IMPROVED TYPE- WRITER ALSO APPLICABLE FOR STAMPING MATRICES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ERNST WILHELM BRACKELSBERG at Hagen, Westphalia, German Empire,
gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for an "IMPROVED TYPE-
WRITER ALSO APPLICABLE FOR STAMPING MATRICES," and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to apparatuses known under the name of "type-writers,"
and it consists in the means employed for printing or impressing letters or other
characters in succession upon a sheet of paper or other material, for causing the
spaces between the letters or characters composing a word to become uniform, and
for regulating the width of these spaces.
The improved apparatus is represented on the annexed two sheets of drawings
Fig. 1 is a front view of the same, Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 a transverse section on
line, Fig. 1, looking from the left to the right. Fig. 4 is a front view of a
portion of the apparatus in which some parts have been omitted in order to show
others more clearly. Fig. 5 is a botton view corresponding to Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows
a section on line yy, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an enlarged portion of Fig. 5, serving to
explain the operation of certain parts. Fig. 8 is a front view and Fig. 9 a trans-
verse section of a modified part of the apparatus adapted to produce matrices for
stereotyping.
The types are secured in a single row to the holder T, which is connected by the
pieces a to the stationary guide-bar a, so that it can slide thereon. If preferred,
the bolder and the types may, however be made in one piece. The said type-holder
is operated by the rod b, flexibly attached to an arm of the former by means of a
ball and socket-joint b', or other equivalent means, and carrying at its other end
a handle c terminating in a beak 2. Close to the bar a there is a lever c having
its fulcrum at e² and kept normally in a raised position by a spring e², the said
lever being movable in a plane parallel to the body of the types. To the lever e
are attached ledges d, carrying a register of the characters of the types contained
in the type-holder, and these characters are so arranged in respect to the types,
and the length of the rod b is such that, when the beak e is placed upon one of
the characters of the register, the type corresponding thereto, will be brought
opposite to the end of the printing bar D serving to press the paper against the
type. For the purpose of guiding the operator in placing the beak on a character,

page_text: so that the type may always be brought exactly into the required position, special
means are provided. By preference these consist in plates having opposite to
each character a triangular notch d², the inclined faces d³ whereof will conduct the
beak c², provided with a knife-edge, to the proper point, if it should not have been
placed thereon at once. The characters of the register are distributed upon two or
more ledges d in order to allow each notch to be made of such width as that the
liability to commit errors while inserting the beak c³, will be reduced as much as
possible. Moreover the ledges d together with the notched plates are arranged
at different elevations, each following one being placed higher than the preceding,
whereby also facilities for the insertion of the beak c² are obtained.
The form of the notches d³ may be made different from the drawing, provided
their sides d³ converge downward, so that the beak c will not shift laterally after
having been pressed down within the notch. Moreover the notches may be
replaced by conical boles in the plates d, the beak c' being in this case, made in
form of a round pin directed downward. Also a beak forming a triangular prism
or a cone may be used respectively with notches or holes having such form that
the inclined sides of the said prism or cone will come in contact with the upper
edges thereof only. Or, the arrangement is inverted by attaching projections, pins,
prisms or cones to the register and forming the beak with a triangular notch or a
hollow cone, or with a notch or a hole adapted to the said prisms or cones, the
object being in every case to conduct the beak c² by the agency of two inclined
surfaces d³ into the desired position. These surfaces d³ I shall call conducting surfaces.
The printing-bar D which is movable in a direction vertical to the face of
the types, is connected to the lever e by means of the lever q and the rod h,
so that when the lever e is depressed, the printing-bar will be raised and
press the paper W, Fig. 3, which is above it, against the type. The depression of
the lever e is brought about by a pressure exercised on the same by means of the
handle c and beak c², subsequent to the insertion of the latter into a notch. The
handle c is provided with a plate c¹ for laying on the fore-finger while performing
this operation. By these means a print of any single type may be obtained.
The sheet of paper W which is to be printed upon, is held by a carriage H,
arranged to slide lengthwise upon the table f of the apparatus, and which, when
this table is inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, may be guided with sufficient security by
a single ledge in front of it; but other guiding-means may be employed. The said
carriage consists of a bottom-plate, two standards at the ends thereof, and a bar h
connecting the standards at the top and parallel to the bottom-plate. In the said
standards is mounted a roller g, portions of which are faced with india-rubber, by
means whereof the roller bears upon the sheet of paper slipped under the same.
One of the pivots of the roller carries a ratchet wheel j, with which gears a pall,
arranged to be operated by a handle i, for the purpose of turning the roller and
thereby drawing the paper forward, through the medium of the india-rubber
facings, when a new line is to be commenced.
גן
The carriage H with the paper upon it, is moved towards the left for every letter
or character to be printed, or for every space required, by the following mechanism.
To the aforesaid rod k is connected by means of a link l, one arm of an elbow-
lever, having at the end of its other arm a pin l' engaging in a slit 13 at the end
of a bar m, which for the present may be supposed to be rigidly fixed to a bar m¹.
This bar m¹ is connected by a curved link m² to a rod n¹, suspended with a slit n
on a pin n screwed into an upright arm ea of the lever e, the said rod n¹ being
drawn downward and against the pin n by a spring n³ fixed with one end to n,
and with the other to a knob at the head of n. Finally a bar G is pivoted with
one end on the pin n³ connecting the parts n¹ and m³, while with its other end,
which is bent obliquely to the bar h of the carriage H and which has a suitable
aperture, it embraces the said bar h in such a manner that, when the pin n² is
depressed, the bar G will pinch the bar h and thus become locked with the carriage;
whereas, so long as the pin n² is in its raised or normal position, the bars G and h
are independent of each other.

page_text: The operation of this mechanism is as follows: When the lever is depressed, it
draws through its arm c³, the pin n and the spring n³ upon the rod n', which, in
acting on the bar G, causes the same to become locked with the carriage H.
Meanwhile the pin 2 of the elbow-lever slides in the slit 3 without acting; but
when strikes against the left-hand end surface of the slit 13, it pushes the united
bars m and m¹ to the left, and this motion is transmitted through the connecting
link m², to the bar G, which, being locked with the bar h, draws the carriage H
with the sheet of paper to the left, so that a fresh portion of the latter will bo
presented to a type. The bar G thus acts as a silent feed pall. Hereafter the
printing-bar D presses the paper W (on which a sheet of paper covered with
printing-ink is placed as usual) against the type above it. During the latter part
of the downward motion of the lever c, the spring n³ expands under the strain
brought to bear upon it after the pall G has pinched the bar h, and thus allows the
lever e together with the pin n (which then slides in the slit n, of the rod n¹) to
be completely depressed, while the pressure on G remains nearly uniform.
I shall now proceed to show by what means the displacement of the paper
carriage is regulated, and the blank spaces between all the letters in a word caused
to become equal. For this purpose, in the first place, the types are arranged in the
type-holder T with spacing-pieces p, Figs. 4 and 5, between them, which are all of
the same width; and on the front side of their lower end these pieces have an
offset, whereby recesses p¹ are formed between the types. Secondly, a lever M,
which I shall call the gauge-lever, is pivoted to a block o fixed to the bar m', the
said gauge-lever being pressed with its left-hand, curved beak o³ towards the types
and the recesses p² by means of a spring o', while on its right-hand end acts a
curved finger o³, Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6, fixed to the lever e, so that when the lever e is
in its raised position, the finger o³ will keep the gauge-lever M out of contact with
the types, whereas when e is depressed, the said finger allows the spring o¹ to press
the gauge-lever with its beak o³ against the type or into the recess opposite to the
said beak. Thirdly the bar m is connected to the bar m¹ by a pin m³ screwed into
bar m' through a slit me in bar m, and by a spring m³, attached with one end to
a projection mon bar m and with its other end to the pin m³, this spring tending
to draw the bar m with the left-hand end of its slit me against the pin m³.
Fourthly, the notches & or their equivalents are so adjusted that when the beak c³
is inserted into any one of them, the corresponding type will be brought with its
right-hand edge into a certain definite position, say in a line with the right-hand
surface of the printing-bar D, as shown by a dotted line in Fig. 4. Suppose this
type to be the one for the letter "m,” and the type following to the left to have
the letter "s on its face.
"
As has been stated, the bars m and m¹ begin to move to the left under the
pressure of the pin after the carriage H and the pall G have become locked
together, and this condition is not altered by the introduction of the spring m³,
which is made strong enough to overcome the frictional resistances of the parts m',
m³, n, G and H. About at the same time that pin 2 begins to act on m, the
finger o³ has released the gauge-lever M, and the spring of has pressed it with the
side of its beak o² against the type being then in proper position for printing, i.e.
in the present case, against the type- for "m." The bars m and m¹ thereupon
moving forward together with the gauge-lever, cause the beak o₁ of the latter to
slide across the type for "m" and into the recess between the same and the type
for "S." As soon as the beak o' strikes with its tip against this type, the motion
of the gauge-lever and consequently that of the parts m' m³ and G, and of the
paper-carriage is stopped. The bar m may, however, continue to move forward, as
its elastic connection with the bar m¹, by means of the spring m³, allows it to do
80. This arrangement is required in order that the lever e may be completely
depressed and the printing-bar brought to bear against the type after the bar m¹
and the paper carriage have been stopped.
The effect which the described operation of parts has on the spacing of the
letters on the paper, may best be explained by aid of Fig. 7, which shows to an

page_text: enlarged scale, and from below, a portion of the type-holder T with the beak of of
the gauge-lever in two different positions. Supposing that, while the beak o is in
its normal position, drawn in full lines, a point w be marked thereon opposite to
the right-hand edge of the type for "m;" and assuming moreover that be the
distance of the point w from the tip of the beak o, the width of the type
opposite to the beak, and the uniform width of the spacing-pieces p, (or of the
recesses p¹), it will be apparent from the figure that the stroke of the beak is equal
u, or expressed in words, that it is equal to the varying width of the
types plus the space v minus the length u. Therefore, so long as u remains
unvaried, the spaces between the letters printed on the paper, will be uniform and
equal to v
to x + v
-
- 2.
When the lever c is released, so that it will be raised by the spring e², it first
causes the printing-bar D to be withdrawn from the type, and at the same time it
allows the bar m, impelled by the spring m³, to follow the pin as it recedes, and
with which m is in contact by the left-hand end of slit 13. Simultaneously the
pin n in rising, allows the spring n³ to contract and thereupon raises the rod n,
whereby the feed-pall G is first relieved of pressure and then positively raised with
its outer end, so that the paper-carriage becomes disengaged from G.-Moreover,
the finger acting on lever M, withdraws the beak o² of the same from the types.
When hereafter the left-hand end of slit me has come into contact with pin m³, the
bar m, gauge-lever M,.link m² and feed-pall G move to the right together with
bar m, until m strikes against a stop t. The paper-carriage meanwhile remains
at rest as the pall G is free to slide on h. During the final part of the motion of e,
the pin 2 moves along the slit 13 to its right-hand end. The apparatus is then
ready for renewed action.
In the foregoing it was stated that the spaces between the letters printed on the
paper will be uniform, so long as the dimension u remains unvaried. The said
dimension may, however, be varied and the spaces between the letters thereby
caused to become wider or narrower, as the case may be. This is attained by
making the aforesaid stop t adjustable. In the drawing it is supposed to consist in
an eccentric pivoted to the frame of the apparatus and provided with a handle for
turning it. In the measure as this stop is adjusted so as to allow the beak o" to
recede more or less, the aforesaid dimension u will be altered. Words to be
rendered conspicuous, may thus be printed with wide spaces between the letters.
After a line has been finished, the carriage H is moved back by hand up to an
adjustable stop f¹. Besides, the paper is shifted forward as much as is required
for the height of a line, by means of the handle i operating the ratchet-wheel j.
In order to inform the operator when a line is finished, there is fixed to the
table fa bell r, on which strikes a hammer s, attached to one end of a lever s¹,
bearing with its other end against the carriage H, and arranged to be released at
the proper moment.
The apparatus as described may be employed without alteration for producing
matrices for stereotyping, it being only required for this purpose to replace the
paper W by a sheet of soft pasteboard or other material adapted to receive and
retain sufficiently deep impressions, and as is otherwise used for making matrices.
I prefer, however, in this case, to adopt the modified arrangement represented by
Figs. 8 and 9, in which the types T¹ are mounted movably in the type-holder T,
while the matrice-blank is supported by a stationary block U. The types are
pressed downward against the blank by an arm D' attached to the lever e, and
they are raised and maintained in their normal position by means of springs, such
as shown in the drawing. For shifting the blank in the direction of the height of
the lines, two rollers g and g¹ may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
.invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The sliding type-carrier T with types, the rod 6 flexibly connected thereto
and provided with beak c³, the lever e carrying a register of the characters of the

page_text: types arranged to correspond with the types as described, conducting surfaces d³
for guiding the beak c² in respect to the characters on lever e and means in
connection with e for producing contact between the type being in printing position
and the material to be printed upon, all combined and cooperating substantially as
specified.
2. The sliding type-carrier T with types, the rod 6 flexibly connected thereto
and carrying beak c², the lever e, conducting surfaces d³, the printing-bar D, and
means of connection between e and D whereby D is pressed against the type in
printing position when e is depressed; all combined and cooperating substantially
as herein-before set forth.
3. The combination with the type-carrier T, rod b, beak c², lever e and conducting
surfaces d³, of the carriage H and means in connection with lever e for shifting the
carriage H forward when e is depressed, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. The combination with the type-carrier T, rod b, beak c², lever e, conducting
surfaces d³, carriage H having the bar h, and feed-pall G acting on bar h, of the
arm e³ with pin n, the spring n³, and rod n¹ having slit n, the link m², united
bars m¹ and m having the slit 13, elbow-lever ¹ with pin &, and link l, substantially
as herein before described and for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with the type-carrier T having recesses p1 between the types,
the rod b, beak c³, lever e, conducting surfaces d³, carriage H, a feed-pall acting
thereon, and means in connection with lever e for causing the pall to shift the
carriage when e is depressed, of a gauge-lever M, means for pressing the lever M
laterally against the types, and into the recesses p¹, for moving the same length-
wise together with the feed-pall, for allowing it to stop when it has travelled to
the end of a recess p¹, and for limiting its retrograde motion, substantially as and
for the purpose specified..
6. The combination with the type-carrier T having recesses p¹, the rod b, beak c³,
lever e, conducting surfaces d³, carriage. H with bar h, pall G, and means in
connection with e for depressing and raising the outer end of G, substantially as
described, of the gauge-lever M, spring o¹, curved finger o³, bar m¹ with pin m³,
spring mo, bar m with slits m6 and 13, elbow-lever with pin 12, links and m³,
and stop t, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. The combination with the parts T, e, H, G, M, o¹, o³, m³, m³ and 'm, of an
adjustable stop t, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this taranto third dore of Wohnuo 1985