Patent GB-191415088-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Typewriters.
Inventor: TRONE MAURICE NEWTON
IPC: B41J1/02
Filed: 1914-06-23
Granted: 1915-01-21
Abstract: 15,088. Trone, M. W. June 23. Case-shift mechanism; shift and space key actions; key locks. - In machines in which the type-supporting member is divided into independently shiftable parts, the type-supporting member consists of two quadrants 8, 9, the left - hand quadrant 8 and the right - hand quadrant 9 being shifted by keys in the righthand and the left-hand parts of the keyboard respectively. The arrangement decreases the chance of small letters following capitals being written above the line, as there is an even chance that the small letter will be on the stationary quadrant; further the printing of capitals below the line can be prevented by providing shift - locking mechanism of the character described below. The shiftmechanism may be actuated by two auxiliary space-bars 20, 21 connected respectively to the right-hand and the left-hand quadrants, and also connected to the usual escapement mechanism, s o t h a t word-spacing and shift can be effected simultaneously, thereby increasing the speed of the machine. (1) The quadrant 8 is provided with arms 8<a>, 8<b> pivoted to arms 10<a>, 10<b> on a rockshaft 10, and the quadrant 9 is similarly provided with arms 9<a>, 9<b> pivoted to arms 11<a>, 11<b> on a rock-shaft 11. The quadrants are separated by a guide post 7 and are provided with spindles 8<x>, 9<x>, Fig. 5, which pass through fixed ears 5, 6 and carry stopnuts for limiting the movements of the quadrants. (2) Shift-keys 78, 79 for shifting without locking the segments 8, 9 are secured to levers pivoted at 80, 80<x> and connected by links 81, 83, Fig. 5, respectively to an arm 69<y> on a loose sleeve 69<x> and to an arm 84 on a rockshaft 69 arranged in the sleeve. An arm 70 on the rock - shaft 69 engages a pin 71 secured to an arm 72 on the rock-shaft 10. An arm 74 on the sleeve 69<x> engages the arm 9<b> of the quadrant 9. To convert the machine into one in which both quadrants are shifted together, the sleeve 69<x> and the rockshaft 69 can be locked together by means such as a collar 84<x>, which can be secured to the sleeve by a set-screw and is provided with a pin adapted to enter an aperture in the arm 84. The segments can also be shifted together and locked in the shifted position by depressing a key 59 on a lever 60, Fig. 7, slotted at 61 to engage a lever 63, which is connected bv a link 66 to an arm 68 loosely mounted on the rock-shaft 69 and provided with a cross-pin 68<x> arranged under the arms 69<y>, 70. The lever 63 is provided with a locking- member 65 adapted to engage a lug 76 on a key-lever 75, which is depressed by a key 77 to release the segments. The locking-member is secured adjustably by a bolt passing through a slot 65<x>. (3) The space-bars 20, 21 are arranged near the main space-bar 22 and are each carried by two levers 20<a>, 20<b>, the lever 20<a> of the bar 20 being connected by a slotted link 15<1> to an arm 17<1>, Fig. 5, on a rock-shaft 18, and the lever 20<a> of the bar 21 being connected by a slotted link 15 to an arm 17 on a sleeve 19 loose on the shaft 18. Arms 26, 26<1> on the rockshaft 18 and the sleeve 19 are connected by links 12. 12<1> to the arms 10<b>, 11<b>, the arrangement being such that the space-bars 20, 21 shift the segments 9, 8 respectively. The levers 26, 26<1> are respectively provided with locking- members 28, 28<1> adapted to engage catches 32 pivoted at 29 and adapted to be lifted by the curved surfaces of the locking-members and then to be moved downwards by springs into locking position. The locking-members 28, 28<1> are adjustably secured by the levers 26, 26<1> by bolts 27 passing through slots 28<x>. Mechanism of the following character is provided for releasing the shifted quadrant on operating one of the character-keys 54. A rock-shaft 47, Figs. 2 and 5, carries rigidly a plate 49 arranged under the ordinary key-levers 54 and provided with fingers 52, 53, which are arranged under the lever 20<a> of the space-bar 20 and the lever 20<b> of the space-bar 21. The plate is also formed with ears 55, 56 to which are adjustably secured links 57, 58, connected by links 57<1>, 58<1> to arms 31, 31<1> on the catches 32. On depressing the space-bar 20 or 21, the segment 9 or 8 is shifted and is locked by one of the catches 32, and the letterspacing mechanism is operated by means of links 45 or 45<1> connected to arms on a rockshaft 41 forming part of the usual universal-bar mechanism. The depression of either of the space-bars 20, 21 also rocks the shaft 47 and raises the rear edge of the plate 49, so that on the next operation of a character key, the plate 49 is rocked and lifts the catches 32, thereby releasing the shifted quadrant. The plate 49 is slotted to receive the supporting- levers 20<a>, 20<b> of the space-bars 20, 21 and the supporting-levers 22<a>, 22<b> of the main space-bar 22. The supporting-levers of the space-bars 20, 21 are provided with stop - rods 34 surrounded by returning-springs 36 and provided with stop-nuts 35 which normally engage ears 33. Keyboards.-The keyboard is, as shown in Fig. 1, divided into two parts by a space which separates the keys for the left hand from those for the right hand, thus preventing interference of the index fingers while operating. The arrangement also permits of the use of straight key-levers.