A "disser bar"--interesting name! Explain if you have time, please.

When a line of type has been cast, the matrices which formed it - the individual letter matrices and spacebands - have to be "put back" where they came from so that they can be reused. This is carried out by the distribution (disser) system. The best thing to do is to have a look at this link:

http://www.woodsidepress.com/LINOTYPE.HTML

The pictures are very good, and they and the text will do better than I can.

When I said "retired", I meant "have died". Most of the operators I knew are now well planted.