Patent GB-190410691-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Electrically Operated Typewriters and Telegraphs.
Inventor: ROUSSEL WILLIS JOSEPH
Filed: 1904-05-09
Granted: 1904-12-15
Abstract: 10,691. Roussel, W. J., and King, A. May 9. Type-writers.-R e l a t e to electrically - operated t y p ewriters which may be operated by a keyboard mechanism at either end of an ordinary telegraph line. Fig. 1 shows a vertical section through one of the type-writers. Ou a casing 1 is a motor 2 of any suitable form, adapted to rotate continuously a wheel 3 on a tubular shaft 4 stepped in a tubular bearing 5. Within the shaft 4 is a spindle 12 provided with arms 10 projecting through slots in the shaft 4 and carrying a clutch cone 11 formed with a toothed or serrated surface. The spindle 12 is in two parts telescoping one within the other at 13 and having a spring interposed between them. The spindle may be lifted by a lever 17 until the cone 11 engages the hollow conical part 28 of the type-wheel 26, whereby the wheel is clutched to the shaft 4. On the wheel 26 is a row of types 27 and a ratchettoothed flange 24. The lever 17 is connected to a rod 18, carrying an armature 19 at its upper end and normally raised by a spring 21, to hold the rotating cone 11 away from the cone 28 of the type-wheel. On the rod 18 is a spring-pressed pawl in a block 22, and this pawl engages the teeth 24. The type-wheel is returned to normal position, after each operation, by a weight 33 on a cord 31 passing round and attached to a grooved flange 29 of the wheel. The carriage frame comprises end pieces 37, connected by rods 36, and sliding upon parallel bars 34, 34<a> fixed in the casing 1. On the rods 36 are rollers 39, upon which a plate 40 slides, and this plate is held down by flanges 38 on the upper edges of the end frames 37. The platen 78 is journalled in standards 75 on the plate 40. On the carriage frame 37 is a plate 45, on which slides a bar 46 having two depending ratchet-toothed racks 47. These are operated to space the carriage, against the pull of a returning cord and weight, by two vertically-sliding dogs 49, 50 operated by a lever 54 pivoted at one end to the rod 18. For returning the carriage, a cam 74 on a shaft 70 is operated to move the bar 46, against the pressure of a spring, to disengage the racks from the dogs, and to permit the cord and weight to draw the carriage back for a fresh line. The impression is made by moving the platen up to the type-wheel. This is effected by a series of cam-projections 69, on a wheel 68, engaging a depending flange 41 of the plate 40. The cam-wheel 68 is rotated at each operation of the type-wheel by a ratchet-wheel 64 and a pawl 62 on a slide 60 operated by the lever 54. The platen is returned to normal position by springs 43. The platen is turned for line-spacing by ratchet-wheels 79 and sliding pawls 80 in guides on the platen standards 75. The rear ends of the pawls 80 are engaged by a sliding bar 82 operated by a cam 85 on a shaft 84. A paper-holding roller 91 is journalled in standards 90 on the plate 40. The machine may be operated in any suitable manner, by closing the circuit through the magnet 20 for the desired periods of time. The preferred operating-device is that shown in Fig. 5. A series of character keys 96 are each connected by a rod 98 to a pivoted cam 99 which operates a sliding bar 101 connected by a rod 104 to a disc 105. The bar 101 is returned by a spring 103. The discs 105 are made of hard rubber or other non-conducting material and have embedded in their peripheries metal contact-pieces 108 of different lengths, and these are connected by radial pieces with the shaft 106 in the hanger 107. A hanger 110 is arranged so that the roller 112 in its lower hinged part is in contact with the periphery of the disc 105. The line wire 115 of an ordinary telegraph circuit is electrically connected with the hanger 107, and another wire 116 of the said circuit connects the hanger 110 with the coil of the magnet 20, and a wire 117 connects the coil of the magnet to earth. When a key is depressed, the corresponding disc 105 is rotated half a revolution by the forward movement of the bar 101, and, when the key is released, the revolution is completed by the spring 103 returning the rod. The armature 19 is attracted by the magnet 20 during the time the circuit is closed by the contact of the roller 112 with the strip 108. The rod 18 is thus moved downwards and the type-wheel is thereupon clutched to the shaft 4 and rotated, the engagement of the clutch being effected before the pawl in the block 22 is disengaged from the teeth 24. The downward movement of the rod 18 also operates the lever 54 and through it the carriagefeed and impression mechanisms. As soon as the circuit is broken, the spring 21 lifts the rod 18, and the pawl in the block 22 engages one of the teeth 24 just prior to the disengagement of the clutch 11, 28 and stops the motor until the clutch beccmes disengaged. The motor is thus stopped for a sufficient time to permit of the platen being moved to make an impression. For line-spacing, a key is operated which permits the type-wheel to rotate a sufficient distance for a lug 88 on it to engage and operate an arm of the cam 85. For returning the carriage, a key is operated which permits the type-wheel to move until a pin 73 on it engages and operates an arm 71 on the shaft 70 of the cam 74. For word-spacing, a key is provided which brings a blank space on the type-wheel opposite to the platen. An ink ribbon is arranged in any suitable manner so as to extend between the platen and the type-wheel.