Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1899--Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
I, HALBERT EDWIN PAYNE, Manufacturer, residing at 265, Broadway, New
York, in the County and State of New York, U.S.A., do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for improvements in typewriting machines 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 firstly to suitable carriage shifting mechanism com-
prising essentially a shifting arm suitably connected with the typewriter carriage,
an oscillatory cam engaging the shifting arm and two shifting keys adapted to
operate the oscillatory cam in either direction for shifting the carriage forward
or back. The cam comprises a disk having cut into its face a spiral cam groove
extending from a point adjacent to its centre to a point at or adjacent to the
outer periphery of the disk. The central point of the cam groove is concentric
with the centre so as to lock the carriage shifting arm in normal central posi-
tion. The shifting keys are preferably formed with mutilated racks which
engage a pinion or segment gear secured to the cam disk. Each of the shifting
keys is held in elevated position by a suitable spring and is adapted to move the
shifting cam in one direction when depressed, and when in normal elevated
position to lock the shifting cam against movement in the same direction.
I also provide a centering spring for returning the carriage and shifting arm
to normal central position, in which position the shifting cam, held by the shift
keys, locks the parts against movement either forward or backward until shifted
by one of the shifting keys. The two shift keys mutually lock the shifting cam
in central position and the cam locks the carriage in central position.
My invention relates, secondly, to improvements in construction and arrange-
ment of the type bars which are of that class in which the type bars are arranged
substantially horizontal with their type ends adjacent to the platen or impres-
sion surface and means intermediate of the types and the keys are provided for
fulcruming and guiding the bars. In such a machine it is essential that the
bars be so pivoted as to be capable of a free lateral and vertical movement about
the fulcrum point for the purpose of allowing the type to follow freely its indi-
vidual guide in traveling to and from the impression point. It is also essential
that the parallelism of the type be preserved and therefore that the bar be pre-
vented from rotation or even vibration on its longitudinal axis; otherwise, the
type will not give an even impression.
It is obviously desirable to limit or prevent lateral vibration of the type-bars
in their individual paths--for the more definite the path of the individual type-
bar is made, the closer can the bars be made to operate without interference
and the smaller can the whole keyboard, and indeed, the whole machine be made.
The invention relates, further, to improvements in the universal spacing bar
and in other structural features of the typewriting machine, all of which will

page_text: spring arm 93, pawl 92 and pinion 91 serve to hold the spring of the drum 85
at any desired adjusted tension. The pawl 92 allows the spring to be wound
up by rotation of the bell 90 and by depressing the spring 93 the pinion 91
will be released to allow the spring to unwind to the desired point.
95 is a short trip shaft journaled in the pinion 96 which is rotably mounted
upon the shaft 86. 97 is a spiral spring surrounding the shaft 95, and engaging
it at one end and the pinion 96 at its other end. Secured to the end of the
trip shaft 95 within the bell 90 is a bell hanımer of any suitable construction.
98 is a trip finger upon the shaft 95. 99 is a dog upon the spring drum 85
adapted to engage the trip finger 98 for ringing the bell. 100 is a spring arm
engaging the pinion 86 for holding it in any desired adjusted position. By
rotating the pinion 86 the time of ringing the bell can be regulated.
74 is a spring attached at one end to a fixed part of the machine frame and at
its other end to a projection 73 on the type bar. This spring returns the type
bar to normal position and holds the seat 68 firmly on the head 69.
The operation of my improved shifting device will be clear from the follow-
ing description.
The parts are shown in their normal central position in Figure 1, the shifting
rocker-arm 10 being held in central position by the engagement of the anti-
friction-roller 35 with the concentric portion 30% of the spiral cam groove 30,
and the shift key racks 44" and 45" being held in normal position by their springs
with the locking teeth 44 and 45* on the racks holding the gear and cam in
central position. If the key rod 44 is depressed the rack 44" engaging the
segment gear 25 rotates the cam disk 28 to the left bringing it into the position
shown in Figure 4 causing the rocker-arm 10 to be depressed and the carriage
moved into forward position. In shifting forward in this manner the spring
leg 17 of the centering spring is strained out of normal position and as soon as
the shifting key 44b is released its spring returns the key rod to normal upper
position and the spring leg 17ª engaging bar 15 returns the carriage to central
position, the antifriction-roller 35 of shifting arm 10 traveling back to the
central concentric portion 30" of the cam slot in the return movement of the
parts. By depressing the shift key 45 the cam disk 28 is in the same manner
rotated in the opposite direction causing the antifriction-roller 35 to travel
inwardly toward the centre of the cam disk and move the rocker-arm 10 upward
and the carriage 2 rearward. This position of the cam and a portion of the
shifting arm 10 is indicated in Figure 5. The parts are then returned to normal
position of rest by the spring leg 17 of the centering spring and the spring of
The shift key rod 45.
When the parts are in normal position as shown in Figure 1, it will be
observed that the concentric portion 30" of the cam slot engaging the anti-
friction-roller 35 will effectively lock the carriage in central position and hold
it against vibration. The centering spring 17", 17b and the locking teeth 44*
and 45 of the shift key racks also assist in holding the parts in central normal
position. When the parts are in either shifted position they are held rigidly
against vibration between the shifting cam and limiting screw by the engage-
ment of one of the limiting screws 7 with an arm 6ª and the engagement of the
antifriction-roller 35 of shifting arm 10 with the shifting cam groove.
The adjustment of the centering lug or stop, with which the centering spring
co-acts to hold the carriage in proper central position with respect to the type-.
bars, is of great importance for the reason that it facilitates the ready and
accurate determination of the normal central position of the carriage in the
machine.
The adjustment between the shifting arm 10 and rock-arms 6 is very impor-
tant to bring the carriage shifting and controlling parts in proper relation to
the adjusted central position of the carriage. The shift limiting stops or screws
must also be adjustable to properly correspond with the other parts.
My invention provides an effective carriage shifting device, the parts of

page_text: a part on the shifting arm engaging said cam groove, and shift keys operating
the cam-disk, substantially as set forth.
10. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a
shifting arm connected with the carriage, a cam device engaging the shifting
arm, a gear connected with the shifting cam, and shift keys provided with racks
adapted to engage the gear, substantially as set forth.
11. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a
shifting arm connected with the carriage, a shifting cam engaging the arm, a
gear secured to the cam, and shift keys provided with mutilated racks adapted
to operate the gear, each of said shift key racks having a tooth which engages
the gear and prevents movement of the gear in one direction, substantially as
set forth.
12. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a shift-
ing arm connected with the carriage, a shifting cam engaging the shifting arm,
a gear secured to the shifting cam, and a pair of shift keys provided with racks
having cut-away portions, each of said shift keys being adapted to move the
gear and cam in one direction when depressed and prevent movement in the
same direction when in elevated position, substantially as set forth.
13. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a
shifting arm connected with the carriage, and means for operating the shifting
arm including a cam device and a pair of shift keys, each of the shift keys being
adapted to move the cam device in one direction and lock it against movement
in the same direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
14. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a
shifting arm connected with the carriage, a cam engaging the shifting arm,
shift keys adapted to operate the cam, and adjustable stops limiting the shifting
movements of the carriage, substantially as set forth.
15. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a
shifting arm suitably connected with the carriage, a cam engaging the shifting
arm, tubular guides in the machine frame, and shift keys working in said guides
and adapted to operate the cam, as set forth.
16. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shiftable carriage, a
shifting arm suitably connected with the carriage, a cam engaging the shifting
arm, means for adjusting the shifting arm with relation to the carriage, and
shift keys adapted to operate the same, substantially as set forth.
17. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen or impression
surface, a series of type bars, means for guiding the same to and from the impres-
sion surface and stationary fulera for said type bars, and means for engaging
the type bars with said fulcra and permitting free rotary and vertical motion
thereon but preventing lateral motion of the type bars at their fulcra, substan-
tially as set forth.
18. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen or impression sur-
face, a series of key-bearing type bars, means for guiding the same to and from
the impression surface, stationary fulcra for said type bars and means for engag-
ing the type bars with said fulcra and permitting free rotary and vertical motion
thereon but preventing lateral motion of the type bars at their fulcra, substan-
tially as set forth.
19. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a series of type bars, a
series of posts or fulcra therefor, and a series of saddle-shaped guides carried
by said type bars and engaging said posts all arranged and adapted to operate,
substantially as set forth.
20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a series of type bars and a
series of posts or fulcra therefor, a series of saddle-shaped guides and a rigid
guide comb all arranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.
21. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a series of type bars having
fulcrum seats, a series of posts or fulera having rounded heads engaging in said