Spacebands are made in two classes, thick and thin. The thick bands present a minimum thickness of about .0375 of an inch in the line, and expand to .1, and are stronger and heavier than the others.

The thin bands present a minimum thickness of about .032 of an inch in the line, and expand to .095 of an inch, and are adapted for use where very thin spacing is required; for example, in connection with very small faces.

Point System of the Mergenthaler Linotype Co.

This point system—adopted for convenience in measuring—is nearly identical with that of Didot, as adopted by the United States Typefounders’ Association. The size of a pica em, as understood before the adoption of the point system, was one-sixth of an inch, or .166⅔. The pica em adopted by the United States Typefounders’ Association measures .166, while the Linotype pica em measures .168. The United States Typefounders’ Association’s unit of measurement, or point, is .01383. The Mergenthaler Linotype Company’s is .014. Therefore 12 points × .014 = .168, or the Linotype pica em.

All the Linotype matrix measurements are made on the basis of .014 to a point, and .168 to an em pica. The following table will furnish an illustration of these dimensions:

Font.No. Points. Point. Em Space.
Ruby5 ×.014=.070
Agate5½×.014=.077
Nonpareil6 ×.014=.084
Minion7 ×.014=.098
Brevier8 ×.014=.112
Bourgeois9 ×.014=.126
Long Primer10 ×.014=.140
Small Pica11 ×.014=.154
Pica12 ×.014=.168

To measure Linotype matter, take an em space in the font to be measured, and ascertain how many times it is contained in the matter to be measured. The quotient will show the correct number of ems.