Improved Manifold Writing Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Manifold Writing Apparatus.
I, ALFRED JAMES LIMEBEEK, of 27 Brandon Road, Wood Street, Waltham-
stow, Essex, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a certain new and useful apparatus for writing and
making copies of letters, briefs, and the like simultaneously, thereby saving time,
labour and consequent expense.
By this invention I provide four or more vertical standards which are mounted
upon a suitable writing slab. These said standards support at or near their upper
ends four rods which are arranged parallel to each other, two on one side and two
on the other side of a metal frame. This frame is preferably rectangular and may
consist of a flat piece of metal having its centre portion cut out for the sake of
lightness. At each end of this frame four rollers are secured upon pivots, and
which rollers are grooved and adapted to engage the four rods aforesaid, and thus
allow the frame to travel along them. Two or more hangers depend from each
side of this frame and carry at or near their lower ends a metal rectangular frame
which projects horizontally over the writing slab. This frame is suitably con-
structed of light metal, its front and rear portion being united by Jinks which have
their ends pivoted to the front and rear of the frame respectively. This arrange-
ment allows the frame to be moved in a manner similar to a parallel ruler.
The frame carries at its front side two, three, or more simple devices for retaining
penholders carrying pens. These said penholders are constructed preferably with
light springs which enable the pens to give to any slight unevenness of the writing
slab or paper placed thereon. The centre penholder is longer than the other
holders and is adapted to be held by the hand of the writer. By this construction
of the apparatus, and by the combined movements of the upper travelling frame
and the lower frame, the pens can be simultaneously moved in any direction when
writing and therefore, as all the pens move together several copies (according to
the number of pens) can be made at the same time. The paper is preferably
secured to the writing slab by spring clips, or other suitable devices. An index
and suitable stops are provided which can be adjusted to allow of the movements of
the frames being limited, when it is desired to write with an even margin upon the
paper sheets.
The ink wells are preferably placed in position at the rear of
the writing slab so that in consequence of the simultaneous movement of the pens,
they are all inked together.
Dated thin 12th day of A 1901
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Manifold Writing Apparatus.
1, ALFRED JAMES LIMEBEER, of 18 Torbay Street, Kentish Town, Middlesex,
Machinist, 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 my invention has reference to a certain new and useful apparatus for
writing and making copies of letters, briefs, and the like, simultaneously, thereby
saving time, labour, and consequent expense.

page_text: by this my
moreover, the usual copying-Dook may be dispensed win,
and time in copying the letters, or the like, saved.
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification,
Fig. represents a side elevation of my improved multiple-writer.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, and
Fig. 3 a plan thereof with the top of the desk removed.
1 represents a desk provided with a sloping writing-slab or board 2. Suitably
secured to the upper part of this desk are two side frames 3 which are preferably
glazed, as shown at 4. These two side pieces are connected by a preferably glazed
top 5.
Secured by screws, or other means, to the back and front respectively, and to
the under side of the glazed top are suitable brackets 6 and 7, having suitable thin
metal rods 8 secured horizontally to and between them. These said rods 8 serve as
guides for the carriage which consists of a light metal plate 9, which is preferably
cut out, as shown at 10, in order to make it as light as possible, and which is
provided with depending flanges 11 at its ends. In these flanges are secured
suitable projecting pins 12, which support grooved rollers 13 which are adapted to
run upon and beneath the wires or rods 8.
Suitable depending levers 14 are pivoted by means of centre-screws 15 and
screws 16 to the side flanges 11 of the carriage. These depending levers are pivoted
at their lower ends to suitable brackets 17, in which are pivoted the pin portions 18
of suitable lever-arms 19, which are formed at their forward ends with brackets 20,
in which are secured the pivot-pins 21. A horizontal bar 22 is secured to or formed
integral with these pins and is adapted to carry the pens, pencils, or the like, for
writing. The lever-arms are preferably constructed of hellow section, and are
slotted as shown for the sake of lightness. Spiral springs 23 have their ends
attached respectively to pins 24 secured in the flange 11, and to an eye secured in
the projecting-portion 25 of the brackets 17, and serve to relieve the weight of the
lever arm 19. The pen bar 22 is slotted, as shown at 25, for allowing the pen-
holders 26 to be adjusted in any desired position along its length. Secured by
screws or formed integral with this bar is a forwardly projecting bar 27, which is
preferably slotted for the sake of lightness, and into the centre of which is pivoted
by means of the screw 28 a bracket 29, in which is pivoted a rod or holder 30.
will be observed that this rod or holder is capable of both a horizontal and vertical
movement around its pivots.
It
It will also be observed that the levers 19 have likewise a horizontal and vertical
movement around their pivots 18 and 31. The pen-holders preferably consist of
metal tubes 32 which are provided with rods 33 having their ends formed to engage
the slots 25 in the pen-bar, in which they may be adjusted by means of nuts 34.
The desk is provided with a suitable paper-holding device, which consists of a
bar 35 provided with slots 36, through which screws 37 are passed. By means of
these screws and slots the bar may be adjusted horizontally along the desk. The
bar is provided on its ends and along its length with suitable projecting portions 38
which serve as stops against which is placed the paper, as shown at 39.
Suitable
flat springs 40 are suitably secured to the bar 35 by means of screws or the like,
and carry at their forward ends projecting pieces 41, which are shaped to bear
upon paper by reason of the pressure of the springs 40, and thereby hold it in
place whilst being written upon. Suitable ink-well- 42 are arranged in slots 43
which extend from side to side of the desk and in which slots the ink-wells may be
adjusted in any position to allow of the pens being simultaneously entered therein
when it is desired to ink the pens.
the
The operation of this my improved apparatus is as follows: Two or more sheets
of paper, having been secured to the desk by means of the paper-holding device,
the pen-holders are suitably adjusted along the pen-bar, and the handle 30 is held
and manipulated as an ordinary pen-holder. The combined movements consisting
of the horizontal travel of the carriage, the rocking motion of the depending

page_text: levers 14, the horizontal and vertical movement of the arms 19, and the horizontal
movement of the pen-bar enable the pens to move in any direction to produce any
letter or design upon the paper as easily and freely as can be accomplished with an
ordinary pen or pencil.
It will be understood that although I have shown two pens adjusted in the pen-
bar that three or more may be adjusted therein, and that more than two copies of
the same letter or the like can be inade simultaneously, according to the number of
pens and sheets of paper arranged upon the desk. Instead of pens I may use
pencils or the like. In some cases I find it convenient to form the pen-holders with
springs in such manner that the pens will give to any slight unevenness of the
paper or writing-slab.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
1. The writing desk constructed with side pieces and top, as hereinbefore
described, guide-ways extending from front to rear beneath the top portion thereof,
the carriage adapted to travel upon said guideways, and the depending levers
pivoted to the sides of said carriage, all substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
2. The combination, with the writing desk, guideways, carriage, and depending
levers, hereinbefore described and claimed, of the brackets 17 formed with an
extension 25 and pivoted to the depending levers 14, of springs 23 connecting the
brackets 17 and carriage, of the arms 19 pivotally supported in the brackets 17 and
formed at their ends with brackets 20, all substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
3. The combination, with the writing desk, guideways, carriage, depending
levers 14, brackets 17, and lever-arms 19, as hereinbefore described and claimed, of
the pen-carrying bar provided with the forwardly-extending portion 27, said pen-
bar pivotally secured in the brackets 20, and adapted to carry the pen holders,
pencils, or the like, all substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
4. The combination, with a writing desk, as hereinbefore described, of the ink-
wells arranged to slide in the slot formed in the desk, and of the paper-holding
device, all as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 16th day of July 1891.
ALFRED J. LIMEBEER.