Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1.891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
A communication from PHILADELPHIA TYPEWRITER Co., of Drexel Building,
Fifth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Manufacturers.
I, CHARLES AUBREY DAY, Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Patent
Agents, of 321, High Holborn, in the County of London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said 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 relates to that class of machines known as wheel type-writers and
especially to such machines wherein the power employed to move the type-wheel
or segment and make the impression is derived from the power applied by the
operator in depressing the finger keys; and this invention consists in certain novel
parts and combinations of parts constituting such an improved machine and herein
after fully set forth.
Figure 1, illustrates a vertical section of the improved machine;
Figure 2, is a plan view of the same; and
Figures 3.and 4, are views of detailed parts thereof;
Figure 5, is a view of a simplified form of lever;
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a sectional plan and a vertical section. of a
modification;
Figure 8, is a rear elevation of a type writing machine made in accordance
with my invention, but with the carriage and its appurtenances omitted, and for
simplicity, but two of the key-levers are shown;
Figure 9 is a detached side view drawn to a larger scale, of the pinions and
lock.on the type-wheel shaft and one of the gear arms of Figure 8;
Figure 10, shows in plan the two mutilated pinions ;
Figure 11, is a view of a modification.
Referring to Figure 1, each key lever a, is provided with a finger key b, at its
outer.end and on its lower side with a projection c, extending downwards (Figs. 1
and 5) and preferably also with a tongue d, (Figure 1). This key lever is pivoted
at to the frame and thence extends upwards, in an arme, as shown in the
drawing.
Referring to Figures 4 and 8, f, and f¹, are arms, pivoted at 9, g, at their quter
ends to the frame and fashioned at their adjacent inner ends into arcs cut with gear
teeth, and provided with projections i, ¹.
The upper arms e, of the several key-levers are arranged in a row behind and
normally bear against.said gear-arms f, and f', (Figures 1, 4 and 8) and when any
key is depressed, it causes the corresponding gear-arm to turn on its pivot towards
the front of the machine. Between the adjacent ends of the gear-arms passes the
upright type shaft., carrying a pinion (Figure 11) or preferably two. pmions,,
in such positions that one gear arm, when thrown forward will gear with one
pinion or the other gear arm f, when thrown forward will gear with the other
pinion, and the shaft be turned thus with either a left or right hand revolution,
as the case may be, depending upon which key may have been pressed and
accordingly. which gear-arm has been turned.
Attached to the shaft l, is a projection k, bent downwards at its outer end and
standing between the projections i, i, upon the gear arms, and f,,when the latter
are in the initial position, as illustrated .jp. Figure 4.
Instead of employing a single pinion upon the type-shaft, as shown for instance
in Figure 11, two pinions, j, j, are preferably used, as clearly illustrated in
Figures 1, 8, 9 and 10, both attached to the same shaft and one set above the

page_text: other; one of said pinions being in gear with the arm f, and the other with
the arm f'.
The gear-teeth are so cut upon the pinions (Figure 10) that they are mutilated
pinions so that when one of said gear-arms is thrown forward and in gear with its
fellow pinion, the gear-teeth on the other arm will stand opposite the uncut
periphery of its mutilated pinion and hence be blocked against being thrown
forward.
The shaft l, is set at its bottom end in an antifriction socket in the frame and is
carried up through the sleeve m, to support and steady it.
Attached to the shaft (, near its bottom end, is a cog-wheel n, meshing into the
teeth of a pivoted gear segment o, carrying a stop arm p.
The upper end of the shaft 1, passes through the type-wheel q, which as usual
carries the type t, in a plurality of rows upon its periphery (Figure 1). For
simplicity a single row only is shown in Figure 8.
The type-wheel fits snugly on the rod 1, but is free to move longitudinally
thereon.
It is caused to turn therewith by means of the cross-tree r, and pins 8, which
pierce its cap. A cylindrical shield u, may surround the type wheel to protect it
from injury.
At its rear side the shield is cut away to expose the types which are brought to
the printing point to the opposing surface of the paper 1, to receive their imprint.
Surrounding the shaft t, and bearing above against the cross-tree r, and below
upon the wheel q, is a spring w, which normally holds the wheel down upon the
antifriction roller x.
This stop is carried, and its position is determined, by the pivoted rod У, which
is operated by the forked rod
ແ
"
Upper case and "figure" key-levers a', and b, each have laterally projecting
pins travelling, when said kev-levers are depressed, in separate slots in the fork,
and owing to the different depths of said slots, clearly shown in Figure 1, as one
or the other of said key-levers is depressed, elevate the stop a, and consequently the
type-wheel to a greater or less extent, to bring either the bottom or the middle
rows of types on the type-wheel opposite the printing point.
The hammer mechanism may now be described.
At either end of the machine an arm c', is pivoted on a rod e¹, carried by the
frame. By means of springs ƒ³, these arms are pressed forward and held in the
position illustrated in Figure
A bar d, planed flat on one side is attached to and extends between said arms
on a level with the printing point on the type-wheel. Against this bar the
paper v, rests.
A bent lever g', pivoted on the rod ³, extends forward under the key-levers and
is connected to a rod ', which extends the entire width of the machine immediately
under all the tongues d on the several key-levers a.
The tongues dare fashioned as shown, so as to be readily bent up or down to
regulate the throw of the bent lever gl when a key is depressed.
At the opposite end of said bent lever a pivoted hood or pawl ³, is set, said
hood or pawl being provided with a spring k¹ to throw it back against the stop-pin
carried by said lever g', when released from the trip-bar 2, as hereinafter described.
This pawl in combination with the bar 2, forms a trip device. The trip-bar 2,
is attached to and moves with the carriage and extends the entire length of said
carriage, while the bar 9' carrying the tripping pawl, remains stationary.
The travelling paper carriage G, which moves upon the stationary guide rod R,
on the frame and carries the paper rollers W', has a rack m³, of ordinary construction,
into the teeth of which a fast and loose dog alternately engages in the ordinary
manner. These dogs are attached to the vibrating bent lever g.
A handle pl, is provided for lifting the rack out of connection with the said
dogs when it is desired to move the carriage to the right or to the left without
operating any other part of the machine.

page_text: The carriage is fed forward by the spring drum and cord q', which will be
readily understood without further description.
Attached to the rod h', under the key levers, is a jointed rod r¹, which operates
the inking ribbon.
A rock shaft u', attached to said rod is provided with dogs t¹ (see Figure 3)
which make connection with the ratchet teeth on the wheels s', attached to the
respective inking ribbon spools. When the sliding rock shaft u', carrying one of
the said dogs t' at each end, is elid one way or the other, one or the other of said
dogs is brought in connection with the ratchet teeth on one or other of the wheels
attached to one of the inking ribbon spools. A collar ¹, is provided to hold the
shaft u', in either position.
The collar v¹, is removable, and when it is desired to shift the rock shaft u',
longitudinally, this collar is removed; the shaft is then shifted and the collar put
in place at the opposite end of the shaft to hold it in its new position.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
When a key b, is depressed, the gear arm for f¹, behind which the upper arm e,
of that key stands, is thrown forward, and the stop i, or ¹ is drawn out of the path
of revolution of the hook-lock k, just before the teeth on the rack h, come in
contact with its corresponding pinions attached to the shaft l.
The said shaft is then caused to revolve and with it the type-wheel, to bring
the proper letter to the printing point.
At the same time the projection c, on the key-lever has been pressed down into
the path of the oscillating stop arm p, which is geared to the shaft l, and the parts
are so proportioned that the arm p, will come in contact with the stop c, when the
required type is opposite the printing point and thus arrest the revolution of the
type-wheel at the proper time. The same operation occurs on the depression of
each of the key-levers b.
When the finger-key is released, the spring ³, draws the gear-arm f, or
back until the hook k, strikes the projection i, or i, on the other bar, when it is
locked in its initial position, as shown in Figure 4.
It is to be here observed that after each type is printed, the type-wheel is
brought back to an initial position, and that the wheel to print any type on its
periphery makes no more than one-half revolution, that is to say the wheel turns
to the right to bring any type on that half to the printing point, and to the left to
bring any type on that half to the printing point. This is true of each of the
several rows of type carried by the type-wheel.
Since the gear arms f, and f¹, are pivoted at the side frames of the machine, it
will be seen that said bars when actuated by the depression of the several key-
types are moved forward a greater or less extent depending upon the position of
the key struck in the key-board, the nearer the key being to said central line the
smaller the arc through which the gear arms move.
Thus the force applied to move the gear arms f, and f', is, by the construction
of the machine, regulated so as to exactly bring the desired type to the printing
point.
To more accurately insure the accomplishment of this and to prevent the
momentum of the type-wheel carrying the type beyond the printing point, the
device n, o, p, in combination with stops on the key-levers is added to the com-
bination already described.
In view of the corresponding arrangement of the type upon the type-wheel and
the keys upon the key-board already described, it will be seen that the rod p,
strikes against the stop c, projected in its path just as the corresponding type
reaches the printing point.
The manner in which the type is impressed upon the paper will now be explained.
When one of the key-levers b, is depressed, as above described, the tongue d'.
throws the transverse rod h¹, down and presses the front end of the pawl, against
the lower end of the trip-bar 2, on the bars c', which carry the hammer or platen
bar d, and throw said bar back from the position illustrated in Figure 1.

page_text: This motion continues until the point of the pawl, slips under the lower end
of the bar 2, when the spring, throws the platen-bar forward, impressing the
paper against the type with a sharp-blow.
The spring 9, when the key is released, returns the rod g', to its original
position, the pawl, nodding under the lower end of the trip bar 2, as it returns
and assuming its original position under the influence of the spring k¹.
To insure the quick and uniform: tripping of said pawl I prefer to employ a
stop, striking against the lower end of the pawl, as it travels forward and thus
causing it to trip even if it has not pushed the lower end of the rod c', out of its
path:
Figures 6 and 7, illustrate a modification of the device shown in Figure 4;
dispensing with the hook-k, and stops i, i. In these figures the cog-wheels'j, are
not shown.
In front of each of the gear-arms f, and f, is an arm, both these arms being
attached to a common rock-shaft. P.
The rod, carries 'a' pointer m³, resting upon an eccentric disc or cam n³, against
which the spring p', causes it constantly to bear.
When either of the arms f, or f', is thrown forward by the action of the key-
levers, the rod 2, is pressed forward causing the pointer m³, to lift out of the
notch on the periphery of the disc n³, at its smallest radius, where it has been
resting and permitting said disc attached to the rodil, to revolve as the printing
type is brought to the printing point.
As the arm f, or f, returns to its normal position, the pointer m², is released;
falling against the periphery of the disc n', which it follows until it drops into the
notch before described; thus insuring the return of the type-wheel after each
printing action to the normal position and locking it there. The details of this
special form of stop are, however, not intended to be claimed, but the mechanism
serves to illustrate that this invention is not limited to one form of stop mechanism.
Nor is the invention limited to the precise devices and combinations of devices
before described and illustrated, as equivalent devices and combinations may be
employed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the
cóncluding claims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invent
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a typewriting machine; the combination of gear arms; a type wheel shaft,
a pinion carried by said shaft, said arms being brought independently in gear with
said pinion to rotate said type wheel in either direction from a fixed point and
subsequently to return said type wheel to its initial point, substantially as described,
2. In a type-writing machine, a pinion on the shaft of a type wheel-and-a-pair
of gear arms which are out of gear with said pinion when at rest, combined with a
device substantially as described for holding. the type wheel in its initial position;
substantially as described.
3. In a type writing machine; a type wheel; gear arms, and a series of key-levers,
each lever provided with two projections, o
one for actuating, said 'type wheel-and
the other for arresting its motion, combined with intervening mechanism;
substantially as described, for stopping said type wheel by said arresting
projections.
4. In a type writing machinej Key' levers provided with two projections, one for
actuating the type wheel and the other for arresting it, combined with a pair
of gear arms brought independently in gear with the shaft carrying, Baid" type
wheel' and a vibrating arm also in gear with the said shaft, substantially as
described!
5. In a type-writing machine the combination of key-levers, a type wheel shaft,
a vibrating arm attached by intermediate gearing to said shaft and a pair of gear
arms normally out of gear with a pinion on said shafty each of said key-lovers

page_text: being provided with two projections, one for operating said gear arms and one for
arresting the motion of said vibrating arm, substantially as described.
6. In a type-writing machine, a series of key-levers, each provided with two
projections, one for actuating the type wheel and one for arresting its motion,
combined with gear arms and with a vibrating arm attached by intermediate gearing
to a pinion on the shaft of said type wheel, substantially as described.
7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a travelling paper carriage, a
trip bar attached thereto and means, substantially as described for operating said
trip bar.
8. In a type-writing machine, a travelling paper carriage, feed rolls thereon, a
platen bar pivotally attached to the carriage, means for retracting said bar, and a
trip bar for releasing it, whereby the paper is struck sharply against the printing
type substantially as described.
9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a travelling paper carriage, a
bar for striking the paper against the face of the printing type, a trip bar attached
to the carriage, and means, substantially as described, for operating the same.
10. In a type-writing machine, a paper carriage, a trip bar and a bar for pressing
the paper against the face of the printing type, both attached to the paper carriage,
combined with a universal bar extending beneath all the key levers and connecting
mechanism, substantially as described.
11. In a type-writing machine, key-levers, a type wheel shaft, a mutilated pinion
on said shaft, and a plurality of independent gear arms adapted to engage said
pinion singly, each of said key-levers being provided with a projection for operating
one of said gear arms to rotate said type wheel shaft, the mutilated portion of said
pinion at such time being opposite to and out of engagement with the other gear
arm, substantially as described.
12. In a type writing machine, the combination of paper feed rolls, a travelling
trip bar attached to the paper carriage and a stationary tripping device operating
said trip bar, substantially as described.
13. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a trip pawl and a spacing dog,
both connected to and operated by a vibrating bar extending beneath all the key-
levers, substantially as described.
14. In a type writing machine, key-levers, a type wheel shaft, a vibrating arm
attached by intermediate gearing to said shaft, and a pair of gear arms normally
out of gear with a pinion on said shaft, each of said levers being provided with
two projections, one for operating said gear arms and one for arresting the motion
of said vibrating arm combined with locking mechanism, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of October 1891.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.