I wish the article talked more about how the machine actually worked. It seemed pretty simplistic and glossed over most of the details, but now I'm really curious and want answers lol.

As linked in the article, you could read the patent application:

https://circuitousroot.com/artifice/letters/press/noncastcom...

Maybe: https://www.asme.org/about-asme/engineering-history/landmark...

To see a typecaster which works find a Linotype or Monotype.