C & G / Morrison Printers Saws

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1. Differences Between the C&G/Morrison Saw and Other Printer's Saws

The single biggest difference between this saw and other printer's saws is that in most printer's saws the entire portion of the table to the left of the sawblade slides on dovetail ways. In other words, the work is fixed to the table, and the table moves. In the C&G/Morrison saw, the table is a single solid piece (much like a conventional table saw) and the work moves while clamped to a sliding guide.

Most other printers' saws place the work in front of the pica-graduated guide as it moves towards the sawblade. In this saw, however, the work is place behind the guide (that is, on the side toward the user). A ratcheting clamp holds it in place.

2. References to Other Images Online

There are several photographs of saws very similar to mine online at the Old Woodworking Machines website. In particular, see:

Morrison Co.

Note that as this is a woodworking machine site, they have no idea what a printer's saw is and refer to it as a "tenoning machine."

3. Manufacturer's Literature

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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Price List of C&G Saw Trimmers (1938)

Price List of C & G Saw Trimmers And Other Products (Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Saw Trimmer Corporation, November, 1938). An eight-page brochure, scanned from a photocopy.

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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C&G No. 3A Deluxe

C & G No. 3-A Deluxe Model Saw Trimmer (Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Saw Trimmer Corporation, [no date]). An eight-page brochure, scanned from a photocopy.

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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Instructions for ... Model 3A Saw Trimmer

Instructions for the Operation and care of C & G Model 3A Saw Trimmer (Milwaukee, WI: The Morrison Company, [no date; after postal zone codes (1943) but before ZIP codes (1963)]). A six-page manual, scanned from a photocopy.

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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Morrison Saw Trimmer Model 3-A

Morrison Saw Trimmer Model 3-A (Milwaukee, WI: The Morrison Company, [no date; after postal zone codes (1943) but before ZIP codes (1963)]). A two-page sales flyer, scanned from a photocopy.

[click image to read]
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C&G Sawliner

Four-page brochure for the C&G "Sawliner" model printer's saw. This must date from the early 1940s, both on the basis of appearance and because (a) the "Sawliner" is not mentioned in the 1938 price list, above, but (b) the present document does not use postal zone codes in its address. (Zone codes were introduced in 1943, but were not mandatory; later Morrison Company documents did use them.) The Sawliner is not mentioned in the 1953 Western Newspaper Union catalog (see below). (see below).

4. Suppliers' Catalogs

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American Wood Type Manufacturing Co.

Morrison Saw Trimmers were sold in at least one catalog of the American Wood Type Manufacturing Company.

[click image to read]
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Intertype Parts

Some not-very-good older scans I did from the 1932 Intertype Parts, Supplies and Accessories catalog. I should re-do these. They show the C&G "Trimmiter" composing room saw and mitering machine, in No. 1 and "AdAlley" models.

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Star Parts (1956/1966)

A page from a Star Parts catalog. The page date is Oct. 1956, but the catalog itself is the 1966 binder. This shows the Deluxe Saw Trimmer and Slug Stripper, sold here under the Morrison name only.

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Steward Company

Morrison Saw Trimmers were sold in at least one catalog of the Steward Company (San Francisco and Los Angeles).

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WNU Catalogue No. 53: Slug Stripper

Western Newspaper Union Catalogue No. 53, p. 49: Morrison Slug Stripper.

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WNU Catalogue No. 53: Saw Trimmers 3A and 45

Western Newspaper Union Catalogue No. 53, p. 52: Morrison Saw Trimmers, Models 3A and 45.

5. The Patents of Edward Cheshire

The patents reprinted here are those of Cheshire's for composing room saws and related equipment. He was also issued several patents for sheet feeding devices. These include:

Also, in addition to the saw patents reprinted here, my C&G saw indicates that he was issued Australian patent 11,929. I have not yet located this.

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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US Patent 1,463,545. Cutting Mechanism

United States patent 1,463,545. Issued 1923-07-31. Filed 1921-01-21 as application serial number 438,813. Edward Cheshire. "Cutting Mechanism." Not assigned.

"The invention finds particular application in connection with sawing and trimming linotype slugs, mitering borders, and sawing and trimming cuts or electrotypes for printers' use. ..."

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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US Patent 1,495,248. Saw Guard

United States patent 1,495,248. Issued 1924-05-27. Filed 1922-01-27 as application serial number 532,208. Edward Cheshire. "Composing-Room Saw." Not assigned.

"... to provide a simple and practical saw guard having guide means normally in operative association with the saw for directing and carrying away waste material from the saw."

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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US Patent 1,506,407. Saw Mitering Arrangement

United States patent 1,506,407. Issued 1924-08-24. Filed 1922-03-06 as application serial number 541,309. Edward Cheshire. "Composing-Room-Saw Mitering Arrangement."

"It is found that borders cast in type casting machines at times vary in thickness from 1/1000 to 5/1000 of an inch from the standard. Accordingly, standard gauges do not always give a setting for accurately mitering." "One object .. is to provide simple and reliable means for making an accurate setting for borders and the like so that same may be accurately mitered."

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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US Patent 1,618,170. Saw Workholding Clamp

United States patent 1,618,170. Issued 1927-02-22. Filed 1923-09-15 as application serial number 662,840. Edward Cheshire. "Composing-Room Saw." Not assigned.

"This invention relates to a composing room saw and more particularly to means for clamping line-o-type slugs, borders, cuts or electroplates and the like."

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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GB Patent 217,638. Machine Vices.

British patent 217,638. Accepted 1924-06-16. Filed 1923-03-15 as application No. 7533/28. Edward Cheshire. "Improvements in Machine Vices."

"This invention relates to improvements in machine vices of the type which are more particularly adapted for use in connection with sawing and trimming slugs, mitering borders, and sawing and trimming cuts or electrotypes for printers' use."

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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US Patent 1,807,896. Vise.

United States patent 1,807,896. Issued 1931-06-02. Filed 1927-07-25 as application serial number 208,077. Edward Cheshire. "Vise." Not assigned.

The vise is described as "portable," secure, and "inexpensive." It is intended for and shown in conjunctio with "router, jig-saw and type-high machine[s.]" In earlier patents, Cheshire gives his residence as Waukesha County, Wisconsin. By the time of this patent, he has moved to Florida.

[click image to read at The Internet Archive]
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US Patent 1,812,685. Combined Machine.

United States patent 1,812,685. Issued 1931-06-30. Filed 1927-06-03 as application serialnumber 196,196. Edward Cheshire. "Composing Room Machine." Not assigned.

"The present invention contemplates a combined machine having the functions of a router, type-high machine, drill, jig-saw and broacher..."

6. My C & G Saw, Formerly at Empire (Elegy) Typesetting

I acquired a "C & G" printer's saw in 2008 from the grandson of Victor Edwards (1919-). He in turn had acquired it when he purchased Empire Typesetting in Chicago in 1958, as a part of the shop. The shop was originally the Stigner School of Typesetting and its associated job shop. It was located in the basement of the Leahy Building at the northwest corner of Ontario and Franklin, in Chicago. This saw operated in his shop until it shut down in the mid-1970s (by that time, sensing the commercial demise of hot metal typesetting, he had renamed his business, quite poetically, "Elegy Typesetting.") He operated it as a job shop, and had three Linotypes. Mr. Edwards learned his trade at the Methodist Publishing House, and later worked at the Chicago Tribune in the composing room, doing display ads. During the transition from hot metal to phototypesetting, he was also a field engineer installing Ludlow "Bright Type" equipment. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meed Mr. Edwards, but greatly appreciate learning the history of this saw from his son and grandson.

Thanks are due to Mr. Edwards' grandson for making the effort to ensure that this saw remained within the printing community (rather than simply selling it at a garage sale or, worse, junking it). If more people did this, printing and the history of printing would be in better shape.

As acquired, my saw is missing the mitering attachment (which I know was originally present, since I was told that they did quite a bit of mitering on this saw) and the attachments for grinding. The guard for the grinding wheel was also shattered, and the grinding attachment is missing. Otherwise, it is quite functional.


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