Improvements in Writing Machines of the "Braille " Shorthand Туре.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1900-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
or
Improvements in Writing Machines of the "Braille " Shorthand
Туре.
We, HENRY STAINSBY, of 52, Kingscote Road, Birmingham, Secretary to
Blind Institution, and ALFRED WAYNE, of 55, Churchill Road, Handsworth, in
the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in finger lever operating machines
of the typewriter character, but employed to give raised characters upon the
paper, which may be operated by and for the blind.
Hitherto those machines which have been used for this purpose have been
made to operate upon successive sheets of paper, which have had imparted to
them an automatic intermittent transverse movement (that is, in the direction
of the line of words), and a ratchet motion operated by hand, to give the position
for the next line. Now in these, there are various objections, and particularly
so, when the indented or otherwise marked paper is again being read off for
transmitting to ordinary type writing machines, and it is with a view to over-
come these difficulties that this invention has been made.
According to this invention, the working parts are carried upon a general
frame, somewhat after the style of an ordinary typewriter, which is adapted
to suit the various movements &c. A number of finger key depressible levers
are arranged along the front. Usually six of such will be used, inasmuch as
the characters required may be generally obtained from the varied manipulation
of such, but more or less may be used if desired. These levers are supported
in their upward position by spring pressure. The inner ends of these levers
converge or approximately converge to a comparatively common point, that is
to say, at such part six vertical styles are carried lying geometrically near to
each other. The lower ends of these styles are in direct attachment to their
individual levers before named. The upper ends of the style (when raised)
protrude through a plate having holes corresponding to them, which said plate
also forms a guide.
Carried upon or from the general frame is a bracket upon which may be
revolvably placed a removable spindle, upon which latter is carried a con-
tinuous roll or band of paper. This paper is guided through, over or under
the necessary guide rollers, so that it passes along above the styles, and thence
through pulling rolls which are operated by pawl and ratchet motion. This
latter motion is operated somewhat as follows:-Beneath the finger levers is
carried a pivoted frame like lever which extends across the whole of such levers,
so that upon depressing any one of such levers, the frame lever will be also
operated. An extension of this lever carries a pawl which engages with a
ratchet wheel, which again communicates motion to the pulling rolls afore-
said; hence upon every depression of a lever the paper is automatically moved
forward ready for the next indicing. An extra finger lever to those used for

page_text: marking is provided for an independent movement to the paper at any desired
point of travel.
Suitable provision is made above the paper, in the form of a pad, die, or block,
or the like, which shall support the paper while being indented &c. A winding
handle or similar means are provided by which the paper may be wound by
hand if required.
A bell or other sounding mechanism is provided, over a suitable part of which
the paper travels, so that when the end of such paper is reached the said
mechanism would be released and the alarm sounded.
By these means, a continuous marking upon the paper is effected, which
obviates the necessity of the writer or reader returning back to the commence-
ment of a fresh line, and the complex character of mechanism employed in the
usual to and fro carriage motion is avoided.
Dated this 26th day of October 1899.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Writing Machines of the "Braille" or Shorthand
Туре.
We, HENRY STAINSBY, of 52, Kingscote Road, Birmingham, Secretary to
Blind Institution, and ALFRED WAYNE, of 55, Churchill Road, Handsworth, in
the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in finger lever operating machines
of the typewriter character, but employed to give raised characters upon the
paper, which may be operated by and for the blind.
Hitherto those machines which have been used for this purpose have been
made to operate upon successive sheets of paper, which have had imparted to
them an automatic intermittent transverse movement (that is, in the direction
of the line of words), and a ratchet motion operated by hand, to give the position
for the next line. Now in these, there are various objections, and particularly
so, when the indented or otherwise marked paper is again being read off for
transmitting to ordinary type writing machines, and it is with a view to over-
come these difficulties that this invention has been made, which consists as
hereinafter described.
In order to more clearly explain this our invention we have appended here-
unto an illustrative drawing, upon which are figures and numbers of reference,
similar numbers referring throughout the several views to the same thing or
part.
Fig. 1, is a front end view and Fig. 2, a plan view of the machine constructed
according to this invention.
Fig. 3, is a sectional side view in elevation on line A-B (Fig. 2).
Fig. 4, is an enlarged detailed plan view of the style guide plate, showing
also the disposition of the said styles.
Fig. 5, is a cross sectional view of the ribbon guide.
Figs. 6 and 7, are detailed views showing two positions of the alarm
mechanism.
The working parts are carried upon a general frame 6, somewhat after the

page_text: style of an ordinary typewriter, and which is adapted to suit the various move-
ments &c. A number of finger key depressible levers 7, 7° to 7°, are arranged
along the front, and pivotally carried upon the post 8. Usually six of such
will be used, inasmuch as the characters required may be generally obtained
from the varied manipulation of such, but more or less may be used if desired.
These levers are supported in their upward position by springs, 9, whose upper
ends are connected to plate 9. The inner ends of these levers converge or
approximately converge to a comparative common point, that is to say, at such
part six vertical styles 10, are carried lying geometrically near to each other,
a plan view of which is seen in Fig. 4. The lower ends of these styles are
directly connected to their individual levers before named at 11, 11. The upper
ends of the styles (when raised) protrude through the plate 12, having holes
corresponding to them, which said plate also forms a guide.
Carried upon or from the general frame 89 a bracket 13, upon which may be
revolvably placed a removable spindle 14, upon which latter is carried a con-
tinuous roll or band of paper 15. This paper is guided through, over or under
the necessary guide rollers 16, so that it passes along above the tips of the
styles 10, and thence through pulling rolls 17, which are operated by pawl and
ratchet motion. This latter motion is operated somewhat as follows:-Beneath
the finger levers is carried a frame like lever 18, pivoted at 19, which extends
across the whole of the levers 7, 7 and so on, so that upon depressing any one
of such levers, the frame lever will be also operated.
To the front cross bar of the lever 18, is secured the extension 20, whose upper
end operates the ratchet pawl 21, by means of the intermediate lever 22. The
said pawl operates the ratchet wheel 23, which latter by means of spindle 24,
and wheels 25, operates the pulling rollers 17; hence upon every depression of
a lever the paper is automatically moved forward ready for the next indicing.
An extra finger lever 26, is provided for an independent movement to the paper
at any desired point of travel.
The distance to which the marking keys may be depressed is limited to effect
the travel of one tooth of the ratchet wheel 23, which is done by the upper
(marking) ends of the style 10, reaching the bed or block 27, which latter
support the paper while being upwardly indented or marked. The distance
however to which the extra lever 26, may be depressed is sufficient to move the
pawl over two teeth of the ratchet wheel; hence, when it is desired to give an
extra space following the marking, by depressing the lever 26, simultaneously
with the marking lever or levers, an extra space movement is given to the paper
ribbon 15.
A winding handle 28, or similar means are provided by which the paper
may be wound by hand if required.
In order to give warning that the end of the paper has been reached, the
bell 29, is provided, and in conjunction therewith, the arm 30, is pivoted to
the paper guide 31. To the spindle of this arm is secured the short tongue 32,
over which the paper ribbon travels, and thereby supports the arm 30, in the
position shown in Fig. 6, that is to say, it prevents the arm from falling. When
the supply of ribbon has become exhausted, and is drawn off the tongue, the
arm falls and strikes the bell, and thus gives the necessary warning.
It will be readily seen that if desired this same machine may be modified
so as to produce printed impressions by having letters or other shaped upper
terminations to the style 10, and by forming the block 27, into a pad to support
the impressing pressure from the style or styles, such pad being suitably sup-
plied with ink in any convenient manner. Or in some cases we may cause the
said styles to perforate the ribbon paper.
By these means, a continuous marking upon the paper is effected, which
obviates the necessity of the writer or reader returning back to the commence-
ment of a fresh line, and the complex character of mechanism employed in
the usual to and fro carriage motion is avoided.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The combination in a short hand typewriter of the kind herein referred to,
of the levers 7, 7ª and so on, and operating styles 10, guide plates 12, with
ribbon guide 31, to receive continuous roll of ribbon 15, carried on bracket 13,
and intermittently moved by pulling rollers 17, with ratchet mechanism operated
from either side of the levers aforesaid or frame lever 18, the whole with their
accessory parts carried upon frame 6, all substantially as set forth and shown
upon the drawings and for the purposes specified.
2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the key levers 7, 7ª and so
on, lever 18, and ratchet wheel spacing mechanism, of the extra lever 26, impart-
ing to the lever 18, an extra distance of travel, simultaneously with, or indepen-
dently of the levers 7, 7ª, and so on, substantially as set forth and shown.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1900
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent. International Exchange Buildings,
158, Edmund Street, Birmingham.