Improvements in Type Writing Machines
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
A communication from abroad from Messrs. WYCKOFF, SEAMANS & BENEDICT,
of 327, Broadway, New York City, New York, in the United States of
America, a Corporation organised under the laws of the State of New York.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the firm of Fell & Wilding, of 1 Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, 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 means for locking and shifting the platen-carrier of
that type of machines known as the "Remington, No. 2," in which there is a
vibratory platen, and a series of type-bars provided each with a plurality of types.
In said machine, in the normal forward position of the platen one type of each set
of two is adapted to print, and in the abnormal or backward position of the platen,
the other type of the set is adapted to print.
The first mentioned types are known as "lower case," and the second mentioned
types as upper case.'
"
"
Heretofore, the platen has been shifted rearwardly by means of a key-lever, on
the left hand side, a connecting-rod, a hand-lever to which said rod is connected at
its upper end, and a spring also connected at its upper end to said lever, the
said hand lever being pivoted upon one of a pair of horizontally pivoted levers
supporting at their upper ends the shift-rod which is connected to the platen-
carrier by one or more yokes on the latter. To the other one of said shift-rod
levers is attached the upper end of another connecting-rod, whose lower end
is connected to another key-lever at the right hand side of the machine, the
two connecting-rods of the two key-levers being arranged on opposite sides
of the pivot or pivots of the shift rod lever, so that when the left hand key-
In the
lever is depressed, the right hand key-lever is elevated, and rice versa.
normal condition a depression of the left hand key-lever will effect a rearward
movement of the shift rod and platen-carrier against the tension of the spring,
which is located on the opposite side of the pivot or pivots of the shift rod from
that of the connecting rod, and upon releasement of said key-lever said spring will
operate to return all of the parts to their first positions. If it be desired to lock
the platen back for upper case work, the hand lever may be vibrated rearwardly,
and the spring caused to pull on the rear side of the pivot or pivots of the shift-
rod, and hence force the same and the platen carrier rearwardly and maintain them
in this position. While the platen is thus locked for upper case work it is often
very desirable and necessary to shift the same forwardly for the impression of some
lower case character, and heretofore this shift has been effected in either of two
ways; first, by moving the hand lever back to its normal position, thus throwing
the spring forward of the shift-rod pivot or pivots and after the impression of the
desired character returning said hand-lever and spring to their shifted positions, or,
secondly, by depressing the lever at the right hand side of the machine. This plan
of construction has been found in practice to be unsatisfactory in that it is rather
slow and confusing in operation.
This invention has for its main object to provide means whereby the platen may
be held or locked in either its norinal or abnormal position, and while thus locked
or held, by a single key, be shifted either backward or forward, according to the
locked position of the platen. In other words, if the platen is locked forward for
lower case work, a dépression of the finger-key will effect a rearward shift or
vibration of the platen, and if the platen is locked for upper case work by a
depression of the same key-lever the platen may be shifted or vibrated forwardly

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the impression of lower case characters, and in either case automatically
returned to its locked or first position after releasement of the lever by one or the
same spring.
This invention consists in the features of construction and 'combinations of
devices hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the
appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure is a side sectional view of so much of a Remington type writing
machine as is necessary to illustrate the improvements, the platen being shown in
its normal position.
Figure 2 is a partial front elevation of the same, the carriage portion and the
key-lever being removed.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the platen and the parts for
moving the same in the shifted or upper case position.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the shifting mechanism.
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of the lever to which the upper end of the
connecting-rod is attached; and
Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the lever to which the upper end of the
spring is connected.
In the several views the same parts will be found designated by the same
numerals of reference.
1 designates the main paper carriage, 2 the platen carrier adapted to slide
thereon in the usual way, 3 the platen, 4 the feed roll, and 5 one of the usual band
pulleys mounted on a shaft 6, which is connected to the platen-carrier. To said
shaft is attached, by an arm 7, a yoke 8, which embraces a shift-rod 9 mounted at
the upper ends of a pair of levers 10 and 11, which are secured to an elongated
pivot or rock-shaft 12 having bearings as usual in the main frame. The lever 10
is provided with an extension 13 below said rock-shaft to which is pivoted, at 14, a
lever 15, having a stud 16, over which is hooked the upper end of a connecting-
rod 17, connected preferably by a turn-buckle and strap to the key-lever 18
pivoted at 19 in the frame-work and provided at its forward end with a finger key
or head 20.
On the opposite side of the extension 13 is pivoted at 21 another lever 22, which
is provided at its upper end with a lateral stud 23, to which is connected either
directly or indirectly the upper end of a coiled spring 24, whose lower end is
attached either directly or indirectly to some stationary part of the machine or
frame-work as 25.
The lever 15 is provided with an arc-shaped slot 26, which embraces a screw-
stop 27 secured to the extension 13, and the lever 22 is also provided with an
arc-shaped slot 28, which embraces a screw-stop 29 also secured to said extension.
The lever 22 is provided with a handle portion 30 and with a depending arm 31
having an integral lateral projection 32, which engages with a slot or opening 33
in the lever 15 above its pivot, the lower portion of the extension 13 being cut
away or recessed at 34 to permit said projection to engage with the slot 33 of the
lever 15.
By referring to Figure 1, it will be observed that the stud 16 or point of
application of the finger power is on one side of the pivot 12 of the shift-rod 9, and
that the stud 23, or the point of application of the power of the spring 24 is
arranged on the opposite side of the pivot 12. The said spring having a downward
pull always and being of the requisite strength, operates to lock or hold the shift-
rod and the platen in their forward or normal positions, the levers 10 and 11
pressing against front stops 35 on the top-plate or frame-work 36. The said spring
also operates at this time to maintain the rear end of the slot 28 of the lever 22
against its stop 29 and the front end of the slot 26 of the lever 15 against its
etop 27 by reason of the connection between said two levers. Still referring to
Figure 1, it will be observed that if the key-lever be depressed the shift-rod
levers 10 and 11 will be vibrated rearwardly, due to the downward pull of the
**1
12

page_text: connecting-rod on the rear side of the pivot 12, until said levers strike against the
rear stops 37, on the top-plate or frame-work, and during this vibration of said
levers the shift-rod and the platen-carrier are moved rearwardly to bring the..
impression point of the platen to the center at which the upper case characters
strike. Upon releasing said key-lever the spring will operate to return all of the
parts to their normal positions, as shown at Figure 1.
If now it be desired to lock the platen in position for upper case work the
handle end of the switch lever 22 may be swung up to move the stud 23 to the
opposite or rear side of the pivot 21 in order that the spring may exert its force
in a direction to throw and hold the shift-rod and platen-carrier rearwardly. In
thus throwing up the handle end of the lever 22 to shift the stud 23, the said lever
by means of its connection with the switch lever 15 through the arm 31, pro-
jection 32, and slot 33, operates to simultaneously vibrate the lever 15, in an
opposite direction or forwardly to carry the stud 16 to the opposite side of the
pivot 12 of the shift-rod, as shown at Figure 3, in which position the levers 15
and 22 are held against undue vibration or movement under the influence of the
spring 24 by the pressure of the front end of the slot 28 against, its stop 29, and
the rear end of the slot 26 against its stop 27. It will be observed from Figure 3,
that while the shift-rod and piaten-carrier are thus locked or held rearwardly for
upper case work, the stud 16 is arranged in front of the line of the pivot 12, while
the stud 23 is arranged on the opposite side of the line. By reason of this
arrangement, we are enabled to shift the platen forwardly for lower case
characters without manipulating the hand lever 22 and by merely depressing the
key-lever 18 as before. Upon the depression of said key-lever, while the parts
are in the positions shown at Figure 3, the power is applied through the connecting-
ród on the front side of the shift rod in a downward direction, and hence said shift
rod and the platen carrier are forced to move forwardly against the tension of
the spring 24. Upon releasing the key-lever 18 the spring 24 will operate to
return all of the parts to the positions shown at Figure 3. Thus by the means.
shown and described if the platen carrier is locked for lower case work it may be
shifted rearwardly for the insertion of upper case characters by depression of a
key-lever and automatically returned upon releasement of said key-lever, and if
the platen-carrier is locked rearwardly for the performance of upper case work, it
may be moved forwardly for the insertion of lower case characters upon a depres-
sion of the same key-lever and may be automatically returned to its first position,.
and for the continuance of said upper case work upon releasement of said key-
lever.
For the proper working of this mechanism it is necessary that the two studs 16.
and 23, or the points at which the power of the key-lever and the spring are
applied be always on opposite sides of the shift rod pivot or axis of vibration, and
to accomplish this it is essential to make such a connection between said studs
that when one stud is moved in one direction the other stud is moved in the
opposite direction; or in other words, when the spring stud is shifted for upper
case work, the connecting-rod stud should always be shifted in the opposite
direction so that the connecting rod and key-lever may still oppose the spring..
The pull of the spring is always downward and to make the one spring keep the
shift rod either in the front or back position it is necessary to shift its stud either
to the front or back of the line of the pivot 12, and as the connecting-rod must
always oppose the action of said spring, it is necessary to move its stud simul-
taneously with the spring stud in an opposite direction, so that when the spring
stud goes backward the connecting-rod stud comes forward, and vice versa. By
reason of the connection between the two levers 15 and 22 by means of the
arm 31, projection 32, and slot 33, the arc of vibration of the lever 15 is some-.
what greater than that of the lever 22, which is desirable in order that the
stud 16 may stand at substantially the same distance from the line of the pivot 12,
whether the parts are held for lower or for upper case work.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a type writing machine, the combination. of a shifting platen-carrier, a
vibratory shift rod, a spring actuated lever, and a lever connected thereto and
also connected to the finger-key in substantially the manner and for the purposes
set forth.
2. In a type writing machine, the combination of a shifting platen-carrier, a
vibratory shift-rod, a lever, a spring applied thereto at one side of the axis of
vibration of the shift-rod, a second lever connected to the first mentioned lever, a
connecting-rod applied to the second mentioned lever on the opposite side of the
axis of vibration of the shift-rod, and means for moving upon said connecting-rod.
3. In a type writing machine, the combination of a shifting platon-carrier, a
vibratory shift-rod, a lever, a spring applied thereto on one side of the axis of
vibration of the shift-rod, a second lever, a finger-key connected to said second
lever on the opposite side of the axis of vibration of said shift-rod, and connecting
devices between said levers, whereby when the first mentioned lever is moved to
the opposite side of the axis of vibration of the shift-rod, the second mentioned
lever is simultaneously moved in the reverse direction.
4. In a type writing machine, the combination of a shifting platen-carrier, a
vibratory shift-rod, a lever provided with a handle, an arm, and a projection, a
spring connected to said lever on one side of the axis of vibration of the shift-
rod, a second lever provided with a slot for engagement of the projection of said
first mentioned lever and connected to a key-lever on the opposite side of the
axis of vibration of said shift rod, whereby when said handle portion is vibrated
the said levers are caused to cross each other, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
5. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen-carrier, a vibratory
shift rod mounted on a pair of levers, one of which is provided with a downward
extension, a lever pivoted to said extension and provided with a slot, a handle
portion, an arm, and a projection, and having a slot to embrace a stop on said
extension, a spring connected at one end to the stud, and at its other end to a
fixed portion of the machine, a second lever pivoted to said extension and provided
with a stud and an opening for the reception of said projection, and having a slot
embracing a stop on said extension, a rod attached to the stud of said second lever
at its upper end and connected at its lower end to a key-lever.
6. In a platen shifting mechanism, having a spring and a finger mechanism, a
pair of connected switch levers, one lever being connected to the spring, and the
other to the finger-mechanism, the whole being arranged to operate substantially
in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 24th day of January 1893.
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.