442,689. Printing music &c. STRONG, H. V., Dewley Farm House, Ightham, Kent, and RISTIC, R. HAGYI-, 91, Gloucester Terrace, London. Nov. 2, 1934, Nos. 31507/34 and 10234/35. [Class 100 (ii)] In the preparation of " originals " from which are reproduced by a printing process sheets of printed matter such as sheets of music, wherein the music signs or other characters to be printed are impressed manually upon a sheet of paper by means of individual stamps or dies, the position of each of which is determined or located by a guide movable in relation to a bar or bridge above a platen, the guide socket being associated with means for locating a sign in relation to stave lines, in the case of music, the apparatus is characterized in that the die guide socket is traversable mechanically by determined amounts in order accurately to locate a sign or symbol upon a stave line or between two stave lines, in the case of music, or in relation to the dimensions of the type employed, in the case of other printed matter. The guide socket may also be traversable mechanically lengthwise of a stave by selected numbers of predetermined units of space. In the arrangement shown, which is particularly for printing music, a die guide socket 1 is integral with or secured to a rack-rod 7 with which there meshes a pinion 8 rotatable by means of a knurled head 9 supported by a carriage 10 relatively to which the rod 7 is reciprocable. The rod 7 is provided with serrations the spacing of which is equivalent to half the distance separating two stave or leger lines, and the serrations are adapted to be engaged by a spring- controlled plunger slidably mounted in the carriage 10. Either the rod 7 may be exchangeable to suit the music, or the serrations may be formed in a metal strip detachably secured to the rod. The carriage 10 is mounted on a bar 12 secured by blocks 14 to a wooden base 13. A platen 15 (not shown), of wood or metal is disposed on the base 13 and is capable of being traversed upwardly thereover between fixed side rails 16 by means comprising a rack-rod 49 secured to the platen and a pinion meshing with the rack mounted in a bracket 50 on the base 13 and adapted to be rotated by means of a knurled head 53. The platen 15 is faced with a layer of rubber 17 on which is laid a sheet of paper 18 printed with stave lines. The sheet 18 is clamped on the layer of rubber 17 by a pivoted bar 23 mounted at the top of the base 13. The lower edge of the bar 12 is formed with a rack 19 engaged by a pinion 20 supported on the carriage 10 and rotatable by means of a knurled head 22 in order to traverse the carriage along the bar 12. Means for spacing the notes or signs to be printed on the sheet 18 is provided comprising a ratchet-wheel 54 secured to the stem of the pinion 20, engaged by a pawl 55 which is pivoted on an angularly movable lever 56 to which the tail of the pawl is anchored by a spring 57. The lever 56 is pivoted on the carriage 10, and its inner extension is located between a fixed stop 58 and an adjustable screw-stop 59. An angularly movable arm 63 may be pressed against the tail of the pawl to disengage the latter from the ratchet-wheel 54 when desired. By moving the lever 56 clockwise, the pawl 55 is drawn over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 54, the pawl making an audible sound during its movement thereover, and then the lever 56 is moved counterclockwise causing the ratchetwheel and the pinion 20 to rotate whereby the carriage 10 is traversed along the bar 12. The length of movement is determined by the adjustment of the stop 59. The size of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 54 is related to the desired transverse spacing of the sheet to be printed, and the wheel can be exchanged. Preferably means are provided to give a visual indication of the extent of angular displacement of the ratchet-wheel 54. One example of die stamp and holder therefor for insertion in the guide socket 1 is shown in Fig. 10, and comprises a stem 28 of rectangular crosssection having a milled head 29, the lower end of the stem being bevelled to facilitate insertion in the socket 1. The stem 28 is integral with, or has secured thereto, a socket 30 to receive the rectangular shank or shanks of the die stamp or stamps 31. The die 31 is held in the member 30 by the engagement of a spring-pressed latch 33 with a groove in the shank of the die. The socket 1 is provided with two spring-pressed pins 39 which facilitate the withdrawal of the die stamp and holder from the socket 1.