Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890 ·
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
1. WILLIAM BURGELAND JOHNSON of 12 Sussex Street, Blundellsands, in the
County of Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to type writing machines capable of printing one or more
characters at the same time.
Heretofore in the construction of type writing machines for printing several
characters at the same time, several type bars, wheels, or segments arranged side by
side, with a set of type upon each, have been used; and it has been necessary to move
the bars, wheels, or segments separately into the required position for printing. This
takes almost as long a time as printing the characters one by one.
Now the object of my invention is to provide a type writing machine which shall be
capable of printing at the same time one or more characters without the necessity of
using several sets of type.
For this purpose I attach the types to or form them on flexible, hinged, or sliding
carriers, so arranged, that when such carriers are operated singly, the types shall
print at a common point or centre; but when two or more carriers are operated at
the same time, they shall be free to move or slide laterally, and arrange themselves
side by side, so that the types shall print in a line. Where necessary I provide
suitable guides or stops for preventing one impression being made over another; and
movable guides or springs for keeping the carriers in the proper position when
printing.
In machines with type carriers having lateral motion, and with guides for directing
the type carriers to the printing point make one or both guides movable and held in
position by springs or their equivalents, so as to allow of more than one type carrier
passing to the printing point at the same time.
The appliances for inking, for moving the paper, and the keys for operating the
type carriers may be of any convenient kind.
Dated this Twants franch
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
I, WILLIAM BURGELAND JOHNSON, of 12 Sussex Street, Blundellsands, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings:-
This invention relates to type writing machines capable of printing one or more
characters at the same time. Heretofore in the construction of type writing machines
for printing several characters at a time, several type bars, wheels or segments,
arranged side by side with a set of type on each have been used, and it has been
necessary to move the bars, wheels, or segments separately into the required position
before printing. This takes almost as long a time as printing the characters one
by one.
Now the object of my invention is to provide a type writing machine which shall be
capable of printing at the same time one or more characters without the necessity of
ising several sets of type.
For this purpose I attach the types to, or form them on, hinged or sliding carriers

page_text: so arranged that when such carriers are operated singly the types shall print at a
common point or centre, but when two or more carriers are operated at the same time
they shall be free to move or slide laterally, and arrange themselves side by side so
that the types shall print in a line. Where necessary I provide suitable guides or
stops for preventing one impression being made over another; and movable guides or
springs for keeping the carriers in the proper position when printing. The appliances
for inking and for moving the paper, and the keys for operating the type carriers may
be of any convenient or well known kind.
Figs. 1 and 2 are sections at right angles to each other of apparatus constructed
under my invention.
Fig. 3 is an underneath plan showing the type carriers and swinging division pieces
or guides and
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the face of the type carriers showing the positions
taken when three of such carriers are depressed at once as shown in Figs. 1
and 2.
a, a, are the type carriers converging to a point on the line of writing or
printing and formed with types bat their ends, and free to slide up and down in
bearings or hinges c in the frame d. The hearings c allow the said carriers to swing
or move laterally in the direction of the line of writing or printing. e guides for
preventing the carriers from moving sideways to the line of writing. f springs for
raising the carriers. 9 movable guides or division pieces between each row of carriers
and outside the last row on each side free to swing on the hinges 93. The carriers a, a,
are formed at a with inclined pieces or wedges bearing against similar inclined
pieces on the guides or division pieces for moving the said division pieces
faterally when the carriers are depressed. The sides of the curriers are also formed
wedge shaped as shown at a (seo Fig. 4) so that when several carriers are depressed
at once the first or leading carriers in the series force the succeeding carriers to
move laterally so as to allow of the types being pressed upon the paper side by
side. a is a spacing key. Spacing may also be effected by partial depression of
any of the carriers.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 4 three carriers a are shown depressed; the first in series a³
having, by means of the wedge shaped sides a², forced the second carrier a laterally:
the second having forced the third a still further laterally; and the third having
carried with it the remainder of the row of carriers, and, by means of the inclined
piece or wedge a³ having forced still further the division piece 92 which latter
transmits its motion through the succeeding rows of carriers and division pieces to
the link or rod h. The rod h actuates the lever i carrying the pawlj taking into the
teeth of a ratchet wheel k on the shaft carried in bearings in the frame d. On the
shaft is a cog wheel m gearing into a rack n on the bar o. When the shaft / is
turned by the operation of the pawl and ratchet wheel k the cog wheel m by its
engagement with the rack n moves the frame d and with it the whole of the type
carriers, division pieces and connections along the bars o and s, in the direction of the
arrow, a distance corresponding to the number of carriers depressed. The wedge
pieces a³ and glare so disposed that the frame d and its connections are moved the
proper distance before the types touch the paper. p spring for keeping the carriers a
and their division pieces 9 pressed towards the central stop or guide q fixed to the
frame d. The operation of the carriers a' division pieces and their wedge pieces a³
and g is similar to that of the carriers a except that their lateral motion is in the
opposite direction and such lateral motion compresses a spring which when released
by the raising of the carriers gives motion to the frame d by means of the ratchet and
cog wheels before mentioned. When any of the carriers a' are depressed lateral
motion is communicated through the division pieces g to the spring r which is thereby
compressed. When the carriers a' are allowed to rise to their normal position the
spring forces the said carriers and division pieces towards the central stop q and, by
g

page_text: means of the rod ³, lever i, pawl ¹, ratchet wheel k, shaft / cog wheel m, and rack n,
moves the frame d a distance corresponding to the number of carriers depressed. It
will be observed that the carriers a give motion to the frame d when they are being
depressed, and that the spring r gives motion to the frame d when the carriers a' are
raised after being depressed. When a line of writing or printing has been finished
the frame d is tilted so as to raise the cog wheel m out of gear with the rack n; the
frame d can then be moved back to begin a fresh line. The stop 7 serves to prevent
the carriers from moving backwards and making one impression over another. Instead
of the stop g being placed at the centre it may be placed at either side in which case
all the type carriers would move in the same direction laterally; one or other of the
springs p, r, and one of the levers and connections being dispensed with. The
frame d is carried on the bars o and s and is free to slide thereon. The bar s is
provided at each end with toothed wheels t gearing into racks u affixed to the base v
on which latter the paper to be written or printed upon is laid. The bar o can be
rotated by means of the milled head w so as to move the frame d into position for
printing a fresh line. The bar o is provided with grooved rollers at each end
running upon the racks u. y is the inking tape of any usual kind. Any other
convenient arrangement of mechanism may be employed if desired for utilizing the
lateral motion of the type carriers to regulate the extent of travel of the frame d; or
the frame d may be stationary and the paper caused to travel as in other well known
forms of type writing machines.
Fig. 5 is a plan, Fig. 6 a longitudinal section on the line A. A. and Fig. 7 a
transverse section on the line B. B. of another modification of apparatus under my
invention.
a, a are the type carriers formed with types on their ends.
The type
carriers a, a', are pivotted in pairs in bearings i on the sliding pieces 2,3 which
are free to slide in guides 4 supported on standards on the base 5.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the sliding pieces 2. 6 are key levers for
depressing the type carriers by means of the connections 7. 8, 9 are wedge pieces
working between the sliding pieces 2, 3 for moving such sliding pieces laterally,
10 connections from the wedge pieces 8, 9, to the key levers for operating the said
wedge pieces. 11 springs for raising the wedge pieces. 12 springs attached to
the bar 13 for raising the type carriers to their normal position. 14, 14ª, springs
bearing against slides 15, 150, for pressing the sliding pieces 2, 3 towards the central
stop 16. 17 bar for supporting the inner ends of the sliding pieces 2, 3, and 15, 15.
h, h³, links connecting the sliding pieces 15, 15, with the levers i, i, carrying
pawls j, j, taking into the ratchet wheel on the shaft l, m cog wheel on the shaft
gearing into the ruck n on the bar o attached to the paper carrying roller 18 of any
well known construction. y inking tape. In Fig. I five type carriers a are shown
depressed, the corresponding wedge pieces 8, 9 being drawn down at the same time
thus forcing the sliding pieces 2, 3 laterally. On the left side of the stop 16 the wedge
piece 8, corresponding to and operated at the same time by the same key lever as
the carrier a², has forced the whole of the sliding pieces 2, 2ª, 2b, and their type
carriers to the left; the wedge piece 9ª corresponding to the carrier a³ has forced the
sliding piece 2 and all the succeeding sliding pieces still further, and the wedge
piece 8 corresponding to the carrier a has forced all the succeeding sliding pieces 2b
together with the slide 15 still further, the motion of the slide 15 being transmitted
through the rod h ratchet wheel k and connections to the paper carrying roller 18
which is moved to the left a distance corresponding to the three carriers depressed,
the types on which are pressed upon the paper side by side. On the right side of the
stop 16 the wedge piece S corresponding to the carrier as has forced the whole of the
sliding pieces 3, 3, 3b, to the right, and the wedge piece 9° corresponding to
the carrier as has forced the sliding piece 3 and all the succeeding sliding pieces 3b
and the slide 15ª still further thus allowing of the types on the carriers a' and a being
pressed on the paper alongside the types on the carriers a², a³, a. The motion of the
slide 15 compresses the spring 14, which when the carriers a' and a and the wedge
pieces 8° and 9 are raised to their normal position, actuates, by means of the rod h³,

page_text: ratchet wheel and connections, the paper roller 18, moving it to the left a distance
corresponding to the two carriers depressed. It will be observed that motion is
communicated to the paper roller 18 when the carriers a are being depressed before
the types touch the paper; and also when the carriers a' are being raised after the
types have been pressed on the paper; and that the lateral motion of the sliding
pieces 2, 3 allows of several types being pressed upon the paper at once side by side.
Instead of the stop 16 being in the centre it may be at either side in which case all
the sliding pieces would have lateral motion in the same direction and one of the
levers and connections would be dispensed with. Also instead of the carriers being
arranged in pairs each carrier may be placed on a separate sliding piece the position
of the wedge pieces 8, 9 being altered accordingly.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the arrangements of
parts shown as many modifications may be made and any well known or convenient
mechanism for inking and for moving the paper may be used in combination with the
laterally movable type carriers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. In type writing machines, hinged or sliding type carriers or sliding pieces
carrying type carriers substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The arrangement and combination of type carriers, guides or division
pieces, and connections substantially as described under Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, for the
purpose set forth.
Third. The arrangement and combination of type carriers, sliding pieces, wedge
pieces, and connections substantially as described under Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this Twenty fan-th da….T.... 1900