Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Reprinted
as amended in accordance with the decision of the Comptroller General,
dated the 23rd day of June 1899.
Date of Application; 27th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Consulting Engineer (a communication from Albert Gallatin Corre, of Cincinnati,
Ohio, United States of America, Capitalist), 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:-
My invention belongs to that class of typewriters having sliding and converging
type bars and it comprises amongst its important features converging guide
plates for these bars having between them an auxiliary swinging guide or tongue.
The key levers 1 (Figure 2) are fulcrumed upon the lower edge of the cross-
bar E, and are pressed upward by springs 5. The type bars a are reciprocated in
a rocking frame and converge to a common printing point.
They are connected to the bell-crank levers 8 and 9 Figure 2, pivoted to posts 10
and 11, which levers are connected by links 12 and 13 to the key levers.
The posts are fixed in the front cross-bar 15 of the rocking frame. The sheet
metal links 12 and 13 Figures 1 and 16 have slots made to fit over the levers,
which they connect. When the key levers 1 are struck out, a pair of spring
tongues bare also struck out, with a space between their free ends to receive the
link 12 or 13, which is slipped into this space over the tongue. The type bars
are connected to the bell-crank levers by links 16, struck out of sheet metal
(Fig. 14) and bent on the line m-n of the body part 17. The connection is
made by spreading the ends of the link and allowing them to spring back over
the pins which enter the holes 19¹.
Rubber covered stop rods 20, 21 limit the backward movement of the bell crank
levers and key levers respectively.
In forming the finger pieces the lever ends are stamped in circular form (Figs. 19
and 21) with slits 23, leaving a narrow neck 24. The disk is then turned up at
right angles to the neck as shown in Figure 17. The piece is completed (Fig. 20)
by placing on the disk another disk 25 held by a thimble 26, forced down over
the edge of the disk 22.
The cradle frame carrying the type bars is pivoted at 45 to change the printing
from upper to lower case or the reverse. The frame comprises, the cross bar 15,
standards 28', rear arms 28 and forward arms 35 all cast in one piece. To the
arms 28 is fixed another casting consisting of two curved bars 29 and 30 having
posts 31 and 32, to which are fixed type bar guide plates 33 and 34. The arms 35.
on each side of the bank of keys have finger pieces 36 by means of which the
rocking frame or cradle may be tilted to bring the lower row of type bars carry-
ing the caps into alignment with the printing point. A pivoted locking arm 38

page_text: has a stud 39 which by tipping the arm strikes a stud 44 on the arm 35 and
throws down and locks the cradle with the lower row of type in range with
the printing point. The spring 40 holds the arm 38 in both positions.
The movement of the cradle is limited by stops 481 and 47. On a projection of
the arm 35 in rear of the stop 48' is a buffer 49 clamped by an eccentric disk 50
held by a screw 51. The amount of motion permitted the cradle may be regulated
by loosening the screw and turning the disk thereon. The stop 47 is a projection
on the cradle frame, engaging with projection and buffer 52, which is similar to
the buffer 49.
Converging guide plates 53, supported upon a stud 54, guide the converging
be delivered properly,
type bars to the printing point. In order that the blow may
a central guide plate 55 is hung to the plate 33 so as to swing freely from side to
side within the narrow limits permitted by the guide plates 53, and whether the
right hand type bars or the left hand are in action, the central plate forms the
auxiliary guide on one side and one of the fixed guides 53 serves as the guide
on the other side to accurately direct the type to the printing point.
The ribbon frame O (Figs. 1 and 10) has arms 60 pivoted at 61 to standards 61*.
These arms have a stop wing 62 which rests on top of the guide plates 53 when
the ribbon is below the line of print. The ribbon is led from the spools through
the loops GG and 65 of the frame and said frame is operated by its rearwardly
extending arms 67 connected by rods 68 with a transverse bar 69, which is operated
on every depression of the key levers, the ribbon being raised in front of the
printing point before the type bar has delivered its blow. A light spring 70
returns the frame and ribbon to their low position, thus disclosing the character
which has been printed. The ribbon spools 77 are driven through gears 72, 73,
Fig. 10, the latter being on a shifting shaft 74 so that the ribbon may he fed in
either direction by simply pushing the shaft to make the proper gears mesh.
The shaft 74 is turned by bevel gears 75 and 76. In rear of the pressure roller 92
is a curved paper shelf 96, held at its ends against the ribs on the end frames
by clips 97-98, which bear on the shelf at X, and have forward upper extensions
engaging the shelf. The clips 98 also form the front springs to guide the paper.
On the right hand paper clip 98 is pivoted the hell hammer tripping dog 99.
The platen ratchet wheel, Fig. 6 is operated by a pawl 100 working between
stops 102 of an arm 104 and having a tooth 101. The pawl is pivoted to the
frame 105, pivoted at 106 on the carriage. The pawl and frame 105 are controlled
by the spring 107. The frame 105 has a rear extension 108. engaging bell crank
lever 109 on the carriage which is operated by a sliding rod 110, when said rod
strikes a stop 111, adjustable on a rack bar 112, fixed to the frame of the machine.
The sliding rod is held in guides 113, 114. Through this rod, bell
crank, frame 105, and pawl, the feeding of the paper for line spacing
is caused in the return movement of the carriage by the stop 111
moving said parts. The sheet metal line space regulator Figs. 6, 7 and 8 has a
pivot hole 116 in an arm 117 turned up to form a shield for the teeth of the
pawl. A bent arm 117, has two stops 117 which limit the upward and downward
movement of the arm 117 by engaging the arm 104. A pin 118 engages with
the arm 117, which springs over the pin.
A bell crank lever 119, (Fig. 2 and dotted lines. Fig. 1) is pivoted near the
front of the machine below the base and is connected to an arm 120 Figs. 1 and 2
on the shaft 121 which has forwardly extending arms 121. The bell-crank
lever 119 is connected by a link 122 to the rear arm 115 screwed to the rack bar
of the carriage at 123. When the carriage is free from its escapement therefore,
it may he moved in either direction by the arms 121. The carriage is moved in the
ordinary printing operation by a spring in a casing 130, (Fig. 3) connected with the
carriage by a drum 128 and cord 128 Figs. 1, 3 and 4. The casing 130 is con-
nected to the shaft 76 of the ribbon movement by a pawl and ratchet connection
which will allow the ribbon to he stationary when the carriage moves to the right.

page_text: The spring escapement pawls 131, 132 are mounted for adjustment upon an
eccentric screw in the standard 131 pivoted at 131". They have pins 133, 134
engaged by a wiper plate 135 having high parts 136, 137 so arranged that one
pawl is held in and the other out of engagement with the ratchet bar 84 for the
escapement movement, but by a greater movement to the right of Figure 4, the
wiper will release both pawls and the carriage will be set free. The wiper plate
is operated by the bell crank lever 138, and an arm 141 on a rock shaft 142 which
is operated from the keys by a bar 142" Figs. 2 and 4 connected to the arms 142
of the rock shaft. The ordinary key levers depress this bar only enough to operate
the escapement, but a key lever 143 has a greater range and will depress the bar
far enough to fully release both pawls. A key lever 144 Fig. 1 is connected by a
link 144 Fig. 2 to an arm 145 of a lever 146 which extends under the line space
frame 105 so that the platen may be operated at will and independently of the
automatic mechanism above described.
A screw 147, Figure 4 adjusts the tension spring 135 which acting on the wiper
regulates the pressure required at the keys.
The pins 18 or 19 of the type bars or bell crank 8 and 9 Fig. 18 have a peripheral
groove 150 into which the metal of the bar or bell crank is pressed to hold the
pin.
The links 12 and 13 which operate the type bar levers are arranged radially
in relation to the pivot 45 of the type bar cradle frame, and when the frame is
tilted on the pivot 45 to change from upper to lower case, there will be no tendency
for the operating connections i.e. the links and the type har levers to be changed
in relation to each other, and no straining or tension will be placed on the parts.
A roller frame 151 is used by me upon which the paper carriage works, Figs. 2
and 12.
The rear one of the type bar guide plates 34 has notches 341 in its edges, Fig. 9
for the type bars and these notches are enlarged laterally at 34" and the type bars
have lateral ribs 34" corresponding thereto, so that the type bars may have lateral
play, but the ribs will be guided accurately against vertical displacement. The open-
ings in the guide plate 33 are merely plain slots and do not have any effect to hold
the type bars against free lateral play, excepting by their end walls which confine
the outer type bars of the set and these inturn confine the next inner type bars
and so on throughout the set, it being understood that the type bars are so fitted
to the slots as to permit lateral play of the said bars to prevent sticking, and
these guide plates are not depended on to guide the type bars laterally, but for
this purpose the converging guide plates 53 and the shifting guide tongue 55,
are used.
The standard 131* of the escapement is held against a stop 160, by a spring 131b.
This provides a support for the pawls which will be perfectly rigid while the
step by step movement of the carriage from right to left is taking place, and
which will yield with the pawls in arresting the freely moving carriage, thus
avoiding shock.
An arm 161 Fig. 2 connected with the shaft 142 acts as a lock by striking the
paper clip.
The adjustable stop 111 with its tongue 111* is struck up from a single piece
into channel form to fit onto the rack bar.
I would call special attention to the fact that my invention is designed to pro-
duce a machine of the highest efficiency; of great speed and of easy manipulation
and at the same time of the most economical construction. The main supporting
frame is also cast in one piece with its various arms and with the posts 10 and 11
having the bar 15 cast about it and it will be further noticed that most of the
operating parts can be struck out of sheet metal and of the exact form to be
assembled in the machine-for instance the key levers; the links 12 and 13:
the bell crank levers: the links 16; the type bars, the guides 33, 34 and various
other parts all of which renders the machine very economical in its construction.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim
is:-
1 The converging guide plates for the type bars in conjunction with the
shifting tongue movable from side to side between them.
2-The links 16 for connecting the type bars and bell crank levers formed of
sheet metal of U shape with spring ends.
The stops for the cradle frame consisting of the buffers and the eccentric
clumping dicks.
4. The two guide plates for the type bars, one having the plain elongated
slots to allow the rear ends of the bars lateral movement and the other having
the confining notches or perforations with the converging type bar guides 5.
4. In connection with the rocking cradle frame for the type bars, the lever 38
with or without its spring 40, said lever acting on a part of the cradle frame to
tilt the same and for holding it with the row of upper case type bars in line with
the printing point.
5. The line space regulator 117 formed of sheet metal having the shield and the
stups as shown in Figures 6, 7 and S in conjunction with the pawl and the frame
arm 104
6. The line space frame 105 carrying the pawl for operating the platen, said
frame being operated from the key board and also operated automatically when
the carriage is returned to normal position by the sliding bar 110, the bell crank 109
and the adjustable stop 111.
7. The arrangement of the two escapement pawls 131, 133 with the cam wiper
135 operated from the key board by the ordinary keys and operated also by a
special key to give the wiper an additional throw to cause the high part thereof
to release both pawls to free the carriage, said pawls being used with or without a
yielding support therefore, and with or without the eccentric screw for adjusting
them.
89. The paper shelf 96 held against the end frames of the carriage by the paper
clips.
940. Thes top 111 formed as shown in Figure 4 form a single piece struck up
with a channeled face and with a pawl tooth, and adapted to fit between the
rack bar and the frame.
10 +4. The cradle frame having guides for the type bars and with the links 12
and 13 extending substantially radially of the pivot of the cradle frame.
Dated this 27th day of October 1896.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham,
Agents.