Monotype Pendulum Countersink Machine

Electrically driven pendulum countersinking spindle, Plant No. 958, made by Lanston Monotype Corporation, Salfords, Redhill, Surrey, 1922. This machine was used in the production system for Monotype matrices, for de-burring of retaining rod holes in matrices, with 0.2 x 0.4-inch and 0.4 x 0.4-inch matrix galleys and the galley anvil. Mounted on bench with machine Plant nos. 503, 289, 290 and 355.

This machine is one of many used in the process to make a 0.2-inch (0.51cm) or 0.4-inch (1.02cm) matrix. Some of the machines were designed at the Monotype factory in Salfords, Surrey, and other machines were purchased and adapted by Monotype.

There were 82 separate processes needed to transform a designer’s drawing of a letter, figure, punctuation or symbol into a piece of Monotype metal type for printing. A pantograph was used to trace and cut the letter from a copper pattern into a piece of steel called a punch. After being hardened, the punch was driven into a piece of bronze using a crank press to produce a matrix. The finished matrix was ready to go to the Monotype Composition Caster where molten metal was pumped through a mould against the matrix to produce a piece of type.