Patent GB-189823960-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
Inventor: GERNICHE CELESTIN ESPRIT
Filed: 1898-11-14
Granted: 1899-10-28
Abstract: 23,960. Gerniche, C. E., and Dutoya, F. Nov. 14. Type-writers.-Relates particularly to machines having a small number of keys operating to print or emboss &c. a large number of characters, either ordinary printed characters, or signs &c. for the blind. Fig. 20 shows a sectional elevation of a machine having five key levers pivoted on the shaft a and raised to normal position by springs r. On each key is a shoulder or notch c, engaged when the key is depressed by one of five pawls e<1> pivoted at a<1>, and pressed by springs r<1>. Extending under the five key levers is a bar t<7> of a frame L" pivoted at a<4>. An arm L<13>, moved by the frame L", is provided with a pawl c<8> which engages a pin on an arm and releases the type-wheel R', which is normally held from rotating by a pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel R. The type-wheel is stopped in position according to the key, or combination of several keys, depressed, by an arrangement which puts the pawl into engagement with the wheel R at the required point, as follows :-On the sleeve m', which turns with the type-wheel shaft m<5>, the wheel R and a pair of notched discs D, D' are mounted. Normally engaging the upper disc D is a series of pivoted fingers or levers e<6>, equal in number to the key levers, pivoted on rods m<2> held raised by the key levers. When a key lever is depressed, the corresponding lever e<6> passes down into engagement with the disc D'. The levers e<6> are so arranged that, when all five of them simultaneously enter notches in the discs D, D<1>, they can move on their pivot and cause the operation of the pawl which engages the wheel R<2> and stops the type-wheel. The pawls e<1> are operated to release the key levers when the type-wheel is stopped. The type-wheel is driven by a spring on a wheel R<2> gearing with a wheel R<1> on the sleeve m<1>, and this spring is automatically re-wound by ratchet &c. gearing R<8>, R<5>, R<6>, &c. operated by a pivoted segment engaged by the upper ends of levers L<23> &c. operated by the depression of the keys &c. The type-wheel has five rows of characters, and each row is brought opposite the printing point by the operation of one of the key levers (or by separate levers), as follows :-The shaft m<5> of the type-wheel is raised and lowered by a pin on an arm L<20> engaging the grooved collar P<3>. The arm L<20> moves with a sector S<5> moved by an arm b<5> and a pawl c<6> on one of the key levers. The sector S<5> is toothed and is engaged and held by a bar t<9> on a pivoted frame. The other four key levers are also provided with pawls c<6> which engage arms b<5> and move other pivoted sectors which regulate the position of the sector S<5> by means of a pin t<10> fixed to S<5> and extending across the other four sectors. The arms b<5> of the sectors may be operated by hand instead of by the pawls c<6> and key levers. When the key levers are thus operated for shifting the type - wheel shaft, a frame C', C<2> carried by arms pivoted at a is first depressed. On this frame is an arm L<14> which prevents the pawl c<8> from operating to release the type-wheel. On the arms of the frame C', C' is also a bar t<8> extending over the five levers L'‹, pivoted at a<3>, and over the horizontal arm of the lever L<23>. The levers L<10> normally engage the horizontal arms c<7> of the pawls c<6> to prevent them from engaging the arms b<5>. The type - wheel is inked by a roller R'‹ carried by an arm L<21>, on an axis having an arm L<22> on which is a pin g<6> engaged by a slide P<8>. The slide P<8> is moved by the arm L<23> to lift the inking-roller when the frame C', C' is depressed. The carriage comprises a base-plate P sliding in grooves in uprights P' on the upper plate P<6> of the machine frame. The platen D<2> is journalled in brackets P<3> of the plate P. The sheet is pressed on to the platen by a plate P<13> and roller D<3> in arms pivoted at a<7>. In the upper ends of the brackets P<3> is a shaft a<8> having arms h<1> ending in blades which press on the sheet. The blades may be lifted from the paper by depressing an arm L<29>. Two platens may be mounted in the carriage, for printing from two type-wheels (on the same shaft m<5>), one of which may print ordinary characters and the other characters for the blind. On the carriage is a rack i operated by a pin g<9> on an arm m<19> pivoted on a pin a<9> carried by the lever having the toothed segment by which the type-wheel driving-spring is automatically re-wound. The pin g<9> also engages guide and stop grooves on the top plate P<6>. On the pin a<9> is also pivoted a two-armed lever m<18>, one arm of which has a pin engaging the arm m<19>, and the other arm of which has a pin engaged by two pawls or catches pivoted on the upper plate P<6>. The lever carrying the arms m<18>, m<19> is operated by a lever on the axis a<4> each time a key is depressed, and also by the lever L<23> operated by the frame C', C<2>. The two pawls or catches are operated one by each of these levers, and when a key lever is operated alone the carriage is fed, but if the frame C' is depressed before the key lever is released no feed of the carriage takes place. The carriage may be fed without printing by operating the frame C', C<2>. Line spacing may be effected by a pawl C<12> pivoted to a sleeve at the end of the platen and provided with an operating-handle L<28>. The sleeve has a helical groove so that it may be operated by a pin on a bar sliding in the carriage, such sliding bar having a handle k by which the carriage is returned for a fresh line. The sliding bar has an adjustable stop for regulating the line space. In a modification, the spacing-rack i is carried by arms pivoted on the platen axis, and the slide of the line-space arrangement operates to move the rack out of gear with the spacing-pin g<9> so that the carriage may be freely returned. The pin g<9> of the spacing- mechanism is disengaged from the rack i by depressing the frame C<1>, a sliding bolt being provided for holding the frame C' depressed as long as desired. The carriage may be returned through the extent of one space by a sliding pin arrangement t<12> in connection with the spacing-mechanism. The keyboard and frame C are locked at the end of a line by a rib on the carriage which comes into position to engage and prevent the operation of the levers (L<23> &c.) which operate the spacing- mechanism. The margin is regulated by a stepped plate on the carriage frame engaged by the end of a sliding rod l<1>, which is notched to receive the nose d<10> of a spring by which it is held in the desired position.