US127739A - Improvement in type-writing machines - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets--Sheet1- E. CADMU-S.

Type-Writing Machine.

Patented June 1l, 1872.

1111111111111111,11,111111111111111111'lill'lf/ /ww/ f f l 2 Sheets--Sheet 2. E. CADMUS. Type-Writing Machine.

Patented June 1l. 1872-.

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PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE OADMUS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127 ,739, dated June 11, 1872.

To all whom it lmay concern: y

Be it known that I, EUGENE CAnMUs, telegraphist, of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Typographs, or machines for mechanical printing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description:

It is well known that notes taken by shorthand reporters almost invariably have to be v written out in long-hand before they can be of service. One object, therefore, of my invention is to enable reporters the more speedily sending them to the printer or publisher. In Yfact this machine may be used generally where printed matter is preferable to manuscript, by reason of its greater legibility and condensed space. l

My invention is a method of printing upon ,a sheet of paper by bringing the paper, wrapped upon a cylindrical platen, up against a revolving type-wheel by depressing keys resting on a fulcrum, which raise a hinged frame by means of a bail. This frame contains the platen, and the paper thereon is brought into contact with the type when the inner end of the keys enter into slots in a cylinder that revolves on the same shaft with the type-wheel. This cylinder has its slots in the form of a segment of a circle, so that the keys can remain therein but a limited timeonly long enough for the type to make impressions on the paper.

Referring to the drawing accompanying this specification, Figure I represents a plan view; Fig. II, a transverse section on the line a.' a', Fig. III Fig. III, a vertical section on the line w cc, Fig. II; Figs. IV and V, detached views of adjustments; Fig. VI, a vertical section of a modification; and Fig. VII, a method of attaching the paper to the platen.

A represents. the frame-work of the machine, in construction of the general appearance of a sewing-machine, and which, as shown in the drawing, is operated by a treadle, but which may be operated by any other motive power. B B B are keys for operating the machine, ar

ranged somewhat like, and worked the same,

as keys upon a melodeon-in number, one for each letter, figure, punctuation-mark, or other character on the type-wheel from which the machine is made to print. C is a main shaft, with bearings at b b on the frame A. There are securely fastened upon this shaft a cogcylinder, D, atype-wheel, E, and atransverselyslotted cylinder, F, and, outside of one of the bearings, a combined hand and band wheel, a. Under this main shaft, Fig. II, is a hinged frame, G, inside or under the frame-work A, and hinged thereto. Directly under the revolving main shaft C, and supported by the frame G, is a fixed slotted shaft, H, in one of the slots of which, fastened at one end, is a spring ratchet-bar, I. There revolves upon this fixed shaft H a ratchet-wheel, K, attached to a cylindrical platen, L. The slots on the cylinder F are at equal distances apart, arranged preferably in two half spirals, so as not too much to weaken the cylinder, and are in number as many as there are types, and one or more spaces on the type-wheel for securing spaces between words. The longitudinal distance between the slots on the cylinderF relates to the keys, andthe circumferential distance between the slots relates to the types. The type-wheel E, of ordinary make, is attached to and forms the head, and also one of the bearings, both of the slotted cylinder F and the cog-cylinder D, when they are cast or made in a hollow form. Each character on the type-wheel is arranged opposite the center of its relative slot on the cylinder F, and it will print on the paper only when a corresponding key shall have fully entered that slot. The cog-cylinderD is in length as long as the longest sheet of paper to be used, and has as many ratchet-cogs as there are characters, and one or more spaces, on the type-wheel. When the machine has printed down to the bottom of a sheet of paper `the wheel K will pass beyond the end of the cogcylinder D, and the printing -operation of the machine ceases until it is reset. The platen L is a hollow cylinder, usually made of wood, and covered with any yielding substance, preferably ordinary rubber packing; and the space inside this cylinder is sufficient for the free play of a spring ratchet-bar, I, so as to produce printing in lines on the paper. The paper is attached to the cylinder L by inserting one side of the sheet c into the slot D, Fig. VII, then bringing the sheet round and inserting the other side, previously creased, also in the slot d, where it may be bound, if necessary, simply by wedging in a piece of card-board. By wrapping several sheets at once upon the platen, with carbonized paper between, this machine will print several copies at a time. Upon each revolution of the ratchet-wheel K, which carries with it the cylindrical platen L a cam, 7c, upon the Wheel pushes down the spring ratchet-bar I, whereupon a weight, M, pulls along the platen a distance equal to one tooth of the ratchet-bar, which produces space for one line on the paper. This ratchet-wheel K has the same number of teeth as it is required to have letters, spaces, and characters in printing` a line across the sheet. It will be seen, Fig. III, that there is a long tooth, n, on the ratchet-wheel K. This tooth engages with the cog-cylinder D at the same time with the tooth q immediately preceding, so as to prevent any printing upon the crease where the paper is secured. The weight M, by means of a cord and pulley, is attached to a hook, m, which passes inside the wheel K through a slot in the fixed shaft H. This slot also serves as a guide, so that the hook m resting therein can only work forward and backward in a straight line. The inner end of the hook is bent at an acute angle, and it impinges against the inside of the wheel K, and by its friction it also serves to regulate the motion of the revolvin g platen. There is a small distance between the eye of th-e hook and the ratchetwheel, so as to permitthe cam k to pass between them. The weight, therefore, serves two purposes-to pull along the platen and to regulate its motion. The adjustable spring s, Fig. III, is to lessen the amount of power required to lift the frame G, and also for the additional purpose of securing uniformity in the vertical movement of the frame, and to prevent any side draft which might result from lifting the frame at one end, as is done in operatin g the machine. Fig. IV represents the adjustable key-rest t and the adjustable bail N for lifting the frame G, and Fig. V is a sectional view of the same, in which it will appear that the key-rest t is adjustable on the main frame A by the set-screws w w, so as to vary the leverage of the keys, while the bail N is adjustable on the frame G laterally by the set-screws c a, and vertically by the setscrews zmllaterally so as to accommodate the bail to any desired position of the key-rest, and vertically so as to regulate the distance between the cylindrical platen and the typewheel, according to the thickness or the number of pieces of paper around the platen. The bail N passes loosely through eyes in the keyrest t, so as to allow of a vertical movement of the bail. In Fig. VI there is shown a modification of the spring ratchet-bar I in'the xed shaft H. The simple difference between the modification and the device shown in Fig. II

a minute. To print, for instance, the word' life the operator presses upon the key marked L on the key-board. As the main shaft is constantly revolviu g, it follows th at the key, pressing against the cylinder F, will enter its relative slot at some time during a single revolution. In entering it lifts the frame G underneath by means of the bail N, whereby the platen, supported by the frame G, is brought up against the type-wheel at that instant when the key is deepest in its slot, and the paper is pressed against a single type. That type is the letter L, because L is placed relatively to that slot which the key L enters. At this instant, also, the ratchets D and K gear together, moving the platen along for the space of one letter. The edge of the slot now pushes the key out into its normal position before another cog upon the cylinder operates the ratchet-wheel, and the frame G drops down. Having felt the key L thrown out of the slot, he now depresses the key I, and, successively, the other keys forming the word lifej When at the end of a word, he then presses a key which has a corresponding slot, but which slot has, instead of a type or character, a corresponding blank space on the type-wheel, which will permit the ratchets to work, and consequently the platen to revolve, but no printing to be done. A space is therefore produced between words and if this key be held down for a number of revolutions a paragraph space is made. Arriving at the end of a line the long tooth n on the wheel K is caught at the same time with the letter, space, or punctuation-mark last used. This draws the cam 7c at the same time onto the ratchet-bar I, depressing it, so that the weight M is free to pull along the platen for the space of one line, after which, from its shape, the cam will have ceased to act. The long tooth n also has another function, to carry the platen-cylinder by the crease where the paper is secured, so that no printing can be done on the crease. After the cylindrical platen has been carried its own length on the ratchet-bar, by the omission of teeth the weight will pull along the platen, so that any further working of the machine will not throw the ratchets into gear. A page will then have been printed. The operator now removes his printed sheet, puts in another blank, and resumes his work.

Claims.

l. The combination of the cog-cylinder D, the type-wheel E, and slotted cylinder F upon the revolving main shaft C, when constructed substantially as herein shown and described,

2. The hinged frame G, in combination with the ratchet-bar I, ratchet-wheel K, cylindrical platen L, and weight M upon the slotted and fixed shaft H, constructed and operated substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In combination with the elements of the two preceding claims, the keys B, the adjustable bail N, and adjustable key-rest t, con, structed and operated substantially as herein shown and described.

4. The slotted cylinder F, so that any type may be made to print by depressing a corresponding key.

5. A hollow cylindrical and revolving platen L, 1so ai to allow of the free play 0f the ratchetar Witnesses:

J Aims H. MANDEVILLE, FRANK MILLIKEN, N. B. MILLIKEN.

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