Improvements in or relating to Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE-SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Type-writing Machines.
A communication from CHARLES SPIRO, of 116th Street Fifth and Lennox
Avenues, New York, United States of America, Gentleman.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to type-writing machines and has for its object to provide
simple and comparatively inexpensive ribbon-feeding mechanism, whose operation
will be automatically reversed each time either of the two ribbon-spools becomes
full so that the ribbon will be wound alternately on the two spools without requiring
the special attention of the operator.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying draw-
ings in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of sufficient of a type-writing machine (in its
normal position) to illustrate the application of this invention thereto.
Figure 2 is a view generally similar to Figure 1 but showing the mechanism as
with a key-lever depressed.
Figure 3 is a back elevation of the mechanism represented in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 4 and 5 are horizontal sections taken respectively on the lines 4-4 of
Figure 1 and 5-5 of Figure 2, and
Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views of portions of the mechanism drawn to a
scale larger than that to which Figures 1 to 5 inclusive are drawn.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
Bar-lock type-writing
I will describe the invention in connection with a
machine but it will be readily appreciated that it may be applied to type-writer
or printing telegraph machines of various other constructions.
66
".
A is the usual stationary lock standard of the well-known Bar-lock type writing
machine which carries the type-bar locking pins A¹ and is secured to the machine
Bare the usual ribbon-carrying arms
framing A2 in the ordinary manner.
supported by a rod B¹ pivotted to the machine framing A2 and connected with a
rod or bail B² Figure 1 which extends beneath all the key levers C so that when
any of these key levers are depressed the upper part of the arms B will be moved
from the position in which they are shown in Fig. 1 towards the back of the
machine as indicated in Figure 2 the return of the arms B to their normal position
being effected by a spring B³ all in the ordinary manner.
Projecting from the sides of the lock standard A are two shafts or studs A³ on
which the two ribbon spools 1 D¹ are free to rotate and from which they may be
readily removed as hereinafter described. These studs A³ also constitute the pivot
of a vibrating piece E (Fig. 5) which is pivotted thereon by means of two lugs e
This vibrating piece E (which is
fitting one on each side of the lock-standard A.
omitted from Fig. 6) is provided on each side with a lug or projection e¹ on which

page_text: is pivotted a pawl For F constantly pressed upward towards the spool D or D
respectively by a spring f.
The feed-apparatus is so constructed that each alternate stroke or half-revolution
of the vibrating piece E imparts movement to one or other of the ribbon-spools DD
to feed the ribbon, and further, so that while either of the two spools
operated and controlled by its pawl and detent as hereinafter described
being
the other pawl and detent appropriated to the companion spool are kept
out of action. Reversal of the direction of movement of the ribbon is effected by
causing the feeding device which has been acting, say, on the spool 1) to act instead
on the spool D¹ or vice versa the ribbon being wound on the two spools and
led from one spool to the other in a manner well understood so that it will be
drawn on to that one of the spools with which the feed device at any moment
happens to be in gear and wound off the other spool which then would rotate in
the reverse direction to that in which it will in its turn be moved by the feed
apparatus.
ཎྞཱ་
On a lug e² (Fig. 5) formed on the vibrating piece E centrally between the lugs e¹
is pivotted a reversing lever G having at each side two arms g¹ extending over
the before-mentioned pawls and over detents H H which latter are pivotted
at h to the sides of the stationary lock-standard A and are constantly presse.
upwards towards the spools D 11 respectively by springs h, to prevent the
spools from over-running. The back end of the reversing lever G terminates in a
cone or point 2 against which bears or operates a spring secured to the vibrating
piece E and preferably bent into V-shape at its opérative part, so as to retain the
reversing lever in either the position shown in Fig. 4 or that shown in Fig. 5.
Any other convenient retaining appliance may be employed to hold the reversing
lever G in either of its extreme positions.
The front part of the reversing lever G is provided with a tail g which projects
towards the front of the machine through an opening a in the lock-standard A and
engages with the forked end of a lever G¹ pivotted at go to the front of the lock-
standard.
At the free or lower end of the vibrating piece E is provided a fork e3 which
engages with a cross-bar 6 secured in the two ribbon arms B so that when these
arms are operated by the depression or release of a key lever the vibrating piece E
will be rocked on the studs A3 and by the engagement of one or other of the
pawls as hereinafter described cause the ribbon to be fed forward or backward.
Each of the removable spools D D is provided on both of its flanges with ratchet
teeth dd respectively with which one of the before described pawls F FI and one
of the detents H H' are adapted to engage. Only one series of teeth on each drum
is in use at a time, that is to say, the series on the flange which happens to be
nearest the standard A; but as the flanges nearest the standard become the flanges
farthest from the standard when the spools are caused to change places (so as to
utilise the whole surface of the ribbon in a manner well understood) it becomes
necessary to tooth both the flanges.
At each side of the lock-standard A. I pivot a spool-retaining lever J or J,
of which levers are acted upon by one and the same spring 2 secured to the lower
both
part of the lock standard; the upper ends of the levers enter between the flanges of
the spools, and thus keep them in place by preventing their movement endwise
on the studs A3. The spring tends constantly to press the upper ends of the
levers J J towards the spool shafts A3 or on to the ribbon contained on the spools.
The levers J J¹ have hooked arms j j¹ respectively, the hook of each of which when
allowed to descend by reason of the exhaustion of the ribbon from the ribbon spool
appertaining thereto, engages with the reversing lever G, at conveniently, though
not necessarily one or other of the recessed parts go thereof, so as to hold one end
of the said reversing lever during the movement of the vibrating piece E conse-
quent upon the next ensuing depression of a key lever. When this key-levera
depression takes place the ribbon arms B and vibrating piece E are swung back-
wards in the usual manner and as the reversing lever G is at this time held at one

page_text: side and its pivot on the lug e is moved forward along with the vibrating piece the
reversing lever is caused to turn upon its pivot so that the pawl For F¹ and
detent H or H' which immediately before this operation, were in engagement with
the appropriate spool D or D' are pressed downwards out of engagement therewith
by the lever arms g g¹ bearing on the inclined or cam shaped upper edges of the
said pawl and detent, and conversely the pawl and detent which were last retained
in an inoperative position by the appropriate lever arms g g' are now released and
pressed into engagement with the corresponding spool teeth, by the springs f h¹
thereby automatically effecting the reversal of the ribbon feed.
Instead of arranging for hooked portions of the levers J J' to exert a pull upon
the reversing lever G, the levers J J might be caused to interpose an obstacle in
the path of the lever G so as to push it in effecting the movement of the reversal,
instead of pulling it.
The ribbon-feed may at any time be reversed by hand by moving the lever G¹
from one towards the other side of the machine so as to swing the reversing lever G
on its pivot and thereby depress the pawl For F and detent H or H at one side
of the lock-standard A" and allow the pawl and detent at the opposite side of the
lock-standard to be pressed by their respective springs into engagement with the
corresponding ribbon-spool.
The ribbon spools D D may be removed from their shafts A by moving the
levers J J out from between the flanges of the spools and moving the latter
sideways off the shafts.
The before-described construction renders unnecessary the use of retaining
springs and gear wheels in conjunction with the spools D D', the levers J Ji
holding the spools in position more reliably than devices hitherto employed for
the purpose, and moreover as these levers are constantly pressed against the ribbon
they provide the necessary drag which hitherto has had to be provided for by
special springs or the like.
In fitting up the machine, should it be found that the pawls F F are not in
proper relation to the detents H H to cause the spools D D¹ to be rotated to the
required extent at each stroke of the machine the fork e3 of the vibrating piece E
may be bent backwards or forwards until the desired result is obtained.
Many if not all of the various parts of the before described mechanism may be
stamped from sheet metal and consequently may be manufactured more cheaply
than the devices hitherto constructed for a similar purpose and moreover by reason
of the uniformity of press-work there will be little or no fitting necessary when the
parts are assembled together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a type-writing machine or the like the combination with a vibrating piece
such as E of a lever such as G carried upon it and devices such as J J¹ controlled
by the ink-ribbon for the purpose described.
2. In a type-writing machine or the like the combination with ribbon-spools
and a vibrating piece such as E of a reversing lever such as G and pawls and
detents such as FF H H substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a type-writing machine or the like the combination with a vibrating piece
such as E of a lever such as G carried upon it a spring or other retaining
appliance and devices such as J J' controlled by the ink ribbon, with or without
means for manually operating the lever G, for the purpose described.
4. In apparatus such as described, spring-controlled spool-retaining levers such
as J J having hooked arms such as j¹ for the purpose described.
5. In apparatus such as described yielding levers such as J J which in addition
to their other functions serve to maintain the ribbon spools in proper position on
their spindles.

page_text: 6. In apparatus such as described a vibrating piece such as E operated through
a connection such as e capable of being bent to adjust the stroke of the piece E.
7. In a type-writing machine or the like a ribbon spool which has teeth on both
a tool.
its flanges and can be slipped on or taken off its spindle without the use of
S. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the automatic reversing
feed-apparatus for type-writing machines and the like substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of August 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.