Patent GB-191201822-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Typewriters and Analogous Devices Adapted to be Operated by a Perforated Tape or the like.
Inventor: FRASER ANGUS
IPC: B41J5/38
Filed: 1912-01-23
Granted: 1913-01-23
Abstract: 1822. Fraser, A., and Eastern Telegraph Co. Jan 23. Strip-controlled type-lever and type-wheel actions. - Relates to apparatus for controlling typewriters by telegraphic strip, of the kind in which the strip is fed through a stationary guide arranged opposite peckers which, when permitted, advance towards the strip, the peckers that pass through perforations serving to release the selecting-member corresponding to the signal. The apparatus according to the present invention comprises an arrangement in which the peckers opposite the space following a signal, for example 'a,' are provided with obstructions which are held back when the space is presented but are operative when a longer signal, for example ' j,' is presented to prevent the release of the selecting-member corresponding to the shorter signal. (1) In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 8, and 9, slides h are arranged side by side opposite the stripguide 2 and are formed with peckers j which are offset alternately as shown in Fig. 8. The slides h are pivoted to cranks g on shafts f provided with projections q normally engaging projections p on shafts m which are connected to selecting-members o by cranks n. The selecting- members are adapted, as described below under platen-impression arrangements, to cause the selected characters to be printed by means of a rotating type-wheel 40. Fig. 5. The slides h are pressed towards the strip by springs z on the cranks g, movement of the slides being normally prevented by a pivoted frame l controlled bv a cam 26 on the driving-shaft 20. The members o are pressed outwards by springs connected to pins r on the shafts m, movement being normally prevented by pins t on a slide u connected to a lever y controlled by a cam 27, In operation, when a signal is presented the cam 26 permits the frame l to release the slides, the peckers opposite perforations permitting their slides to move and carry the corresponding projections q clear of the projections p on one of the shafts m. The cam 27 then shifts the slide u to release the shafts m and permit the selected one to move its selecting-member o. The cams 27, 26 then act to restore the parts to normal position. The apparatus is shown in Fig. 9 as having released the 'a' selecting- member, the peckers opposite the dot and the dash having turned their shafts f and carried the projections q clear of the projections p on the shaft m connected to the 'a' selecting-member. To prevent the selecting-member of a signal being released by a longer signal commencing with the same elements, the shafts f are provided with projections q<x>, Fig. 9, adapted to engage projections p<x> on the shafts m. In operation when a signal, for example ' a,' is presented the shaft m is released as described above and the projections q<x> on the shafts f connected to the peckers opposite the space following the 'a' signal are prevented by the space from engaging the projections p<x>. When, however, a longer signal such as ' j,' ' I,' 'p,' 'r,' or 'w' is presented, one of the shafts f opposite the third perforation in the signal is turned and causes its projection q<x> to engage the corresponding projection p<x> to prevent the release of the 'a' selecting-member. The selecting- member for word-spacing is connected to a shaft m controlled by two special projections q<x> carried by the first two shafts f. When a single space is presented by the strip, one of the peckers moves and thereby turns one of the projections q<x> and prevents movement of the spacing- member o. When, however, a word space consisting of two or more blank portions of the strip is presented, the special projections q<x> are held back and the spacing-member o can move outwards. For differentially feeding the strip to present a fresh signal at each revolution of the driving-shaft 20, the pin-wheel 3 is driven by ratchet mechanism controlled by devices of the following character. The pin-wheel is provided with a ratchet-wheel 7 engaged by a pawl 10 carried by a loose wheel 8 gearing with a wheel 12 which is secured to a shaft 13 driven by gears 16, 17 from a shaft 18. Each shaft m is provided with a pin 24 adapted to engage one of a helical series of pins 23 on the shaft 18. After the release of one of the shafts m, a cam 19 permits an arm 22 on the shaft 18 to drop and thereby retract the pawl 10 through an arc determined by the engagement of the pin 24 on the released shaft with the corresponding pin 23. The shaft 18 is held in the set position by a detent 32 which can engage a wheel 33 and is carried by a lever 30 controlled by a cam 29. When the peckers have been restored to normal position, the cam 19 engages the arm 22 and causes the pawl to drive the pin-wheel, the strip being fed through the length of the signal plus one space. (2) In the typelever action shown in Fig. 12, the peckers j are formed on slides h<x> which are notched to control pivoted selecting-members 122 each having an arm 123 arranged over one of the key-levers 125 of a type-lever machine. Each of the members 122 extends over the pecker-slides corresponding to its signal, and over pecker-slides corresponding to the space following the signal. When, for instance, the 'a' signal is presented, the first and the fourth slides h<x> move and bring the first notches 119 on these slides under the ' a ' selecting-member 122. The fifth and the sixth slides h<x> are each formed with a notch 118 which is normally under the ' a ' selecting-member, so that when an ' a ' signal is presented all obstruction is removed from the 'a' selecting- member. When, however, a longer signal such as 'j' is presented one or other of the fifth and sixth slides moves and obstructs the 'a' selecting-member by removing the notch 118 and setting a plain part of the slide under the 'a' selecting-member. The members 122 are recessed at the parts over the intervening slides not concerned in the signal. The selecting-member which controls the spacing-mechanism of the typewriter extends over notches in the first two slides h<x>. When a single space is presented, the special selecting-member is obstructed by the movement of one of the slides, but on the presentation of a double or word space, the special selecting-member is free to operate. The apparatus is driven by a shaft 20 provided with a cam 149 controlling a lever l<x> which prevents the slides from being moved forward by their springs 120. When a signal is presented, the lever l<x> releases the slides and a bar u<x>, which supports the members 122 against the tension of their springs, is depressed by a cam 151 thereby permitting the selecting-member for the signal to move and project its arm 123 into the path of a reciprocating frame 124 operated by cams 129. The apparatus is provided with a. differential-feeding device for the strip of the same character as that described above. The device comprises a helical series of pins 23<x> on a shaft 18<x> which drives through gearing 139, 140 a pawl 143, the pins 23<x> being adapted to engage lugs on the members 122. The shaft 18<x> is controlled by a cam 133 and is held temporarily in the set position by a detent 154 on an arm controlled by a cam 159. Platen-impression arrangements; web-feeding arrangements; letter-spacing mechanism.-The characters can be printed on a tape 64, Fig. 5, which is lifted against types 65 on the rotating type-wheel 40 by means of a platen 63, a device comprising a roller 82 being provided for feeding the strip during impression at the peripheral speed of the type-wheel. The shaft 41 of the type-wheel is driven at the same speed as the driving-shaft 20 and is provided with a drum 45, Fig. 10, having a helical series of pegs 46, each peg rotating in the plane of one of the selecting-members o and one of a series of slides 49, which are guided by a comb 48 and engage a universal bar 54 mounted on a shaft 55. An arm 57 of the shaft 55 is connected by a link 58 to a lever 59 journaled in a fork 60 and provided with arms 61 carrying the platenroller 63. The lever 59 is connected by a link 66 to a lever 67 connected to a spring 87 and pivoted at 68 to a pair of arms 69 jonrnaled in a fork 72 and drawn downwards by a spring 85. The pivot 68 is secured to a frame 75 carrying on one side a pin 78 adapted to clamp the strip 64 to a plate 79 and carrying at the other side a roller 77 adapted to press the strip against the roller 82, this being driven at the same peripheral speed as the type-wheel. When any of the selecting-members o is projected, the companion slide 49 is also projected into the path of its peg 46, and when the corresponding type is above the roller, the peg engages and depresses the slide and the universal bar, thereby operating the levers 59, 67 to lift the platenroller and depress the roller 77 on to the feedroller 82. The selecting - member o set by the space-signal is arranged to feed the tape without printing, the platen being lifted against a blank part of the type-wheel. The depressed slide 49 is restored to the normal level by a spring 51 and by springs 56 engaging the universal bar, the slide being then retracted to the normal position by a bar 89 secured to levers 92 controlled by a cam 94 driven at the same speed as the shaft 41. The types are distributed over three-quarters the periphery of the typewheel, the selecting - members o being set during the passage over the platen-roller of the remaining quarter of the periphery. The tape is tensioned by means of a spring-brake 108, Fig. 5. Roller inking-arrangements.-The type-wheel is inked by a roller carried by a lever which is adjusted by two set-screws.