Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 16th Nov.. 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type Writing Machines.
We, EUGENE TERRY, of Ithaca, in the County of Tompkins, and CHARLES
HOLLAND DUELL, of the City of Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga,
both in the State of New York, United States of America, Lawyers, 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:-
The invention relates to type-writing machines and the object is to provide a
construction whereby the spaces between words may be made when the last letter
of each word is made, thereby saving time.
It will be obvious that if the spaces between words are made without taking up
time a much greater speed may be obtained with a type-writer, or, in other words,
a greater number of words may be written in a given length of time.
The invention is applicable to that class of type-writing machines in which the
successive depression and release of a series of key-levers vibrate and throw a
series of types against an inked substance and the paper to be written on, and after
each depression and release of any key, and while the type and key-lever are
resuming their original position, move the paper a type-space distance and thus
print or write one letter at a time.
The invention is shown as applied to a machine which has a paper carriage
hung on a guide-rail moved transversely to the key levers, as a Remington machine,
but may be applied to other similar machines. The carriage is moved by a
spring wheel and strap and reversed by hand as usual after a line has been 'written
or the carriage may be moved by any suitable and well known means as these
things do not appertain to the invention.
To this end the invention consists in the combination, in a type-writing machine,
of the rack-bar, the escapement lever carrying a fixed detent and a shifting detent,
and a space key with mechanical means by which the shifting detent is retracted
a double distance when the space key is depressed.
And the invention consists in certain other combinations of parts 'hereinafter
described and more particularly set forth in the claims.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of a Remington type-writing machine.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a part of a machine showing the improved spacing
mechanism applied.
Figure 3 is a top plan view taken below the carriage-rack.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of the improved spacing devices in their operative
position.
Figure 5 shows a clamp that may be used for a fulcrum of the auxiliary spacing
lever when the frame of the machine is not perforated, and
Figure 6 is a modified form of means for moving the pivoted pawl for
two spaces.
Referring specifically to the drawing, A is the frame of the machine and B is a
portion of the rack of the paper carriage not shown in the drawing. This rack
is usually pivoted or hinged so that it may be lifted from the feed pawls at the
end of each line when the carriage is reversed to prevent wear and noise. The
rack can be lifted as far as the stop-plate, a, formed upon and lying at right
angles to a post, a¹, secured to and extending upward from the frame A. The

page_text: unfeathered arrows in the different views show the direction of movement of the
carriage-rack after the printing of each letter and the release of each key.
In Figure 1, we have indicated the keys for forming the letters by dotted lines,
but their levers are omitted for the sake of clearness.
C is the spacing key and C¹, C', are its levers which extend as usual from front
to rear of the frame where they are fulcrumed on a pivot C". Springs, not
shown, placed between the key-lever and the bar D hold the levers up against the
pivot.
E is the universal space-bar lying under all of the keys so that it will be depressed
with each one and when released will operate a pair of detents, e, and e¹ to allow
the paper carriage with its rack B to move in the direction of the arrow under the
tension of its spring, one notch. The universal space bar, E, is so connected with
the said detents that both move forward, as shown clearly in Figure 4 about three-
sixteenth of an inch. The detent, e, cannot nove transversely, but the detent, e¹,
is pivoted and acted upon by a spring so that when it is moved out of engagement with
the rack as shown in Figure 4, said detent automatically moves to the left a distance
of one notch in the rack, or to the position of detent el shown by dotted lines in
the same figure. When the key is released the pivoted detent, el, enters the notch
to the left of the one occupied by the rigid detent, e, and when the latter is
entirely removed from the rack the tension of the carriage spring moves the carriage
with its rack a distance of one notch to the right, which returns the pivoted
detent, e¹, to its normal position in line with detent e, or to the position the detents
occupy in Figure 3.
The above operation is common in ordinary type-writers of this class and for
this reason need not be more fully described because it is well known.
Now, in order to move the detent, e', a distance of two notches to the left when
desired, or after the last letter of a word is printed, we strike the space-key, C,
simultaneously with the key which prints said letter. Upon the simultaneous
release of both keys two spaces are made, one for the space between two words,
and the second space for the first letter of the second word to occupy, and which it
does occupy when its corresponding key is depressed.
This double space is obtained by the following described mechanism:
F is a lever preferably formed of an irregularly bent wire pivoted at its ends in
perforations in the sides of the frame, A, at f, f. Instead of perforating the sides
of the frame the ends of the lever, F, may be fulcrumed in small clamps shown in
Figure 5 of the drawing and clamped to the lower edge of the said frame. From
the center of the lever F, we extend a rod, F1, upward to a pivoted detent. b. This
detent extends horizontally and is supported in its raised or normal position not
only by the rod, F', but by a small coil spring bl. The detent, b, engages the
curved arm, c', of the lever, c, which is pivoted to the frame or a small plate
secured to the frame at c¹¹. The lever, c, extends with its free end to the right of
the swinging detent, e¹, and is under the tension of a small spring, d, so that when
the space key is depressed and the detent, b, drawn down to release the lever, c, the
free end of the latter will be moved by the spring, d, to the left a distance of two
notches in the rack, B, and carries with it the detent e', which has been moved out
of engagement with the rack by the same operation of the space-key. The position
of the detents shown in full lines in Figure 4 show their position when the space
key is depressed. When the said key is released the parts resume their normal
position shown in Figures 2 and 3, automatically. The space-key being released,
the detents swing back until the pivoted detent, e¹, enters the opposite notch or the
second notch from where it was before the operation, then the carriage with its
rack, B, is moved to the right a distance of two notches carrying with it the detent, e¹
which in turn presses back the lever, c, to its normal position against the action of
the spring, d, allowing the detent, b, to resume its normally raised position which it
retains until the space-key is again depressed.
In some cases we prefer to employ a shaft, h, pivoted to the frame, A, as shown
in Figure 6 and dispense with the detent, 6, and lever c. This shaft, h, has two

page_text: arms, i, and ; the former is connected to the rod, F₁, and the latter arm when
drawn down by the rod, F, presses the detent, e¹, to the left.
We do not desire to be limited to the specific means shown for accomplishing
our invention as it will be obvious that it may be accomplished by various means
and devices without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In a type-writing machine, the combination of the rack-bar, the escapement-
lever carrying a fixed detent and a shifting detent, and a space-key with a lever to
engage with and move the shifting detent a double distance when the space-key is
depressed, as set forth.
2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of the paper carriage, the printing
keys, means for releasing the carriage and allowing it to move a given distance upon
the release of each of said keys, a space-key and a lever to engage the releasing
means to move it so that the carriage will move a greater distance upon the release
of the space key, as and for the purpose described.
3. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rack, the escapement lever
carrying a fixed detent and a shifting detent, a space-key mechanism connected to
and operated by the space-key, and a spring actuated lever released by said
mechanism to move the shifting detent for increasing the length of the arc of
vibration of the shifting detent, substantially as described.
4. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a space-key, a lever pivoted to
the frame of the machine and operated by the space-key, a detent connected to said
lever by a rod, a lever, c, held against the action of a spring by said detent when in
its normal position, a pair of vibratory detents connected to a universal space bar,
one of said detents being capable of transverse movement when released from the
carriage-rack, and engaging the lever, c, when the latter is released, to move said
detent as set forth.
5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of the frame, A, a space-key-
lever, a lever pivoted to the frame and lying below the space-key-lever, a rod
connecting the lever pivoted to the frame with a detent, b, the lever, c, engaging
the detent, spring, d, swinging detents, e, and el connected to the universal
space-bar E, and the rack, B, acted upon by a spring, as and for the purpose
described.
11
of Mar 1804
EUGENE TERRY.
CHARLES HOLLAND DUELL.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.