Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1898-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
I, ALFRED HENRY HUTH, of Bolney House, Ennismore Gardens, London, Esquire,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in type writers, it applies to
machines in which finger keys actuate radially arranged hammers carrying type corre-
sponding to the keys and in which the hammers strike upon the surface of a roller
supporting the paper to be printed such roller moving endwise before each impression
until the printed line is complete and then rotating partially to carry the paper on
the distance between line and line.
I so arrange that the endwise movement of the roller may be greater or less accord-
ing to width of the letter printed whereby greater regularity in the appearance of the
spacing is obtained than when the endwise movement of the paper roller is the same
whatever the width of the printed letter. I also provide preferably for a greater
number of characters than can otherwise conveniently be employed by arranging the
axes of the type hammers in two groups one above the other and the hammers them-
selves in such manner that the hammer heads of the upper group with the type
thereon retire between the stems of the hammers of the lower group. I provide a
separate inking roller for each type and it applies the ink before the hammer rises
towards the paper roller.
The hammers strike upon the side of the printing roller and the printing as soon as
it is performed is in view of the operator and so it remains until the paper printed on
becomes too long to conveniently stand upright from the roller.
The paper roller is mounted upon a carriage which travels along suitable guide rails
a spring drawing it along whenever it is free to move.
The carriage has a rack upon
it and this gears into a toothed wheel mounted upon a stud upon the frame. The
toothed wheel is retained by a ratchet and pawl and the carriage can only move when
this pawl is lifted out of the ratchet teeth. Before each character is printed the
carriage has to be thus liberated and its motion controlled and limited to the distance
required. This is done in the following manner :-each finger key when put down by
means of a projection upon it gives motion to one or other of several rocking frames,
preferably I provide four such frames and the amount of endwise movement permitted
to the paper roller depends on which of the frames is selected and this again is deter-
mined by the position of the projection upon the key lever.
The rocking frame by means of a connecting rod imparts a partial rotary motion to
a cam upon a stud axis. The cam when thus rotated permits the advance of a lever
and a finger upon the lever enters between the teeth of a wheel fast with that with
which the rack upon the carriage engages. Now the finger is movable upon the lever

page_text: through a small space which is regulated as required and at the same time that the
cam permits the finger to engage with the teeth it withdraws the retaining pawl the
carriage then goes forward as far as the finger allows. When the printing key is per-
mitted to rise, the retaining pawl again drops in and the finger retires from the teeth;
a light spring replaces it ready to again act. Each rocking frame it will be under-
stood operates by means of its own cam and finger lever and different degrees of
freedom are permitted to the several fingers. Each hammer on the underside of its
axis is provided with a short arm on which is a pin. The pin enters a slot in a rod
which receives motion from the key lever. The rod also has mounted upon it the
inking roller to ink the type which the hammer carries. The slot in the rod is of
such a length that when the finger key is pressed down the inking roller passes over
the type and gets clear of it before the rod moves the hammer while at the same time
the paper roller is moved into the proper position to receive the impression of the
letter struck but the further movement of the rod raises the hammer and causes the
type to strike upon the paper. An inking surface is provided along which the ink
roller travels after it leaves the type.
On each rod a projection is provided which runs over a corresponding projection
on the side of the hammer-bar as the rod bearing the inking roller returns to the
position of rest, thus checking any tendency of the hammer-bar to rebound which
might prevent the inking-roller from running over the face of the type.
In the side of the paper roller carriage is a moveable pin which strikes a ratchet
wheel as the roller is returned to the position of starting and thus by suitable gearing
gives the roller automatically a sufficient turn to prevent a fresh surface for writing.
By the insertion of more pins, giving the ratchet wheel a fresh turn as each is passed,
a greater width between successive lines of writing may be obtained.
Dated this 5th day of October 1892.
"Improvements in Type Writers."
I, ALFRED HENRY HUTH, of Bolney House, Ennismore Gardens, London, Esquire, 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:-
This invention relates to the class of type-writers in which each type is carried by
a separate hammer. One of the objects of the invention is to be able to use a larger
number of hammers than is commonly provided in such machines. This I do by
ranging the pivots or fulcra of the hammers in two nearly semicircular groups and
yet so that the type carried by every hammer may print at the same central spot.
Another object of the invention is to obtain a more perfect inking of the type;
this I do by providing a separate inking roller for each type. I mount the inking
roller upon a slide which transmits the movement of the finger key to the hammer.
During the first part of the movement of the finger key the type hammer remains at
rest and the slide carries the inking roller over the face of the type. Whilst the
hammer is in movement the inking roller passes to and fro over a surface of felt or
other material from which it receives the ink.
Another part of the invention has for its object to obtain a better spacing of the
letters, giving to each letter the room which it naturally requires. I prefer to provide
for spacing in four different grades and for this purpose I provide in the base of the
machine four pivotted spacing frames.
Each finger key by means of a projection upon it gives movement to one or other

page_text: of the spacing frames according to the space required by the letter to which the key
corresponds. The sheet of paper to be printed is carried upon a roller mounted in a
paper carriage; a spring tends to draw the carriage forward but it is retained by a
pinion engaged with a rack fixed to the paper carriage. The pinion itself is prevented
from turning by a retaining pawl entering the teeth of a ratchet. There are other
ratchet wheels fixed to the pinion and to work in connection with these other pawls
and pawl carriers are provided. The movement of either of the spacing frames results
in disengaging the retaining pawl; also in causing the corresponding pawl carrier to
advance and to insert its pawl between the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Now the pawl
on the pawl carrier has a certain pre-arranged freedom of motion in relation to the
distance which the paper carriage should advance.
By this pawl therefore the paper carriage is allowed to move forward a distance and
is then stopped. Just as the paper carriage is stopped the retaining pawl is allowed
to return so that the pawl carrier may fall back without releasing the carriage.
To cause the advance of the paper carriage I do not rely entirely on a spring as in
rapid working the carriage might fail to move with sufficient promptitude. I ensure
prompt movement by providing a lever moved by the spacing frames and armed
with a driving pawl which engages with another ratchet wheel upon the axis of the
pinion.
The driving pawl and the retaining pawl are so connected that as the one goes out
of engagement the other comes in.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will proceed to describe the
annexed drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan of the machine.
Figure 2 is a front elevation.
Figure 3 is a rear elevation. Figure 4 is a side elevation.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the framing and a few of the moving
parts. Figure 6 is a horizontal section of the lower part of the machine with the
upper parts all except a few of the finger keys removed.
These figures are drawn to a scale of one half the actual size, and to avoid con-
fusion in each of the figures some of the parts are removed.
Figure 7 shows full size in their proper relative positions two of the type hammers
and the sliders which actuate them.
Figure 8 is a transverse section of the paper carriage, half size.
Figure 9 is a plan full size and shews wheels connected with the movement and
control of the paper carriage for letter spacing.
Figure 10 is an elevation of part of the letter spacing mechanism.
Figure 11 is a plan of some of the parts.
•
1,1 are the finger keys which actuate the printing hammers; they are rigidly
connected by stems 2. with levers 3. These levers are kept properly spaced by
a comb c and, are all mounted on the horizontal rod or axis 4 and this is fixed and
extends transversely across the framing of the machine. Each key lever is supported
by a spring 3x and is connected by a rod 5 with a bell crank lever 6. The rods 5
are in each case furnished with right and left screw couplings 7 by the aid of which
the length of the rod can be accurately adjusted; a few only of these couplings are
shewn. The bell crank levers 6 are divided into two sets and each set is carried by.
a nearly semicircular bar fixed to the frame of the machine; these bars are marked
8 and 9 respectively. The fulcrum of each bell crank lever is upon a small cock
or bearing piece which is separately attached to one or other of the bars 8 or 9.
The further end of each bell crank lever carries a pin which projects into an
elongated eye formed upon a slide which consequently partakes of the movement
of the finger key and bell crank. The slides also are divided into two sets marked 10'
and 11 respectively corresponding to the front set of bell cranks on the bar 8 and the
back set of bell cranks on the bar 9. The slides work in semicircular combs or
guides fixed to the frame. There are several of these combs or guides; first there
is the semicircular guide plate 12 which is perforated to receive the front ends of
the slides 11. These slides are also guided by the comb 13 they lie in the radial

page_text: notches on its outer circumference. The same comb 13 also has notches on its inner
circumference and these notches which fall intermediate between the notches on
its inner circumference receive the set of slides marked 10. 14 is another guide
comb through which the slides 10 also work; it is fixed to the comb 13 and the
notches being on the outer circumference the one comb serves to retain the slides in
the notches of the other. The slides 10 and 11 are somewhat differently formed
as is shewn by Figure 7 but in each case the rear end of the slide is connected by
a peculiar joint with the shaft of the printing hammer. In each case also the slide
is provided with a spring arm 15 having a forked head in which a small inking
roller 15 is mounted.
Hh are the hammers. Figure 7 shews clearly the way in which the hammers and
slides lie when at rest; the hammers H of the outer set passing between those of the
inner set to come within reach of their inking rollers and the hammers h of the
inner set retiring between the hammers of the outer set to reach their
ink rollers. This contrivance admits of the inking arrangements for the one
set of hammers being placed out of the way of the other set of hammers.
All of the slides employed in the machine are of one or other of the forms shown in
Figure 7 excepting a slight difference in the position of the eye e which receives the
pin projecting from the bell crank. The bell cranks differ only in the length of the
pin which engages the eye of the slide. The type hammers are all of one or other of
the forms shown in Figure 7.
The division into two sets of the bell cranks, the slides and the type hammers, is
with the object of gaining space, it permits of the use of many more type hammers
than could otherwise be arranged to strike at the same point.
The hammers are carried by the two semi-circular bars 16 and 17 and their heads
when at rest lie on supporting bars 18 and 19. The shorter hammers are carried by
the inner bar 16 and the longer hammers by the outer bar 17; so that the type with
which the free end of each hammer is armed may, when the hammer is actuated by
its finger key, strike truly at the central point.
Each hammer has its fulcrum upon a separate cock or bearing piece which is fixed
by a screw to one or other of the supporting bars 16 or 17. There are also two semi-
circular bars 20 and 21 fixed to the frame and to these a strip of felt f is attached
which is saturated with the ink intended to be applied to the face of the type.
Each type hammer near its fulcrum has a short arm projecting from it carrying
two pins 22 and 23 which enter slots 24 and 25 in the rear end of the corresponding
slide. The arrangement is such that during the first part of the forward movement
of the slide, the hammer is not moved but the inking roller 15x on the slide passes
over the face of the type upon the hammer and applies ink to it. Afterwards the
pin 22 arrives at the end of the slot 24 and then the hammer partakes of the move-
ment of the slide and finger key and the type is thrown forward into contact with the
paper. The paper is carried by a paper carriage as hereinafter described. When the
pin 22 comes to the rear end of the slot 24, the other pin 23 on the same hammer has
escaped from the open end of the slot 25. Directly the hammer commences to be
moved by the slide, the pin 23 passes to the exterior of the curved horn 26 of the
slide, and the pin 22 is thereby compelled to enter the curved end or outward pro-
longation of the slot 24.
Thus the slide and the hammer become locked together so that as the finger key
rises again by the action of the spring 3x and the slide moves rearward, the pin 22 is
also thrust back and the hammer is made to return to its original position. As the
haminer returns the inking roller 15* again passes over the face of the type and in
the mean time it has travelled to and fro over the ink saturated felt ƒ on the
bar 20 or 21.
The sheet of paper to receive the impressions of the type is lapped partially around
an india rubber covered roller 30 which with other parts of the paper carriage is shown
in section by Figure 8. The axis of this roller is received at its ends into bearings
in standards 31 upon a bar 32 which passes beneath the roller from end to end. The

page_text: bar has two arms 33 and 34 projecting forwards from it and a single arm 35 projecting
to the rear.
The latter arm simply carries a wheel 36 which rests upon the bar or rail 37 and
supports the carriage. The arms 33 and 34 also carry wheels 38 and 39 which bear
upon the angle of the bar or guide rail 40; they also aid in supporting the carriage
which is able to travel along the guide rails 37 and 40. The arms 33 and 34 are so
made as to embrace the guide rail 40 and are provided with adjusting screws 80 that
the carriage cannot rise from the rail. The arms 33 and 34 also carry a tooth rack 41
which is fixed to the arms. Upon the paper carriage and fixed to the har 32 are two
arms 42 and 43, they project rearwards and carry the axis of a small wooden roller 44.
There are also two other shorter arms projecting forward from the front face of the
bar 32 and these carry the metal rods 45 and 46. Endless india rubber bands 47
encircle the small roller 44 and pass beneath the paper roller 30. The upper surface
of the bands 47 lie in contact with the under side of the paper roller (except when
the sheet of paper to be printed is interposed) and the bands return beneath the
rods 45 and 46. When the paper roller turns the bands 47 also travel moving
together with the surface against which they lie. The paper to be printed is entered
at the back of the paper carriage between the rollers 30 and 44 and the roller 30 being
turned, by means of the milled head 48 upon the end of its axis, the paper passes on
under the paper roller, and then rising in front of it, is retained by the spring
fingers 49, 49 which are attached to a bar 50 extending along the front of the paper roller
from the standard at one end to that at the other end. The axis of the paper roller
projects at one end and at this end it is supported by two standards 31. Between the
two standards at this end of the carriage a bevilled toothed wheel 51 is fixed upon
the axis of the paper roller and it gears with a corresponding bevelled pinion 52. The
pinion 52 is fast with the star wheel 53 and both can turn together upon a cock 54
fixed upon the bottom bar 32 of the paper carriage. These wheels serve to rotate the
paper roller in order to automatically move the paper forward to space the successive
lines of printing.
To effect this a small bracket piece 55 is mounted upon the guide rail 37 and
pivotted on the bracket piece there is the finger 56, it is weighted at one end so
that it assumes the position in which it is shown, a stop 57 upon the finger preventing
the weighted end from descending lower. In the course of printing the paper
carriage is caused as hereinafter explained to travel from right to left (as seen from
the front) and during this travel one of the teeth of the star wheel 53 comes against
the finger 56, the finger however yields and the tooth passes on without any further
action. When however the carriage is drawn back by hand prior to commencing
another line of printing, the finger 56 cannot yield and the tooth of the wheel 53 has
to give way with the result that the star wheel and the paper roller are both turned
partly round and the required advance of the paper is made. The foot of the
bracket 55 projects horizontally and enters a corresponding hole 55* in the guide
rail 37. More than one hole is provided as it may sometimes be convenient to alter
the position of the finger. In order to space the lines widely two fingers 56 may be
employed one to act immediately after the other. At the further end of the paper
roller a notched wheel 58 is fixed upon the axis and a spring pawl 59 fixed to the
bar 32 engages with it but allows one tooth to pass each time that a finger
operates.
The rack bar 41 attached to the carriage engages with a pinion 60 on a stud axis 61
fixed upon the plate 62 which is secured to the framing of the machine. The
pinion 60 is fast with a series of ratchet wheels shown separately in plan by
Figure 9.
The four wheels marked 63 are all alike and may be regarded as one; the wheel 64
has the some number of teeth but they are inclined the opposite way. A pawl 65 is
caused by a spring 66 to engage with one of the wheels 63 and normally prevents
the paper carriage moving forward under the influence of a coiled spring 67 which is
attached by one end to the framing of the machine and at the other to the periphery

page_text: of a barrel 68. An arm projecting from the framing carries this barrel. The barrel
is formed with a flange grooved on the edge adapted to receive a cord 69. The cord
is attached at one end to the flange and at the other to the paper carriage. The
spring 67 when permitted to uncoil winds up the cord 69 and draws forward the paper
carriage. Each .key lever 3 is provided as is seen in Figure 5 with a stem 70 pro-
jecting downwards from it and when the key is depressed this stem presses upon the
front cross bar of a rectangular frame 71. The frame is thus caused to tip about the
pivots 72 which are inserted into the base framing of the machine.
There are four frames 71 one within the other and they are all on the same pivots 72.
Springs 73 are provided which support the frames 71 and which when the fore part
of either of the frames is depressed by a finger key tend to raise it and when the key
is released they return the frame 71 to its original position. Each frame at its rear
end is connected by an adjustable rod 74 with a cam lever 75 which is free to turn
about the stationary axis or stud 76. There are four of these levers 75, all on the
same axis or stud and connected with the frames 71 each to each. Each cam lever 75
is engaged with a corresponding pawl carrier 77; a pin on the carrier entering a
curved cam slot in the lever. The four pawl carriers 77 are mounted at their lower
ends upon a stud axis 78. It will be seen from the foregoing description that the
depression of a finger key, by moving one of the frames 71 and cam lever 75 causes
the corresponding pawl carrier 77 to advance towards the ratchet wheels 63. As it
does so the pawl 79 which is jointed to the pawl carrier enters between the teeth of
one or other of the ratchet wheels 63, namely the ratchet wheel to which it is opposite.
The pawl 79 it will be seen is supported by a spring 80 which raises it as high as an
adjustable screw 81 admits. Each pawl 79 also carries a projecting pin or horn 82
and this as the pawl carrier 77 advances presses against the finger 83.
The
The finger 83 which is parallel to the axis of the ratchet wheels, is carried by a
slotted arm 84 which is fast upon the axis of the retaining pawl 65. These parts are
so adjusted that on the advance of the pawl carrier 77 immediately it has entered
its own pawl 79 between the ratchet teeth, the retaining pawl 65 is tripped.
paper carriage then advances and the ratchet wheels 63 turn carrying with them the
engaged pawl 79 as far as it is free to move. When the pawl 79 arrives at the end
of its course it stops the further movement of the ratchet wheels 63 and the paper
carriage comes to rest.
Just before this happens however the pin or horn 82 on the engaged pawl 79 passes
beneath the finger 83 leaving the retaining pawl 65 free and immediately by the
action of the spring 66, it returns and entering between the teeth of one of the
wheels 63, it locks and holds them and the pawl carrier 77 may then retire without
releasing the paper carriage.
On the several pawl carriers 77 the adjusting screws 81 are differently set; thus
the first of the series of pawl carriers may be adjusted to permit a travel of the
wheels 63 equal to one tooth of the ratchet; the next a travel of two teeth, the third
a travel of three teeth and the rear pawl carrier a travel of four teeth. Thus four
different grades of spacing are provided for, and the employment of the one or the
other depends on the position of the projection on the finger key.
If the machine were to be always worked at a slow rate the mechanism above
described would suffice for the better spacing movement of the paper carriage but in
rapid working there would be danger that the carriage, if influenced simply by the
spring 67 would not have completed its forward movement before the striking of the
type on the paper. To provide for this the lever 85 is arranged upon the same axis
with the ratchet wheels 63, it carries a horizontal arm 86 which projects over the cam
levers 75 so that each lever when moved by the finger key strikes the arm 86 and
moves the lever 85 around the axis 61. The lever 75 strikes upon the arm 86
immediately after the pawl carrier 77 has completed its forward movement and the
pawl 79 has engaged. The lever 85 carries a driving pawl 87 which operates in
conjunction with the ratchet wheel 64; it is not however normally engaged with the
teeth of the ratchet wheel but the same movement which disengages the locking
pawl 65 causes the driving pawl 87 to engage the driving pawl having upon it a pin 88

page_text: which is need in the slot of the arm 84 on the axis of the retaining pawl. So it will
be seen that the movement of the lever 85 serves to propel the paper carriage should
it be tardy in its movement.
The cam levers 75 are of different lengths so that the lever 85 may not be
moved unnecessarily far by the cam levers which operate to produce the shorter
spaces.
In any case however the driving pawl 87 need not operate during the whole of the
movement of the lever which carries it, for when the retaining pawl 65 returns the
driving pawl is thereby lifted out of gear.
90 is a finger key which operates only on the outer rectangular frame 71, by its
means without printing the paper carriage can be permitted to advance one space,
the longest of those provided say four teeth of the ratchet wheel.
91 is a finger key which by acting upon the innermost frame 71 in a similar way
operates to release the paper carriage for a movement of one tooth of the ratchet.
92 is a hand lever which is used in spacing between words; it is pivotted at 93
supported by a reacting spring 94 and it has a finger 95 on its underside which
presses upon the top of one of the rectangular frames 71 and so when depressed
determines a forward movement of the paper carriage equivalent to three teeth of the
ratchet wheels.
96 is a push button which is used to release the paper carriage to allow it to
advance under the control of the hand. The release is effected by a cam 97 on the
horizontal axis 98. An arm a on this axis is connected with the rod carrying the push
button and when the push button is thrust in (overcoming a light spring) the
axis 98 is turned and the cam 97 presses on the arm 84 and moves it so as to lift the
retaining pawl which is upon same axis with the arm.
The
99 is a bell supported by the guide rail 37 and adjustable in position along it. The
hammer of this bell has a weighted pawl jointed to it and this is caught by a projec-
tion on the paper carriage as the carriage approaches the end of its course.
hammer is lifted by the projection and then as the carriage passes on the hammer
falls on the bell thereby giving warning of the approach to the end of a line. The
paper carriage is then moved back by the hand as far as the stop pin 100 permits.
The projection 101 on the paper carriage comes against the stop pin and arrests the
return movement of the carriage. A series of holes is provided in the stationary
bar 102 into either of which the pin 100 may be inserted; thus the position to which
the paper carriage is brought back may be varied as desired.
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:-
1. The arrangement of the type hammers and slides jointed together and ranged in
two nearly semicircular series, to move in radial planes and to strike at the common
central point.
2. The combination substantially as described of the type hammers H and h the
slides 10 and 11 the inkers 15 and 15* and the ink distributing surfaces 20 and 21.
3. The combination of parts forming the joint between the slide and the hammer
viz:-the pins 22 and 23 upon the hammer and the slots 24 and 25 and the curved
horn 26 upon the slide.
4. The mechanism for permitting the advance of the paper carriage for letter
spacing, consisting of a ratchet which revolves-ns the paper carriage-advances; a
retaining pawl engaging with the ratchet, and also another pawl with a limited
freedom of movement; these pawls being moved by the finger-keys, the latter-paw!
being inserted between the teeth of the ratchet as the retaining pawl is disengaged
therefrom.
4. 5. The combination substantially as described of parts for letter spacing consist-
ing of the ratchet wheels 63, the pawl carriers 77, the pawls 79 with limited freedom
of movement, the horns 82 on the pawls, the finger 83 and the retaining pawl 65.
5. 6. The mechanism for ensuring the completion of the advance of the paper

page_text: carriage to be used in combination with letter spacing mechanism in accordance with
the Fourth Claim and consisting in a lever 85, a driving pawl 87 and a ratchet 64;
such lever being moved by the operation of the finger keys and such driving pawl
being coupled with the retaining pawl 65 of the letter spacing mechanism so that the
pawls move together but in the reverse sense in and out of engagement with the 5
ratchet teeth.