The first elevator jaws consist of the front and back jaws, the jaw spring pawls, duplex rail, duplex rail levers and springs, separating block, and line stop.
The two jaws are held together by two screws extending through the separating block. On the right-hand end of the jaws are the spring pawls. The pawl for the back jaw is held in a slot by two small screws and projects through to the front. The front jaw pawl is grooved and held in place by two screws and a plate, and projects through to the back. These two pawls retain the matrices after they have entered the jaws. Should they break or become inoperative, the matrices would have a tendency to jump out of the jaws just before entering the vise jaws or while going to transfer position in the top guide. A broken pawl sometimes will catch the line of matrices and prevent it from passing into the jaws. To renew the front pawl, release the two small screws that hold the plate and slip the pawl toward the right. The back pawl can be changed by taking out the two small screws that hold it in position.
The first elevator front jaw is equipped with a duplex rail for the purpose of holding the front lugs of the matrices in a raised position to cast a line of matrices in auxiliary position. This rail is held in position by two springs which are fastened to the two duplex rail levers. The rail is automatically retracted when the elevator rises to the slide guide, by the upper ends of the rail levers being pressed back by two operating blocks which are assembled on the adjusting strip of the slide guide. This backward movement of the rail permits the matrices to drop to normal position for the transfer.
If a squirt occurs and the metal gets in around the duplex rails or on the first elevator jaws, it will prevent the rail from being retracted. This will prevent the elevator slide from going high enough for the matrices to be transferred. Never remove metal from the jaws with a screwdriver or a piece of steel. A piece of brass rule will answer the purpose and will not damage the jaws when driving out the metal.
The duplex rail sometimes becomes battered or bent through the carelessness of the operator in sending in tight lines. The rail can be taken out and smoothed up by taking the jaws off the slide and removing the plate at the bottom of the front jaw.
The back jaw should be examined frequently for burrs or a sprung jaw. If the jaw becomes sprung outward it will permit the end matrix to crawl up in the jaws and the lugs will be sheared or bent as the mold slide comes forward for the lockup. There should be just enough space between the jaws for a matrix to pass in without binding, but not enough to allow the matrix to be raised past the duplex rail, from lower to auxiliary position. If the jaw is bent inward, the spaceband can not operate freely. Never pry out on the jaws with a screw driver when there is a squirt holding the jaws to the disc of the mold cap, for there is a chance of bending the back jaw.
Whenever the jaws are held on the vise cap after a squirt, always remove the screws from the back jaws, take off the jaw guard on the vise cap and let the vise down. This method will prevent springing the jaw because the back jaw will hang to the squirt when the vise is let down.
First Elevator Jaw Line Stop
The first elevator jaw line stop, which prevents the matrices from twisting or falling out while the line is being carried to the vise or the top guide, is found in the first elevator jaw, and is held by a clamp, spring, and nut.
The outer end of the line stop is cut away so as to clear the vise jaw, on all models except 1 and K. Always have the cut on the under side; if reversed it would strike on the vise jaw and not allow the first elevator to descend the full distance.