Monotype Corporation

Monotype is a typesetting machine that was invented in 1897 by American engineer Tolbert Lanston.

Unlike the Linotype typesetting machine, the operations Insert and casting are not combined in one machine. The setter is sitting on the so-called switch, a mechanical keyboard whose entries are stored on a tape.

The tape is spatially separated from it entered into the casting machine, which is not - as the Linotype typesetting machine - complete lines, but individual letters poured, however strung together to form a line and finished excluded leaving the machine so that the lines can be combined into printing blocks.

In addition to the normal described Monotype casting machine, there was the Monotype Supra, a Komplettgießmaschine for large cone fonts 14-72 point font size. Any modifications it was also used for the casting of blank material, bylaws, tablets, lines and Unterlegstegen.

The first so-called type A was rarely used in Europe, only the Type C and Type D from 1910 were responsible for the large spread.

With the Monotype can be cast in the hour about 8000 letters ( even over 10,000 at the last machine ).

The Monotype was replaced by the phototypesetting, in some companies only by the Desktop Publishing ( DTP). During the time of the photo set was a long time to buy the Monophoto. This was a phototypesetting machine that was set up like a monotype, but instead of casting equipment had a film exposure chamber. The advantage: the tape of Monotype could be used.

The proper name Monotype was eponymous for the non-proportional fonts, which are sometimes referred to as Monotype fonts.

What became of Monotype?

The company was founded in 1887 as the Lanston Monotype Machine Company was acquired after several training and reorganisations (including Monotype Typography ) 1998 by Agfa- Gevaert. Shortly thereafter, in 1999, followed by the removal of the fonts and typography division in the newly founded Agfa Monotype. 2004 Agfa Monotype has sold a majority stake in the equity firm TA Associates and now bears the name of Monotype Imaging Inc.

The business of Monotype Imaging are the distribution and licensing of digital fonts and the development of printer and display drivers for displaying digital fonts, especially on behalf of well-known manufacturers of operating systems and mobile devices such as mobile phones.

Since August 2006, the font Linotype GmbH, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe belongs, Germany, while continuing its own corporate name to the company network Monotype Imaging Inc. From 2013 Linotype GmbH operates as monotype GmbH.