Improvements in Key-boards for Typewriters, Cash Registers, Musical Instruments, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1895-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Key-boards for Typewriters, Cash Registers, Musical
Instruments, and the like.
A communication from abroad by THE REMINGTON-SHOLES TYPEWRITER
COMPANY, United States of America.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand,
London, W.C. Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates particularly to keybe having a number of parallel,
horizontal, pivoted keys having their free ends (the ends which are to be engaged
by the fingers of the operator) normally elevated by the action of springs and
designed to be depressed manually for operation. The object of the invention is to
produce a key-board which may be manufactured cheaply and in which the
inovement of the keys shall be accurate notwithstanding wear.
My improvement is applicable to such key-boards as are used in cash registers,
musical instruments, and typewriters.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation looking at right angles to the length of
the keys.
Figure 2 is a plan.
Figures 3 and 4 are details.
A, A are the keys. These may be provided with raised finger pieces, A', at one
end. At the opposite end, each key is hinged to a stationary part of the machine
or instrument to which the key-board is applied. B is a suitable stop located above
the keys for limiting the elevation of the latter. In Figures 1 and 2 the keys are
hinged by means of ball-and-socket joints. A' is a spherical end formed on the
key, A, and C is a socket formed in a relatively stationary portion of the machine,
as in a bar, C, extending horizontally across the machine at the ends of the keys, A.
Said sockets are of proper size to receive the spherical ends, A. D is a contracting
coiled spring attached by one end to the key, A, and by the other end at the rear
of and above the attachment of its front end, as to a support, D', extending
transversely across the machine parallel to the series of ends, A. Said spring, D,
draws rearward and upward from said key and holds it normally in the socket, C¹,
and against the stop, B.
The socket, C, is to be of proper size to receive the end, A³, and make contact
with the latter in substantially all lines radiating from the axis of the shaft. Thus
the end, A2, is so held as to permit no movement in any direction radial to the axis
of the key. It cannot move up and down, for the wall of the socket is in contact
with the said end above and below. It cannot move sidewise, for at each side the
wall of the socket is in contact with said end. But the entire key may be moved
upon a centre coincident with the centre upon which the end, A2, is rounded, said
end undergoing no displacement whatever in the socket, C. If the end, A, or the
socket, C, wears, the key is drawn endwise toward the bar, C, into the socket, C',
and the contact is maintained.
In Figure 4, there is shown a modification in which the end, A2, of the key is
rounded only on an axis perpendicular to the plane of movement of the key, the
sides at the end being flat.

page_text: The sockets, C', may extend only partially through the bar, C, but the end, A²,
may more accurately adjust itself after wear when said sockets extend through said
bar. Of course it is to be understood that when the socket extends through the
bar, C, it is to be smaller than the end, A', in order that the end may not pass
through the socket.
Dated this 16th In
f
1 1004
Improvements in Key-boards for Typewriters, Cash Registers, Musical
Instruments, and the like.
A communication from abroad by THE REMINGTON-SHOLES TYPEWRITER
COMPANY, United States of America.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand,
London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 relates particularly to key-boards having a number of parallel,
horizontal, pivoted keys having their free ends (the ends which are to be engaged
by the fingers of the operator) normally elevated by the action of springs and
designed to be depressed manually for operation. The object of the invention is to
produce a key-board which may be manufactured cheaply and in which the
movement of the keys shall be accurate notwithstanding wear.
My improvement is applicable to such key-boards as are used in cash registers,
musical instruments, and typewriters.
In the drawings left with the Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation looking at right angles to the length of the keys.
Fig. 2 is a plan.
Figs. 3 and 4 are details.
A, A are the keys. These may be provided with raised finger pieces, A', at one
end. At the opposite end, each key is hinged to a stationary part of the machine
or instrument to which the key-board is applied. B is a suitable stop located
above the keys for limiting the elevation of the latter. In Figs. 1 and 2 the keys
are hinged by means of ball-and-socket joints. A' is a spherical end formed on the
key, A, and is a socket formed in a relatively stationary portion of the machine,
as in a bar, C, extending horizontally across the machine at the ends of the keys, A.
Said sockets are of proper size to receive the spherical ends, A. D is a contracting
coiled spring attached by one end to the key, A, and by the other end at the rear
of and above the attachment of its front end, as to a support, D¹, extending
transversely across the machine parallel to the series of ends, A. Said spring, D,
draws rearward and upward from said key and holds it normally in the socket, C¹,
and against the stop, B.
The socket, C, is to be of proper size to receive the end, A², and make contact
with the latter in substantially all lines radiating from the axis of the shaft. Thus
the end, A', is so held as to permit no movement in any direction radial to the axis
of the key. It cannot move up and down, for the wall of the socket is in contact
with said end above and below. It cannot move sidewise, for at each side the wall
of the socket is in contact with said end. But the entire key may be moved upon
a centre coincident with the centre upon which the end, A, is rounded, said end
undergoing no displacement whatever in the socket, C¹. If the end, A, or the
socket, C, wears, the key is drawn endwise towards the bar, C, into the socket, C',
and the contact is maintained.

page_text: In Fig. 4, there is shown a modification in which the end, A2, of the key is
rounded only on an axis perpendicular to the plane of movement of the key, the
sides at the end being flat.
The sockets, C', may extend only partially through the bar, C, but the end, A2,
may more accurately adjust itself after wear when said sockets extend through said
bar. Of course it is to be understood that when the socket extends through the
bar, C, it is to be smaller than the end, A2, in order that the end may not pass
through the socket.
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 key-board, the combination of an elongated key having a tapering end,
a stop beside the key, a suitable relatively stationary support having a socket
receiving said tapering end, and a spring for holding said end in said socket,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a key-board, the combination of an elongated key having a tapering end,
a suitable relatively stationary support having an opening extending through it
smaller than said end, and a spring for holding said end in said socket, substantially
as set forth.
3. In a key-board, the combination of an elongated key having a spherical end,
a stop beside the key, a suitable relatively stationary support having a socket
receiving said spherical end, and a spring for holding said spherical end in said
socket, substantially as set forth.
4. In a key-board, the combination of an elongated key having a spherical end,
a suitable relatively stationary support having an opening extending through it
sinaller than said end, and a spring for holding said spherical end in said socket,
substantially as set forth.
Dindhi 10th day of 1.1 1005
J. G. LORRAIN.