US1067746A - Type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

E. 0. LAWRENGE. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19,1910.

Patented July 15, 1913.

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ERNALD CUTHIBERT LAWRENCE, OF COVENTRY,

WOOD TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

WARE.

ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNDER- N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- TYPE-WRITIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 19, 1910.

Patented July 15, 1913. Serial No. 587,856.

To all whom, 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNALD C. LAWRENCE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Coventry, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-1V riting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to typewriting machines of the class in which the ribbon is vibrated at each stroke of the type keys to cause the ribbon to cover and uncover the printing point.

More particularly the invention relates to machines employing two or more ribbons, movable relatively to one another to permit one or the other, according to selection, to be set so as to be vibrated to the printing point at the type strokes, while the other ribbons are rendered ineffective or idle; or to render all ribbons idle, as when it is desired to use the machine for stenciling purposes.

Certain features of the invention are especially adapted for use in those machines in which the platen is shifted between an upper and a lower type case position, and to this end the connections bet-ween the ribbon carrier actuating mechanism and the platen shifting frame are such that the proper relation of the same is maintained in whichever type case position the platen may be.

The invention is of the general class shown in U. S. patent to Kunath, 928,987, dated July 27, 1909, in which two ribbons are shown, one in front of the other, adjustable along parallel planes between effective and ineffective setting positions on the vibrator, and with the ribbon carriers connected by a cross arm, so that while one ribbon is lifted to effective setting, the other is simultaneously depressed to idle or ineffective setting.

One object of the present invention is to provide a means for effecting the selection and setting of the ribbon carriers from the keyboard or other easily accessible part of the machine; the means to this end being simple and certain in action, and the setting being at all times readily ascertainable.

One of the principal features of the in vention is a system of connections to a cross arm such as shown in the patent above referred to, for rocking the cross arm in either direction to set and unset the ribbon carriers, the connections being especially designed to be operative in either type case position of the platen, and to permit of the shift of the platen without disturbing the ribbon setting.

A further feature of the invention is the mounting of the carriers in a vibrator casing which is movable as a unitat each type stroke and which serves as a guide for the carriers and provides means for limiting the movement of the carriers.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view through the machine from front to rear, showing in side elevation the mechanism relating to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective, taken from the rear, of the ribbon vibrator with the ribbon carriers mount-ed therein. Fig. 3 is a rear view of the ribbon vibrator and carriers, with the carriers in one set position. Fig. 4; is a rear view of the ribbon vibrator and carriers, with the carriers in another set position, and showing also the connections for setting the carriers. Fig. 5 is a view in cross section. Fig. 6 is a view in cross section on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

The main frame of the machine is inclicated by 1. Mounted to have up and down movement in the main frame is a platen frame 2 carrying the platen 3, and having cross members at on which is mounted a roller 5. The roller 5 rests on a guide rail 6 carried by a shift frame 7 pivoted'at 8 to the main frame. The depending member 8 of the shift frame is engaged by an arm 9 of the shift key lever 10 pivoted at 11 so that when the shift key 10 is operated, the shift frame is rocked around the pivot 8 to lift the guide rail 6, and with it the platen frame and platen, from lower to upper case position. The type keys 12 are carried by key levers 13 also pivoted at 11. The type bars 14 are pivoted at 15 and are connected to the type key levers 13. to be operated by the latter, by means of bell crank levers 16 pivoted at 17. The depression of a type key throws the type bar up and forward to the platen in the usual manner. The type bars carry upper and lower case type, adapted, in one or the other position of the platen, to be brought to the printing point of the latter.

The ribbon vibrator comprises the casing 18 adapted to have up and down movement in upright guides 19 fast to a horizontal plate 20 secured to a frame member 21. The vibrator casing 18 has a depending tongue or extension 22 carrying a cross pin 23 en gaged by the arm 24 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 25 to a bracket 25 carried by the rail 6. The other arm of the bell crank lever is a vertically disposed arm 26 carrying a pin 27 engaged by a slot 28 in an arm or bracket 29 carried on a sliding plate or universal bar member 30 which extends forward so as to be engaged and be operated by the type bars 14 when the latter are operated. \Vhen, therefore, a type bar is operated, the universal bar 30, with the slotted arm 29, is forced rearward, and by engagement with the bell crank lever arm 26, rocks this lever and raises the ribbon vibrator casing 18 so that the ribbon may be lifted to the printing point.

In the vibrator casing 18 are two ribbon carriers 31 and 32 respectively, one arranged forward of the other, and each adapted to be shifted or reciprocated up or down in the vibrator casing. In the carrier 31, there is threaded a ribbon 33 which is fed back and forth between ribbon spools, one of which spools 34, is shown in Fig. 1. In the carrier 32 is threaded a ribbon 35 which may be similarly mounted upon, and fed between two ribbon spools, or which may be mounted as indicated in United States patent aforesaid #928,987, dated July 27, 1909, wherein the one ribbon is shown as completely embracing the other ribbon and the spools therefor. Pivoted at 36 in the vibrator casing 18 is a rock arm 37 which lies between the carriers 31 and 32 and which is turned at one end to have a detent 38 engaging a slot 39 in the carrier 32; and which is reversely turned at the other end to have a detent 40 engaging a slot 41 in the carrier 31. When the bar 37 is rocked on its pivot 36 to position shown in Fig. 3, the carrier 31 is lifted with its ribbon 33, while carrier 32 with ribbon 35 is depressed. WVhen the rock bar 37 is rocked to position shown in Fig. 4, the carrier 32 with ribbon 35 is lifted, and the carrier 31 with ribbon 33, depressed. If either carrier 31 or 32 is in its uppermost position, due to the position of the arm 37, the ribbon carried by that carrier is in position to be brought to the printing point when the vibrator casing 18 with the carriers, is lifted by the lever 24, actuated from the type keys. When either of the carriers is in its lower case position, the ribbon carried thereby cannot be brought to the printing point by movement of the carrier casing 18. When the rock arm 37 is horizontal so that the carriers 31 and 32 are at the same elevation, neither ribbon can be brought to printing position by the vibrator casing 18. In this last instance, both ribbons are silent when the type keys are operated, and the machine is set for stenciling.

Fast to the rock bar 37 is a lever arm 42 carrying at its end a pin 43 to which is pivotally connected a link 44. The link 44 is pivotally attached at its other end to a lever arm 45 fast to a rock shaft 46, which extends forward and terminates at the front of the machine. Also fast to the rock shaft 46 on the front of the machine, is the crank arm or hand lever 47 carrying a finger piece 48 by means of which the rock shaft may be turned in either direction until arrested by stops 48 or 49. According to the direction of movement of the crank arm 47 with the rock shaft, the rock bar 37 is rocked in one direction or the other to move the ribbon carriers in the manner heretofore described. If the crank arm 47 is in the full line Fig. 4 position, the rock bar 37 is set for the rib bon 35. hen the crank arm is in its left hand dotted line position (Fig. 4), the rock bar 37 is set for the ribbon 33. WVhen the crank arm is in intermediate (dotted line Fig. 4 position, the rock bar 37 is set so that neither ribbon can be elevated to the printing point by movement of the casing 18. The position of the crank arm 47, therefore, determines the setting of the carriers for one or the other ribbon, or for neither ribbon, as the case may be. As the vibrator casing 18 moves up and down when the keys are operated, it oscillates the link 44 around the point of attachment of the latter to the arm 45, without however moving the arm 45. The link 44, therefore. swings idly on its pivotal connection with the arm 45 when neither the arm 45 nor the arm 42 is turned on its pivot. The movement of the carriers 31 and 32 to set position is limited not only by the stops 48 and 49, but also by the engagement of the carriers with the turned port-ions 50 of the vibrator casing 18.

The operation of the ribbon-setting mechanism is the same whether the platen is in lower or upper type case position. The lever 24 which supports the vibrator casing 18, being supported on the bracket 25 of the shift frame, moves as a unit with the carriers 31 and 32 when the platen is shifted, without disturbing the setting of the ribbon carriers.

It will therefore be seen that my improvement provides shiftable means on the'stationary framework of the machine for positively shifting the ribbon, said ,shiftable means constantly connected to the ribbon carriers to shift therewith, so that the carriers can not be displaced by shifting the platen or by the vibration of the machine.

The structure shown and described is susceptible of various modifications within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a ribbon mechanism comprising a plate, a ribbon carrier, a lever carrying said carrier and pivoted on said plate, an arm on said lever to move it to raise and lower said carrier, a link to move said arm, a rock shaft on the frame, on an arm of which said link is hung, and a handle for moving said shaft.

2. In a typewriter, a ribbon shift mechanism comprising two ribbon carriers, a cas ing, and a lever for shifting said carriers working between said carriers and pivoted on said casing.

3. The combination with a platen, of a type bar, a vibrator, a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator, a rock bar engaging said carrier, an arm fastto said rock bar, and means fast to said arm for manipulating said bar to vary the position of said carrier and the ribbon thereon with respect to the printing point.

4:. The combination with a platen, of a type bar cooperating with said platen at the printing point, a vibrator comprising a casing having side and top walls, a carrier slidingly mounted in said casing guided by said side wall and limited in its motion by said top wall, means for reciprocating said vibrator, and means for varying the position of said carrier in said vibrator so as to determine the active and inactive periods of the ribbon carried by said carrier.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a type bar cooperating with said platen at the printing point of the machine, a vibrator, a plurality of ribbon carriers adjustably mounted in said vibrator, and a controlling mechanism mounted upon the stationary machine framework, and positively connected to said carriers and having a plurality of definite positions corresponding respectively to the active states of each of said ribbon carriers.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of means for oscil latingsaid vibrator, a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator so as to have a vertical movement relative thereto, and a control having parts oscillating sidewise to produce a vertical movement of said carrier relative to said vibrator so as to determine the activity of said carrier and the ribbon carried thereby; said control being positively connected to said carrier so as to certainly move said carrier from any posit-ion of adjustment to any selected position of adjustment.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of a pair of ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator, and a rock bar having turned ends engaging said carriers to vary their position relative to said vibrator.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of a pair of ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator, and means for varying the position of said carriers relative to said vibrator interposed between said carriers and supported by said vibrator.

9. The combination with a vibrator, of a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator, a lever on said vibrator for varying the position of said carrier relative to said vibrator, a link fast to said lever, a rock shaft on the stationary part of the machine and connected to said link, and a handle for manipulating said rock shaft.

10. In a typewriter machine having a frame, the combination with a vibrator, of a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator, and means mounted on a stationary portion of said frame and fast to said carrier for varying the position of said carrier relative to said vibrator, the parts connecting said means and said carrier being so arranged that the movement of said vibrator will be free from interference from said means.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of a pair of ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator, a rock bar interposed between said carriers having ends out-turned in opposite directions and connected to said carriers to move said carriers concomitantly in opposite directions, means for oscillating said vibrator, and means for rocking said rock bar.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a type bar, ribbon carriers, a vibrator to move said carriers so as to raise the ribbons thereon up to the printing point between the type bar and the platen, a positive connection from said vibrator to said carriers, and a controlling device for manipulating said. connection to vary the position of said carriers and said ribbons thereon with respect to said printing point, said controlling device being posi tively secured to said connection.

13. In a typewriting machine, a widtlr wise shifting mechanism for a ribbon, comprising a horizontal rock bar having a vertical arm rigid therewith and a horizontally extending link directly connected to said arm and fast thereon so as to actuate said lever, said link having a horizontal move.- ment to produce a vertical movement of a part of said shifting lever.

14L. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a vibrator, of means for oscil lating said vibrator, ribbon carriers adjustably mounted on said vibrator so as to have vertical movement relatively thereto, and a controlling device mounted upon the stationary framework of the machine and positively connected to said carrier, and including parts oscillating sidewise to produce opposite vertical movements of said carrier relatively to said vibrator so as to determine the activity of said carriers and the ribbons carried thereby.

15. In the ribbon mechanism of a typewriting machine, the combination of a T- shaped rock lever having ends turned out in opposite directions, ribbon carriers connected to said lever to be rendered alternately effective by opposite arms thereof, and means to shift said lever, connected to the middle arm of said lever.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of a type bar adapted to cooperate with said platen at the printing point of the machine, a vibrator, a ribbon carrier adjustably mounted on said vibrator, shiftable means upon the stationary frame of the machine for adjusting said ribbon carrier relatively to said vibrator to vary the position of the ribbon relatively to the printing point of the machine, said shiftable means constantly connected to said carrier to shift to difierent positions therewith, and means for oscillating said vibrator to determine the position of the ribbon relatively to the printing point.

17. The combination withakey-controlled vibrator, of ribbon carriers mounted thereon, a lever connecting said carriers to shift them concomitantly in opposite directions, and a shiftable controlling member mounted upon the stationary framework of the machine and connected to said lever to shift therewith; the connection between the lever and the controlling member being loose to permit the vibrator to operate.

18. The combination withakey co-ntrolled vibrator, of ribbon carriers mounted thereon, a lever having oppositely moving arms, one connected to each of said carriers, a shiftable controlling member mounted upon the stationary framework of the machine, and a link connecting said controlling member to said lever.

19. The combination with a key-controlled vibrator, of ribbon carriers mounted thereon, a lever having oppositely moving arms, one connected to each of said carriers, a third arm on said lever, a shiftable controlling member mounted upon the stationary framework of the machine, and a link connecting said controlling member to said third arm, and arranged to swing idly at the operation of the vibrator.

20. The combination with a key-controlled vibrator, of ribbon carriers mounted thereon, a device connecting said carriers to shift them concomitantly in opposite directions, and a shiftable controlling member mounted upon the stationary framework of the machine, and having a loose connection to said connecting device to shift therewith while permitting said vibrator to operate.

ERNALD CUTHBERT LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

L. G. MORGAN, R. WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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