Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Type-writing Machines.
We, CHARLES M. CLINTON and JAMES MCNAMARA, citizens of the Unite.
States of America, residing at Ithaca, in the County of Tompkins, and State o.
New York, U.S.A., Mechanics, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE-WRITING MACHINES, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to type-writing machines of that class called centre
striking, and its object is to simplify and improve the operation in respect to certain
mechanical devices which will be hereinafter fully described, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1, is a top view of the frame with certain parts broken away.
Fig. 2, is a side view showing the arrangement of the type operating connections
with the keys.
Fig. 3, is a rear view showing the arrangement of the type arms and connections.
Fig. 4, is an underside view of the top plate.
Fig. 5, is a side elevation of a single key and its connections in their normal
position.
Fig. 6, is a like view of the same in the position the parts assume when the key
is pressed in service.
Fig. 7, is a side view of the rocker brace.
Fig. 8, is a side view of the rear brace.
Fig. 9, is a side view of the type-bar.
Fig. 10, is a top view of the same.
Fig. 11, is a plan showing the arrangement of the draw-bars in groups of 6.
Fig. 12, is a sectional elevation of the type-bar arm.
Fig. 13, is an elevation of the type body showing the type-bar in cross-section.
Fig. 14, is an enlarged detail view of the rear brace and its supporter.
Fig. 15, is an enlarged sectional view of the hinge connecting the draw-bar and
pull-rod.
Fig. 16, shows a modification of the same.
Fig. 17, is a side and top view of the hanger-block.
Fig. 18, is a vertical section of the top plate showing the type-bar hangings.
Fig. 19, is a side view of the type-bar and guide block.
A represents the top plate mounted upon the main frame, and having a circular,
central aperture with a depressed flange to serve as a seat for a ring-plate B to be
removably fixed in. The underside of plate B has a downward annular projection
which is radially slotted with grooves a to serve as seats for the hanger-blocks C
which are removably secured therein by means of screws b. The type-bar d is one
piece of metal slotted vertically to lighten it and to leave less surface for dust to
collect upon, forming two sides and cross-bars 2 and 3 left to connect them. This
slot is also fitted to receive the hanger-block C upon which the type-bar is pivoted
at the rear end to swing vertically. The block extending to the inner edge of
ring B guides the bar in the same radial line exactly at every stroke.
m is the body of the type, its exposed end being shaped as a letter or other
character, and the other end being reduced to a cylindrical shank 17 to fit closely
between the sides of the type-bar, the shoulder 18 resting thereon.
20 is a nut screw-threaded upon the shank, and 19 is a washer interposed as a
seat for the nut across the space between the bars 1. By loosening this nut the
type is freed enough to be rotated to set it in vertical position in the line, and it
may also be set radially in the slot of the bar to align it.

page_text: e is the draw-bar made as an inverted U-shaped trough and pivotally hung upon
two braces 8 and 15. The brace 8 is an elbow lever upon the end 11 of which the
finger-key is pivotally supported, the other end being pivoted at 9, to a cross-bar
of the frame.
The brace 15 is pivotally hung between ears formed by transverse slots in a
bar 14, which bar extends across the machine to support all the rear braces. The
upper end of brace 15, is pivotally connected with the draw-bar e its two pivots
being very nearly parallel with the corresponding pivots of brace 8, whereby the
bar
is guided throughout its movement in positions constantly parallel with its
initial position like a parallel ruler so that the draw-rods 5 and the types connected
therewith will be given the same amount of movement whether the rod be attached
at one point or another along the draw-bar, thus giving types located in all parts of
the circle an equal impetus by equal touches upon the corresponding keys, and a
light and equal movement is attained.
12 represents a series of fixed posts slotted to permit the draw-bars e to pass near
their forward ends freely through them and 13 is a similar series of slotted posts for
the rear ends of the draw-bars whereby the latter will be guided in line to prevent
their interfering with each other.
16 represents a series of springs fixed upon a cross-bar and engaging at their
upper ends the slots of their respective draw-bars; whereby the weight of the draw-
bar and key is counterbalanced and the bar is quickly returned to its normal
position after each stroke of the key. Each draw-bar e is connected with the short
arm 4 of a type-bar by means of a draw-rod 5 which is pivoted at its upper end to
the said short arm and at its lower end to a U-shaped hinge leaf 7, which is
pivotally hung in a slot 6 in the draw-bar e. The lower end of the rod may be
bent to one side to engage as a pivot one arm of the U; the other arm being bent
out of its plane to permit insertion or removal and then being restored to its plane
to hold the rod in place. Or the rod may be provided with two trunnions to engage
the two arms of the U which, if made narrow as in Fig. 15, may be sprung apart
for admission or removal of the trunnions. The hinge pivoted to swing in the plane
of the draw-bar e and the rod pivoted in the hinge transversely thereto overcome
any twisting tendency which the various directions of the type-bar movements,
contrasted with the movement of the draw-bars, might tend to produce, and renders
the movement supple and light. By merely springing the rod 5 out of its hinge
and unscrewing the hanger-block C any type may be readily removed from the
machine, and the reverse movement replaces it or another. The upward stroke of
the type is limited by the cross-bar 3 meeting the hanger-block C close to the
pivot so that the spring of the type-bar above this point is what does the work;
and this bar 3 is so located as to proportion the spring to the thickness of the
work caused by manifolding. If there is but one sheet the bar must spring further
to reach it than if there were more so that the blow is lighter as it should be when
printing a single sheet than when printing more sheets. The more sheets there are
the more of the direct force of the blow is applied, and yet the blow is always
elastic and not dead so that the machine runs just as lightly in manifolding as in
single sheet printing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim as our invention, is―
1. A draw-bar mounted horizontally upon and movable vertically by swinging
supports and connected with a type-bar independently of the said supports.
2. A draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports in combination with vertical
guides on either side of the bar.
3. A draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports in combination with vertical
guides on either side of the bar and auxiliary guides for the supports.
4. A draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports in combination with vertical
guides on either side of the bar and a return spring engaging with the draw.bar.

page_text: 5. A draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports in combination with a hinge
pivotally mounted thereon and swinging in conjunction with the bar. ·
6. A draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports; a type mounted on a bar
pivotally hung; a hinge pivoted to the draw-bar and a rod pivotally connecting
the type-bar and hinge.
7. A draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports; a hinge pivotally connected
with the bar; means to guide the bar in its vertical movement; a type-bar pivotally
mounted; a rod connecting the type-bar adjustably with the hinge and a return
spring in combination.
8. The combination of a draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports; a hinge
pivotally connected to the draw-bar; means to guide the bar and supports in their
proper plane; a type-bar pivotally mounted; a rod connecting it, the type-bar,
adjustably to the hinge, and a return spring.
9. The combination of a draw-bar; pivoted bracing supports therefor; an
actuating key and a return spring.
10. The combination of a draw-bar mounted upon swinging supports; a hinge
pivotally mounted upon the bar and having separable U-shaped arms and a pull-rod
having one or more pivots to engage the said arms.
11. The combination of a type-bar slotted longitudinally; a radial hanger-block
fitted to the said slot and detachably connected with a ring-plate; the said type-
bar being pivoted upon the rear end of the hanger-block.
12. The combination of a ring-plate radially grooved in its under side; a hanger-
block fitted to one of the said grooves and a type-bar slotted to receive the said
block and pivoted to the rear end thereof.
13. The combination of a radially grooved ring-plate and a hanger-block fitted
to the said grooves and adapted to support and guide a type-bar.
14. A ring-plate having a radially grooved annular projection on its under side
in combination with a block fitting the said groove and extending to the inner edge
of the ring-plate.
15. The combination of a type-bar slotted longitudinally and pivotally mounted;
a type body having a reduced shank fitting within the said slot and means for
adjustably securing the same therein.
16. The combination of a longitudinally slotted type-bar; a type body having
a reduced shank of cylindrical form fitted to the said slot and a binding screw
therefor.
17. The combination of a draw-bar; pivotal bracing supports therefor; a return
spring; the forward support having an arm extending forward of the draw-bar and
an operating key connected with the said arm.
18. A draw-bar pivotally mounted on pivoted bracing supports; the two pivots
of each brace being in lines nearly parallel with each other.
19. A draw-bar pivotally mounted on bracing pivoted supports; and means for
connecting the type with the draw-bar whereby the draw-bar is kept throughout
its movement parallel with its position of rest so that the type will be equally
moved whether its connection with the draw-bar be at one point or another
along the bar.
20. A draw-bar pivotally mounted on bracing pivotal supports adapted to carry
the bar longitudinally and vertically with a motion always parallel to its position of
rest and means for connecting a type with the said bar.
Dated this 20th day of December 1890.
CHARLES M. CLINTON.
JAMES MUNAMARA.