Retro Fitted Gauge

[Dave Hughes]

Over on the excellent Trade cards, Cigarette cards, Labels, Coins etc. thread @printsmurf recently posted this picture of an old postcard with the title "Typography Serbia 1930"



The Linotype has a very prominent retro fitted gauge with a circular dial facing the operator.

Anyone seen anything like it before? What could it be for?

[Mechanic]

Just some observations.

The machine has an inside galley, behind the first elevator, so must date from the early 1900's.

The gage is monitoring a round tank attached to the base below the pot. There is a box with some type of control attached to the mold disk arm, where electrical control box is normally attached. On top of the pot there is an arrangement with what appears to be two pipes. One going under the cover the other going down to the bottom of the pot.

I think that gauge above the transfer channel displays the amount of gas in the round drum. The control is to adjust the gas flame to the bottom of the pot for the temperature of the metal in the pot and also to control the temperature of the mouthpiece.

This would allow a pot to be heated by gas, where gas to the property was not available.

This is just an educated guess.

[Mechanic]

A bit further research:

The container at the bottom may have contained petrol or kerosene.

I have never seen a machine where the metal was heated this way.

It is listed as options in both Linotype and Intertype manuals I have.