Patent GB-575390-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to typewriting machines
IPC: B41J3/26
Filed: 1944-03-14
Abstract: 575,390. Typewriters &c. JENNINGS, H. W. K. (Sweeney, J. L.). March 14, 1044, No. 4745. [Class 100 (iv)] Keyboards ; stenographic machines.-A typewriter particularly such as is described in Specification 546,160 designed for printing simultaneously several characters, i.e. a stenographic typewriter, is provided with rows of keys extending along an elongated keyboard which, in use, is positioned with the rows parallel to the operator, and with a platen located at one end of the machine transversely to the rows of keys and adjacent to type elements which are caused to move in vertical planes extending lengthwise of the keyboard by means arranged substantially directly beneath the keyboard, and acted on by the keys. Type - bar actions ; case - shift mechanism.-The typebars 32, Fig. 4, are mounted parallel to one another and to the rows of keys 60, 61. For this purpose they are slotted adjacent to their ends to fit over bars 35, 41. The back row of keys 60 operate bars each carrying two types 48, 49 while the front row of keys 60 operate bars each carrying a single type. A further row of four keys 61 at a lower level operate bars carrying vowel types. Each key is attached to a member 62 with a wide base 63 provided with a projection 69 adapted when the key is depressed to engage a camshaped recess 70 in the corresponding bar 23 and move the bar to make an impression on the paper 51 passing around the platen 28 at the left-hand end of the machine, the bars being spring-retracted. Each key is carried by a pair of links 65, 66, Fig. 8, so that its movement is substantially straightline. In the case of the vowel keys 61, an extension 82 of one of the links carries the key. The keys which are raised by springs 84 are cushioned at the ends of their movements by a felt pad 100 engaging the member 62 as it rises, and by a rubber pad 101 contacted by the link 65 when the key is fully depressed. The general construction renders the order of the keys to be independent of the order of the types or the bars 32. Each bar 32 is shaped in section as shown in Fig. 8 so as to give it rigidity. In order to operate the bars to employ the types 49 instead of the types 48, a shift key 145 which extends the full length of the keyboard is depressed simultaneously with a back-row key or keys 60. The key 145 has a notch 158 engaging a lever 159 adapted to raise a vertically-sliding plate 44 having lugs carrying the key-supporting rod 41, and is guided by transverse rods 14, 16, 154 engaging slots 149, 151, 156 arranged so that the top of the key moves parallel to the top of the key 60 operated so as to prevent pinching of the fingers between the keys. Paper feeding, guiding and cutting arrangements.-The platen 28 is rotated by ratchet- and-pawl mechanism 113, 116, Fig. 9, to feed the paper 51 which passes over a pivoted guide plate 129 around the platen and under a roller 132 carried by a spring-pressed pivoted bracket 134. To insert the paper, the bracket 134 is pivoted to the right, and a projection 137 on its pivot 126 simultaneously moves the plate 129 away from the platen. The mechanism 113, 116 is operated each time a type key is depressed or can be actuated without printing by a key 60 not connected to a type bar. A lever 112 on the shaft of the pawl 113 is connected by a link 111 to a spindle 108 carrying a pin 107 engaging a slot 106 in a ball 102 on a spindle 103. As each type key is depressed its rear bottom corner 104 engages the ball 102 and thus operates the feed, the ball being released and returned to normal position by a spring before the type bar is operated. Ink--ribbon mechanism.-The ink-ribbon 50, which is continuous, is guided across the type faces and passes around the sides of the machine over guide rollers, one of the rollers being driven from the shaft of the platen 28 by gearing. A tensioning device comprises a bracket carrying two fixed rollers 195, 197 and an intermediate roller 199 on a spring-pressed arm 198. The driven roller includes an absorbent pad to which ink is supplied and which keeps the ribbon moistened.