Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
A communication from abroad from Messrs. WYCKOFF, SEAMANS & BENEDICT,
of 327 Broadway, New York City, New York, in the United States of
America, a Corporation organised under the Laws of the State of New
.;
York.
1, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the firm of Fell & Wilding, of 1 Queen Victoria
Street, in the City of London, 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 ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates more particularly to the platen-carrier or carriage and its
accessories, and has for its main objects; first, to provide a construction whereby
paper of any width may be used; secondly, a construction whereby the platen may
be readily detached and re-applied, or substituted by another platen when mani-
folding is to be performed; and thirdly, a construction whereby the paper may be
properly held upon or against the platen, and may also be properly fed or moved in
line-space direction.
To these ends my invention consists in the various features of construction and
combinations of devices hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed
out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a top plan view of so much of a type-writing machine as is necessary
to illustrate our improvements.
Figure 2 is an end view thereof, taken at the left hand side of the machine.
Figure 3 is a vertical section, enlarged, taken at the line x, x of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken at the line y, y of Figure 1, and
Figure 5 is a detail view of one of the back feed-roller links and one of the
pressure springs for said roller.
In the several views the same parts will be found designated by the same
numerals of reference.
I have illustrated the present improvements in connection with a type writing
machine of the general construction shown in the Letters Patent of the United
States of America granted to us March 29, 1892, No. 471,710, to which reference
is hereby made for a fuller understanding of the construction and operation of any
part herein shown but not relating to my present improvements.
1 designates the frame-work, 2 the top-plate or type ring, 3 the main carriage,
4 and 5 the carriage guide-rails, 6 the pivoted spring-actuated feed-rack frame,
7 the vertically-arranged feed-rack, 8 the pinion engaging said rack, 9 the shaft of
said pinion, 10 the ratchet-wheel on said shaft, and 11 the feed-dogs.
12 designates a rock-shaft mounted at its ends in the main carriage and provided
near each end with an upwardly-extending arm 13 which is pivotally-connected
to one of the side or end bars of the platen-carrier. The platen-carrier consists
preferably of a back-rod 14, a front bar 15, and side or end bars 16 and 17. The
front side of the platen-carrier is supported by a grooved anti-friction roller 18,
mounted in a bracket 19 secured on the underside of the front bar 15 and bearing
and rolling upon a cylindrical shift-rail 20 mounted at or near its ends upon arms 21
connected as heretofore to a shift-key. On the underside of the bracket 19 is a
flaring yoke-piece 22 which embraces the shift-rail in the usual manner and for the
usual purposes. Projecting laterally from each end bar is a pin 23 which plays
between two fixed screws 24 in upwardly-projecting lugs of the main carriage.
These pins and screws form limiting stops for the transverse vibrations or shifting
movements of the platen-carrier.

page_text: The side or end bars 16 and 17 are constructed alike and from their rear ends
are bent downwardly, forwardly and then upwardly again, into substantially
U-shape, in order to pass under the platen or impression roller. 26. The ends of
the platen are supported on the underside by the lowermost or depressed portions
of the end bars; but the said ends of the platen preferably rest upon a pair of
ribs or projections 27 formed on each of said end bars, one on each side of the
vertical centerline of the platen.
Pivoted at 28, on each end bar is a depending link 29, the lower end of which
supports one end of the shaft or axle 30 of a feed or pressure roller 31. Near
each end of said axle or shaft 30 is mounted a bracket 32, to which is pivotally-
connected or hinged at 33 a spring 34 which is curved or bent to pass around and
in contact with the underside of the cylindrical platen and to terminate in front
thereof above its horizontal center. To this spring is attached a hook 35 which
engages with the front bar 15 of the platen-carrier. The said springs 34 serve to
press the feed-roller 31 against the platen.
In front of the platen are arranged two small rollers 36 mounted upon a common
shaft or axle 37 which is arranged to turn in bearings in brackets 38 connected to
the front bar 15 of the platen-carrier near each end thereof. The said brackets 38
are each formed of a horizontal base-plate 39 and an upwardly-extending arm or
member 40, which terminates in an eye or bearing 41 for the roller shaft or axle 37.
Each of said brackets 38 is spring-pressed and also hinged or pivotally-connected
to the bar 15. The underside of the base-plate 39 is formed with a half round
groove, and the upper side of the bar 15 is similarly formed to receive a hinge or
pivot-pin 42. The base-plate 39 is also provided with a perforation, through which
passes a screw 43, whose point engages with a threaded hole in the bar 15.
Between the underside of the head of the screw and the upper surface of the base-
plate is arranged a coiled spring 44, whose power or tension may be regulated by
said screw.
The action of the spring 44 is such as to normally maintain contact
between the surfaces of the rolls 36 and the surface of the platen. The rollers 36
are so arranged that their lines of contact occur above the center of the platen, in
order that their pressure, together with that of the back roller 31, may operate to
force the platen downwardly and prevent the same from falling out when the platen-
carrier is turned up, or of accidentally shifting from its proper position, when the
platen is down and the machine is being used.
The front and back rollers pressing with nearly equal force on the platen permit
the resultant downward pressure added to the weight of the platen itself, to always
center and hold the platen properly in position transversely upon the projections
or ribs on the end bars and beneath the platen ends.
As the front and back rollers are incapable of moving longitudinally in their
bearings they serve in connection with the friction of the contact of the platen or
the paper thereon with the ribs or projections referred to, to keep the platen
firmly in position against longitudinal movement in the platen-carrier or frame.
Of course instead of two short rollers 36, one long or continuous roller may be
employed.
In connection with the left hand roller 36, preferably, I provide means for
rotating the rollers 36 and feeding the paper lengthwise for necessary line-spacing.
Upon the shaft 37 is mounted a hub 45, from which extends a line-space lever 46
provided with a pivoted driving-pawl 47, the hook-shaped end of which is adapted
to engage with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel 48 affixed upon said shaft. To the
hub 45, through a hook 49, is connected one end of a coiled spring 50, the opposite
end of which, by a hock 51, is connected to the bracket 38 on the front bar of the
platen-carrier. The said hub is notched or cut-away, as at 52, to receive a pin 53
projecting from the base-plate 39, which pin serves to limit the movements of the
hub under the action of the spring 50.
By pulling down the arm or lever 46 in the direction of the arrow, the driving- 5
pawl is caused to turn the ratchet-wheel and the rollers 36 and cause them" to'
partially rotate the platen and move the paper thereon in line-space direction.

page_text: During the downward movement of the arm or lever 46 the spring 50 is stretched,
and upon releasement of said lever said spring operates to restore the hub, lever
and driving pawl to their normal positions. The extent of movement of the paper
in this direction may be regulated to the distance of one or two teeth on the ratchet-
wheel by means of a line-space regulator consisting of a block 54 pivoted at 55 in
lugs on the bracket 38. The block 54 is formed with a face 56 and a face 57 and
is pivoted eccentrically so that the plane of the face 56 is nearer the pivot than is
the plane of the face 57. A flat, bent spring 58 is riveted upon the base-plate 39,
and at its free end presses against the pivots of the regulator to hold the same
firmly in either of the two positions it is capable of being set. The regulator is
provided with a handle 59, by which the same may be conveniently adjusted. When
in the position shown at Figures 2 and 4, the line space lever or arm 46 may be
moved down to an extent sufficient to turn the ratchet-wheel the distance of two of
its teeth; but when the face 57 is turned uppermost, the line-space lever will turn
the ratchet-wheel and the rollers connected thereto the distance of only one notch
on said wheel.
Upon arms 60, attached to the front bar of the platen-carrier, is secured a
scale 61, in connection with which is used a stationary pointer 62 attached to the
top-plate, and preferably provided with an indicating or aligning mark 63.
Another scale 64 may be secured to the springs 34 on the underside of the platen
to assist in making adjustments of and corrections on the paper being written.
Pivoted at 65 on the left hand end bar is a lever 66 which is bent to lie below
the plane of the platen, and which near its forward end is slotted at 67 to embrace
a guide pin 68 on the end bar. The front end of said lever terminates in a finger-
piece 69, by depressing which, the feed-rack may be lifted from engagement with
the pinion to permit the carriage to be moved rapidly in either direction.
The paper to be written upon may be inserted between the back pressure roller 31
and the rear side of the platen, and by rotating said platen the leading edge of the
sheet is carried down and around the underside of the platen and up and between
the front rollers and the front side of the platen. If the paper be of a width greater
than the distance between the springs 34 the side portions of the paper will lie
between the underside of the platen and the upper surfaces of said springs, and in
inserting such a sheet its leading edge is prevented from following the underside of
the front rollers 36 by means of extensions 70 of the springs 34, which act to
positively deflect the leading end of the sheet in between the front rollers and the front
side of the platen. If the sheet to be written upon is of a width greater than the
distance between the side bars, it will be supported by said side bars and upon and
in contact with said ribs or projections, (if the latter be used). The platen is
preferably made hollow, as shown, and consists of a tubular core with a surrounding
sheath of vulcanized rubber, but if desired, one or both ends of said platen may be
provided with a hand-wheel, by which said platen may be rotated to effect the feed
or adjustment of the paper. During the writing of the sheet the spacing between
lines is preferable effected by the line-spacing devices hereinbefore described.
From the foregoing it will be readily understood that paper of any width, either
less or greater than the length of the platen, may be used. It will also be readily
understood that the platen may be removed by simply pulling it upwardly out of
the bight of the oppositely-disposed spring-pressed rollers.
As is well-known, it is very desirable to change the platen, according to the kind
of work to be performed and the manner in which the platen is mounted permits
the substitution of one platen for another with the utmost facility. To introduce a
platen it is simply necessary to force it down between the opposing rollers, as
illustrated. As the distance between the inner faces of the opposing rollers is
slightly less than the diameter of the platen, said rollers are of course spread
further apart during the introduction of the platen, the front rollers swinging about
the pivots 42, and the back roller about the pivot 28. Of course the back roll 31
instead of being made continuous may be formed in sections or of a number of small
independent rollers.

page_text: In addition to the advantages referred to of the constructions described, it will
be seen that the paper may be placed upon the platen in a true position while the
latter is out of its carriage and the platen then restored to its proper position in said
carriage. It will also be seen that as the platen need not and ordinarily will not,
come in the same position on returning it, the wear of the surface of the platen will
therefore be practically uniform, which is not the case with a platen having a fixed
ratchet-wheel on one end and having a fixed longitudinally position.
Of course numerous changes in detail construction and arrangement may be made
without departing from the gist of our improvements, and we do not, therefore, wish
to be considered as limiting ourselves to the precise means herein shown and
described. Our improvements may of course be carried out in other forms or
constructions of machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what
I claim is :-
1. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, and a platen-carrier
depressed or sunken at each side or end below the plane of the underside of the
platen, whereby paper of a greater width than the platen or the platen-carrier may
be used.
2. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen and a platen-carrier
having its end or side bars depressed or sunken below the level of the underside of
the platen.
3. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
provided with depressed or sunken end bars below the level of the underside of the
platen, and means for forcing said platen down upon said end bars.
4. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier,
provided with depressed or sunken end bars below the level of the underside of the
platen, and opposing feed-rollers arranged to contact with said platen on opposite
sides to press above its center.
5. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having depressed or sunken end bars below the level of the underside of the platen,
and opposing spring-pressed feed-rollers.
6. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier having
depressed or sunken end bars provided with ribs or projections, and means for forcing
said platen against said ribs or projections.
7. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, and a platen-carrier,
the back and front bars of which stand above the center of the platen and the end
bars of which are bent or shaped to pass beneath said platen.
8. In a type writing machine, a platen-carrier, the end bars or members of
which are substantially U-shape to receive and support the periphery of a
cylindrical platen.
9. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having depressed or sunken end bars, a pivotally-mounted feed-roller, and springs
passing around the underside of said platen serving to force said roller against said
platen.
10. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having depressed or sunken end bars, a feed-roller mounted in pivoted arms or
links, and a pair of springs each connected at one end to said feed roller, and after
passing around the underside of the platen at its opposite end connected to the
platen-carrier.
11. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having depressed or sunken end portions, a pair of links, a feed-roller, a feed
roller-shaft or axle mounted to turn in said links, and a pair of springs each of
which is pivotally connected at one end to the shaft or axle of said roller, and, after
passing around the underside of said platen, at its opposite end is connected to the
platen-carrier.

page_text: 12. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier, a
feed roller, a feed-roller shaft or axle mounted in pivoted supports or links, a
bracket attached to each end of said shaft or axle, and springs arranged to pass
around the underside of the platen and hinged or pivoted each at one end to one of
said brackets.
13. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having sunken or depressed side bars, a shaft or axle, a roller mounted thereon
to bear upon the platen above its longitudinal center, and a pair of hinged spring-
pressed brackets for supporting said shaft or axle above the plane of the platen-
carrier.
14. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier, a
bracket hinged to the bar of said platen-carrier and consisting of a base-plate
and an upwardly-extending arm provided with a bearing, a shaft or axle having
a feed-roller supported in said bracket, a screw passing through a perforation in
said base-plate, and engaging a threaded hole in the bar of the platen-carrier, and a
spring arranged between the upper surface of the base-plate and the underside of
the head of the screw.
15. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having depressed or sunken end portions, a feed-roller pressing against said platen
or the paper thereon, and line-spacing devices for turning said roller and said platen
and moving the paper lengthwise.
16. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier, a
spring-pressed feed-roller, a line-space lever having a driving pawl mounted on the
shaft or axle of said roller, a ratchet wheel fast on said shaft or axle, and a returning
spring connected at one end to the line-space lever, and at the outer end to a
relatively fixed member of the platen-carrier.
17. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen, a platen-carrier
having depressed or sunken end bars, a release key-lever pivoted to one of said
bars and bent to pass below the plane of the underside of said platen and arranged
to extend forward of said platen, and the carriage feeding or escapement devices.
18. In a type writing machine, the combination of carriage feeding or escapement
devices, a platen, a platen-carrier having depressed or sunken end bars, and a release
key lever pivoted to one of said end bars and bent to pass below the plane of the
underside of said platen and formed with a slot which embraces a guide and stop
pin arranged on said end bar.
19. In a type writing machine, the combination with a platen-carrier, of a rotatory
platen without axle or pivots.
20. In a type writing machine, the combination with a platen-carrier, of a rotatory
platen without axles or pivots, and held in working position by pressure on its
periphery.
21. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen-carrier, open at its
ends in the line of the platen, a rotatory platen unattached at either end to said
carrier, and means applied to the periphery of said platen for holding the same in
working position.
22. In a type writing machine, the combination with a platen-carrier, of a rotatory
platen without axle or pivots, and paper feeding devices, which operate to also hold
the platen in working position.
23. In a type writing machine, the combination with a platen-carrier, of a rotatory
platen without axle or pivots, and paper feeding rollers, which operate also to hold
the platen in working position.
24. In a type writing machine, the combination of a platen-carrier having
depressed or sunken end bars, a pivotless rotatory platen, and paper feeding
devices.
T
1 1'
اسم
• T
1000
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.