US1192401A - Type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

c. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION man JUNE 29.1914.

Patented July 25, 1916.

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Wimesses:

CPELLIOTT. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1914.

1,192AM I Patented July 25,1916.

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C. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZQ, 1914.

1 ,1 92,40 1 Patented July 25, 1916.

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Witnesses:

C. ELLIOTT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' Patented July 25, 1916.

s PATENT OFFICE.

CRAWFORD ELLIOTT, OF OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELLIOTT VISIBLE BOOK AND GENERAL TYPEWRITERS LIMITED, OF GLASGOW,

SCOTLAND.

TYPE-WRITING- MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CRAWFORD ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 518 Stretford road, Old Trafi'ord, Manchester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relatin to Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting machines which are adapted to write on sheets of paper in a fiat condition or on the pages of bound books. Machines of this character have been designed in which the type bars are arranged around an opening in the base or framing for the purpose of obtaining visible writing but the degree of visibility is small and unsatisfactory chiefly for the reason that no provision is made for lateral displacement of the ribbon and the type bars are made of substantially straight formation; moreover, owing to the disposition of the type bars, the axles thereof have been made of varying lengths, while the key board has considerably departed from the standard form generally emploved with typewriting machines.

The chief objects of my invention are to enable the operator to have a fuller view of the work in progress than is possible with existing machines, to enable a standard form of key board to be employed, to allow of the type bar axles being made of uniform length, and to provide means whereby the reversible type heads can be positively operated.

In my improved machine I employ curved type bars mounted on long or extended axles of uniform length as in certain other kinds of typewriting machines and these type bars are provided with reversible type heads carrying two separate characters as is well understood.

According to this invention the improved machine comprises a number of the aforesaid curved type bars and axles which are arranged in such a manner that the type heads thereof are clustered together in two superposed rows on either side of the central axis of an opening in the framing of the machine, so that the portion of the said opening in proximity to the operator is entirely unobstructed and a clear view of the work obtained while operating the machine. In order to render the writing point visible the ribbon is laterally displaced in the usual Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed June 29, 1914. Serial N 0. 847,955.

manner toward or away from the writing point during the movement of the type bars. Owing to the aforesaid disposition of the type bars, a special device has to be provided for effecting the reversal of the type heads thereon and such device comprises an arcuate frame which is provided with a series of arms or projections and is adapted to be operated to bring said arms or projections into the path of movement of the type heads 1n order to positively shift them into the desired position. j

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-:-

Figure 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 an underside view of a machine embodying the present invention, the machine in the last figure being turned up from its platen. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a type bar and its connections with a type key lever. Fig. 5 is a plan of mechanism for controlling the step by step movement of the machine and the operation of the ribbon. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of said mechanism, and Fig.7 is a partial end view thereof. Fig. 8 is a plan of a frame for effecting the reversal of the type heads carried by the type bars, and Fig. 9 is a sectional view thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, the apparatus comprises a main framing a which is mounted with a capability of sliding on a rack rod a rotatably mounted in brackets a formed on a slide a which is adapted to be moved along a bed a. A platen a is arranged on'the bed a, and the slide a and the main framing a of the machine are adapted to be displaced along said bar at the termination of a line of type writing to effect the desired line spacing. This movement may for example be imparted to the slide a automatically or (as shown in Fig. 1) by meansof two triggers or levers a, a which are operated to engage with the rack a formed on the bed of the machine. The lever a. is normally in engagement with the rack a and serves to prevent the displacement of the slide. to impart the movement to the slide, the lever a is first disengaged with the rack a When it is desired and the lever a turned so that the extremity of the member a? pertaining thereto is placed in engagement with a tooth of the rack. Said tooth forms a fulcrum for the lever a, and as pressure is applied to the end thereof by the operator a predetermined movement will be imparted to the slide along the bed a.

The main framing a of the machine is provided with a circular ring-like member 6, Fig. 2, which is formed with a circular opening I) so that a clear viewmay be obtained of the platen or writing surfaces at. Around this opening a number of long or extended axles of uniform length are arranged each of said axles being carried by a pair of brackets '11 secured to the ring-like member I). The axles b are inclined to each other and are arranged substantially tangential to circles struck from a common center within the interior of the ring-like member. Two sets of axles b are provided one set being arranged on the underside of the ring-like member 6 and the other set on the upper side thereof. Each axle b is provided: at its inner end with a type bar 6' which is formed integrally therewith as shown in Fig. at or secured thereto in any suitable manner. The type bars are made of curved formation and are each provided at their upper end with a reversible type head carrying two separate type characters 6 The type heads are mounted on the type-bars so as to be capable of angular displacement around the axles and are adapted to be positively operated'by an I arcuate frame which will be hereinafter described. Two rows or series of type bars are provided and they are carried respectively by the long or extended axles on the underside of the ring-like member 6 and'the axles on the upper side thereof. In this manner two rows of type heads are provided one above the other (2'. e. superposed) so that a large number of type characters are disposed in a small compass. The type bars are normally contained in the two portions of a basket or arcuate magazine 0 which portions are supported on the ringlike member 6 of the frame a by suitable brackets or the like. The arcuate magazine partially extends around the opening 6' so that the type bars .are clustered in two groups on opposite sides of the center line of the machine.

The outer end of each axle is provided with a'bell crank lever c Fig. 4, which is connected by means of a link 0 with the extremity of the corresponding key lever 0 so that when said lever is depressed the axle will be turned and the type bar brought into the printing position. The arrangement of the type-bars around the ring like member 6 is such as to allow of any of the type bars being brought to a common printing point on the platen, and at the. same time permit the operator to obtain a full and unobstructed view of thework.

The key levers c are arranged in accordance with the standard form of key board and are pivoted to the main framing a of the machine; they are adapted to act for example on .a universal bar 0 (Figs. 5 and 6) extending across the front of the framing. The universal bar is carried at each end by a bifurcated lever 0" which is pivoted at 0 to the framing of the machine. One arm 0 of the lever c" is provided at its end with a rod 0" which is adapted to engage with a f rk shaped arm (I carried by a member (1 pivoted at d to an arm (15" carried by themain framing of the machine. The member (5 is provided with another arm (13* which is joined by a link (2 with a parallel mechanism d operatively connected with the ribbon fork or guide d When the universal bar 0* is depressed by the operation of one of the key levers, the. ribbon (i will be dis placed to the printing point so as to temporarily come beneath the type character on the type bar operated by the key lever. This lateral movement of the ribbon will always take place in a plane parallel to the plane of the platen owing to the action of the parallel mechanism d connected therewith.

The extremity e of each of the bifurcated levers c is connected by'a rod or link 6' with a lever 62 which is secured at e to a spring controlled rocking carrier e (Fig. 7 pivoted at e to the framing of the machine. On this carrier an escapement mechanism comprising two pawls a, e is provided, said pawls being adapted when the carrier is rocked about the pivot to allow of the intermittent rotation of the ratchet wheel 0 carried by a bracket f on the framing of the machine. The ratchet wheel 6 is securely mounted on one end of a shaft f and is adapted to impart movement to the said shaft and to a pinion f mounted at the other end thereof. This pinion is adapted to engage with a rack a formed on the shaft a and serves to impart a step by step movement to the machine along said shaft when the aforesaid escapement mechanism is operated. A spring drum f is mounted in a bracket ff carried by the extremity of the rack-shaft a and is connected by a flexible metallic band f to a pin 7" formed on a bracket f carried by the main framing of the machine. Two levers 6 (Figs. 5 and 6) are pivoted at e to the rocking carrier 6 and said levers rest on the upper side of the lever e actuated by the universal bar 0. A rod 6 is slidably mounted in the free ends of the levers and is provided at each end with a pawl 6 Fig. 1. These pawls are arranged adjacent to two ratchet wheels 0 carried by the spindles e of the ribbon spools e and one or other of the same may be brought into operative relation with its corresponding ratchet wheel by imparting an axial movement to the rod 0 This movement may be imparted to the rod by a suitable lever 6 carried by the framing of the machine.

The extension f of the main framing a on which the escapement mechanism is mounted is provided with a number of antifriction rollers f which engage with opposite sides of the shaft a and serve to connect the main framing of the machine with said shaft, in such a manner that it is free to traverse the same under the influence of the spring drum f Two rollers f are also provided for supporting the machine on the rod a.

The reversal of the type heads 6 is efiected by means of the arcuate frame 9 (Figs. 8 and 9) which may carry two series of radial arms 9 arranged at different levels to correspond with the two rows or series of type bars 6. Two perforated lugs g are provided on the frame and are adapted to be engaged with two pins 9 arranged on the framing of the machine, Fig. 1. Each of these pins is provided with a spiral or other spring 9 which flexibly supports the frame 9 above the type bars. The frame is connected by suitable mechanism not shown, with the shift keys g and the depression of these latter will cause the frame to be lowered against the action of the springs g. When the frame .is in the lowest position the extremities 9 of the radial arms 9' thereon are in the path of movement of the type bars and will engage with the projections 9 formed on the type heads thereof (Fig. 4) when the type keys are operated. In this manner an angular movement will be imparted to each of the type heads about its axle 79 so that the lower type character will be brought to the operative position. It will of course be understood that if the frame 9 is not operated the upper type character b will be in the operative position. A spring 9 is carried on the backfof each type bar (Fig. 4) and its end 9 is adapted to engage with the front or rear of a projection is formed on the back of the type heads so as to retain the same in its two positions of displacement about the axle b*. After the printing operation has been effected the type head is reset to its normal position by the engagement of the projection g thereon with the interior of the basket or arcuate magazine 0.

' If a type head is to be reversed, one of the change keys 9 is first depressed to bring the frame 9 into the operative position, so that when the type key corresponding to the type head operated the desired reversal will be effected and the proper character brought to the printing position.

A spacing bar is is provided on the machine and is adapted to act upon the universal bar 0* in a similar manner to the type key levers to effect the desired spacing.

It will be seen that the arrangement is such that the machine as a whole is adapted to move across the surface of the platen a on which the work is arranged.

The underside of the framing a may be provided with rollers or wheels k for engaging with a rail k on the slide a so as to afford support to the machine and permit of the type keys being operated without danger of straining or damaging the same. A projecting arm or stop is may be formed onthe extension f of the main framing so as to limit the movement of the machine the raised position shown in Fig. 2, that is to say moved away from the platen (1 a. When the machine is in this position the end of the stop M will engage with a rail k formed on the slide a (Fig. 3) and retain the machine in the raised position.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let: ters Patent of the United States is 1. In a book typewriter, a movable frame having a central opening therein, opposed groups of type bars mounted on the frame at the opposite sides of the opening, an annulus on the frame about the opening to support said type bars, elongated axles on the lower ends of the type bars extending substantially tangentially across the upper and lower faces of said annulus and diverging outwardly therefrom, a standard key-board, and connections between the spaced-apart divergingends of the axles and the keys of the key-board.

, 2. In a book typewriter, a movable frame having a central sight opening therein, a supporting ring on the frame about the sight opening, opposed groups of closely nested type bars rising from the ring, elongated axles on the lower ends of the type bars traversing the upper and lower faces of the ring and diverging outwardly therefrom, a key-board, and connections between the keys and the diverging ends of the axles.

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

CRAWFORD ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

JOHN l/VILLIAM THOMAS, MALCOLM SMETHURST.

80 when it is turned with the rod a to assume

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