US313827A - lucas - Google Patents

Description

4 Sheets Sheet 1.

GLUGAS TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

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LZWEJQP@ (No Modem 4 sheets-sheen" 2. G. LUCAS.'

TYPE WRITING MAGHINB.

No. 313,827. vPatented Mar. 10, 1885.'

WITNfgSsEs: INNTOR; d'g/CMM' By his 217%,

4. Sheets-Sheet 3.

Patented Mer. 10, 1885'.

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(No Model.)

N. PETERS. Pmw.|.nhngmpher, wnshmgxm o. c.

NITNESSES.

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(No Model.) l 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. LUCAS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 313,827. I Patented Mar. 10,1885.

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WITNESSES: INVENTORI e @Lf/QQ MB fue By his Attorneys,

N. PETERS. Pnummnagmpxwr. washington D. C.

illivrrinn Srafrns Arnnr Ormea.

GEORGE LUCAS, OF NFFW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,827, dated March 10` 18l85.'

Applitation filed January '29, 1584. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORG-E LU ons, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, havein1 Vented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Vriters, of which the following is a specification.

My improved machine relates to that general class of typewriters employing a series of type-levers arranged radially, so that their types shall all strike in the same spot, and to that special class wherein the paper is held stationary and the type levers and keys are mounted in a traveling carriage which traverses the paper.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan View of the bed or table of my machine, the carriage being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan of the carriage and bed, thelatter being broken ofi". Fig. 3 is a vertical mid-section cut along the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. is a transverse section of the table, cut along the line 44 in Fig. l and looking in the direction of arrow 4. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan, partly in horizontal section, showing the feeding mechanism.,beneath the carriage. Fig. 6 is a plan and side view of the feed-lever removed. Fig. 7 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 3, showing a modification of the feeding mechanism; and Fig. 8 is another similarsection, showing a modified construction of the type-action.

Let A designate the table or base, and B the typecarriage. The `table A (shown best in Figs. l, 3and 4) is or may be constructed of a cast-metal frame, C, and a metal orother top plate, a. Beneath the plate a a roller, D, is mounted, its axis extending longitudinally of the table, and its journals having bearings in the frame O. This roller should have a sur face of dense and firm but slightly yielding rubber for the types to strike against. D- rectly over the rollerD is a long slot or opening, b, in the plate a.. In front of the roller D is a roller, E, and behind it are two small wheels, c c. Two rubber or rubber-faced belts, d d, pass around roller E and wheels c c and cross the roller D near its ends and just beyond the ends of the opening b. The paper is pushed up between the'rollers D and E, its edges coming beneath the belts d d, and being by them held against the roller D. By then turning the roller D by means of the handwheel e, Fig. 1, the paper is carried through as far as may be desired before commencing to print upon it.

The carriage B consists of a suitable frame carrying the type levers and keys, the ink-ribbon, and the feed mechanism, and adapted to travel over the table longitudinally, its types printing through the opening b. ported on a wheel,f, at the front and on a bar, F, at the rear, two small wheels, g g, being provided to roll thereon and so reduce the friction. This bar F is mounted rotativelyin bearings at its ends, so that the carriage may be turned back, the bar turning with the carriage. `It is formed with a toothed rack, h, along its front edge.

The carriageB isin general of circular form, its centercomingoverthemiddleoftheopening b. Around this center the type-levers G G are arranged, their action being radial, as denoted by the dotted radii x x in Fig. 2.- Several of these levers are shown in Fig. 2 in plan, and one is shown in Fig. 3 in elevation. They are fulcrumed in bearings on a ring, z', 3 and 5, which is hung by brackets j j from the top plate or frame, k, of the carriage. The levers are thus fulcrumed low down, and they normally stand erect, as shown in Fig. 3, their type ends being uppermost. Vhen any one of the numerous typelevers is depressed, Fig. 6, it-s type strikes exactly in the center of the carriage. In the construction shown lthe levers, when retracted, project above the plate k, a central opening being formed therein to admit them, and this opening being closed by a cap, II. The type-lever action consists of a lever, I, fulcrumed to the under side of the plate k, and a key or button, J, arranged above the plate 7.@,and connected with one arm of the lever, while the other arm thereof is connected to the type-lever G. made either by forming a slot, Z, in the short arm of the lever G, in which works a pin or projection on the end of the lever I, as shown, or by interposing a small wire link, as preferred. The keys or buttons J J are arranged altcrnatelyin two concentric circles, as shown in Fig. 2, and beneath each is a spring, m, which presses it up, and serves to retract the typelever and hold it normally erect. The buttons J ofthe outer circle are or may be fixed The latter connection is- ICG directly-upon the up'turned ends of the levers I, which project up through holesin the plate k. Those of the inner circle. however, being so much nearer the fulcra of the levers, should be mounted on stems which connect with the levers by a joint, allowing some freedom ot' movement. The keys of t-he outer and inner circles may be given a uniform touch 7 by providing them with springs of difterenttension, or by fulcruming the levers I of the inner circle nearer the center of the carriage than those of theouter circle, so that theirleverage shall be equal to that of the levers bearing the outer circle of keys; or if, as shown, the leverage is unequal, mounting the lightfaced types-such as IJLTand the punctuation-marks on the levers G, connected to the inner circle of keys, and those letters requirv ing a heavier blow to impress them, as M WV R. die., on the levers connected with the outer circle of keys. As each key is struck and its character printed on the paper the type-carriage B must move to the right far enough to make room for the next letter to be printed. This movement must be effected during the retraction of the key and type-lever. The carriage B is given a tendency to move to the right by means of a strap, s, Figs. l and`5, which extends to the right, passes down around asheavc, s, Fig. l, and is connected to a spring, S, beneath the rplate a, Figs. l and 3. This tendency of the carriage is resisted by an escapement borne by the carriage, which is vibrated to permit the, carriage to advance one space at a time by means of the mechanism which I will now describe.

Referring particularly to Fig. 5, L is a spacing-lever ot' ring form` which is fulcrumed at the front of the carriage, and extends around beneath the levers I I, its portion back of the points M M being arranged in a high plane close beneath and in contact or practieall y so with the horizontal arms of the levers I I, as shown in Fig. 3, and its portion forward of M M extending in a lower plane. Two pins, n n, are fixed to the back portion of this lever, project up through the top plate, and bear a spacing key or bar, a', on their upper ends. A pin or leg, p, projects below the lever and rests on one arm ot' a lever, N, Figs. 3 and 6, forming part of the vibrating feeding-escapeinent, the opposite arm of which bears a tooth, g, which engages a rack, h, Fig. 7. The lever N .is norniallyheld, as shown in Fig. 3, by a leaf-springe, which presses against a projection formed on it. When in this position, the tooth q is below the rack h, and a sliding tooth, r, is in engagement therewith, Figs. 3 and 5. This toot-h r is part of a sliding springbolt, P, which is mounted o n the lever N, as shown in Figr, and pressed to the right by a spring, fr. 'When any of the keys J J back of the points M Mare depressed, their levers I I press down the lever L, the footp of which tilts the 'lever N, as shown in Fig. 7, thus lifting the tooth r out of the rack la and the tooth q into it. The tooth r is immediatelypressed for- Vis placed nearer the fulcruin of the lever N ward by its spring r', and stands overthe next space on the rack h in advance. Vhen the key is released, the lever L rises. the lever N is tilted back, the tooth rpasses into the rack and tooth q out of it. The carriageis then held from moving to the right only by the tension ofspring r', and, as the tension of spring S is greatly superior, the carriage moves to the right one space, compressing spring r. Obviously the same result follows if the spacekey a be depressed instead of saine key J, except that then no letter is printed. To enable the keys J J in front of the points M M to operate the feed, I provide another spacing-lever, L', which is fulcrunied Vat the back of the carriage, and the portion of which in front of M M comes up close beneath the levers I I, while its rear portion is carried back on a lower plane to its fulcrum. This lever is sustained by a spring` n, at the front, and has a pin or leg, p, which extends down to the lever N in the same manner as the leg p, but

because of the lessmovement of the lever L at this point, than of the lever L, owing to the leg on the former coming inuch nearer the fulcruni of the lever. By this difference in the positions of the legs p p the lever N is tilted to the same extent, whether the lever L or the lever L be depressed.

In Fig. 7,a slight modification is shown,only onelever, L, being used, and this lever, being inthe form ofa complete ring, coming close beneath all the levers I I. As the levers I I at the front are many times nearer the fulcrum of the lever L than the levers I I at rear, the lever L would be depressed much farther by the action of the front than of the rear keys, except that the arrangement is such, by placing the ring portion of thelever L eccentrieally, that at the front it touches the levers I I near their fulcra, and at the rear its contact with themis remote from their fulcra, the difference being just sufficient to compensate for the difference in leverage, so that thelever Nis tilted to the same extent by all the keys.

The operator commences to print aline when the carriage is at the left, and after printing each letter it moves one space to the right.- At the end of each word he presses ,the space key a'. When the end of the line is reached, (the carriage being then at the right,) it is necessary to move the carriage back to the left ready for the next line, and also 'to feed the papell forward the distance of one line. The former operation is accomplished by pressing back a lever, Q, which disconnects the carriage from the rack, and then moving the carriage to the left by means of that lever, keeping the latter pressed back until the carriage is brought to the starting-point and then releas ing the lever. This should be done with the left' hand, while with the right the operator presses down a knob, R, at the right-hand end of the table, andthereby feeds forward the paper.

I will now describe in detail the mechanism for accomplishing these two purposes.

IOO

IIO

Referring to Fig; 3, thelever Qis fulcrumed l ing may turn with the spindle, while the wheel just below the plate lo to t-he carriage, and its lower end comes against the front of a projecting portion of the lever N. This lever is fulcrumed in a sliding frame, N, (best shown in Fig. 5,) which frame is mounted in horizontal guide-ways formed in the frame of the carriage. The spring o keeps the lever N and frame N pressed back against the lever Q; but when thelatter is pressed its bottom end pushes the lever N and frame N toward the front until the teeth q r are entirely clear from the rack h. The carriage is then free and may be moved to the left.

To facilitate the movement of the lever Q,a fixed post, Q', is formed on the carriage, so that by pressing these together between the thumb and finger the feed may be disconnected.

The paper-feeding mechanism is shown in Figs. l and 4.. On the spindle of roller D is fixed a ratchet-wheel, T, the teeth of which are so spaced that a movement of two teeth will move the paper the proper distance between the lines. The knob It is mounted on a stem, a, which passes down through the table, and is pivoted to a lever, U, which is fulcrumed on the roller-spindle or elsewhere, and to this lever is pivoted a pawl, V, the prolonged end of which projects up through a slot in the top plate, a. This pawl is pressed toward the ratchet by a light spring, n, and a spring, R', is provided to press up the knob R. XVhen this knob is pressed down as far as it will go, the leverU and pawl V are pressed down far enough to advance the wheel T the distance of two teeth, and when released it springs back to the position shown, while the ratchet I is held from turning back by a spring-pawl or wipe, w. W'hen it is desired to print the lines close together, or halfspaced,77 a pivoted stop, T', is turned under the knob It, so that the latter can be pressed down only half the usual distance. Vhen the operator desires to turn the paper backward for any purpose, he presses back the projecting upper end of the pawl V, thereby freeing it from the ratchet, and turns the roller D (and ratchet T) by means of the hand-wheel e. The ink-ribbon is carried on two spools, K K', mounted in bearings on the right and left sides of the carriage, and unwinds from one spool onto the other as the carriage moves. The

ribbon extends from one spool down beneath a guide, k', thence across under the ring ,beneath the other guide, 7c', and up to the other spool. Both spools are fixed on their spindles and provided with tensionsprings t t, Fig. 2,and each has iXed to its spindle, outside its front bearing, a notched disk, d. A traction-wheel, WV, having a frictional periphery, is slipped onto one or the other of the spindles, being held thereon by the splitting of the end of the spindle, as shown, so that it binds against the bore of the wheelA This wheel is shown in section at X at the right of Fig. 2, where y is iis frictional tire, and e is a bushing turns independently. On the rear side of the wheel is a light leaf-spring. e', which serves as a pawl, and engages the teeth on the disk d. Vhen the carriage is traveling to the right the wheel W rolls on the table, and'turns the disk d through the medium of the spring-pawl e', and thus turns one of thelspools,and winds the ribbon onto this spool and off from the other. When the carriage is being run back to the left, the pawl e does not turn the disk d. When all the ribbon is wound onto one spool, the operator will pull the wheel vV off the spindle of that spool and slip it onto the spindle ot' the other spool, after which the ribbon will wind in the opposite direction.

Fig. 8 shows a modified type-lever action. The intermediary levers, I I, are omitted, and the buttons J J' are mounted on rods ff, which extend directly downward, and are jointed to the typelevers. rThis construction necessitates ahigher carriage and longer typelevers, but is somewhat simpler than the other.

In common with other machines of its special class, my improved type writer has the advantage that the paper which is being printed upon lies face uppermost and does not move, the printing mechanism moving over it from left to right, as when writing with a pen. j

Whenever the operator desires to view his work, hehas only to turn back the type-carriage, when the line being printed and several preceding lines are exposed. It an alteration or erasure is necessary, the fact ot' the paper being face uppermost on a fixed table is of great advantage, and much facilitates the operation.

A modification of which my invention is susceptible, and which will retain certain of its advantages, consists in making the carriage B stationary and causing the table or roller D,or whatever part carries the paper, to travel beneath the carriage from right to left, instead of the carriage moving over the paper from left to right. The carriage may then be turned backat any time to expose the writing, and for the purpose of verifying the work or mak.- ing corrections.

I claim as my inventionl. In a type -writer, the combination of a stationary table, a rack extending longitudinally along the same, a carriage adapted to travel over said table longitudinally, guided vby said rack, and capable ofl being turned back on the pivgtal'jaxis thereof, the typelevers and keys borne by said" carriage and printing dowmfard, and a feed mechanism, substantially as describehd'fb'rne by said carriage, engaging said rack, and adapted to cause the carriage to move thespace ot' one tooth after each depression of any key, substantially as set forth.

2. In atype-writer, the combination,to form a type-action, of a series of type -levers aron which the wheel freelyturns. This bushl ranged to strike downwardly all at one point,

. site ends of said levers I I, respectively, and

the keys for operating them arranged circularly, a series of intermediate levers arranged n radially and connected atopposite ends to said keys and type-levers, and a series of retractingsprings adapted to raise said keys and levers, substantially as set forth.

3. A type-action for a type-Writer, consist ing of a series of type-levers, G G, arranged to strike downward all at onepoint,and formed each with aslot, Z, a series of levers, I I, arranged radially and one end of each engaging said slot in the corresponding typelever, a series of keys, JVJ, connected with the oppoa series of springs, m m, adapted to retract said levers and keys, substantially as and l'or l the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of a stationary table, A, rack h thereon, type-carriage B, the type action borne by said carriage, with the typelevers arranged to print downward all at one point, annular spacinglever L, and an escape! nient-feed engaging said racks. and consisting havingxed tooth q.,elastieallymou nted tooth @borne by said lever, and spring 0,'or retracting said lever, substantiall y as set Aforth.

5. Ina type- Writer, the combination, with a traveling type-carriage and its type-action, and a stationary rack, of an escapenient-feed engaging said raek and operated ffrom said type-action, a sliding frame, N, mounted in siideways in the carriage and bearing said escapementfeed, and a spring normally pressing said frame toward the rack, substantially as set forth.

6. In a type-writer, the combination of a stationary Jfable, a travelingtype carriage, and ink-ribbon 'carried upon spools borne by said carriage upon opposite sides thereof, a traction -wheel adapted to be connected to veither of said spools, and thereby to rotate the saine to wind up the ribbon as the carriage advances, and a ratchet and pawl interposed between said wheel and sp0ol,to free the Wheel from the spool while the carriage is being moved back, thereby preventing the unwind ing of the ribbon, substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed iny naine in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. LUCAS.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR C. FRASER, HENRY CONNETT.

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