Improvements in Typewriters.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Typewriters.
A communication from abroad by THE DENSMORE TYPEWRITER COMPANY, of 316
Broadway, New York City, N.Y., United States of America, a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of New York.
I, JOHN CORRY FELL, of the Firm of Fell & James, of 1 Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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:-
This invention in typewriting machines relates to the type-bar bearings, and has
for its main objects to provide a construction involving little friction and wear, and
hence a more durable and better bearing or working joint than heretofore, and to
these ends the invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations
of devices as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in
the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings
:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a type bar and its support or hanger involving the
improvements.
Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken at the line x, x, Figure 1, but
omitting the sub-lever.
Figure 3 is an elevation looking at the inside of one of the cups and showing the
anti-friction balls, and also, in section, one of the type-bar journals.
In the several views the same part will be found designated by the same numeral
of reference.
1 is the type-bar, and 2 its support or banger. 3 is a sub-lever pivoted at 4 in
the hanger and connected to the type-bar by a loop 5 and to the key-lever (not
shown) by a connecting rod 6. This is the form of type-bar, hanger and sub-lever
employed in the Densmore machine, to which we have applied the improvements in
practice, but, of course, we do not wish to be limited to such a construction and
arrangement of type movement, since my improvements now to be specifically
described may be employed in type-bar actions in which the support or hanger is
otherwise constructed and in which the actuating sub-lever is omitted, and the
actuating rod 6 or other operating device used is otherwise connected with the
type-bar.
The hanger is made in the form of an inverted U and is adapted to be attached
to the top plate or type ring of the machine by a screw passing down through the
hole 7. The two vertically-arranged arms, sides or cheek-plates 8 and 9 of the
hanger are perforated transversely in line, and are screw-threaded interiorly as at 10
and 11 to receive respectively two cups or boxes 12 and 13, each screw-threaded
exteriorly as at 14 to engage with the threaded perforations in the cheek-plates.
Each cup or box is provided at its outer end with a square head 15 for the appli-
cation of a wrench or other tool to facilitate the screwing in and out of the cup.
The type-bar is provided at each side with a journal 16 having a slight taper,
being smaller in diameter at its outermost end. These journals are preferably made
integral with a central cylindrical portion 17 which is driven tightly into a hole
made transversely in the type-bar; but, of course, the type-bars may be provided
with journals in some other manner.
In each cup are shown five anti-friction balls 18, which surround their associate

page_text: journal and touch and support the same, and also touch the circular interior wall 19
of the cup as well as the bottom 20 thereof. The three points of contact of each
anti-friction ball are indicated at the ends of the radial dotted lines a, b and c, Fig. 2.
From this view it will be observed that owing to the taper of the pivot or journal
on the type-bar, the pivot touches each ball, not on the centre line c of all the balls,
but at a point (a) on the inner side of said centre line, whereby more than one-half of
the ball is encompassed. In other words, the contact points a, b and c include more
than one-half of the ball, which is a feature of considerable importance, since by this
construction and arrangement the ball is prevented from working sidewise towards
the root of the journal and is held firmly in proper position at all times, and thus
all shake or wobble of the type-bar is avoided.
At
Thus far in practice we have used balls about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter
and have made the taper of the journal or pivot about one-half of a degree.
the balls, the diameter of the pivot is about forty-five one-thousands of an inch, but,
of course, other sizes and proportions may be employed. Although we have shown
each set of balls as comprising five in number, it will be understood, that the number
of balls may be varied as long as enough balls are used to afford a proper bearing
for the pivot or journal. If the type-bar have only one pivot, one set of anti-friction
balls and one cup only will be necessary. The cups being adjustable or being
adapted to be screwed in, the wear may be conveniently taken up as required. In
each angular head 15 is a perforation 21 for the purpose of permitting the intro-
duction of oil, vaseline, or some other suitable lubricant to the bearings, if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the type-bars and their
hangers or supports, of ball bearings for the tapered pivots of the type-bars;
substantially as set forth.
2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a hanger having an arm or cheek-
plate, an adjustable cup or box therein containing a set of anti-friction balls, and a
type-bar provided with a lateral tapered pivot or journal entering said cup or box
and bearing upon said anti-friction balls; substantially as set forth.
3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a hanger having vertical arms or
cheek-plates provided with transverse threaded apertures in line with each other, a
pair of externally threaded cups or boxes screwed into said apertures, a set of anti-
friction balls in each cup or box, and a type-bar having lateral, tapered journals;
substantially as set forth."
4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a hanger having arms or cheek-
plates provided with transverse apertures, a pair of cups or boxes adapted to said
apertures, a type-bar having lateral, tapered pivots or journals, and a set of anti-
friction balls in each cup or box surrounding said pivot or journal, the points of
contact of each of said balls including or embracing more than one-half of the ball, as
and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of the inverted U-shaped hanger
having transverse threaded apertures, the exteriorly threaded cups or boxes having
angular heads and perforations, the set of anti-friction balls in each cup or box, and
the type-bar having lateral tapered journals; substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of May 1896
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.