Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883) as required
by the decision of the Chief Examiner, of the 16th day of August 1898.
Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
We, EDWIN EARL BARNEY and FRANK JAY TANNER, Gentlemen, both of Groton,
in the County of Tompkins, and State of New York, United States of America,
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:
Our invention relates to type-writing machines, and particularly to that class
in which the writing is visible, the printing being done upon the front upper
quarter of the cylindrical impression platen.
Our object is to provide such a machine with the following devices or sets of
mechanism; each for a well-known purpose, common to many key-lever centre-
strike machines, viz.:.
1. A novel key-lever mechanism.
2. A novel type-bar.
3. A novel type-bar mounting.
4. A novel type-bar system.
5. A novel ribbon mechanism.
6. A novel platen mounting.
7. A novel platen-shift mechanism.
8. A novel carriage.
9. A novel carriage mounting.
10. A novel escapement.
11. A novel spring wheel connection.
12. A novel carriage stop mechanism.
13. A novel spring mechanism to support the carriage, and platen in an elevated
position to print capitals.
14. A novel mechanism to release the carriage from the escapement..
15. A novel elevated vibratory universal bar with which all of the key-levers
engage and to which the space-key is connected.
It also embodies other novel elements, novel combinations of elements, mechan-
isms, devices and appliances hereinafter described and specifically set forth in
the claims hereunto annexed.
It is described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
in which―
Fig. 1, is a top plan of the machine.
Fig. 2, is a rear elevation.
Fig. 3, is a vertical section on a line transverse to the impression platen.
Fig. 4, is a side elevation of the action showing the parts in position for printing

page_text: Fig. 5, is a like view of the same shifted, and set in position for printing
capitals.
Fig. 6, is a detail of the space-key and escapement.
Fig. 7, is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 8, is a detail of the release mechanism, for printing beyond the end of
the line.
Fig. 9, is a top plan thereof.
Fig. 10, is an enlarged detail of the platen-rotating line-spacing mechanism
in its normal position.
Fig. 11, is a detail of the same showing the dog thrown forward upon the
rack, and of the lever 63 detached.
Fig. 12, is a detail showing the mounting of the line spacing dog.
Fig. 13, is a vertical transverse section showing the carriage, escapement, the
carriage release, the reciprocating rack for renewing the tension of the spring
wheel, part of the carriage shifting mechanism, and part of the ribbon feeding
mechanism.
Fig. 14, is a top plan of the slotted rail which carries the reciprocating tension
rack.
Fig. 15, is an enlarged detail of the mechanism for shifting to upper case, the
dotted lines indicating the parts in lower case opposite.
Fig. 16, is an enlarged detail of the ribbon shift, the dotted lines indicating
the parts in their positions when shifted.
Fig. 17, is a top plan of the slide which is operated to shift the carriage or
ribbon.
Fig. 18, is a detail of the stop which regulates the vertical movements of the
carriage and platen to change from lower to upper case, or vice versa.
Fig. 19, is a detail of part of a key-lever action..
Fig. 20, is a further detail thereof.
Fig. 21, is a detail of a type-bar, its mounting and guide, showing the parts
at rest.
Fig. 22, is a further detail of the end of the rod connecting it to the key-lever
crank.
Fig. 23, is a like view of the parts shown in Fig. 21, showing them in their
position when making an impression.
Fig. 24, is a top plan of a type-bar.
Fig. 25, is a detail in rear elevation of the escapement and release showing the
carriage stopped.
Fig. 26, is a like view of the same showing the movable dog advanced ready
to re-engage with the rack-bar and permit the carriage to be shifted a space.
Fig. 27, is a section of Fig. 25, on line X.
Fig. 28, is a like view of Fig. 26, on line y-y, showing the rack-bar in engage-
ment with the stationary dog.
Fig. 29, is a like view on line z-z, showing the rack-bar rocked back into
engagement with the movable dog.
Fig. 30, is a bottom plan of the carriage rail and the stationary and movable
dogs.
Fig. 31, is a sectional detail partly in top plan of part of the platen rotating
carriage shifting mechanism.
Fig. 32, is a top plan detailing a carriage retainer, the dotted lines indicating
a rear-rail of its frame, and also showing the retainer swung around in engage-
ment with said rail.
Fig. 33, is an elevation of a type-bar mounting differing somewhat from that
elsewhere shown.
A is a suitable base provided with suitable standards and uprights to support
and carry the different members, suitable means being provided to enclose some
portions thereof.
Key lever mechanisms, Figs. 1, 3, 19, 20. An inclined upright 2 is erected

page_text: upon each side of the base, possibly extending from one side across to the other,
and is provided with parallel grooves 3 in which bearing bars 4 are suitably
mounted, or journaled, upon which the key levers are mounted, each having a
front arm 5, a bottom 6 thereon, and an upward and rearwardly inclined arm 7
provided with a bifurcation S. Upon this offset 9 is suitably mounted, creating
a space in which a connecting rod 10 is suitably pivoted. The other end of this
rod is provided with a slot 11 and an offset 12 provided with a projecting pin 13.
(Figs. 22 and 23.)
The type-bar 14 is bifurcated longitudinally at its lower end (Fig. 24) and is
also transversely bifurcated or notched in this end, creating arms 15 and 16¹.
In the arm 15, the pivot pin 16 is mounted, passing through the slot 11 (Fig. 21)
in the rod 10 and connecting it to said type-bar, this pivot being normally in the
front end of said slot, and the pin 13 being normally in engagement with the
arm 15. Each type-bar straddles a fin.17 and is pivoted thereon.
When strain is applied to said rod by the striking of a key, the force is primarily
applied (as of a lever) to the extremity of the heel (arm 15) of the type-bar, as
well as in said slot, starting it more easily, quickly and sharper. Then this
rocking of the type-bar gradually swings said heel out of engagement with said
pin, for a short distance the force is solely exerted by the pivot 16 and thus, full
momentum having been given to the type-bar the pivot slides forward in said
slot, and in conjunction with the then engagement of the pin 13 with the face
(or faces) of the arm 16' suddenly stops said type-bar an instant before it strikes
its impressive blow, whereby its resultant spring throws its type with a quick,
sharp blow against the ribbon to make an impression, thus giving great power
for manifolding.
This resiliency of action thus created by the double stop fulcrum, reacts to
throw the type away from the paper and ribbon and prevents blurring.
A suitable spring 18 (Fig. 19) is brought under tension each time a key is
operated, and returns the several parts to their normal position.
These type-bars are mounted upon the arc of a circle the centre of which is the
printing point upon the impression platen. They are shown as each provided
with a capital and a small letter (or double characters, upper and lower case).
The quadrant 19 consists of a plate of suitable material, and the fins 17 are
mounted thereon in lines radial to the arc of the mounting of the type-bars, and
are suitably mounted so that they can be properly aligned to prevent their binding
in the bifurcation of said type-bars, which they also guide in their movements.
It will also be seen that the heads 21 of the type-bars upon which the type or
characters are mounted, are so mounted as to stand in lines radial to the arc of
the guides and quadrant.
Suitable rods 22 are erected upon said quadrant at substantially a right angle
to it, and carry a curved segment 23 against which normally lie said type-bars.
A rock-shaft 24 is suitably journaled in standards 25 (Figs. 1 and 18) erected
upon the base, and provided with arms 26 (Figs. 4, 5 and 18) upon which the
quadrant is hung, as upon pivots, so that by rotating said shaft as hereinafter
described, said quadrant, and type-bars are raised or lowered to shift from lower
to upper case or vice versa.
Said rock-shaft is also provided with arms 27 which carry the front rail 28.
This shaft can be rocked by raising a spring lever 29 in the slot 30 (Fig. 1)
and springing it into a lateral notch 31 at the top of said slot, when desired.
This raises the quadrant and type-bars to change the case, and also lowers the
carriage rail 28, and they are locked in that position, for printing capitals or
upper case so long as said lever is retained in said notch, or held in its position
shown in Fig. 5.
For temporary use as for printing a single upper case character, or capital, a
key-lever 32 (Figs. 4 and 5) through a rod 33 connected to it and to an arm 34
secured to said rock shaft, operates to rotate said shaft and shift said quadrant,
type-bars and carriage rail.

page_text: The ends of said rail 28 fit loosely in a notch 35 in a bracket upon each of the
uprights 25 (Fig. 18) which limits its vertical movements and those of the quad-
rant, type-bars, and carriage.
Upon rear standards 36 a rod 37 is secured, which supports the rear of the
carriage.
The carriage (Figs. 4, 5, 10, 11) comprises, the rearwardly inclined end-bars 38
in which the shaft 39 is journaled, upon which the platen 40 is secured, the bars 41
are journaled upon said shaft and extending downward and rearwardly, and
having their ends connected by a rod 42 which constitutes the rear rail of the
carriage; and the lower ends of the bars 38 are connected by a rod 43 which
constitutes the front rail of said carriage.
Bearing bars 44 are mounted on the front rail, and 45 is a roller journaled in
them, and adapted to travel upon the tracks 28 (Figs. 4, 5, and 10). The lower
ends of said bars 44 are shown as concaved as at 401 to partially encircle the
track, so that the tread of said roller can be flat, and thus travel more freely upon
said track.
Bearing blocks 46 are mounted upon the rod 37, and concaved in their upper
faces to receive the rail 42 which is retained therein by the buttons 47 and is free
to rock in their bearings when the lower track 28 and the entire carriage is
raised or lowered. It will be seen that when the quadrant is raised, the carriage
and platen are lowered simultaneously therewith, each substantially the same
distance equal to one-half of the space between two characters upon a type-bar;
that this imparts a rocking movement to the platen, whereby the plane of the
printing point thereon is unchanged, in that the type will always strike it
squarely in whatever position it may be raised or lowered.
A rod 48 connects the end-bars 38 adjacent to the platen, and a suitable
apron 49 is suitably journaled thereon having its front edge in yielding contact
with the platen, through the action of the spring 50 which engages with the
rod 43. By pulling the top of the apron forward, its front edge is swung away
from the platen, and the spring returns it.
A frame comprising a rail 51 and ends 52, 53 is hung and adapted to swing
upon the rod 48, said rail being usually flattened on its rear side.
Arms 54 (Fig. 3) loose upon said rod 48 carry a shaft upon which the paper
roller 55 is mounted and a spring or springs 56, hold said roller in yielding
contact with the platen.
The end 53 (Figs. 10 and 11) is provided upon its upper end with a rear
arm 57 and a front arm 58 being of substantially the shape shown.
The line spacing dog 59 is pivotally mounted upon the arm 57 having a
spring 60 engaging with its heel to hold it in engagement with the ratchet 61
upon the platen.
The arm 58 is provided with an inwardly projecting pin 62 which is brought
into engagement with the ratchet as a stop, when the frame (51, 52, 53) is
swung.
A lever 63 (Fig. 10) is secured to a pin 64 which is loosely inserted through
the bar 38 and is connected to the bar 38 so that when said lever is operated it
will swing the frame, to set it for a single or double line spacing.
A finger 65 is secured to said lever, its free end being adapted to suitably
engage with the front recess on bar 38 (small circle at end of finger) for single
line spacing, and with another recess (small circle close to lower edge of finger)
for double spacing.
A spring 66 suitably engages with said finger or lever to prevent accidental
shifting.
This line spacing mechanism is operated as follows: (Figs. 7, 10, 13, 14).
A rock-shaft 67 is suitably journaled in or above the base, provided with a
hand-crank 68 on its front end, and having a crank-arm 69 adjacent to its rear
end, to which a draw-bar 70 is connected. (Fig. 13.)
A beam 71 is mounted upon bars 72 longitudinally slotted as at 73 (Fig. 14)

page_text: and the pins 74 through said slots carry the tension rack 75. A pin 76 through
a slot 77 in the draw-bar 70 permits said slide to have a limited lost motion"
movement for the line spacing, it being suitably connected to a bell crank a
pivoted under said beam 71 (Fig. 31) and a spring 78 holds said slide in its
normal position or returns it to it. When said lever 68 is swung outward said
draw-bar is drawn to the right, and swings the head 79 of said bell crank out
into engagement with the rail 51 swings said frame and rotates the platen for
line spacing, a single or double space according to the distance said rail is from
said head, which is regulated by the lever 63 and the position to which it has
rocked said spacing frame.
A suitable spring pawl 80 (Fig. 10) prevents backward rotation of the platen.
The blocks 46 (Fig. 3) extend forward and carry a rail 81 extending across
the machine, parallel to and a little below the track 37.
A stationary auxiliary track 82 is suitably supported in parallelism with and
a little below the track 37 and the roller or rollers 83 are suitably connected to
the rail 81 and traverse the track 82.
The al 81 is provided with a single escapement tooth 84, stationary thereon,
and said rail, blocks 46 and rollers 83 constitute an auxiliary carriage carried
by the rails 37 and 82, the carriage rail 42 being detachably connected by the
buttons 47 to the block 46 so that by swinging said button this rail is released
and the platen and its frame can be lifted out whenever desired.
The bars 72 (Figs. 6, 7, 13) carry the escapement rack 85 upright with the
teeth uppermost and these bars are pivoted at 80 and adapted to vibrate this
rack, through the connecting rods 87 connecting them to the space keys 88 and
space bar 89.
The bars 72 are connected by a bar 90 to which the rack is secured.
Upon the front of the rail 81 (Figs. 13, 25, to 30) the spacing pawl is mounted
by the slot and pin connection 91 and the spring 92 connected to the pawl and
to said rail.
This pawl is provided with a single tooth 93, and with a lip 94.
The rocking of the rack disengages the carriage from the pawl tooth 93 and
the rack engages with the tooth 84 (as in Fig. 28). Thereupon the spring 92
throws the pawl forward the length of the slot (as in Fig. 26) and the rack,
rocked forward, engages with the pawl tooth, and by the spring wheel tension
the carriage is advanced a single letter space, the pawl then being in the position
shown in Fig. 25. A suitable case 95 encloses said pawl.
Upon the rail 81 (Fig. 13) a lever 96 is pivoted, having a lip 97 in engage-
ment with the pawl lip, and provided with a slot and pin 98 to regulate its
movements.
A lever 99 is also pivoted upon said rail, suitably engaging with the lever 96
as at 100, and having a handle 101 whereby when said handle is raised, said pawl
tooth is swung upward out of engagement with said rack, and the carriage is
released for manual shifting, said pawl re-engaging with said rack whenever the
pressure is removed from said handle.
A spring wheel 102 is journaled upon a pivot 103 carrying a spring case 104
enclosing a spring 105, and 106 is a circular tension rack, journaled upon said
pivot, having a handle 107 and held at any point by a clocket 108 by which the
tension can be varied. The wheel 102 is grooved in its periphery and a suitable
wire 109 as a piano wire, is wound around it, and connected to it as at 110 in
Fig. 13, in which the dotted lines indicates the wire, and the ends thereof are
suitably connected to the ends of the carriage as at 111, so that said wire can
be drawn taut, avoiding all lost motion.
When the lever 68 is swung outward for line spacing and carriage shifting
the rack 75 is carried to the right, and by its engagement with the gear 112
secured to said wheel, the spring is renewed.
This gear (Figs. 3-13) drives a pinion 113, shaft 114 bevel gears 115, 116,
shaft 117 and suitable bevel gears 118 upon its ends, one of which meshes with

page_text: a bevel gear 119 upon one or the other of the vertical shafts 120 which carry the
ribbon-spools 121 on which the ribbon 122 is wound.
Upon suitable arms 123 suitably pivoted in front of the upright 2 as upon one
of the bearings 4 a universal bar 124 is mounted in such position as to be engaged
and swung forward by every key, or space key. This (Fig. 3) draws the rod 125
forward, swings the bell-crank 126 and raises the ribbon guide band brings
the ribbon into the path of a type and in front of the printing point.
This bell crank is pivoted upon a plate 127 (Figs. 4, 5, 14, 15, 17) mounted
upon a suitable support 128 by means of the screws 129 and slots 130 which
permit a limited reciprocation.
Said plate is also provided with an angular arm 131 which engages with the
track 28 so that when said track is lowered, for upper case work as herein before
described, said slide will be forced down and the ribbon lowered the same distance
as the platen. And when the platen is raised, the spring 132 raises the slide
and ribbon guide to their normal positions. When a key is operated to print,
the ribbon is raised, and as soon as the pressure is released the spring 132
retracts the guide.
This guide is bifucated at its upper end, and each arm is provided with a
loop or eye 133 through which the ribbon is passed.
A standard 134 guides or supports this guide in its vertical movements, the
guides being shown as longitudinally slotted, so as to fit over said standard, and
bear upon a pin 135 through it.
A spring 136 (Fig. 7) engages with the rack bar to return it to its normal
position when rocked.
A rack 137 (Fig. 2) is secured upon the rail 37 and 138 is a slide mounted
thereon carrying a swinging pawl in engagement with the rack, which can be
adjusted to regulate the end-of-a-line stoppage of the carriage. It carries a
tappet 139 which engages with the hammer stem 140 and rings the bell 141.
Passing this it engages with a rod 142 which is pivoted in a standard 36 and
extends into the machine (Figs. 8, and 9) and carries a weight 143 which is
normally in engagement with a lever 144, suitably secured to a rock-shaft c
and 145 is a hooked arm on said shaft adapted to engage with a pin 146 on the
rod 87 and locks the keys, by locking said bar.
The engagement of the tappet with the rod 142 raises the weight 143 which
permits the hook to fall and lock the bar 124.
In order to print one or more characters beyond the normal end of said line,
the universal bar is released by depressing the key 147, whereby its arm 148
engages with the lever 144 and raises the hook.
The carriage is stopped and the keys are locked, before the rod 142 is swung
into engagement with the stop-pin 149 so that by operating the release key 147
the carriage can then travel until said rod encounters said stop.
In Fig. 33, we show a little difference in the mounting of a type-bar, and its
operating mechanism, embodying the same principle of suddenly arresting the
swing of a type-bar by bringing it into engagement with the end of the connecting
rod by which it is swung, making said end an abutment.
It embodies the mounting of the connecting rod 150 in a sleeve 151 providing
stops 152 which limit the reciprocation in said sleeve; pivoting said sleeve on
one arm 153 of the bifurcation of the heel of the type-bar in such relation that
the other arm 154 will strike against the end of said rod as shown in dotted lines,
and arrest the swing of the type-bar just before the type strikes the ribbon.
The stops are so arranged as to permit the rod to move a fixed distance before
it starts the type-bar.
The bifurcation 8 enables us to adjust the members of the action to take up
any slack or lost motion therein, or any inaccuracies of construction, by opening
or closing it.
The offset 9 is preferably a spring, to enable the rod 10 to be inserted and

page_text: connected to its pivot pin, or removed therefrom by springing it outward, and
also to hold said rod in place.
It will also be seen (Figures 21, 22 and 23) that normally the pin 16 is in
engagement with the right hand end of the slot (Figure 21), that the pin 13 is
normally in engagement with the end (or heel) of the type-bar 14; and that thus
when strain is applied to the rod 10, the pins 13 and 16 will co-operate to apply
it to the end of the slot and the heel of the rod simultaneously, and thus instantly
impart motion to the type-bar, and at the instant when it strike an impression
blow the several parts have assumed the relative position shown in Figure 23.
In Figures 21, 23 and 33 we show a cushion 155 mounted upon the quadrant,
on a line concentric with the pivots of the type-bars and consisting of a rubber
tube either inflatable or not, or a block of solid rubber, or of any other material
possessing sufficient resiliency of action, whereby the operation of a type-bar,
more or less compresses said cushion, just before or at the instant of the impres-
sion blow, and the cushion by its resiliency throws the type-bar much more
quickly away from the platen, preventing clogging, and ensuring more rapid
work upon the machine.
It will be observed that the slots 8 in the bell-crank key lever 5, 7, is of great
value in aligning the machine, in taking up any inequality, liable to create lost
motion and rattling, in the rods 10 or the bell-cranks, and is effected by forcing
the rear arm of said slot toward or away from the other arm.
It will also be seen that the guides 20 by their elongation permit the shank
of each type-bar to engage with it first at its lower end, and to be guided by it
until it strikes the blow, and is therefore much more efficient than a pin or stud.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a type-writing machine, a quadrant and type-bars mounted thereon, in
combination with an impression platen, its carriage and a stationary upper
track and a vertically movable lower one and means to raise said quadrant and
lower.said carriage and platen simultaneously to change from lower to upper case
or vice-versa.
2. In a type-writing machine, a quadrant and type-bars mounted thereon, in
combination with a carriage an impression platen mounted therein and means
to simultaneously shift said quadrant and carriage in opposite directions, to
change from one printing case to another.
3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a vertically reciprocating
carriage, and a platen mounted therein, a vertically reciprocating ribbon guide
and a ribbon mounted therein, and a vertically reciprocating quadrant and type-
bars mounted thereon.
4. In a type-writing machine, a rock shaft and arms thereon, projecting toward
the front of the machine, in combination with a quadrant mounted upon said
arms and type-bars mounted upon said quadrant, and means to rotate said shaft
to reciprocate said quadrant and type-bars.
5. In a type-writing machine, a rock shaft having upward and downward arms
thereon, a quadrant mounted upon the upward arms, type-bars upon the quad-
rant, a carriage carried by the downward arms, a platen mounted upon said car-
riage, in combination with a vertically reciprocated ribbon guide and a ribbon
mounted therein, and means to reciprocate said quadrant, -carriage and ribbon
guide simultaneously to change from one printing case to another.
6. In a type-writing machine a bank of key levers, a universal bar mounted
and adapted to swing upon its supporting arms, a rod connecting it to a bell
crank, a bell crank connected to a ribbon guide in combination with a ribbon
guide vertically reciprocated in the same plane by the operation of a key lever
and its engagement with said bar.
7. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a universal bar adapted

page_text: to be swung upon its mounting, and a gravity locking hook engaging with it,
of a key lever having an arm which engages with said hook to raise it, and release
said bar when said lever is operated.
8. In a type-writing machine, the combination with the carriage, and spring
wheel connected thereto, of a pinion upon said wheel, a rack engaging therewith,
and a lever mechanism extending to the front of the machine whereby said car-
riage is drawn back into position to start a line of printing.
9. In a type-writing machine, a traversing carriage, a spring wheel connected
to both ends thereof, and a pinion upon said wheel, in combination with a travers-
ing rack bar engaging with said pinion and means to retract said rack-bar and
thereby retract said carriage.
10. In a type-writing machine, a main frame, a quadrant and type-bars mounted
thereon to be vertically reciprocated, in combination with a carriage frame, and
an impression platen mounted to be vertically reciprocated therein, substantially
in equipoise with said quadrant and type-bars.
11. In a type-writing machine, a carriage, a platen frame connected thereto,
and a platen mounted in said frame, in combination and substantially in equi-
poise with a quadrant and type-bars mounted thereon, whereby the downward
movement of said quadrant raises said platen and frame.
12. In a type-writing machine the combination with a suitably mounted type-
bar, and a rod connected to its heel, of a bell-crank key lever slotted to create
arms to one of which said rod is connected, and whereby the relation of said
lever and rod to each other can be adjusted.
Dated the 7th dow of Decembar 1907
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.