Patent GB-611472-A (GB)
Title: Shorthand typewriting machines
IPC: B41J3/26
Filed: 1946-05-01
Abstract: 611,472. Typewriters. SWEENEY, J. L. May 1, 1946, No. 13208. [Class 100(iv)] Stenographic typewriters are constructed so as to be capable of printing vowels in such a way as to distinguish between a long vowel sound and another sound of the same vowel. This is effected by printing a distinguishing mark such as a dash as well as the vowel when the vowel key is depressed to represent a long vowel sound. As applied to a stenographic machine of standard form shown in Figs. 1 and 3 for printing on a web 12 fed over a platen 11 which is rotated intermittently by a one-way clutch 18 operated to advance the platen prior to the printing operations, the consonants are printed by keys 35, and the vowels by keys 36, which are arranged adjacent to a shift key 70 which can be operated simultaneously with either of the keys 36 by means of a thumb, the consonant keys 35 being operated by the fingers. The actuation of key 70 causes the vowels to be printed with a hyphen mark over the vowel as indicated on the lower side of the keys 36. The type bars 27 are in a comb 24 which is mounted about a pivot 26, Fig. 3, and each bar 27 has two printing faces 30, 31, which, in the case of the consonant bars, are identical, but in the case of the vowels correspond to the' plain and marked vowel respectively. The keys operate the bars 27 by levers 37, and bell cranks 44 connected to the pivot 26, and the key 70 when depressed operates a lever 64 connected by a link 68 to the comb 24 which is thus depressed to bring the upper type faces 30 into operative position. A key 72 is provided for printing an asterisk, and numerals are represented by a consonant and an asterisk. The space key 74 is longer than the consonant keys. In modifications, the type bars may be provided with types representing consonants in one position of the comb 24, and numerals in the other position, the keys being marked accordingly. In one such modification, the key 72 may act as a shift key and is actuated when a numeral is to be printed and in such a machine the key 70 may be divided into separate parts associated with each vowel, and actuation of the key causes a hyphen mark to be printed in addition to the printing of a vowel. In a simple machine no shift mechanism is used, and the key 70 prints a hyphen in addition to a vowel when a vowel key and key 70 are depressed together. In a further modification the vowel keys operate a comb which is independent of the comb controlling the consonants and numerals, and a .key similar to key 72 acts as a shift key for the consonants and the vowel shift key enables vowels with the distinguishing mark to be printed when desired. In a further modification, Fig. 6, the type bars are each provided with three separate markings, and the bars can be adjusted to print from the central types corresponding to the middle row of letters &c. indicated at the top of Fig. 6. By depressing a key 142 arranged near the vowel keys 36, impressions can be produced corresponding to the top row which differs from the middle row in that the vowels are formed with distinguishing marks. The bottom row which contains numerals is printed when the shift key 124 is depressed together with the keys 35, 36.