Patent GB-190120086-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to Typewriting Machines
Inventor: ALLEN FREDERICK EDISON
Filed: 1901-10-08
Granted: 1902-01-02
Abstract: 20,086. Allen, F. E. Oct. 8. Type-writers . -Relates to a power - operated machine suitable for printing g bulletins, placards, &c. in large type. The machine is shown in plan in Fig. 1, and in vertical section from front to rear in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a portion of the interior. The main shaft 2 of the machine is provided with a large gear 3 meshing with a pinion 4 on the belt shaft 5. Vertical guide-rods 7 support a type-lever actuator 6, which is continuously reciprocated by means of cams 9 on the shaft 2. The operative parts of the actuator comprise two horizontal curved bars 6", which move in close proximity to the type-levers 11. The type-levers are mounted on pivots 12 , and are arranged in two semicircular groups. In the upper end of each type-lever is pivoted a latch 13, which can be projected into the path of the actuator bar 6<a> by means of a lever 20, actuated from the keyboard 14 through the medium of the rods 15, 16 and bell-crank lever 18. When a latch is thus projected by the depression of a key, the actuator bar will engage with it on its next upward stroke, and carry the type-lever upwards towards the printing- point, as shown in the case of the type B in Fig. 9. The holders of the types 21 are rotatably mounted under spring tension in the ends of the type-levers 11, and, as soon as a type is free from the cam-like guides or fingers 26, it turns through a right-angle so as to present its face upwards. On its return from the printing-point the type is again brought into the plane of movement of the typelever, so as to occupy less room in the basket. When a type has been brought into the neighbourhood of the printing-point by the actuator bar, it is inked by the rollers 31, which are detachably secured to a curved frame 32, Figs. 1 and 7, and are so mounted as to be capable of universal movement in adjusting themselves to the type surface. The frame 32 is secured to a rock-shaft 33 connected by crank 34 and link 35 to a lever actuated by the cam 38, Fig. 1. During the upward swing of the frame 32 the inking-rolls pass over the face of an inclined ink-plate 40, which is supplied with ink from an ink-fountain 41. A friction roll 172 carried by the frame 32 engages with the edge of the ink-plate 40, and gives it an intermittent rotary movement. A hand-lever 54 can be engaged beneath a lug 53 on the link 35 when it is desired to lock the inking-rolls in their raised or inactive position. The ink-fountain, inkplate, inking rolls, and type are all changed when a change is made in the colour of the ink. After the type has been inked and the rolls have retired, the impression is made on the paper by means of a presser 55, Fig. 9, which acts upwards on the type. The presser-plate is adjustably mounted on the end of a bar 56 moving in a pivoted guide 57. A cam-actuated lever 62, linked to the bar 56, first advances the presser until it is immediately beneath the type, and a cam 64 then lifts the spring-controlled rod 65 and makes the impression. An adjustable double wedge 69 enables the pressure of the imprint to be varied, and by means of a hand-lever 74 the lug 68 which abuts against the wedge block 69 can be rotated on the rod 65 so as to throw the presser out of action. The papercarriage 77 is mounted on wheels running on fixed guides 78. Laterally-projecting ribs 178 enter grooves in the inner faces of the guides 78, and resist the upward thrust of the type at the impression point. The platen consists of a horizontal plate 83 faced with rubber, and beneath it passes a flexible apron 82 which serves as a support for the paper web 80. The apron passes from a roll 87 to a roll 88, passing over the guide-rolls 89, 86, and beneath the platen, on its way. Line-spacing is effected by a band-lever 104, the rear end of which is connected by a link 103 to a bail which bears a pawl acting on a ratchet-wheel on the shaft of the front-roll 86. A graduated scale is carried on the left-hand edge of the apron 82 to indicate the apron feed. Letter-spacing, or continuous feed of the carriage either to the left or right, is effected in the following way :-Tue bevel-wheel 112, Fig. 1, is integral with a pinion which engages with a rack on the front of the carriage. The bevelwheel 112 gears with a wheel 113 on the shaft 114, which thus serves as the operating or driving shaft for longitudinal feed of the carriage. Motion is communicated to the shaft 114 in either of two ways. (1) Continuous feed. A doubly-coned clutch piece 122, splined on the shaft 114, can be engaged by means of the hand-lever 125 with either of the two oppositely-rotating clutch pieces 118, 119, which run loosely on the shaft. Continuous feed is thus obtained in either direction. (2) Stepby-step or letter-space feed. On the shaft 114 is mounted a ratchet-wheel engaged by a feed-pawl which is actuated by a link 1.40 adjustably connected to an arm 139 extending from the rock shaft 138. The rock shaft 138 carries a pinion 137, which engages with another pinion on one of the shafts 133, Figs. 1 and 9. The shafts 133 are all connected together by bevel gearing, and are disposed in polygonal fashion around the two semicircular groups of type-levers. A series of short arms 132, one for each type-lever, is carried by the shaft 133, and each type-lever is provided with a toe or cam 131, which lifts the arm 132 when the type-lever is actuated, thus rocking the shafts 133, 138, and feeding the carriage forward. By arranging the types so that those requiring larger spacing are nearer the centres of the shafts 133, and those requiring smaller spacing are situated towards the ends of the shafts, a suitable differential space-feed is obtained. A band brake on the shaft 114 is tensioned to check the carriage after the shaf@ 133 have been partly rocked. The spacing of all the letters may be varied in uniform proportion by shifting the point of connection of the link 140 with the arm 139. A device is provided for automatically throwing out of action the feed-pawl of the shaft 114 when a continuous reverse feed is given to the carriage by means of the hand-lever 125. The machine is provided with a fixed pointer co-operating with suitable movable gauges at the two ends of the carriage, for the adjustment of margins &c. The gauge is formed with teeth or points forming graduations which correspond with the different sizes of types used in the machine, and when commencing a line the proper tooth is brought opposite the pointer according to the width of the type employed. An alarm bell is sounded as the carriage approaches the limit of either its forward or reverse movement. The space key operates a cam 131, to which no type-lever is attached. The types 21 are secured to the ends of the type-levers by means of spring latches. When it is desired to remove the types for cleaning, or to change them, two semicircular type-holding formes 154 are placed in position on a carrier 153. The carrier is raised by a hand-lever, and dowels 156 extending upwards from the frames enter dowel holes in the types. Two semicircular " latch-actuators" " 165 are then caused to slide outwards on the carrier 153, and their projecting lips or flanges release the latches of the types. The carrier is then lowered, and the type-holding frames 154 removed. A. mirror is arranged at the lower part of the machine, beneath the platen, so that the operator can see the reflection of the printed line.