Patent GB-190105803-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
Filed: 1901-03-19
Granted: 1901-05-11
Abstract: 5803. Clark, A. M., [Wagner Typewriter Co.]. March 19. Type-writers.-The invention is described as applied to a "front strike type-bar machine, but various features are applicable to other forms of type-writers. Secured to the main frame of the machine is a segmental plate 2, Fig. 3, provided with radiating slots to receive the hubs of the type-bars 4, which are pivoted on a single segmental rod 5. The type-bars are provided with slotted or doubled portions 6 to enable the radial distance of the type 7, 8 from the pivot to be adjusted. The type-block 10, Fig. 4, has a coned stem 9 in an axial line with the lower-case type, and the stem 9 is fixed rigidly in an opening in the end of the type-bar 4. The hub of each type-bar is provided with teeth 11, 12, of which the tooth 11 is nearer the axis 5. The teeth engage with corresponding teeth on a reciprocating slide 15 provided with a pin-and-slot connection with the vertical arm 18 of a bell-crank key lever 19. For the toothed gearing may be substituted a slot in a downward extension of the hub, and a pin on the slide 15. The rear ends of the slides are formed with hooks 27, which engage a segmental universal bar 28, connected by links 30 to vibrating arms extending upwards from the rock-shaft 31. The rockshaft also bears a vertical arm 32, the upper end of which is adapted to be engaged by a pawl 47, which thus serves to lock the universal bar and the keyboard at the end of a line. A horizontal arm 34 extending from the rock-shaft engages with the arm 35 of a bell-crank lever 36 pivoted at 37. The lever 36 is tensioned by a spring 40 adjustable on the serrated edges of the lever and the pillar 41, and it has a pin-and-slot connection with the escapement dog rocker lever 46, pivoted at 45. The escapement dogs 48, 49 engage with the carriage feed-rack 66, the dog 48 being normally in engagement therewith. The escapement mechanism is shown in the rear view in Fig. 7. The dogs 48, 49 are both carried by slides 52 pivoted at their right-hand ends to links 53, which are pivoted at 54 to the dog-rocker 46. The slide of the dog 49 is tensioned towards the left by a spring 63, and the other side is similarly tensioned by a spring 62, which also tends to hold the dog 48 upwards in engagement with the rack, but will yield to permit of the descent of the dog when free movement of the carriage is required. A switch 59 is adapted to occupy either of two positions, and it carries two abutments 56 adapted to lock the links 53 in their extreme right-hand positions. According to the position of the switch, one or other of the dogs 48, 49 is locked against movement, while the other is under the control of its tensioning-spring, and the carriage-feed can thus be effected either just before or just after the impression is made. The carriage-rack 66 is carried by arms 166, Fig. 3, with which the carriage 67 has a pivot or sleeve connection so that it can be thrown back about the rod 68, which constitutes its rear guide or support. A frame 74 pivoted to the carriage supports an antifriction roller which bears on a track 76 adjustable at its ends on vertical rods 77. To shift from lower to upper-case type, the rods 77 are raised by means of the shift-key lever 81. To release the carriage, the dog 48 is depressed by means of a bar 71* mounted on the carriage immediately in front of the feed-rack, and linked at each end to an actuating finger-piece 69, of which the righthand one is shown in Fig. 6. The left-hand margin stop mechanism is a fallows :-The carriage bears a rack 83, Fig. 6, which, as the carriage is being pushed towards the right for the commencement of a new line, comes into engagement with a gearwheel 183 normally maintained by a coil spring with the lug 100 in the position shown in Fig. 6. A spring-pressed rod 87, provided at the front of the machine with a pointer moving over a fixed dial carries an arm 86 having a rearwardlyprojecting pin, which can be engaged in any of the apertures 84 according to the width of margin required. The carriage is arrested when the arm 86 comes in contact with the top of the stoparm 93, but the latter can be moved aside by means of a finger-piece 95 when it is desired to write in the margin. The alarm and keyboard-locking devices are associated with the spring drum 103, which drives the carriage by means of a band in the usual way. A sleeve 105 extending from the drum to the front of the machine bears an indexdial which moves beneath a fixed pointer and shows the position of the carriage. A shaft 107 passing through the sleeve terminates in a milled head and pointer adjustable on the dial, so that an arm 113, carried by shafts and provided with a pin engaging with the apertures 115, can be set to any desired position on the drum. The arm 113 carries a bell trip 116, which actuates the bell-hammer lever 117. After the bell has sounded, another pin carried by the arm 113 comes in contact with a gravity block 123 pivoted to a lever 124, to which is pivoted at its other end the locking-pawl 47 previously described. The locking-pawl is thus depressed, and further operation of the machine prevented. To enable a few more characters to be printed, the rockshaft 201 can be rocked by a suitable key, so as to lift the locking-pawl 47 through the medium of the arm 202, link 205, and bar 203. The tabulating or column stop devices are as follows :- At the rear of the carriage is a rack-bar 133, Fig. 3, having rearwardly-pointing teeth with which are adapted to be engaged similar teeth on adjustable stops 135 carried by a rod 136 mounted in the carriage frame. Each stop has a pointer reading on a scale mounted immediately above the rack-bar. The stop is disengaged from the rackbar by oscillating it rearwardly on the rod 136. A horizontal rock-shaft, journalled at the rear of the machine parallel with the carriage, is adapted to be rocked by a special key so as to depress the dog 48, and at the same time interpose a stoparm in the path of the stops 135, thus enabling the carriage to move at a single step from one column alignment to the next. In the end-plates of the carriage frame are formed bearings for a rod 150, Fig. 15, which carries a paper or envelope guide 149. The rod 150 carries at its right-hand end a bent bearing-piece 153, which co-acts with a leaf spring 155, so as either to hold the envelope guide against the platen or to lift it out of the way. A bar 160, Figs. 3 and 6, is removably secured to the carriage, and constitutes a bearing for adjustable paper guides 161, 162, held to the bar by spring clamps. The guide 161 has a rearwardly-depending arm 164, Fig. 3, which constitutes its effective part, and serves to guide a narrow sheet of paper being fed to the platen. The guide or support 162 has an elevated arm 166, to support that part of the paper which has already been written upon in full view of the operator.