Patent GB-190125382-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
Inventor: FELL JOHN CORRY
Filed: 1901-12-12
Granted: 1902-03-27
Abstract: 25,382. Fell, J. C., [Yost Writing Machine Co.]. Dec. 12. Type-writers.-Relates to various detail improvements, and is described with reference to the Yost machine. A type ring 2, Fig. 1, is provided with radial slots for the reception of arms or drivers 4, which hook over a common fulcrum ring 6. The drivers arepivoted at 7 to the typebars 8, which are themselves pivoted at 10 to guide-links 9, which terminate in disc-like portions 11 held between the circular bearing-plates 12, 13. The extensions 16 of the drivers are connected by draw-links 17, 17<a> to bell-crank levers 18, 18a, carried by hangers 20, 20<a>. Contractile springs 22 restore the type bars to the normal position after use. The bell cranks are connected by links 24, 24<a> to actuating-levers 26, of which one is shown detached in Fig. 69. The levers 26 are formed by flattening a tube so as to leave a tubular bearing 27 and a smaller opening 28. To connect the forward looped end of the link 24 or 24a with the actuating-lever, a slot 29 is cut at the proper place in the lever, the looped end placed within it, and a pin inserted in the opening 28. Transverse pivotal rods 31, arranged in a step-like series, pass through the tubular bearings 27, and are secured to the side plates of the machine. Arms 32 extending from the levers 26 are pivoted at 33 to the lower ends of the key stems 34. Each key stem is also pivoted to a guide-arm 36, the guide-arms being pivotally supported by transverse rods 39. Fig. 62 shows one of the key stems with the head 42 detached. Each key stem consists of two spring metal plates 34x united by rivets 37. The outwardlyturned lugs 40 are sprung into a square opening 41 in the base of the key head 12. The key heads are formed of two oppositely-disposed metallic cup-like sections, of which the upper concaved section fits over the other, and clamps in place a piece of fabric or paper on which the character is printed, and a covering-sheet of transparent celluloid. The fabric and celluloid are stretched tightly over the concavity in the upper metal cup, thus constituting a resilient or drum-like head to the key. The hangers 20, 20<a>, which carry the bell-crank levers 18, 18<a>, are of the form shown in Fig. 57. They are adjustably clamped between pairs of plates 21, 21<a>, which are broadly of segmental form, but are stepped in outline to form abutments for the heads 45 of the hangers. The forward set of hangers is at a higher level than the rearward set, to enable the connecting-links 24, 24a to clear one another. The keys in transverse as well as longitudinal rows are preferably connected alternately with type-bars on opposite sides of the type basket, so as to prevent adjacent keys, which might accidentally be struck together, from actuating adjacent type-bars, which would be likely to lock together. To ensure uniform distribution of ink in the pad 15, it is desirable that upper or lower case type be arranged in mixed order round the basket, so that the types more rarely used are not grouped together at one part of the pad. When a key is depressed, the movement of the corresponding type-bar 8 causes the guidelink 9 to lift a circular universal bar 50 about the opposite point on its circumference as a fulcrum. The headed rod 51 is thus lifted, and the escapement-dog rocker 58 rocked on its shaft 59. The rocker carries fixed and spring-tensioned dogs which co-operate with the escapement-wheel 86 in the usual manner. The space-bar 81 actuates a lever 76 connected by a link 74 to the bellcrank lever 70, which is adapted to lift the rod 51 and actuate the escapement. The paper carriage is tensioned towards the left in the usual manner by means of a spring drum, and is provided with a feed-rack 108 which engages with a pinion 106 at the upper end of a tubular shaft 102. The shaft 102 also carries a pinion 107, which actuates the antifriction-ball separator of the carriage through reducing-gearing. The lower end of the shaft 102 carries a clutch section 100, Fig. 21, engaging with a corresponding clutch section 97. The clutch section 97 bears a pawl 95 engaging with the crown-wheel 90 on the shaft of the escapementwheel 86, which, therefore, serves to control the feed of the carriage. By means of a finger key mounted on the platen frame, a bar 116 can be lifted so as to raise the pinion 106 or shaft 102, or disengage the clutch sections 100, 97. The carriage is then free to move in both directions independently of the escapement. A coiled spring in the housing 105 resists the aforesaid vertical movement of the shaft 102, and normally maintains the clutch sections 100, 97 in contact. On the carriage is mounted a rack 137 shown in plan in Fig. 16. A sleeve 136 adjustably mounted on the rack 137 carries au abutment 131, which, towards the end of a line, comes in contact with a pivoted abutment 131 carried at the upper end of a shaft 128. The shaft 128 is thus turned, and the arm 138 causes the free arm of the bell-crank lever 147 to interpose itself in the upward path of a shoe 68 at the lower end of the rod 51. The universal bar 50, and, in consequence, the whole keyboard, are thus locked against further movement. By means of a key 148, link 149, and lever 150, the shaft 128 can .be lifted so as to allow the abutment 134 to pass beneath the abutment 131, and enable a few more characters to be printed. The abutment 134 is bevelled on the right-hand side so as to allow it to lift and pass the abutment 131 when the carriage is returned to the right after such additional characters have been printed. The platen frame 126, Fig. 1, carries rearwardly-projecting arms 153, which carry the pintles or hinge pins of the frame. By pressing inwards against spring control the heads 155 of plungers working within the pintles, the last-named can be released from their partlyopen bearings and the platen frame removed. Cooperating with the platen is a paper feed-roller 163, the shaft of which rests in open slot bearings in two arms which are adjustably spring-tensioned towards the platen. Fig. 55 shows a portion of one of the aforesaid arms 166 and its tensioning- spring 169. One end of the spring is connected to a worm-wheel 174 contained within a housing 171. A worm-wheel 176 enables the wheel to be rotated so as to vary the tension of the spring. The arm 166 at the left-hand end of the feeder-roller is provided with a forward extension formed into a finger key, by depressing which the feed-roller can be separated from the platen. A paper-blade presses against the lower side of the platen near the impression point, and is carried by spring arms adjustably secured to the arms 166. At the righthand end of the platen is a feed-wheel or ring 204, Fig. 7, which bears on its end face the teeth which co-operate with the line-spacing pawl, and on its periphery the teeth which are engaged by the linespacing detent or pressure roller. The ring 204 is not rigidly secured to the platen, but is normally clamped to it by the wedging or looking action of one end of the lever 199, which enters an internal groove in the ring. The opposite end of the lever is pressed outwards by the short arm of a pivoted lever 201 tensioned by a coiled spring 210. When the plunger rod 212 is pressed inwards by the operator's finger, the pressure on the lever 199 is removed, and the platen then be turned freely relatively to the ring 204. Exact adjustment of the paper for writing a line in any desired position is thus obtainable. By unscrewing the rod 183 from its socket in the plug 187, the ring 204, handwheel 211, and all their associated parts, can be removed from the platen.