IMPROVEMENTS IN TYPE-WRITERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, EDWIN SMITH BELDEN, of 309 Montgomery Street, in the city and county of
San Francisco, State of California, one of the United States of America, Steno-
grapher, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
TYPE-WRITERS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to new and useful improvements in type-writers, and these
consist in a graduated stop arranged and operated in a novel manner, and adapted
to limit at varying distances the movable pawl by which the traveling paper
carriage is caught and its motion limited, whereby said carriage is allowed to move
through a greater or less distance to give a suitable space between words and an
approximately suitable space to each letter or character, or combination of letters
or characters forming words, and in a novel mechanism by which power is trans-
mitted from the space-bar and key-board to the movable pawl to cause its varying
operation against the graduated stop, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe,
together with the object and advantage of my improvements.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my
invention,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine, showing it from the back, and
slightly raised, a portion being broken away to show parts otherwise concealed.
Figure 2 is a top view of the graduated stop, showing the pawls in first
position.
Fig. 3 shows the same in second position.
I have not deemed it necessary herein to illustrate minutely all the parts of a
type-writer, as these machines are well known; I have therefore confined myself
to the illustration and description of those old parts only, which by reason of their
position and joint operation with the improvements I claim, are essential to the full
understanding of my invention.
A is the frame of a type-writer, B the keys, C the levers of said keys, which
operate the type in the usual manner. D is the traveling paper carriage, having
the parts usually found in machines of this class. E is the rack with which the
pawls engage to hold the carriage, and release it to make its movement under the
influence of the usual spring and strap, unnecessary herein to describe..
P is the space-bar having levers p on each side. Mounted in small bearings fat
the back of the frame is a shaft F to which is affixed a bracket G, one end of
which carries the outer pawl H. Directly in line with and in front of this pawl is
the movable pawl I, adapted to be moved by the bracket G, through an arc, forward
and back, and also adapted to swing through an are parallel with the line of travel
of the carriage, by reason of being pivoted on an arm i extending forward from
bracket G. The pawl I is actuated in its side movement by a spring a.

page_text: The pawls H. I through their shaft F are oscillated in the usual manner by the
crank-arm J, cross-bar J, links j, and universal type-lever K. under the key and
space-bar levers.
A spring L on the shaft, returns them. The movement of the two pawls,
whether actuated by the space-bar, or the keys, effects the usual result, namely,
that of releasing, catching, and holding the rack E. It is usual to limit the side
movement of the movable or inner pawl by means of a single fixed block or piece,
whereby it is adapted to fall in line with the tooth succeeding that which is being
held by the outer pawl.
As a consequence, the space between words is equal to the distance between each
tooth, and to the space allotted to each letter, because the space-bar is capable of
operating the pawls but one tooth, just as the keys do. And the space allotted to
each letter is just the same, regardless of the width of the letter.
At the end of a word it is usual to touch the space-bar in order to provide the
requisite space between the last letter of a word and the first letter of the
succeeding word.
There is in this operation a loss of tinie, occasioned by the separate operation of
the space-bar. This would however be saved if the key denoting the last letter of
the word and the space-bar could be depressed simultaneously.
But with the ordinary machine this cannot be done, because the effect of the
depression of both key and bar, is the same, namely, the operation of the pawls
on but one tooth, and there would be no open space at all, as the letter would
fill it in.
Now the first object of my invention is to provide a means by which, while the
keys shall be able to allow the carriage to move but a certain distance, say the
distance of one rack-tooth, the space-bar will allow it to move a greater distance,
say the distance of two rack-teeth.
Therefore, by depressing the key representing the last letter of a word, simul-
taneously with the space-bar, the type immediately prints the letter, and then the
.carriage completes its movement past the letter and through the distance of two
teeth, leaving a blank space before the beginning of the next word.
My next object is to provide approximately suitable spaces for each letter or
character according to its width.
Some letters are narrow and others wide, for example, the small letter "1" is
much narrower than the letter "m," and requires less space.
But heretofore it has been given as much space as the "m," and the result
is that the printing is irregular, some letters having too much and others too
little room.
My last object is similar in nature to the preceeding, and is to give approximately
suitable spaces to entire words, which may be made by single forms composed of
several letters, and operated by a single stroke of an appropriate key.
I have herein illustrated particularly the means by which I accomplish the first
named object, and from these it will be seen, by further description, how the last
named results may be readily effected.
Secured on the bracket G is a small shaft M, on which is pivoted a bar N,
extending upwardly beside the two pawls H and I. At or near the top of the
bar N, an arm O extends horizontally forward, towards a fixed portion A³ of the
machine, of which it falls short ordinarily, but with which it is adapted to come
in contact when carried forward to a greater distance. A spring n holds it to
the pawls.
At the back of the bar N, is a short arm O¹, which passes behind the outer
pawl H, whereby the said bar is made to follow the backward movement of the
pawls, and is also limited in its forward movement by them.
The face of the arm O is rebated at o. The movable pawl I ordinarily is limited
by the thick portion of the arm O, so that it can move sideways but the distance
of a single tooth. But when an increased forward movement is given to the pawls,
they and the arm O go forward until the said arm by coming in contact with the

page_text: fixed portion of the machine, stops, while the pawls continue, so that the movable
pawl I reaches the rebate o, into which it drops sidewise a distance of another
tooth, thus making its movement equal to two teeth. The pawls then moving
back, carry the arm O back also, and the outer pawl releases the rack, which moves
two teeth until limited by the movable pawl in the usual manner.
The arm O is thus a graduated stop, which is adapted to limit at varying
distances, the movable pawl, whereby the carriage is allowed to move to varying
distances.
Now in order to engage the movable pawl with the rebate of the graduated
stop-arm O, the forward movement of the pawl must be so graduated that by
moving but a certain distance, it still is limited by the thick portion of the stop,
and by moving a greater distance, it comes opposite and is adapted to be limited
by the rebate portion.
These movements are effected by the contact of the key-levers and the space-
bar levers with the universal type-lever, which contact is arranged (in so far as my
first object is concerned) in such a manner that the key-levers shall move the pawls
the shorter distance, and the space-bar levers the longer distance.
This contact may be accomplished in various ways. In machines to be built, the
key-levers may move between certain limits in order to depress the type-lever Ka
certain distance, while the limits of movement of the space-bar levers may be greater
than the key-levers, in order to depress the type lever K a greater distance.
Or the space-bar levers may be formed or provided with suitable projections or
shoulders pas here shown, adapting them to depress the type-lever K to a greater
distance.
Now it will be seen that the keys allow the carriage to move a distance of one
tooth, by limiting the movement of the pawl I by the thick portion of the stop-
arın O, while the space-bar allows it to move two teeth, by limiting said pawl on
the rebate o of stop-arm.
Therefore if a key and the space-bar be depressed at the same moment, the type
will make its impression immediately, and the carriage will move two teeth, a
distance sufficient to carry it past the letter and through an open space beyond.
Wherefore the object of being able to make the last letter of the word and the
succeeding space at the same time can be accomplished.
The principle of the graduated stop limiting at varying distances the movable
pawl I is susceptible of variations in degree, by which the carriage may be allowed
to move distances other than those I have named.
In fact my other objects grow directly out of this adaptability, as I shall now
show. Taking first the giving of approximately suitable spaces to each letter
according to its width, I would divide the rack E into a suitable number of teeth
separated by space equivalent to the space or room required by the most narrow
letters or characters, making the distance of two teeth equivalent to the space
required by the letters or characters of medium width, and the distance of three
teeth equivalent to the space required by the wider letters or characters. I would
divide the stop or arm O into a suitable number of graduations, adapting it to
limit the pawl I at one, two, and three teeth, and I would finally so arrange the
contact between the key-levers and the universal type-lever, that the keys of
narrow letters would depress said lever a distance only sufficient for the first.
limitation of the pawl, and the other keys to produce the second and third
limitations respectively.
The graduated stop could be made with rebates, or with pins of different lengths,
forming depressions of different depths, or in any other suitable manner.
My last object would require but a modification in degree. Suppose I should
insert a compound type made up of the letters "t" "h" "e" adapted to be
operated by a single key, and another of the letters "t" "o." It is obvious that
the former would require more space than the latter, and their respective levers
could be made to operate the universal type-lever in such a manner that the

page_text: movable pawl I operating against a properly graduated stop would effect the
desired result.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a type-writer, a graduated stop adapted to limit the side movement of the
movable pawl at varying distances, whereby said pawl may re-engage the rack of
the traveling paper carriage and hold it after it has moved a distance of one or
more of its teeth according to the distance at which the movable pawl is limited,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
2. In a type-writer, a graduated swinging stop arranged to come in contact on
its forward stroke with a fixed portion of the machine, said stop being adapted to
limit the side movement of the movable pawl at varying distances, and to be carried
back by the pawl, whereby said pawl may re-engage the rack of the traveling
paper carriage and hold it after it has moved a distance of one or more of its teeth,
according to the distance at which the movable pawl is limited, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described.
3. The combination in a type-writer of the pawls for holding, releasing, and
re-engaging the rack of the traveling paper carriage, and the swinging spring-bar
having a cross-arm with a graduated face adapted to limit at varying distances
the side movement of one of the pawls, and an arm passing behind the other pawl,
substantially as herein described.
4. In a type-writer having a traveling carriage, with a rack adapted to be
released, re-engaged, and held by two pawls as described, a swinging graduated
stop adapted to limit the side movement of the inner or movable pawl at varying
distances to enable said pawl to re-engage the rack at different distances beyond
its former engagement and to allow the carriage to move a distance of one or more
of its teeth before being held by said pawl, and a mechanism operated by the space-
bar or the keys of the machine for throwing the movable pawl forward to different
distances to engage suitably with the graduated stop, substantially as herein
described.
5. In a type-writer, the oscillating rack engaging pawls, the inner one of which
has an additional side movement, and the pivoted spring-bar mounted on the
support of said pawls, and having a horizontal arm with a graduated face adapted
to limit at varying distances the side movement of the inner pawl, in combination
with the keys and space-bar having levers, the universal type-lever adapted to be
depressed by said key and space-bar levers, the crank-arm by which the pawls and
graduated stop are oscillated, and the cross-bar and links connecting the universal
type-lever with the crank-arm, all substantially as herein described.
6. In a type-writer, the combination of the universal type-lever, the vibrating
key-levers and space-bar levers arranged to depress the universal type-lever to
varying distances, the movable rack engaging inner pawl, connected with the
universal type-lever, whereby the pawl is thrown forward to varying distances,
and the pivoted spring-bar having a graduated arm adapted to limit at varying
distances the side movement of the pawl, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described.
Dated this eighth day of Desember 1901