Linotype Elektron

There is general agreement that the Elektron was a very “pretty” machine, but had quirks which made it a nightmare for machinists in the long term.

I have operated an Elektron from both the keyboard and punched tape, but never had to deal with maintenance when I did.

John Henry

The newspaper i worked for got a used electron that ran off a tape, we had mostly comets, the electron was always down, finally the mechanic slowed the machine way down then it ran pretty good. i remember the machine was “pretty” but it liked to eat mats. Dick G.

dickg the mechanics did the right thing, I think the machine should have been a slow running machine that just turned out type instead of lets see how fast it will go.

I think this help kill metal typesetting, because owners and operator both spend more time working to make it work than getting type from it.

I do remember working at a daily that had them back in the 70’s. I remember now, the electron was just running at a slow speed, but it turned out line after line.

I knew if I read some input from others I would remember some good about them.

Those elektrons were “pretty”! When the Atlanta Times folded, the Chattanooga Times/Post acquired their new fancy elektrons. I was just starting my apprenticeship at the time. The machinists got plenty of overtime fighting those machines. The comets just kept on running, casting type, never ceasing.

Boy, the things I remember about the Elektron. The company I worked for had 4 — one was a mixer with a Thermex mold disk, LOU (LInotype Operating Unit), HydroQuadder, and Shaffstahl Mat Detector. My company sent me to the Linotype factory in New York to see how they were made and to learn how to maintain them. They were great machines as long as you didn’t try to run them too fast. We couldn’t anyway because most of our work was 26 picas and with 3 lines of mats in various stages of the machine (assembing, casting, distributing) we would run out of characters and the mat detector would stop the machine. It usually wasn’t e’s because we were using the double “e” channel. We were able to increase the speed of the distributor and slow down the rest of the machine for steady running. The Thermex mold disk (back-knife backed off all molds except the one that was cast) was unbelievably efficient and was one of the things I liked the best. Every slug was the same whether it was the first one cast or the 200th — never a hollow slug. I could go on and one, but I’m probably boring you all.

We have a English Electron at Gulgong Pioneers Museum it came from a trade house in Sydney. This machine is a static display as we have concentrated on the Inters C3 & C4s and the Model 15 and 78 Linotypes at the moment we have enough work to keep all these working. I worked at News Ltd. in Sydney and they had Intertype Monarchs, they did not seem to have many problems with these. We may have a go at getting the Electron up and running at a later date.
Arthur in Australia.

We had six Elektrons and two Comets at the Rocky Mtn news. A strong background in electrical, electronic and mechanical background was a must for the Elektrons.
Merg needlessly installed micro switches and relays in far too many places to replace mechanical functions that were working fine for years. Fortunately we had the skills to keep them going. Thank god for Merg’s electical diagrams. We are installing one of the last Elektrons at Palmer Lake Colorado at John Finch’s museum of hot metal days. We will have it up and running for posterity.

I have a English Elektron here in New Zealand. It is 99% going now just a small electrical problem (The send line) does not work from the key board.

The machine was stored in a shipping container for about 4 years untill I brought it south in 2004 to my print shop in Hawera where it shares a room with a 1956 Interetype that is still in daily use.
The relay has been checked and OK when the button on the key board is pushed the lights come on but the finger does on drop. Voltage check show that we are geting only 9 Volts instead of 26 anyone have any ideas before my sparky does himself a mischef.

Oh, boy for New Zealand elektron probs. I have found out most low voltage problems is due to reseatinghe plugs they used in wiring. Especially the bigger black plugs. Sparks just has to trace the path to the solenoid and work your way along. If you have one of the older Elektrons they used a revolving timer with cams that tripped micro switches and they were a beast. They are represented in the book with the original wire numbers and you will see a designator TS for timer switch. Later on this mechanical timer was replaced with an electronic timer and the big elec boards on the rh side lower were modified. Now, if you do not have the new prints to follow the new wiring through it would be tough. I have them and they are about 8 1/2” by 14” and about 6 sheets. They are great. If needed let me know. You have to work with the new and old diagrams for wire numbers.

Here in Antwerp, Belgium for our growing collection we have recently we been offered a free Electron, just need to collect. It came together with a one-magazine Linotype(supposed) ‘model 1’ which was dated (according to the firm 1901).
We took the old machine withouth any doubt, although it was very hard to get out of its location, and is now in parts on 9 pallets.
But what about the electron ? It should be able to be moved in one peace, but is it worth having ? According to what i read in all the posts, its not easy to keep it going. Our local Belgian machinist (82 years) says to stay away from it, because they where nothing but trouble.
advice please ?
many thanks
Patrick.

Patrick,

Congratulations on both machines!

My own opinion is that, yes, you should take the Elektron too. Set up alongside a Model 1, you would have the perfect illustration of the beginning of an era and the end of an era.

Your machinist is speaking from the point of view of someone who had to keep these machines in production, when they were still being manufactured. He is probably right from his perspective - my understanding is that they did have a reputation for maintenance problems. But your perspective as someone putting together a historical collection is quite different. The fact that a machine might be difficult to maintain has no bearing on its position in history, and the Elektron had an important place in history.

Again, congratulations.

Regards,
David M. MacMillan
www.CircuitousRoot.com

I workedElektron,NorthQueensland.Slugs too hot after half hour at 15 lines/minute,back squirt. Wonder if air-cooling arranged correctly?Mohr saw fitted,setting 9 picas 6 pts on 30 pica slug.Backlash set wrongly on Mohr,caused probs till I realised mech had his own ideas,not what manufacturer advised.Spaceband probs till mod done.While it was running,OK,sometimes completed a shift.Intertype better generally.I pressed 2 Elektron mag change buttons occasionally,startling result.

Why was first model Linotype called “blower” model? Alan Nankivell Brooks.

Alan, Sorry this is so late but I lost this thread after I checked my books for the facts. From the book “The Biography of Ottmar Mergenthaler inventor of the linotype” published by Oak Knoll Books. The earliest models were called “Blowers” because blasts of air were needed to push the type matrices into the assembler. Howard H

Howard H
thanks for info re blower. Alan.

arthur johnson

thanks story of English Elektron and model 15 Lino.

I was not aware that England also made Elektron;

I heard that, during 1930s, a one-man weekly here (in Mackay, North Queensland) used a model 15; I was told they had a short magazine of 15 matrices, to make the least expensive machine which was practicable.

I was told that the man who ran the weekly did the reporting, editing, typesetting, printing, and had a weekly feature

“Men about Town”

with a lino-cut caricature which was always easily recognisable. He employed boys on bicycles to distribute.

Alan.

arthur johnson

thanks story of English Elektron and model 15 Lino.

I was not aware that England also made Elektron;

I heard that, during 1930s, a one-man weekly here (in Mackay, North Queensland) used a model 15; I was told they had a short magazine of 15 matrices, to make the least expensive machine which was practicable.

I was told that the man who ran the weekly did the reporting, editing, typesetting, printing, and had a weekly feature

“Men about Town”

with a lino-cut caricature which was always easily recognisable. He employed boys on bicycles to distribute.

Alan.

The printing shop is dirty and hot
And the fumes are thick from the melting pot
As over the keys I bend and lean
And strike at the keys of the mad machine
That Mergenthaler made.

Are the words right, and is there another verse?

Found several reference to Intertype Fotosetter, why has it a keyboard of 120 keys plus spaceband key?

Alan.

There is another verse. As printed in the Linotype Keyboard Instruction book, page 51, copyright 1930, Mergenthaler Linotype Company:

“The printing shop is dirty and hot
and the fumes are thick from the melting-pot,
And my soul is worn and frayed
As over the board I bend and lean
To strike the keys of the mad machine
That Mergenthaler made;
But my wearly memory dearly holds
A picture ever the same,
And ever the molten metal molds
The letters of your name. “

Rather an odd piece in a book marketed by Linotype….

A snappier verse from the same page:

“Ah, the click of the flint-locks is not half so divine
As the click of the types as they fall into line,
The audible step of unfaltering feet
To a mightier tune than our bosoms can beat.”

to mikiefrommontana

thanks re

the printing shop is dirty and hot

Alan.