Patent GB-189915817-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Tabular Attachments for Typewriters and like Machines.
Inventor: FARWELL GRANGER
Filed: 1899-08-02
Granted: 1899-10-21
Abstract: 15,817. Farwell, G. Aug. 2. Type-writers.-Relates to devices for facilitating the printing of numbers &c. in tabular form. The invention is described with reference to the Oliver type-writer, but may be adapted to other types of machine. The machine is provided with a carriage B connected by a flexible strap with a spring- actuated drum B', Fig. 3, in the usual. manner. The carriage rack F engages with a pinion E' on the vertical shaft E of the escapement-wheel E'. The escapement pawls g<1> are carried by the lever G, the forward end of which is raised whenever the arm H<2> is depressed by the operation of the spacing-key D, or by the action of any of the key levers C upon the universal spacing-bar H. On the side of the machine is mounted a plate I, Fig. 1, which serves as the support for the spring drum K and a series of stop levers L<1> having keys l<4>. The drum K is connected with the carriage by a strap K<4>, and its spring acts against the tension of the carriage driving-spring, being wound up during the advance of the carriage from right to left. The upper surface of the drum is graduated to correspond with the carriage scale, and is provided with peripheral notches k. A nut j<1> holds in place any required number of flexible metal arms J<1> provided at the ends with stops j<4> which can be sprung into any desired notch, the number and position of these arms corresponding with the number and position of the columns of figures to be typewritten. On the depression of one of the keys l<4> a lug L is interposed in the path of the next following stop j<4>, and on the subsequent depression of the spacing-key D the carriage is released from the escapement mechanism and n oves onward until arrested by the contact of the stop with the lug. If, for example, the number to be written contains three figures, the key 100 is depressed, the carriage then advancing to a position which will allow three impressions to be made before reaching the scale division determined on as the right-hand boundary of the column. The mechanism for temporarily releasing the escapement mechanism as above described is as follows :-The bar N, shown in Fig. 1 and in the sectional plan view, Fig. 10, is pushed towards the left whenever the universal bar is depressed. This throws the arm N<1>, pivoted at N<2>, into the path of the escapement lever G, and a detent O<3> temporarily locks the arm in that position, the key lever L<1> being also locked against the tension of the spring which tends to lift it. The spacing-key being now depressed, the lever G rises, turning the bar N' and rock-shaft O to which the vertical bar O<4>, Fig. 3, is attached. The link O<5> withdraws the pinion E<1> from engagement with the rack F, compressing the spring o<5>, Fig. 10, which is interposed between the upper bearing-block e of the escapement-wheel shaft E and the cross-bar e<2> which connects the guide-brackets e'. The movement of the carriage when thus released is very rapid, and, as soon as the spacing-key is released, the pinion returns into engagement with the rack, the rod N is freed from its detent so as to allow the arm N' to swing back out of the path of the escapement lever G, and the key lever L' returns to its normal or raised position so as to release the stop j<4>. The number c m then be written by the successive depression of the proper keys, and will be found to be accurately positioned in the column.