Improvements in Type-writers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writers.
I, CHARLES SPIRO of 129-131 Crawley Street, New York, in the state of New
York, in the United States of America, Merchant, 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 Type writers and has particular reference to an automatic
ribbon feed and an improved type bar bracket, the whole being an improvement upon
an invention disclosed in a previous patent No. 9491 dated 7 June 189. The
principal objects of the invention are to minimise the cost of manufacture and at the
same time retain all the advantages of the previous construction and secure others
in addition.
Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is principally a vertical section with parts in side
elevation, of the principal elements of a type writing machine in which are embodied
my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan of the pattern or blank of one of two ink ribbons
carrying standards, Fig. 3 is a plan of the ink ribbon guard which is applied to the
table portion of each standard. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet inetal pawl.
Fig. 5 represents in detail a portion of one of the standards and the pawl supporting
bolt or pivot. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a portion of a type-bar and its supporting
bracket. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the bracket and type-bar, the section line
passing through the centre of the pivot, and Fig. 8 is a plan shewing the ink ribbon
in position on the tables of the standards.
Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.
A, represents any suitable base. B, a key-lever. C, a universal bail extending
along under the entire series of key levers of the machine. D, the rod against which
the key-levers are drawn, by springs, E, so as to pivot on the rod D. F, represents
the platen of the machine, and G, the type-bar supporting platform mounted on
posts G', projecting upwardly from the base in front of the platen.
The universal bail, C, mounted on the cross-shaft, O', is extended towards the front
of the machine so as to admit of the attachments thereto of a ribbon standard on each
side thereof, in this instance by screws H₁ so that at each depression of a key an
oscillatory movement will be communicated to the upper end on the table portion of
each of the standards H for the purpose of throwing a portion of the ink ribbon
over the printing point X on the platen and between the platen and the type X', and
to do this at an instant before the type reaches the platen and to return or withdraw
the ink ribbon from said position so as to expose each and every impression of a type
immediately after it is made, and thereby render the machine capable of doing what
is known as "visible printing."
Each of the standards H, is of such a conformation as to be capable of manufacture
by the use of dies, thereby reducing the cost of manufacture. A suitable sheet of
metal is by dies or other convenient tools cut to the form shewn in Fig. 2, or is
substantially in said form; the blank is then folded on the dotted line Y, so as to
dispose the end of table portion at substantially a right angle to the body of the
standard. Preferably before such folding the standard is punched to form an oblong
hole H2, a slot H³ and a ribbon groove H, and if desired superfluous metal may be
removed by forming an opening H³, thereby reducing the weight and therefore the
momentum of the table when in operation.
I, Figs. 1 and 3, is the ribbon guard and tension spring which is secured to the
under surface of each of the tables by rivets I', passing through holes, H, formed in
the table and holes, 12, formed in the guard. The guard conforms in its outline in all
substantial respects with the table and has in addition thereto an extension, I³, which
rests leneath the ribbon as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8 and over the paper on

page_text: the platen, F, thereby preserving the paper from becoming smeared with ink and when
the ribbon J, is arranged in the slots, H³, and guides, "H, of the tables, the guards
being resilient, yieldingly press upwards against the ribbon, so as to clasp the same
between themselves and under the surface of the table and thus maintain the ribbon
in a smooth condition between the tables and at a point where the type comes in
contact therewith. The purpose of the slots, H, is to prevent buckling, the wrinkling
of the ribbon upon the tables in such movements thereof, as occur when the ribbon is
withdrawn from over the printing point.
K, represents an ink ribbon spool having operatively connected therewith a ratchet K¹.
There are two of these spools employed, one being arranged on each side of a
standard L, projecting upwardly from the base of the machine, and the operation is
such that when one spool is being employed to wind up the ribbon, the other spool
pays it out, and these functions of the spools are automatically changed, as hereinafter
described, when an end of the ribbon is reached, there being given to the ribbon a
step by step movement during the operation of printing. This movement is caused
by the action of a pair of pawls, M, only one of which is shewn. These pawls consist
of a piece of sheet metal having its heel, M' (Fig. 4) formed by bending a portion at
right angles to the body of the pawl. The heel is apertured, as at M², for the passage
of the pivot, and as at M³, for the reception of the end of a spring M, which is secured
to the outside of the standard, H, and has a tendency to keep the point of the pawl in
contact with the ratchet K¹.
N (Fig. 5) represents the pivot bolt which has a T-bar, N₁, on the under surface of
its head, N. This T-bar is shorter than the hole H2, in the standard, H, so that the
pivot may be fixed in the hole at different points to cause the pawl to travel over a
greater or lesser number of teeth of the ratchet, K¹, in order to adjust the distance of
the step by step movement of the ink ribbon. A nut, N³, is rabbeted to form the
bearing, N, on which the pawl, M, is mounted the end of the bar shutting against
the standard, H, and serving in connection with the threaded portion of the pivot bolt
to firmly bind the pivot in an adjusted position within the hole, H³. A tie-bar O,
is mounted in holes, O¹, formed in each standard and serves to preserve their
parallelism when they are mounted on the extension of the bail, C.
It now remains to describe the means employed for automatically throwing the
pawl M, out of contact with the ratchet K', and simultaneously throwing the
companion pawl into contact with the companion ratchet at the time when an end of
the ink ribbon is reached, or in other words when the inking ribbon is completely or
nearly unwound from one of the spools and wholly or nearly wholly wound upon the
opposite spool. To produce this operation the ribbon is made to pass over a wire, P,
which extends at right angles through and beyond the upright rod, Q, mounted in the
standard, L, a set screw P serving to retain the wire in the rod. This rod has a
flange or collar, P2, which rests upon the upper face of the standard. Near the lower
end of the rod, Q, there is another wire, R, extending at right angles to the rod, as
far as, and against the end of detents, R', which are pivoted, as at, R³, to the standard
and provided at their free ends with an incline, R³, and a notch, R, the latter adapted
to receive the wire, R, when the rod, Q, is turned by means of the wire, P, at its top.
A flat spring, R³, is secured to the lower end of the rod and extends beneath each of
the detents, R, and has a tendency to lift them. Immediately above the notch, R,
is the tooth, Re, of the detent which is intended to mesh with the teeth of the
ratchet, K', of the spool K which is serving to wind up the ink ribbon. In
Fig. 1 the spool, K, is represented in position to wind up the inking. ribbon, the
pawl, M, operating the ratchet at the top and the detent, R', preventing a back-
ward movement of the ratchet and spool. It will be noticed that the pawl, M,
is bent at M³, so as not to be thrown out of operation with the ratchet, K₁,
during the oscillations of the standards, H, while the wire, P, is in the position
shewn in Fig. 1. Now assume that the end of the ribbon is being approached, or
in other words that the ribbon is very nearly unwound from the opposite spool to that
shewn in Fig. 1, and it will be seen that a tension is exerted on the ribbon between
the spindle of the spool and the slot, H³, of the table opposite to that shown in Fig. 1,

page_text: and this tension takes effect on the end of the wire, P, opposite to that end shewn in
Fig. 1, to such an extent as to draw that end of the wire towards the platen and
consequently the opposite free end of that wire seen in Fig. 1, away from the platen
and against the under surface of the pawl, M, and at the point, M³, where it is bent,
so that said pawl is lifted out of operative position with the ratchet K'. At the other
end of the wire P, the opposite pawl is dropped into position with the opposite
ratchet, K'. Simultaneously the wire, R, at the lower end of the rod, Q, is swung
away from the platen up the incline, R³, and into the notch, R', whereby the
detent, R¹, and its tooth, R, are forced away from the ratchet, K', shewn in Fig. 1,
the spring, R, permitting the resulting depression of the free end of the detent. The
opposite end of the wire R, is removed from the notch of the opposite side and down
its incline, R³, so that the opposite end of the spring R5, lifts the detent into mesh
with the opposite ratchet. In this manner when either end of the inking ribbon is
reached, the direction of its step by step movement is automatically changed.
It now remains to describe the construction of the type-bar bracket, whereby
cheapness in manufacture and strength and long service are secured. The type bar S,
is bushed, as at S1, Figs. 6 & 7, with steel or any other desired long wearing material
and the bushing is countersunk to form a bearing in the nature of a socket on each
side. The bracket, T, is provided with a single standard T, which is bored, as at, T³,
for the reception of a screw or bolt and has raised on its inner surface an annular
bearing, T3, which is convex in cross-section in the nature of a ball-bearing and is
therefore adapted to fit the socket of the type bar.
U, represents the bolt or screw which fits the aperture, T*, in the single standard, T',
and which bolt is provided on the under surface of its head with a convex bearing, U¹,
adapted to fit the socket of the type bar. The bracket is slotted at its base, as
indicated by dotted lines, T4, in Fig. 7, for adjustable connection to the bracket
platform, G, by means of the screws, V. This platform is also apertured as at, G³, for
the passage of the wires or ligaments for a front series of type bars. Forming the
bracket with a single leg or standard gives access for the operation of machine tools
in the construction of the bearing. In all the various parts of the machine herein-
before described, dies and machinery for the construction of the parts can be used,
insuring not only cheapness of manufacture, but conformity and interchangeability of
parts.
One of the main features of the type-bar bracket is that a comparatively large stiff
screw or bolt, U, can be employed, while the bearing itself, the most sensitive part of
a type writing machine is large and capable of long service and is subjected to uniform
wear, whereby the alignment of the machine is rendered more permanent and not
affected by any irregularity of the under surface of the base of the bracket or of the
surface of the platform to which it is secured as the bars are subjected to a preparatory
jigging while in position on the platform to bring their bearings to a wearing
surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my 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, an ink ribbon carrier constructed of sheet metal and
secured to an extension of a bail arranged under the key levers, substantially as
specified.
2. The ink ribbon carrier made of two sheet metal standards, each bent at its top
to form a table for the ribbon, a ribbon guard secured to the under surface
of the table, pawls formed of sheet metal and pivoted to the standards and
ribbon spools and ratchets adapted to be operated by the pawls, substantially as
specified.
3. The standard having the oblong hole, the pawl, the T-headed bolt, and the
rabbeted nut on which the pawl is pivoted, whereby adjustment of the pawl may be
secured, substantially as specified.

page_text: S..
4. The type-bar bracket herein shewn and described, substantially as specified.
:
The detents formed of sheet metal and provided with the inclined notch, and the
tooth, in combination with the rod Q, having the wires, R, and, P, and spring,. R,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 98th day of November:1889
.S. S. BROMHEAD,...
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent: