Patent GB-191323842-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Typewriters.
Inventor: MOHR JOSEF
IPC: B41J1/00
Filed: 1913-10-21
Granted: 1915-06-24
Abstract: 23,842. Mohr, J. Oct. 21. [Addition to 17,007/12.] Type-wheel actions; case-shift mechanism; keyboards.-The machine described in the parent Specification is improved in the following respects. (i) The key-levers, operating the rocking frames which control the type-drum couplings, are mounted on a frame which can be replaced by a frame having a different arrangement of key-levers. (2) The couplings may consist of clutch members 132, Fig. 13, which can slide on the shaft 22 and are formed with claws engaging slots in sleeves 133, which can rotate but not slide on the shaft. On moving the clutch members to the right, the adjacent sleeves at the left can rotate through an angle limited by a recess 135. The end sleeve 131 is secured to the shaft. (3) The clutch members may be operated by longitudinally movable combination-bars 136 formed with notches 140 which co-operate with notches 142 in key-levers 141. The clutch members are each connected by an arm 151 and a rock-shaft 152 to one of the combination-bars. On depression of one or more key-levers, a locking-plate 138 is depressed by the aid of a universal bar 144, and the combination-bars which have been released by the notches 142 are moved to the right by springs. On release of the key-levers, the combination-bars are returned by a spring 139 which engages the plate 138. (4) The touch may be improved by providing an arrangement of the following character which permits the combination-bars to be returned independently of release of the key-levers. For this purpose, the notches 142 and the lug 143, which operates the universal bar 144, are formed in a lever 154 pivoted to the key-lever and normally locked by a pivoted catch 156 on the key-lever. Towards the end of the stroke of the key-lever, the tail of the catch engages a stop 157 and releases the lever 154, further depression of the key-lever lifting the lever by causing a lug 158 thereon to engage a stop 159. On release of the key-lever, it is lifted by a spring 160, and the lever 154 is depressed into engagement with the catch by the engagement of a lug 161 with a stop 159<Î>. The release action may be prevented by removing the stops. (5) The type-drum is provided with a number of rotatable type-cylinders and may be secured to its spindle, which, in addition to being movable axially by a stirrup actuated by a rack and pinion, is also rotatable, being feathered to a bevel-wheel engaging a bevel-wheel controlled by the couplings. The pinion for rotating the type-cylinders is journaled on the type-drum and is feathered to the sleeve of a bevel-wheel engaging a second bevel-wheel controlled by the couplings. By providing multiplying-gearing between the main rock-shaft which carries the couplings and the second bevel-wheel, the type-drum may be arranged close to the main rock-shaft and the arc of swing be reduced. (6) In some cases, the arc of swing may be increased by providing multiplying-gearing between the main rockshaft and the escapement-shaft referred to below. The gearing may consist of a small pinion on the main rock-shaft 22, Fig. 9, gearing with a larger pinion which is operated by a crank and connecting-rod, or, as shown, by a slotted arm 125 engaging a crank-pin 122 on the escapement-shaft 112, (7) For augmenting the blow of the type-drum, a shaft 9, Fig. 12, geared to the type-drum is provided with a disk 126 having pins 127 adapted to engage a lever 128, which is rocked forward in opposition to a spring 129 and is released just before impression and urged by the spring against an arm 130 on the main rock-shaft 22. The disk may be connected to a separate spring motor which is wound during carriage-return. The lever 128 or the spring motor can be rendered inoperative. Alining for impression.-The type-drum and each of the type-cylinders may be provided with notches adapted to engage a spring-supported alining-lever. Pad inking-arrangements.-The type-cylinders engage a tubular inking-pad in the type-drum, a lost-motion connexion being provided to permit the type-cylinders to rotate on their axes through half a revolution in advance of the rotation 'for setting, the preliminary halfrevolution ensuring the inking of the types. Letter-spacing mechanism; space-key actions. -The carriage is controlled by escapement mechanism which is released automatically by the character-keys, in which case the main rockshaft is operated also, or is released by a. key 100, Fig. 11, for spacing without printing; a special key 101, used in conjunction with the character-keys, causes the carriage to move through two spaces. The carriage is geared to a sleeve 110 mounted on the escapement shaft, which is connected to the main rock-shaft. A disk 13 secured to the escapement shaft is provided with two pins 14 and with a slide 106 guided by pins 107, 108 in slots in the disk. The sleeve is normally coupled to the escapement shaft by the engagement of a lug 111 on the sleeve with the pin 108. One of the pins 14 is nearer the shaft than the other and is normally engaged by the end of an escapement lever, which is rocked by a universal bar operated by certain of the character-keys. On operation of these keys, the end of the escapement lever is lifted and depressed, and the pins 14 are alternately released and caught, the escapement shaft and the sleeve making a revolution. The escapement lever may also be operated by hand and may be depressed sufficiently far to carry its end above the path of both pins 14, thus permitting of repeated operation of the type-drum. The key 100 is secured to a shaft 102 connected by a link 104 to an arm 105 which engages the pin 107. On depressing and releasing the key 100, the slide 106 is moved forwards and then backwards by a spring, and the sleeve 110 is permitted to make a revolution, the lug 111 being released and arrested by the pins 107, 108 and then released and arrested by the pins 108, 107. The key 101 extends through the key 100 and engages an arm 114 on a shaft 113 provided with an arm 115. On depressing the key 101 and one of the character-keys, the escapement shaft and the sleeve 110 turn respectively through one and two revolutions, the escapement lever releasing the disk, and the arm 115 catching the pin 107 and causing the slide 106 to move backwards and forwards and thus release the lug 111. The pins 14, 107, 108, may be provided with rollers. Paper-supports.-In order that the typedrum may be of small dimensions, the platenroller 171, Fig. 17, is made of small crosssection and is formed with parts of the usual radius alternating with parts of smaller radius, the formation preventing types in the same column from printing simultaneously. Sheet-feeding arrangements.-The sheet is held in contact with the platen 171, Fig. 17, by being secured at the ends to clamps 173, 174 which are mounted to slide on a bar 172 and are connected by a cord 181 containing a spring 182; only the forward end of the sheet may be secured to a spring-tensioned clamp. The usual feed-roller is arranged beneath the platen. Electric and strip - controlled driving - mechanism.-The typewriter may be connected to an electro-magnetic apparatus for preparing a record-strip, which can be passed through a similar apparatus to control the subsequent operation of the typewriter. The strip may be provided with an embossed or perforated record, but is preferably made by depositing lines of electrically-conducting ink. The type-drum couplings and the space-key close contacts in circuit with electro-magnets which control pivoted armatures provided with ink-reservoirs. The escapement sleeve is connected to a contact which is in circuit with the above-mentioned contacts and with an electro-magnet controlling an armature provided with pawls for operating the strip-feeding roller. The arrangement is such that the strip is fed one space while the reservoirs are resting on it and is fed another step when the circuit is broken, the record thus consisting of groups of lines separated by spaces. The prepared strip is passed through an apparatus similar to that described above, the armatures being replaced by contactsprings. The electro-magnets operate the typedrum couplings and the space-key, and the escapement-sleeve controls the electro-magnet for feeding the strip. This apparatus may be connected directly to the record-preparing apparatus if desired by the usual single lead, and be used for controlling the action of several typewriters at a distance.