Improvements in Typewriters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Improvements in Typewriters.
A communication from GEORGE BUDD SHOLES, of Chicago, in the County of
Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex, M.I.M.E., 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 invention relates to type-writers; and it consists in certain peculiarities of
construction and combination of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
:-
Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a type-writer constructed
according to this invention, the section being taken on line 1-1 of Figure 5.
Figure 2 a rear elevation illustrating the paper carriage, certain of the parts
being broken away.
Figure 3 a side elevation of the machine with parts broken away.
Figure 4 a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3."
Figure 5 a detail front elevation having certain of the parts broken away.
Figure 6 a detail rear view illustrating a type-rod and its actuating mechanism in
their normal position.
Figure 7 a vertical transverse section of Figure 6.
Figure 8 a detail rear view illustrating a type-rod and its actuating mechanism
in the position they assume when a lever corresponding therewith has been partially
depressed.
Figure 9 a vertical transverse section illustrating a type-rod and its actuating
mechanism in the position they assume when the corresponding lever has been fully
depressed.
Figure 10 a rear elevation of what is shown by Figure 9, and
Figure 11 a horizontal section of the parts shown in Figure 10..
Referring by letter to the drawings, A represents the base of the machine and
secured to this base are standards B united by tracks b for anti-friction rollers con
a spring-controlled carriage C the latter being provided with a rack d alternately
engaged by pawls ef on the upper end of an arm g that is fast on a rod D having
bearings hon said standards. Connected to the rod D are the ends of a bail E that
rests on spring controlled levers F, G; the levers F (only one of which is shown)
being provided with vertical stems that connect with a spacing-bar H. The
carriage and its escapement mechanism above described is not materially different
from what is common in some other type-writers and therefore no specific claims
j
will be made to the same. The carriage C is provided with guides for vertical
rods I provided at their upper ends with bearings k for the journals of a cylindrical
and intermittingly rotated platen J, so common in a variety of type-writers now in
use, that a detail description of the parts by which it is actuated is not deemed
necessary in this application, while at the same time a paper-guide K also, common
in this class of devices, is arranged on said rods to move with the platen when
the latter is adjusted in a vertical direction as will be hereinafter more fully
described.
The rods I are united by a brace L having a depending bracket M, and to the
latter is journaled an anti-friction roller that is normally out of contact with a
track N, the ends of the latter being connected by brackets m with a rod O having
its bearings in angular-standards P arranged in pairs and secured to the base A,
Fast to one end of the rod O is a lever Q and pivotally connected to this lever is

page_text: .
a T-shaped link R that engages the slotted ends n of levers S, T, loose on another
rod U having its bearings in the angular standards P, this construction being best
illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
Although the levers S, T, have the same fulcrum, it is intended that one of them
shall have a greater lift than the other, and to this end the adjacent one of the
angular-standards P is provided with bearings p, r, for screws s, t, the lower ends of
the latter being at different elevations to serve as stops for said levers.
When the lever S is actuated the track N will be brought into contact with the
anti-friction roller and the platen J will be raised a certain distance, but when
the lever T is actuated, a greater elevation of said platen will be accomplished, the
purpose of this vertical adjustment being hereinafter described. When the platen
is raised and held
on the track NP out of its normal position, the anti-friction roller runs
its carriage C.
thereby compensates for the leverage of said platen on
An inking-ribbon V is arranged to pass the printing point of the machine, but
as there are a variety of ribbon-actuating mechanisms adaptable to said machine,
it is deemed unnecessary to particularly illustrate and describe any one of them in
this application.
The vertical portions of each pair of the angular standards P are united by
braces and diagonal plates W, the latter being provided with a series of cam-
slots each of which extends in a horizontal and vertical direction. The slots as
shown are L-shaped, it being essential to the operation of a machine constructed
according to this invention that said slots shall extend in both a horizontal and
vertical direction.
The rear sides of the diagonal plates W are provided with a series of guides wo
for vertical links X that connect with the levers G and are individually provided
with diagonal cam-slots, these slots being arranged to cross the horizontal
portions of the slots in said diagonal plates when the links are in their normal
position, as is best illustrated in Figure 5.
A series of rods Y have their bearings in each pair of the vertical standards P
and terminate at their inner ends in right angular extensions Z, the latter being
the type-bars, and the type-bars in each series are arranged to stand one behind the
other, as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
The rods Y are provided with fingers y that engage the slots vx in the diagonal
plates W and vertical links X whereby an upward movement of any one of the
latter will cause its accompanying rod to move horizontally and then partially
rotate in its bearings to bring its angular extension or type-bar Z to the printing
• point as will be hereinafter more fully described with particular reference to the
enlarged detail views Figures 6 to 11 inclusive.
X
As shown by Figures 6 and 7, the parts are in their normal position, the
finger y on the rod Y being at the highest point in the slot in the link X. Now
by a depression of the corresponding lever G, the link X will be moved up and
its slot will push on the finger y to thereby impart a horizontal sliding movement
to the rod Y this movement being for a distance equal to the horizontal portion of
slot v in the adjacent diagonal plate W. By the time this horizontal sliding move-
ment of the rod Y is effected the finger y will be at the lowest point of the slot
in the link X and in the vertical portion of the slot in the plate, as illustrated by
Figure 6. Now the continued upward movement of the link X will draw on the
finger y and cause it to move in the vertical portion of the slot in the plate W
whereby the rod Y is partially rotated in its bearings and thus the angular exten-
sion Z, or type-bar, on said rod is brought to the printing point.
v
In the machine shown in the drawings, each type bar Z is provided with three
characters arranged at suitable intervals apart and as there is a difference in the
length of all the type-bars in a series, each one thereof necessarily describes a
separate arc when moved toward the printing point.
When the platen J is in its 'normal position with relation to the carriage C the
lower characters on the type-bars Z will strike the printing point, but if the lever S

page_text: be depressed and held down, the said platen will be elevated to bring the printing
point in position with relation to the middle characters on said type-bars, while a
depression of the lever T will bring said printing point in position to be struck by
the upper series of characters, the actuating levers G being provided with indicator
buttons, as is common in machines belonging to the class to which the invention
relates. The number of characters on the type bars may be multiplied so that
more than three rows of such characters will be presented, and in such an instance
the platen would necessarily be capable of more adjustments at right angles to the
travel of its carriage than has been shown and described.
By the construction above described, a type-writer of practical character is
provided wherein there is a positive adjustment and action of the type-bars and
consequent perfect alignment of the printed characters, while at the same time the
result of the work is always in sight of the operator. Both of these features are of
great importance, because more or less frequent adjustments of the type bars to
preserve a good alignment is obviated, and the lifting of the paper carriage to view
the work in progress is avoided thereby effecting a saving in time and annoyance to
the operator.
Another advantage of the machine lies in the fact that there are no delicate
mechanisms, and consequently said machine is not liable to get out of order from
hard usage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
1. In a type-writer, the combination of a series of cranked type-rods loosely
arranged in bearings, mechanism for imparting a sliding and rotary movement to
each rod, and means substantially as described for simultaneously returning- said
mechanism and type-rod to their normal position; substantially as set forth.
2. In a type-writer, the combination of a series of cranked type-rods loosely
arranged in bearings, mechanism for imparting a sliding and rotary movement to
each rod, a lever for actuating said mechanism, and a spring arranged in opposition
to the lever, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a type-writer, the combination of cranked type-rods loosely arranged in
bearings and provided with fingers, a plate provided with a series of cam slots for
engagement with the type-rod fingers, sliding links also provided with cam-slots
for engagement with said fingers, and levers for actuating the links; substantially
as set forth.
4. In a type-writer, the combination of a series of rods loosely arranged in
bearings and having angular extensions provided with printing characters, a
stationary plate provided with a series of diagonally arranged cam-slots, a series
of sliding links adjacent to the stationary plate and also provided with cam-slots,
fingers extended from said rods to engage the slots in said stationary plate, and
links, and levers for actuating the links, substantially as set forth.
5. In a type-writer, the combination of a stationary plate provided with a series
of diagonally arranged slots each of which extends in a horizontal and vertical
direction, a series of sliding links arranged adjacent to the plate and individually
provided with a diagonal slot, a series of rods loosely arranged in bearings and
carrying type-bars, fingers on the rods for engagement with the slots in said plate
and links, and levers for actuating the latter, substantially as set forth.
6. In a type-writer, the combination of a stationary plate provided with a series
of diagonally arranged slots each of which extends in a horizontal and vertical
direction, guides arranged on the plate, a series of links fitted to slide in the
guides and individually provided with diagonal slot, a series of rods loosely
arranged in bearings and carrying type-bars, fingers on the rods for engagement
with the slots in said plate and links, and levers for actuating the latter; substan-
tially as set forth.
7. In a type-writer, the combination of a series of cranked type-rods loosely

page_text: arranged in bearings, a finger on each type-rod, a cam-mechanism engaging the
finger, and a lever for actuating the cam-mechanism whereby a sliding and rotary
movement is imparted to said type-rod, substantially as set forth.
8. In a type-writer, the combination of a reciprocating carriage, a platen-frame
loosely mounted thereon and provided with a depending portion, a lifting frame for
contact with the depending portion of the platen-fra ne, and a lever mechanism for
actuating the lifting frame, substantially as set forth.
9. In a type-writer, the combination of a reciprocating carriage, a platen-frame
loosely mounted thereon and provided with a depending portion, a lifting frame for
contact with the depending portion of the platen-frame, a lever connected to the
lifting frame, a coupling pivoted to the lever, and slotted levers arranged to engage
said coupling; substantially as set forth.
10. In a type-writer, the combination of a reciprocating carriage, a platen-frame
loosely mounted thereon and provided with a depending portion, a lifting frame for
contact with the depending portion of the platen-frame, actuating levers connected
to the lifting frame, and stops for said levers arranged at different elevations, sub-
stantially as set forth.
11. In a type-writer, the combination of a reciprocating carriage, a platen-frame
loosely mounted thereon, an anti-friction roller suspended from said frame, a
track for the roller, and a lever mechanism for lifting the track; substantially as
set forth.
12. In a type-writer, the combination of a plate provided with a series of cam
slots, a series of cranked type-rods loosely arranged in bearings and provided with
fingers for engagement with said cam slots, and means substantially as described for
actuating each finger whereby it is caused to travel in its relative cam slot to slide
and rotate the type-rod of which it forms a part, as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 8th day of December 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.