Pneumatic Roller or Platen for Type Writing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Pneumatic Roller or Platen for Type Writing Machines.
1, DAVID ORSON FONDA of Mishawaka, County of St. Joseph, Indiana,
U.St.A., Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In this invention the roller or platen of type writing machines has a rubber and
yielding surface made sufficiently firm by the inflation of air by well known means.
The outer rubber cylindrical cover has at the ends an inwardly projecting rim by
which after being placed upon an inner roller it is held in position, or the rubber
cover may be held upon the inner roller by means of discs screwed upon the ends
of the same or upon the ends of a central metal tube. A small inflation tube and
screw cap upon the same serve for inflating and holding the air within the roller.
The roller may also have an inner inflation cylinder preferably made of light thin.
air tight material comprising an inner and an outer concentric cylinder and
connecting ends made air tight, to closely fill when inflated the space between a
central tube an outer covering and inner end discs.
Dated this 29th day of May 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, DAVID ORSON FONDA of Mishawaka, County of St. Joseph, Indiana,
U.St.A., Manufacturer, 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 improvements in the platen roller or cylinder usually
employed in type writers to support or hold the paper while it is acted upon by
the type or relief plate, and is especially designed for use upon type writers in
which a moving cylinder is employed to hold the paper and carry it to and from a
fixed point to make impressions in line with one another by means of types struck
uniformly at said fixed point, one after the other in rapid succession.
The platen or cylinder usually employed in this class of type writers have
hitherto been of hard rubber or similar substance mounted on wood, or of some
material that forms a hard surface for the types to strike against. Such surfaces
are objectionable for various reasons, such as injury to the roller and to the types ;
the noise resulting from the constant striking of the types upon a hard surface
there being only the sheet of paper and the inking ribbon acting as a cushion; the
injury to the ribbon through being constantly jammed between the steel types and
the hard roller; the lack of resiliency owing to which the types return from
the roller by force of gravity only thus limiting the rapidity of action of the
machine; and the injurious action upon the nerves and muscles of the operator.
through striking an unyielding blow rapidly and continually for a long time.
The object of the invention is to remedy the above: defects in type writing
machines

page_text: The invention consists in the provision of a rubber platen surface and also of a
platen having a yielding surface made sufficiently firm by pressure of air forced
within the surface or cylinder by any well known means and retained under
sufficient pressure to give a surface that is sufficiently hard for printing purposes
and yet sufficiently yielding for the suppression of the above defects.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the outer covering of rubber adapted to be
applied to a platen or type writer printing roller. Fig. 2 is an end elevation
thereof.
Figs. 3 and 3 respectively a side and end view of an inflating cylinder.
Figs. 4 and 5 respectively a longitudinal section and a cross section through
line - of Figs. 3 and 4 of the inflating cylinder.
Figs. 6 and 7 respectively an outside and a sectional view of the metal parts of
said inflating cylinder or roller.
Figs. 8, 8, and 9 end views of the metal parts of the inflating cylinder.
Fig. 10 a longitudinal section of a hollow double cylinder pneumatic type writer
printing roller complete and
Fig. 11 a similar view of a hollow single cylinder pneumatic type writer printing
cylinder or roller.
1 is a hollow cylindrical outer covering having reduced or inwardly projecting
end rims 2 (Figs. 1, 10) strengthened on their outer face by a concentric moulding 3
over which the covers 4 fit, and with these and the discs 6 said outer covering is
held upon an inner inflating cylinder and a central metal tube 5 by means of
screws 7, the covers 4 and discs 6 being so adjusted upon the ends of the tube 5
that the covering 1 is stretched taut and firmly held at its ends.
11 is the inner inflating cylinder preferably made of light, thin, airtight material
and comprising an inner and an outer concentric cylinder, to fill when inflated, the
space between the tube 5, the outer covering 1 and the discs 6, a short inflating
tube 11" and check valve or cap 11° serving to hold the compressed air within the
inflating cylinder.
The somewhat modified construction shewn in Fig. 11 comprises the metal
tube 5, the end covers or discs 4 screwed thereon and a double walled hollow
pneumatic cylinder similar to that shewn in Fig. 4 having closed ends and an
inflating tube 14 and adapted to fit closely round the tube 5 and against the inner
faces of the discs 4, the ends 13" and periphery 13 being of greater thickness than
the inner periphery 13. The tube 5 and discs 4 may be carried on a spindle 16 in
the usual way. One of the discs 4 is provided with ratchet teeth for engagement
by a pawl in any suitable known way.
The construction of the pneumatic platen herein described may be varied in size,
shape, or otherwise, to suit the class of type writer to which it is applied and the
kind of work to be done. The outer surface of the covering 1 may be grained or
have a rough surface for preventing the rubber from becoming hard or glazed for
some time, and for holding the paper and preventing it from slipping. The outer
rubber covering may be strengthened with any suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A pneumatic platen consisting of a bed or roller inflated with air under
pressure to hold the paper whilst it receives the impression from the types of a
type writing machine, substantially as described and shewn.
2. As a new article of manufacture, a cylindrical cover of soft india rubber
having contracted end flanges and adapted to fit over or form the working surface
of a type writer roller, substantially as described and shewn.
3. A platen cylinder for type writing machines comprising a central tube
carrying end discs and a rubber cylinder supported on said discs, substantially as
described and shewn.

page_text: 4. A platen cylinder for type writing machines comprising the central tube, end
discs, a covering supported thereon and an inflating cylinder interposed between
said tube and covering, substantially as described and shewn.
5. A pneumatic cylinder for type writing machines comprising a central tube, a
double inflating cylinder and an outer cylindrical covering, substantially as
described and shewn.
6. A cylinder for type writing machines comprising a flexible pneumatic cylinder
an inflating tube with cap or check valve and a supporting tube, substantially as
described and shewn.
7. A cylinder for type writing machines comprising a central tube carrying end
discs, a rubber cylinder supported by said discs an inflating tube and a cap or
check valve, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 29th day of February 1896.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant