Patent GB-691687-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to typewriting and like machines
Inventor: BRUMHILL CLAUDE WELLINGTON
IPC: B41J3/54
Filed: 1949-12-20
Abstract: 691,687. Typewriters &c. IMPERIAL TYPEWRITER CO., Ltd., Dec. 13, 1950 [Dec. 20, 1949], No. 32643/49. Class 100(iv) Machines with two or more sets of type.-A typewriting or like machine has a number of separate keyboards la, 1b, &c., with their associated type levers, and a common carriage unit 22 movable into operative association with one of the keyboards, the carriage unit comprising a runway 37. Fig. 3, a slide 38 mounted to travel thereon and a platen 39 carried by the slide 38, so that typing on one sheet of paper may be composed of characters of different languages, or mathematical or chemical symbols. Paper carriage and support.-The runway 37 of the carriage unit 22 is detachably mounted on a plate 23 which is hinged on a rod 21 extending behind the separate units so that when the carriage unit is moved from one keyboard to another the' plate 23 may be released from a locating latch 25a, 25b, &c., Fig. 5, by means of a handle 31 whose movement firstly moves a tongue 26 free of the latch and then by the help of spring plungers 33, Fig. 1, raises the plate 23 from a frame stop 125. In order to keep the carriage unit raised during its movement so that it does not foul the mechanism associated with the keyboards the plate 23 carries a pair of guide plates 36 which co-act with a roller 35 on an arm 34 fitted between each keyboard unit. The keyboards la, 1b and their frameworks are located in cavities 6a, 6b in main frameworks 2a, 2b, and the side frames of the units have studs 8, 8<SP>1</SP>, 9, 9<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 3, which respectively rest on runners 10, 10<SP>1</SP>, and are latched in position by a finger-operable latch mechanism 11, 11<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 1. The main frames are interconnected by longitudinal bars 3, 4. The runway 37 with the slide 38 and platen is detachable, so that if desired larger platens may be fitted, by means of studs 41, 41<SP>1</SP>, fixed in the base 23 which fit holes in the runway 37, the heads of the studs protruding through spring-biased wedges 45, 45<SP>1</SP>, on the runways which normally engage underneath the heads to prevent the carriage being lifted off. The platen is locked against movement on its runway 37 during movements of the carriage unit between keyboard units by a catch pivoted on a bracket on the plate 23, and which engages with tabulator stops 62 on tabulator rack 61 when the plate 23 is raised. The plate 23 also carries the escapement mechanism 20 and the ink-ribbon mechanism 53, 70, 71. The escapement mechanism is operated by a connection 51, Fig. 3, which is brought into operative association with an element 52a or 52b of the universal bar 19a or 19b of the selected keyboard unit 1a or 1b respectively. Ink-ribbon mechanism.-The feeding of the inkribbon is effected by a pair of lever pawls 72, 73, Fig. 8, pivoted at 74, 75 to the plate 23 and which centrally engage, by fork connections, a lug 77, Fig. 9, on a bar 86 actuated from a lever 84 pivoted at 85 and carrying a roller 83 which is engaged by a lever e.g. 82a of a selected keyboard unit. The lever 82a is formed on a frame 80a, Fig. 3, engaged by a depending lug 79a on the key-levers 12a. The lever 84 by means of mechanism 88, 89, Fig. 9, operates a ribbon guide which may also be moved for colour change by a mechanism 95-99 from a colour change lever e.g. 94a. Specifications 547,895 and 548,059 are referred to.