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Future update note (current as of 13 August 2004): I've gathered much more information than I used to have, much of it from experienced Linotype operators generously offering their memories of the machines. I plan to -- someday, time permitting -- update the page with much more information. All the open questions and comments about things I'm unsure about currently on this page have been marvelously well answered and I hope to share the answers in the near future.
In the meanwhile the Prelinger Movie Archives have a few films explaining the workings of typesetting machines available for download. Those unable to wait for my always late updates may find these more useful.
Data taken from Navy Training Papers 10458 LSC.
The actual keys had different colors, based on the column they were in. The colors described in the Training Papers are shown in the top column. Some sources indicate that the rows were horizontally staggered, which seems to be consistent with the touch typing instructions offered.
| BLACK | BLUE | WHITE | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| e |
s |
c |
v |
x |
ffl M |
? |
¯ |
1 Y |
7 G |
E |
S |
C |
V |
X |
|||
| S P A C E |
t | h | m | b | z | em spc |
en spc |
thin spc |
2 B |
8 R |
T | H | M | B | Z U |
||
| a | r | f | g | fi | , | ( A |
) Q |
3 C |
9 T |
A | R | F | G | @ oe H |
|||
| o | d | w | k | fl Y |
. | | | . |
4 D |
0 J |
O | D | W | K | lb æ K |
|||
| i | l | y | q | ff | : S |
` |
' |
5 E |
$ P |
I | L | Y | Q | & N |
|||
| n | u | p | j | ffi W |
; | ! | * O |
6 F |
.. em spc |
N | U | P | J | - | |||
The dot in column 8, row 4 is the multiplication dot, a vertically centered dot, and should not be confused with the period.
A switch of some sort was used to indicate whether the primary character or the secondary one -- usually the small caps letters, indicated on the second line of each table element -- was dropped into place. The arrangement of small caps was so that the metal bit had the same width as the main character; there's obviously no other sense to the small capitals placement.
The oe, in the fifteenth column of the third row (alternate to @) is a ligature, one that does not appear in the standard HTML characters.
I have no idea what the difference between the en and thin spaces are.
Note:There is no provision for small caps X or Z. It is assumed that these characters are used so rarely they may be set into type by hand.
Presumably a similar logic dictates the absense of < and > characters, as well as the other more obscure typographical symbols so common on modern, 5300-key keyboards. It appears that special characters would be hand-set if used rarely, or alternate fonts used if extensive symbols (such as for mathematical books) needed to be typeset.
Note that only single quote marks are included, or necessary.
The home columns are the first and second columns, in the lowercase letters. Left thumb is placed on the lowercase i, right thumb on l. If extensive typing is to be done in all capitals, move the hands to the eleventh columns.
The first (index) finger of the left hand types s, a, and when convenient h.
The second finger of the left hand types e and t.
The third finger of the left hand presses the lar ge space bar, and exclusively that.
The thumb of the left hand types i, and when convenient o and n.
The first (index) finger of the right hand types r, d, and when convenient h.
The second finger of the right hand types c, m, f, and w.
The third finger of the right hand types v, b, g, k, q, j, x, and the ffl ligature.
The thumb of the right hand types l, y, u, p, and when convenient n.
The remaining characters are typed with the fourth finger of either hand, whichever is conveient.
Typists are advised to strive for consistent, regular keystrokes. Speed comes with practice. Errors are time-consuming to correct.
Never rest your fingers on the keys. This may cause letters to drop into the machine.
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A note: I greatly appreciate the multiple Linotype experts and operators who have generously donated information about the machines to me, to be used in a future revision of this page. Unfortunately spam has become sufficiently overwhelming that I have removed the explicit e-mail address from here. I would greatly appreciate further comments and insights, and ask those who would like to e-mail me to interpolate my address from the server name rpi.edu and from the account name nebusj. Thank you, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
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