Improvements in the Keys of Instruments and Machines for the Purpose of Enabling the Blind to Use them.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar.,
1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 19th Jan,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Keys of Instruments and Machines for the
Purpose of Enabling the Blind to Use them.
WILLIAM ROBERTSON LARKINS "Greta " Blyth Road, Bromley, Kent
Managing Director of The National Building Exhibition, Royal Agricultural
Hall, N. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method for enabling blind persons to use
instruments having key boards, the keys of which are used to produce characters,
signs & sounds.
In order to carry my invention into practise I provide on each key, a distinctive
character or type, preferably raised above the level of the key itself, so that a
person can tell by touch one key from another, & what each key denotes & thus
be able to use a machine or instrument such for example, as a type writer or a
piano.
Improvements in the Keys of Instruments and Machines for the
Purpose of Enabling the Blind to Use them.
I, WILLIAM ROBERTSON LARKINS "Greta" Blyth Road, Bromley Kent
Exhibition Promoter 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 an improved method for enabling blind persons, to use
instruments, having key boards the keys of which are used to produce characters,
signs or sounds.
In order to carry my invention into practise I provide on each key a distinctive
character; preferably raised above the level of the key itself, so that a blind
person can tell by touch, one key from another & what each key denotes, & thus
be able to use a machine or instrument, such for example as a type writer or
piano.
In carrying out my said invention, I either affix a raised character to the
ordinary key, by rivets, or in any other suitable manner, or emboss the character
on the material from which the finger plate of the key is made. I may also
employ a small cap or clip, preferably of thin metal, having the character embossed
or attached to it. In this way an ordinary type writer, or other similar instrument
can without alteration, other than the placing of these caps or clips upon its keys,
be used by blind people.
The caps or clips are preferably formed by a die from one piece of metal. For
example in the case of a type writer having circular finger plates, the die would
form a small cup shaped cap, by forcing a circular flat piece of metal through the
die plate, & turning up the edges of the said metal. At the same time the

page_text: character would be embossed by the die on the flat part of the cup shaped piece.
This cap would then be fitted to a type writer of the kind above described.
I may of course use other means of obtaining raised or depressed characters, or
manufacturing the clips or caps, without departing from my invention.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
A finger key having thereon, a raised or depressed character or type, either
fixed to or detachable from the said key, substantially as & for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 28th day of November 1894.
WILLIAM ROBERTSON LARKINS.