Improvements in Typewriters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Typewriters.
FRANK BRYAN, 11 Brackley Terrace, Chiswick, London, W., Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in the means whereby the necessary
power for actuating the type bars or levers and for causing the proper relative
motions of the type mechanism and the platen or paper which relative motion or
spacing may be given by means of a travelling roller and carriage as in the present.
well known forms of typewriters, or may be attained by keeping the platen
stationary and causing the printing mechanism and type to move in regard to the
same. The way I propose to attain the beforementioned objects is as follows.
In order that the actuation of the controlling keys may make the corresponding
type carrying device, (which may be in the form of a lever or levers, or may be a
suitably arranged piston rod or slide) come into action, I obtain the necessary
motion of the said device by means of a cylinder and piston, or a collapsible rubber
bag or pneumatic bellows or the like; the air for working same being led through
suitably arranged passages or tubes (which tubes may be made flexible if required)
the air being controlled by a valve or the like actuated by the said controlling
keys. The arrangements I use for causing the spacing motion aforesaid I also
actuate by means of similar pneumatic cylinders and pistons or their equivalents
which may be so arranged as to either provide the necessary power for causing
such relative motion, or may be simply used to control the force of a spring or
other device tending to produce such motion, the air for working such cylinders,
by means of a suitable arrangement of valves, being controlled by the movements
of the printing keys, or by means of special spacing keys as required. Suitable
mechanism is also provided for causing the amount of such spacing motion to vary
according to the character represented by the key actuated, thus giving what is
now known as a differential spacing.
This may be done by causing keys corresponding to characters requiring only a
small spacing to admit air to a cylinder or equivalent device capable of causing or
regulating the required small movement, and by causing the keys requiring greater
spacing to actuate a cylinder giving or controlling a greater relative movement.
In order to be able to regulate the amount of power applied to work the printing
or spacing mechanism, I propose to use a reducing valve or the like for keeping
the pressure constant or an ordinary safety valve may be used, so arranged as to
be easily adjusted to prevent the pressure rising above a certain point. In place
of or in addition to either of these a reservoir may be used, similar to those used
in an organ or harmonium to store and regulate the air pressure. The air required
may be supplied under pressure by means of any of the well known devices such
as bellows, air pumps or the like, or may be supplied from any other convenient
source.
It is also obvious that instead of supplying the air under pressure, a vacuum
may be produced, thus causing the atmospheric pressure to accomplish the same
result by suitably modifying the arrangements of pistons valves &c.
In order to enable the type printing mechanism to be capable of movement,
whilst the platen or paper is fixed, I propose to use flexible tubes made of rubber
or other suitable material to convey the air from the valves actuated by the keys
to the pneumatic cylinders or their equivalents, such tubes being preferably all
bound or connected together into one bunch or cable so as to look neat and to be

page_text: preserved from injury and entanglement. By making the printing mechanism thus
movable it is thus possible to print on surfaces such as the leaves of a book which
cannot conveniently be placed on a roller and carriage as used in the ordinary
forms of typewriters.
I also propose to arrange suitable connecting tubes so that the pneumatic
cylinders of one machine may be connected to the corresponding cylinders of a
second or third machine or even a greater number, by means of suitable branch
tubes or connections, so that the actuation of the keys of one machine may admit
air to and cause the other machines to print simultaneously with itself. Of course
it will be necessary to then provide tubes and valves of ample size to convey the
additional air required.
In the case where I cause the type mechanism to move, I mount the frame
containing same on suitable guides & provide it with a toothed rack or other
spacing device in a similar manner to that now commonly employed for the platen
or paper roller carriage in other typewriters. I prefer to so arrange these guides
that the printing device may be over the platen but it is obvious that it may be in
any other convenient position. The platen in this case will be provided with a
suitable arrangement of clips or the like to hold the paper or book being printed
upon. It may be so arranged as to be fed forward for the spacing between the
lines or if more convenient the guides on which the type mechanism. slide may
have this motion applied to them instead.
The inking device may be similar to those now well known in which an inked
ribbon is inserted between the type and the paper, or the type may be caused to
strike on a roller during its progress towards the paper, which roller is charged
with ink, as is now done in some machines.
"
The advantages I claim for these my inventions are:- That the "touch may
be made very light owing to the power for printing being independent of the
pressure on the keys; also that the amount of pressure or blow given for printing
may be regulated to suit particular purposes; that it is possible to print on the
leaves of a bound book & that one keyboard may be used to actuate a number of
machines simultaneously.
Dated this 11th day of February 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Typewriters.
FRANK BRYAN, 11, Brackley Terrace, Chiswick London, W. Electrical
Engineer, 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 invention has for its object improvements in typewriters and the like, more
especially in the means whereby the necessary power is regulated and applied for
actuating the type bars or levers and for causing the proper relative motions of
the type mechanism and the platen or paper carrying device, and the means
whereby these ends are attained is hereinafter set forth and is illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
The actuating and controlling power I propose to use is that obtained by the
pressure of air applied in any well known way such as by pneumatic cylinders,
bellows and the like, and may be either produced by means of air above or below
ordinary atmospheric pressure by suitable well known pneumatic devices.
In reference to the drawings
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 shows a diagrammatic view of an arrangement of key levers,
valves, and piston and plunger for causing the key lever to control the movements
of the type bar or its equivalent.
7

page_text: In this figure B is an airtight valve box or reservoir, L is a keylever pivotted
at P. R R are rods so arranged as to cause the opening of the valves V and V¹
alternately according as the lever L is held up by the spring S or depressed by
pressure of the finger upon the tip T. Y is a stop valve and tube arranged so
that by means of connecting tubes one or more additional machines may be
actuated from one keyboard, the corresponding valve boxes as B on such additional
machines being connected to the first so that when air is admitted into the first
one, it is enabled to flow into all the valve boxes in connection therewith, thus
actuating all the corresponding type bars.
In like manner the space regulating pneumatic devices are connected so as to be
in corresponding connection.
C is a casing or chamber with tube A for the supply of air under constant
pressure to the back of valve V from the reservoir K which is connected to
reservoir M by means of the reducing valve X. The air in M is kept at a
higher pressure than that required to work the apparatus, and the reducing
valve X, which is adjustable and of any well known form, then regulates the
.admission of air to the reservoir K so as to maintain the pressure therein
constant.
If the reservoir K be made similar to those used commonly in organs, with
adjustable weights or the like to give the requisite pressure, then the reservoir M
and valve X may be dispensed with.
F is a tube which may be flexible if required, leading from the valve box B to
the pneumatic cylinder Q, the piston of which is normally held back by the
spring S as shown.
Normally the spring S holds the end L of the lever carrying finger tip T up
and causes the rod R to keep open the valve V1; upon depressing the end L of
the lever, the rod R' releases the valve V₁ which closes, whilst the valve V is
opened by the rod R, admitting air into the interior of the box B and through the
tube F into the cylinder Q, thus causing motion of the piston in the sume, which
motion by well known devices may be caused to make the type corresponding to
the key struck to print on the paper or the like.
At the same time some of the air passes by the valve V into the tube Fi
which is connected to the pneumatic device for operating the spacing mechanism.
Upon releasing the lever L the valve V is closed, preventing further admission
of air to B, whilst the valve V₁ is opened at the same instant, thus allowing the
air in B and Q to escape, the piston in QQ then returning to its normal position
under the influence of the spring S".
Fig. 2 shows another means of operating the type bars or levers. In this
figure B is a collapsible pneumatic bag or bellows, to the movable side or board S
of which is attached the rod R carrying type T. F is a tube for connecting B
to the valve box B Fig. 1.
It is obvious that: the bellows, pistons, or the like thus actuated can ɛet in
motion any auxiliary or intermediate mechanism necessary to cause the printing
to take place.
The tube Fshown in Fig. 1. is connected to a pneumatic cylinder, bellows,
or the like, which I call a pneumatic spacing device, and the valve V" is so
arranged as to let the air pass into the said pneumatic spacing device and to
prevent it from returning again into the valve box B Fig. 1.
The object of this arrangement is, that, as more than one key is in communica-
tion with the same pneumatic spacing device, if no valve such as V" Fig. 1 were
used, upon air being admitted to one valve box, it would rush down the tube con-
necting each valve box to the same spacing device and thus actuate a number of
type bars simultaneously if sufficient air .could pass, or, if not, it would be so
reduced in pressure as to prevent any proper action taking place.
Now in order to allow of the return of the pneumatic spacing device to its
normal position after being operated, I either cause the piston, bellows, or the like
to leak by, either by reason of loose fitting or an aperture of suitable size, in
*****

page_text: which case, when the supply of air is cut off the air contained in the said pneumatic
spacing device rapidly falls in pressure and the device returns to its normal
position under the influence of a spring, weight, or the like; or instead of using
a valve to each key as shown in Fig. 1 V, I may use one valve only for each
pneumatic spacing device, for the admission and release of the air, such valve
being operated by all the keys corresponding to characters requiring the same
spacing. This may readily be done by means of a movable bar or frame under
the front or over the back ends of the pivotted key levers, so arranged as to be
depressed or actuated only by those keys requiring the same space, separate bars
being used for each pneumatic spacing device. This arrangement of space bars
or frames is not new, but my invention is to make use of the same in combination
with suitable valves in order to actuate and control the admission and release of
air to the pneumatic spacing device.
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the general arrangement employed when the
machine is arranged to have a fixed platen and the type mechanism movable.
A is the base of the machine which may be of wood, metal, or any suitable
substance, upon this base are arranged a number of suitable clips, clamps, or the
like, to firmly hold the paper or substance to be printed upon, which is placed over
a platen made of rubber or other suitable material.
On the base are also fixed brackets B B' carrying suitable guide bars or
rods C C¹ upon which the frame F is supported and travels. The frame F
contains the necessary printing and spacing mechanism, actuated by the pneumatic
devices before mentioned, the air for working which is supplied through the
bunch or cable of flexible tubes X which are connected respectively to the valve
boxes attached to the key levers, and pneumatic printing or spacing devices as
the case may be. The rack R or its equivalent is also fixed to and carried by
the brackets B B'.
The line spacing may be effected by either causing the platen to slide on guide
bars or slides in a direction at right angles to the travel of the frame containing
the printing mechanism, or if preferred the brackets B B', instead of being fixed
directly to the base, may be attached to a sliding arrangement having a similar
direction of motion.
In either case proper stops, rack bars &c. will be required to give a proper
spacing between each line as may be desired.
This mechanism, which may be of any suitable type, I also propose to actuate
and control by means of pneumatic pressure in a similar manner to that of the
letter spacing mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, the employment of pneumatic pressure to
actuate and control the mechanism for producing such impression or printing.
2. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, the employment of pneumatic pressure
to actuate or control the mechanism for producing the necessary spacing between
such characters.
3. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the employment of a system of two or more reservoirs containing air at
two or more different pressures or degress of compression or exhaustion.
4. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the employment of a regulating or reducing valve to convert an unequal
into a constant and determinable pressure.
5. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the

page_text: manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the use of a regulating reservoir or the like capable of maintaining an
adjustable and constant pressure or degree of compression or exhaustion.
6. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the arrangement and combination of valves and key lever substantially
as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.
7. In an instrument for impressing and printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated by pneumatic pressure, the
combination with a space bar, frame, or the like common to and actuated by two
or more keys or key levers or their equivalent, (such keys representing characters
which each require to have the same spacing alloted to them) of a valve or valves
for the control of the passage of air to or from a pneumatic device for the control
or production of the necessary movement required for giving such spacing as
aforesaid.
8. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the use of a pneumatic device for the regulation or actuation of the
apparatus required to give the necessary spacing between the lines of snch
printing.
9. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the arrangement of the printing devices over the platen substantially as
shown and described.
10. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the use of a movable frame or carrying device containing or carrying
the type printing devices and mechanism.
11. In an instrument for impressing or printing characters operated by the
manipulation of a keyboard or the like, and actuated or controlled by pneumatic
pressure, the use of a flexible tube or tubes either singly or bound together in the
form of a bundle or cable for the purpose of conveying the air to or from the
valves or valve boxes actuated by the keys, space frames, or their equivalent and
the pneumatic devices used for actuating or controlling the printing or spacing
mechanism.
Dated this 9th day of December 1893.