US1082104A - Ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines. - Google Patents

Description

J. A. ZIEGLBR.

RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.I7,1910.

m. f mm k y Jr 1 m Mm W2 A aw mg m H mm m a r w NN M WITNESSES J. A. ZIEGLER.

RIB-EON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION'FILBD MAR. 17,1910.

Patented B91123, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES J. A. ZIEGLER. RIBBON MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

Aiomey INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JORAM A. ZIEGLEB, F CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOB, TO ELLIOTT-FISHER COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A GOBJPORATION OF DELAWARE.

meson MECHANISM roe rvrnwnnrme MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filBd March 17, 1910. Serial N0. 549,920.

Tn all wlz am it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOBAM A. ,IEGLEB, a citizen of the United States of residing at Chattanooga, in the county of .Hamilton and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvemen s in Ribbon Mechanism for Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly to ribbon mechanism adapted for manifolding.

One object of the invention is to produce a ribbon mechanism in which the ribbons are so arranged and supported that they ma be accommodated in opposite folds of a ong manifold sheet or strip without-interfering with the feed of the strip around the platen in the usual manner.

Another object of the invention is to so organize the ribbon mechanism that. multiclirome ribbons may be employed and readily shifted to bring the desired color stripe opposite .the printing point without interfering with the ribbon feeding mechamsm.

A further object is to so organize the ribbon mechanism that the same may be carried by the platen spindle and completely removed from the machine by the mere act of removing the platen in the usual manner.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the succeeding description is developed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a plan view of so much of a typewriter as is necessary to illustrate the application of a my invention thereto. Fig. 2 is a trans verse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the ribbon guides adapted to be extended into the opposite folds of the manifold sheet or strip, the platen being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 41-4 of Fig, 1. Fig, 5 is a perspective view 5 of one end of the manifold sheet or strip.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one end of the platen and the ribbon mechanism-adjacent thereto. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the subject-matter of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a side 9 elevation-oi the main driving gear of the ribbon feeding mechanism showing .the as- ,sociated pawl and ratchet device. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the subject-matter of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the gear re aining disk showing the manner of its atmerica is a perspective view of the main supportmg frame of the ribbon mechanism. Fig. 13 is a sectional view designed more particularly to show the relation of the ribbons and the folded paper strip. fFig. -14 is a detail view showing single ribbon sections led into the folds of the strip. Fig. ,15 i s a detail view of one of the ribbon guides shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a detail view of the arcuate guide.

Like numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the views.

1 indicates the platen, 2 the platen spindle and 3 the knurled wheels of a typewriting machine of the standard or round platen type. The spindle 2 is supported as usual in suitable bearings-in the end frame members 4.- of the laten carriage, indicated as a whole by 5. he particular construction of these elements of the ty ewriter are not material, but so much of the structure here shown is substantially that of what is known as the L. G. Smith ty writer.

' .6 indicates a scale ar extending as usual longitudinally of the platen slightly below and in advance of the same.

Associated with the platen 1 and carried by the spindle thereof is what I term the main frame 7 of the ribbon mechanism.

' The frame 7comprises a bar 8 disposed over and adjacent to the platen and'connecting two substantially rectangular spool frames 9 and 10 extending both. above and below the bar 8 and having their upper portions ofiset somewhat toward the rear of the machine, see F ig. 12. The side bars 11 of the spool frames are apertured as at 12 for the reception of the platen spindle 2 upon which the entire supportin frame 7 is swung an adapted to rock slightly for the purpQSB of shifting the ribbons laterally to present the proper color stripe at the printing oint in a manner to be hereafter describe tilting movement of the frame 7 is limited by spring-pressed catches 13 carried by the This- Patented Dec 23, 1-913.

since they are part of the organization which is designed to be entirely removed from the typewriter by the act'of removing the platen. They are held properly in position, however, by the heads of screws 17 which'are a part of the usual construction of the typewriter- 10 are mounted two ribbon spools 20 and 21 which for the sake of clearness maybe referred to as the inner and outer spools. Each of these spools has secured thereto a gear wheel 20 and 21 alternately engaged by gears 20 and 21 mounted onand rotatable with a counter shaft 22 afforded bearings in'the upper portion of the spool frame. The gears 20 and 21"v are separated by a somewhat greater interval than the gears 20 and 21 so that the gears on the counter shaft can never both be geared to the spool gears at the same time. On the contrary, the counter shaft 22 is longitudinally shiftable for the purpose of moving one of. the gears 20 or 21 into mesh with one of the spool gears 20 and 21 and simultaneously moving the other gear of the counter shaft out of mesh with the other spool gear. Thus by shifting the shaft 22 in the proper direction a drivmg connectionmay be established between said countershaft andeither the inner or the outer ribbon spool. To effect this shifting of the counter shaft'and its gears for the purpose of changing the ribbon feed, a shifting yoke 23 is mounted in the upper part of the spool frame and suitably secured to the shaft 2-2 and in order that the ribbon feed at both ends of the machine may be simultaneously.

changed through the medium of a single operating element or controlling means, the

yokes 23 at the respective ends of the platen I areconnected by a connecting bar;24.-

. The ribbon reversing mechanismfincludes, in addition to certain of the described elements a reversing lever 25 mounted on the top of one of the spool frames, as shown in Fig. l, and having an eccentric orcam slot 26 engaging a-stud 27 projecting up-.

feed of the ribbons, which is of course effected by the rotation of the ribbon spools, shall occur whenever the platen of the typewriter is rotated. For this reason, at a point between each pair of spool s,a ratchet wheel 28 is fixed-to'the platen spindle 2 and is provided with a hub'to which is secured a retaining disk 29. Y

Surrounding the hub of the ratchet 28 and rotatable thereon but confined against lateral movement by the disk 29 and theratchet wheel, is what may be termed the main driving gear 30 of the ribbon mechanism. The gear wheel 30 is in constant mesh' with an intermediate ear wheel 31 mounted on the counter shaft 22, the constant meshing of the two gears 30 and 31 being preferably provided for by makingthe gear 30 of suflicient width to accommodate the lateral movement ofthe gear 31 with the counter shaft. The gear 30 is provided.

on one side face thereof with spring-pressed pawls 32 which -effectv a connection between the ratchet 28 and said gear when the platen spindle is rotated in a forward direction, that'is to say, in the direction'whi'ch ordinarily effects the normal feed of the paper. For reasons which will be hereafter explained, however, it is desired that a given ribbon spool, determined by the position of thecounter shaft, shall rotate to feed the ribbon not only when the platen is rotated forwardly, but also when the platen is r0- tated in a backward direction. To attain this end it is of course necessary to provide means whereby the rotation of the platen in either direction will effect rotary movement of a given ribbon spool in a single or uniform direction. Therefore a second, but reversely acting connection, is effected between the counter shaft 22 and the platen spindle.

Beyond the outer side of the spool frame the platen spindle is provided with a second 34 disposed to-engage a ratchet 35 fixed to the platen spindle. This group of elements,

to-wit the gear 33, the pawls 34 and the ratchet 35 are similar, in their relation to each other and to the platen spindle, to the gear 30, dogs 32 and ratchet 28, except that the two ratchets are reversely acting. .That

is to say, when the platen spindle rotates forwardly the ratchet 35 clicks idly under the pawls 34 and effects no' rotary -movement-of the second driving gear 33, while the gear 30 is driven by its pawl and ratchet mechanism to impart movement to.

the counter shaft422 and the particular ribs bon spool geared thereto. Durin the re,

verse or backward movement of t e platen spindle, however, the gear 30is idle and the gear 33 is positively driven, driving in turn an intermediate pinion 36 suitably mounted on a stud shaft projecting from the spool nee -104 3 the gear 30 meshes directly with the gear 31 on the counter shaft 22, whereas the second driving gear 33 drives the gear 37.

on the counter shaft through the interposed pinion 36. .Ittherefore follows that the counter shaft 22 and consequently the rib bon spool geared thereto will be driven in a iv-en direction whenever the platen spindle- 1s rotated and regardless of the direction. of rotation f. of the latter. Unlike any other ribbon mechanism with which I am familiar, each of the two ribbons employed is led from one spool'to the opposite end of the platen and thence back again to another spool adjacent to the one from which the ribbon starts. In otherwords, both ends of the ribbon are wound] upon spools at the same end of the platen and an intermediate portion or loop of the ribbon is carried to a guide located at the opposite end of the platen. The ribbon a is led in the manner stated from the spools at the left hand end of the platen to a" ribbon guide a. at the right hand end of the platen, while the other ribbon b is led from the spools at the right hand end of the platen to and around a guide 6 at theleft hand end of the platen. Each ribbon is thus doubled upon itself and overlaps a looped or doubled ortion of the other ribbon, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 13. In order to cause the ribbon to lie smooth and thus feed with greater accuracy and freedom, a ribbon guide indicated 1 as a whole by 38 is mounted in front of each.

spool and includes a horizontal roller 39, over which the ribbon is led from the spool, and an angular guide bar 40 around which the ribbon is led in its passage from the horizontal roller 39 to t e vertical guide a or b, as the case may be. The described arrangement of the ribbons is desirable for the reason that obviously ribbons extending in the usual manner across the platen from spool to spool could not possibly be utilized in connection with a folded strip of paper because each layer or ply of the strip is connected along one longitudinal edge with the adjacent ply or layer of said strip. llherefore, the ribbon must of necessity extend into the open side of the fold and extend to the closed side of the fold where it must terminate, as indicated in Fig. 14, or else return throu h the same or open side of the strip. Snnilarly the guides at and b which are located Within the folds of the paper strip must be suported by means which will accommodate itself to this eculiar form of the work element. For t is reason the guides a and b are in the form of'angular bars each'having a retainin tab 41 at one extremity and a-ribbon guiding loop 42 at i-tsopposite extremity. The tabs 41 are secured to rearward extensions 13 of the frame bar 8 and the ribbon guides at and I) extend in opposite directions from their points of attach ment in order to enable them .to bereceived within the opposite folds of the manifold sheet or strip 72. Thus each ribbon guide is secured atone end only at the open side of the fold and is provided at its opposite extremity with ribbon engaging means which lies withinthesame fold adjacent to the closed edge thereof. Thus the ribbon guides oppose no prohibitive obstruction to the free passage or feed of the manifold strip upon the several layers of which a type impression maybe simultaneously imprinted, the impression on the layers underlying or behind the outside layer being produced by transference through the instrumentality of the ribbons or other transfer elea5 ments retained within the folds. Obviously,

however, the invention in certain aspects thereof is not limited to the use of folded work elements, since it is obvious that separate sheets may be fed around the platen in alternation with the ribbons and in fact, in alternation with the ribbon sections, since additional sheets'may be passed through the loop formed by each individual ribbon. Nor

is it absolutely essential that the ribbon en- 5 gaging portions of the ribbon guides 11 and b be in the form of loops, but where-the work element is in the form of a folded strip it is desirable because the outer bar of the loop constitues a paper guide directly mo engaging the fold of the paper and guards the fold from direct contact with the end of the ribbon loop, thus reducing the tendency of the ribbon, when fed, to smut or soil the paper. vAt this point it may be well to direct attention to the utility of the particular method here shown of feeding the ribbons. It will of course be understood that the folded paper strip lies closely upon the interposed transfer elements and exerts a normal tendency when fed either forward or backward, to shift the ribbon laterally and thus effect its displacement unless the ribbon'is held taut. If a positive gear connection is efiected between the platen spindle and one of the spools. obviously the ribbon will be drawn forward and held taut during the rotation of-the platen in one direction, but if the platen is rotated in the reverse direction, the spool will be reversely rotated, thus slacking the ribbon and permitting its lateral displacement in the manner specified.- If, on the contrary, the ribbon is allowed to remain stationary during one movement of the platen, there is still some tendency, though not so great, to displace the ribbon. In order, therefore, to insure the accurate location of the -ribbon under all conditions of paper feed, whether forward or back, provision is made, as heretofore described, for compelling the ribbon to be fed'in one direction, determined by the spool in gear, whenever the platen is rotated either forward or back so that lateral displacement of the ribbon from the printpointin either the forward or rearward direction of the paper feed is avoided. Furthermore, it will nowbe evident that since the ribbon supporting and guiding mechanism is all carriedby a single rocking structure swingin about the axis of a platen, the ribbon may e raised or lowered relative to the printin point by the adjustment of the frame 7 re ative 'to the arch bars 15 to do which'it is simply necessary to disengage the catch 13 and shift the frame until said catch engages in the next opening in the arch bar. The manipulation of both of the catches shown'at opposite ends of the platen is unnecessary because the catch at theleft-hand end of the platen is sufiiciently shortto enable it to be forced outgof the openings by the pressure exerted on the frame, the enga ement between this left hand catch and 1ts arch bar beingmerely" sufficient to insure accurate .alinement of the parts in the event of any slight torsional yield. As the aper web leaves the platen it is preferably ed upwardly through a paper guide 43 comprising front and rear members 44 and 45, the former of which has a knife edge 46 against which the'printed end of the paper may be drawn and severed.

It should be understood that while for illustrative purposes the invention is shown applied to a standard or round platen type-' writer, the invention in several aspects is capable of embodiment not only in other standard or round platen typewriters, but

also in any machine capable of printing upon manifold sheets or strlps, since it is broadly new, so far as I am aware, to provide an arrangement of inking ribbons so combined with their retaining devices that they may be accommodatedwithin the opposite folds of a manifold sheet or strip without interfering with the feed of the latter or of the ribbons when the stripis of considerable length. Furthermore, it is believed to be broadly new to provide for the tensioning of the ribbon whenever the paper is fed relative to it in order that such feed of the aper willnot effect displacement of the ri bon. It is furthermore novel in machines of the round platen type to extend a ribbon or other transfer element between carriers or ides so located and arranged that the ribns may be accommodated in the opposite folds of a long work element the length of which is not limited-in any manner by the ribbon or its supporting elements.

For convenience in claiming, attention is directed to the fact that the several ribbon spools, as well as the several ribbon guides, may be referred to broadly as carriers and in-many of the claims this broad designation will be employed since it is obvious that in broader aspects of the inveiition the specific character of the ribbon engaging and retaining devices is not material,the essence of the invention residing rather ,in the relation of these devices-than in the form thereof. I

In Fig. 14 I have shown a modificationin' which the ends of ribbons a: are led into the folds ofithe' sheet from the inner spools and carried into the opposite folds of the work sheet where their extremities are retained by the guidesaand b. When the ribbons are mounted in this manner they are not designed to be automatically fed, and the feeding mechanism maybe thrown out of gear by sim ly throwing the springs of the several pawls 32 and 34k under instead of over the pawls.

It is thought that from the foregoing,'the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clearly apparent, but I wish to reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications and variations of the illustrated structure as may come fairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is 1. The combination 7 with supporting means for a folded paper strip, of an ink ribbon located within a fold of the strip and disposed transversely thereof, and means extended within a fold of the paper strip to retain the ribbon.

" 2. The combination with supporting means for a folded paper strip, of a carrier, a transfer element extended into a fold of the paper strip from the carrier and disposed t-ransverselyto said strip, and means extended into said fold of the paperstrip to support thetransfer element at a poi'nt remote from the carrier.

3. The combination. with supporting means for a longitudinally folded work'element, of two carriers both supported outside of a fold of said work element and one of said carriers being extended into said fold of the work element, and-a transfer element extended between the carriers andv located within the foldof the work element.

4. The combination with supporting means for a longitudinally folded workelement, of two carriers both supported outside of a fold of said work element and one of said carriers being extended into said fold of the work element, and-a! transfer element extended between the carriers and located within a fold of the work element and extended transversely of said element.

5.. The combination with a support for a longitudinally disposed work element, of a ribbon'carrier located outside of the fold of said work element, a second ribbon carrier supported outside of said fold of the work element, but extended into said fold, a transfer element extended between the carriers 45 a w ribbon.

and located within the fold of the work element, and means for feeding the transfer element.

6. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the'open side of a fold of said work element, and a ribbon extended from one carrier to the other'and located within a fold of the work element.

7. The Combination with a support for a longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold of said work element, a ribbon extended between said carriers and located within a fold of the work element, and

means for feeding the ribbon longitudinally.

8. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold of said work element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers and located within a fold of the work element, said ribbon being shiftable transversely.

9. The combination with a support for a' longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of afold of said work element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers and located within a fold of the work element, said ribbon being shiftable transversely and movable longitudinally.

10. The combination with a support fora longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold of said work element, a ribbon extended between said carriers and located within a fold of the work element, and ribbon feeding means.

11. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold of said work element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers and located Within a fold of the work element, one of said carriers being movable to feed the 12. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold of said work element, and a ribbon extended between said carriers and located within a fold of the work element, said carriers being movable in unison to shift the ribbon transversely.

13. The combination with a support for a longitudinally folded work element, of two carriers supported beyond the open side of a fold of said work element, and a ribbon extended betweensaid carriers and located within a fold of the work element, said carriers being movable to shift the ribbon transversely and one of said carriers being movable to feed the ribbon lon 'tudinally.

, 14-. The combination wit means for supporting a longitudinally folded paper strip,

of a carrier supported exclusively'beyond the open side of a fold of said strip and extended intothe fold, a ribbon spool, and a ribbon extended into the fold of the paper strip from said spool and engaged by the carrier.

15. The combination with means for feeding a manifold strip longitudinally, of a ment at different points in its length, saidcarriers being supported at points intermediate of the ends of said strip and outside of the fold thereof within which the transfer element is retained.

17.- The combination with means for feeding a manifold sheet or strip, of a transfer element located within a fold of said strip and extended transversely thereof, and two carriers engaging the transfer element at different points in its length, said carriers being supported at points intermediate of the ends of said strip and outside of thefold thereof within which the transfer element is retained.

18. The combination with a rotary platen, of means, including the platen, for feeding a manifold sheet or strip, a transfer element located within a fold of the manifold sheet or strip, and retaining means for said transfer element, said retaining means being supported exclusively outside of the fold of said strip within which the transfer element is located and intermediate of the ends of said strip whereby the feed of the manifold strip is not interfered with by the retaining means for the transfer element.

19. The combination with a rotary platen, of means, including the platen, for feeding a manifold sheet or strip, a transfer element located within afold of the manifold sheet or strip, retaining means for said transfer element, said retaining means bein supported exclusively outside of the fold o ribbon disposed transversely of said manisaid strip within which the transfer element is located and intermediate of the ends of said strip whereby the feed of the manifold strip is not interfered with by the retaining .means for the transfer element, and means for feeding the transfer element.

20. The combination with a rotary platen, of means, including the platen, for feeding a manifold s'heet or strip, a transfer element 1 located within a fold of the manifold sheet or strip, and retaining means, for said transfer element, said retaining means being supported exclusively outside of the fold of porting the manifold sheet or strip, of a pair of ribbon spools upon which the opposite ends of the ribbon are wound, an intermediate portion of said ribbon being extended into a fold ofthe manifold sheet or strip from the open side thereof, and a carrier supported exclusively outside of the fold and intermediate of the ends of the strip and retaining that portion of the ribbon extended into the fold, the supporting of the carrier in the manner specified serving to prevent the same from interfering with the longitudinal movement of the manifold strip relative to the ribbon.

22. The combination with a rotary platen and a ribbon, of platen rotating means, and mechanism cooperatively related to the platen rotating means and to the ribbon to feed the ribbon longitudinally when .the platen is rotated .in either direction.

The combination with paper feeding means, including a platen, of an inking ribbon, and means for placing the ribbon undertension whenever the paper feeding means is operated.

24. The combination with a rotary platen,- p

of platen rotating means, an inking ribbon, and ribbon feeding means operative to feed the ribbon in a uniform direction whenever the platen is rotated either forward or back.

25. The combination with a rotary platen, of platen rotating means, an inking ribbon, ribbon feeding means operative to feed the ribbon in a uniform direction whenever the platen is rotated either forward or back, and

7 means for changing the direction of the rib bon feed.

26. The combination with a platen and its spindle, of a frame carried-by the spindle and adapted to rock about the axis thereof, ribbon spools mounted in the frame, and a ribbon extended between said spools and adapted to be shifted transversely by the rocking of the frame.

27. The combination with a platen and its spindle, of a frame carried by the spindle and adapted to rock about the axis thereof, ribbon spools mounted in the frame, and a ribbon extended between said spools and adapted to be shifted transversely by the rocking of the frame, said ribbon spools being mounted concentric with the axis of the frame.

28. The combination with a platen, of ribbon spools mounted beyond the opposite ends thereof, ribbons extended from said spools into opposite folds of a manifold web or strip led opposite the platen, and.

ribbon carriers extended into said opposite folds of the manifold strip to engage and support the ribbons and supported exclusively outside of said folds and intermediate of the ends of the strip.

29; The combination with a platen, of a set of ribbon spools adjacent to each end of the platen, ribbons looped into the opposite folds of a manifold sheet or strip led opposite the platen, each of said ribbons being wound upon the spools of one set, and ribbon carriers extended into the opposite folds of a manifold sheet or strip and engaging the looped portions of the ribbons to retain the same in place, said carriers being supported exclusively outside of the folds of the manifold sheet or strip and intermediate of the ends of said strip.

30. The combination with a platen, of a frame movable about the axis of the platen, ribbon guides carried by the frame, and a ribbon extended between said guides and shiftable transversely by the movement of the frame about the axis of the platen.

31. The combination with a platen, of a frame movable about the axis of the platen,

' ribbon guides carried by the frame, a ribbon extended between said guides and shiftable transversely by the movement of the frame about the axis of the platen, and means for retaining the frame to hold a desired portion of the ribbon opposite the printing oint.

32. In a typewriting machine, the combination with means for feeding a longitudinally folded paper strip, of a ribbon, supports engaging the ribbon at opposite sidesof the printing point, one of said supports being constructed and arranged to retain a portion of the ribbon within a fold of the paper strip, and means for feeding theribbon.

33. An attachment for typewriters, comprising aplurality of spools positioned at the ends of the typewriter platen, and inking ribbons wound from one spool at one end of the platen to another spool at the same end of the platen and passed in front of the platen with a plurality of thicknesses of said ribbons across the printing point of iaid platen and guiding means for the rib- 34:- An attachment of the character described, comprising a plurality of spools positioned at the ends of a platen, tW-o inking ribbons, one ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at one end of the platen, the other ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at the other end of the platen, means supporting said ribbons between their ends whereby four thicknesses of said .rib-

bons are disposed across the platen at the positioned at the ends of a platen, two inking ribbons, one ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at one end of the platen, the other ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at the other end of the platen,

and between its ends passed through said,

guide whereby two thicknesses of said ribbon are positioned in front of the printing point of said platen.

37. An attachment of the character described, comprising two pairs of spools positioned at opposite ends of a platen, guides located adjacent the ends of the platen, one inking ribbon Wound at its ends around the spools at one end of the platen and between its ends passed through one of said guides, the other ribbon wound at its ends around the spools at the opposite end of the platen and between its ends around the other guide, whereby four thicknesses of said ribbon are located in front of the printing point of said platen.

38. The combination with a typewriter platen, of two spools mounted at each end of said platen, inkingribbons passed from one spool at one end of the platen to-the other spool at the same end of the platen and providing a plurality of thicknesses of a rib-hon across the printing point on said platen and guiding 'means for the ribbons.

The combination with a roller platen, a shaft for turning said platen, two spools on said shaft at each end of the platen, of inking ribbons wound on said spools passing from end spool at one end of the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and across the printing point of said platen, whereby a plurality of thicklnesses of the ribbon is located across the printing point of said platen and guiding means for the ribbons.

40. The combination with a roller platen and a platen shaft of two spools mounted to turn loosely on said shaft at each end of the platen, inking ribbons passing from one spool at one end of the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and across the printing point on said platen, means for transmitting motion to any of said spools and guiding means for the rib bons.

41. The combination with a roller platen, of a shaft for turning the said platen, and spools loose on said shaft at both ends of the platen, inking ribbons wound on said spools and adapted to be moved across the platen, pinions fixed to said spools, a gear wheel fixed to said shaft between the pinions, means for transmitting motion from said gear wheel to either of said pinions and guiding means for the ribbons.

42. The combination with av roller platen, of a shaft for turning the said platen, and spools loose on said shaft at both ends of the platen, inking ribbons wound on said spools and adapted to be moved across the platen, guiding means for the ribbons, pinions fixed to said spools, a gear wheel fixed to said shaft between the pinions, a counter shaft above the spools, a pinion on said shaft meshing with said gear wheel, and gear wheels on said counter shaft adapted to be moved into mesh with the pinions on the spools, but'ono of said last mentioned gears being meshed at a time.

43. The combination with a roller platen of a shaft for turning the said platen, an spools loose on said shaft at both ends of the platen, inking ribbons wound on said spools and adapted to be moved across the platen, guiding means for the ribbons, pinions fixed to said spools, a gear wheel fixed to said shaft between the pinions, a counter shaft above the spools, a pinion on said shaft meshing with. said gear wheel, and gear wheels on said counter shaft adapted to be moved into mesh .with the pinions on the spools, but one of said last mentioned gears being meshed at a time, said counter shaft mounted to reciprocate within certain limits to position either of the gear wheels on said shaft into operative engagement with a spool pinion, and finger holds'on the ends of said counter shaft.

44. The combination with a roller platen, of bars secured adjacent to the platen forming paper guides, ribbon guides secured to sald bars, ribbon supporting spools, ribbon on said spools and said ribbons so positioned through said uides that a plurality of thicknesses of ribbon will be positioned across the printing point of the platen.

45. An attachment for typewriters, comprising a plurality of spools positioned at the ends of the typewriter laten, inking ribbons adapted to be wound 'rom one spool at one end of the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and passed in front of the platen with a plurality of thicknesses of said ribbons across the printing point of said platen, guiding means for the ribbons, and means for moving said ribbons when the platen moves.

46. An attachment of the character described, comprising a plurality of spools positioned at the ends of a platen, two inking ribbons, one ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at one end of the platen, the other ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at the other end of the platen, means supporting said ribbons between their ends whereby four thicknesses of said ribbons are, disposed across the. platen at the printingpoint,

ribbon wound at its ends upon the spools at the other end of the platen, means supporting said ribbons between their ends whereby four thicknesses of said ribbons are disposed across the platen at the printing point, and means for turning certain of said spools when the platen moves. 7

48. An attachment of the character de .scribed, comprising a pair of spools positioned at one end of a platen, a fixed loop or guide in front of the platen near its. en opposite to the location of the spools, and a ribbon wound at its ends on said spools and between its ends passed through said guide whereby two thicknesses ofisaid' ribbon are POSItlOIIBddH fIOIIt of the printing point of said platen, and means for moving.

either .of said spools to draw the ribbon from the other spool when the platen moves.

49. An attachment of the character described, comprising two pairs of spools positioned at opposite ends of a platen, guides located adjacent the ends of the platen, one inking ribbon wound at its ends around the spools at one end of the platen and between its ends passed through one of said guides, the other ribbon wound at its ends around the spools at the opposite end of theplaten and between its ends around the other guide, whereby four thicknesses of said ribbon are located in front of the printing point of said platen, and means for moving said ribbons when the platen moves.

50. The combination with a typewriter platen, of two spools mounted at each end of said platen, inking ribbons-passed from a. spool at one end of the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and providing a plurality of thicknesses of a ribbon across the printing point on said platen, guiding means for the ribbon and means for moving said ribbons when the platen moves.

51. The combination with a roller platen, a shaft for turning said platen, and two spools on said shaft at each end of the platen, of inking ribbons wound on said spools passing from one spool at one end of the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and across the printing point of said platen, whereby a plurality of thicknesses of the ribbon is located across the printing point of said platen, guiding means for the ribbons and means for moving said ribbons when the platen moves.

52. The combination with a roller platen and a platen shaft, of two spools mounted to turn loosely on said shaft at each end of the platen, inking ribbons passing from one spool at one end of the platen to the other spool at the same end of the platen and across the printing point on said platen, and means for transmitting motion to any of said spools, and means for moving said ribbons when the platen moves.-

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J ORAM A. ZIEGLER. Witnesses:

D. A. COLNE, J. FRANK GULVERWELL.

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