Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1891-Accepted 23rd May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
I, AISIK SCHAPIRO, 49, Klosterstrasse, Berlin, C., Germany, Manufacturer, 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:-
Type-writers as known hitherto require the use of both hands for producing a
letter or the like, thus being of no use for those persons, who have only one hand
at their command. To meet that want, I have constructed a type-writing-machine,
which may be worked in the most exact manner by employing only one finger, and
which is characterized by the manner in which a type-wheel is adjusted and moved,
and in which the printing is effected.
I attain the above-named object by the mechanism illustrated in the accom-
panying drawing, in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the
several views, and in which :-
Fig. 1 is a side-view of the machine, showing the normal position in full lines,
and two working-positions in dotted lines, distinguished from each other by
and
Fig. 2 is another side-view showing the machine printing a capital letter, and
part G in vertical section.
Fig. 3 is an upper-view, the wheels on type-wheel-axle
sake of distinctness.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken on the line y-y of
axle being removed.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are details of the type-writer.
being removed for the
Fig. 3, the wheels and
An upwardly extending support A is secured to the middle of the ground-plate A¹
by means of its base-plate a. An horizontal frame is attached to the upper
extremity, which in combination with support A. serves to hold the type-wheel
spindle in proper oblique position. The type-wheel T having one series with
small letters, and a second series with capital letters is firmly secured to the
spindle i, the latter carrying besides a cog-wheel E and a disk E2, both firmly
fastened to said shaft. A loose cog-wheel F sits also on the spindle, and has at
one side a hole, in which a pin attached to disc E¹ may be moved. A spiral-
spring inserted between the wheel F and disk E¹ tends incessantly to draw the
type-wheel nearer to the support A.
Two standards a² a are fastened to the ground-plate A' near the sides of part a,
and hold an horizontal bar m on which a flat plate G4 may slide to the left or
right. Said plate has at one side an upwardly extending rack G³ gearing with the
spur-wheel F, and at the other side a fork G2, in which the respective finger, when
writing, is placed. A hand is fixed on plate G', and slides over the scale Z,
which is held in proper position by a rod o secured to support A. Thus when
moving the plate G by means of the fork G, the rack G³ causes the wheel F to
turn the spindle by means of the pin and disk E', and the type-wheel T and
cog-wheel E are turned, too; and are turned in such a way, that the character
indicated by hand z on scale Z corresponds with that being at the lowest part of
wheel T directly over the paper-holder D.
A shaft is arranged parallel to the bar m by means of two supports a¹ a¹, and
holds two levers B B, which are connected at the front-side of the machine by a
flat plate C, forming the key for small characters. The rear ends of said levers B B
are connected by a rod P, which is connected to a parallel rod P¹ by means of
curved holders P. The rods P and P' are at their opposite sides provided with
grooves in which the side-parts S, carrying a shaft R with a paper-roll D may be
moved to and fro.

page_text: The key-arms of the levers B B have pins ff, which serve as bearings for two
pairs of one-armed levers B B. The arms d d are connected by a flat lath C¹
laying parallel and flush with the key C and being kept in that position by the
curved parts of the levers B B close to the key C. The arms ee are connected by a
flat plate C, being also parallel and flush with C, when in normal position, and
being kept in that position by the flat parts of the levers B B near their curved
ones. Key C serves for producing the spaces between the words, and the key C
for printing capital letters.
Now, when wishing to print a small character, hand 2 on plate G³ is moved by
the fork G to the respective character on the scale Z, thus causing at the same
time the type-wheel to rotate until the character has gained its suitable position
with regard to the paper. The finger remains in the fork, and the key C is pressed
down, thus moving the levers B B and pressing the roll D and with it the sheet of
paper against the type-wheel, as indicated by dotted lines
Fig. 1.
in
Further, when wishing to produce a space between two words, the finger is
moved a little forward, so as to influence not only the key C but also the key C¹,
being pressed down at the same time. Now, there are pins gg fixed to the ground-
plate A', directly under under the arms dd, and the keys cannot be pressed deeper
than the said pins. The roll D, thus attains the position as indicated by dotted
lines
in Fig. 1, and the paper is not pressed against the type-wheel.
The roll, however, has been moved sufficiently upwards for being pushed forward
in an axial direction a certain short way by the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.
That mechanism is constructed as follows:
RC
A pawl u is hinged to a lug by means of a pin a² and is pressed upwards by
a spring suitably arranged beneath said pawl. A single tooth or nozzles is
attached to the lug e directly over the pawl, thus preventing a further ascending
of the latter. The pawl is arranged directly beneath a rack S₁ fixed to the side-
holders S S of the paper-roll D. The latter when in the normal position is kept in
the same by tooths, pressing the pawl w down at the same time. Now, when
lifting the paper-roll with its rack, the latter leaves the tooths and pawl, and the
pawl comes into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When sinking the
roll, the pawl enters again one of the intervals between the teeth of the rack S',
that is to say, the next following interval, and owing to the circular course of the
point of pawl the rack and the roll are transported as much as the space between
two intervals of the rack S¹
:
Now, when a capital character is required, the type-wheel must be moved in an
axial direction as much as is necessary to transport the second series with the
capital characters in the place of the first series. In order to perform that auto-
matically by the key C, a mechanism of the following construction is employed
A double-armed lever H sits loosely on shaft at the right-hand side of support A.
The vertical arm of said lever rests against the boss of the toothed wheel E,
and the short horizontal arm ¹ of it lies on, or over the nose p' of a wedge-shaped
part p, which is secured to a lng w by means of a pin wl (Fig. 4). A spiral-
spring connects the point of part p to the extremity of arm . Now, a nozzle
is attached to the key C2 directly over p, and, when pressing the key C² down, its
until
nozzle is pressed unto the upper rim of part p, and thus the nose ?' lifted up
p comes into a position as shown by dotted lines
by so lifting the nose p, arm h¹ is moved thereby, and arm arrives at the position
as shown in Fig. 2 in full lines, and as shown in Fig. 4 in dotted lines -
Owing to that movement the spindle i, along with the type-wheel, pressed in the
direction of its axis away from the supports A, so that the second series of
characters may come in contact with the roll D and into the position as illustrated
in Fig. 2. A spiral-spring g' is compressed thereby, and effects the returning of
the wheel T when the key C2 is released.
in Fig. 4.
Thus
The proportions between the parts mentioned above are chosen so as to finish
the axial displacement of wheel T shortly before the paper is pressed against the

page_text: respective capital character in order to get a clear and distinct print. Unto the
middle part of the rod P, directly opposite the cog-wheel E there is a lug k
attached, the purpose of which is to prevent the type-wheel from turning during
the time of printing, by always entering an interval between two teeth of the
wheel E, shortly before the printing takes place.
As may be easily seen from the foregoing description the machine may be
worked merely by putting a finger into the fork, by then moving the plate G* to
and fro, and finally by pressing one or the other of the keys C, C₁, C²
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
In type-writers:
1. A rotating disk (T) provided with types and gearing with a slide-pointer (G³)
by tooth-wheel (F) and rack (G³), in combination with a scale (4) firmly attached
to the frame (A) of the writer, with an oscillating paper-holder (D), and with
levers (B and d) both acting on the paper-holder (D) and provided with keys (C
and C) both corresponding in length with the scale (Z), for the, purpose as
described.
2. A rotating disk (T) provided with two rows of types and displaceable in
axial direction, gearing with a slide-pointer (G2) by tooth-wheel (F) and rack (G³),
in combination with a scale (Z) firmly attached to the frame (A) of the writer,
with an oscillating paper-holder (D), and with levers (B, d and e) all acting on
the paper-holder and provided with keys (C, C1 and C2), all corresponding in
length with the scale (Z), for the purpose as described.
3. A rotating disk (T) provided with two rows of types displaceable in axial
direction, and gearing with a slide-pointer (G2) by tooth-wheel (F) and rack (G³),
in combination with a scale (Z) firmly attached to the frame (A) of the writer,
with an oscillating paper-holder (D) and with levers (B, d and e), all acting on the
paper-holder, and provided with keys (C, C¹ and C³) all corresponding in length
with the scale (Z), and arranged in such a manner, that keys (C1 and C2) rest
freely on the lever (B), for the purpose as described.
4. A rotating disk (T) provided with two rows of types displaceable in axial
direction and gearing with a slide-pointer (G) by tooth-wheel (F) and rack (G),
in combination with a scale (Z) firmly attached to the frame (A) of the writer,
with an oscillating paper-holder (D) and with levers (B, d and e), all acting on the
paper-holder, and provided with keys (C, C' and C), all corresponding in length
with the scale (Z) and arranged in such a manner, that keys (C and C³) rest
freely on the lever (B), the key (C) acting besides on displacing the type-wheel
by two levers (³, h² and p p¹), for the purpose as described.
Dated this 7th day of April 1901
AISIK SCHAPIRO.
By Geo. Thos. Hyde,
4, Moorfields, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.