Improvements in Typewriters.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Typewriters.
We, WALTER BERESFORD, of 118, Needham Road, in the City of Liverpool,
Mechanical Engineer, and FREDERICK THOMAS RUSHTON, of 14, New Inn, Strand,
in the County of London, Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to typewriters, and has for its object to simplify the
construction and produce a machine practically noiseless in use and one in
which the writing surface is visible to the operator.
According to our invention we mount or arrange the key lever and the type-
carrying bars upon a common centre or adjacent centres, and so connect ther
that when the key lever is depressed the type carrying bar is raised thereby to
within a short distance of the printing surface, and then checked by a suitable
check action which is adapted to be at once released so that the type-carrying
bar may immediately it is checked be impelled forward onto the printing sur-
face, or ribbon, as the case may be, by a hammer adjacently arranged and
operated by or through the impulse given to or momentum of the type bar or
key lever. For instance, the hammer may be mounted on the same centering
as the type bar or on the rear of the latter so as to follow its upward move-
ment and then act upon the type bar when checked to print as described.
Each set of type-carrying bars may be provided with a separate hammer or
one hammer may be common to all the type. The said check action is common
to all the bars and is or may be adapted to be released by engagement with a
projection on or part of the type bars. This projection is or may be disposed a
short distance from the type and arranged to pass into or through a guide or
aperture upon or in the machine frame so as to ensure the perfect alignment of
the type at the printing centre.
Our invention is also applicable to machines where all the type is carried
upon a disc or other moving part; the said moving part will be suitably
mounted and adapted when operated and bringing the type into action, to be
checked in the same manner as the bars before described and then impelled by a
suitably arranged hammer operated and arranged as before described.
In further description, in one arrangement the type bars and key levers are
disposed parallel to one another and superposed and the type bar is suitably
stamped or otherwise formed at its near end with a circular aperture, bush, or
ring adapted to fit and freely rotate upon a bearing common to all the bars or
a number of same, said bearing consisting of a bar or spindle which is or may
be of somewhat large diameter, and arranged in a curve corresponding to the
radial disposition of the keys and levers. The key levers are connected to and
adapted to operate the type bars by a hinge pin or pivotted connections arranged
adjacent to or upon the circular part or bush referred to, the key lever being
centred or fulcrummed by a pin and conical slot at a suitable point adapted to

page_text: give the required movement to the type bar by turning same upon its bearing
shaft or spindle. The parts described are so adjusted or provided with suitable
stops that on full depression of the key lever the type bar is brought within a
short distance of the printing surface and then temporarily stopped by the check
action, the printing action being then accomplished by means of a hammer
mounted upon the same bearing as the levers or otherwise suitably, a suitable
stop being provided so that the hammer rises with and follows the type bar
and when the latter is checked at once engages same and impels it or the type
thereon forward on to the printing surface where perfect alignment is secured
by a projection upon the type bar passing into a guide or aperture in or on the
machine frame. The check action may be arranged in any known manner so
that the type bar is checked and released at the proper time, for instance the
alignment pin referred to may engage a lever adapted to engage and release
a check consisting of a projection or notch in or on the bush of the type bar.
The said check action is common to all the bars, the one lever or a bar thereon
extending along the bearing so as to engage the stop of each bar when the
latter are operated.
The hammer device may, as described, be attached to the type-bar, and may
be wholly or partially of resilient material or mounted on such or connected to
the carriage or space-bar or it may be a separate attachment and worked by any
suitable means.
The hammer, or the striking surface is or may be covered with rubber, felt,
cotton, fibre, paper, or any other substance or an air cushion may be provided,
calculated to deaden or decrease the sound of metallic contact, and so produce
a practically noiseless typewriter or one in which noise is reduced to a minimum.
In order that springs may be dispensed with and the weight of the type bar
levers and hammer or other device utilized after operation to return the parts
to their normal position, the said bars are so arranged that when in normal
position. they are parallel or nearly parallel to the keyboard and move through
an angle of not more than 90°.
Dated this Twelfth day of August 1899.
J. C. CHAPMAN & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Typewriters.
We, WALTER BERESFORD, of 118, Needham Road, in the City of Liverpool,
Mechanical Engineer, and FREDERICK THOMAS RUSHTON, of 14, New Inn, Strand,
in the County of London, Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement: —
Our invention relates to typewriters, and has for its object to simplify the
construction and produce a machine practically noiseless in use and one in
which the writing surface is visible to the operator.
According to our invention we mount or arrange the key lever and the type-
carrying bars upon a common centre or adjacent centres, and so connect them
that when the key lever is depressed the type carrying bar is raised thereby to
within a short distance of the printing surface, and then checked by a suitable
check action which is adapted to be at once released so that the type-carrying
bar may immediately it is checked be impelled forward onto the printing sur-
face, or ribbons, as the case may be by a hammer adjacently arranged and

page_text: operated by or through the impulse given to or momentum of the type bar or
key lever. For instance the hammer may be mounted on the same centering
as the type bar or on the rear of the latter so as to follow its upward move-
ment and then act upon the type when checked to print as described.
Each set of type-carrying bars may be provided with a separate hammer or
one hammer may be common to all the type bars. The said check action is
common to all the bars and is or may be adapted to be released by engagement
with the hammer or a projection on or part of the type bars.
In further description we will refer to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a plan of one form of type writing machine having our invention
applied thereto, Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are three longitudinal sections of Fig. 1 illus-
trating the operation of a single type bar and check action, and Figs. 5 and 6 are
similar views showing a modified check action.
In the arrangement shown the type bars a and key levers bare arranged to
lie one above another when in normal position as in Fig. 2, the former resting
on a suitable support c. The type bars are suitably stamped or formed at their
rear ends with a bush d (shown clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5) adapted to fit and
freely rotate upon a bearing e common to all the bars a or a number of same:
said bearing e consists of a bar or spindle arranged in a curve corresponding to
the radial disposition of the type bars a and levers b. As shown in the drawing
the bearing e is curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes so as to better
bring all the types to a common printing centre. The bush d is provided with
a projection for engaging the check action as hereinafter described. In order
to secure good alignment and to afford a guide for the type bars the bushes d
thereof are arranged to move in a comb or slotted plate g disposed at a suitable
angle more or less as shown just above and following the curve of the bearing e.
The key levers bare centred in a comb at their inner ends and adapted to
operate the type bar a through intermediate levers i centred at j; these levers i
are connected to the lever b by links k and their inner ends are connected to and
adapted to operate the type bars a by a ball and socket connection comprising
a lever m having spherical ends working in sockets n. This ball and socket
arrangement provides an easy motion when the bars are operated. Fig. 2 shows
the parts in a position of rest the type bars a resting on the support é.
The parts described are so adjusted that in operation on full depression of a
key lever by one of the keys a type bar is brought at or within a short
distance of the printing centre 9 on the front face of the printing platen and
then temporarily stopped as shown in Fig. 3 by its stop f engaging the check
action hereinafter referred to, the printing action being then accomplished by
means of a hammer s mounted and hinged as at t upon the same bush d as the
type bars a, although the said hammers may be hinged to the back of the latter
in suitable position if desired, a suitable stop such as u is provided to prevent
backward movement so that the hammer s rises with and follows the movement
of the type bars a and when the latter are checked as described the said hammer
at once engages same (at the same time releasing or overcoming the check) and
impelling or striking the type lever so as to carry the type thereon forward
on to the printing surface q.
One forin of check mechanism is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and comprises a
check bar mounted in sliding bearing and pressed upwards by a spring a.
This bar may in some cases be formed of resilient material such as rubber or the
like. The check bar is common to all the type bars and follows the curve
of the bearing e so as to lie in a position to and engages the projection f on the
bushes (as in Fig. 4) when any bar is operated so as to check the said bar
until the hammers engages the type bar and overcomes the resistance of the
check bar when the bearings of the latter are moved downward in their slots =
and the type bar is forced onto the printing surface by the impetus of the
hammers or (if already there, if the action very quick) the hammer simply
effects the printing or manifolding by striking the type bar.

page_text: Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another form of check mechanism wherein the check
bar is mounted on a check lever hinged at 2 and disposed centrally and
With this arrange-
projects upwards and towards the group of type bars .
ment when any type bar is operated the projection f engages and is checked by
the bar as before whilst the latter is released and pushed back upon its hinge
by the hammers engaging the check lever as in Fig. 6; the type bar is now
free and the hammer operates to print as before described. The check lever / is
forked at 3 so as to be engaged by the hammers whilst the type bars a pass
inoperative into the fork. In Figs. and 6 the bearing e is shown as of large
diameter and the comb g is dispensed with although it may be employed if
desired. Also the key levers are connected by a slot and pin connection 11
to the bush d of the type bars. This is the arrangement referred to in our
Provisional Specification, but we find the arrangement and connection of the
type bars and key levers shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is preferable.
Although we have described two forms of check or check action we wish it
to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the particular forms shown
as we may without departing from the nature of our invention employ checks
or check actions of various kinds.
In connection with a typewriter such as described any suitable mechanism
may be employed for travelling the carriage for spacing the letters and for
line spacing.
The hammers or the striking surface on the back of the type bars a may
be covered with rubber, felt, cotton, fibre, paper or any other substances or an
air cushion may be provided thereat such covering or cushion marked 4 on the
drawing serving to deaden or decrease the sound of metallic contact and so pro-
reduced to a
duce a practically noiseless typewriter or one in which noise
minimum.
In order that springs may be dispensed with if required and the weight of the
type bars a, levers band hammers utilized after operation to return the parts
to their normal position, the said bars are arranged to he normally in super-
position as shown and at a slight angle to the keyboard. This however forms no
part of our invention. *
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In typewriters the use in combination with a series of type bars of a check
action for checking the movement of the said type bars before the type reaches
the printing surface and a hammer or hammers operated with the type bars and
adapted to release or overcome said check action and force the type bar onto
the printing surface.
2. In a typewriter, a check action for the series of type bars and a hammer or
hammers such as described, comprising a spring pressed sliding or resilient check
bar common to all the type bars and adapted to engage and check the move-
ment of the type bar before the type reach the printing surface but to be over-
come by the force of the hammer which impels the type bar onto the printing
surface substantially as set forth.
3. The improvements in typewriters comprising a series of type bars and a
hammer or hammers such as described having combined therewith a check
action comprising a hinged lever with a bifurcated extremity projecting in
the line of travel of the type bars and hammer so as to be free of the former
but engaged by the latter, a check bar on said lever common to all the type hars
and adapted to engage and check same at or before they reach the printing
surface and to release the same when the hinged lever is engaged by the hammer.
substantially as described.
4. The improvements in typewriters comprising the combination with the type
bars of a check action and a hammer action substantially as and for the purposes

page_text: herein set forth with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings and the modified check and hammer action described with reference to
Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
Dated this Twelfth day of June 1900
Applicants,
J. C. CHAPMAN & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.