An Improved Type-writer.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 29th May, 1890--Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Type-writer.
I, HENRY BARHAM HARRIS, of No. 10 Colville Gardens, Bayswater Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object sought for in this Improved Typewriter are quickness of operation and
a wide range of work combined with a small number of keys.
The printing types are preferably arranged on light spring steel arcs fixed in the
periphery of a segment of a circle which is capable of two movements; one to and
fro horizontally, and one rising and falling vertically. The to and fro movement
gives a complete alphabet with twenty six keys; and the rising and falling movement
serves to vary the alphabet from capitals to small letters, to change to italics, and to
introduce stops &c. It is quite possible, in this way, to give three complete alphabets,
each in capitals and small letters, all the numerals and a complete range of punctuation
marks &c. on thirty two keys.
Motion is given to the type bearing segment by means of keys or finger pads
operating levers, which are so constructed that, on being pressed down, the type
bearing segment is, first, drawn into the exact position required and locked there,
immoveably, and, then, the required character is printed on the paper by a light blow
from a hammer. The rise of the lever on release causes the paper to move laterally
the exact space of the letter just struck.
The change of alphabet is also effected by levers working wedges or cams which
raise or lower, as required, the arm of the segment; and the same levers, when
capitals are required, adjust the spacing mechanism to the necessary pitch.
The spacer is a bar extending the whole width of the apparatus, and giving motion
to a ratchet and pawls; which, in their turn, communicate the motion to a leading
screw which, by means of a pin, causes the paper carriage to traverse in the exact
proportion required.
The letter spacing is effected by the end of each lever being furnished with an
adjustable screw, by which the amount of motion to be given to the paper carriage
can be regulated to a nicety.
The paper pad is indiarubber as usual, and slides in a dovetailed groove. It is
furnished with hinges so that the writing can be examined at any stage without any
risk of displacement. It is furnished with the usual bell and index.
The bed and frame are cast iron as usual, and are furnished with padded feet. The
working parts may be wholly or partially protected by a cover.
The types are either inked directly from a roller pad, or a ribbon may be used.
Dated this Thirtieth day of August 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Type-writer.
1. HENRY BARIAM HARRIS of No. 10 Colville Gardens, Bayswater in the County
of Middlesex Patentee 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 :—
The objects sought for in this Improved Typewriter are quickness of operation, and
a wide range of work combined with a small number of keys.
In the accompanying drawings many parts are omitted which are not relevant to
the invention.
Fig. 1 represents the working portion of the Typewriter in plan, part of the keys,
the rollers and spacer being omitted.

page_text: Fig. 18 a side elevation of traveller,
The same letters and figures are used for the same parts throughout the drawings.
The printing types are preferably arranged on light flat spring steel arcs fastened to
the periphery of a segment of a circle, or they may consist of a single piece as
represented in Fig. 6 V stamped out of pen steel aluminium or other material and
the letters either brazed or otherwise fastened to the radiating arms or struck up from
the metal itself.
This letter carrying segment works easily upon a hollow post W with two separate
movements one to and fro horizontally and one rising and falling vertically. The
to and fro movement is effected as follows:
Upon a key lever C being depressed the adjusting screw P in same forces down the
horizontal arin of its corresponding under lever S the other arm of which causes the
main lever T to advance until it comes in contact with a stopping pin 26 which the
motion of the key lever has also forced down.
The forward motion of the main lever T causes the finger 19 at its free end to enter
the slot in the bottom plate U of the letter segment and so carries the segment
forward the required distance. This movement gives an entire alphabet with twenty
six keys.
The rising and falling movement is effected as follows. The handle of the cam
or wedge lever F is moved one, two, three, or four spaces as required and by means
of the spring bolt E in connection with slots in the cover is locked in the required
position.
This movement causes it to pull the wedge Q a more or less distance towards
the centre of the cam lever R and so compels the central pin X of the swivel
post W to rise to the required height, leaving the segment V with it. This
movement serves to vary the letters from lower case to capitals, to stops to italics and
so on. The best arrangement will be to put capitals both roman and italics on the
lowest portion of the letter segment so that when the handle of the cam lever F is
pushed forward far enough to cause the segment V to rise to capitals it engages
the bolt 34 which operates the lever 33 and causes the spacing lever N to shift to
such a degree that a new surface is presented to the adjusting screws to meet the new
spacing requirements of capitals. With this arrangement as many alphabets as
desired Roman, German, Greek &c. may be put upon the segment thus vastly
increasing the range and utility of writing machines.
Besides the function already described, the key levers, on being depressed, cause
three other operations to be performed. which will now be described. Immediately
under the keys C and in close proximity to each other are two bars O & N which
cross the machine from side to side. One is the spacing bar N, which is slotted
across throughout its length to suit the varied spacing required by the different
letters. Into these slots the second row of adjustable screws shown at M in Fig. 1
fit with a nicety and when out of the true by wear can be screwed up again as

page_text: required. The divisions between these slots are not all of one height, but are varied
to suit the requirements of the capitals when the spacing lever is shifted as already
described. When this occurs, the adjusting screws M work upon top of the divisions
instead of into the slots as formerly.
The second bar O is the hammer 5 bar. In its descent it carries with it the
lever 25 which, first, compresses the spring under the hammer seat 1, and, then, by
means of the trigger 2, releases the hammer 5, and causes it to fly up against the
underside of the type segment and print the character then in position. As this is
the last movement that occurs it is evident that, the main lever T being held firmly
between the under lever S and the stop pin 26, the segment must be at rest in the
exact position required before the hammer 5 strikes its blow. As it is necessary to
space between words without printing any letters, the two bars O & N just described
are so arranged that, although the hammer bar O and spacing lever N, are both acted
upon together when a key C is depressed, yet a depression of the spacing bar B at
front of the machine causes the spacing apparatus Figs. 4 & 5 alone to act without
touching the hammer bar. It is also evident that by the above arrangement of
compressing the spring under the hammer seat and then releasing it by means of the
trigger, a sharp equable blow is attained, however quick or however slow a motion
may be given to the key levers; and thus uniformity in the tint of the printed
character is secured.
If preferred, a simple piano lever mechanism may be substituted for above to
work the hammer, but, in this case, a sharp decided blow upon the finger pads is
absolutely necessary.
The third function which the depression of the key levers causes to be performed is
the automatic coiling and uncoiling of the ribbon upon and off each reel alternately.
This is effected as follows.
At the base of, and attached to each reel spindle is a wheel J, which may either
have an ordinary ratchet tooth, or be of the crown form indicated in Figs. 15 & 16.
Each spindle also bears a bevel spur wheel K, which works into another at either end
of a transverse spindle 28, the centre of which is threaded and carries a traveller 29.
The traveller 29 is threaded internally, and is furnished with a tail which works in a
groove cut in the base plate or other convenient manner, and so prevents the traveller
from revolving with the transverse spindle 28.
To a convenient part of the spacing lever bar is attached a bifurcate push lever L the
free ends of which work into the teeth of the wheel J. When one prong of the
push lever is engaged with the teeth of its corresponding wheel, the bevel wheel of
the same side is in gear with the bevel wheel carried upon the said wheel J. Each
depression of the spacing lever bar causes the push lever to turn the wheel J one or
more teeth, and the revolution of the wheel J causes the traveller gradually to traverse
the threaded spindle until it reaches the other prong which it then pushes forward
until the catch in the centre 38 is acted upon by the jump spring 39 which carries the
prong and bevel wheel into gear and withdraws those which have hitherto been in
action. The traveller 29 then gradually goes back to its starting point when the
same reversal action takes place, and, thus, the ribbon is wound first upon one roll
and then upon the other without attention on the part of the operator. To utilize the
whole of the ribbon the reels ride upon spiral springs 1, and by means of the milled
edge nuts H, can be raised or lowered so that every portion of the ribbon is passed
in front of the printing line of type.
The spacing may be effected in the following way. The spacing lever may have a
ratchet and pawls at its free end which by the depression of the lever are caused to
rise and engage with a ratchet wheel fixed to the end of a leading screw which is thus
caused to revolve and by means of a pin projecting from the underside of the
paper carriage into its thread. the paper carriage is made to traverse in proportion to
the greater or less depression of the lever. Or the leading screw may be made
hollow, and contain a spiral or other spring, so arranged that, when the line of
writing is commenced the spring is at tension. An escapement on the end of the

page_text: leading screw allows the spring to turn the latter by steps on the release of the
lever. Or the arrangement herein illustrated may be adopted. Figs. 4 & 5 represent
a bar 14, normally held to the left by the spring 23. 22 is a lever which being raised
more or less by each movement of the spacing lever causes the bar 14 to move more or
less towards the right. The bar 14 being serrated on its upper edge, one or more
serrations are by the above named movement carried past the point of the pawl 15,
but on release of the spacing lever, the return movement of the bar 14 cannot
take place without the printing rollers being carried with it. As the serrations on
the bar 14 are very fine, and from one to six or so can be carried past the point
of the pawl 15 by the movement of the lever 22, it is evident that exact spacing
for each letter can be attained.
When the line of writing is finished, the bars 9 & 10 are pinched together by the
finger and thumb of the right hand, which movement causes roller 7 to turn one
space and carry the paper forward one line. The same movement causes the wire 16
to raise the pawl 15 out of the serrations of the bar 14 and the paper carriage
being then free to slide in its dovetail can be drawn back to the beginning of the
line, care being taken not to release the bars 9 & 10 until the movement is completed.
11. represents a paper support and when it is required to insert a new sheet
between the rollers, 11 is pushed back, by which movement the cam 40 separates
the two rollers and the paper can be easily arranged in its proper place and gripped
tightly between the rollers as soon as 11 is raised again. The paper after passing
around the roller 6 is slipped under the bar 9 the front edge of which may conveniently
be graduated into a scale.
The stopping pins 26 are kept up by spiral springs 27 as shown in Fig 12 and no
other springs are necessary to hold the key levers up. It will be found necessary
either to give the front edge of the main lever a backward circular sweep or to curve
the line of stopping pins in the opposite direction as delineated in Fig. 1 & No. 24.
As it is requisite that the hammer should be very true in its blow on account of the
narrowness of the springs or strips upon which the letters are fixed it is preferably
hung on wide centres Fig. 1, trued up and adjusted by the screws 31 through the
bearings 30.
From the pivot socket of each main lever T an arm 41 projects to which is fastened
the double spiral spring 32 by means of which the forward movement of each main
lever T tends to keep the other back in its place. A single spring with the two ends
fastened to the arms 41 may be used, if preferred; or two single springs one for
each arm.
The machine is mounted on india rubber feet 12 to avoid noise and jar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner it is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
In a Typewriter.
1. A type segment of metal or other material hung upon a central pin within a
hollow post, by means of which pin it may be raised or lowered as required.
2. A type segment bearing the type upon springs or thin pieces of metal or other
material arranged around its periphery, each spring or piece of metal being separate
from its neighbour, and capable of independent motion when struck by the hammer,
substantially as described and figured herein.
3. A type segment struck out of metal in one piece, and subsequently bent to shape,
the letters being brazed, soldered, screwed, or rivetted to same or struck up from the
metal itself, substantially as described and figured herein.
4. In a typewriter in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis the system of over and under levers the latter having
their upper arms made longer and longer as the point of impulse of the lower arm
upon the main lever comes nearer the pivot point of the latter, by which means the
pressure of the fingers upon the finger pads is equalized.
-
& adination
Bossing through the key levers and working

page_text: upon the upper arm of the under levers, or vice versa; so that true and exact
registering of the type bearing segment may be secured and each finger pad given a
uniform depth of stroke whatever space the type segment is swung through.
6. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis a main lever or levers hung upon posts the centres of
which are in line with the centre of the type segment, and having the form herein
figured, and described; by means of which the leverage upon the type segment is
increased or lessened as required throughout the whole of its swing .e. the leverage is
gradually decreased to the centre the point of greatest power and then gradually
lengthened out again as the power grows less.
7. A base plate attached to the letter bearing segment and slotted substantially
as figured herein.
8. A base plate attached to the letter bearing segment and having two projections
against which the main lever finger stops short thus arresting dead, the motion of the
type bearing segment and preventing oscillation.
9. A cam lever operated by an underwedge, by means of which the central pin
under the type segment is raised or lowered, substantially as described and figured
herein.
10. The combination with the underwedge of a lever handle furnished with a
spring catch, by means of which the wedge may be locked in any position required
as described herein.
11. A spacing lever bar slotted to receive the points of a series of adjusting screws
by means of which the space required for each letter may be regulated to a nicety.
12. A spacing bar as above described the raised portions between the slots of which
are not all of the same altitude, but are shaped to suit the different spacing require-
ments called into existence by the use of capitals.
13. The combination of a bolt and cam lever, which, by the operation of the
underwedge lever handle, causes the spacing lever to shift the required distance when
capitals are called into use. substantially as figured and described herein.
14. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis a hammer working in wide, adjustable centres as
figured and described herein, and delivering its blow at the back of the type instead
of on its face.
15. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis a hammer scat containing a spring normally at rest and
uncompressed.
16. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis a hammer seat furnished with spring piston, and
trigger and operated by a lever, which. first, compresses the spring to a sufficient
degree of tension, and, then releases it by means of the trigger, substantially as
shewn herein.
17. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis the combination of a bifurcate push lever. ratchet or
crown wheels, bevel wheels, threaded spindle, a traveller, and a jump spring. by means
of which motion is alternately communicated to each ribbon reci, and the ribbon thus
wound and unwound as herein figured and described.
18. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis the combination of a finely serrated bar held normally
to the left by a spring, a bent lever acting upon the said bar and forcing it more or
less towards the right, when operated in its turn by the spacing lever, and a pawl
attached to the underside of the paper carriage, by means of which combination the
paper carriage can be made to traverse from right to left in finely graduated and
varying steps substantially as figured and described herein.
19. In a type writer in which the types are carried on a segment capable of being
oscillated about a vertical axis the attachment to two arms, projecting from the pivot
socket of the main levers, of a single or double spiral spring, in such a manner that,

page_text: when one main lever is in action, the spring reacts upon the other main lever to keep
it back firmly in its place, substantially as shewn herein.
20. And generally, though I do not bind myself to exact form, relative size, or
position of the various paris, the whole of the machinery as figured and described
herein.