Patent GB-190310910-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Typewriting or Typographic Processes and Apparatus.
Inventor: MILLS BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD
Filed: 1903-05-13
Granted: 1904-01-07
Abstract: 10,910. Mills, B. J. B., [Cornwall, G. R.]. May 13. Type-writers and like machines.-Relates to apparatus in which operations, such as the selection and assembling of the types and spaces, are controlled by means of two strips of perforated paper fed into the machine, both strips having been prepared by means of a punching-apparatus connected to the type-writing apparatus and controlled from a keyboard. One strip, the master strip, controls the usual operations, and the other or justifying- strip controls the justifying operations. Series of keys representing the various types &c. employed are mounted on key levers 4, which actuate spring- controlled rods 5 supporting spring-pressed caps 5<1>. Above each cap is a U-shaped pin 14, serving as a stop for a carriage 11 ; each pin slides vertically through apertures in a guide-plate 10, upon which the carriage travels. The pins are arranged in two rows in zig-zag manner, and in the same order as that in which the types &c. are arranged in the type carrier. Every key, except one, the justifying key, has a pin corresponding thereto. When a rod 5 is moved upwards, the corresponding stop-pin 14 is pushed above the guide-plate 10, and when the carriage has passed over all the pins and reached the end of its traverse, the sequence of types &c. will have been completed. The carriage 11 carries two spring-controlled pawls 15, adapted to engage with the pins 14, when raised. The paper is perforated by means of a punch 12 and die-plate 13, which is supported by arms and guides so as to be always opposite the punch. The punch is carried by a plunger 12<a> with a T-shaped head free to travel in a slot in a thrust bar 17, to which motion is transmitted by pairs of toggle-levers 18. A bellcrank lever 30 engages at one end with the plunger and is actuated thereby, while the opposite end is connected to a bolt 16 ; this bolt serves to depress a previously raised stop-pin, and also to lock the carriage during the punching-operations by engaging with the teeth of a rack 31 on the guide-plate 10. During writing or printing operations, words having double or repeated letters often occur, and, in order that each of the double letters may be represented on the ribbon, a means is provided for punching the corresponding perforations on different transverse lines of the ribbon. The toggle levers 18 are connected by a rod 19 to a V-shaped piece 20 secured to the cap of a spring case, which is mounted loosely on a shaft 21. The V-shaped piece carries a spring pawl 24, which, normally, lies in the path of the three teeth of a wheel 23, secured to the shaft 21. This shaft carries a slipping-pulley, which is prevented from rotating the shaft 21 by the action of an escapement wheel 25 engaging with an escapement lever 26. When a key is depressed, the lever 26 is released by means of a finger 27 actuated from the key. The shaft 21 is then free to rotate through a space represented by a tooth of the escapement wheel 25, and causes the punch to be forced through the ribbon. The sequence of operations is, that when a key is depressed, its corresponding stop-pin 14 is raised and the preceding stop-pin is returned, and the paper punched. The space units represented by the types and word spaces are counted by means of a wheel 51 having a series of peripheral apertures engaging with a pin on a bell-crank lever 54, and a series of apertures 51<11> in its face. The wheel is mounted upon a shaft 52 carrying a spring-case having a spring connected at one end to the shaft, and at the opposite end to the case. The hub of the case is polygonal and bears against an adjustable spring secured to one member 55 of a friction clutch, the whole being arranged so that the wheel 51 is driven by means of the spring case as soon as the pin or lever 54 is released from the wheel The extent of rotation of the wheel is limited according to the type and word spaces. This limitation is effected by means of a gauge 63 formed with ribs 63', two of which are formed with notches of different depths corresponding to space units of different values. The gauge is mounted to rotate so as to bring either rib opposite a vertically movable block 64, which acts in conjunction with the gauge to regulate the amount of rotation of the wheel. The space units are stored or aggregated by means of a rack, which is moved, against the action of a weight by means of the wheel 51. A pin, inserted in one of a series of holes in the rack, actuates the hammer, of an alarm bell, which warns the operator that the line has nearly reached its desired length. When the line has been completed, the rack is drawn back automatically by means of the weight. The ribbon is fed forwards, after each complete traverse of the carriage 11, between feed rolls 9, 9<a>. The wheel 9 has teeth engaging with marginal apertures in the ribbon, and its shaft 9<b> carries an escapement wheel 48, which is released by an escapement lever 49 mounted on a shaft 49", rocked by means of the carriage 11. The lever 49 carries a fixed tooth 49<d> and a spring- controlled tooth 49<e>. When the tooth 49<d> is disengaged, the wheel 48 rotates until the tooth 49<e> strikes a shoulder on the lever 49. The ribbon is kept in a state of tension by means of a felt, cloth, or other pad 45<b> and a bar 45. The ribbon is also fed forwards automatically whenever the "shift" key is depressed, so as to cause the perforations corresponding thereto to be made on a separate transverse line ; for this purpose, the shift key is arranged to actuate a finger on the rock-shaft 49<a>. The carriage 11 is actuated, preferably, by means of a compressed-air cylinder provided with a reciprocating valve, which is controlled automatically by the carriage, which strikes one of two arms 35<1> connected indirectly to an escapement lever 37 similar in construction to the lever 49 This lever controls the motions of an escapement wheel 38 mounted on a shaft 39, carrying a cam 41, whence motion is transmitted to the valve. In a modification, the valve of the cylinder is controlled by an auxiliary cylinder actuated by the carriage. In a second modification, the valve-rod is connected to a weighted swinging rod, or a spring may be used instead of the weighted rod. The mechanism for controlling the action of the gauge 63 is arranged so as to effect the correct counting of the space units, whether the types belong to an upper or a lower case. The notches in one rib of the gauge correspond to the upper case types, and the notches in the other rib correspond to the types of the lower case. As the latter are most frequently in use, the lower case is, normally, opposite the block 64. When a change is to be made from a lower to an upper case type, the shift key is depressed and indirectly actuates a segmental lever, which engages with a pin on the shaft carrying the gauge 63. The gauge is held in its shifted position until the key, for which the change was made, has been depressed, and is returned by means of a spring. The perforations necessary for controlling the action of the justifying mechanism are made upon a separate ribbon, which is fed automatically through a justifying-apparatus mounted upon a base-plate 1<1> behind the perforating-apparatus. This justifying-apparatus comprises a series of rack bars 117, which are, normally, held by pawls 122 against the action of springs 123, which tend to press the bars to the right. The pawls are released in succession by the bevelled leading-end of a rack 120, which is actuated by a toothed sector mounted on a shaft 126; this shaft is rotated by means of sectors 125<a>, 125<b>, and a link 127 connected to a setting-apparatus for the justifying-mecbanism ; this setting-apparatus has an adjustable rack, which can be set according to the length of line desired. When a pawl 122 is released, the corresponding rack bar is allowed to move through one tooth space only. Each rack bar carries a spring punch 118 and a die 119, and the punches of all the bars are arranged to be actuated simultaneously, when in position, by a long plunger bar, which is actuated by toggle levels, cams, and clutch mechanism. When the justifying-lever is actuated, the rack 120 is moved into the justifying-apparatus, and the rack of the setting-apparatus is moved towards a rack, which has been gradually advanced, during the perforating of the ribbon, by a distance corresponding to the total number of type and word spaces. If, in order to fill out the line to its justified length, a number of space units, greater than the number of word spaces in the line, is required, the rack of the setting-apparatus will not meet this rack when the justifying-lever is operated, but will be stopped by the rack 120 meeting a stop. The return of rack 120 will release all rack bars it previously passed over, so that they move forward carrying the punches beneath the plunger bar; a second movement of the justifying-lever will carry the rack of the setting-apparatus either the whole or part of the remaining distance towards the rack 89, according to the number of units still left to be added to justify the line. The type-writing apparatus includes a controlling-mechanism which comprises a cylinder 8, on a shaft 6, for carrying the master ribbon 2, and a stop-cylinder 9 for supporting the type carrier, and regulating its position. The motions of cylinder 9 are controlled by a series of selecting-levers 26, the action of which is regulated by the master strip. Cylinder 9 is driven by toothed gearing and a friction clutch, from the shaft 6, in such a way that the cylinder can rotate until arrested by suitable stopmechanism, when one member of the clutch slips past the other member. The cylinder is mounted upon its shaft so as to be capable of being displaced thereon through a small angle, when it becomes necessary to change from type of one case to type of another case. This adjustment is effected by means actuat