Year: 1886

page_text: I, FREDERICK MYERS of Chapel Street, Bootle, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates chiefly to that class of type-writer in which the type is
carried or actuated by levers arranged radially round a common centre, and is
designed with the object of producing a machine in which the operator will act or
press direct upon the type carrying lever without the intervention of any secondary
or connecting levers, and also with the object of producing a strong, simple, efficient,
and reliable machine of that type at less cost than some that are at present in the
market.
The type figures or other marks or symbols to be printed are each carried by a
separate lever pivoted at or near one end. These type levers are arranged radially,
pivoted on a circular bar or wire or on a number of pivots or pins so that the type
end of each shall when pressed down, cover one common centre. These type levers
are pivoted preferably at or near one end with a short projecting piece beyond to
which to attach a spring to raise them after being depressed. They are elbowed
or curved so that the type carrying end shall stand up above the paper carrying
roller hereinafter described. To each lever is attached or connected preferably
rigidly, a key or plate carrying a representation of letter or type carried at the
other end of the lever, If it be preferred to maintain the key in a perfectly
upright position, it may be pivoted to the type lever, but I prefer to make the
lever and key in one piece. The type carried by the lever may be of metal, india
rubber, or other material. The paper to be written upon is carried by a roller
covered with india rubber, or other soft material suitable for the type to strike
against. The paper is attached to the roller by spring screw or other clip. After
cach letter is written, the roller turns on its axis sufficient distance to allow of
room for the next letter and so on. In addition to the type levers there is a blank
lever by actuating which the words are spaced. This lever instead of carrying
type or symbol on its outer end has that end formed into or attached to a ring
concentric or approximately so, with the ring or pivots upon which the type levers
are pivoted. From the lower end of this lever projects an arm which when the
lever is pressed down, comes in contact with a bar or rod connected to a pawl
carrying device. The pawl engages with teeth on the end of the paper carrying

page_text: roller so that at each depression of the lever, the roller is rotated the space of one
letter. The pawl carrying device is preferably actuated in a direction opposite to
the direction in which the paper travels, and returned to position by a spring, the
pawl coming into action and the paper carrier being moved during the return of
the lever to its position of rest. When any of the type levers are depressed, the
type end passes through the ring at the end of the spacing lever, and the lever
strikes against the edge of the ring, this depresses the spacing lever, and thus
carries the roller and paper forward the distance for the letter. A spring is
attached to the projecting piece at the pivoted end of the levers, which returns
them to position as soon as released by the operator. The ink is carried on a
band or ribbon This is coiled upon a reel and passes from it over one or more
carrying or guide rollers, to a second reel upon which it is slowly wound, a little
at each stroke of the type. It is caused to pass in close proximity to the paper,
but not actually touching it, the type forcing it against the paper. The ink band
is wound onto the second reel, by means of a pawl carried by the spacing lever
working into teeth on the end of the reel. This pawl may be provided with a
projecting lever, which serves as a handle or weight.. A bell is set in connection
with the paper carrying roller to indicate when the line has been finished. When
one line is written, the roller is turned back again and moved longitudinally by
hand. Though if preferred the spacing lever and its pawl may be arranged to
move the roller longitudinally for the letters, and it may be rotated when required
to pass on to the next line, the first mentioned arrangement for rotating the roller
on its axis is what I at present consider the best.

page_text: I, FREDERICK MYERS of Chapel Street, Bootle, 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 ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This invention relates chiefly to that class of type-writer in which the type is
carried or actuated by levers arranged radially round a common centre and is
designed with the object of producing a machine in which the operator will act or
press direct upon the type carrying lever without the intervention of any secondary
or connecting levers, and also with the object of producing a strong, simple,
efficient, and reliable machine of that type at less cost than some that are at
present in the market.
It will be best described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine (with parts removed)
Figure 2 plan of same.
Figure 3 sectional elevation of frame on line x-y.
Figure 4 side elevation of inking device with bracket for carrying same.
Figure 5 plan of Figure 4.
Figure 6 front elevation of paper carrying roll showing paper gripping devices.
Figure 7 enlarged detail of paper gripping device.
Figure 8 plan of paper gripping device on roller.
Figure 9 bell at back of paper carrying roller with pin for actuating the striking
haminer.
A is a framework or base preferably made of cast iron which carries the movable
and working parts of the apparatus. It is circular or approximately so and has
formed in it a number of recesses or bearings B wherein the type carrying levers C
are supported. Each lever C carries a separate type, letter, figure, symbol or
other character to be printed. The type levers C are elbowed or curved as shown,
so that the type carrying end shall stand up above the paper carrying roller herein-
after described. They are arranged radially in the base or frame A pivoted on a
circular bar or wire D, or on a number of pivots or pins so that the type end c of
each shall, when pressed down cover one common centre, and are preferably pivoted
at or near the lower end c¹. Below the pivot is a short projecting piece E to
which is attached any suitable spring such as an indiarubber ring e for the purpose
of raising the lever after it has been depressed. The spring is attached to a
pin el or similar projection fitted to the frame A. F is a key or finger plate
carried by each type lever by pressing on which with the finger the operator
depresses the lever. The letter or character carried by the lever may be represented
on each of these but I prefer to place the representation of the letters and
characters nearer the ends of the levers as shown, so as to lie closer together as in
that position they will be more easily seen by the operator, and should the
opérator strike a wrong key or be uncertain as to the one struck the letter can be
read without raising the hand or finger from the key. I prefer to make the key
in one piece with the type lever as shown, though if required that the key should
be maintained in an upright position it may be hinged or pivoted to the lever.
The type is affixed to the ond of the lever at c, and the letter or character may be

page_text: cast or engraved thereon, or may be cast in india rubber or type metal or formed
in any other suitable way and affixed to the end c of the lever C. In Figure 1
two only, of the type levers C are shown in order to show more distinctly their
position.
XEL 0
G is a roller by which the paper to be written or printed upon is carried. It is
preferably made of cork or other stiff yielding or elastic substance so that the
constant striking upon it will not injure the type carried by the levers.C.
is a
rod or spindle through the centre of the roll G to which it is attached and forming
at the ends a pivot upon which the roller revolves. The bearings h in which the
spindle g revolves are carried by brackets H one at either end of the roller G.
The brackets H in combination with the connecting plate h' form a frame which
carries the roller G, which is fitted into a slide H₁ running from back to front of
the base A. The frame is free to move in this slide, and to it with the roller G
may be imparted a motion in either direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of
the roller. Below the roller frame is placed a flat steel spring I carrying a pin i
and in the underside of the frame plate h¹ are drilled a number of holes i¹ with
which the pin i engages holding the roller frame and the roller G in any desired
position. By depressing the spring'I the pin i is released from the hole ¹ and thé
roller may be moved in either direction. J is a cam or finger on spindle ; by
which the spring I is depressed when the operator presses down the thumb
lever J¹ The distance between each of the holes i¹ is equal to the distance
required between the lines of the writing or printing. The roller G is moved the
distance between one hole to the next, at the completion of every line. When in
operation the roller G turns axially for each letter written and is moved longi-
tudinally for each line. Graduations may be marked on the spring I or on the
frame plate to indicate to the operator the number of the line from the top of
the page at which the machine' is writing. On the spindle at one end (preferably
the front end) of the roller G is loosely placed a pawl carrying device or bracket K.
This bracket carries pawl k which meshes with the teeth or circular rack K¹
attached to end of roller G. L is a rod fixed to the bracket K and to a similar
bracket at the other end of the roller carrying frame so that at any point along the
length of roller this rod may be operated upon to actuate the pawl k and turn the
roller G. M is a lever somewhat similar in shape to the type carrying levers C and
pivoted with them to the base frame A, at its upper or top end it is formed in the
shape of a ring or hoop m, and at its lower end m³ project inward to engage with
a pivoted lever N. This lever has a forked end N¹ which engages with the rod L
and through which the rod is free to move longitudinally, so that any motion of
the lever N is felt on the rod L and pawl k irrespective of the position of the
roller G longitudinally. The depression of the lever M actuates the pivoted lever N
and its forked end N₁ thus conveying motion to the pawl k and turning the roller G
about its axis a certain distance. The lever M is fitted with a key similar to those
on the type levers, and may thereby be depressed at will by the operator, and in
addition it is depressed by each type lever C, as the lever is pressed down to touch
the paper. The type end of the lever passes through the ring m, the lever come's
in contact with the edge of the ring, and the two are carried down together. 'By
this motion at each stroke of the type levers the paper roll G is carried round by
the pawl the space of one letter. To space between the words the lever M
is depressed by the finger of the operator. The dotted lines in Figure 1 show the
position of levers C and M when depressed. The spacing lever M is returned to
position of rest by a spring in same manner as the type levers C. If preferred the
pawl carrying device may be actuated in the direction opposite to the direction in
which the paper.travels, and returned to position by a spring, the pawl coming into
action and the paper carrier being moved during the return of the type levers C or
'spacing lever M to their positions of rest.
O is a small hand wheel on the end of the spindle g of the roller G by means of
which the paper roller G may be turned into any position. It is preferably
graduated or marked so that any mark coming opposite the index pointer. o will

page_text: indicate the number or position in the line of the last letter written. P is a warning
bell fixed to the spindle g and revolving with it. The projecting pin or snug P
actuates the hammer P' each time the bell revolves, and indicates when the end of
the line is nearly reached. By altering the position of the bell on the spindle g it
can be made to indicate the approach of the end of a line of any given length. The
sheet of paper is held in position on the roller by means of two eccentric clips Q, R.
The edge of the sheet of paper is slipped under the rod or holder which is set
eccentrically in the brackets q fixed to the ends of the roller and clamped by it.
The clip R which is carried by the movable brackets is then brought over the
other edge of the paper which is secured thereby. A sheet of paper of larger or
smaller size may thus be used on the same roller. S is a plate or shield on which
the projection on the lever C rests, when the lever has been depressed the
required distance so that the type may not be brought with too great force or
pressure on the roller. s is a ring or buffer of india rubber or elastic material on
top of S against which the lever strikes.
a is a rubber or other soft or elastic
buffer against which the projecting part c¹ of the lever C strikes when returning
to its normal position. These buffers prevent noise and jar.
The ink is preferably carried on two small rollers T carried on spindles t hinged
or pivoted to a vertical spindle U which is carried in a bearing on the end of
a bracket V. By turning the button u on the top of the spindle the rollers T are
brought in contact successively with each of the letters. The springs t¹ keep them
up to the face of the letters. The bracket V is shown only in Figures 4 and 5.
It is held in position by the pins V₁over which holes in the forks of the end of the
bracket passes, the spring of the fork keeps it steady by frictional contact. Instead
of this device the ink may be carried on a band or ribbon coiled upon a reel or
roller at one side of the paper carrying roller, and passed from it over one or more
carrying or guide rollers to a second reel upon which it will be slowly wound
a little at each stroke of the type levers. It will pass in close proximity to the
paper, without actually touching it, the type forcing it against the paper, and will
be wound onto the second reel by means of a pawl connected to the spacing lover
working into teeth on the end of the reel.
The operation of the apparatus is very simple. The sheet of paper having been
secured into position on the paper carrying roller G, the type lever C carrying the
particular letter or character required is depressed until it reaches the guard S and
the letter strikes the paper. The depressing of the lever C also presses down the
spacing lever M, which, acting on the pawl and roller. carries the paper forward
the space of one letter. At the end of each word the spacing lever M is depressed
alone when the end of the line is reached the bell P rings, the roller G is then
turned back by the hand wheel O, the spring I depressed, and the roller moved
longitudinally until the pin i engages in the next hole. The paper is then in
position to begin a fresh line and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be
understood that I do not claim broadly in a type writing machine the use of type
carrying levers placed radially to strike over a common centre as I am well
aware that levers so arranged are employed in other type writers, but that what
I claim is:-
1st. A type writing machine having the type carrying levers arranged radially
in a base plate or frame and so placed that the operator when writing acts or
presses direct upon the type carrying lever without the intervention of any
secondary or connecting lever substantially as described.
2nd. In a type writing machine, the use of a spacing lever pivoted on the same
centre and radially with the type carrying levers which is actuated by the action
of type carrying levers striking against it in their downward movement.
3rd. A type writing machine having a spacing lever pivoted radially with the
type carrying levers which actuates the paper carrying roll through a pivoted lever

page_text: acting upon a bar parallel with the roll, at any point to which it may be moved
longitudinally.
4th. The use with a type writing machine of type carrying levers of the form
and shape of those shown and described.
5th. A type writing machine arranged and constructed substantially as described
and shown.
+
Dated this 27th day of November 1886.
WP. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and
323, High Holborn, London, W.O., 1
Patent Agents for the Applicant,