IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL WRITING INSTRUMENTS APPLICABLE FOR REPORTING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Sofus Emil Holten, of Gracechurch Street,
in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANICAL WRITING INSTRUMENTS APPLICABLE FOR REPORTING AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
- A communication from abroad by Rasmus Malling
Hansen, Chaplain to the Deaf and Dumb Institute, and C. P.
Jürgensen, Mathematical Instrument Maker, both of Copenhagen,
in the Kingdom of Denmark.
-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sofus Emil Holten at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th March 1872.
I, SOFUS EMIL HOLTEN, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
3 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANICAL WRITING INSTRUMENTS APPLICABLE FOR REPORTING AND OTHER PUR-
POSES," (a communication to me from abroad by Rasmus Malling Hansen,

page_text: Chaplain to the Deaf and Dumb Institute, and C. P. Jürgensen,
Mathematical Instrument Maker, both of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom
of Denmark,) to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to report, by printing in full or by
any suitable shorthand system, speeches or other oral or other com-
munications.
For this purpose I employ a half-spherical ball of a shape resembling
the so-called writing ball, as described in the Specification of the British
Patent, dated 14th May 1870, Number 1385; but instead of the pistons
which pass through the writing ball meeting below as radii to one
common centre, I arrange them so that their bottom points or ends
stand in a straight line or in two or more straight lines, but so that the
points of one line do not come transversely opposite the points of another
line.
It must here be observed that although for convenience of working
the aforesaid pistons are preferred to be arranged in and on the said
writing ball, as described, they might also be placed differently; for
instance, as passing through a round or other shaped piece flat at the top.
The pistons have each a knob at the top marked with a letter of the
alphabet, or a number or other sign, and are each supported by a spring.
The bottom of each piston forms a blunt point. On depressing the
pistons against a band of white papert hey form impressions or indents in
the same without making holes through it, and if the paper is stationary
all the impressions are in as many straight lines across the same as there
are rows of pistons.
The white paper band is prepared so as to conduct electricity by any
ordinary and well-known means, and is by suitable clockwork mechanism
propelled in a direction perpendicular to the row or rows of pistons in
the writing ball.
A series of stationary metal points, equal in number to the number of
pistons in the writing ball, is arranged in a diagonal direction under the
white paper band, so that the impressions or indents made in the same
during the movement of the white paper band coincide with and touch
the said metal points. Each of the latter is in connection with an
electro-magnet, the keeper or armature of which at its prolonged end
carries a type corresponding with the letter, number, or other sign

page_text: marked on the knobs of the writing ball pistons. When the electro-
magnets attract the keepers the types on the same make impressions on
one edge of the white paper band through the intervention of a coloured
or carbonized strip of paper or other suitable substance, moved on the
top of the white paper band by means of the clockwork in a direction by
preference perpendicular to that of the white paper band, which latter is
connected to one pole of an electric battery. The metal points and the
electro-magnets are connected to the other pole. The white and the
coloured paper band are each passed over suitable rollers, which keep
them in a stretched condition while they are both being moved forward.
The electro-magnets are arranged in one or more rows, and by pre-
ference in two half circular rows, one on each side of the white paper
band, but so that all their type ends stand in a row along one edge of the
white paper band. The aforesaid row or rows of piston points and the
type ends of the keepers are thus arranged at right angles to each other,
the former across the white paper band and the latter along one edge of
the same. They are equal in number, and the letters, numbers, or other
signs of one system correspond with those of the other system, and start
from a converging point in the same order, thus A, B, C, and so on in
one system starting from the same point as A, B, C, and so on in the
other system.
The indents or impressions formed in the white paper band by the
depression of the pistons are brought in contact with the fixed metal
points under the paper as the latter is moved along. The corresponding
electro-magnets are thereby brought into action, and the types on their
keepers impressed on the white paper band.
Instead of the clockwork the paper band may be actuated by electro-
magnetism.
When leaving out the metal points, the electro-magnets, and the
keeper types, the apparatus may also be used for reporting purposes.
The white paper band is then by preference provided with as many
division lines as there are pistons in the writing ball. Each piston
makes then its impression on its own division, and should have types
instead of blunt points.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Sofus Emil Holten in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SOFUS
EMIL HOLTEN, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Sofus Emil Holten, Her special licence
that I, the said Sofus Emil Holten, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Sofus Emil Holten, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANICAL WRITING INSTRUMENTS APPLICABLE FOR REPORTING AND OTHER PUR-
POSES," (a communication to me from abroad by Rasmus Malling Hansen,
Chaplain to the Deaf and Dumb Institute, and C. P. Jürgensen,
Mathematical Instrument Maker, both of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom
of Denmark), upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Sofus
Emil Holten, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sofus Emil Holten, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:
The object of this Invention is to report, by printing in full or by

page_text: any suitable shorthand system, speeches or other oral or other com-
munications.
For this purpose I employ a half-spherical ball of a shape resembling
the so-called "writing ball," as described in the Specification of the
British Patent, dated 14 May 1870, Number 1385, but instead of the
pistons which pass through the "writing ball" meeting below as radii to
one common centre, I arrange them so that their bottom points or ends
stand in a straight line or in two or more straight lines, but so that the
points of one line do not come transversely opposite the points of another
line.
re
It must here be observed that although for convenience of working.
the aforesaid pistons are preferred to be arranged in and on the said
*writing ball,” as described, they might also be placed differently; for
instance, as passing through a round or other shaped piece flat at the
top instead of being a half sphere there, or they might be arranged as
ordinary keys for pianos.
The pistons have each a knob at the top marked with a letter of the
alphabet, or a number or other sign, and are each supported by a spring.
The bottom of each piston forms a blunt point. On depressing the
pistons against a band of white paper they form impressions or indents
in the same without making holes through it, and if the paper is sta-
tionary all the impressions or indents are in as many straight lines across
the same as there are rows of pistons.
The Drawing shews plan of an instrument according to this Inven-
tion, but the "writing ball" in connection therewith is not shewn.
E is the white paper band, which by any ordinary and well-known
means is prepared so as to conduct electricity. This band E is by
suitable clock mechanism W through the spindle S and roller D pro-
pelled in a direction perpendicular to the row or rows of pistons in the
"writing ball," and in this case rolled off a drum K. The place of
these said pistons is here marked or indicated by one row of dots from
A to B.
A series of stationary metal points, equal in number to the number of
pistons in the "writing ball," is arranged in a diagonal direction under
the white paper band E, as indicated by the dots C, C, so that the
impressions or indents made in the white paper band during its move-

page_text: ment coincide with and touch the said metal points C, C. Each of
the latter is in connection with an electro-magnet F, the keeper or
armature H of which at its prolonged end H' carries a type corre-
sponding with the number or other sign marked on the knob of the
corresponding "writing ball" piston. When one of the keepers H is
attracted by its electro-magnet the type on the end H¹ of such keeper
makes an impression on one edge (in this case the upper) of the white
paper band E through the intervention of a coloured or carbonized strip
of paper, moved on the top of the white paper band by means of a
spindle T from the clockwork W and suitable rollers G, G, in a direction
by preference as here shewn perpendicular to that of the white paper
band, which latter is connected to one pole of an electric battery. The
metal points indicated by the dots C, C, and the electro-magnets F, F,
are connected to the other pole. The white and the coloured band are
then each passed over suitable rollers, as shewn and described, which
rollers keep the bands in a stretched condition while they are both
being moved forward, as here shewn, in directions perpendicular to each
other.
The electro-magnets are arranged in one or more rows, and by pre-
ference in two half circular rows, as here shewn, one on each side of the :
white paper band E, but so that all the type ends H³, H³, of the keepers
or armatures stand in a row along one edge (here shewn as the upper
edge) of the white paper band. The aforesaid row (or rows) of pistons,
here indicated by the dots in the line A, B, and the type ends H¹ of the
keepers are thus arranged at right angles to each other, the former:
across the white paper band E, and the latter along one edge, here the
upper edge, of said band. They are equal in number, and the letters,
numbers, or other signs of one system correspond with those of the other
system, and start from a converging point in the same order; thus
A, B, C, and so on in one system starting from the same point as a
A, B, C, and so on in the other system.
The indents or impressions formed in the white paper band by the
depression of the pistons of the "writing ball "are brought in contact
with the fixed metal points C, C, under the paper as the latter is moved
along. The corresponding electro-magnets F are thereby brought into a
action, and the types on their keepers H, H³, impressed on the white
paper band, in this case along the upper edge of same.
The letters, numbers, or signs on the writing-ball pistons and on the

page_text: raised or sunk.
The printing may be done on a piece of paper wound round a cylinder,
or on a piece of paper mounted in a flat movable frame.
A piece of inking paper may be used instead of the coloured band
as here described; or the types on the electro-magnet armatures may be
inked.
The white paper band may either have a continuous motion or an
intermittent motion corresponding with the motion of the writing-ball
pistons.
The white paper band may be divided into two strips, one which
receives the indents from the pistons of the writing ball, and the other
which receives the type impressions.
The pistons of the writing ball may be arranged in the same way
as the fixed points under the white paper band are here, arranged.
When the latter are shifted to the same place where the letters stand
now, the band which receives the indents may be moved towards that
row of letters; while another paper band, which is to receive the type
impressions, is moved in the same direction as the white paper band
on the Drawing. One direction of motion is then perpendicular to the
other.
Instead of the paper band which receives the indents herein described,
the contact may be produced in certain places and in certain moments
by bodies which, when actuated by the writing-ball pistons, are made to
move in a straight line or round a circle.
Instead of arranging the afore-described apparatus as one combined
apparatus, it may be separated into two distinct apparatus, one of which
serves to produce the indents in the white paper band, and the other
to produce the print impressions on the said band when drawn
through it.
The paper bands may be actuated or moved by suitable electro-
magnetic apparatus instead of by the clockwork W.
When leaving out the metal points C, C, the electro-magnets F, F,
and the keeper types H', H', then the apparatus may still be used for
reporting purposes. The white paper band E is then by preference pro-

page_text: writing
VITA WIL as many unvision HIS 25 CHOI Art pistons in the
ball." Each piston then makes its impression on its own division, and
ought to have types instead of blunt points.
I claim,―
Firstly. The mode, and means herein described and illustrated by the t
accompanying Drawings for making indents in a piece of paper and for
printing on the same or on another piece of paper for reporting, and
other purposes, all substantially as described.
Secondly. The application of the "writing ball" modified as described.
or equivalent means to the apparatus herein described with reference 1
to the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The application of the "writing ball" modified as described
to the direct printing on a piece of paper, substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before set forth or any mere modification thereof.
Fourthly. The application of the "writing ball" modified as described 1
or equivalent means to produce the indents by one part of the herein-
described apparatus while the printing is done by another part of the
herein-described apparatus, the two parts being separate from each
other.
Fifthly. The various combinations, modifications, and adaptations 2
herein described for the purposes named.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sofus Emil Holten, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
PETER JENSEN,
Patent Agent,
89, Chancery Lane.
SOFUS EMIL HOLTEN. (L.S.)