The outer tympan (drawer) is an open frame which holds packing and some makeready beneath a sheet of polyester. Note the black bar at the top of the drawer. This is a piece of eighth inch steel. When closed this steel lies inside a similar piece of steel which makes up the top of the tympan. The tympan steel cannot be seen because it is wrapped in paper. The wood sides of the drawer, which extend beyond the steel, set above the tympan steel, and slide outside the platen when the bed is moved in position. The frisket is also made of eighth inch steel and is hinged to go beneath the tympan. With a quarter inch clearance between the platen and the type, the whole assembly can slide beneath the platen, yet still set above the type.