IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE WRITERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOSEPH Cox of No 76 Harbut Road St Johns Hill New Wandsworth in the
County of Surrey Accountant do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE WRITERS to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in type writers.
In my improved type writer I arrange type to print letters and characters
spirally or helically upon the surface of a cylinder or drum. I mount the cylinder
or drum upon an axis having upon it a spiral or screw of like pitch.
I provide also a scale on which letters and characters corresponding to those
printed by the type are marked and an index which can be brought to point to
any one of these letters and characters. This index is coupled with the cylinder or
drum carrying the-type in such manner that when the index is moved it causes a
corresponding movement of the drum or cylinder along the axis and the spiral or
screw upon the axis then causes a rotation of the drum or cylinder proportional to
the extent of motion of the index.
The parts are so arranged that when the index is moved to any letter or
character marked on the scale the corresponding type is brought to the printing
position, and this having been done the type is made to print its character upoň
the paper in any convenient way and as now done in type writing machines.
Dated this 26th day of August 1885..

page_text: JOSEPH Cox, of No 11 Poultry Chambers Cheapside in the City of London
Accountant 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 Invention has for its object improvements in that class of printing machines
called type writers the construction and arrangement of which may be described as
follows:-
The type are fixed or secured to the surface of a cylinder or drum in a spiral
line the pitch of which is similar to the quick pitch of a fixed screw axis upon
which the said type cylinder is mounted On the journals of the type cylinder a
saddle is mounted by which the said cylinder is moved in a rectilinear direction to
and fro upon its screw axis the movement of which to the right or left causes a
rapid rotation to the said cylinder I provide also a scale upon which letters and
characters corresponding to those printed by the type, are marked and an index
finger which can be brought to point to any one of these letters and characters
This index finger is coupled with the saddle or carriage of the type cylinder in
such a manner that when the index finger is moved it causes a corresponding
movement to the said cylinder along its fixed screw axis which said fixed screw
axis at the same time gives a rapid rotation to the type cylinder proportionately to
the extent of rectilinear motion given to the index finger The arrangement of the
parts is such that when the index finger is moved to any character or letter
marked on the scale a corresponding type is brought to the printing position
over an impression roller between which and the type the paper to receive the
impression is placed.
In order that the Invention shall be well understood and explained in detail
I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings upon which letters of reference are
marked on corresponding parts on all the Figª alike.

page_text: can be done by the foot through the medium of a treadle and spring The quick
pitched screw b forms the axis upon which is mounted the type cylinder c the
surface of this cylinder is provided with type c¹ which are fixed thereto in a spiral
line corresponding to the pitch of its fixed screw axis b. The type can be
separately fixed by screws to the cylinder as shewn or such type may be secured
to bars which can be slipped into longitudinal slots formed in the surface of the
cylinder. The bushes or journals c² of the type cylinder c form nuts for the fixed
screw axis b. or one only as shewn support the saddle or carriage d this carriage is
provided with the friction bowls d' which enables the type cylinder to be easily
moved to the right or left in a rectilinear direction by the handle the said
cylinder during the time it is being so moved is caused by means of its fixed screw
axis b rapidly to rotate. The saddle or carriage d is provided with the projecting
finger or pointer e which as the carriage is moved to the right or left passes over
the fixed scale or index tablet f. This index is provided with letters and characters
which correspond to the type letters and characters of the cylinder c and the
rectilinear motion of the index finger and the rotary motion of the type cylinder
are so proportioned that the movement of the index finger to any letter or
character on the scale or tablet f will cause a corresponding type letter or character
on the cylinder c to stop in its rotation directly over the spot on the impression.
roller g where its impression has to be given. The accurate adjustment of the
type delivering its impression being determined by the V stud e¹ fitting the
indentation corresponding to the letter on the tablet which is being printed, a
further auxiliary adjustment and holder for steadying the type whilst delivering
its impression is obtained by the sliding clip secured to the feed bar i which
with the forward motion of such bar as hereinafter described embraces and firmly
holds the type then in position for printing.
The type of the cylinder c whilst rotating come into contact with the ink
rollers h from which they receive their supply of ink immediately before delivering
their impression. The ink so supplied may be ordinary printers ink or ink
specially prepared from which copies can be taken in a letter copying book in the
ordinary manner.
The impression roller g is carried by the frame h¹ on the bed i and its position
relative to the type cylinder c is such that its surface receiving the impression
shall intersect or cross the axis of the type cylinder at a point on its bottom centre
where the type is rotated into position for giving its impression. This method of
placing the impression cylinder at an angle to the axis of the type cylinder allows
that type only of the number of type on the bottom centre crossing the line of the
axis of the impression roller at the time of printing to give its impression.
The paper receiving the type impressions is passed round the impression roller g
under the guide plate g¹ through which it is passed into position for receiving the
type impression by the milled head disc g' The intermittent turning of this disc
gives a motion to the roller g which determines the distance between the lines of
subject matter printed on the paper, such distances may be adjusted by hand alone
or through the medium of a stop wheel and catch.
"
The manner of operating the machine so as to "type write on the paper placed
for receiving the type impressions will now be understood by the following
description reference being had to the drawings.
The screw axis b of the type cylinder c is capable of being raised up or down by
the handle b³ or by suitable connections with the foot so that the operator if
working the machine with the hands only takes hold of the handle b³ with his left
hand, and the handle d' of the saddle d with his right hand. The normal position
of the type cylinder and its screw axis when not printing is raised out of contact
with the impression roller, this position (the centre line of which is shewn in dots
at Fig. 1) when not otherwise acted on is maintained by the spring k through the
medium of the feed bar l, bell crank lever m. and plunger rod n.
J

page_text: The operator when the type cylinder c and its screw axis bare in this position.
takes hold of the handles 6 and d the latter of which he moves' with the type
cylinder e in a rectilinear direction on the fixed screw axis b until the pointer or
index finger è is brought to stand over one of the letters or characters on the scale
or index tablet f this movement of the handle has caused the type cylinder
through the medium of its screw axis to rotate so as to bring the type letter or
character, corresponding with the type letter or character at which the pointer
stands, on the index tablet to the bottom centre of such cylinder immediately over
the impression roller at the point, where it intersects the axis of such roller.-When
in this position a depression of the handle 63 lowers the cylinder c and screw axis b.
and brings the type which has previously received its supply of ink whilst rotating
into printing contact with the paper. This depression of the screw axis handle b³
has through the medium of the plunger n bell crank m and rod l. withdrawn the
catch o (see Fig. 4) from the ratchet rack p, but immediately the said handle is
released it is caused through the action of the spring k to assume its normal or
raised position simultaneously with which the sliding of the bar in the direction
shewn by the arrow allows the catch o to be forced into gear with the rack of the
feed bar p which is secured to the sliding frame of the impression roller and which
does with the completion of its throw force the said rack so as to give an inter-
mittent sliding movement to the impression roller sufficient for " spacing" the
letters impressed or printed by the type. A partial or medium depression of the
handle 63 not sufficient to bring the type into printing contact withdraws
the catch o from the teeth of the rack and allows it with the return motion to gear
with the said rack and give a motion for spacing without impression, which
is required when spacing words. When the intermittent actions giving the
impressions and spacings have been repeated until a line or the full traverse of
the impression roller has been completed as shewn in dots Fig. 1. and another line
has to be commenced the button head n¹ (which is a continuation through a slot
in the fixed screw axle 6 of the plunger n) is depressed the action of which
through the medium of the bell crank lever m gives an extent of movement to the
catch o which withdraws it out of gear with the feed rack p thereby leaving the
carriage or frame h supporting the impression roller g whilst such button is
depressed free to be drawn back on its slide into a position for the commencement
of a new line the paper having been placed forward in the meantime on its
impression roller for this purpose by the milled head g².
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In type writing machines the placing of type on a cylinder in a spiral line
and causing such cylinder and type to rotate by the rectilinear movement of such
cylinder on a fixed screw axis in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
described herein..
2. In type writing machines arranging a frame or saddle by which the type
cylinder is inoved in a rectilinear direction on its fixed screw axis also a finger or
pointer in connection with the said frame or saddle which is caused, as the cylinder
is moved, to travel over letters and characters of a fixed tablet or scale corre-
sponding to the letters and characters of the type cylinder and so arranging the
spiral line of type on the cylinder that when the said pointer or finger is brought
to a stand over any particular letter or character on the tablet or scale the
corresponding type letter or character on the type cylinder will have been rotated
into a position immediately over the paper on the impression roller where its
impression has to be given substantially in the manner as described herein.
3. In the arrangement of type writing machines herein described, combining
therewith inking apparatus which will transfer to the type surfaces of the rotary

page_text: cylinder black colored or copying ink in manner substantially as described and
shewn in the drawings annexed.
4. In type writing machines the combination arrangement and actuation of the
impression roller for spacing and receiving the impression of one type letter or
character with each depression of the same axis and type cylinder in the manner
substantially as described setforth and fully illustrated in the drawings annexed.
D: CAL