Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1891-Accepted, 23rd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE TYPE WRITING MACHINE COMPANY,
of 297, Main Street, in the City and County of Hertford, and State of
Connecticut, United States of America.]
Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to type writing machines, that is to say, hand operated
character-imprinting devices which are intended for, and capable of, successively
imprinting characters as desired upon the surface of any article which it is required
to print.
The machine of the present invention is particularly designed for directing or
otherwise marking packages, boxes, etc., the manner of use of the machine being
in some respects similar to that of a self inking hand stamp, and in the use thereof,
the machine is bodily taken to and placed over or upon the package or article to
be imprinted, and then whatever imprint or inscription is desired may be made at
the will and under the intelligent manipulation of the operator.
In carrying out this invention for the construction of the improved type writing
or character-imprinting machine, there is provided a carriage or support which is
suitably movable and guided, and to have a vertical movement on this carriage is
a frame which is spring supported, and is normally in a position elevated from the
surface which is to receive the imprint. A drum is rotatably mounted on said
frame, it having on its periphery a series of type or printing faces which, on the
rotation of the drum, may be successively brought into a proper position for
presentation to imprint the character denoted thereby upon the impression receiving
surface, when the drum-carrying frame is depressed. The depression of the drum-
carrying frame and also the turning of the drum on said frame is secured by a
vertical plunger-rod or shaft which has an engagement with said frame and which
is also geared to a suitable part or fixture of, or to, the drum. It is the turning of
said plunger which ensures the turning of the type-drum to bring the proper type
for presentation while it is the downward or axial movement of the said plunger-
shaft which secures the bodily depression of the frame and type-drum for ensuring
the impact of and printing by the type upon the package, box, etc.
There are feed devices applied in relation to the type-drum-frame and its
carriage so that the up and down movements of the frame on the carriage will
ensure forward step by step movements of the carriage and of the type-drum and
its supporting frame.
In order that the plunger may be rotated to the proper degree there is combined
therewith, or arranged in relation thereto, a dial and pointer, the dial having an
indication of characters thereon corresponding with, and in the same relative arrange-
ment as, those on the said type-drum.
Dated this 95th day of June 1890
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 improved type writing or character imprinting machine of the present
invention is particularly designed for directing or otherwise marking packages,
boxes, etc., the manner of use of the machine being as respects some of its features,
similar to that of a self inking hand stamp, and in the use thereof this machine is
bodily taken to and placed over or upon the package or article to be imprinted,
and then whatever imprint or inscription is desired may be made at the will and
under the intelligent manipulation of the operator.
The composition of the invention as to its broadest phase and also as to its minor
details and specific improved devices thereof will be more readily comprehended on
reference to the following detailed description (in connection with the accompanying
drawings) and on consideration of the terms of the subjoined claims.
In the drawings similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the views, and
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the printing machine with parts thereof broken
away for clearer illustration.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of said machine on two planes indi-
cated by the lines 2, 2, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine.
Figure 4 is a view in detail of a part of the propelling mechanism for the
machine to be hereinafter referred to.
Figure 5 is a perspective view to illustrate the guard at the bottom of the type
drum, the same being shown inverted.
In the drawings, B, represents the frame or carriage which supports the printing
devices and operating mechanism therefor consisting of an upper horizontal
platform, a, having opposing pending cheek-plates or pedestals, b, b, provided with
journals, d, on which the side wheels, D, D, are mounted, and by which wheels
the said carriage is supported, and rear and transverse portions e, e and f, uniting
said pedestals and strengthening the frame structure; and a roller E, supports the
rear end of the carriage, being disposed, normally, in the median, vertical longi-
tudinal plane of the machine and journaled in and between the members of a
stirrup frame g, which latter has an upwardly projecting spindle, 10, extended
through a vertical bearing, 12, in the middle of said transverse portion, f, of the
frame. Said spindle, above said transverse portion, f, is provided with a cross
pin, 13, or other form of shoulder between which and the upper side of said
transverse portion a spiral spring 14, is applied, the tendency of which is to
maintain said roller-carrying stirrup frame in its uppermost position.
On the upper transverse uniting portion of the stirrup is formed a horizontal
extension, 15, having a series of holes, 16, therein, arranged concentrically to the
said spindle. A rigid pin 17, projects downwardly from said rear portion of the
frame, and at a distance from the spindle corresponding to that of any of said holes
in the stirrup extension. When the said pin is in engagement in one of said holes
the roller will be confined in the normal vertical median plane of the machine, but,
on forcing downwardly on said spindle against its spring and disengaging the
perforated stirrup extension from the fixed pin 17, on turning the spindle, with its
extension and roller so that the plane of the latter is out of coincidence with said
median vertical plane of the machine, and then permitting, under the action of the
spring, said extension, by one of its perforations, to engage with the pin, the travel
of the machine in operation may be on a curve, as will more fully appear

page_text: hereinafter when the propelling mechanism for acting on the side wheels has been
described.
The said platform, a, which constitutes the upper intermediate portion of
the carriage, B, has a boss, h, extending downwardly, centrally therefrom, axially
chambered or socketed as at 9, and provided in its lower end with a shoulder or
seat, 18.
C represents a frame vertically movable on the carriage, B, consisting of vertical
legs, i, playing through vertical guiding ways, 19, in said pedestals, and the rigid
uniting cross-plate, j, at and between their upper ends. The said legs, i, of the
frame, C, extend below the lower ends of the pedestals, b, and have bearings, 20,
formed therein or supported thereon for a transverse axle, 22, on which the type
drum, G, is fixedly mounted for rotation therewith, said drum carrying the type, 23,
peripherally arranged thereon.
Disposed within and playing vertically through the said tubular socket of the
carriage frame, B, is a plunger shaft, k, which also passes through the cross-plate, j,
of the frame, C, having, however, no axial movement with relation thereto. The
said plunger-shaft is capable of a free vertical movement through the said socket, 9,
and also of a rotary movement therein, and the bearing for said plunger-shaft in
and through said cross-plate, j, of frame, C, is such as to permit of its free rotation.
A spiral spring, 24, rests on the seat, 18, in the bottom of the socketed boss,
encircling the plunger-shaft, and bears for an upward pressure against the under
side of the cross-plate, j. A circular horizontal dial, m, is fixed on the plunger-
shaft above the frame, C, said shaft thereabove being provided with a handle
knob, 25, for conveniently manipulating the machine.
A horizontal gear, 26, is fixed on the lower end of the plunger-shaft and to mesh
therewith, on the transverse type-drum axle, 22, is fixed a vertical gear, 27. The
type or impression faces, 23, to represent letters of the alphabet, numerals, punctua-
tion marks, and a short open space between two of the characters, are arranged in
proper rotation and alignment on the periphery of said drum with their tops and
bottoms towards the rear and front sides of the machine, as shown, and the circular
dial-plate, on its upper surface near its edge, has a similar indication, as shown
at 30, of the characters and space formed on the type drum and in corresponding
successive arrangement. 29 represents a stationary index pointer on the carriage, C,
overlying the rim of the dial-plate, m. Through the gearing between the plunger-
shaft and the type-drum axle described, and the corresponding relative arrangement
of the printing type on the drum and on the dial, when any particular character or
the space on the dial is so rotated as to be brought opposite the index pointer, 29,
the character or space corresponding thereto on the type-drum is also brought into
its lowermost or printing position, that is, in a vertical line projected through and
below the axis of the drum, and then on a forcing down, through the handle knob,
of the said frame, C, and of all the parts carried thereby, the said lowermost type
when properly inked may be made to leave its impression upon the paper, etc., with
and against which it is brought to a contact.
The types are to be of any suitable form and are preferably formed of rubber
molded on a single band which is secured on the periphery of the drum, and for its
inking a circular inking pad is arranged to bear on the peripherally arranged type-
face and to roll thereon and therewith when the drum, while in its normal or upper-
most position, is rotated; and as shown, from say the forward end of the platform
of the carriage frame B, is projected a spring arm, 32, extending forwardly and
downwardly, and on its extremity is centrally and pivotally mounted a disk, n,
comprising an inking pad bearing by a portion thereof at one side of its central
and pivotal point.
Through the spring bearing of said inking-pad disk, by an eccentric portion
thereof, on the face of the type-carrying drum, when said drum is rotated as before
described, different portions of its periphery are brought to the inking contact of
and by the disk, and said disk also rotates to present fresh inking surfaces to the
face of the type.

page_text: The rim of the type-drum is of a width greater than to simply include the height
of the type, and opposite and at the bottom of each character is a circular
perforation, 35. A rigid post, 36, stands on a bracket, 37, formed on the inside of
one of the pedestals, b, of the carriage B, and above and in a vertical plane inter-
secting the axis of the drum, the relation of the said post with the said holes being
such that when the dial has been turned to register the proper character, on the
downward forcing through the knob, 25, of the frame, C, and the printing drum,
the drum will then by one of its said rim-perforations, 35, pass over and about the
said post, 36, such post and perforation engagement, ensuring the drum against any
undue rotary motion, and a proper projection and presentation of the desired type
is assured.
A guard-plate, o, of thin metal is placed below the lower central portion of the
drum rim, having an aperture, 38, to permit of the imprinting therethrough of a
single type at one time and to guard the adjacent type from also imprinting. The
said guard-plate, a practical form of which is shown in Figure 5, and which comprises
besides the horizontal apertured plate, o, the vertical stem, 40, carrying said plate,
is supported on the machine for its most efficient operation by having its said stem
slightly movable in a suitable, vertical, tubular guide-way, 42, formed on and as a
downward continuation of one of the side legs, i, of the frame, C, see Figures 1
and 2, said tubular guide-way being vertically slotted in a portion of its length
as at 43, through which a stud, 44, projects and receives the downward recoil of a
spring suitably applied therefor, and the lower end of said slot, 43, acts as an
abutment to limit the downward projection of said guard, the same being normally
held in its lowermost presentation and at a slight distance below the face of the
lowermost of the peripherally arranged type, and thereby no impediment is offered
by the guard to the free rotation of the drum, but when on its rotation the suitable
type is in its lowermost disposition, on being pressed downwardly the said guard, o,
moves therewith until it is carried to contact with the imprint receiving surface,
when it remains stationary, the tubular guide for its stem moving downwardly upon
and over said stem and the drum to its contact by its selected type through said
guard aperture, the spring, shown at 45, is suitably applied to normally maintain
said stem, 40, to its lowermost extension with relation to the said guiding tube, at
such time being compressed.
A forward step by step motion is imparted to the carriage, B, at each downward
projection of the type-drum by mechanism as follows :-
The supporting side wheels, D, for the carriage, B, are both correspondingly
provided on their inner faces with horizontally extended pins, 47, the distance
between each being greater than the width occupied by a character on the drum so
as to afford suitable spaces between the characters in printing.
Attached on and to move with the frame, C, outside of the pedestals and parallel
with the legs, are plates, H, their attachment as shown, on said frame, being by
forming a short slot, 48, in the lower end of each plate which fits over the headed
stud, 49, on, and outwardly extended from the lower end of each leg, i, below the
pedestal; and the shoulder of a set-screw, 50, which screws into the end of the cross-
plate, j, of the frame, C, and by its head overlies and bears on the upper end of said
plate, H.
9 represents a pallet of sharp triangular form, by its base portion pivoted on said
plate, H, and adapted by the spring, 52, therefor, to be normally held in the oblique
position shown in Figure 1, its apex lying against an abutment lug, 53, on the
plate, H, and said triangular pallet is by its apex when the drum is raised to a
position somewhat above the nearest pin, 47, thereto of the side wheel, D, (such
relative position of the pallet and pin being shown in Figure 1). When the frame, C,
is depressed to cause the drum to print, as the pallet passes down it comes by its
inclined side, 54, in contact with the said nearest pin of the wheel and is thereby
forced forwardly against its spring until the apex passes below the pin when the
pallet is again forced to lie by its apex back against said abutment and the then
relative position of the pin and pallet is shown in full lines in Figure 4. The

page_text: impact of the type to print having now been made and the pressure released from
the knob, permitting the frame, C, to rise under the reaction of its spring, 2+, as
said pallet moves upwardly its other inclined side, 55, exerts a cam action upon said
pin, 47, the pallet being held against rearward movement by the abutment, 53,—
and the pin is forced forward to partially rotate the side wheel.
The length of upward movement of the frame, C, is such that before it is
completed the pin, 47, has been forced entirely across the forward extremity of the
pallet. It will be noticed that in so passing it will raise, and pass by, the point of
a spring click, r, the forward wall, 56, of which is substantially vertical, so that on
the next downward movement of the frame, C, and the pallet there will be no
liability of retrograde movement of the wheel, for it will be seen that on such next
downward movement of the pallet the said vertical wall of the click will present a
barrier against the reverse movement of the pin, accidental or otherwise. It will
also be noticed that when the pallet has moved upwardly to force the pin to the
forward extremity thereof any motion of said pin or rolling of the wheel, further
than that positively caused by the pallet as described, will be prevented by the
abutment lug, 60, on the forward edge of the plate, H.
To employ the machine embracing the form of propelling motion above described
for printing in straight lines, it is necessary, to secure practical and satisfactory
results, to have the pin and pallet mechanism duplicated, that is, one set thereof
provided at each side of the machine, but by removing the pallet carrying plate at
one side of the machine, which may be easily done under the set-screw attachment
thereof mentioned, and by turning the rear roller so that its median vertical plane is
at an angle to the median vertical plane of the machine proper, an arc shaped line
of printing may be obtained, the said roller, set at an incline, acting in the manner
of a rudder, freely speaking, to deflect the straight-forward travel of the machine,
for as will be understood, one wheel will be positively fed and will have an arc
movement, the other wheel moving in the arc of a smaller circle and acting more or
less as a fulcrum on which the larger wheel swings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A printing machine of the character substantially as set forth, comprising a
movable and suitably guided carriage or support, a rotatable type-drum carried
on a frame which is spring-supported and vertically movable on said carriage, a
vertically movable and rotatable plunger-shaft having an engagement with said
drum-carrying frame the same being geared to the type-drum thereon, whereby
on the turning of the said shaft the drum may be turned, for the purpose
set forth.
2. A printing machine of the character substantially as set forth comprising a
movable and suitably guided carriage or support, a rotatable type-drum carried
on a frame which is spring supported and vertically movable on said carriage, a
vertically movable and rotatable plunger-shaft having an engagement with said
type-carrying frame and geared to the type-drum thereof and provided with an
indicating dial and pointer and also having devices acting in conjunction with said
drum-frame and said carriage for ensuring on each depression of said plunger and
drum frame a forward movement of the carriage, for the purpose set forth.
3. A printing machine comprising therein in co-operative arrangement the
following instrumentalities viz. :-a suitable carriage, and wheels for supporting
saine, a frame spring supported and vertically movable on said carriage, a type-
drum rotatable on said frame and a gear mounted on the arbor of said drum, a
vertical plunger-shaft fixed for rotation in said vertically movable frame and
provided at one end with a handle knob and at its other with a gear meshing with
said drum gear, substantially as described.
4. A printing machine comprising therein in co-operative arrangement the

page_text: following instrumentalities, viz. -a suitable carriage and wheels for supporting
same, a frame spring supported and vertically movable on said carriage, a type-
drum rotatable un said frame and a gear mounted on the arbor of said drum, a
vertical plunger-shaft fixed for rotation in said vertically movable frame and
provided at one end with a handle-knob and at its other with a gear meshing with
said drum gear, and a mechanism actuated and controlled by the movement of said
frame and acting upon one of the carriage supporting wheels, to propel same, for the
purpose set forth.
5. A printing machine comprising therein the following instrumentalities, a
carriage and wheels for supporting same, a frame, spring supported and vertically
movable on said carriage, a type-drum rotatable on said frame and a gear mounted
on the arbor of said drum, an index pointer and a plunger-shaft fixed for rotation
on said vertically movable frame and provided at one end with a handle knob, at
its other with a gear wheel meshing with said drum gear, and having fixed thereon
a dial plate with an indication of characters thereon corresponding with and in the
same relative arrangement as those of said type-drum, and a mechanism actuated
and controlled by the movement of said frame and acting upon one of the carriage
supporting wheels, for the purpose set forth.
6. A printing machine consisting of a carriage comprising a horizontal platform
and opposing pedestals each having journal bearings, and rearward and transverse
portions, two side wheels mounted in said journals and a roller centrally mounted on
and supporting said rear portion of the carriage, a frame spring supported and
vertically movable on said carriage, a type-drum rotatable on said frame and a gear
mounted on the arbor of said drum, a vertical plunger-shaft fixed for rotation in
said vertically movable frame and provided at one end with a handle knob and at
its other with a gear meshing with said drum gear, substantially as described.
7. In a printing machine, the combination with the carriage and the supporting
side wheels one or both provided with the teeth or pins, 47, and a rear wheel or
roller, of the frame C, spring supported and vertically movable on said carriage,
and one or more wheel rotating devices on one or both side portions of said frame
and adapted to operate on said wheel pins, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
8. In a printing machine, the combination with the carriage and the supporting
side wheels, one or both provided with the teeth or pins, 47, and a rear wheel or
roller, of the frame, C, spring supported and vertically movable on said carriage,
one or more wheel rotating devices on one or both portions of said frame and
adapted to operate on said wheel pins, and a spring click for each pallet, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
9. The combination with the wheeled carriage, B, of the frame, C, spring
supported and vertically movable thereon having a rotatable type-drum and a gear
mounted on the axle thereof, a vertical plunger-shaft fixed for rotation in said
vertically movable frame provided at one end with a handle knob and at its other
with a gear meshing with said drum gear, and a spring arm by one end attached on
said frame and an inking disk centrally pivoted on the other end of said spring arm
and bearing eccentrically on the periphery of the type-drum, substantially as
described.
10. In a printing machine substantially as described, the combination with the
vertically movable frame, C, provided with a guide-way, of an apertured guard
plate, o, having a stem fitting in said guide-way and a spring for maintaining said
guard depressed and an abutment to limit the downward depression of said guard,
for the purpose set forth.
11. In a printing machine substantially as described, the combination with one of
the legs,, of the vertically movable frame and the tubular guide-way, 42, thereon
provided with the slot, 43, of the guard comprising the apertured plate o, and the
stem, 40, which plays through said tubular guide-way and is provided with the
stud 44, movable in said slot and the spring 45, as described and shown.

page_text: 12. The combination with the rear extension of the frame B, provided with the
vertical bearing socket, 12, and the pin, 17, of the stirrup frame having the
perforated extension, 15, and the spindle, 10, a roller carried by said stirrup frame
and the spring applied on said spindle, and all substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1891
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.