MELBOURNE MUSEUM OF PRINTING

[Mechanic]

MELBOURNE MUSEUM OF PRINTING

CLICK FOR LARGER VIEW

This photo is on the Melbourne Museum of Printing's web site. There are a number of close up photos of equipment used in letterpress typesetting and printing.
I particularly like this photo as it gives a view behind the assembler entrance that is not normally photographed, except in maintenance manuals. A descriptive caption of what you are looking at is on the web site.

http://mmop.org.au/gallery/renact01/mlid202b.htm

A quote from the caption

"On the rear surface of the (open) front panel you can see the leather belt (quarter-inch round) which drives the assembler mechanism. It is interesting to note that the belt crosses over itself in order to drive the assembler in the required direction. Also that the belt looks to be very loose, but works correctly."

The belt does tighten up somewhat when the entrance is closed, but the belt is run fairly loose as it has to change to the idle pulley when the assembler is stopped by the operator. Also a tight belt puts an unwanted strain on the assembler drive and can be a cause of matrix transposition, as can a poorly joined belt. The machine pictured is an English model 78. Unlike the machines built for the English market, machines built for Australia had the escapement attached to the magazine frame and not part of the magazine.

http://mmop.org.au/gallery/renact01/index.htm

Take the time to look at the other photos and browse the site. If you haven't been there before I'm sure you will find it interesting.

Michael Isaachsen, the Museum's Honorary Curator, told me by email

You may or may not have read elsewhere on the mmop site that
most of the machines shown in the 'reenactment gallery' were
destroyed by a storage facility when we could not keep up
the storage charges, in 2009. The Model 78 in the chosen pic
is still in use, though. The reenactment program is
consequently "on hold".

I had previously posted an ABC TV video of the story, unfortunately the video is no longer available.

The Museum has a new home:-
http://mmop.org.au/about/newhome.htm