Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Typewriting Machines.
I, HALBERT EDWIN PAYNE, of No. 265 Broadway, in the City, County and
State of New York, in the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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 main object is to provide a small, simple and low-priced typewriter, but one
capable of doing first class work and operable with both hands in a manner similar
to the larger high-priced standard machines.
In carrying out the improvements I connect the type bars or carriers_directly
with the keys, and employ guides or directing means for the type bars. The said
guides or directing means are preferably formed in a transverse plate arranged
between the keys and the type ends of the carriers. After passing the guiding
means in the transverse plate the type carriers extend rearwardly either under or
over the platen, according to whether the machine is of the bottom strike plan or
the top strike plan. The type carriers, between the guide plate and the types, are
bent or formed to converge, as they extend in the direction of the platen, and
cause the grouping or nesting of the type-bearing ends of the carriers in the
vicinity of the platen. The type bars are preferably provided with a plurality of
types and in connection therewith is used a shifting platen, all as will be hereinafter
more fully described, in connection with other novel features.
The improvements consist in various features of construction and arrangement
some of which have been referred to above, and all of which will be hereinafter
more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a typewriter embodying my improvements.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 4 is a plan of the guide plate employed in the foregoing figures.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of one of the type carriers and its attached key.
Figure 6 is a plan view of a typewriting machine showing the improvements
embodied therein in another form.
Figure 7 is a front elevation of the guide plate employed in the last mentioned
machine.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of the machine shown at Figure 6, and
Figure 9 is a detail view taken at the rear of the machine to illustrate the
arrangement of the type bars, the centre guide, the inking roller, &c.
I shall first describe the machine shown at Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.
In the various views the same parts will be found designated by the same
numerals of reference.
1 designates the bed-plate, upon the forward portion of which is secured a block
or bracket 2, from which rise a series of vertically split or slotted fulcrum posts 3 to
receive each the fulcrum portion 4 of the type carrier 5, 6 and 7. The part 5 of
each type carrier is preferably made from sheet metal and is provided at its outer
end with the finger-piece, button or key 6. To the opposite end is preferablv
riveted the bar portion 7, bearing in this instance at near its free end three
types 8, 9 and 10. Beyond the types, the bar is extended as at 11 for a purpose
which will hereinafter appear. The type portion is preferably made of round
Pria 1

page_text: wire rod.
Since the type-bearing portion 7 and the sheet metal key bearing
portion 5 are rigidly attached to each other they may be regarded, as an entirety,
as a key bearing type carrier; and also since the type carrier is made to work as
a lever it may be further designated as a type bearing key-lever, that is to say, a
lever provided with a finger-key, and also with a printing type or types. The
lever may be of various orders, that shown in the views under consideration being
a lever of the first order, the fulcrum being between the finger key and the
types. This order of lever is provided because the types are arranged to strike
upwardly against the platen. If, however, the type bearing key lever should be
arranged for striking down upon the platen the finger key would be arranged
between the fulcrum and the type bearing end of the lever as in Figure 8, for
example, where the levers are of the third class or order.
The type bearing key-levers are loosely fulcrumed or mounted in or on the
supports or fulcrum posts 3, in order that they may have a slight lateral play or
movement. Between the ends of the carriers or key-levers is arranged a transverse
guide-plate 12, which is secured to and rises from the bed-plate. This transverse
guide-plate is provided with a series of vertical slots 13, one for each carrier or
lever, and in which the round rod-like portion 7 thereof is adapted to work. As
will be seen by reference to Figure 4, these slots vary in shape and length on each
side of the straight vertical central slot. The upper ends of all of the slots
terminate in the same horizontal plane and at this locality they are practically
straight and parallel. From the upper portions, the slots curve irregularly down-
wardly, and their curved or bent portions act to guide or deflect the bars laterally
and direct them in their proper paths, on the way to the platen.
Each carrier or lever is provided with a spring 14 which holds the rod portion 7
normally down at the bottom of its slot. Referring more particularly to Figures 2
and 3, it will be seen that the rod portions 7 occupy different vertical and
horizontal planes, and at Figure 2 it will be observed that the grouping or
disposition of the-type-ends-of the rods is such that when viewed from the rear
side of the machine their extremities exhibit a figure substantially in the form of
the letter W. A further examination of this view will also disclose that on both
the right and left hand sides there are five rods arranged one directly over the
other perpendicularly to the platen, and two rods at the lower right and left
portions of the figure arranged side by side in the same horizontal plane. More-
over, that at the top of the figure, about centrally thereof is a single rod, while
extending diagonally down therefrom on either side is a column of six additional
type rods or bars. Between the contiguous perpendicular and oblique columns
or rows of rods on each side is a space or passage-way 15 for the type rods of
that side. The W-form of nesting or grouping shown at Figure 2 is produced by
the bends in the rods 7 and by the various lengths and arrangement of the
slots 13. The rod n standing highest in the series occupies the shortest slot as n',
and being directly in line with the impression point this slot is made straight or
parallel sided. The rods f, g, u and standing lowermost in the series occupy the
longest slots f, g', u' and v¹. Twenty-seven rods and twenty-seven slots are
shown, and each rod is shown provided with three types, as a capital letter, a small
letter and a numeral or punctuation mark or other sign. The lower case letter is
preferably arranged in the middle. The type bearing ends of the rods-7 are
preferably made triangular in cross-section, as shown, for the purpose of enabling
the bars to more readily clear one another in their movements to and from the
platen, and for the further purpose of admitting of the grouping of the bars in as
small a space as possible, and thus reducing the key movement.
The extension 11 of each bar is adapted to co-operate with a central guide or
directrix 16 depending from an arm or bracket 17 rising from the bed-plate. This
centre guide is made of a piece of sheet metal with a flaring mouth and with
parallel sides, as shown more particularly at Figure 2, whereby the ascending type
bar is caused readily to enter the mouth of the guide and then to be accurately
directed by the parallel walls to the printing point.

page_text: Pivoted at 18 on the centre guide is an arın 19 bearing at its opposite end an
inking roller 20, whose vertical axis coincides with the vertical plane of the
impression point, so that the said roller may be struck by the types of the
ascending bars and the necessary ink be thereby imparted to the types. The roller
extends forwardly from the centre guide and in the path of the types and is long
enough to meet and ink all three of the types simultaneously. At the end of the
arm 19 is a projection against which bears the extension 11 of the type rod at the
printing moment, for the purpose of preventing the arm and the inking roller from
returning under the force of the spring 22 prior to the return of the type bar.
When the type bar ascends and strikes the inking roller the arm is vibrated and
the inking roller carried up to the dotted line position shown at Figure 2, thus
gradually swinging away from the types on the type bar, which latter ascending
still further to make the type impression causes the extension of the type bar to
strike against the projection 21 on the underside of the arm and thus maintain the
inking roller in its upturned position until the type bar is permitted to descend.
As the type bar descends the inking roller returns simultaneously and automatically
(by means of the spring 22) to its normal position, represented by the full lines of
Figure 2.
The guide plate 12, as will be seen, is preferably made arc-shaped and struck
from the printing point as a centre, which permits a closer grouping of the bars 7;
the plate portions 5 being bent at their inner ends to radiate from the printing
point or align with the radially arranged slots 13 in the segmental guide plate.
The paper carriage may be of any desired construction. In the example shown
there is a base-plate 23 adapted to slide in ways 24 in a shifting frame. or
support 25. From the base-plate 23 extends upwardly at each end a standard 26
to support a platen 27, a feed roller 28, and various other devices which may be
needed or desired in the complete machine. Running lengthwise of the bed-plate
and secured thereto is a feed rack 29 with which co-operates a feeding pawl 30
pivoted to a rocker arm 31 and having compression spring 32 for pulling the
carriage along. From the rocker arm extends forwardly a cranked arm 33, the
free end of which rests upon an offset 34 on a quadrilateral lever frame 35 pivoted
at 36 to the block or bracket 2. The rear cross-bar 37 of said lever frame over-
hangs the key levers and constitutes the universal bar of the machine. To the
front cross-bar 38 is attached a spacing key 39. When a key lever is depressed
the universal bar and the cranked arm are lifted and the driving pawl 30 is moved
one tooth of the rack towards the right, viewed from the front of the machine,
the spring 33 stretching slightly at this time. When the key lever is released the
spring operates to pull the pawl back and feed the carriage one step, this feed
motion being limited by a fixed pin 40 which acts as a stop for the rocker arm 31.
When the spacing key 39 is depressed and then released the driving pawl acts, in a
similar manner to feed the carriage.
The platen carriage is adapted to move transversely in either direction from a
central normal position, being mounted on slides 41, arranged at right angles to the
base-plate 25, and having lateral guides 42 projecting upwardly from the bed-
olate 1. To the slides may be attached any suitable key mechanism or handle for
bifting the platen both rearwardly and forwardly. Any of the common means or
constructions for shifting paper carriages may be employed. The present
application does not relate to any improvement in this respect.
From what has already been said and from the following brief description of the
node of operation of the machine, those skilled in the art will readily understand
ow to make and use a typewriting machine embodying the improvements.
When the button 6 is pressed upon the type carrier is vibrated about the fulcrum
ost or support and the type bearing end of the carrier is swung up to leave the
mpression of one of its types upon the paper on the platen, the type being
referably inked on its way thereto by the inking roller, but if desired, a ribbon
ay be substituted for the latter. In the ascent of the type the rod portion 7 is
used to follow the path laid out for it by the shape or contour of the slot which

page_text: it occupies in the guide-plate. The central uppermost rod as n, Figure 2, swings
straight up perpendicularly to the platen, while the rods on the right from a to f
Bwing inwardly and upwardly as do also the rods from to v. The rods from n to g
swing outwardly first and then inwardly and upwardly, and the rods from n to u
also swing first outwardly and then inwardly and upwardly. The rods from a to g
to n travel through the passage-way 15 on the right (viewed from the rear), while
the rods from d to u to n travel through the passage-way 15 on the left in moving
to and from the platen. It will be observed that the side slots or guides are so
disposed and shaped as that the initial movement of each rod is first towards the
centre of its passage-way 15 in order that it may escape contact with any rod
which may be arranged above it, and in the return movement of the rod the
reverse of this action takes place, so that while the rods are grouped together
closely at their type bearing ends they may move freely to and from the platen
without contact or collision one with the other. It will be understood, of course,
that when the finger key is depressed the spring 14 is stretched. and when the key
is released said spring returns the type carrier to its normal position.
Referring now to Figures 6 to 9 inclusive, it will be observed that the type
carriers are arranged to strike down upon the top of the platen, and that hence
they are made in the form of a lever of the third order. It will also be observed
that the type carriers are grouped somewhat differently from those in the previously
referred to figures, being, as shown at Figure 9, arranged in a pyramidal or in an
inverted V-shaped form. In consequence of this disposition of the type carriers
the slots in the guide-plate are made or shaped somewhat differently from those
shown at Figure 4. Each type carrier as before consists of a sheet metal portion 5,
key 6, and a rod portion 7 bearing a plurality of types at its free end, and the
portion 5 is fulcrumed upon a transverse vertically-arranged slotted plate 3ª, and
is capable of a slight sidewise movement in its slot or bearing to enable the type
bearing end of the rod to swing laterally in moving to and returning from
-the-platen.-
a
.Extending transversely of the machine and secured to the bed-plate-is-a-vertically-
arranged guide-plate 12 having a number of slots 13, one for each type carrier. As
will be seen from Figure 7 these guiding slots. are of gradually decreasing length
on each side of the central slot, and are parallel for substantially their whole
lengths. Each slot on each side of the central slot as n', is formed with a lateral
bend 13, at the upper end of which the type carrier 7 stands normally. These
bends on each side of the centre are substantially parallel but of gradually
increasing length as they depart from the centre. By this arrangement and
formation of slots the type carriers on each side of the centre one are caused to
first swing inwardly towards the centre line n, Figure 9, to escape adjacent bars
and then downwardly towards the platen. The central bar n having a straight
slot n' travels perpendicularly to and from the platen. I have shown by the dotted
lines n the path of the central bar n, and by other dotted lines n' the initial paths
of a few of the other type bars. A spring 14 returns each type bar to its normal
position when the finger key is released.
The paper carriage may be constructed as before described, and may be provided
with a similar or other letter spacing mechanism and with a like centre guide 16
and inking mechanism. In the machine under consideration the spacing key 39, as
shown at Figure 6, is arranged back of the finger keys or nearer the guide plate,
and is attached to a universal bar 37 underlying the type carriers and extending
across the key board. To this universal bar is attached one end of a returning
spring 37, whose opposite end is attached to a bracket projecting forwardly from
the guide plate. The universal bar is part of a quadrilateral lever frame 35
pivoted at 36 in brackets, and the right hand bar of the lever frame is prolonged
at 35 to extend back to an inclined bar 33 attached to the letter-space rocker-
arm 31. When either a type carrier or the spacing key 39 is depressed the arm 35
depresses the arm 33" and actuates the rocker arm 31 and its spring actuated
driving pawl in substantially the manner hereinbefore described.

page_text: While I have shown type carriers provided with a plurality of types and a
shifting platen, I do not wish to be limited to a machine of this description, since
the improvements may be carried out in a machine wherein the type bars have each
only one type and where the platen is a non-shifting one, and also while I have
shown two modes or forms of grouping of the type carriers I do not wish to be
limited specifically thereto unless otherwise indicated in the claims, since it will be
apparent that numerous modifications in this respect may be made by those skilled
in the art. I, however, regard the particular form of grouping shown at Figure 2
as the best since a smaller, lower and more compact machine may thereby be made
and one in which the key board may be more condensed or made narrower and
more presentable, while at the same time the key movement may be made more
nearly uniform for all of the type carriers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
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 with a platen, of a series of
swinging type-carriers converged or grouped in different horizontal planes at their
type-bearing ends, and guides for deflecting or moving them laterally when actuated
to swing towards the platen; substantially as set forth.
2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
type-bearing key-levers having lateral motion on their fulera, and means for guiding
the same arranged between the keys and the type-bearing portions of the lever;
substantially as set forth.
3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
levers provided each with a finger-key and also with type, the said levers between
their fulcra and their type ends being bent or pitched towards the plane of the
printing point, and a transverse guide-plate having means for deflecting the said
bent rigid key and type-bearing levers; substantially as set forth.
4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
swinging type-carriers converging and grouped at their ends and terminating in
different horizontal planes, and means for individually guiding said type-carriers ;
substantially as set forth.
5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
swinging type-carriers disposed substantially as set forth at their type-bearing ends
and laterally movable on their fulcra, and a transverse plate provided with a series
of guiding slots for said type-carriers; substantially as set forth.
6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
laterally movable type-carriers converging at their type-bearing ends and disposed
in different horizontal planes on each side of a vertical plane passing through the
impression point, and means for moving the type-bearing ends of said carriers first
into said vertical plane and then guiding the same therein to the impression point;
substantially as set forth.
7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
laterally movable type-carriers grouped substantially as set forth, and arranged in
different horizontal planes at their type-bearing ends, a centre-guide common to all
of the type-carriers, and a series of guides, one for each type-carrier; substantially
as set forth.
8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a centre guide,
a series of rigid type-bearing key-levers grouped substantially as set forth by
bending between their fulcra and type ends and laterally movable on their fulcra,
and a transverse slotted guide-plate; substantially as set forth.
9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a centre guide,
a series of rigid type-bearing key-levers grouped in different horizontal planes
and provided with extensions adapted to said centre guide; substantially as
set forth.
10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid

page_text: type-bearing key-levers grouped substantially as set forth, and having lateral
motion on their fulcra, and comprising a plate portion, and a rod type-bearing
portion, and a transverse guide-plate having a series of slots for said rod-portions;
substantially as set forth.
11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of rigid
type-bearing key-levers loosely mounted or laterally yielding on their fulcra, and
means for forcing them bodily laterally in their swinging movements; substantially
as set forth.
:
12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a series of
swinging type-bearing key-levers, means for guiding the same, and an inking roller
mounted on a spring-actuated arm having a projection adapted to be engaged by
the type-bearing ends of the key levers; substantially as set forth.
13. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shifting platen, of a series
of rigid type-bearing key-levers grouped and guided substantially as set forth, and
laterally movable on their fulcra, and having each a plurality of types; substantially
as set forth.
14. In a typewriting machine, a rigid type-bearing key lever comprising a plate-
like portion 5 having a fulcrum on which it is laterally movable and a finger-key,
and a rod-like portion 7 having type at its free end; substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of March 1896.
FELL & JAMES,
Agents for the Applicant.