The front buffer is a removable fiber plate set in the bottom and flush with the edge of the rail. The purpose of this buffer is to prevent wear on the bottom lug of the matrix. When the plate is worn, it can be replaced.
The matrix will have a tendency to fall back on the star wheel if the buffer is worn. A good way to determine whether the front buffer is worn is to run down a few matrices in the assembler, then open the gate and observe whether the matrices near the end fall forward slightly, dropping below the level of the rest of the line. If the matrices drop very much, a new buffer should be applied.
The detaining plates, at the bottom of the assembling elevator, are for the purpose of keeping the bottom of the matrix from falling between the assembling elevator and the assembler. These plates must be kept in good condition, and the screws which hold them kept tight, or thin matrices will get in between the elevator and assembler, causing trouble in assembling the line.
Assembled at the right of the assembling elevator back rail and the gate are the two assembling elevator rail pawls. These rail pawls are operated by springs, the tension of which should be just strong enough to hold the matrix. The pawls should keep the matrices from falling back on the star wheel.
Most fonts of matrices, up to and including 14-point, have two letters or characters on the casting edge. The characters to be cast must be presented at the proper level in front of the mold cell. To enable the operator to utilize either character instantly, there are assembled in the front of the assembling elevator two thin duplex rails. These rails are operated by small levers, which permit the operator to assemble the matrices on the upper or lower rail, or mix the line, part upper and part lower. Rails are carried throughout the entire delivery mechanism to hold the matrices at the proper level until after the cast is made.
The rails are assembled on the levers and are held to position by a bar which is fastened to the elevator. A liner on each end, under the bar, gives room for the rails to move without binding. Under the rails are small spiral springs which force the rails up against the bar to keep them from moving too freely when a line is being assembled.
The long rail has a projection out from the base that holds the line of matrices as it transfers from the elevator to the delivery channel. This projection must fit into a groove in the elevator. If this point becomes bent it will not permit the rail to fit, causing bad assembling when in the regular position. There is a small operating finger screwed to the long rail that comes in contact with the aligning piece fastened to the delivery channel front rail. This is for the purpose of aligning the upper rails on the assembling elevator with the upper delivery channel rails when the line is in the auxiliary position. If the operating finger does not come in contact with the aligning piece and raise it, matrices in auxiliary, or raised position, will not pass into the delivery channel.
To operate the duplex rails, determine in which position the matrices should be assembled, and press in or pull out on the small levers, as desired. The right-hand lever controls the first half-inch of the duplex rail, throwing it in or out. If the rail is in, the matrices are all assembled on the raised or auxiliary position. If the rail is out, the matrices are all assembled on the bottom or regular position.
The left-hand or the long rail fills out the balance of space in the elevator. It is also connected with a small lever, and operates the same as the short rail. The rails can be moved in or out as needed for a line in the regular or auxiliary position, or for a line partly in the regular and partly in the auxiliary position.
On the back of the assembling elevator at the right, resting on an adjusting screw, is the line delivery slide releasing wire pin. This pin should release the line delivery slide just as the assembling latch catches when the elevator is raised.