Type case

The hutch is a term used in the typesetting sorting box for letters in the lead sentence.

A type case only contains types of the same font, font size and font style. Besides the characters, the box also contains non-printing material reactive material consisting of squares, Gevierten and space bands for the word and character spacing. He should not contain " fish " (erroneously filed letters into the wrong compartment of the box ) or onion fish (erroneously misfiled letters from a different font or a font style ). The size of the compartments and the arrangement of the types is based on the average frequency, can be used with certain types in the text. Therefore, the arrangement and expression differs depending on the language area. In Germany, the classification is determined according to DIN 16502 today. The Antiqua box has 125 subjects whose size depends on the frequency of use. There are eleven whole subjects (for example, e and s), 40 half (for example, H and L) and 72/4 subjects (such as a number ). For this purpose, one-third compartment ( one-point space) and a two -thirds tray ( letter i). This division applies to writings of the groups I-VI according to DIN 16518 for font classification. In the boxes for broken fonts omitted the accented characters and it will be 21/4 compartments freely for reserve letters or in a group X for ligatures. The boxes for writings of the group VII- IX and XI will often stay at the standard occupancy. The number of subjects may be reduced to 116.

The font boxes are still differed in size:

• Bread font Large font box or box with about 96 cm wide, 61 cm deep and 5.2 cm box height,
• Standard box or Small Font box with about 66 cm wide, 61 cm deep and 4.3 cm box height,
• Title font box, plug-in type holder with 27 cm width, 61 cm (rarely 45 cm depth) and 4.3 cm box height ( in these cases the letters are usually not stored in individual letters compartments, but inserted in alphabetical order in series).

A good typesetter may consist of a bread box writing about 1200 to 1500 letters per hour. However, the " productivity " of a typesetter reduced if one takes into account the time that the user also needs back into the hutch for the " drop" of lead type letters after printing.

Through nearly complete departure from hot metal and the transition to new printing techniques most flasks were retired. Specimens received today serve collectors for storage and exhibition of small objects. For this purpose, replicas are referred to as " hutch ", but that differ from the real typecases usually considerably.

As Setzkasten also in 1835, invented by Johann Hermann teaching material is called, which is still used in elementary language teaching: a small box that repeatedly contains the individual letters on cardboard or plastic plates, with an apparatus in which these letters into words can be plugged together.

Gallery

Antiqua - type case for DIN allocation

Antiqua font box in the plug box format

Hutch with angle hook

Antiqua font box in the bread box format

Plug- type holder with roman typeface

Swell

• Meyers Great Conversation Lexicon. New impression. Leipzig and Vienna 1905.
• Sepp Dußler, Fritz Kolling: Modern composing room. 4th edition. Publisher documentation Saur KG, Pullach 1974, ISBN 3-7940-8703-8.
• Eberhard Dilba: typography lexicon and reading book for all, 2nd Edition, Books on Demand, Norderstedt 2008, ISBN 978-3-8334-2522-6.

• Hand set
• Wood container