Patent GB-190801947-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Machines or Apparatus for Reproducing in Ordinary Characters, Telegraphic or other Messages or Intelligence in the Form of Perforations in a Tape.
Inventor: CREED FREDERICK GEORGE
Filed: 1908-01-28
Granted: 1909-01-28
Abstract: 1947. Creed, F. G., and Coulson, W. A. Jan. 28. Typewriters.-In apparatus for controlling typewriters by telegraphic strips, perforated on either the Wheatstone or the cable system, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, a feed-rack is moved alternately in a longitudinal direction for giving the strip a selective feed, and in a transverse direction for actuating selector plates which are displaced into the path of the rack in a combination corresponding to the perforations of the character being dealt with. The apparatus is shown in plan in Fig. 2<a>, the parts of the mechanism being controlled by cams on a driving - shaft w, which makes one revolution for each character that is translated. The perforated strip is fed intermittently by a feed-wheel 9 in a vertical guideway formed by plates 5, perforated to receive the ends of ten pairs of selector pins 29 arranged in a vertical series. When the strip is in position, a bell-crank lever 24 is rocked by a cam, and moves a plate 23 carrying 'the selector pins 29 towards the strip. The pins are carried by coiled springs so that those that fail to meet perforations remain stationary, their springs undergoing compression, but those that enter perforations move forward and by means of collets 28 displace stopplates 18 for controlling the advance of the feedrack, and selector plates 30 for controlling the selective mechanism which operates the typewriter. The vertical feed-rack 12 is then allowed to descend, its position, as shown in Fig. 2<a>, being such that it is out of gear with the pinion 10. Each of the stop plates 18 corresponds to a pair of selector pins, and lies normally in the path of the feed-rack but is moved out of the way by the collets 28 when either pin enters a perforation. Accordingly, the rack descends until it meets an undisplaced stopplate corresponding to a pair of pins opposite a double-blank portion of tape A<2> at the end of a character. The guide-block 14 in which the feedrack slides is then reciprocated to the left by a cam 47 through a lever 46 and swinging link 43. During this transverse motion, the rack moves to the left those selector plates 30 which were previously displaced by the selector pins, shoulders 33 on those plates having been brought into the path of the rack. Owing to the limit imposed by the stopplates 18 on the previous downward movement of the rack, the rack does not engage with any of the plates 30 beyond those concerned in the reproduction of the character being dealt with. The plates 30 which are shifted to the left operate combs or pneumatic valve-plates for controlling a typewriter as described in Specifications No. 22,653, A.D. 1902, No..' 25,861, A.D. 1905, and No. 8999, A.D. 1907. The selector plates 30 are controlled only by the left-hand series of pins 29, the arrangement of the perforations on one side of a portion of strip being enough to individualize the corresponding characters. When cable tape, such as is shown in Fig. 12, is to be dealt with, it is necessary for the rack in its transverse motion to actuate the selector plate 30 corresponding to the double-blank portion of tape A<2> at the end of a character ; this is effected by means of a bent projection at the end of the rack. The ends of the plates 30 slide in slots in the lefthand collets 28. Those plates which are not displaced by the selector pins are positively held from moving to the left by one end of a bell-crank 53, which is pivoted on the lever 24 and engages a fixed stop 57 at its other end ; or the valve-plates operated by the plates 30 may be separated by perforated antifriction plates. While the character is being printed, the lever 24 is rocked back to restore the pins 29 to normal, and at the same time the feed-rack, which has been brought by its transverse movement into gear with the pinion 10, is raised by mechanism similar to that described in Specification No. 25,861, A.D. 1905, so as to turn the feed-wheel 9 through the amount required for bringing the next character on the strip into position. The guide-block 14 and the plates 30 are then reciprocated back to the right, and at the same time the lever 24 is rocked to begin a new,cycle. The plates 30 are returned by means of a bar 48, carried by the link 43 and engaging in notches of the plates i<x> to which the plates 30 are connected. There is also described a typewriter provided with an inking-ribbon on spools which can be clamped to a shaft rotated by pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, and printing on a paper strip fed by pawl-andratchet mechanism.