A TYPE WRITER
Year: 1884

page_text: I EBENEZER WRIGHT at the Office for Patents 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "A TYPE
WRITER" to be as follows:-
!
This invention differs materially from the usual forms of type writers especially
in two respects videlicit in the repetition of the alphabet or alphabets as many
times as there are letters in the line to be printed, and in setting the type for a
whole line-and then printing the whole line-at once.
.
I will now describe the invention merely premising that the details (as any one
acquainted with this class of machines will readily understand) can be considerably
modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.
The instrument is provided with a key board connected by suitable rods rollers
or equivalent mechanism with what I call the traveller or travelling frame which
is provided with a number of rods wires or equivalent which change the direction
of the motion to a right angle to that of the impulse imparted to the key. The
plane of the keyboard traveller & may be altered to suit circumstances but in one
machine which I have constructed the keyboard is horizontal and the traveller
vertical the latter being arranged to traverse in a horizontal direction from left to
right as required.
Behind the keyboard is a vertical frame carrying one or more perforated plates-
there are two in the machine above referred to the number of holes in one
vertical line corresponding to the number of keys in the keyboard-A space is left
between the two perforated plates which allows for the heads of the pins one of
which lies in each hole in the front perforated plate-These pins are pressed forward
by the rods upon the traveller, each of which rods corresponds with a separate pin
in a vertical plane so that when a key is depressed by the operator it actuates the
corresponding rod upon the traveller which presses upon the head of its special
pin and pushes it forward so that it projects beyond the face of the perforated
plate.
Above the perforated plate are a series of lettered bars each of which carries
upon its face the whole alphabet and symbols to correspond with the keyboard;
the number of these lettered bars is determined by the number of letters per line
for which the machine is adapted-In the machine already alluded to there are
thirty bars and it will print thirty letters spaces & to the line-The lettered bara

page_text: may be provided with longitudinal slots through which passes a horizontal bar
on which work the whole of the lettered bars; however the lettered bars could.
move in slots or other means can be used to keep them in place.
Now the way the machine works is this:
The key being depressed the corresponding pin in the perforated plate is pushed
forward as previously described and at the same time or immediately after the
lettered bar is released and falls by its own weight until stopped by the projecting
pin, and as the rods upon the traveller and the letters upon the lettered bar are
set in corresponding ratio, the bar falls the proper distance to place the required
letter opposite a suitable slot or opening in a frame sheet or plate facing the
operator and in which the line of type is formed, say the word "are" is required
the first bar has dropped so as to expose the letter A (by the depressing of the
A key) the next bar would be dropped to the right level to expose R (the right
pin for the purpose having been pushed forward by depressing the R key) and the
next to the level for E by depressing the E key and succeeding words are formed
in the same manner.
When the line is completed the paper (which is supported in a frame or upon
one or more rollers or equivalent as desired) to be printed on is pressed into the
type through the slot so as to receive the impression and the action of suitable
mechanismn returns the lettered bars and pins to their places and moves the paper
so that the next line will be impressed upon a fresh portion of the paper-By
suitable mechanism after one lettered bar is set the traveller is moved on to the
next and at the end of the line it is returned to the starting point preferably by a
spring upon the release of a détent.
The inking of the type is preferably accomplished by rollers but pads or other
suitable means may be employed if preferred.
1..
"
Instead of the lettered bars, rollers may be used having the type upon their
peripheries and arranged side by side and revolved for each change of letter instead
of the bars being dropped or the type may be fixed upon tapes or blocks connected
by tapes, links or the like.
14
Where it is desired to print both capitals and sinall type with the same machine
this may be done by placing the two types upon each bar or roller & the keys
being suitably modified or supplemental keys or attachments provided for the
purpose.
By giving the traveller a double movement the space between words &° may be
provided for with a considerable saving of time.
I prefer to forin the leads of the keys hexagonal in plan adjoining each other
except for raised divisions between-This diminishes the space over which the
fingers have to travel while it also obviates the danger of depressing two keys at
once, and I have so arranged the letters and symbols as to bring these most in
demand and in frequent combinations into the most convenient positions and
relationship.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I EBENEZER WRIGHT Office for Patents, 323 High Holborn Middlesex do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "A TYPE WRITER" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which like figures represent like parts.
Figure 1 is a sectional side view of the mechanism for setting the type shewn
when at rest.
1.
Figure 2 is a like view but with the key depressed as in use.
Figure 3 is a front view showing the type bars, perforated plate &c.
Figure 4 is a front view showing the traveller.
- Figure 5 is a side view showing the printing apparatus-this view is taken from.
the opposite side to that shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 6 is a plan showing part of the key-board.
Figure 7 is a plan of part of the traveller showing the guard W.
Figure 8 is a view of the segment wheel O' and ratchet gear from the inside.
Figure 9 is a detail of the traveller escapement mechanism on an enlarged scale.
Figure 10 is a detached view of one of the type bars G.
Figure 11 is a sinall view of the plate Q.
The letter A denotes fixed framework wherever it appears.
B₁ are the keys, of hexagonal shape, as shown so as to permit of their lying very
closely adjacent to each other in order that in working the machine the operators
hand may have to travel as short a distance as possible from one key to another
These keys B¹ are separated by the thin dividing framework B2 so that two keys
may not be depressed at the same time.
'B are the key bars fulcrumed at B³ to which the keys B₁ are attached in any
convenient manner, as by wires B. There are as many key bars B as keys B¹ and
the back end of each is kept down, and the front end up, by a spring B.
The back end of the key bar B lies underneath the sticker C, angle slots Care
provided as shown in each of the stickers (of which there is one to each key-bar B)
and rods C² extending from frame to frame pass through the slots 'C' and support
the whole of the stickers C. A spring C³ or an equivalent device, serves to keep
the sticker pressed down. A pin or projection C, pressed forward by the
spring C, passes through a hole in the sticker; its end extending "forward under
the rocking bar D (of which there is one to each key bar B) is bevelled on its
under side to facilitate its passing D, as the sticker falls after having been lifted.
A spring catch, jointed to the sticker, would do instead of the pin. The rocking
bar D extends across the instrument from frame to frame and is journalled at each
end. The upper edge of the rocking bar D rests against the end of the shooting
bolt E' (of which there is one to each key-bar B, though only a few are shown in
the drawings) which is kept pressed back against D by a spring E2 (Figure 7).
The shooting bolt is guided in any suitable manner as by the screw pins E.
Facing the front end of the shooting bolt E is the pin F
in a hole in the perforated plate F; this pin F¹ is headed so
which is free to slide
that it may not pass
:

page_text: -
through the plate F and a guide F
extending across the instrument and fastened
to each side frame prevents the pin from falling out behind. The end of E is
recessed so as to clear the guide F².
.
G is the type-bar which bears upon its face in a long row the whole of the
letters, figures, or other symbols; each bar bears the same symbols, and the number
of type-bars decides the number of symbols that can be printed in one line.
The type bar G is forked or divided as shown in Figures 1 and 10 and fits upon
the plate X which extends across the instrument from side to side upon which it
is free to slide up. and down, the guides Y which extend from the face of the
plate X and occupy the hollow space in the body of the type bar, keeping it from
swerving sideways. The foot X¹ slides in a groove in the perforated plate F. The
descent of the bar may be regulated by the spring Z whose pressure upon the bar
is regulated by the screw Z.
"
The object of this is to cause the bar to descend steadily and prevent lateral
play, but the same end may be attained by making the bar in the form of a sleeve
which slides upon a central pin or rod which may be carried down the whole
length of the travel of the sleeve so as to support it the whole way. Figure 10
shows one of these type bars in elevation and plan.
The description so far will be best understood by reference to Figures 1 and 3
and I will now proceed to explain the action of the parts already described before
proceeding with fresh details.
It must be understood that the object to be attained is to dispose the type
bars G in such manner, that the requisite letters &c shall be arranged consecutively
along the printing line, and this is accomplished by dropping the type bars until
the requisite letter comes opposite the printing line. Thus if one commences with
the word "The" the first type-bar must drop until the letter T is on the printing
line, the second H and the third E and so on until the whole line is set.
The proper key B¹ being depressed, the back end of the key-bar B is raised and
lifts the sticker C, which on account of the angle-slots C¹ and rods C³, does not rise
quite, vertically, but partly vertically and partly backwards, at about an angle
of 45° with the vertical line. As Crises, the end of pin C* catches the rocking
bar D and turns it in its bearings as shown in Figure 2 while its other edge pushes
forward the shooting bolt E which in its turn forces the pin F through the
perforated plate F, its end then projecting through sufficiently far to catch the
type-bar G when it falls. This being accomplished and upon still further
depressing the key B¹ the pin Cis,-by-the backward motion-of the-sticker-C,
drawn clear of the rocking bar D when the shooting bolt E under the influence of
its spring, immediately returns to its original position, as in Figure 1 and carrying
the rocking bar D also back to its former position. When the key is released the
sticker C returns, the spring C5 yielding and allowing pin C to slide back so as to
pass the rocking bar D the end of the pin as already explained being bevelled to
facilitate this.
Now say there are thirty-five symbols upon each type-bar G there will be a like
number of pins F¹ in a vertical line underneath it so as to arrest the bar at the
right place to bring any one of the 35 symbols opposite the printing line; there
will also be 35 shooting bolts E¹, one to each pin F. Say the instrument is to
print 30 letters in a line, there will then be 30 type-bars G arranged side by side,
and under each bar will be the row of 35-pins F¹ There would thus be 1050 pins
and a like number of holes in the perforated plate F (see Figure 3 where however
only a portion of the holes are shown).
Having thus described how the type-bars G are arrested at their proper places
I will now proceed to explain how the bars G are supported and caused to drop as
required.
In an instrument having 35 symbols upon each bar there would only be 35
shooting bolts E as these are arranged upon a traveller H which travels horizontally.
across the instrument, so that the bolts E come successively opposite each row of
pins-F¹ and so command the whole number, one depression of a key B¹ moves the

page_text: traveller and Doits the exact distance from one vertical row of pins Fª to the
next row.
It is because the bolts E traverse the instrument that the rocking bars D extend
the whole way across it so as to operate the bolts no matter in what position they
may happen to be.
The traveller H is shown in front elevation in Figure 4 and consists of an
upright H traversing upon the guide rods H showing pulleys or runners H which
bear upon the rods H As already stated this traveller moves the distance of one.
row of pins F¹ every time a key is depressed and this is accomplished by the
spring wheel I which contains a watch spring, and to the periphery of which is,
attached the cord J which is wound upon the wheel I by the power of the spring
as the traveller H travels towards it. The cord J passes vertically to the pulley J1
and thence horizontally to the traveller to which it is secured at J. The
traveller H has therefore a tendency to move in the direction indicated by the
arrow but is prevented from going by the ratchet bar H³ the teeth of which
engage with the escapement mechanism shown on a larger scale in Figure 9, which
shows the bar just moving. The two rows of teeth on the ratchet bar H³ are.
arranged alternately or so as to "break joint" with each other and in the normal
position the upper escapement K¹ is in gear with a tooth of the upper side of the
bar. When a key B' is depressed it forces down the front end of the escapement
lever L (Figure 1) and so raises its back end which is jointed to the vertical rod K³.
Figure 4. The escapement lever L extends across the instrument under the whole
of the keys, so that whatever key be depressed the lever is operated. The end of
this rod is just clear of the escapement K but as it rises it pushes this up, dis-
engaging the pallet K1 and placing the pallet K2 in position to stop the next tooth
on the lower side of the bar; the traveller has now moved about half the distance
it has to go to come right for the next row of pins F¹. Upon the key being
released the rod K³ falls, and the spring K draws down the escapement K thus
releasing pallet K2 when the traveller at once moves forward until stopped by the'.
pallet K engaging with the next upper tooth of bar H³. This operation is
repeated every time a key is depressed. The return motion may be arranged for'
in any convenient manner and calls for no special description.
The traveller H has an arm H* which carries the runner H³, Figures 1 2 and 4,
and this runner as it passes raises the tails of the detents M which hold up the
type-bars G which consequently drop down until stopped by their respective
pins F as already explained. In Figure 1 the runner H5 is just ready to lift the
detent M and the type bar G is still held up; in Figure 2 the action has taken
place and the type bar has dropped and is seen resting upon the pins F.
In practice. the release of the type-bar should be effected after the projection of
the pin so as to allow time for correcting an error, such as touching the wrong.
key which is often done involuntarily and detected instantly, but too late to stop
depressing the wrong key.
I have so far described the key board and its mechanism for shooting the pins F¹
which settle the position of the type bars G when dropped; also the mechanism
for supporting the type bars and the traveller which releases the type bars and the
means by which the traveller is operated.
I will now describe the printing mechanism which will be best understood by
reference to Figure 5. It will be remembered that the type bars are all dropped
so that the required letters or symbols are set in one horizontal line which I call
the printing line. The paper P is carried upon the endless band N which is
carried upon the two rollers N₁ and N' and which form part of the swing frame N³.
which is capable of swinging upon the spindle of the top roller N¹ as a centre.
The paper is secured upon the band N by any suitable form of clip N'. One end of
the cord n is fastened at No to the swing frame N³ and the cord then passes over
the runner n¹ round the cord wheel O to which it is fastened, up again, and over the
other runner n³, its other end being fastened to the arm N° as shown-If now the
wheel O be turned by any convenient handle in the direction of the arrow, it will

page_text: +
To prevent the paper P, from
printing line a thin plate Q
through which the printing
cause the swing frame to approach the type bars.
touching the type bars anywhere except upon the
provided and pivotted at. and has a long slot
takes place. The swing frame N3 and the plate work upon different centres
which are so related that when the swing frame reaches the end of its travel to
the type bars the roller N2 comes opposite the slot Q and forces' the paper against
the type bars, thus obtaining the impression.
Upon the end of the roller N2 is the toothed wheel R which as the frame N³
approaches the type bars, gears with the 'rack R' upon the curved arm R. This
has the effect of traversing the endless band and paper so as to bring the right part
opposite the slot in the plate Q2 As the frame N³ returns, the wheel R is revolved
in the opposite direction so as to bring the paper back again to the front side of
the roller where the line just printed can be seen.
The feed mechanism may be of any of the well known types such as the pawl
and ratchet motion shown.
The three inking rollers S, are caused to descend over the face of the type bars
that have dropped into place, as the swing frame approaches the type bars by
means of the curved arms S¹ of which there is one at each end of the swing frame,
and are guided by the slots S2 They have always a tendency to rise again under
the influence of the helical springs S³.
2
A mirror T is so placed that the line of type can be inspected and the symbols
upon the type-bars G being placed upside down appear right way up in the mirror;
the printing upon the paper is also right way up as seen by the operator from the
front, though it is upside down as printed.
Beside the cord wheel O is the segmental toothed wheel O¹ (a back view of
which is shown in Figure 8) free to revolve upon the shaft 03 but carried round.
O by means of a pawl and ratchet wheel in the direction opposite to that of
arrow upon O. Thus, as O moves in the direction of the arrow it has no effect
upon the wheel 0¹, but when it returns again it carries O' round with it.
O gears with the pinion U¹ which is fixed upon the shaft U which carries the
,cord wheel U, so that as the wheel O returns to its normal position after the printing
stroke has been made the wheel U is revolved in the direction of the arrow and winds
up the cord U³ which passes round the runner U at the bottom and the runner U
at the top of the instrument and is finally connected to the roller V (shown dotted in
behind wheel O) which is thus drawn up across the face of the perforated plate F
pushing in.all the pins F which have been projected in setting the line of type,
and also pushing up those type bars G which have been dropped, back into their
normal places where they are caught and held by the detents m as previously
explained. By the time the roller V has reached the end of its travel, (the top of
its stroke), one of the blank spaces upon the segment wheel O¹ has reached
pinion U which is consequently released and the roller V instantly descends again
to its former position, under the influence of its own weight and the spring V₁
located at the upper back part of the instrument and connected with a cord Va
which passes round the runner V³ at the bottom, and is finally connected with
roller V.
The number of blank spaces upon the wheel O¹ is for convenience four, because
the wheels O and O¹ are moved by the handle a quarter of a revolution each time;
however the number of spaces may be varied if desired.
Where necessary to the proper working the shafts are carried right across the
instrument and the wheels &c repeated at the other side of the instrument. This
occurs in such cases as the shaft 03 and U2 and the wheels O and U, but to avoid
confusion I have merely described these as applied to one side of the machine.
The guard W shown in Figure-7 is for the purpose of protecting the points of
the shooting bolts E as without such protector, when the traveller. H returned, the
bolts would be liable to catch against the heads of the pins F" (in case they had got
started back as by tilting the instrument backwards vibration &c). This guard is
,
21.1)

page_text: formed at an angle at W¹ and W so that the pins striking it on either side are
returned to their correct position in plate F.
The type bars G are shown' with one face only, but they may be made with two
or more faces, each of which may bear a different set of symbols (as for instance
capital letters on one face, small letters on another and numerals on a third) the
bars being caused to present the required face for printing by any suitable
mechanism.
I have now described my invention in one form but it must be understood that
considerable modifications may be made in structural detail. For instance I have
described this instrument as having the type bars vertical, but they may be
arranged horizontally and moved forward under the influence of springs or in
other suitable manner. Similarly the type-bars themselves need not be bars at all
but strips or bands bearing the symbols, or even type wheels, so long as each strip,
band, wheel or equivalent bears the complete set of symbols and there are as many
of them as there are letters &c in the line 'to be printed. Of course the mechanism
would have to be modified to suit the form of type bar or equivalent 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
First In a type-writer the repetition of the alphabet or series of symbols
as many times as there are letters or symbols (or spaces allowed therefor) in a line
to be printed.
Second-In a type-writer the herein described construction of key-board in which
the keys are hexagonal in plan and intercalated so as to give each individual key the
largest obtainable superficies within the limits of the key-board and to present
the largest object for striking whilst giving the least distance for the hand to
travel.
Third: In a type-writer the method of enabling the operator to inspect each
line as soon as printed by causing the same, between each printing act of the
instrument, to move into a conspicuous position.
Fourth In a type-writer a type-bar or equivalent having more than one face
substantially as specified.
Fifth-In a type-writer having a key-board constructed substantially as
specified the method of operating the keys by means of a tool, stick, or equi-
valent whereby the fingers are saved from striking the dividing frame.
Sixth-The separation of the keys of a type-writer by the framing B2 or
equivalent whereby the liability to depress accidentally two adjoining keys at the
same time is obviated.
Seventh-The combination with a type-writer of a mirror adapted to enable
the operator to inspect the work as it proceeds.
D121
1
I
C
400-