Improvements in or relating to Inking Devices for Type-writers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov.,
1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Inking Devices for Type-writers.
We, EDWARD SMITH HIGGINS, Engineer, of 6 Thorburn Square, London, in the
County of Surrey, and HENRY CHARLES JENKINS, Engineer, A.R.S.M., of 95
Queen's Crescent, Haverstock Hill, London, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
This invention may be described as follows:-The ink is supplied as is commonly
the case in type-writers upon a ribbon which may be wound upon two spools. Each
of these spools is provided with a toothed wheel, and they are preferably arranged
side by side and centred upon the same axial line.
With either of these wheels
gears a driving wheel so arranged that it can either slide upon the arbor which
carries it so as to engage alternately with either of the toothed wheels, or being fast
upon its arbor the said arbor may be moved longitudinally so as to cause the wheel
to gear with either of the spool wheels as may be required.
The movement may be imparted to the driving wheel by a ratchet wheel and pawl
operated from any suitable part of the machine which will impart the necessary
intermittent movement to the spools and ribbon. The ratchet wheel is preferably
provided with a fixed pawl or detent to prevent return motion.
Any suitable means may be employed for retaining the driving wheel in gear
with the respective spool wheel with which it is engaged; for example, where the
arbor is adapted to be moved two grooves may be formed in it and a catch, preferably
a spring catch, adapted to engage with either of these grooves: Where the wheel
slides upon the arbor similar ineans may be employed to engage with the boss of
the wheel or a suitable clutch lever may be used to move and retain the wheel in its
proper position. Other means however may be used for this purpose.
The ribbon passing from the first of these spools extends to a pivotted device
passing round a bent wire or portion of the device in such a manner that the central
portion of the ribbon which is adapted to lie flat. upon the paper as the blow is
delivered, will be underneath the type head. After passing this pivotted device the
other end of the ribbon passes to the second spool on which it is wound so that
the ribbon may be drawn backwards and forwards according to whichever spool is
operated.
The pivotted device above referred to consists preferably of a plate or platform
pivotted in the frame which carries the spools and other mechanism and so provided
with a spring or springs and heel or equivalent that it normally remains in what we
will cali the raised position. The plate or platform is provided with a notch or
recess with which the type head or a portion of the type bar engages as the blow is
delivered the result being that as the type bar descends it strikes and moves towards
the paper the pivotted device, the type face as already explained falling upon the.
straight portion of the ribbon. The type bar being pivotted at a much greater
distance from the point at which the imprint is made than is the pivotted device it,
naturally follows that a forward movement of the pivotted device relatively to the
type head takes place with the result that as the device is depressed the plate extends
forward and the notch engages with the type head or type bar thus affording the
locking device for the type lead.
If desired the pivotted device above described may be locked down in its working
position.
Upon or in connection with the above described pivotted device may be provided
separate or supplemental similar devices which may with advantage be pivotted
upon it; these supplemental devices however though each provided with the notch

page_text: to hold the type lever would not have accommodation for the ribbon which would be
carried by the main device.
The spools are removable, any suitable means of securing them in the frane being
provided.
If desired a continuous ribbon in the form of an endless band may be employed,
in which case the spools may be dispensed with and the ribbon passed over an
inking roller and be preferably driven by another roller pressing upon it.
Dated this 1st day of November 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Inking Devices for Type-writers.
We, EDWARD SMITH HIGGINS, Engineer, of 6 Thorburn Square, London in the
County of Surrey, and HENRY CHARLES JENKINS, Engineer, A.R.S.M., of
95 Queens Crescent, Haverstock Hill, London in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention may be described as follows:-The ink is supplied as is commonly
the case in type-writers upon a ribbon which may be wound upon two spools. Each
of these spools is provided with a toothed wheel and they are preferably arranged
side by side and centred upon the same axial line. With either of these wheels gears
a driving wheel so arranged that it can either slide upon the arbor which carries it.
so as to engage alternately with either of the toothed wheels, or being fast upon its
arbor the said arbor may be moved longitudinally so as to cause the wheel to gear
with either of the spool wheels as may be required.
The movement may be imparted to the driving wheel by a ratchet wheel and pawl
operated from any suitable part of the machine which will impart the necessary
intermittent movement to the spools and ribbon. The ratchet wheel is preferably
provided with a fixed pawl or detent to prevent return motion.
Any suitable means may be employed for retaining the driving wheel in gear with
the respective spool wheel with which it is engaged; for example, where the arbor is
adapted to be moved two grooves may be formed in it and a catch, preferably a spring
catch, adapted to engage with either of these grooves. Where the wheel slides upoù
the arbor similar means may be employed to engage with the boss of the wheel or a
suitable clutch lever may be used to move and retain the wheel in its proper position.
Other means however may be used for this purpose.
The ribbon passing from the first of these spools extends to a pivoted device passing
round a bent wire or portion of the device in such manner that the central portion of
the ribbon which is adapted to lie flat upon the paper as the blow is delivered, will, be
underneath the type head. After passing this pivoted device the other end of the
ribbon passes to the second spool on which it is wound so that the ribbon may be
drawn backwards and forwards according to whichever spool is operated.
The pivoted device above referred to consists preferably of a plate, platform or
frame pivoted in the frame which carries the spools and other mechanism and so
provided with a spring or springs and heel or equivalent that it normally remains in
what we will call the raised position. The plate or platform is provided with a notch or
recess with which the type head or a portion of the type bar engages as the blow is
delivered the result being that as the type bar descends it strikes and moves towards
the paper the pivoted device, the type face as already explained falling upon the
straight portion of the ribbon. The type bar being pivoted at a much greater
distance from the point at which the imprint is made than is the pivoted device it
naturally follows that a forward movement of the pivoted device relatively to the type
head takes place with the result that as the device is depressed the plate extends

page_text: forward and the notch engages with the type head or type bar thus affording the
locking device for the type head.
If desired the pivoted device above described may be locked down in its working
position.
The spools are removable any suitable means of securing them in the frame being
provided.
If desired a continuous ribbon in the form of an endless band may be employed, in
which case the spools may be dispensed with and the ribbon passed over an inking
roller and be preferably driven by another roller pressing upon it.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a front elevation and a plan of an inking device
constructed according to this invention and of which figure 3 is a side elevation
observed in the direction of the arrow w figure 1, and figure 4 a vertical section on
the line -y of figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrow s. Fig. 5 is a section
showing the manner of operating the ratchet wheel and pinion shaft, fig. 6 is a
section through the ribbon spools showing the arrangement on their shaft, fig. 7
is a plan of the pivoted plate or platform whereby the locking of the type head is
effected and fig. 8 is a side view of such plate or platform and a type lever showing
the manner in which the type head is locked.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the ink ribbon which is wound on the two spools B each free to rotate on a
sleeve Bi through both of which passes the shaft B2. The spools may advantageously
be formed of vulcanite or equivalent material and have the sleeves B which may be
of brass vulcanised in them. B' are collars or flanges formed one on each of the
sleeves B¹ for maintaining the spools B at a proper distance apart. On each reduced
and screwed end of the shaft is secured a milled head B and between the inner face
of each such head and the adjacent end of each of the sleeves B1 is a short sleeve B
of smaller external diameter than the sleeves B. Each spool is formed with a gear
wheel b 6¹ with either of which as hereinafter described the pinion D¹ may be engaged
according onto which of the spools it is required to wind the ribbon A. The spool
shaft B is supported by the sleeves B' on the shaft resting in open bearings or
recesses C¹ in the stationary frame C as shown in full lines in figure 2 and in dotted
lines in figs. 3 and 4; the frame C is secured to a suitable fixed part of the type
writing machine to which the inking device is applied. Care two hooks pivotted at c²
to the frame C and coupled together by the rod so that they will always move
together. The recesses ct of hooks C are adapted to fit over the sleeves B5 of the
shaft B when the hooks are in the position represented in full lines in figs. 3 and 4 so
as to retain the spools B in their proper working position, hut when it is desired to
remove the spools from the machine in order to supply them with new ribbon or for
other purposes this may be effected by moving the books Cinto the position in which
they are represented in dotted lines in figs. 3 and 4 when the said spools together with
their shaft B2 may be lifted out of the bearings C. Lateral displacement of the
spools B may be prevented by the combined thickness of the frame C and hook C² at
each side being sufficient to about fill.in the spice between the opposing faces of one
of the heads B and the spool adjacent thereto.
D is a shaft supported and free to be rotated and moved longitudinally in hearings
formed in the frame C. D' is a pinion rigidly secured on the shaft D an capable of
being engaged with either the wheel borb when the shaft D is moved longitudinally
for that purpose. This shaft which with its direct connections is shown in detail in
figure 5 extends beyond the frame C and at one end is additionally supported in a
bearing D which may form part of the framing of the type writing inachine and
beyond this bearing the projecting end of the shaft D is provided with a milled head
or equivalent 1)³. At the inner side of the bearing D2 is provided a spring controlled
catch D which is pressed into engagement with one or other of the two circular faced
annular recesses & in shaft D according to whether the pinion is in gear with 'b or b¹,
but not so as to prevent the shaft being freely rotated but only with sufficient pressure
to prevent any accidental longitudinal motion of the shaft. The catch D yields

page_text: when the operator applies force for moving the shaft. D longitudinally in one direction
or the other. The inner side of the head D by abutting against the adjacent side of
bearing D² serves to limit the longitudinal movement of the shaft D when moved so
as to engage the pinion D¹ with 6 and the end of the elongated boss d² of the
pinion D¹ by abutting against the inner adjacent face of the frame C as shown in
fig. 5 may serve to limit the movement of the shaft I) when it is move for gearing
the pinion D with b. E is a ratchet wheel a reduced portion of whose boss e is
journalled in the adjacent side of the frame C so that it may be freely rotated therein
but the shoulder of the boss on the one side and a collar or equivalent el secured on
the boss on the other side of said part of frame prevent it from being moved
longitudinally therein. The part of the shaft D which passes through the boss e
may be square as indicated in the drawings or it may be provided with a feather or
other means which will not admit of it rotating in the boss e but will allow said shaft
to slice longitudinally through the boss.
If desired the pinion D¹ may be mounted on the shaft D so that it may be moved
longitudinally but not rotated thereon in which case the shaft D need not be
longitudinally movable as it will only be necessary to move the pinion into gear
with b or b¹ to change the direction of the ribbon's travel.
F is a rocking frame which may be oscillated on the boss e by means of a pivotted
link fattached to any such suitable part of the type writing machine as will at each
operation of any type-operating-key-lever make a backward and forward or recipro-
cating action. The frame F carries a spring controlled pawl F, fig. 3 which at
each oscillation of the frame moves the ratchet. E onward to the extent of one or more
teeth, and a gravity or spring pawl or detent. E pivotted to the frame C prevents any
retrograde movement of shaft I).
Gis a frame which consists partly of two angularly projecting bent wires or
equivalent over which the ribbon A is passed in the manner hereinafter described.
This frame G is pivotted to the frame by the rod gl and may be arranged so that it
will be depressed into the position shown in dotted lines in fig. 3 by the blows of the
type heads or levers and raised and held supported until again depressed by a type
lead or lever by means of one or more springs. We prefer however to arrange the
frame G so that it may be positively operated (lowered and raised) by each depression
of a type-lever and for this purpose we may connect its backward extending arm gi
by a link to the before described rocking frame Fas shown in figs. 1 and 3.
On a transverse bar g² of the reciprocating frame G is pivotted a finger or index g³
which may be moved by a milled head g or equivalent to a position in which it.
will lie approximately heneath the bar gas in figs. 1 and 4 when not required for
use, or to a position in which it will project forwards approximately at right angles
to the bar g2 and downwards from the frame Gas in figs. 2 and 3 so that when the
frame G is elevated as in full lines in fig 3 the end of the said finger when in its
last described position will indicate on the paper on the roller indicated in dotted
lines at H the precise spot at which the next letter will be struck or printed while the
frame G and ribbon A being then in their raised position will enable the paper to be
adjusted with precision.
fig. 1 is one of two stops (the other of which may be constituted by the side of
the reciprocating frame G) which may be provided for preventing the finger g³ being
moved beyond its necessary positions.
The free ends of the wires y are doubled back so as to form hooks for preventing
the ribbon A from slipping out of position and the extreme ends glo are bent down so
as to rest on the paper roller when the frame G is in its lowered position as shown in
dotted lines in fig. 3 aud in full lines in figure 4.
gare two pins projecting inwards from the sides of the frame G for applying
tension to the ribbon A. In threading the ribbon through the inking device it may
be passed from one of the spools B over the pivot rod g₁ under one of the tension
pins g over bar g² and forward over one of the wires g from whose underside it is
passed sidewise across the operating field X to the other wire 'g from which in the
reverse order of bar g² second tension pin g and pivot rod it is passed to the

page_text: second of the spools B to both of which the ribbou may be connectod in any
desired manner.
Figs. 7 and 8 represent the manner of constructing the frame G when it is to be
used for locking the type head. In these figs. gs is a plate or platform secured in any
convenient manner to the frame G so that it will project forward over the operating
field of the ribbon A as shown in fig. 7. is a preferably wedge shaped notch in
the front edge of the plate g³ for receiving a projection fig. 8 formed on each of the
type heads or upon each of the type levers J. The pivot 2 of the type lever is at a
distance from that of the reciprocating frame G. so that when both the type lever and
the frame are simultaneously moved downwards the paths of the wedge and notch g³
as indicated in dotted lines in fig. 8 will converge so that the wedge when at the end
of its stroke will be received in the notch as shown in full lines in figure-8.
The operation of the before described. inking device is as follows: --
When the operator depresses one of the key levers the rocking frame F through
the link fis moved so that the pawl FI will slip over one or more teeth of the ratchet
wheel E and the detent E2 will meanwhile prevent the said ratchet wheel from moving
backwards and will retain the ribbon A in the position to which it, was last moved and
through the link G¹ the front end of the reciprocating frame G will be lowered on to
the paper as shown in dotted lines in fig. 3 and so that when the simultaneously
descending type head reaches the ribbon the said head will strike upon it and cause
the type letter to be imprinted on the paper below said ribbon as will be well
understood.
When the key lever is released by the operator the paper carriage will move
onwards in the usual manner and in returning to its normal position the said key
lever either directly or indirectly will push the link f in the direction of the arrow
fig. 3 and thus move the rocking frame F on its pivot so that the pawl F¹ will engage
the ratchet wheel E and move it and the shaft D and pinion D1 round and conse-
quently the said pinion being in gear with one of the wheels b b this action will
partly rotate one of the spools B and wind on to it a portion of the ribbon A and
draw a corresponding length of ribbon off the other spool. Simultaneously with this
operation the rocking frame F through the link G1 will raise the operative end of the
ribbon frame G from off the paper so that the operator will have an uninterrupted
view of the printing last effected.
The exact spot at which the next letter will be printed on the paper may he
ascertained by turning the finger on index g³ from the position shown in figure 1 to
that shown in figs. 2 and 3 so that the indicating end of said finger will point directly
to or touch the spot whereon the ext operated type head will strike. This will be
found specially advantageous for making corrections.
Although that which is herein before described is the preferred means of causing
the ink ribbon A to approach and recede from the roller H we wish it understood
that we may use other mea of operating it without, departing from the spirit of the
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In an inking device for a type writing machine an ink ribbon which at each
operation of a key lever first approaches the printing surface or paper roller and
afterwards recedes from it to give an uninterrupted view of the printing last
effected.
2. In an inking device for a type writing machine the combination with two spools
such as B provided with gear wheels such as bb' of a laterally adjustable pinion such
as D¹ for engaging with one or other of said gear wheels according to the direction
in which it is desired to move the ink ribbon substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
3. In an inking device of a type writing machine the combination with the ink
ribbon A of a reciprocating or pivotted frame such as G over which it is passed at its

page_text: operating part and by which it is moved to and from the surface to be printed upon
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In an inking device of a type writing machine the combination with a type
lever of a reciprocating frame such as G g g for locking said type lever or the type
head thereon substantially as herein described.
5. In an inking device for a type writing machine the arrangement in the same
axial line of the two ribbon spools substantially as described.
6. In an inking device for a type writing machine the folding or arranging of the
ink ribbon A substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 7 of the
accompanying drawings.
7. In an inking device for a type writing machine the combination with the two
co-axial ribbon spools of a reciprocating ribbon frame substantially as described.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete inking
device for type writing machines substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
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