IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR IMPRINTING CHARACTERS ON PAPER AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR IMPRINTING CHARACTERS ON
PAPER AND OTHER FABRICS."-A communication from S. W. Francis, of
New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 1st January 1858, and dated the 15th July 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th July 1857.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR IMPRINTING
CHARACTERS ON PAPER AND OTHER FABRICS," a communication from S. W. Francis,
of New York, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the use of certain apparatus for the purpose of
replacing the ordinary process of writing, such apparatus combining great
rapidity of action with the neatness of printing.
The apparatus is composed of a number of hammers placed in a circle in
such a manner that they will strike upon one central point, upon the face of
which hammers the letters of the alphabet are cut in relief. These hammers
are put in motion by means of keys similar to those of a pianoforte keyboard.
The paper, borne upon a carriage, is constantly drawn from right to left by
a spring, which is recoiled by drawing back the carriage by hand at the
conclusion of each line. A detent mechanism causes the paper to move the

page_text: length of one letter each time that one of the keys is depressed. The move-
ment of the paper necessary for commencing a new line is imparted to it by
rollers carried by the chariot, which are in their turn acted on by an apparatus
attached to the framing of the machine at the required time. Certain small
pieces of mechanism are also arranged beneath the keys, the object of which
is to prevent two keys from being pressed down at the same moment, and the
hammers from being injured by being struck against each other.
The working of the hammers is accomplished by means of a silk band
passing over pullies, which are capable of sliding vertically in grooved bearings,
and are raised by separate keys placed for that purpose at each end of the
keyboard. The band is of course raised with the pullies, and in this position
can be easily worked without soiling the machine. By pressing upon a con-
venient portion of the pullics they can be easily made to reassume their
former positions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonn
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR IMPRINTING CHARACTERS ON
PAPER AND OTHER FABRICS," a communication from S. W. Francis, of New
York, in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing under

page_text: my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to the use of certain apparatus as a substitution
of the ordinary process of writing, such apparatus combining great rapidity of
action with the neatness of printing.
This apparatus is composed of a number of hammers placed in a circle in
such a manner that they will strike upon one central point, upon the face of
which hammers the letters of the alphabet are cut in relief. These hammers
are put in motion by means of keys similar to those of a pianoforte keyboard.
The paper, borne upon a carriage, is constantly drawn from right to left by a
spring, which is recoiled by drawing back the carriage by hand at the
conclusion of each hire. A detent mechanism causes the paper to move the
length of one letter each time that one of the keys is depressed. The move-
ment of the paper necessary for commencing a new line is imparted to it by
rollers carried by the chariot, which are in their turn acted on by an apparatus
attached to the framing of the machine at the required time. Certain small
pieces of mechanism are also arranged beneath the keys, the object of which
is to prevent two keys from being pressed down at the same moment, and tho
hammers from being injured by being struck against each other.
The inking of the hammers is accomplished by means of a silk band passing
over pullies, which are capable of sliding vertically in grooved bearings, and
are raised by separate keys placed for that purpose at each end of tho
keyboard. The band is of course raised with the pullies, and in this position
can be easily worked without soiling the machine. By pressing upon a con-
venient portion, of the pullies they can be easily made to reassume their
former positions.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the annexed Drawings represents a front or face
view of the machine; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same, with tho
top cover removed to shew the internal arrangement; Figure 3 on Sheet 2 is
a transverse section of the machine; Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of the
striking action or hammer actuating mechanism; and Figure 5 is another
letail, in plan and side elevation, of a portion of the mechanism herein-after
more fully referred to and described.
A, A, represents a horizontal board, which, with the vertical sides or end
pieces B, B, and the longitudinal bars C, D, and E, constitutes the framing of
the machine, upon which the whole of the mechanism is supported. The
entire instrument is enclosed in a box, of which B, B, are the two ends;
Fand G, the front and back; II, the bottom; I, the top; and J, J, and K, K,
the lids or covers. The keys L, M, are connected at their inner ends to the
bar C, and are each fitted with a counterweight N, which causes the vertical
part M of each key to bear or press against the front edge of the board A (sec
Figure 3). These keys are stopped in their descent by the bar D, and are
guided in their motions by the pins O and P, fitted respectively into the bar D
and into the edge of the barrel A. The pieces of metal Q and R, which are
held against the bar D by screws at S, forming fulcrums or working centres, are
situated immediately beneath the intervals between the keys. These pieces aro
each enlarged or made with a shoulder at Q, which shoulders are in contact
with each other throughout the entire series. The narrower portions R are
pointed in the form of a wedge or double incline, which points fit into notches
of a similar shape but of double the size, made between each pair of keys, as
shewn in dotted lines in Figure 1. By this arrangement, when a key is
depressed, the inclines formed on each side of such depressed key will act
upon the two double points R which are placed beneath it, and push them
sideways in opposite directions, namely, to the right and to the left, so as to
leave room for the descent of the key, whilst the lateral motion of the two
pieces R, R, will be transmitted to all the rest of the pieces, both right and
left, by reason of their close proximity to each other. This lateral motion will
obviously have the effect of locking the rest of the keys until the depressed
key is released and permitted to rise again. The keys are connected with the
striking action by means of the wires T and U, connected with the two arms
of the bell-crank levers V, shewn in dotted lines in Figure 2, and in full lines
in Figure 3. This action is carried by a circular metal box W, W, fitted
into a corresponding opening in the board A. The striking action or
mechanism for each hammer consists of a short lever X, pivotted in or near
its middle, carrying an arm or catch Y, which is jointed so as to work freely

page_text: on the upper end of the lever X, and a helical spring Z, for returning the
mechanism to its original position again after striking. This striking action
or mechanism is indicated more clearly in the enlarged detail section, Figure 4.
When the corresponding key is in repose, the mechanism remains in tho
position shewn in black lines in Figure 4, the tail a of the arm or hinged
catch Y being held back by the spring Z, so as to be in contact with the
inner side of the box W, thereby keeping the point or nose 6 of the catch
elevated in a convenient position for striking the butt c, hammer d. On
suddenly depressing the key, the lever X will be drawn into the position
shewn in red lines, and the notched butt c of the hammer shank will be
struck by the nose 6 of the catch Y, causing the hammer to ascend to the
horizontal position shewn by the red lines, and imprint its letter or character
upon the under side of the paper, which latter is indicated by the red dotted
line 1, 2. After striking the hammer butt the catch Y will drop by its own
weight into the position shewn by the red lines, and is thus out of the way of
the bammer butt on its return stroke. On the release of the key the lever X
will be drawn back again by the spring Z, and the nose of the catch Y will
be again elevated and engaged in the notch of the hammer butt in readiness
for another stroke, by reason of its tail piece a being brought in contact with
the side of the box W. It will be found advantageous to connect the upper
ends of each of the hammer shanks d with a rod e and counterweight lever f,
which keeps them balanced in all positions, and diminishes the power required
for actuating them. The spring Z is attached to the lever f, and assists
thereby the spring 9 in returning the hammers to their places. A ring of
leather or other suitable material h, supported by a similar ring of sheet
metal, is fixed to the bottom of the circular box W, so as to impart a slight
friction to the hammer heads as they return, and so prevent them from
rebounding again. These rings may be divided into as many parts as there
are hammers. On the middle of the bar E is fixed, by means of a nut and
screw, the arm or bracket i, and upon the projecting extremity of this arm is
fitted the piece k, against the under side of which the whole of the hammers
are made to strike. The thumb nuts 1, 1, enable these parts to be turned
underneath the bar E while the apparatus is to be shut up. The inking of
the haminers is accomplished by the aid of a band of silk m, m, which passes
over the four pullies n, n, carried in sliding plates o, o. These sliding plates
are capable of being slightly elevated by depressing a key situated at cach
end of the keyboard; one of these inking keys is represented at p, p, in
Figure 3; the band passing over the pullics is of course elevated with them.
In this position it will be casy to apply the ink thereto without soiling the

page_text: machine; and the band is then lowered again into its former position by
depressing the sliding plates O until they are stopped by the small stops g,
provided for that purpose. The paper to be written or printed upon is carried
by a sliding carriage, which traverses longitudinally between two rails or bars
r, T. This carriage consists of a quadrangular frame s, s, two rollers t and u,
and a flat bar of metal v. The roller u has its bearings in the frame, and the
roller and bar vare carried by the respective levers w and x, which are
connected by the rod y in such a manner that when the bar v is elevated by
turning it on its pivots z, z, the roller t will also be elevated, the levers w
which carry it turning on the centres 3, 3. The paper to be written upon
is placed between the two rollers t and u, and the upper roller is then brought
down on to it, and the weight of the bar v, acting through the levers x and 10,
serves to nip the paper firmly between the rollers. The same result may be
obtained by a spring fixed at s pressing upon the connecting rod y, herein-
before referred to. The bar v carries a number of weak springs 4, Figure 8,
which serve to keep the paper distended or stretched. The helical spring 5
(Figure 1), attached to one end of the box containing the apparatus, tends to
draw the carriages constantly from the right to the left hand by means of the
cord 6, which passes over the pullies 7 and 8, and is connected to the traversing
carriage by a hook at 9. The movement of the carriage is controlled by the
second cord 10, attached to the side of the carriage opposite to the cord 6,
and is passed round the guide pulley 11, whence it proceeds to the drum or
pulley 12, round which it is wound. This drum or pulley is made in one
piece with the horizontal pin wheel 18, and the pins in conjunction with the
bar 14 form an escapement for regulating the motion of the carriage, and
preventing it from being at once traversed over its entire course by the
pulling action of the spring 5.
One of the ends of the bar 14 is guided by the link 15, and the other
extremity is connected to the rocking frame 16, oscillating on centres at
17, 17. This frame is kept constantly pressed against the stop pin 18 by the
helical spring 19, and in this position one of the pins in the wheel 13 bears
against the spring 20 (Figure 5) of the bar 14, opposite the notch 21 made in
that bar. When a key is depressed, the upper end 22 of the vertical portion M
of the key (Figure 3) presses against the edge of the top bar of the rocking
frame 16 (as shewn by the red lines in Figure 3), and pushes back the
rocking frame, causing it to turn on its centres 17, the bar 14 being thereby
compelled to follow this movement is consequently drawn away slightly from
the centre of the pin wheel 13. This backward movement of the bar causes
the pin which was previously bearing against the side of the spring 20

page_text: (Figure 5), immediately opposite to or in front of the notch 21 in the bar 14,
to slip over the end of the spring 20, and bear against the side of the bar
itself at the part marked 23, or near the extremity of the bar. Immediately
this movement has been effected the hammer strikes the paper and imprints
its letter thereon. On the release or return of the key to its normal position,
the rocking frame 16 will be drawn forward again and brought in contact
with the stop pin 18 by the action of the helical spring 19, at the same time
pushing forward slightly the bar 14, and bringing it back again to its front
position. This return stroke of the bar 14 allows the pin which was bearing
against the side of the bar at 23 to escape through the notch 21, which is
now brought opposite to it, and the next succeeding pin in the wheel imme-
diately follows up and comes in contact with the side of the spring 20, in
readiness for the next depression of a key, when the like result follows, and
so on until a line is completed; each motion of the pin wheel allowing the
carriage with the paper upon it to move the space of one letter. The constant
tendency of the carriage to move forward always tends to turn the pin wheel
through the cord 10 until the latter is stopped by the escapement motion
herein-before described.
After the completion of a line it is necessary to draw the carriage s back
again in its guides towards the right-hand side of the apparatus, so as to be in
readiness for the commencement of the next succeeding line. This adjust-
ment of the carriage is effected by drawing forward the button 24, which is
connected with the drum 12 by a cord 25, wound round the drum in a
contrary direction to the cord 10, and secured to the button itself. This
drawing forward of the button 24 reverses the motion of the drum and pin
wheels, and the pins being opposite to the notch 21 in the bar 14, are free to
pass therethrough the spring 20 acting as a detent.
The traverse of the paper necessary to change the line is effected simul-
taneously with the drawing back of the carriage. This is accomplished by
means of the vertical pin wheel 26, fixed on to the end of the axle of the
upper roller t, the lever 27, and blade spring 28; the object of the spring 28
is to keep the tail 29 of the lever against its supporting bracket. When the
carriage is drawn back towards the right hand, one of the pins in the wheel 26
being pressed against and traversed along the unyielding inclined surface or
cilge of the lever 27, is compelled to move round a short distance, and the
roller & following its movement draws the paper forward the proper distanco
for the next line.
As the carriage during the process of printing gradually moves back again
towards the left hand the spring 28 permits the lever 27 to yield slightly, and

page_text: allow the pin of the pin wheel 26 on the opposito edge or side of the lever to
release itself without receiving any motion; and on passing the end of the
lever 27, the latter is immediately brought back again to its original position
by the action of the spring 28, so as to be in readiness for another change of
line. The pulley 8. works loose upon the axis of the pulley n, but it is fitted
with a detent, which engages with a ratchet wheel fast on the axis, and is so
disposed that when the carriage is drawn back towards the right hand the
pulley 8 alone will move, whilst during the return motion of the carriage
towards the left hand, in the operation of printing, the pulley 8 will turn with
it the pulley n, and so move the inking band m². The result of this traverse
of the working band is that the hammer will never strike it in the same place
consecutively.
The inking band and paper may be arranged in different ways, for example,
the band may be placed between the paper and the hammer, by which means
the cleanest impressions will be obtained. In this case the characters should
be cut similar to ordinary printing type, that is, in the reverse to what they
will appear when printed. The operator, however, will not be able to read
what he is printing unless he turns up the paper or machine. The arrange-
ment which I consider most convenient requires that the characters should bo
cut exactly as they will appear when printed, or the reverse to ordinary type.
A sheet of thick or opaque paper is placed beneath the inking band, that
is, on the side next the hammer, and a sheet of thin or transparent paper is
placed above the band. Two copies will thus be produced at one time, and
the operator will be able to read the writing or printing through the trans-
parent paper. By using two inking bands four copies may bo produced at
one time, but the impressions will not be so sharp. Any number of hammers
may be used according to the requirements of the operator, thirty-seven how-
ever will be found sufficient for all purposes, namely, ono for each letter of
the alphabet, with additional hammers for punctuation and accentuation.
The capital letters are indicated by a particular sign placed above the letter
intended to be a capital. This sign is cut upon a hammer, the key of which
has no vertical projection 22, and can therefore make a strike without moving
the paper. This key is struck before striking the letter key. The great
advantages to be obtained by the use of this machine are the production of
two copies at one operation, clearness and sharpness of writing independantly
of the operator, a very great economy of time, as by this machine the operation
of writing is rendered twice as rapid as with the pen.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried

page_text: into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention, nor do I
claim any of the mechanical elements of which the said apparatus and parts
of apparatus are respectively composed, as being separately or apart from the
use or application of such elements to form the combination constituting such
apparatus and parts of apparatus respectively, as being any part of the said
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of apparatus
for marking or imprinting characters on paper and other fabrics, as herein-
before described.
Second, the application and use of a number of hammers having characters
formed upon them, and arranged in such a manner that each individual
bammer will strike upon one common point or centre, for the purpose herein-
before described.
Third, the application and use of keys arranged in the form of a clavier for
actuating printing hammers.
Fourth, the application and use of an inking band for conveying the ink to
the surface of the sheet or sheets to be imprinted.
Fifth, the employment of suitable stops placed beneath the hammer
actuating keys for the purpose of preventing more than one key being
depressed at one time.
Sixth, the employment of a travelling carriage or sliding frame for holding
the paper and presenting it in a proper manner to the printing hammers.
Seventh, the peculiar modes of controlling or regulating the movements of
the carriage and paper requisite for bringing a fresh space over the striking
point in the machine and for changing the line, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, the Twelfth day of January, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-eight.
J. HENKY JOHNSON. (L.S.)