LINOTYPE MACHINE Meaning and
Definition
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The Linotype machine is a historically significant mechanical typesetting device invented in the late 19th century. It revolutionized the printing industry by automating the process of composing lines of type for printing presses. The term "Linotype" is a combination of "line" and "type," which accurately describes its main function.
Operating on mechanical principles, the Linotype machine employed a keyboard resembling that of a typewriter. Each key corresponded to a character or a set of characters, representing individual pieces of type. When a key was pressed, a brass matrix with the corresponding letter or symbol slid into place. The operator then pulled a lever, which caused molten metal, typically an alloy of lead, antimony, and tin, to be injected into a mold. This mold, or mat, comprised a row of assembled matrices, forming a line of type.
Once the line was cast in metal, it was automatically transferred to a composing stick, where it could be adjusted for spacing and alignment. The Linotype machine significantly expedited the typesetting process compared to traditional hand-setting methods. It allowed for relatively fast and accurate composition of entire lines of type, hence the machine's name.
The Linotype machine played a vital role in the publishing industry for nearly a century, substantially improving efficiency and increasing the speed of printed communication. However, with the advent of digital typesetting technologies in the 1980s, the Linotype machine became obsolete and is now primarily of historical interest.
Common Misspellings for LINOTYPE MACHINE
- kinotype machine
- pinotype machine
- oinotype machine
- lunotype machine
- ljnotype machine
- lknotype machine
- lonotype machine
- l9notype machine
- l8notype machine
- libotype machine
- limotype machine
- lijotype machine
- lihotype machine
- linitype machine
- linktype machine
- linltype machine
- linptype machine
- lin0type machine
- lin9type machine
Etymology of LINOTYPE MACHINE
The word "linotype" comes from the combination of two words: "line" and "type". The "line" refers to the lines of text that were composed using the machine, while "type" refers to the individual characters used to compose the text. So, the term "linotype" essentially means "line of type". The linotype machine itself was invented and named by Ottmar Mergenthaler, a German-born American inventor, in the late 19th century.
