US3001631A - Portable typewriter - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 26, 1961 M. FREsARD PORTABLE: TYPEWRITER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 INVENTOR MARCEL FRESARD @Y Q ATTORNEY Sept. 26, 1961 M. FREsARD 3,001,631

PORTABLE TYPEWRITER Filed Feb. 20, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR MARCEL FRESARD @Y ww ATTORNEY Sept. 26, 1961 M. FREsARD PORTABLE TYPEWRITER 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 R Y E mm m NA ES mm V E mmwwm n C Dn A Mfmv Sept. 26, 1961 M. FRESARD PORTABLE TYPEWRITER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20. 1959 INVENTOR MARCEL FRESARD ATTO Sept. 26, 1961 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 M. FRESARD 3,001,631

PORTABLE TYPEWRITER v e sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR MARCEL FRESARD Sept. 26, 1961 M. FRESARD 3,001,631

PORTABLE TYPEWRITER Filed Feb. 20, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR MARCEL FRESARD BY N Li# United States Patent O land Filed Feb. 20, 1959, Ser. No. 794,623 'l Claims priority, application Switzerland Mar. 7, 1958 15 Claims. (Cl. 197-186) My invention has for its object a portable typewriter including a frame carrying a cradle over which may slide the carriage carrying the platen-roller of the typewriter, said frame carrying a guide segment to which are pivotally secured the type bars which are connected each through "a rod with a rocking lever actuated in its turn by a corresponding key bar.

Various embodiments of such portable typewriters are known. However, they have a comparatively large bulk, which prevents for instance introducing such a typewriter inside a document case.

On the other hand, oilice typewriters are known the keyboard of which may be folded through about 90 '1'nto its inoperative position through engagement with the central section of the chassis. Such a structure allows re ducing somewhat the total bulk of the machine, so that it may be capped for instance by a bell-shaped protecting case.

My invention has for its object the production of a portable typewriter provided with a conventional keyboard, the bulk of which is substantially of the same magnitude as that of the conventional portable typewriter, when the machine is operative, while the bulk of said machine may be considerably reduced, when it is set in its packaged condition, which allows itseasy transportation.

My improved portable typewriter is characterized by the fact that the rocking levers and the key-carrying bars are pivotal-ly secured to a common shaft extending transversely of the machine, each key bar acting on the corresponding rocking lever through the agency of a pusher cam pivotally secured to an axis parallel to said common shaft. Said arrangement allows folding the machine when it is desired to set it in its packaged condition under minimum bulk conditions, as provided by a pivotal movement of the key bars through an agle ofl about 180 round said common shaft and by a collapsing of the rocking levers and of the type bars within the frame, between the guide segment and the common shaft.

Accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example a preferred embodiment of my improved portable typewriter. In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal partly sectional view of the machine showing its various parts.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the machine in its folded packaged condition.

FIG. 3 illustrates on a larger scale and partly sectionally the rear half of the typewriter frame. t

FG. 4 shows similarly on a larger scale and partly sectionally the front half of the typewriter frame.

FIG. 5 is a view of the typewriter frame from above.

FIG. 6 is a view of the keyboard from above.

FIG. 7 is a lateral elevational View of the typewriter in its packaged condition, said view being partly broken Patented Sept. 26, 1961 away so as to show the position occupied by the main parts.

Turning lto FIGS. l, 3 and 4, my improved portable typewriter includes a casing incorporating a frame 1 car? rying a cradle 2 which slidably receives the carriage 3 which in turn supports the platen roller 4. The cradle 2 is pivotally secured to a spindle 5 arranged transversely inside the frame 1. This manner of mounting the cradle 2 allows it to be rocked transversely under the action of a motion mechanism of any suitable type. Said trans-vv verse rocking movement of the cradle 2 serves when it. is Idesired to pass from typing with lower case small letf ters to typing with upper case capital letters; said Cradle carries rails 6 constituted by angle bars and over which the carriage 3 is guided with the interposition of rollers 7 between said rails 6 and angle bars 8 forming partof the carriage 3. Said carriage 3 is continuouslyv subjected, to the tractional action of a spring-drum 9 (FIG. 5); the` carriage 3 is held in position by means of an escapeinent mechanism designated as a whole by the reference .ouinber 10 (FIG. 3). In the embodiment described,rthee s.- capement mechanism 10 is stationary with reference to the frame 1 and it is shown as secured to the cross member 11 of the frame carrying the type-carrying bars 12, of the typewriter.

A lever 13 is pivotally secured at 14 to each end of the carriage 3. These levers 13 carry each at one end a rack 15 meshing with a pinion 16 forming part of the escapement mechanism 10. A spring 17 urges the rack 15 into engagement with the corresponding pinion 16 notwithstanding the transverse movement impartcd'to the carriage 3 bythe escapement mechanism. v

The type-carrying bars 12' which are pivotally secure at 18 to the cross member 11 are connected each through a link 19 with a rocking lever 20 (FIG. l). The differ. ent rocking levers 20 are carried by a cross-member 21 forming part of the frame 1 and in which are providedv a series of slots 22 (FIGS. 4 and 6). Each slot 22 has a breadth sufcient for it to receive not only a rocking lever 20, but also the end of a corresponding key-carrying bar 23. The system of rocking levers 20 and of key carrying bars 23 is pivotally secured to a common shaft- 24 arranged transversely of the typewriter. Each keycarrying bar 23 acts on the corresponding rocking lever 20 through the agency of a pusher cam 25 ri`he different pusher cams 25 are arranged in the lower portion of the corresponding slots 22 and are all pivotally secured to the same spindle 26 engaging the yframe 1 and arranged in parallelism with and underneath the common shaft 24. A rod 27 parallel with the spindle 26 is carried by two arms 28 pivotally secured to the spindle 26 and extending inside two slots 22 located in proximity to the lateral edges of the frame 1. 'I'hese arms 28 are engaged at their ends 29 by corresponding springs 30, the other ends of which are secured at 31 to the frame 1. The rod 27 engaging said arms 28 is thus subjected to a transverse elastic action which is transmitted through contact to the entire series of pusher cams 25. Said rod 27 defines thus the inoperative positions of the pusher cams 25 which are exactly the same for the whole series of cams. The contacting point of the actuating nose 32 of the key-carrying bars 23 with the adjacent edge of a pusher cam 25 isselected as a function of the distance separating the key 33 from the common shaft 24, so that the operativetravell m'ayf beequal forfall different keys 33 by positioning the diierent contact points 32 at the same level, in which, case the contact points 34 should be located at levels defined as functions ofthe distances between ythe keys 33 and the common shaft 24. It should be remarked that the opening 35 provided in each lever to provide for the pivotal connection with'the corresponding link 19 is elongated, so

as' to' allow a transverse shifting of the corresponding pivotal axis and to further, as will bev explained hereina'ft'er, the'collapsing of the type-carrying bars 12 and of the locking levers 20. Y According to a modification, itis obviously possible to provide openings of the usual circular shape in which case the openings 36 through Whichpthe rods 19 are secured to the corresponding type- ,carrying'bars' 12 are given an elongated shape so a's'to allow'l a' transverse shifting of said `pivotal axis.

The" typewriter illustrated includes a lifting bridge V37 an'da" lowering bridge 38 for the system -of rocking levers 20. Said bridges are connected with said common shaft 24' through the agency of corresponding liangesvv 39 and 40 engaging slots 22 formed in the' cross-member 21 of the frame 1 in proximity with the ends of the latter. The raising'bn'dge: 37 passes thus underneath theel-rangement constituted -by the rocking levers 25J while the lowering bridge' 38 extends above said leversV 20. Said raising bridge 37 carries furthermore a member 41 adapted to' form anV abutment stopping the type-carrying bars 12 when in their'operative position. Said abutment' 41 is' rigidly secured to said raising bridge 37 and cooperates with' the later with a view to setting the type-carrying bars in their operativepositions together with the rockin'g'levers 20 when the typewriter is open for operation.

The typewriter includes 'furthermore a protecting plate 42 extending above the lowering bridge 38 and pivotally secured along an axis 43 lying in parallelism with the common shaft 24 and near the latter. t

Asa matter of fact, in FIG. 4Yit will be seen that said protecting plate 42 is pivotally secured through rivets`44 to two arrns 45 which are pivotally securedin their turn to said common shaft 24. The Youter ends 46 of said aims slide inside the slideways 47 provided along the opposite lateral edges of a casing cover 48. Said cover 48 forms part'of thel general casing adapted to enclose -tl'reY typewriter for transportation. This cover 48'is piv`- otally secured to the frame l through one ofl its edges alongA the axis49 'parallel with the common shaft 24'va'nd Y lying-underneath the latter.

In the embodiment illustrated, said axis 49 is con# stituted by two trunnions; while the cover is adapted, on the one hand, to close the typewriter and to extend'over the upper' section of the latter Vin its packagedcondition and, on the other hand, to form an extension of the Vframe 1 Yso'as to lie underneath the Vkey-'carrying bars 23 when the typewriter is in its operative condition. For this operative condition of theftypewriter, the cover48 forms also'a section of the support of the typewriter.

A'srwill appear from FIG.' 4, the section 50 of the cas:

` ing cover 48 located in proximity with theipivotal axis t9/is pivotally securedits turn at( 51 with the body of the cover48. Said section 50 is adapted vto formY means for locking vsaid cover 4S in the open operative condition ofV the typewriter. To'this end, it is `provided with projeetingclaws 52'which1are adapted lto engage "the edgel the"v keys 33'. Thus, the con- Y tactpointz corresponding` to a key 33 located near the 53 of lthe frame 1. This position securing the side 50 is obtained through the action of the clamping spring54 engaging the pivotal axis `51Y and urging the section 50 against the body of the cover 4S.

Referring to FIGS. l and 2, it will be seen that the casing of the typewriter includes furthermore a section 55 adaptedfto enclose, for the packaged condition of the l typewriter, the portion of the frame 1 ofthe typewriter including the lower part thereof and the part located to the rear of the platen-roller`4 and the ends of the latter.

Said casing section 55 is pivotally secured at 56 through two flanges 57 to the underside of the frame 1. Thus, in'its open position facing downwardly, said section 55 forms; also apart ofthe support provided forvthe type'- writer. It shouldberemarked*that'said casing section 55 is made of two parts which are pivotally intereonnected by' the spindle' 58, the" auxiliary part 59 being adapted to close the 'casing of the' typewriter to the vrear of the platen-roller 4. Said auxiliaryV part 59 carries securing means 60 adapted toY cooperate with a notch 6lv provided'in thefront edge of'fthe cover 48 (FIG. 2). Said securingr means 60 are carried elastically byv thel auinliary part -59 s o that it is sucient to vdepress thepush member 62 to thereby release the securing means 60' withv reference to the notchV 61 and thus disengage the cover 43 ofthe casing;Y The casing of the typewriter includes also the two anges 63 adapted to cover the sides of th"e` ira`rneV 1 anda bottom 64 adapted to closethe underside of said frame.

The arn's`45, the endsv 46 of'which slide inthe slidei ways 47 formed in-the sidewalls ofy the cover 48, carry each an abutmentl 65 adaptedY to engage uponopening ofthe cover'48 the raising bridge 37, soastoY produce av risingmo've'rnent of'the latter and, consequently,- the positioningl'in the position corresponding to' operation of the typev'vritei', of the typefcarrlying bars 12` and of Ythe rocking leve'rs20. Said4 abutnents 65 act onV the edges 66 of the correspondinganges 39 (FIGS. l and 6').

MeansY are provided for controlling the movementsof the' protecting plate '42 during the opening and theclosring of the machine. Said' means include a'carn67 rigid with the'anges 40'of'the lowering bridge 38. and' the outline of'wrhich engages the edge 68 of the protecting' plate 42. he'typewriterinclud'esfurthermoreamenibei'V for releasing the' cover 48', which member'is' coni stituted by Va plate 69 pivotally secured to the frame 1 along" anaxis 70 parallel'with the commonv shaft`24 (FIG. 4,). Said' plate 69 is provided with a slotl in the shape'of an'arc of al circle the Yradiusofwhichis larger thantheA distance separating said slot 71 from the pivotal axis 70. The' center 'of curvature'of' said arcuate slotl71is1shown'at 72 in FIG; 4i Said/slot 71 extends furthermoreat-its'upper end into a slot section 73 on the outsde'of'the'arc -of a` circle referredto. A pin'74 rigid 'with4 the'loweringbridge 38 engages saidslot 71;A Thevwhole arrangement is designed inY a manner such that saidpin--74 engages the extension 73y of theslot 71, when -thetypewritenisfin'its operative condition; Any pressureeexerted downwardly on the lowering bridge 38 and more particularly on vthe lugsA 75 carried bythe flanges 4l) of sid'lowering bridge will lead to a downward shifting throinghy the agency of .said pin 74 of the releasing plate 69'A'up'to a`p'oint atlwhich the heel-shaped projection 76 of said plate 69 inipinges against the abutments 77 secured inside the coversection 50, said'abutments 77 vpassing through 'openings 78 inthe bottom 64 of the general casing. AAt the moment at which the projection-76 reaches fthe level defined by said bottom 64, the arcuate pathv followed by the pin 74 and the center of which lies on the 'common shaft' 24 registers with the arcuateline defining the slot 71. Consequently,y thepin'74l is no longer withinl the extension 73 of the slot 71 and"enters the V'main 'section' of the latter. K'Thus,

the type-carrying bals 12 may continue, notwithstanding the locking of the releasing plate 69 in contact with the bottom 64 by the shifting of the pin 74 inside the arcuate section of the slot 71 (FIG. 4).

The escapement bridge 79 (FIG. 4) on the typewriter is pivotally connectedvthrough lugs `80 with the common shaft 24 to which are pivotally secured the keycarrying bars and the rocking levers 20. The escapement bridge 79 is consequently raised each time a type is depressed, through the corresponding rocking lever 20.

Said escapement bridge carries in its central section a member 81 to which is pivotally secured at 82 a rod 83 one end 84 of which is oifset and of substantially hooklike formation (FIG. 3) so as to control in the conventional manner the escapement mechanism for the typewriter and thereby the axial movements of the carriage 3 carrying the platen-roller 4.

The carriage 3 is provided furthermore -with a line space adjusting mechanism 85 of a conventional structure (FIG. 3). However, the control lever generally used for such a mechanism has been omitted and replaced by a push member 86 with a view to reducing the bulk of the -member controlling the line space adjusting mechamsm.

lf it is desired to set in its operative position the abovedescribed typewriter when it is in its packaged condition of a reduced bulk as illustrated in FIG. 2, the push member 62 should first be depressed, so as to release the cover 48 and to make the latter pivot through 180 round its pivotal axis 49. During this pivotal movement of the cover 48, the arms 45 are driven into regular motion by the slideways 47. This returns the pivotal axis 43 of the protecting plate 42 into registry with the front of the common shaft 24. Consequently, the edge S7 of the protecting plate 42 causes the key-carrying bars 23 to rock and to enter their operative positions. The first portion of the angular shifting through 180 of the key-carrying bars 23 is thus produced by said thrust exerted by the edge 87 on said bars 23, the remainder of the angular shifting of the barsl 23 being obtained under the action of gravity.

During said opening movement of the cover 48, its section 50 moves aside and revolves round the axis 51, so that the claws 52 on said section slide over the bottom 64 and engage the edge 530i the frame under the action of springs 54 which urge the section 50 against the bottom 64, while the stops 65 act on the anges 39 of the raising bridge 37 through their edges 66. Thus, the type-carrying bars 12 are raised by the abutment member 41 so as vto be brought into their operative positions, the rocking levers being set in their operative positions by the raising bridge 37. Simultaneously with said rising movement of the raising bridge 37, the lowering bridge 3S is raised so that the cam 67 which is rigid therewith produces in its turn a raising of-the protecting plate 42 which frees the space above the type-carrying bars 12 during their movement leading them into their operative positions. The rising movement of the lowering bridge 38 leads to the drive through the pin 74 of the releasing plate 69. After turning the casing section 55 upside down, so as to make it form a part of the support for the typewriter, the latter is ready for use in its operative position. The raising and lowering bridges 37 and 38 are held in their operative positions at a suiiicient distance from the rocking levers 20, so that during the typing said levers cannot engage-said bridges 37 and 38. The abutment 41 carries a sheath 88 adapted to absorb the shocks of the type-carrying bars 12 during their return movement towards said abutment 41.

The operation of such a typewriter when in its operative position is quite similar to that of conventional portable typewriters. It should Ybe remarked that the keyboard formed by the keys 33 of the typewriter is of the usual stepped formation and has the size of a conventional typewriter keyboard (FIGS. l and 6).

When it is desired to pack up the machine so as to bring i6 it into its position'of minimum ybulk,`the carriage 3 is iirst brought into its central position with reference to Vthe frame 1 after which a downwardly directed pressure iis exerted on the lugs of the flanges 40 of the lowering bridge 38.V This leads to a collapse of the rocking levers 20, of the raising bridge 37 and of the abutment 41, which releases in its turn the type-carrying bars 12 which collapse together with the rocking levers 20 between the segment 11 of the typewriter and the common shaft 24. Duringthe lowering movement of the bridge 38, the heel 76 on the releasing plate 69 engages the abutments 77 which release the section 50 of the cover 48. The latter may therefore Abe rocked through the corresponding movement of the arms 45 allows a dropping of the protecting plate 42on to the central part of the frame 1, the key-carrying bars 23 being folded back over said protecting plate 42 at about 180 from their operative position (FIG. 7). It is then suiicient to turn the casing section 5,5 upside down so that it may cover the part of the frame located underneath and behind the carriage 3. The cover 48 of the casing may then be folded entirely over the typewriter until the securing means 60 enter the notch 61 in saidcover so as to hold the typewriter casing in its closed position, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The preceding disclosure and accompanying drawings show that the bulk of the packaged typewriter is smaller than one half of the bulk of the typewriter in its operative condition.V It may be mentioned by way of information that one typewriter executed in the manner described and illustrated-has, when packaged, the shape of a parallelo- Apipedic box, the outer size of which is 250 x 143 x 31.5 mm. With such a small volume, said typewriter may be readilycarried inside a document case for instance or even inside a -coat pocket. It should be remarked, as concerns the numerical example which has just been given, that in spite of the height of 31.5 mm. of the machine in its packaged condition, the diameter of the platen-roller of the latter may be equal to 25 mm. which is a very conventional platen-roller size for portable typewriters.

l.v In a portablel collapsible typewriter, the combination comprising a frame including a first cross member and a second cross member, a cradle pivoted transversely of the frame and selectively movable from a normal lowered position to an upperposition, an escapement controlled platen supporting carriage slidably mounted in the cradle, a series of type bars pivotally supported on the iirst cross member of the frame, a series of rocking levers each related to one of the type bars and each having an opening near one end and an actuating edge near the other end, a link connecting the end of each type bar opposite its type face with the opening in the free end of a related rocking lever, key bars separate from said rocking levers and each having an actuating nose, a shaft disposed transversely of said second cross member and providing a common axis for all juxtaposed rocking levers and key bars to support said levers and bars in operative or collapsed condition, a series of cams normally disposed between the said actuating edges of the rocking levers and the noses of the key bars to couple said levers and bars in operative relation, a spindle extending transversely of the frame and arranged parallel to and at one side of the shaft, said spindle coaxially supporting all of the cams, and means springbiasing said cams to operative position between the said edges of the rocking levers and the noses of the key bars, whereby depressing a key bar will actuate a related type bar through the pusher cam upon pivotal movement of the key bar when the typewriter is in use, and when the typewriter is to be collapsed, the said actuating edges of the rocking levers will move the related pusher cams against the force of said spring-biasing means to a downward position and clear of the said actuating noses of the said'key bars.

2. A typewriter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening in each rocking lever which receives one end of the link, has an elongated shape to provide transverse shifting of the corresponding pivotal and ,to further assist the collapsing of the type bars' and. of4 the rocking 'ever-s.

-3. A typewriter as claimed in cl'aiml, including'av raising: bridge and a loweringfbridge for thev system of rocking? levers, said bridgesV being pivotally mountedon said shaft' and the raising bridge extending. underneath the -rocking levers and theloweringbridge extending' over the said levers, a member oni the raising bridge Ifoi-idling* a stop for the returnr movement of the type hairs iny their operative positions, said stop cooperating' withY the' said raising bridge forV urging theV typeY bars and'A the rocking levers into their operative positions when-the machine is beingY set inits open operative position, a protecting plate disposed above the lowering'bridge and pivotally"r secured along anaxis parallel with the shaft and lyingy in'proxirnity to the latter, and means controlling the raising and lowering.movementsY of said protecting plate respectively :duringt collapsing and setting-up the' type? bars into their inoperative or operativepo'sitions s 4.' Ina' portable collapsibletypewriter,A the' combination comprising a' casing, including'C a? topY wallv constituting 'acoverg a bottom-wall, side walls andoppositeend'walls, said end walls respectively pivotally connected with s aid bottom vwall and with the cover' and having` opening'movenient to set up the typewriter for usefa'nd closingmovement when the 'typewriter is`collapsed for storage; afframe on the bottom wall of the casing, a" platen supporting carriage Von the frame, a plurality of type'barsf coaxially ypivoted on the frame, a shafts'uppo'rted transversely of the@ frame, a plurality of rockerlevers mounted 011A said shaft and connected at one end tofthe'type bars at vthe end'opposite thetype face, a phiralityy of key bars also mounted coaxially on saidv shaft-with thefrocker levers, coupling -means normally spring biased toY ak posit-ion4 be- Y tween the rocker levers and key barsf at'one side'of their artes to place thenj inoperativerelatiorrewhenjtheicasing isopen, andYmeansY-on'said rocker levers 'lformovingsaid coupling lmeans to an'inoperativefposition whenit is desired to collapse the casing by moving the coveand allr ofthe key bars through an?anglefoflltlft'overlieithe r'clser levers. l

AV portable collapsible'v typewriter as? vsetiforrtlrY in claimli, whereinthe endwallsare integrally connected at substantially right anglesirespectivelywith one 'edge'ofthe Vcover-and withone edge of Ythe bottomwallrand-theother .t-ree'edges of the end walls are pivotally connected respectively to the cover and the bottom wall, vand latchmeans fr'connecting thel free edge of theV integral endjwall of thecov'er with the pivoted end-wall ofthe bottom' plate.

6. A portable'collapsible` typewriter as set forthV in claim 4, wlzlerein a lifting bridge vand"a,loweringbridge are'V disposed respectively below abcwel therocker levers, and said bridges have arms 'pivotally'mounted Aon the shatt'which supports the rocker-levers: and the "key bars Y t 7. A portable' collapsible typewriter" as setsforth in claim 4, wherein a protecting' plate overliesthe position of'ithe rocker leversvand is pivota'lly connected with'links having rollers operatingin vguides on the cover. s Y

I 8. A portable collapsible typewriter'as'claimcd'in claim 4," wherein the 'cover of the casing is pivotally connected tthe frame along one of its edges Vabout anaxis'parallel with the shaft and' arranged,beneaththelatter, saidv cover Yat'ia'pted to close the upper part` ofthe' typewriter when in -its packaged condition, and alsoV to forman extension of the frame underneath the key bars "and simultaneously constitute a part of fthe support for the Vvtypewrittn'in' its operative condition. I p C. t l 9. Apfortable collapsibletypewriter as' claimed in claim 4';v wherein the cover of lthe casingis pivotally connected to the frame 'along one of its edges about an'axis Yparallel vwith the shaft'and arranged.Y beneath the latter, said cover adapted to close Athe upper part of -the .typewriterwlien ine-its'packa'ged condition, and also to form an ertension of the frame underneath the key bars: and simidtaneously constitute a part of the support for the typewriter in its operative condition,Vv and wherein when the end wall of the cover lying nearest itspivotalconnection with the frame in its r'evefsedoperative position' itsupports the typewriter through engagement with ther frame.

l0; A portable collapsible typewriter as claimed in claim 4,*whereinthe' ca'singincludes an end wall pivotally secured through two lateral flanges to the frame so that when thetypewriteris in' its openV operative position, said casing section is turned upside down to form the support for the platen-end of the typewriter.

il". A portable collapsible typewriter as claimed in claim-4, inclndinglifting and lowering bridges pivoted on said shaft, a protecting plate overlyingV thev rocker levers, arms also pivotally secured to the shaft and pivotally connected to the protecting. plate, and means controlling the movements of s'aidplateincluding at least one' cam rigid with theloweringV bridge; the periphery of said cam engaging said' protecting' plate.'

l2. A portable collapsible typewriter as claimed in claim. 4, including a liftingI bridge disposed below the rocker levers, a lowering bridge arranged above said roel;- er levers, a releasing plate pivotally secured to the frame along :inwardsV parallelwiththe Asaid shaft, said plate which eleases thecover of the casing being provide-d with'a slot extending over the arc of a circle,v the radius 'of which is larger than the distanceseparatinglsaid'slot from the pivotal axis of said plate`,tsaid slot including an upper extension on the outside' of'said Varcof a circle, and a' pin rigidwithV said lowering bridge engagin'gein'said slot, so as to llie in the extension of the slotwh'en the typewriter' is in its operative conditiomwhereby any-"pressure exerted downwardly on the loweringr bridge vwill produce a downward movement ofthe releasingV plate until'the'lower end of the latter urgesjthe pivoted Vsection of thecover into its releasedA positiom-the completelowering of the lowering bridge for collapsinglthe rockerlevers and the type oars continuing notwithstanding-theloclcmg'of the releasing plate'upon 'the' pin shifting inside the main arcuate section or the slot in said i.releasing plate. v

13. A portable collapsible typewriter as Jset, forth in claim 4, rwherein tlieV platen supporting' carriage includes a cradle `slida'ble in the 'casingfirame'and the said platen vmay be manually raised and lowered whenfitis desired to type capital letters orwith small' letters; a vracir'on' the carriage meshing-with a pinion `forming'part ofan escapernentwrnechanism for producingaxial movement of the carriage under theY control'of an'escapement bridge after impact of each. typ'eQsaid capeinent mechanism being stationary with Yreference vtov theframe; and spring means Vfor urging the' rack into permanent mesh with saidpinion.

i4. A portable collapsible typewriter as' 'set forth in clailn 13, wherein theescapementlfbridge is'lpivotally secured to said 'shaft whichfrnounts'the key-'bars and the rocker levers. s f j -I n n 15- In a portableollepsbletypewriter; tllscombimtion comprising'a casing, Vincluding atop Wall constituting a cover, a bottoms/all, sidewalls'andaopposite end walls, said end walls respectively pivotally connected Vwith said bottom wall and with theA cover and having opening movement toset up'the typewriter for use and closing movement when'the typewriter is collapsed for storage,V a frame on the bottom wall of the casing; a platen supporting carri-age on'the frame, a plurality of type bars coaodnllyA pivoted on the frame, -ashaft supported transversel'y of the frame, a plurality of rocker levers mounted on saidshait and connected at one end to the type 'bars at the end opposite the type face,` a plurality ofgkeybars also mountedfcoa'xiallyjon said' shaft-,'with'the rocker levers, coupling Ymeans normally spring biased to a pesi` tion ybetween'the rocker levers' and key bars'at 'oneside of their axes toplace them in operative Vrelation when' the casing is open, a lifting Aloridrgefanl aA lowering 'bridgev `dis posed respectively below and above the rocker levers, said bridges having flanges pivotally mounted on said shaft which supports the rocker levers and key bars, arms pivotally mounted on the said shaft, guides located along the opposite lateral edges of said cover and slidably receiving the ends of said arms opposite those pivotally mounted on said shaft, and means on said arms to act on the ilanges of the lifting bridge during the opening of the cover to urge the lifting bridge upwardly to set the type bars and the rocker levers in their operative positions.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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