Improvements in Type-writers.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writers.
I, GODFREY HENRY LASAR, Manufacturer of Type Writers, of the City of St. Louis.
in the State of Missouri, one of the United States of North America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
specification, and in which :-
Figure 1 is a top view, partly in section, illustrating my improvement.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section, taken on line 2-2, figure 3.
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3, figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-1, figure 2.
This invention relates to that class of type-writers where the finger pieces may be
shifted, so as to operate the keys of either the upper or lower case letters, and this
invention consists in features of novelty hereinafter fully described and pointed out
in the claims.
Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the levers or keys, and 2 the finger pieces,
of a type writer, the latter having stems 3, which pass through, and are held in,
sleeves or tubes 4 supported in a plate 5 on the upper end of side pieces 6.
The sleeves or tubes are slotted at 7 to receive lugs or ears 8 on collars 9 secured
to, or formed upon, the stems of the finger pieces. The lugs, fitting in the slots,
guide the finger pieces and keep them from turning, but they do not fill the slots
entirely, so as to permit the stems to be moved out of a vertical position, so that they
may be made to operate either the upper or lower case letter keys, as desired.
There are springs 10 located between the collars or discs 9 and the bottoms of
the sleeves, for the purpose of holding the finger pieces in their elevated position,
except when depressed to operate the keys or levers.
The tops of the sleeves consist of hinged buttons 11, (see Figure 1), having slots 12
to receive the stems. By turning the buttons back, the finger pieces and stems may
be removed.
13 represents a moveable plate having a perforation to receive the lower end of each
of the steins 3. This plate is supported by links 14 hinged thereto at 15, and to the
ends 6 of the plate 5 at 16. The plate is thus allowed to be swung freely end wise to
bring the stems of the finger pieces over either the upper or lower case keys, and
the plate is thus moved in one direction by depressing keys 17 having a finger
piece 18.
The keys or levers 17 are secured at their inner ends to a rock shaft 19, which is
connected, by a pivotted link 20 and an arm 21, to the plate 13. It will thus be
seen that as the keys 17 are depressed, and the rock shaft turned, the plate will be
moved, and the key stems 3 shifted. The plate and stems are moved in the other
direction, when the pressure is removed from the keys 17, by a spring 22, connecting
the arm 21 to the top plate 5, see figure 3. This spring holds the finger pieces
in their normal position, where they operate one set of keys (say the lower case),
and, by depressing the keys 17, the finger pieces are brought into position to operate
the upper case keys, as stated.
The finger pieces 2 are preferably arranged in diagonal rows or series for ease
in operating them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
-
1. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the finger pieces having laterally
swinging stems, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the finger pieces having laterally
swinging stems, perforated plate through which the stems pass, and mechanism for
moving the plate, substantially as set forth: .
3. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the finger pieces having laterally
swinging stems, preforated. plate through which the stems pass, hinged links sup-
porting the plate, and mechanism for moving the plate, substantially. as set forth.
4. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the finger pieces having laterally
swinging stems, moveable perforated plate, and mechanism for moving the plate to
shift the keys, consisting of a rock shaft provided with an arm, keys, link connecting
the arm to perforated plate, and a spring for moving the parts in one direction,
substantially as set forth.
5. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the fixed plate, sleeves or tubes
secured to the plate, finger pieces having stems passing through the sleeves, springs
located in the sleeves, and acting to support the finger pieces, and mechanism sub-
stantially as described for shifting the stems of the finger pieces laterally; sub-
stantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
6. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the fixed plate, slotted sleeves
secured to the plate, finger pieces having stems passing through the sleeves, collars
secured to the stems and provided with lugs fitting in the slots of the sleeves, springs
located between the collars and the bottoms of the sleeves, and mechanism, sub-
stantially as described, for shifting the stems of the finger pieces laterally ; substan-
tially as specified.
7. In a type-writer, in combination with the keys, the finger pieces provided with
stems having collars, fixed plate, sleeves secured to the plate, through which the
stems of the finger pieces pass, and slotted buttons hinged to the fixed plate, sub-
stantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
8. In a type-writer, in combination with the finger pieces provided with stems and
arranged in diagonal series, the keys and mechanism, substantially as described, for
shifting the stems of the keys laterally, substantially as, and for the purpose, set
forth.
•
Dated this 19th day of November 1800.
GODFREY HENRY LASAR.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, Agents.