Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jone,
0501
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 6th June, 1896
Date of Application, 12th Jane J
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 6th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
1, COLOMBO RICCI of 28 Harwood Road Walham Green, in the County of
London Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of machines, in which the types or characters
are mounted on rotating discs, cylinders, or quadrants; but whereas in all the
existing machines the said discs, cylinders or quadrants, are rotated in one direction
by the depressing motion of the keys, & returned by an opposite rotation in their
former position, immediately after each impression. In the machine constructed
according to my present invention, I provide the means necessary for rotating the
cylinder or disc in one direction only, (independently of the depressing motion of
the keys) & to stop its rotation when the same character has to be printed two or
more times.
The depressing motion of the keys, I simply use for releasing a catch that
keeps the cylinder motionless & to arrest the cylinder with the character (marked
on the corresponding depressed key) in line to be printed.
It is obvious that such modification, besides simplifying the mechanism of the
machine, reducing its weight & its price, will also reduce more than one half its
wear & its noise; & above all, will enable the operator to work it with the greatest
possible speed & lightness of touch.
In putting my invention into practice, I employ a horizontal or vertical shaft,
In
which can be rotated in one direction by clock work or other suitable means.
the middle of the shaft, I mount one, or inore discs, that carry the types; & on each
side of the discs I provide the shaft with a necessary number of projections or
shoulders, in line with their corresponding keys, & equally distributed on the
perifery of the shaft.
The keys are all mounted on a common spindle parallel to the axis of the shaft.
The long armn of these keys, serves as usual for working the machine & for
releasing the catch (that keeps the shaft motionless) as soon as the depression
begins.
The short arm, gears with the corresponding projection on the shaft, & stops the
same, as soon as the long arm is depressed by the operator.
The catch above mentioned, bears against all the keys of the machine, (excepted
the shifting & spacing keys) so as to be released by the depression of any of them,
& gears with a tooth wheel (mounted on the shaft) which has a number of teeth
equal to the number of characters mounted on the printing discs.
In this manner, the catch is enabled to stop the shaft in the position in which the
last character was printed, & keep the shaft motionless, when the same key is struck
more than once; & consequently when the same character is printed two or more
times.
In a type-writing machine of this system, the inking ribbon with all its
mechanism & complications may be dispensed with, & also the inking pad.
For inking the characters on the rotating disc, I employ a simple roller, (made
of felt, indiarubber, or other suitable material & kept in contact with the disc by a
small counterweight or suitable spring) which can be taken out replaced or
changed in a few seconds.
The spacing gear I use in this machine is of the differential system; so as to give
the writing a more regular & urinting like appearance. For this purpose I

page_text: cause the rack (which is attached to the ordinary carriage) to gear with a small
pinion mounted at one end of a small shaft, which shaft, carries at the other end a
tooth wheel, of a diameter larger than that of the pinion itself, so that the size of
its teeth may be larger than that of the teeth on the rack.
The shaft of pinion & rack may be placed in any position, (according to the
position of the rack itself); but I suppose it to be horizontal & with its axis at
90 degrees with the front & back of the machine.
On a spindle (which may be in any suitable position) but which I suppose now
to be borizontal, parallel to the front & back of the machine & placed immediately
under the tooth wheel above mentioned, I mount an oscillating rack, that is kept
out of gear with the tooth wheel by a suitable spring, and caused to gear with the
same by the depressing motion of each key.
At the lower end of this oscillating rack I hinge a pawl, capable to gear with
the tooth wheel & made to bear against a stop on the oscillating rack by a suitable
spring.
Both rack & pawl are vertically placed, but whereas the rack oscillates together
with the pawl towards the front & back of the machine, the pawl alone oscillates
towards the sides of the machine every time it is put in gear & out of gear with
the tooth wheel.
The levers which cause the oscillation of the rack, are three (generally) in
number, according to the different ways of spacing, wide, medium & narrow & are
each connected to their corresponding keys.
By depressing one key M or W, the lever that serves for the wide spacing
simply pushes the rack in gear with the tooth wheel & consequently the pawl out
of gear, (rendering thus the carriage motionless) as soon as the pawl is completely
free, it swings on one side (pushed by its spring) of its full pitch.
When the key is released, the rack is put out of gear again, & the pawl caused
to gear with the tooth wheel. But as the carriage is pulled along by a clock spring
or other means which power is greater than that of the small spring that shifted
the pawl, this pawl is compelled by the tooth wheel to swing back again in its
former position until it is arrested by a suitable stop on the rack itself & allowing
thus the carriage to be displaced of the necessary quantity.
By depressing one of the medium letter keys, the lever that pushes the rack out.
of gear, is made to go through an opening on the rack itself, & to project outside
so as to stop the oscillation of the pawl, which instead of swinging of its full pitch
as before will swing through a narrower range & cause the carriage to move along
one tooth less than in the former case.
In the case of the narrow keys spacing, the third lever that pushes the rack, goes
through it in the same way as the second one but it stops the pawl still sooner, &
the carriage will thus be shifted along of a quantity smaller than in the second
case.
The shifting keys arrangement, the carriage & other accessories, may remain the
same as those used in the existing machines.
Dated this 10th do
1001
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
I COLOMBO RICCI of 47 Campana Road Walham Green London, in the
County of Middlesex Mechanical Engineer, late of 28 Harwood Road Walham
Green S. W. 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 that class of typewriting- machines, in which the types

page_text: are mounted on rotating discs cylinders or quadrants; but whereas in all existing
machines, the said discs or quadrants are rotated in one direction by the depressing
motion of the keys, & returned (by an opposite rotation) in their former position
immediately after each impression; in the machine constructed according to my
present invention I provide the necessary means for rotating the cylinder or discs
in one direction only (independently of the depressing motion of the keys) & for
stopping its rotation when the same character has to be printed two or more
times.
The depressing motion of the keys, I simply use for releasing a catch that keeps
the cylinder motionless & to arrest the same with the character (marked on the
corresponding depressed key) in line to be printed.
Fig. 1 represents the machine in elevation & full size.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 3 is a section through a. b. c. showing the spacing mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a section through d. e. showing the printing mechanism.
Fig. 5 is an end view showing the rotating mechanism & gears.
The same letters refer to corresponding parts in the different figures.
A. is the frame of the machine made of cast iron or any other suitable material,
B is a shaft made to rotate freely in bearings A' A' A³ A'.
C. & C are two sleeves (provided with projections C³, each one in front of its
corresponding key the total number of which is equal to the number of characters
mounted on each disc) fixed on the shaft B by means of pins C³ between the
bearings A' A2 A3 A preventing thus any sideway motion of the shaft B.
The sleeve on the right C besides the projections C' is also provided with a tooth
wheel C attached thereon.
D. D D are three discs (made solid with their hub D³) mounted on the
shaft B. & made to rotate with the same by means of a key B¹ Fig. 3 but free to
slide sideways of a certain quantity at will & independently of the shaft itself.
On the periphery of these three discs are mounted all the characters to be
printed i.e. on D the small letters, on D² the capitals & on D' the figures & other
signs.
The shifting mechanism consists of the bracket E (provided with two arms E'
which embrace the hub D³) mounted on the pin E2 & capable to slide to the right
& left & gearing with the pinion F. by means of teeth E³.
The pinion F is mounted & fixed to one end of the spindle F₁ which is free to
oscillate in the bearing F'; at the other end of the spindle F 1 is fixed the shifting
lever which by means of the keys marked Cap. & Fig. serves to transmit the
necessary sliding motion to the discs D. D'. D'.
The stems F F working in the bearings F F serve to keep their respective
keys in an upright position when one of them is depressed.
E' is a two branch spring mounted on a lug E' (of the frame A) & serves for the
purpose of keeping all the parts of the shifting mechanism in their normal position
shown in Figs. 1 & 2.
The two upright branches E' & E' are kept in the position shown in the drawing
& prevented from moving outwards by two lugs E7 & E³ of the frame A.
The pinion F. is provided with two shoulders f&f which fit & embrace the
two projecting extremities of the spring E rendering thus all the parts stationary.
By depressing the key marked Cap., the shoulder f. will push the left branch É³
towards the right one E & the pinion F. will cause the bracket E & discs to move
towards the left until the disc D has taken up the position of the one D.
By lifting the finger from the key marked Cap. the branch E will push the
pinion F. & all the other parts connected thereto in their normal position as shown
in the drawing Fig. 1 & 2.
By depressing the key marked Fig. a similar motion but in an opposite
direction will be obtained, & the disc D' shifted in the place of the one D.
The sideway motion of the discs D. D'D' is limited by the hub of the bracket E.
abutting against the upright A³ A' of the frame A.

page_text: "
is the inking roller mounted on two arms i'D' of the bracket E. & kept in
place by two springs D' D³.
G is the carriage made in the usual manner with rollers G¹ G & G³ for holding
& guiding the paper G* & provided with a rack G³ & rails Go for sliding over the
wheels G, mounted on the frame A by means of supports G8 & axles G.
H. is the spacing frame, which is mounted on the spindle H' as well as all the
printing keys of the machine Fig. 3.
The printing mechanism consists of the hammer K sliding freely into the
head K of the support K2 which is mounted on the frame A. by means of
screws K³.
K is a lever (mounted on the support K' by means of the spindle K') the long
arm of which is connected to the hammer K. by means of the link K. Its
shorter arm is jointed to one end of the bar K' the head of which K8 is made to
bear against the projection A' of the frame A. by means of the spring K which
being attached to the frame A at a point higher than the one at which it is
connected to the bar at K10, serves thus for the double purpose of continually
pulling the bar K' in the direction of the arrow Fig. 4 & holding it up against the
projection A'.
H2 is a sort of bellcrank lever (mounted on the spindle H3 between two lugs H¹)
one arm of which H is connected to the spacing frame H by means of the
connecting rod H°; to the end of the other arm at H7 is attached the coil spring H
which besides keeping it in gear with the bead K8 holds up the spacing frame H
(by means of the other arm H & connecting rod H) in the position shown in
Fig. 4.
By depressing one of the printing keys J or J Fig. 4. the spacing frame H.
through the connecting rod H & bell crank H' will cause the bar K' to move from
right to left & the hammer K from left to right as however the motion of the bar's
head K is horizontal & that of the arm H' circular it follows that after moving
through a certain angle, the end H will leave the head Ks which pulled by the
coil spring K will immediately slide back from left to right & the hammer K
from right to left, striking the paper at the back & opposite the character to be
printed.
By releasing the finger from the printing key the coil spring HB will pull the
bell crank to the right of the drawing, the end H' forcing the bead K³ downwards
until all the parts acquire again the position shown in Fig. 4.
H' is a rebounding spring which serves for the purpose of reducing the striking
blow of the hammer K & for holding it back in the position shown in Fig. 4. so as
to free the paper & allow the carriage an easy sliding motion.
The rotary motion of the shaft B. & printing discs D. D' D' is obtained by
means of one or more clock springs, or coil springs I suitably disposed inside the
frame A & mounted on a shaft which passing through the frame on the right &
left, transmits the power to the shaft B through the gearings I2 13 14 15 etc. in the
different directions shown by the arrows Fig. 5.
Sometimes, instead of employing the coil springs II use a weight applied either
directly to the shaft B or indirectly to the shaft l' transmitting its power through
the gearings 1 13 1' as stated above.
The shaft B & printing discs D. D1 D2 are kept stationary by means of the
catch J' which is fixed on the spacing frame H. & is continually kept in gear with
the tooth wheel C by means of the coil spring HB Fig. 4.
Each printing key is provided with a spring J³ as shown at Fig. 4 & they are all
stopped in the position shown in the drawing by means of their lower projection J*
which touches the bar Js that runs from end to end of the machine.
By depressing one of the printing keys J for instance, the catch J' disengages
the tooth wheel C & the shaft B & discs D. D' D' are immediately rotated in the
direction of the arrow. As the key J the spacing frame H & catch J' attached
thereto, all move round the centre H' it is evident, that the projection Je of the
key J will move towards the centre of the shaft B. of the same quantity as the
"

page_text: catcl J moves from it, with the result that as soon as the catch J' has completely
disengaged the tooth wheel C, the rotating shaft will be arrested by one of the
projections C (the one in line with the key J) striking the projection J & stopping
the discs D. Di D2 with a character corresponding to the one marked on the key J
in line to be printed.
By lifting the finger from the key J. the catch J2 will engage again the tooth
wheel C & all the other pieces of mechanism will be returned in the position
shown in Fig. 4.
T is a cover made of a split tube to protect the sleeves C & projections C² &
other parts of the mechanism.
U is a small handle for winding up the coil or clock springs I on the shaft I¹ &
store up energy for the rotation of the shaft B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1st. A type-writing machine in which the discs, carrying the types or characters,
are made to rotate by mechanical means automatically in one direction only; & in
which the depressing motion of the printing keys is used for releasing & stopping the
said discs in their rotation, with a character similar to the one marked on the
corresponding depressed key in line to be printed.
2nd. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the shaft B. of the gearings I2 13 14 & springs I or its equivalent, as shown &
described & for the purpose specified.
3rd. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the shaft B & tooth wheel C of the catch J & spacing frame H. as shown &
described & for the purpose set forth.
4th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the shaft B. sleeves C & C¹ & projections C² of the printing keys J & J¹ with
shoulders Je as shown and described and for the purpose specified.
5th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the discs D. D1 D2 of the bracket E pinion F. spindle F¹ & lever F as shown
& described & for the purpose set forth.
6th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the bracket E& pinion F. of the spring Et as described & shown & for the
purpose specified.
7th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the discs D. DI D² of the bracket E. & inking roller D' substantially as described
& shown & for the purpose set forth.
8th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the spacing frame H connecting rod H6 bell crank H² & spring H of the
bar K lever K & hammer K. as shown & described & for the purpose specified.
9th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the combination with
the bar K' of the spring K substantially as shown & described.& for the purpose
set forth.
10th. In a type-writing machine as described at Claim 1 the mechanism
composed of the parts arranged & combined & operating substantially as shown &
described & for the purposes set forth.