Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1898
I, CHARLES LEOPOLD TROYTE GRIFFITH, of Selworthy, College Road, Harrow, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an appliance adaptable to any of the type writing
machines at present in vogue, and has for its purpose to count the number of words,
(or to speak more accurately-groups of consecutive letters or signs). written there-
upon.
In carrying my invention into effect I provide a counter of any of the well known
varieties, such for instance as that of cylindrical form which indicates by means of
figures upon the edges of geared wheels the number of times which it has been
advanced step by step.
The actuating mechanism for this counter, is, in my invention, capable of perform-
ing two distinct motions: one of which impels the counter itself, while the other
merely releases the actuating mechanism but does not register upon the counter.
This duplication of motion enables me to effect the release of the mechanism by
means of any movable part of the type writer which is connected with the type bars
or other letter impressing devices, and thereafter to cause it to operate upon the
counter by the secondary motion when the space key of the type writer is depressed
by similarly connecting this secondary motion to moving parts of the said spacing
device. For instance, my operating mechanism may consist of a simple double
armed lever pivoted in the middle, such as is commonly termed a walking beam, one
end of which, only, when depressed impels the counter one step forward, while the
other end on being depressed merely causes the said lever to be returned rearly to
receive another impulse, but does not itself operate upon the counter. In short, the
general principle of this mechanism may be compared to that of a gun trigger
which must be returned from the nipple, or 'cocked,' before it can be impelled in the
contrary direction to fulfil its special function.
Or, the place of the said walking beam may be taken by a rod, or crank, having a
back & forward motion, or by a reciprocating device of any form.
By such alternate action it is obvious that the counter may be impelled one step
forward for each blank space in the type written matter which follows any letter,
sign or group of consecutive letters or signs. But, on the other hand the counter
will not be impelled forward by consecutive strokes of the space key alone.
In like manner when the release or setting of the counting mechanism has been
effected by the impression of one letter or sign, the consecutive impression of other
letters or signs will not affect the counting mechanism and will not be recorded by
the counter.
It will be evident that I may effect the release of my counting mechanism by
connecting it with the space key of the type writer and register upon the counter by
the depression of the first letter or sign operated thereafter; this reversal in nowise
affecting the principle of my invention.
It is further more obvious that in the counter any of the well known devices may
be adopted for putting back the indicating figures to zero for a new start.

page_text: The practical advantage derived from the employment of my counting mechanism
will be that the operator of the type writer will have in the counter an automatic
indicator which will indicate the number of words or groups of signs which have been
written upon the apparatus. This, as is well known, is desirable, as type written
work is frequently paid for at rates which are based upon a given number of words.
Dated this 31st day of December 1897.
I, CHARLES LEOPOLD TROYTE GRIFFITH, of Selworthy, College Road, Harrow, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 has reference to a new or improved mechanism for automatically
counting the words or groups of letters or figures typed or printed by typewriters
and other like type printing-machines.
The automatic counting of the number of words typed or printed is a desirable
attainment inasmuch as it is customary to charge for type-written work according to
the number of words typed. It effects a saving of time when the words have to be
counted, and increases the accuracy as well if the number of words, as is usual, be
only estimated.
It is also desirable that any mechanism or device for the above purpose should be
of extremely simple construction and character so as to avoid over-burdening with a
multiplicity of parts a mechanism already so unavoidably complicated as a type-
writer, and that, further, the operator of the typewriter should not be troubled with
any screws to adjust, levers to set, springs or wires to tighten, batteries to charge,
electrical contacts and wires to keep clean and properly connected together, but
should merely have to record the reading of a dial, index, or counter, at the
beginning and ending of the work, to ascertain the number of words typed.
Although the greater part of type-written work that is paid for by the number
of words written, is composed of words in the usual acceptance of that term, that
is, groups of letters, yet it is necessary for the purpose of such payment and its
previous counting by my counter to define what groups of signs other than
alphabetic characters are to be regarded as "words." I am enabled to use for my.
counter the definition that is usually employed by typists, which is, that any group
of letters, figures, or signs that occur consecutively and without a break, be taken to
be one word.
My invention is adaptable to most of the type-writing machines at present in use
and I will first of all describe it by itself and then proceed to show how it may be
attached or fitted to one of the machines at present in general use. It is to be
understood that the actual size and shape of the various parts and the fastenings
by means of which the counter mechanism is attached to the type writing
Imachine will depend to a certain extent upon the shape and size and situation of
corresponding parts of the different machines.
The mechanism now about to be described is adapted to be used with one of the
many sorts of typewriters which work by means of the operator depressing
successively the ends of levers, or "keys." In such typewriters there may be found,
or if there be not found, then may be fitted, some bar, lever, rod, or crank that has
a reciprocating motion imparted to it whenever any one of all the letter or number
or figure or sign keys be depressed, and which does not undergo any motion unless

page_text: such lever be depressed, that is, the depression of the space key, the shifting of
the carriage backward or forward, the apparatus for making lines, or any other
apparatus such as the key for upper and lower-case letters or figures, does not move
or affect this bar in any way. In general it will be found possible to have a bar laid
transversely to the letter keys, either above or below them, according to whether the
portion of the keys against which the bar rests moves up or down on the depression
of the end of the bar for the purpose of imprinting a letter. This bar whether found
on the machine or added thereto, or whether made in one or more parts, I will herein-
after call the "general letter-bar."
Further, some point on the space lever or spacing device must be fixed upon, which
receives a reciprocating motion each time the space bar is depressed for the purpose
of making the divisions between the words in the type-written matter, or for the
spacing-out at the beginning of paragraphs, etc., but which must not receive any
motion unless such space bar be operated.
To this point inay be fastened a crank, rod, wire, cord or chain, so that the motion
of the space bar may be further used for my purpose, and will call such rod etc.,
the "space-rod."
The situation of the general letter-bar and space-rod will vary in different machines
but the subsequent use of them and the method employed will be the same for all
machines. In describing my counter I will therefore assume that there is already on
the machine to which the counter is to be fitted, a bar called the general letter-bar,
having a reciprocating up-and-down motion, and that there is a rod, called the space-
rod, also having a reciprocating up-and-down motion.
With the aid of the accompanying drawings I will proceed to describe my inven-
tion. In these drawings:-
:―
Figure 1 is a front view of the counting mechanism.
Figure 2 shews a front view of the counting mechanism in conjunction with the
adjacent parts of a type-writer.
Figure 3 is a cross-section through the counter.
Figures 4, 4B, 4° and 4" are details of the rod E (or D), and
Figure 5 is the safety spring attached to rod E.
A is a rocking double-armed lever or walking-beam, pivoted so as to turn freely on
a pin B which projects from a plate or frame C, which frame is firmly fixed to some
portion of the framework of the typewriter. D is a rod attached to the general
letter-bar referred to above, and this rod D has a vertical up-and-down motion, moving
down and then up on any "letter" of the typewriter being struck, as explained
above, through the intermediary of the general letter-bar.
The rod D is constrained to move in the up-and-down motion by means of its
passing through guides D¹ or by attachment to a spring or any other method (shown
by a dotted line indicating a connecting rod D2 extending from pin B to a pin F on
rod D, now about to be described) and is situated near one end of the walking
beam A. Upon the rod D there is fixed a boss or projection F shown in side view in
Figure 4, which may be covered with some soft material f¹ to deaden the sound of
its striking the lever A as is hereafter explained. The projection F projects over the
one end (the right end in Figure 1) of the walking-beam A, and in its descent will
push down that end of A into the position shown on the re-ascent of F the lever A
remains stationary and does not return with F. The end of the lever A may have
a recess A¹ cut in it for F to engage in, so as to ensure F not slipping off A. If G is
to move up and down less than F, it will have to be proportionately nearer the
fulcrum B of the lever A.
:
The other end of the lever A is treated in the same manner-t thus E is a rod,
either the "space rod" or a rod worked by the space rod so as to have an up-and-
down motion, which up-and-down motion should be approximately, though not
necessarily, of the same amount as the up-and-down motion of the rod D. The
rod E has upon it a boss or projection G, of the same character as the boss F on the
rod D. This rod is shown passing through guides E¹, E, it might be treated in
the same way as D, .e., with another and quite distinct connecting rod to. B. .
"

page_text: Now, it is very essential that the walking-beam A should remain in any position it
may be in, that is, either right end or left end "up" as the case may be and not be
liable to be shaken from that position; but it is to be moved only by the action of
one of the two bosses F or G. This can be ensured in many ways:-first, the
natural friction of the pin B upon which it turns, and the friction and inertia of the
other parts connected to A as will be described; but if this is considered not to be
sufficient, it may be ensured as follows:-on the top of the rocking beam A is a
projecting arm A³ fixed at right angles to the axis of the beam, and which would
point vertically upwards if the beam were horizontal. On the arm A³ is fixed a small
suitable weight A', which will be seen to produce the required effect; or, in case the
typewriter were being used on a sloping surface when the weight A4 might not
produce the desired result, a third method might be adopted and this method I think
would be generally better. On the projecting arm A³ there is a projection A5; on
the frame C and directly under the pin B there is another fastening Aº; a spring A8
connects A to A, and it will be seen that the spring is more extended when the
rocking-beam is horizontal, and A" vertically over B and A, than when A5 is to the
right-hand or the left-hand; consequently if A5 is to the left as shown, for it to pass
to the right, the spring A will have to be stretched a little, hence the spring will
tend to keep A5 to the right or left, and consequently, say the right-hand end of the
walking beam A', up or down until the beam A is forced to change its position by
the action of the projections F or G.
This walking-beam, moved by the bosses F and G, is the essential portion of the
word-counter.
I will show presently that this walking or rocking-beam will make one complete
reciprocation for each word typed by the typewriter, therefore, if to some portion of
the rocking beam A¹, A, A2, or to its projection A³, or the boss A5 or another boss A7,
there can be attached a connecting-rod H¹, or H2, this connecting rod can be
employed to work an ordinary counter, either of the type known as an ordinary
engine counter of which millions are in use, or by means of a ratchet wheel and pawl,
one of the counters of the type so commonly in use on thousands of bicycles. I make
no attempt to impose any restrictions or make any advice about the actual counting
mechanism, but hold that it is a matter of common knowledge that if any portion of
a mechanism has a motion such as the connecting rods H¹ or H2 would have, that it
is possible to count these oscillations by means of a commercial counter, that is the
counter K¹, or K2 may be a simple one registering from 0 up to 99,999 say, in which
case the operator will note the numbers at the beginning and end of his work and
subtract to get the number of words written, or it may be one which can be set at O
by the touching of a spring, or again, it may be one of the type that registers the
total number of words, on one set of wheels, and the total of each "task" on another
set of wheels.
I have now described the various parts of the counter and will proceed to explain
how it is that it counts words.
See Figure 2 which shows the counter fitted to a typewriting machine.
L1, L2, L3, L are key-bars of the typewriter seen in elevation, the depression of
which causes the required letters to be printed; the method in which this printing
be done not having anything to do with the word-counter, only the key-bars are
shown. M is an end view of the "general letter-bar" which is carried on levers N,
one at each end. The levers N work on pins P which are fixed to the frame-work of
the machine. The bar M is kept pressed up against the keys L¹, by means of a
spring P fastened to the end of the lever N, or this could be done by means of a
counter-balance weight, (the bar M may be on the machine already, being used to
keep the keys up). To some point of the lever N or a prolongation of it, as may be
required to give the necessary amplitude of motion, is fixed or attached the vertical
rod D which has been described before.
S is the space-bar of the typewriter, to which is attached the rod E, mentioned
before; or if the space bar is not directly under the situation determined upon for
fixing the counter mechanism, or if the amplitude of the motion is not sufficient, or

page_text: too great, an intermediate connecting lever will have to be put in to connect the
space-bar to the rod E shown in Figure 1.
The method in which the counter as now described is fixed is as follows:-To type.
the first letter of the first word, the operator depresses one of the keys say L',
Figure 2, this depresses the general letter bar M, which pulls down the rod D and its
projecting boss F. F presses down the right-hand end of the rocking lever A, if that
end is not already down, and at the same time pulls over the arm A³ to the right, this
drives forward the connecting rod H', which sets the counter ready to register. On
the operator releasing L¹, the key rises and M rises with it by the action of the
spring P2. The rod D rises at the same time and with it its boss F, but the rocking
lever A does not move either on account of friction, or because the weight A* or
because of the spring A8 holding it in its place, therefore, also the rod H¹ does not.
move and the counter K¹ remains unaltered.
The operator may now press L² or any other letter key, and though F may, con-ˆ
sequently, move down and up, yet the lever A undergoes no motion and the counter K¹
remains unaffected-this goes on as long as the operator continues to press a suc-
cession of letter-keys-when the operator has finished the first word, and then pressed
down the space key S, this will pull down E and its boss G which will press down the.
left hand end of the rocking lever A, pull back A³ to the left and the lever H¹ ditto,.
and so make the counter register "1."
On releasing S the space-key will rise and with it E and G, but the rocking-
lever will remain with the left end down and the counter K¹, will remain un-
altered.
T
If the operator now press down the space key again, though G will consequently
move down and up, yet the rocking-lever A will undergo no motion, and the counter>
K¹, will remain registering "1." When the operator commences the second word
however, and presses on key L³, say, the rocking lever will have its right-end depressed,
again and the counter K¹, will be reset ready to register "2."
Thus it will be seen that the first letter of each word will cause the counter to be.
set ready to register one more, while the subsequent letters of each word will not
affect it, and the first motion of the space-bar after each word will cause the counter
to advance one place, but subsequent successive motions of the space-bar will not
affect the counter. Thus it will also be seen that the number of words written will'
be automatically counted.
It may be noticed that it is necessary at the end of a line for the operator not to
forget to depress the space key, otherwise the last word of one line and the first of
the next would only be treated as one word by the counter.
There may be an arrangement provided to throw the counter K¹, out of gear, either.
in case of the number of words not being required, or while "spacing-out "headings
or while making corrections or under-lining, though for the latter it is hardly
necessary unless great accuracy is required. Such a "throw-out-of-count" arrange-
ment is frequently found on revolution-counters.
The counter may register in units, 10s, 100s or 1000s or 72s or any other way as
may be preferred.
The method is not altered if the counter K¹, is set by the action of the first space'
and records "1" by means of the first letter of the word-the final result will be
practically the same.
There may be some alterations in detail as hereafter mentioned. In the event of
the operator pressing both the space key and a letter-key together, both the bosses G
and F would try to descend together. To avoid doing damage something must yield,
and the simplest way to overcome this difficulty is to make one or both of the bars E
or D, compound, that is in the middle of their length to be made into a spiral spring,
so stiff that for the purpose of rocking the lever A the rods D and E would be practically
inextensible, but if, by mischance, both the rods were pulled, they would extend
sufficiently to prevent the lever A from being damaged.
Or again the boss G might slide up and down on the rod E, being usually kept in
its place by a stop G³ under it and a spring G in compression above it.

page_text: The boss F and rod D may be of one piece of metal, i.e., merely a wire with the
end turned over like an inverted ✓ %; this turned over end may be further turned
down, and will so look like a hook to pull down the lever, A, or a slot in a bar would
do.
The bosses F and G may be on the under side of the lever A and push it up; this
would be the case if the key levers rose instead of falling on their being struck; in
this case the general letter bar would rise and fall instead of fall and rise.
The general letter-bar might be above the keys instead of below them.
The bosses F and G might both be on the same side of the pin B; in this case
one, say G, would have to be above A, while the other would be below it; i.e., the
pressing of a letter-key would force the rocking-lever up, and the pressing of the
space key would force it down.
As a development of this, instead of the rocking-
lever being made to turn about a pin as B, it might move between guides in a
parallel up-and-down motion.
The principle is as follows:-
The pressing of a letter-key moves a portion "X".of the mechanismn one. way i.e.
past Y to Z when it, "X," stays unaffected by subsequent consecutive motions of
other letter-keys until it, "X," is moved back from Z to Y by the motion of the
space-key, where again it stays unaffected by subsequent consecutive motions of the
space key until moved again from Y to Z by the depression of a letter key, and so
on, ad infinitum.
The motions of "X "
are recorded by any ordinary counter.
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 :-
1. In a typewriter or other like type printing machine, the combination therewith
of an automatic counting mechanism arranged to be actuated by the depression of
the letter bars or levers and space bar, the said mechanism consisting of a walking-
beatn, or pivoted rocking double lever or its equivalent, one end of which is depressed
or pulled down together with and by the letter bar and the other end of which is
depressed or pulled down together with and by the space-bar, a connecting-rod or
link attached to the said rocking lever, a pawl or detent connected therewith said
pawl actuating a ratchet connected to any suitable revolution-counting device,.
substantially as described and set forth.
2. In a typewriter or other like type printing machine, the combination with the
letter and space key bars of vertical rods provided with stops which on certain
depressions of the letter and space key bars depress and liberate alternately either end
of a centrally pivoted lever, the oscillations of an upward extension of which are
communicated by means of links and a pawl, to a ratchet or other toothed wheel of
any revolution-counting device, constructed, operated and working substantially as
and for the purpose described and set forth.
3. In a typewriter or other like type printing machine, the combination therewith
of an automatic counting mechanism constructed, operated and working substantially
as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Dated the 30th day of September 1898.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.