Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
I, EUGENE ANZI FORD, of 106, W. 29th Street, New York City, United
States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
n what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to construct a simple and efficient type-writer, in
which the type bars will be made to register accurately and in which a large
number of characters may be printed by the employment of a few keys
only.
My object is further to provide a simple and efficient quick-acting carriage feed
mechanism and to furnish automatic platen-turning mechanism which will cause the
paper to be moved forward for a new line with every return motion of the
carriage.
My invention consists in the combination of a series of keys, a series of type bar
operating levers connected with a series of type bars carrying on their free ends
one or more characters, a movable guide for directing the printing ends of the type
bars, and feeding mechanism operated by the swinging of the type bar actuating
levers, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved type-writing machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line x-x in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line y-y in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the type-bar guide and the platen or paper supporting
roller.
Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the type-bar guide shifting levers.
Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on line z-z in Figure 2 of the
type-bar guide shifting levers.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the upper end of the type-bar shifting lever.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the end of one of the type bars.
Figure 9 is a horizontal section of the machine shewing the feed mechanism.
Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevation partly in section.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of one of the ribbon bobbins, shewing the actuating
mechanism, and
Figure 12 is a rear end elevation, partly in section, of the paper carriage.
To the base A which supports all the working parts of the machine, is attached
an angled plate B provided with a rod a at its upper edge which forms the support
and guide of the paper carriage C, the said paper carriage being provided with a
guide 6 fitted to the rod a of the angled plate B so that it will readily slide upon
the rod and also admit of its being turned slightly on its support. The end
pieces c of the frame of the paper carriage C are attached to the said guide 6 and
in said end pieces c is journaled the platen or paper supporting roller D. To the
guide 6 is attached a rack bar d and to a horizontal support e (Figure 9) behind
the rack bar d is pivoted a spring-pressed pawl h and on the horizontal support e
at the front of the rack bar is placed a slotted pawli held in place on the bar
by a stud passing through the slot, the angled end of which pawl i extends through
the rack bar d opposite the extremity of the pawl h. The teeth of the rack bar
are bevelled on opposite sides to facilitate the operation of the escapement. The
pawli is provided with a stud near its front end and to the front of the paper
carriage C are pivoted the arms of a releasing bar provided at opposite ends with

page_text: finger pieces by means of which it may be swung outwardly against the studio
when it is desired to disengage the pawl i from the rack bar d to permit of
moving the carriage backward. The roller D is provided at one end with a
ratchet wheel E inside the end piece c of the frame and upon the shaft of the
roller outside of the end piece is fulcrumed a bent lever F the shorter arm of
which extends beyond the periphery of the wheel and carries the stud j upon
which is pivoted a pawl k which engages the ratchet wheel E. In the pawl k is
inserted a stud which extends over the lever F and is pressed by a flat spring m
carried by the said lever. The extremity of the spring m is flattened and the
stud projects beyond the spring forming a handle by means of which the pawl k
may be lifted. The longer arm of the lever F carries a roller n. To an arm o
projecting from the rear support G of the paper carriage C is pivoted one end
of a spiral rectangular cam H the opposite end being supported by an arm p
extending rearwardly from the angled plate B. The free end of the cam is
provided with a perforated arm q to which is fitted a pin which is capable of
entering either of two holes formed in the arm p. The roller n on the lever F is
engaged by the cam as the paper carriage is moved forward in the operation of
printing and thus causes the lever F to swing on its pivot and carry the pawl back
one or two teeth on the ratchet wheel E according to the adjustment of the cam H
so that when the carriage is moved forward to the point of starting, by the operator,
the roller in retracing its steps in the cam H will swing the lever F in the opposite
direction, thus turning the platen or paper-supporting roller forward the distance
required for the space between the lines.
Instead of adjusting the cam H the said cam may be set at such an angle as to
move the pawl k a distance equal to two teeth of the ratchet wheel E and the
slide (Figure 12) which is secured to the end of the end piece c of the paper
carriage frame, may be moved forward so as to lift the pawl and prevent it from
engaging the second tooth of the ratchet wheel E when it is desired to move
forward the said ratchet wheel one notch only. The paper roller D is preferably
made polygonal, its sides corresponding in number and position with the teeth of
the ratchet wheel E. To cause the sides of the roller to register, a spring E² is
provided, which is fixed at one end and carries at its opposite end a roller E³
which rides over the teeth of the ratchet as the paper roller is turned and drops
into the notches between the teeth when the paper roller comes to rest, thus causing
it to register. The end of the paper carriage shaft is provided with a milled
wheel I by means of which the paper roll or platen can be turned forward as may
be required, but when it is desired to turn the paper roll backward the pawl is
lifted in the manner already described. The fixed part of the rear support G of
the paper carriage is provided on its inner surface with a loops which projects
horizontally and in the said loop is placed a milled wheel nut t which projects
through a slot in the rear support and turns on a screw u which passes through
holes in the loop s. The upper end of the screw. u is attached to a bar v which
passes upwardly through a horizontal arm of the fixed part of the support G and
is bent forward toward the main portion of the machine. In the upper end of the
bar is inserted a stud wo on which turns a roller a¹ upon which rides a bar 6' on
the rear side of the paper carriage. By revolving the wheel nutt in one direction
or the other, the bar is raised or lowered and the paper carriage C is tilted so as
to move the paper roll or platen forward or backward to increase or diminish the
strength of the impression. At the rear of the paper roll D is journaled a
roller J and in spring-pressed levers c¹ pivoted to the inner surfaces of the end
pieces of the paper carriage C is journaled a roller K held in contact with the
paper roller D by the springs d' which press the levers c¹. Elastic bands L pass
around the ends of the rollers J, K and serve to guide the paper which is inserted
in the paper carriage. In front of the lower part of the paper roll D is placed a
bar e which also serves to guide the paper to the place of printing, the said bar
being graduated to facilitate the manipulation of the paper. Another graduated
bar is attached to the paper carriage by one end and is furnished with a movable
ย

page_text: stop g', which limits the movement of the paper carriage and thus controls the
length of the line, or the width of the page of writing done upon the
machine.
To the base A below the paper carriage is secured a frame M in which is
journaled a shaft h' upon which is loosely placed a drum i¹ containing a volute
spring, one end of which is attached to the drum and the other end fixed to the
shaft h which is arranged to be turned and clamped by means of a screw so as to
give to the spring any desired degree of tension. On the drum is wound a cord,¹
which extends over a wheel kl and returns to the end of the carriage C to which it
is fastened. The spring acting through the cord tends to move the carriage
forward as the escapement formed by the pawls h, i, is operated as will be herein-
after described. To a fixed support in front of the paper-supporting roller D is
pivoted a triangular type-bar guide E¹, at a³, the free end of which guide,
adjoining the paper-supporting roller D, is provided with an opening of the width
and height of one of the type bars. The narrower end of the guide E' rests
normally on the top of a support g² and the guide is used in this position, while
printing the frequently recurring letters and characters. In a cross-bar q' in the
main frame of the type writer, is formed a notch 2 (Figure 6) in which there is a
shoulder and in this notch are placed levers which are both pivoted to a
vertical lever N extending up through the casing of the type-writer and down-
wardly in a guide projecting from the base A. The lever & bears upon the
under surface of the guide E¹ before mentioned, at m¹, and the lever t' extends
rearward and is pivoted to a hook cam n¹ pivoted to a fixed support adapted to lift
the rear end of the type bar guide E when the lever N is moved rearwardly, the
hook at the end of the cam entering a socket o' (Figure 4) attached to the rear
end of the type bar guide, thus holding the latter at the desired height and at the
same time preventing it from being lifted by the impact of the type bars. To the
lever is attached one end of a spiral spring p' the opposite end of which is con-
nected with the cross-bar q², said spring tending to return the lever N to its normal
position. By pressing downwardly upon the lever N the lever is tilted so as to
lift the type bar guide E' to its extreme height, the movement of said guide being
limited by a threaded stud which passes through a perforated lug u³ and is
provided with a nut which strikes the under side of the lug. In standards ²
secured to the base A near the front thereof, are pivoted key levers G₁ the
longer arms of which are pivotally connected with the type-bars H¹ while the
shorter arms are pivotally connected with rods 1' extending through the top of
the casing F and provided at their upper ends with finger pieces f². As all of the
type-bars, the type operating levers, and parts connected therewith, are alike in all
respects as to their position in the machine (excepting the angle of the ends of the
type bars) a description of one bar, and the mechanism connected therewith, will
answer for the whole.
The type-bar H' extends rearwardly and projects into the forward end of the
type bar guide E' and the end of each bar is bent laterally so that it is parallel
with the centre line of the machine. In the front of the guide El is supported a
slotted plate or comb J' which receives in each of its slots a type bar H the free
end of which is widened and, in the present case carries type for producing three
letters or characters. (See Figure 8.) The two spaces between the letters or
characters are furnished with triangular projections which are received in
V-shaped guides w' at the smaller rear end of the type-bar guide. Either of the
characters carried by the type bar may be brought into position for printing, by
tilting the guide E' in the manner already described. The top of the type bar
guide is provided at its forward end with a cover L' which is taken out whenever
it is desirable to clean the type. Springs as attached to the base A and con-
nected with the key-levers G₁ by means of links, tend to return the levers to the
point of starting after they have been tilted by the pressure of the finger upon the
key. In the rear part of the machine is pivoted a lever 63 the lower end of which is
pivotally connected with a wire loop c³ which is engaged by wire hooks d³ connected

page_text: is
with the shorter arms of the levers G¹ so that when the said levers are tilted,
the hooks d by means of the loop c³ draw forward the lower end of the lever b³.
The lever near its fulcrum is provided with a rod e³ which extends rearwardly under-
neath the rack bar d and is provided with an angled end which engages the pawl h.
The wire hooks are severed and threaded and connected by turn-buckles f³, for
convenience in adjustment. In the casing F1 on opposite sides of the lever N are
journaled rock shafts g' to which are attached horizontal arms h³ and vertical
arms i³. The horizontal arms ³ are provided with finger or thumb pieces 13 and
the lower ends of the arms are pivotally connected with levers ³ which are
pivoted on vertical studs 13 and arranged to move in a horizontal plane, the inner
ends of said levers being connected by means of wire hocks m³ with the loops c
before mentioned. The levers 4* with the finger plates constitute the spacing
keys and when these keys are depressed, the levers k³ are turned on their pivots
drawing forward the hooks m³ and the loops c³ thereby moving the lever ³ and
operating the escapement pawl / so as to cause it to move forward and displace
the pawl the spring n³ then moves the pawl i forward when it drops into the
next space in the rack bar and when the spacing key is released the pawl
thrown out of engagement with the rack by its spring and the carriage moving
spring moves the carriage forward until the pawl has travelled the length of the
slot formed therein and its motion is arrested by the stud j. The same thing
happens when the loop e³ is drawn forward by the action of the lever G¹. The
wheel is loosely journaled on the shaft o³ and carries a pawl p³ which engages
a ratchet fixed to the shaft o³, which latter extends through the support g² and
carries a pinion which engages a spur wheel ³ on a shaft 3 journaled in the
support and in the cross-bar q at the opposite end. By this arrangement a
reciprocating rotary motion of the wheel k¹ causes an intermittent rotary motion in
one direction of the shaft o by virtue of the engagement of the pawl p³ with the
ratchet wheel 9. Upon the shaft ta on opposite sides of an arm u³ projecting from
the said shaft are arranged the inked ribbon reels 00' which are free to turn upon
the shaft but are prevented from moving lengthwise. The reels O O¹ are
furnished with pins on their adjacent faces which project inwardly toward the
arm and within the path of the arms of the angled lever w³. The inked
ribbon a in the present case, which is wound upon the reel O passes upwardly
over the inclined guide wire, thence through the guide loops 6³ 6º, thence
downwardly through the inclined guide wire 7, to the reel O to which it is
attached. The reel O' is engaged by the angled lever so that whenever the
shaft is turned the said reel will be carried forward winding the inked
ribbon upon the reel O and unwinding it from the reel O. When all of the
ribbon has been unwound from the reel O and wound upon the reel O', the pressure
from the angled lever w³ due to the holding of the reel by the ribbon causes the
said lever to turn through a part of a revolution against the pressure of a
double-acting spring c. The spindle which carries the angled lever w³ is
furnished with an arm d' which is capable of swinging through one quarter of a
revolution but is prevented from greater movement by the stops e. To the
arm dis pivoted a rod f which is surrounded by the spring c₁, the rod being
provided with a collar g' against which one end of the spring abuts. The
rod passes through an arm * carried by the shaft 3 and the opposite end
of the spring et abuts against said arm. With this construction, as soon as the
angled lever w³ has made a little more than one-half of its excursion its movement
is completed by the double-acting spring c. This action brings the angled
lever into engagement with one of the studs v³ of the reel O at the same
time liberating the reel O. The further movement of the shaft 3 causes the
ribbon to wind upon the reel O and to unwind from the reel O'. It will thus
be seen that in this manner a new surface of the inked ribbon is constantly
presented to the type. When the paper-carriage is returned to the point of
starting by the pressure of the hand of the operator, the paper is automatically
moved forward ready for beginning a new line.

page_text: It will be seen by reference to Figure 1 that the keyboard is arranged on a
phonetic basis. Eighteen letters, which occur together very seldom, are arranged
as nearly as may be in pairs of hard and soft sounds, and placed respectively upon
the first and third rows, and those letters which usually precede and follow each of
these namely A, E, I, O, U, S, H, R, and L, are placed on the middle row, and
the remaining letter Q, like the comma, upon the fourth row, to be struck with the
thumb. As the phonetic keyboard has but twenty-seven keys, each finger may be
allotted its separate quota and as these lie directly under their respective fingers
and the shift keys under the thumbs, the hands are never moved out of position
while writing. My keyboard is so constructed that, in writing, one hand will be
used as much as the other, or the right hand slightly more than the left, and it is
so arranged that three keys will not have to be struck consecutively with the same
hand.
My improved type-writer is small and light. The principal advantage of this is
that it enables the operator to place his copy directly before him and thus avoid the
constant turning of the head as is the case with other large machines. The
possibility of the letters striking together in fast writing is reduced to a minimum
thus permitting of producing neater work at a faster rate than in other machines
and the machine has a less number of keys, and prints more characters than other
machines. In my keyboard the figures are placed consecutively; the comma (,) the
period () colon (:) and semi-colon (;) in a group; the per cent. (%) or interest
mark on I; the exclamation point (!) on E; the (&) on A; the dash (-)
on H; the brackets on B and V next each other; the underscore ( - ) on D;
the number mark (#) on N; the quotation (") on K; the interrogation (?)
on Q; the dollar sign ($) on O; and the abbreviation (@) on Z.
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. The combination, with the horizontal platen, of the vertically-swinging
hollow guide having its sides converging towards the platen, levers acting against
the lower side of the hollow guide to raise it into two new positions, a series of
type bars having vertically-aligned type or characters on their forward ends,
operating devices for projecting the type bars forwardly through the hcw guide
and its contracted forward end into contact with the platen or paper thereon,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a type-writer, the combination, with a series of type bars converging at
their forward ends, each provided with vertically-aligned type or characters and
keys having a lever connection with the rear ends of the bars, of a hollow vertically
swinging guide hinged at its rear end and having a contracted opening at its
forward end of a size to firmly guide the forward end of a single type bar,
vertically swinging levers beneath the said hollow guide and constructed to raise
its forward end into two new positions, and a key mechanism adjacent to the keys
of the type bars to be operated simultaneously therewith, or separately, and
connected with the guide-elevating levers, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with a series of horizontal levers pivoted near their forward
ends, a series of converging type pivoted at their lower ends to the long arms
of said levers and inclined upward forwardly therefrom, vertically-aligned
type or characters on the forward end of said bars, a series of vertically-extending
key-rods pivoted at their lower ends to the forward ends of said levers to raise
the type bars into a horizontal position and project them forwardly to a common
printing point, of a vertically-swinging hollow guide pivoted at its rear end
adjacent to the upper forward ends of the type bars, and levers acting on the said
hollow guide to elevate its free end into two new positions, substantially as set
forth.
4. The combination with the inclined converging type bars, each having on its
forward end vertically aligned type or characters, the keys connected with said

page_text: bars, and a stationary bar having vertical slots through which the converging upper
ends of the type bars pass, of a vertically-swinging hollow guide pivoted at its
rear end adjacent to the upper forward ends of the type bars and tapering
forwardly to receive and firmly guide the printing end of a single type bar, and
key-actuated levers acting on the lower side of the hollow guide to raise it into
two new positions, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination, with the vertically-swinging hollow type-bar guide and a
rest limiting the downward movement of its forward end, of the vertically swinging
key levers extending forwardly under said guide and beneath its rest to engage
the latter when their forward ends are swung up, and upwardly-projecting studs on
the forward ends of said levers and one projecting higher than the other to
engage the lower side of the hollow guide and raise its forward end into two new
positions, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination, with the paper carriage, its spacing mechanism having a
key operated rod and intermediate vertical levers pivoted between their ends to
the said rod and connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar or rod, of the
inclined type bars crossing at their forward ends the said cross-bar, and having
depending lugs to engage it and rock the vertical levers forwardly to actuate the
spacing mechanism, vertically aligned type or characters on the forward ends of
the said bars, keys for actuating the type bars, and a vertically-swinging hollow
guide contracted at its forward end to form a common printing opening and
pivoted at its rear end adjacent to the upper ends of the type bars, and key-
operated levers acting on the lower side of the hollow guide to raise its forward
end to two new positions, substantially as set forth.
7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a series of type bars arranged
to move in convergent paths, a movable guide for causing the type-bearing ends
of the bars to register, and actuating mechanism for throwing the bars forward,
substantially as specified.
8. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with the converging type bars,
of a movable guide and means for tilting the guide, substantially as specified.
9. In a type-writing machine, the combination, with type bars carrying two
or more types or characters, of a vertically-movable type bar guide and shifting
keys for shifting the type bar guide to bring the types into position for printing,
substantially as specified.
10. In a type-writing machine, the combination of the type-bars H' the levers G¹
and pawl and ratchet mechanism connected with the paper carriage and arranged
to be operated by the type bar, the levers G¹ and their connections, substantially
as specified.
11. In a type writing machine, the combination, with the paper carriage and
printing mechanism, of the double ratchet-bar & attached to the paper carriage, the
pawl adapted to engage one side of the ratchet bar, and the slotted pawl i
adapted to engage the opposite side of the ratchet bar, substantially as specified.
12. In a type-writer, the combination of the ink ribbon feeding shaft t, the
reels OO¹ mounted loosely on the shaft and provided with studs v³, and the double
acting spring pressed angled lever to substantially as specified.
13. In a type-writer, a keyboard arranged phonetically, substantially as
specified.
14. In a type-writing machine, the combination with an oscillating paper roll or
platen turning lever, of an adjustable spiral cam engaging the end of the lever as
the paper carriage moves forward, substantially as specified.
15. The combination, with the platen or paper roll-turning pawl k, of the slide **
for lifting said pawl from the ratchet wheel, substantially as described.
16. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type bar provided with
V-shaped projections between the letters or characters and the type bar guide
provided with V-shaped depressions corresponding to the V-shaped projections of
the type bar, substantially as specified.
17. In a type-writing machine provided with a triangular type-bar guide, a series

page_text: of converging type bars having their free ends arranged parallel with the centre
line of the type-bar guide, substantially as specified.
18. In a type writing machine, the combination, with the paper carriage, of a
releasing rod pivoted to the front of the carriage and adapted to release the pawl
5 of the carriage-feeding mechanism, substantially as specified.
Dated this 12th day of April 1892.
D. A. FUND,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
D. A. FUND,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.