Improvements in Embossing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Embossing Machines.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Thomas Corwin Orndorff of Worcester
in the County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts United States of America)
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The machine in which the present invention comprised is one which while
adapted for use in any connection where it would be useful for embossing
purposes is intended primarily for the production of embossed reading-matter for
the blind; and it is particularly designed to form the embossings in parallel lines
upon a sheet of paper.
"
The machine shewn in the main figures of the accompanying drawings, is one
intended to emboss characters in accordance with what is known as the "Braille
system, a system under which the letters or characters are formed from various
combinations of one or more of six dots or embossings arranged in two parallel lines
of three dots each, these lines being vertical or at right angles to the line of
embossed characters which form words and sentences.
With some modifications, which also are illustrated and are hereinafter referred
to, the machine can also be used for embossing characters in accordance with what
is known as the "New York point" system, a system under which the letters or
characters are formed from various combinations of one or more of six dots or
embossings arranged, like the Braille, in two parallel lines of three dots each, these
lines, however, unlike the Braille, being horizontal or parallel with the line of
embossing or printing. The machine involves, generally speaking, the employment
of six character levers or keys and a space lever or key; six punches or embossers
arranged in two parallel lines of three each; an anvil against which the punches or
embossers operated by the character keys act; a step-by-step feed-movement in
the direction of the line of printing or embossing actuated by both the character-
keys and the space-key; a feed for the paper (which I will presume is the material
to be embossed) in the direction of its length, so that, after one line of embossing
has been completed, a fresh portion of the paper sheet can be presented for the
formation thereon of another line of embossing a lock against the return of the
carriage, which is separate from, and forms no part of, the carriage-feed mechanism
but which is so connected, or placed, in such operative relation to the paper-feed
rolls, or their operating-lever, that after it once locks the carriage, it can be
operated to release the same by the feed-rolls, or their lever only, when the rolls
are moved to feed the paper; and, if desired, a bell, or equivalent mechanisin, which
indicates to the operator when the step-by-step feed has advanced the paper near to
the end of each line embossing.
The machine in its detail of organization can best be explained and understood
by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a plan of the machine, with the anvil and its supporting goose-neck
partly broken away and partly in section, and with the sheet-supporting table also
partly broken away.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the punch block or guide, representing,
also, the bell and the portion of the sounder adjacent thereto.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the machine, with the feed-rolls and the paper-
roll broken away.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the machine from that end at which the feed appliances
are situated.

page_text: Figure 5 is an enlarged top plan, partly in section, of the keys or levers, their
fittings, and a portion of the base of the frame, the ways on which the paper-carriage
travels from end to end of the machine being broken away to more fully, disclose
the keys.
Figure 6 is a rear elevation of that portion of the machine containing the punches
or embossers, their opposing anvil, and the keys for operating the said punches or
embossers.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are views of modified parts intended for the New York point
system, which will be hereinafter more particularly referred to.
I shall first describe the machine represented in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive.
A is the supporting-frame of the machine and B is a carriage, which slides
lengthwise in ways a of the frame and carries the feed-rolls C and the paper-roll D,
which is a spindle supported in open hearings in the carriage and having on it the
roll of paper or material to be embossed.
E is the punch-block or guide fixed to the frame A, and F is its anvil supported
by a goose-neck FI, secured to the frame.
The paper drawn from the roll D passes between the rolls C and between the
anvil F and block E, and its free end is supported by the table T, fixed to the
frame.
C
The punch-block contains six vertical perforations p, arranged in two parallel
lines which are at right angles to the path of movement of the carriage B. In each
perforation is contained, loosely, a punch or embosser 6, each of which at its lower
end rests upon the inner end of its particular character-key lever G, these six keys,
together with a space lever or key H, being hung on an axle or pivot in the
frame, and near the said pivot move between guides c¹, which assure their proper
movements and prevent their lateral displacement. By depressing any one or more
of the character-keys the particular punch or punches which it or they operates or
operate will thereby be lifted against the anvil (which on its under face has six
slight concavities or recesses corresponding to the punches) and so will emboss the
paper between them and the anvil.
The lateral feed of the paper necessary in order to form a line of embossing is
effected by the carriage B, which for this purpose has a step-by-step movement,
and such movement is brought about by the keys, each of which (including the space
key) is capable of imparting said movement to the carriage. The mechanism for
this purpose is as follows:
Under the keys or levers in front of their pivot is the vibratory yoke I, which is
hung on the same axis with the keys, and is pressed up against them by a
spring I'
Additional springs 12 are used, one for each character-key, the object of these
being to prevent any one of these keys from dropping unless it is individually
depressed by hand. This provision, however, is not required for the space-key,
because it controls no punch or embosser. Under this arrangement it will be seen
that whenever any one of the keys is depressed the yoke I will be correspondingly
depressed.
The yoke I, by a link d, is connected to an arm d', mounted to vibrate upon a
horizontal cylindrical stud 2, fast to a vertical standard 3, fixed to the frame A.
The arm carries a spring-pressed pawl e, which engages with teeth or pins fon
the inner edge of a spur wheel J, mounted to revolve on the stud d and engaging
with a rack B on the carriage B. Thus when the yoke I is depressed, as it will be
by the act of depressing a key in order to emboss the paper, the pawle will be
pulled down to engage a fresh pin or tooth on the spur-wheel J, and then when the
key is released the spring 1 throws the yoke up, with the effect of raising the pawl
and consequently of partially revolving the spur-wheel, which will cause the
carriage to travel a corresponding distance, the advance in each case being a
distance in accordance with that between one tooth f of the spur-wheel and the next
tooth. To prevent the pawl from throwing the wheel more than the prescribed
distance at each stroke, a spring-pressed detent e' is provided, mounted upon a

page_text: plate e, fixed to the stud d². The detent is connected by a link e² to the arm d¹ or
its pawl, so that when the arm is pulled down by the yoke the detent will be pulled
back out of engagement with the wheel. A pin or stud f', fixed to plate ³, is
provided, against which the free end of the pawl (when the yoke is fully pressed
down) will bear sufficiently to be lifted out of engagement with the toothed wheel,
thus allowing the carriage to freely run back again by hand to the place of
beginning.
In this system it will be noted that by the action of each character key
the space required between the letters or characters which form any one word
is secured. The space-key is used only to space one word from the next.
The key or combination of keys depressed to form the last letter of any one
word will of itself feed the carriage one tooth, (which is the distance between
successive characters of the same word,) and then by operating the space-key a feed
of an additional tooth is obtained, this distance-viz., one equal to two feed teeth
being the distance between successive words. The feed-rolls C are those which are
used to feed forward the paper a distance equal to that which should intervene
between one line of embossing and the next. In order to thus actuate them at the
desired time, there is mounted loosely upon the axis of one of them (in the drawing
shewn as being the lower one of the two rolls) a hand-lever C', which by a spring-
pressed pawly engages a ratchet g¹, fixed on the axle of the roll, the arrangement
being such that when the lever is thrown forward the pawl will engage the ratchet
and thus correspondingly revolve the feed-roll, and when the lever is drawn backward
the pawl will ride over the ratchet without imparting movement to it.
It is essential in an instrument of this character for the blind that means should
be provided for compelling the operator to give the forward feed to the feed-rolls
before beginning a fresh line of einbossing. Otherwise it might happen by reason
of forgetfulness or from other causes, that the carriage would be brought back to
the starting point and embossing recommenced without the forward feeding, and in
this event the operator, unable to see, would merely superimpose one set of emboss-
ments upon another on the same line. To prevent this a lock is provided which
after the carriage has travelled a certain portion of its course engages the frame in
such manner as to prevent the return of the carriage to the starting-point, and this
lock is so connected to the roll or paper-feed that it cannot be disengaged, except
by the movement of the feed-lever needed to produce the requisite feed of the
paper.
Various devices for this purpose can be employed. One simple means for the
purpose is shewn in the drawings. It consists of a vibratory bar K, pivoted at 5,
to the top of the carriage-base. It is provided with a locking-shoulder k, a reduced
outer end which reaches out as far as the plane of vibration of the roll-feed
lever C¹, and an arm or extension k², to which a spring is attached, which spring
at its other end is attached to the carriage and tends to draw the lock-bar toward
and against the adjoining face of the punch-block (which in this case is the stationary
part) to be engaged by the locking shoulder k, although any other conveniently
situated stationary part would answer the purpose. The reduced outer end of the
bar K carries at its extremity a lug or projection *, (see Figure 4). Upon the
shorter arm of the lever C' is a hook which when the lever is thrown forward to
effect the feed of the paper is adapted to engage the projection and to retract
the vibratory lock-bar K against the pull of its spring 3.
The operation is as follows: When the carriage is in starting position, (at the
extreme right of the machine,) the straight edge of the locking-bar is opposite to
the adjoining face of the punch-block. During the step-by-step movement of the
carriage to the left this condition is maintained until the carriage has nearly reached
the end of its course, at which time the locking-shoulder k passes beyond the block,
and then (by reason of the clearance of the bar behind the shoulder) the bar by its
spring is pulled over, so as to bring the shoulder k into the path of the block,
as seen in Figure 1. So long as the parts are in this position it is impossible to
return the carriage to the starting-point. The lock thus formed can only be broken

page_text: by the lever C, which when thrown forward will at its inner end engage the lock-
har and retract it far enough to allow the shoulder to clear the block-but in
thus moving the lever the rolls C have been caused to feed the paper, and conse-
quently when the carriage is returned to its starting point the paper
in proper
position to receive a fresh line of embossings.
In order to notify the operator when the carriage has nearly run its course, a
bell and hammer may be provided. A convenient arrangement for this purpose
is to fix the bell L to the punch-block, Figures 1, 2 and 6, and to attach the hammer
to the lock-bar. The hammer consists of a head m, attached to a thin flexible
spring-strip m³, secured to the lock bar. When the locking-shoulder k snaps past
the punch-block, the sudden inward movement of the lock-bar throws the hammer-
head inward and so sounds the bell. Thus the bell does not sound until after the
carriage has been locked against retraction.
In the machine thus far described, and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, the embossers
are arranged in two parallel lines of three each, these lines being at right angles
with the path of feed movement of the carriage, and this arrangement fully meets
the needs of the Braille system, and renders it possible to emboss any of the
characters of that system: but in the case of a system, such as the New York
point system, a different arrangement must be employed. That system in order to
emboss under it by means of a machine such as I have described requires six several
punches or embossers arranged in two parallel lines of three each, as is required in
the Braille system; but these lines must be parallel with, instead of at right angles
to, the path of movement of the carriage. The re-arrangement of the embossers and
keys to adapt them to the needs of this last-named system is simple and easily
accomplished. All that would be required would be to turn the punch-block
in a horizontal plane ninety degrees from the position it occupies in Figure 6. so
as to bring the two rows of embossers parallel with the path of movement of the
carriage, as indicated in Figure 9, which is a sectional plan of the punch-block,
with arrows indicating the direction of movement of the carriage, and the inner
ends of the character-levers would be correspondingly changed in position, so that
each, as before, is under its appropriate embosser; but the carriage-feed in
Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, could not well be used with the parts thus modified, if
uniform spaces between letters or characters making up a word were to be pre-
served, and such uniformity of spacing is very necessary:-For example, (referring
to the embossers in Figure 9, which are numbered from 1 to 6, inclusive) in the
New York point system the letter “[ is formed by the combination of embossers I
and 2, the letter "L" by numbers 1, 2, and 3, and the letter "Z" by numbers 1, 3,
4, 5 and 6. Manifestly after forming the letter "L" by the simultaneous action
of the embossers 1, 2 and 3 it would be necessary to feed the carriage farther, in
order to preserve the same space between that letter and the next, than it would
to form the letter "I," and after forming the letter "Z" it would be necessary to
feed the carriage farther than it would be after forming the letter "L." To obtain
this result the feed-yoke I is so constructed that some of the character-keys will
impart more movement to it than others. This will be understood by reference to
Figure 7, which is a front elevation of the modified yoke with the character and
space keys in section. The character-keys are numbered to correspond with the
numbered embossers in Figure 9. The varied range of movement of the yoke is
obtained by forming that part of it which is struck by the character-keys when
depressed with three steps,,. Over the lowest step a are placed keys 1 and 2,
which require the least feed movement in order to obtain a given space between
one letter and the next of a word. Over the middle step y are placed the keys 3
and 4, which require a somewhat greater feed movement to preserve the spacing
between the letters, and over the highest step are placed the keys 5 and 6, which
require for this purpose the most extensive feed movement. The space-key is
placed over the middle step y. Under this arrangement it will be seen that the
vement of the yoke is varied according to the character-keys used. It will be
more or less depressed according to the step which is pressed on, and by this

page_text: means the stroke of the feed-pawl controlled by the yoke will be correspondingly
varied. To meet these changed conditions of movement of the feed-pawl, I corre-
spondingly increase the number of feed pins or teeth on the spur-wheel J, as
indicated in Figure 8 which is a face view of the spur wheel thus modified so that
while the throw of the pawl will be in accordance with that step c, y, or, of the
yoke which is pressed on by a key it will always find a tooth with which it will
at once engage without lost motion. With these modifications (described by
reference to Figures 7 to 9) the machine will be adapted to emboss under the
New York point system. In other respects it can remain the same as illustrated
in Figures 1 to 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
1. The combination of the carriage and mechanism for actuating the same, the
feed rolls, the lever for actuating the said rolls to feed the material to be embossed,
and the lock, separate from, and independent of, the carriage-actuating mechanism,
whereby the carriage is prevented from returning, operated by the feed-roll lever
to release the carriage and permit its return to the starting-point at the time and
in the manner substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. The combination of the embossing mechanism, the carriage, mechanism for
imparting to the carriage a step-by-step movement of progression, connected to,
and operated by, the embossing mechanism, a lock separate from, and independent
of, the carriage actuating mechanism to prevent the return of said carriage, feed-
rolls mounted on the carriage, and a feed-roll lever, which when moved to cause
the rolls to feed operates the lock to release the carriage, substantially as and for
the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
3. The punchers or embossers arranged in two rows of three each, the opposed
anvil for the same, the character keys or levers, one for each embosser, and
the space-key, in combination with the carriage and step-by-step feed mechanism
for the same, actuated by the said keys or levers, and the feed rolls mounted on
said carriage, the feed-roll lever, and the lock separate from and independent of
the carriage-feed mechanism and connected to and operated by the feed-roll lever,
these parts being constructed and arranged together for joint operation in the
manner herein before set forth.
4. The general arrangement of parts constituting the embossing machine herein-
before described whether it be constructed as described with regard to Figures 1
to 6 or with the modifications described with reference to Figures 7, 8 and 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of June 1899
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.