AN IMPROVED TYPE WRITING MACHINE
Year: 1871

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Sanger Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1871.
I, JOSEPH SANGER DAVIES, of Haverfordwest, South Wales, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED TYPE WRITING MACHINE," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention consists of an improved machine for reporting speeches,
sermons, and other discourses, printing in full telegraphic despatches,
and generally applicable where rapid and legible printing or writing is
> desirable.
The chief operations of my improved machine are,—
Firstly. The arbitrary presentation of the different type representing
the letters or characters to be printed at one particular place.
Secondly. Their presentation and removal in a very short space of
time.
Thirdly. The passing the paper to be impressed over the place where
the time ou nuncunted

page_text: Fourthly. The proper regulation of such movement so as to allow
proportionate spaces between letters and words, and different rates of
speed.
Fifthly. The impressing the type so presented on the paper legibly.
Sixthly. The noiseless working of the whole machine.
To perform these operations my improved machine is constructed in
the following manner, videlicet:
―:
"
Firstly. Each type or character is fixed in a socket at one end of a
lever which I call a "type lever." I employ a separate "type lever'
for each character, and the fulcrums of these "type levers" are so
adjusted in the segment of a circle that when the type ends are alternately
depressed they strike downwards at the same place; this is called the
'printing point,” and is situated at the centre of the circle, a segment
of which is formed by the fulcrums of the "type levers." When at
rest the " "type levers
are nearly perpendicular. Each "type lever" is
actuated by a key lever; the key levers are parallel to each other, like
the keys of a musical instrument. The fulcrums of the levers are so
adjusted between their respective ends that whatever the difference in
the comparative lengths of the key levers they will all have the same
extent of movement at the key board.
"
Secondly. To carry out the second and most important operation,
the distances between the fulcrums of cach "type lever" are so appor-
tioned to the breadth of the lever at its printing end as to ensure that
the paths of one lever descending and of another returning shall so
diverge as not to cross and interfere with each other except during a
very small portion of their courses. The ascent of the returning "type
lever may be hastened during this portion of its course by an clastic
substance or spring for the removal of the type.
"
Thirdly. The paper to be printed on is a long strip of paper about
half an inch broad wound on a roller, whence it passes over another
.roller herein after described revolving at the "printing point," here it
is impressed and passes on to be wound on another roller. Both the
feeding and receiving rollers are susceptible of being removed as the
one is exhausted and the other filled, and replaced by fresh rollers ready
for immediate usc. A strong spring to be wound up will through the
medium of the middle roller supply the motive power to all three
rollers.

page_text: Fourthly. By the peculiar mechanism of the middle roller the winding
motion of the rollers is controlled by the strokes of the "type lovers."
A slightly raised rim around one edge of the periphery of this roller
is the general fulcrum for a series of small levers resting parallel to
the axis of the roller, the ends of such small levers extend on one side
of their fulcrum across the periphery, on the other side they project,
so that when any such lever is directly at the printing point, such end
is arrested by a stationary pin fixed for that purpose, when the type
descends on the printing point depressing the inner end of the small
lever the outer end is lifted sufficiently to pass over the fixed pin, and the
roller revolves until the next small lever is arrested at the same point
by the fixed pin. These small levers are arranged around the circum-
ference of the roller, at such distances from each other as to give the
necessary space for each letter or other character. When it is desired
to give the space between words or sentences the operator touches a key,
which acts directly to lift the outer end of the small lever, there arrested
over the fixed pin, thus allowing the roller to revolve without any
impression for an arbitrary space.
Fifthly. The legible impression may be produced either by means
of cloth or other similar substance saturated with suitable ink hanging
loosely in contact with the type when the "type levers arc at rest in
the vertical position, or by means of an endless band of carbonised or other
transfer paper passing around each outer roller and over the paper at
the printing point.
Sixthly. The silent or nearly silent motion of each part is provided
for by the use of india-rubber or other similar substance at every point
of concussion. An india-rubber band around the periphery of the
middle roller under the inner ends of the small levers will also serve to
raise these levers and keep them in the proper position for coming
in contact with the pin.