Section II.
Printers Instruments.
I haue formerly in chap.3. numb.56. giuen you the names belonging to the seuerall parts of a Printers Press, and shall here in figures giue you the shapes of most of the principall parts, as alsoe of what working Instruments is used by them.
[Both the images and the text follow volume 2 of Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises very closely. Moxon's plates have been used to identify the images.]
Rib
54. He beareth a Rib.
This is a foure square Iron flat at the
ends to be nailed on the wooden ribs
for the cramp Irons at the bottom of
the coffin to run ouer them.
Press head
55. Here is presented to you the
forme of the Press head, it is fixed to
the sides of the two cheeks by the Tennants
at each end which it proiects on the fore
sides halfe an Inch, which is cut into a
Table with a Molding, it is 8 Inches
thick.
Cap of the press
56. He beareth the Cap of the
Press. It is 4 Inches and more
thick, it is fixed to the top of the cheeks,
it proiects the cheeks by which meanes
it hath a moulding on it onely for ornament.
Till
57. This is termed the Till, it is a
board about an Inch thick, haueing two
tenents at each end, in its midle it hath
a round hole for the shanke of the
spindle to pass through, and at a little
distance from it on either side is 2
square holes for the Iron Hose to pass
through.
Ink block
58. This is termed the Inke Block,
it is a plank about three Inches thick,
haueing a Border about three parts of
it, 2 Inches or more above the vper
sides: this is to hold the Inke on that
it run not off.
Winter
59. He beareth The Winter
of a printers press: charged with
an other Instrument of theirs called a
sheeps foot.
The Winter is a strong plank or rather an Arme of a tree 8 or 9 Inches deep and as much broad, it hath 2 duftaile tennants at the ends, to be fitted into two such Mortesses made into the cheeks, or inner sides of the press, below the carriage of the press: these doe the office of a summer, in keeping the two cheeks at a due distance, and keep them from flying assunder.
Sheeps foot
The Sheeps foot is an Iron Instrument, with an Hammer head at one end
and a claw at the other end; its use is
to naile, and vnnail the balls, that is to
drive the nails into the ball stocks and
to draw them out againe, when the
Pelts or leather is worn or the work
finished.
Catch of the bar
60. The Catch of the Bar, it is a peece
of wood 2 Inches thick and 4 broad and
10 long; the top of it is a little Beviled
or sloped off that the Bar may by its
spring fly vp the Bevile till it stick.
The shank of this catch hath a long
mortess made through it, into which is
put an Iron pin with a shoulder at one
end, and a screw at the other, by which
it is screw'd fast, either higher or lower,
to the press cheeks, through a female
Iron screw let into the further cheek.
Hose screw
Between this catch and the Brayer,
neer the Basis or it, is placed a Nut
with a female screw, with eares to
turn them about. But according to the
term giuen them by the Press men they
are called the Hose-screws.
Brayer
61. He beareth a Brayer.
It is a peece of Beech wood
turned round on the sides and flat on
the bottome about 3 Inches in diameter,
it hath an handle to it about 4 Inches
long. Its office is to rub the Inke,
and mingle the thick and weak inks,
well togather on the Inke block.
Printing press spindle, garter and hose
62. He beareth the Spindle of
a Printing Press fixed in its Hose and
Garter and Hose hookes. This
is all made of Iron and steele, and in
its exact makeing, consists all the curiosity and goodnesse of the Press, for the
spindle hath a screw of 3 or 4 worms
in the top, a square below that with a
square hole through to fix the Bar in;
and Taper towards the Bottom, vpon
which it turneth, as the Spindle of it
selfe ca. 7 numb.131.
The Garter, but more properly the Coller, is the round hoop incompassing the Groove or neck in the shank of the spindle, haveing square Irons of the same peece proceeding from them, which are screwed together with 2 small screws, haueing square holes for the hose to come through to be screw on.
The Hose are the two vpright square Irons, runing along the sides of the spindle, but at a distance; haueing Male screws at both ends, by which they are fastned to the hose hookes by a square female screw, and to the Garter by a like screw with eares to turn it, as I have shewed in n.60.
The Hose hookes. It is an Iron hoop encompassing the lower end of the spindle, from which branches out from each corner an hooke with notches filled in their out sides; which Notches are to containe seuerall turnes of pack thrid, or whip cord from them to the hooks of the Platine which holds them and the Platine tight together.
Bar of the press
63. This is termed the Bar of the
Press, by it the Screw of the Press is
moved vp and down: It is an Iron Bar
made bending, at one end it hath a
male screw with a shoulder, which being
put into the eye of the spindle is made
fast there by a female screw with eares,
at the other end is fastned a strong and
thick wooden handle round and hoop
at the end where it went on the Iron
Bar.
Correcting bodkin
64. He beareth a correcting
Bodkin [with its] handle.
Its blade is made of steele
round and well tempered about 2 Inches
or more without the shank for the handle; the handle is made round much
after the haft of a Graver, of soft wood,
that when the compositors knock the head
of the Bodkin on the face of a single
letter that stands too high, it may not
batter or spoile the face. By this
Bodkin letters set amiss are picked
out of the Form and others put in their
place.
Cramp iron
65. He beareth a Cramp
Iron. These are square Irons
about an Inch and halfe, beside the
battering down at both ends as the ribs
are, numb:54. in which are holes to
naile them to the under side of the
planck of the coffin, their vper sides are
smooth and rounded away in the top
edges: These carry the coffin smoothly
away all the length of the Ribbs.
Point and point screw
66. Vnder this number is set forth
the shape of the Point and point screw,
used in Printing. they are made of
Iron plates about the thickness of an
Edward shilling; it is long, and at the
end stands vpright a point made of wyer,
sharp at the end, about halfe an Inch
high and revetted on the other end into
a hole of the plate. At the other end
of the plate is cut into it a long square
notch, which is to receiue the square
shank of the point screw.
The Point Screw is made of Iron with
a flat square head, and a square shank
iust vnder the head an Inch deep, that
it may slide from end to end in the
notch of the plate: vnder the square it
is made into a screw, to which is fitted
a nutt screw with eares, to twist it about,
and draw the head of the shank close
to the Tympan, and so hold the point
plate fast in its place.
Point plate
67. Is the shape of the point Plate
(sans screw) with the point reuersed by
which you may perceiue how the point
is revetted on the backside of the plate.
[Although the image appears to show a point plate, it does not fit the text description.]
Printers slice
[Faint pencil image]68. He beareth a Printers Slice. This Instrument is a thin little Iron shovell about 3 or 4 Inches long; it hath an handle of the same to it about 7 Inches long; neere the shovell through the handle is fitted a small Iron about 2 Inches set directly cross to the shovell of the thickness of a small curtaine rod; The office of this is to shovell and run vp the Printing black into the corner of the Block that is sheed not off. The cross serveth to secure the handle from the black if it should chance to fall down from the Block sides.
Tympan and inner tympan
[Faint pencil image]69. He beareth a Tympan with its Inner Tympan and screws. This is a square fram three sides of wood and the fourth of Iron plate; on the short wooden side, or at its hinder end by the corners is revetted an Iron Match Joynt, to be pined to an other halfe Joynt fastned to the hinder raile of the coffin. And the outward edg of the Iron end, hath also two Iron halfe joynts, which is answered by two other halfe ioynts, or Match Joynts made vpon the Friskett, which being pined together serues for the friskett to move truely.
In the midle of the long sides are made two square holes for the square shanks of the point screws to fit into, and be screwed fast on, if for a folio leafe: but else the holes are made at a third part of its length if a Twelves or Eighteens be printed. In the inner side of this Tympan, is fitted the inner Tympan, which hath also three sides of wood, and one of thin Iron, but without Joynts, this is to take out and put in at pleasure; being couered ouer with vellom or parchment (as the outward Tympan also is) this is made fast into the Tympan by a turning of clasp fixed on the outsides of the tympan.
Spindle and rounce
70. This is the Spindle and Rounce,
with its socketts: by which the carriage
of the Presse is drawn in and out from
vnder the Plattin. It is a straight Bar
of Iron about three Inches longer then
the breadth of the fram of the Ribs,
the ends are made round to turn in 2
Girt Barrell[s] to which is fastned Girtweb, by which the carriage is drawn in
and out by the turning of the Winch or
Rounce. On the outside end of the
Axis of the spindle is fitted the said Winch
somewhat in the forme like a Jack winch
but stronger: the eye thereof is fitted
vpon the square of the Axis and screwed
vp tight with a female screw; on the
straight shank of this winch is fitted a
Rounce or wooden handle to turn it by.
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