back, instead of at the front as shown in Fig. 35.

Among the new articles supplied for the compositor's use are cabinets for holding assortments of metal furniture, brass rules, leads, slugs, and small cases or drawers for special material. The tops of some of these cabinets hold the lead and rule cutter and the rule-mitering machine, with a small inclined shelf above, as shown in Fig. 38. These cabinets will hold a large amount of material in small space. When conveniently situated and properly supplied with material they save time and effort on the part of the compositor.

Another cabinet that is useful is the script type cabinet. This holds the cases inclined upward from the left. The compartments are narrow, running horizontally with the front. In these the types are held face up, so that they may not be injured by rattling about when the case is moved back and forth. The cases may be used for borders, special characters, or any small items which it is desired to keep standing face upward. The compartments of the cases may be made wide or narrow to accommodate the size of the types they are to hold.

The apprentice who wants to learn about the latest and best feature of composing room equipment should make a special point to examine the catalogues of manufacturers and dealers in printers' supplies. These catalogues continually show new and improved articles that are finely illustrated and specifically described as to their particular advantages.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

SUGGESTIONS TO STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS

The following questions, based on the contents of this pamphlet, are intended to serve as a guide to the study of the text, as an aid to the student in putting the information contained into definite statements without actually memorizing the text, as a means of securing from the student a reproduction of the information in his own words.

A careful following of the questions by the reader will insure full acquaintance with every part of the text, avoiding the accidental omission of what might be of value. These primers are so condensed that nothing should be omitted.

In teaching from these books it is very important that these questions and such others as may occur to the teacher, should be made the basis of frequent written work, and of final examinations.

The importance of written work cannot be overstated. It not only assures knowledge of material but the power to express that knowledge correctly and in good form.

If this written work can be submitted to the teacher in printed form it will be doubly useful.

QUESTIONS

GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS

ALLEY--The floor space between two stands or cabinets.

ANNEX BOX--A small wood or metal cup or box attached to the type case for holding special characters.

BLANK CASE--A wooden tray without partitions, or with one partition only.

BOX--A subdivision of a type case, in which a quantity of one particular character is kept.

BRACKET--An arm or support, usually of metal, to hold cases on top of a stand, to hold galleys, etc.

CALIFORNIA JOB CASE--An extensively used type case arranged with boxes to hold capitals, small letters, figures, points, and the usual characters of a job font, complete in a single tray.

CAP CASE--The top case of a standard pair of book or news cases. The capital case, or upper case.

CASE--The printer's name for the shallow wooden tray with small compartments for holding types and other materials.

CASE CLEANER--A frame like that of a type case with a wire bottom, used to assist in cleaning out type cases that have become foul with dust, grit, or similar dirt. The case cleaner is placed on top of the type case, fitting snugly over each box, and the whole turned up-side-down to transfer the type into the wire bottom. A gentle shaking then sifts out the dirt. When the case is turned back again the types go back into their original boxes. A vacuum cleaner, a small bellows, or an air pump are sometimes used for cleaning type cases.

COFFIN--The box-like frame surrounding an imposing stone on its stand.

EMPTY CASE--A case without the letters or types needed to compose lines. The case may have other letters, but some boxes are empty.

FORM RACK--For holding printing forms that are locked in chases, before or after printing. It usually holds them in a perpendicular position.

FOUL CASE, OR DIRTY CASE--One in which the type or other material is badly mixed or which has material that does not properly belong there, as in hasty distribution or because of carelessness.

FRAME--Another name for the compositor's work stand or case rack.

FURNITURE--In printing-office speech this term is used to mean small pieces of wood or metal designed to fill the blank spaces larger than leads, slugs, spaces, and quads. Furniture is placed between pages and around forms locked in chases.

GALLEY--A shallow tray used by compositors to hold type after the lines have been set and transferred from the composing stick.

GALLEY RACK--A place for holding a number of galleys in order.

HARRIS RULE CASE--A quarter-size case for holding assortments of brass rules. Four of these trays may be kept in a regular full size blank case, similar to Wisconsin quarter cases. See size of cases.

HELL-BOX--The receptacle for old, broken, or discarded types.

ITALIC CASE--A style of case to hold a complete font of capitals, small letters, points, figures, etc. Similar to the California job case, but with more boxes on the capital letter side. See page 15.

JOB CASE--A general term meaning a type case which holds a complete font of type; in distinction from a case which holds only part of a font, like the ordinary news or book case.

JOB GALLEY--A short galley to place on the work stand for making up pages, small forms, etc.

LABOR-SAVING--Said of assortments of leads, rules, furniture, etc., provided in assorted sizes. The sizes are commonly multiples of 6-point or 12-point, and several small pieces may be combined to fill a large space, thus saving the labor necessary to cut each piece to fit its place.

LAYING TYPE--Placing a new assortment of type in its case.

LAY OF THE CASE--The particular plan or arrangement of the types in the various boxes of a case.

LEADER CASE--A small case or series of boxes for holding brass or cast-type leaders.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet