Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1399-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
I, HENRI DURUZ, of 19, Maupas, Lausanne, in the Republic of Switzerland,
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 relates to improvements in paper feeding mechanisms for type-
writing and other similar machines.
In the typewriting machines as hitherto employed, the feed of the paper into
the carriage at right angles to the path of the latter has been effected by feed
rollers bearing against each other and between which the paper sheet is clamped,
the paper being fed forward by friction. Such an arrangement is open to
objection for the reason that it is very difficult to make the pressure of the
contacting feed rollers even throughout their entire length. Moreover, in the
course of use, the surface of one or the other of the rollers will become worn or
injured to such an extent that the contacting takes place only at a few points,
in consequence of which, the surfaces of the rollers are apt to slip more or less
on the paper, resulting in an oblique or diagonal feed.
To overcome this objection the paper or platen roller, that is, the roller
against which the type are pressed, has been provided with a paper clamp in
some forms of typewriting machines. This arrangement, while it effects à
positive advance or feed of the paper on turning the platen or paper roller, is
open to the objection that the paper is wound upon the roller so that the said
roller is made thicker in diameter at each rotation of the same, whereby the
space between the lines is increased as the work proceeds. A further objection
in this arrangement lies in the fact that the work or manuscript is concealed
as the paper is wound on the roller.
It is the object of the present invention to remedy these objections and, for
this purpose, a device embodying the said invention involves the provision of
a clamp in which the paper is to be held, said clamp being guided parallel to
the axis of the platen or paper roller and away from the said paper roller whereby
there is effected, first, a uniform and always parallel feed of the paper over the
platen on proceeding from line to line and, secondly the paper as it is written
or printed upon is spread out before the operator in such way that the work
is always visible.
In the accompanying drawings I have represented what I consider the prefer-
able embodiment of my invention.
In these drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a transverse section through the paper carriage and
adjacent parts;
Fig. 2 a sectional plan, the section being taken through the left-handed end
of the carriage on the line ab, Fig. 1;

page_text: Fig. 3 an end elevation looking towards the left check or bracket of the
carriage;
Fig. 4 a plan of the same;
Fig. 5 an elevation of the rear portion of the right-handed check of the
carriage;
Fig. 6 a plan view of the same; and
Fig. 7 a front elevation of the paper clamp;
Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a modified form of paper-feed embodying my
invention;
Fig. 9 a vertical cross section; and
Fig. 10 a plan view of the same.
As shown in the drawings the paper carriage consists of a supporting frame ",
and the cheek pieces a¹², whose forward ends are provided with bearings to
receive the journals of the platen o paper roll b. The forward end of the
frame a is provided with a sleeve a³, which embraces the carriage rod d mounted
upon the machine frame, the two parts thus serving as a guide for the carriage.
The frame a is moreover, provided at an intermediate portion of its length with
a roll or castor e, which travels upon a guide rail f also mounted upon the main
machine, frame.
The rear ends of the cheek pieces a a² are provided with eyes a' which receive the
axle a, on which are mounted a series of frames or arms a, a, as, a. These arms
it will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 1 occupy different altitudes when in
their positions of rest, the frame or arm a being uppermost while the last frame <
occupies the lowermost position.
The uppermost frame is provided with an upward-extension a¹º, to which
the clamp is pivotted so that its forward end is yieldingly pressed against the
forward end of the said arm a, the handle 2 being formed on the clamping
jaw a to allow the same to be released when desired. The yieldingly-pressed
jaw all of the paper clamp, so formed, may be held in its operative position by any
suitable or desired means in the present case, by a spring a, which is wound
around a pivot a of the clamp, its upward-extending ends, a, a, bearing against
the extension a¹0, and handle a¹.
This U-shaped spring serves to effectually and yieldingly clamp the paper
between the forward end of the arm or frame a and the jaw a".
The forward end of the lowermost frame a³ in its normal position rests upon the
studs of the cheeks a¹, a². The frames a7 as a are mounted loosely upon the
axle a, while the frame a is keyed to the said axle.
Each arm of the frame is provided at its rear portion, near the hub, with three
studs, a16, a17, a18. The uppermost of these studs are only long enough to engage
the rear portions of the arms of the frame a', whereby they may raise the latter after
the frame a has been raised a predetermined angle or elevation. The studs a¹7
are longer than the studs at and are adapted to reach below the rear portions of
the arms of the frame as, but not long enough to reach under the arms of the
frame a. The studs is finally, are of sufficient length to extend below the rear
portion of the arms of the frame aº, so that when the axle or shaft a is turned,
it serves, first, to raise the frame a and then, through the medium of the latter, the
arms a, a, a, in succession so that the same will be spread out fan-shape as
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The sheet of paper to be written or printed upon is pushed beneath the platen
roller from the rear end of the machine and is then drawn forward and inserted
beneath the clamp jaw all which has been previously raised.
On releasing the clamp jaw a", the paper will be held in operative position and
it is thenceforth compelled to follow the motion of the clamp jaw a and to lie
upon the ends of the arms a, a, a, a as they are gradually spread out into the shape
of a fan. It thereby assumes an approximately cylindrical form so that the feed
or elevation of the paper corresponds to the angular motion of the frame aº.

page_text: The step by step rotation of the shaft or axle a³, for the line spacing after the
completion of a line of manuscript is carried out by the following mechanism :
The ratchet wheel a¹, is keyed or otherwise fixed to the left-handed end of the
said axle a. A pawl lever a2 is mounted so that its end loosely encircles the hub
of the ratchet wheel a¹, and the said pawl-lever carries a dog or pawl a21, adapted
to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel a", in the usual manner.
The lever a20 is constantly urged against a fixed stud a23 on the cheek pieces a³
by means of a spiral spring a22 one of whose ends is secured to the cheek piece a³,
and the other to the lever a20. (See Fig. 2.)
In order to feed the paper a distance of one line, the lever a20 is raised until its
forward free end strikes against the adjustable stop-pin a. This stop-pin in the
present case is shown to consist of a screw-stud which is adapted to be screwed to a
greater or less extent into or out of a bracket fixed on the cheek piece, whereby the
line spacing may be adjusted to any desired width.
In order to prevent the frames a, a, as, a from dropping back to their original
positions indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 by virtue of their own weight, the right-
handed end of the axle a is provided with a second ratchet wheel 26, Fig. 5,
adapted to be engaged by a pawl or dog a², pivotted or mounted on the cheek a¹,
in any desired or suitable manner, whereby the return rotation of the ratchet
wheel. a6 and of the axle a³, is prevented.
In order to return the frames a; a, a, a, to their original positions indicated in
full lines in Fig. 1, the pawl 2, is first thrown back, whereupon the handle a¹²,
is grasped with one hand and the pawl a, is also thrown out of engagement with
the ratchet-wheel a¹ by the other hand, whereupon the frame a", is slowly let down
until the frame a rests against the pins or studs a¹5.
The axle a is arranged at such a distance behind the platen roller b, that the
necessary feed of the paper may be accomplished when the frame has moved through
an angle of about 90° or less. When the frames a", a², as, a occupy the position
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the resultant of the forces of gravitation acting
upon these frames will always lie between the axle as, and the platen roller b, so
that there is no danger of the frames falling to the rear of the axle a³.
The number of auxiliary frames, a, a, a,
is governed by the desired
length of paper to be printed on, these frames being for the purpose of spreading
out the paper in an approximately cylindrical surface. It is desirable that the
front edges of these frames, which are to form the. support of the paper, be so near
each other that their surfaces will not deviate considerably from that of the
cylinder.
Below the platen roller b, there is arranged a second roller 62, whose journals
are mounted in movable brasses or journal bearings 6 which are guided in the
slots 65 in the cheek pieces a¹ a². Springs 66 press the brasses 64, and with them the
roller 62, toward the platen roller b, so that the paper is yieldingly clamped between
the platen roller 6 and the roller 62. By co-operation of this latter device and the
clamp all, the paper is stretched sufficiently to cause the same to lie snugly against
the platen roller 6 at the point of the same against which the type are forced or
struck.
In the modification illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the paper clamp all is
pivoted to a carriages, which is guided in the parallel and vertical guide slots st.
The carriage is provided at its rear side with a rack 2, which is engaged by a
pinion 3. The pinion is keyed or otherwise fixed to the shaft s, which shaft
is provided at one end with a ratchet wheel 56.
Upon the hub of this ratchet-wheel, is loosely mounted a pawl-levers which
carries a pawl or dog 8, adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 56. A
helical spring tends to press the lever s constantly against the stop pins $10.
In order to secure the carriage in any position to which it has been moved the
free end of the axle 4, is provided with a ratchet-wheel s¹¹ keyed thereto and adapted
to be engaged by the pawl s12.
The operation of this modified device is obvious from the foregoing. Whenever

page_text: the line has been completed the lever is drawn away from the stud 10. By this
ineans the pawl 8 is caused to feed forward the ratchet-wheel s6, which, through the
medium of the pinion s³ engaging the rack 2, causes the carriage to be raised
sufficiently to place another portion of the paper in the position to be printed upon,
the amount of line-spacing thus produced being governed by the adjustable
stop-pin as in the form of device shown in Fig. 1.
'
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 a type writing machine, the combination with a yielding holding device
for holding one part of the paper, of a positive holding device for holding another
part of the paper, and mechanism for separating the positive and the yielding
holding devices.
2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with yielding means for holding
one part of the paper, of a clamp device arranged to hold positively another part
of the paper, and means for separating the clamp device and the yielding holding
means.
3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a yielding paper holding
device, of a plurality of paper stretching frames, means for separating said frames,
and a positive paper holding device carried by one of said paper stretching frames
substantially as described.
4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with an impression cylinder and
means for yieldingly pressing the paper against said cylinder, of a plurality of
angularly movable paper stretching frames, means for lifting the frames one by one
away from each other, and a positive paper holding device carried by one of said
paper stretching frames.
5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a yielding paper holding
device, of a positively holding paper clamping frame pivotally mounted and
provided with projecting pins, means for moving said frame about its pivotal point,
and intermediate paper stretching frames engaged and moved by the projecting
pins on the paper clamping frame.
6. In a typewriting machine, the combination, with a carriage, an impression
cylinder mounted thereon, and means for yieldingly holding the paper to said
impression cylinder, of a shaft mounted in the carriage, a paper holding frame fixed
to said shaft, a positively holding paper clamp carried by said frame, a pawl and
ratchet mechanism for rotating said shaft means for holding the shaft in any
position to which it is rotated, a plurality of paper stretching frames intermediate
the paper holding frame and the impression cylinder, and means carried by the
paper holding frame for separating the paper stretching frames one by one.
Dated this 31st day of January 1899. .
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents. .