f all proportion to
the advantages obtained.

_Sizes of Type Cases_

The standard type case of today is 32-1/4 inches wide, as it lies on the
work-stand, and 16-5/8 inches--or slightly more than one half of the
width--from the front to the back or upper edge. The usual depth of the
outside frame is 1-3/8 inches, the minor inside partitions being
slightly lower than the outside frame and middle crossbar, thus making
the normal depth of the boxes approximately 1 inch. These dimensions
vary only by fractions of an inch from those given by Moxon, and they
seem to have been quite uniformly adhered to as an acceptable size for
printers' cases.

Other sizes of cases, however, have been made and quite commonly used
during the last half century. Those now listed in the dealers' catalogs
are known as three-quarter size (26-1/2 inches wide by 16-5/8 inches
front to back) and two-third size (21-3/4 by 16-5/8 inches). There is
also another size known as the Rooker case, used to some extent in
newspaper composing rooms, the dimensions being 28-1/2 x 14 inches,
which is about one-fifth smaller than the standard case. It holds nearly
the same quantity of the smaller sizes of type and has the advantage of
occupying less room.

[Illustration: Fig. 2-a. Upper Case.[A]]

[Illustration: Fig. 2-b. Lower Case.]

When printing offices employed but few workmen and there was small
equipment, the need for economizing space did not seem a pressing one.
Large cases with small fonts, and open-frame working stands with few or
no racks or shelves for storage of extra material, were not considered
extravagant so long as the original cost was small. The employment of
larger numbers of workmen, however, and the consequent additional
equipment of cases, with racks, cabinets, imposing tables, and other
facilities concentrated in city buildings where the cost of rent, light,
heat, etc., is high and constantly increasing, have made the utilization
of waste space a matter of urgent necessity. The three-quarter,
two-third cases, and even smaller sizes, which can be kept in smaller
racks and cabinets, have therefore been found convenient in many places,
but these must be provided with suitable racks or cabinets of the proper
size. The smaller cases are sufficient to hold many of the usual small
fonts, as well as the ordinary auxiliary material, like type borders,
ornaments, small electros, etc. Small cases, with their lesser weight of
contents in type