Improvements in Counting Apparatus for Typewriters and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counting Apparatus for Typewriters and the like.
I WILLIAM FISH, of High Street, Wellingborough, in the County of
Northampton, Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The object of this invention is to record automatically the number of words
written by means of the typewriter and thus to save the trouble of counting the
words in the written document in order to ascertain its length, and consists
essentially in causing the usual spacing key when it is operated after the use of
any letter or figure to also actuate a counter mechanism.
When the spacing key is pressed down it actuates a lever moving the counter
mechanism one unit forward. The recording lever is so placed with reference to
the spacing key that when it has been once actuated thereby it is put out of gear
and remains out of gear however many times the spacing key may be pressed
and released in succession. It is however brought into play again the first time a
letter key or figure key is pressed. One arrangement for carrying this into effect
consists in two equal wheels gearing into one another and operated respectively by
a letter or figure key and a space key, and in arranging the first depression of a
letter or figure key to move the letter wheel through the space corresponding to
one-half a tooth and bring a tooth of the space wheel into position to be operated.
The next depression of a spacing key moves the space wheel through half a tooth
and brings a tooth of the letter wheel into position to be operated by the next
depression of a letter key. It will thus be seen that the wheels are ouly. rotated
through one division for each word with its corresponding space typed.
Dated this 27th day of March 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Counting Apparatus for Typewriters and the like.
I WILLIAM FISH, of High Street Wellingborough, in the County of
Northampton, Accountant do hereby declare the nature of this invention and.
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
The object of this invention is to record automatically the number of words
written by the typewriter and thus to save the trouble of counting the words in the
written document in order to ascertain its length, and consists essentially in causing
the usual spacing key when it is operated after the use of any letter or figure to also
actuate a counter mechanism.
When the spacing key is pressed down it actuates a lever moving the counter
mechanism one unit forward. The recording lever is so placed with reference to
the spacing key that when it has been once actuated thereby it is put out of gear
and remains out of gear however many times the spacing key may be pressed and
Price 27

page_text: released in succession. It is however brought into play again, the first time a
letter key or figure key is pressed. One arrangement for carrying this into effect
⚫consists in two equal wheels gearing into one another and operated respectively by
a letter or figure key and a space key, and in arranging the first depression of a
letter or figure key to move the letter wheel through the space corresponding to
one half a tooth and bring a tooth of the space wheel into position to be operated.
The next depression of a spacing key moves the space wheel through half a tooth
and brings a tooth of the letter wheel into position to be operated by the next
depression of a letter key. It will thus be seen that the wheels are only rotated
through one division for each word with its corresponding space typed.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings:-Fig. 1 is an inverted
diagramatic plan of a Remington type writer fitted with a counter apparatus
constructed according to this invention and Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views.
There are 46 letter levers a and two spacing levers b. The spacing levers 6 are
-arranged one on either side of the machine and connected by the cross bare forming
the spacing key. Two rocking levers de are mounted on a shaft f bearing in holes
drilled in the side frames of the type writer below the level of the levers. The
back ends of the levers de are joined by a bar g cranked where it passes the
spacing levers b. The bar g passes directly under the levers a and is adapted to be
operated by them but on account of the cranks it cannot be operated by the levers b.
The front ends of the levers de are provided with projections & passing under the
levers only, so that the levers b operate them.
The action is as follows:-On depressing the spacing.key the front ends of the
levers de if not already in that position are depressed and remain in that position
however many times the spacing key is depressed. In a similar manner when a
letter key is depressed one of the levers a acts on the bar g and depresses the back
ends of the levers, the levers remaining in that position until the spacing key is
again operated. The levers de are thus given a backward and forward motion for
each word with its corresponding space typed. The motion of the levers is used
to operate any suitable counting mechanism. As shown the lever d is provided
with an arm that acts between two star wheels m n gearing with one another and
having ten teeth. In its forward motion it actuates say the wheel m through
slightly more than half one tooth and in its backward motion it actuates the
wheel n through the same distance, thus the total motion (allowing for back lash)
is one tooth. Either wheel m or n forms the unit wheel of any ordinary counter
mechanism.
It will be obvious that this apparatus could be made as an attachment to the
type-writer by providing socket plates to be clamped on with thumb screws or
springs instead of drilling holes in the side frame of the type-writer.
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. A counting mechanism for a type writer consisting of an actuating lever
adapted to be operated in one direction by the spacing lever, and in the reverse
direction by a letter lever.
2. A counting mechanism for a type writer in which the first index wheel of the
counter is moved through one half a tooth on the depression of the spacing key and
through the remaining half on the depression of a letter key.
3. The improvements in counting apparatus for type writers and the like
substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of December 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.