Method of Operating Typewriting, Composing, or similar Machines by Means of Electro Magnetism.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
Method of Operating Typewriting, Composing, or similar Machines
by Means of Electro Magnetism.
I, ERNST TROWE, of 12, Prinz Wilhelmstrasse, Dortmund, in Westphalia,
Merchant, 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:--
For
As is well known the actuation of the types or type levers of all type writing,
composing and similar machines hitherto employed, takes up by far the greatest
part of the time which is actually required for writing down a sentence.
this reason attempts have constantly been made latterly to shorten the said time
as far as possible, but from practical and constructional reasons a limit has been
reached very quickly by the use of mechanically operated lever devices.
Now the present invention relates to a method which effects the object striven
for in the very simplest manner by causing the work-performing action of a wire
coil traversed by an electric current; to effect by means of its magnetic force, the
movement of the type or type lever on the closing of the current circuit, inde-
pendently of the other types or type levers, because the closing of an electric
circuit can be produced by simple metallic contacts of two contact pieces insu-
lated from each other. In this manner the speed of writing-that is to say-
the output of the machine-can be doubled and even trebled, whilst also an
extremely neat and regular writing is ensured, because there is no obstacle to
regulating with accuracy the degree of pressure of the type upon the surface
written on.
The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically a form of construction
in which Figure 1 is a plan, partly in section, of this arrangement. Figure 2 illus-
trates a modification of the wire coil which operates in an electro magnetic
manner the type lever or the type.
The mode of operation on starting the apparatus that is to say the funda-
mental idea of the invention is as follows; The type which is connected with
a contact piece directly or by means of a lever or other device, is acted upon
magnetically by means of the current circulating in a wire coil, in such a manner
that on closing the electric circuit, the type is pressed against the respective
surface during the period of the closure of the circuit. In composing machines,
the type is merely released.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the magnetic force of the electric
current in the wire coil m acts upon a soft iron core a which is situated partly
in the said coil, and which is drawn into the wire coil m when the electric circuit
is closed. The lever connection arranged on one side of the iron core then pro-
duces the impression of the type c, whilst in a modified arrangement, shown in
Figure 2, the soft iron party is only attracted by an iron core M (which is sur-
rounded by a wire coil) and serves also in combination with a lever mechanism 2, 1,
to press the type upon the paper F.
In this operation, the course of the electric current is as follows:-One end of

page_text: the wire coil m (Figure 1) or M (Figure 2) is connected to the negative pole of
the source of current B, whilst the other end is connected to the one half of the
two-part contact e f, the other half of which leads to the positive pole of the
source of current B. Thus, by means of any metallic connection of these two
contact halves e f which are insulated from each other, it is possible to make a
perfect closure of the electric circuit, which can allow each separate type to
come into operation independently of the others.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the return movement of the iron core a
(which is drawn into the wire coil m) is effected by means of a spiral spring i
which is compressed in this operation, whilst in the second arrangement shown
in Figure 2, the small iron party which is attracted by the wire coil M of the
magnetized iron core, is drawn back by a spring a into its position of rest.
Obviously, these spring devices might also be replaced by an oppositely acting
electric current-force in such a manner that an interruption of one current would
cause the other current to enter in operation, or the current that keeps the type
firmly in its position of rest might be a permanent current, and would only be
interrupted by the closing of the second current circuit for the duration of said
closure. Similarly, the position of rest may also be established by the own
weight of the parts. Since, as is well known, the capacity of the electric current
to transmit any exertion of force is enormously rapid, and the time required to
effect the closure of a current circuit need only be extremely short, these two
properties render the electromagnetic force the most suitable force for operating
these types or type levers. But so simple as the present method of using electro
magnets for operating types or type levers is, per se, so multifarious can be the
devices for connecting the types with the electromagnetically operating iron cores
in combination with wire coils, and also the general arrangement of the machine
with its electromagnets and contact pieces may be equally capable of variation,
so that I must confine myself here to take and describe purely diagrammatically
an example from the many possible modifications. The fundamental idea of
operating the type by means of the magneto-electric force of the electric current
remains the same in all the different arrangements.
For example, the closing of the current circuit at the contact pieces e f might
be advantageously effected in the following manner; -The two contact halves e f
which serve to interrupt the current, are either situated at a small distance apart
from each other or they are connected together by an insulating layer and are
provided on their surface with a suitably shaped part for being touched by the
fingers. If now the typist provides the points of his fingers with a metallic
flexible or supple material, for instance in the form of a thimble, then by merely
touching those two separated contact halves he can produce a closing of the
circuit which is at once broken on removal of the finger. In this manner it is
not even necessary to exert the force which has is necessary for depressing the
lever devices hitherto employed.
The other mechanical lever effects which occur in machines of this kind may
obviously also be replaced in the same manner by electromagnetic force, for
instance, the feeding of the paper F in the direction indicated by the two arrows,
and the lateral shifting of the paper, may be produced by the action of an
electric current by touching a special push or knob.
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;-
(1) A method for the setting in operation of the types or type levers of type-
writing, composing, or similar machines (b, Figure 1, and Figure 2) charac-
terised by the fact that these types or levers are in suitable connection with iron
cores (Figure 1, and y, Figure 2) which are moved by the action of an electric.
current in such a manner that the several types are capable of entering, into
operation independently of one another on the closing of the current circuit.

page_text: (2) A form of carrying out the method specified in Claim 1, characterized by
the fact that a wire coil (m Figure 1) (M Figure 2) acted upon by an electric
current, moves an iron piece (a Figure 1, y Figure 2) which is connected to a
type or a lever, in such a manner that on closing the current circuit the type e is
pressed upon the paper, and, on interrupting the said cireuit is moved back again
into its old position by means of a suitable opposing device or by its own weight,
whilst in composing machines the types can of course be released in the like
manner.
(3) A further form of carrying out the method specified in Claim 1, charac-
terised by the fact that a contact e f which interrupts the electric current, is
enabled by a light touch of the finger, to close the current circuit for the duration
of said touching.
Dated this 7th day of April 1899.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Associate Agent.