US477236A - watson - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. A. WATSON. TYPE ,WRITING MACHINE.

No. 477,236. Patentedun 21, 1892.

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2 Shets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J yA WATSON A TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

`1\0. 4'77,236. Patented June'l, 1892.

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I @mma/to@ I /l/W) I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

YJAMES A. NVATSON, OF lVASl-IINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

TYPE-wam Nc. MACH |N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,236, dated J' une 21, 1892. Application filed April 8,1892. Serial No. 428,384. (No model.) I

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

v le it known that I, JAMES A. WATsoN,a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n '.I'ype-lVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

invention relates to ribbon-feeding devices for type-Writers and itconsists in meehanlsln for feeding the ribbon automatically botlrlengthwise and Widthwise, so as to use its entire surface as it passes once through the machine.

i In the accompanying drawings, in which llkereference-signs refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views, Figurel isa plan view, the parts illustrating my invention being shown in full lines and a portion of vthe trame of a type-writer in dotted lines. Fig. 2 1s aseo-tion on the line X X of Fig. 1, showing my improvements in elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the spool and spool-support shown on the left in Fig. 1, and Figs. 4 and 5` are views of different forms of driving mechanlsm.

The object of my invention is to produce ribbon-feeding devices which -will feed the ribbon lengthwise, and also lcause it to travel widthwise over the printingpoint,so as to present practically its entire surface to the printing-point while it passes from one spool to the other and to accomplish these movements with the simplest possible mechanism. I attain these results by mounting the spools in supports or frames which rotate bodily, While at the same time maintainingr the axes of the spools constantly parallel to each other, and by providing connections between the spoolsupports maintain them in a constant relation to each other, so that while they revolve there will be no strain upon the ribbon, which is wound partially upon each of the spools.

Having imparted `a similar rotary motion to both of the spools in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the ribbon and in circles having a radius equal to about onehalf of the Width of the ribbon, it will be evident that the intermediate ribbon, which stretches across 'the printing-point, will also have a rotary motion, and that the type will strike successively uponthe circlunference of a circle which' is embraced within the width of the ribbon. 'I also provide mea-ns v for shifting the ribbon lengthwise at thecompletion of each revolution of the spool-sup'- ports a suicient distance, so that the type will not strike exactly iu -the same places during the succeeding revolution. The move` ments above outlined would cause the printing-point to travel relatively to the ribbon in a series of overlapping circles, which circles would cross each other near the margin of the ribbon, and thus the ribbon would be used more near the margin than in the middle. lVhen it is desirable to overcome this objection, I introduce additional mechanism to cause the spools and ribbon to rotate faster when the margins are passing the printingpoint than when the middle portion is passing` and I so graduate and vary the rotary movement of theribbon that its entire surface will be used practically to the same extent. I also provide means for reversingthe movement of the spools, so that the ribbon will wind from either one onto the other.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, `l indicates the spools, which are mounted in spool-supports 2, consisting of U- shaped pieces having openings in theirup-` per ends to form bearings for the spool-shafts 3. To keep the spool-supports in a constant relation to each other with the spoolshafts parallel, I preferably connect both supports to a frame, col'isisting of a bar et, extending around the rear of the machine and bent at its ends into U-shaped portions 5, the arms of which port-ions embrace the spool-supports. The spool-supports 2 are perforated to receive the crank-pins (i of idle-cranks 7, which revolve about shafts S, set in the frame. Upon a driving-shaft 9, arranged vertically in a frame 10 at the rear of the machine, is a crank 11, having a crank-pin l2, which passes through a perforation in the middle portion of the bar 4 of the connecting-frame. The cranks 7 and 11 have exactly the same throw, and as they are situated out of line when one of the cranks is turned the others follow, al-

ways remaining parallel to each other, and" thus imparting a simultaneous rotation to the frame, the spools, and the ribbou.`

If the d riving-shaft 9 were given uniform rotary movement, the ribbon would be used more near the margin than at the middle portion.

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To obvi atc this diiiicul'ty, I use mechanism which will give thedriving-shatt a slow move- 1nent When the middle of the ribbon is atthe printing-point and which will gradually increase therapidity of the movement as the margin of the ribbon approaches the printing-perm, and then gradually decrease the rap1d1ty of the movement as the 'margin recedes from the -printingpoinh In this Way all portions of the ribbon may be used to the same extent. The simplest form otmecliaiiismfor this purpose .consists of an elliptical ratchet-wheel 13, fixed upon the shaft 9 and operated by a broad pawl 14, attached to a vlbratlng arm 15. The arm ivextendsupward from a rock-shaft 16, which is rocked by the universal bar 17, underlying the keylevers, which is connected to the rock-shaft by arms 18. The universal bar is commonly u sed 1n type-writers for operating the carriage-fecd mechanism, and it need not therefore be more fully described herein. The arm l may be extended upward to operate the escapcmeut of thc,carriagefeed, if desired. It will be evident that when the pa'wl is operating upon the teeth of the ratchet lnearest to the drivingshaft tho shaft will rotate fastest, and that the'rapdity of. rotation will gradually decrease nntilthe pawl reaches the teeth which are farthest away from the shaft. The ribbon 19 passes over guides 20, which, as shown, are formed of wires suitably bent andattached to the connecting-frame of the spool-supports. Springs 21, heldin place by adjustable screws 22, retain the ribbonslrafts in their. bearings and produce any desired tension in the ribbon.

In order to feed the ribbon lengthwise once during each rotation,I attach to `the frame of vthe machine detente- 23 and to each ofthe spools-shafts a ratchet-wheel 2 4. As shown,

the detents 23 consist of right-angled plates of spring metal rigidly connected at one end to the main fram'e and normally out of con tact with the ratchet-Wheels, as shown on the left of Fig. 2. The detents may be pressed down into the paths of the ratchet-wheels by means ot thumb-screws 25, the one on the right of Fig. 2 being shown so pressed down. A sccticn of the ribbon' 19 is shown in`Fig. 1, and on it dotted lines 26 indicate some of the successive circles of ribbon which have been presented to the printing-point 27. As shown, the ribbon is traveling in the direction of the arrow. l

The operation of the. devices above described isas follows: 'Each timeakey-lever isoperated the universal bar is depressed, the rock-shaft vibratcd, and the ratchet-wheel and driving-shaft 9 moved slightly by means 'of the pawl 14. As the driving-crank 11 is r0- tatcd the idle-cranks 7 are carried around simultaneously, all three cranks continuin g'parallel to each other, so that the spool-supports receive a simultaneous rotation. The pawl 23 on the right being held'down by a set-screw and theone on the left being up, as shown.

when the spool reaches the pawl, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ratchet-wheel 24 (which in' this instance constitutes'oue end of the spool) will be engaged by the pawl, andas thespoolsupports rotate the spool on the right will be turned, winding up`a portion of the ribbon ,in the direction of' the arrow. The spools and ribbon will then be carried through a complete circle before the ribbon is again fed forward long.itudinally,the speed of the rotation 'of the spool-supports varying, as hereinbefore described.

.In Figs. 4 and. 5 I have shown two other forms of mechanismby-which the variable rotation of the spool-supports may be-att'ain'ed. f In Fig. 4 an elliptical ratchet-wheel 2S is op# g erated by a pawl 2Q, and the driving-shaft 9 is driven from the ratchet-wheel by means ot` a pair of beveled gears 30, the vertical beveled wheel and the ratchet-wheel being fixed upon a horizontal shaft passing through the frame 10. 1n Fig. 5 the pawl 2S) rotates a circular ratchet-wheel 31, and' upon the same shaft with the ratchet-wheel is an elliptical gear 32, which mesheswith a second elliptical gear 38. From the second gear movement iscom'niunicated tothe driving-shaft bya pair of beveled gears 34:. The elliptical ratchet-wheels shown and the elliptical gears are substantially equivalent, and I shall hereinafter designate both forms and their equivalents by the generic term elliptical gearing.

Vhile I have illustrated my invention in the best mechanical form which I have been able up to the present time to devise, it will ybe evident that the principle of the invention may be carried out in various other. ways; therefore, p Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of .mechanism shown and described, I claim- `1. In a type-writer, the combination, with the ribbon and'spools, of spool-supports, conf nections between said supports for maintaining. the spools in a constantv relation to each ICO IIO

other, and means for imparting rotation to said supports in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the ribbon.

2. In a type-writer, the combination, with the ribbon and spools, of spool-supports, connections between. said supports for maintaining theY spools in a constant relation to each other, and means for imparting a variable rotary movement to said supports in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the ribbon, whereby the margin of the ribbon is made to travel overI the printing-point more rapidly than the middle portion.

3. In a type-writer, the combination, with the ribbon and spools, of spool-supports, convnections between said supports for maintain-` ing the spools in a constant relation to each other,'means for rotating said supports, and elliptical gearing, substantially as described, for varying the speed of the supports during each rotation.`

i. In ,a typo-writeigthe combination, with the ribbon and ribbon-spools, of spool-supports, connections between said-supports for maintaining the spools in a constant relation to each other, cranks upon whichsaid supports are carried, and means for rotating the cranks simultaneously, substantially as dcscribed. 4

5. In a type-writer, the combination of the spool-supports, the curved frame connecting the supports, and the rotatable cranks for carrying said frame and supports,substantially as described.

6, In a type-writer, the' combination, with -t-he ribbon and spools, of spool-supports, con- -nectionsbetween said spool-supports for maintaining the spools in a constant relation to .each other, means for imparting rotation to said supports in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the ribbon, and means for turning the ribbon-spools to feed the ribbon lengthwise, substantially as described. 7. In a type-writer, the combination, with i the ribbon and spools, of spool-supports, connections between said supports for maintaining -the spools in a constant relation, means for imparting rotation to said supports in a plane snbstantiallyvparallel .with the plane of the ribbon, ratchet-wheels connected with the spools, and detents attached to fixed supports and movable into and out of engagement with the ratchet-wheels, substantially as described.

S. In -a type-Writer, the combination, with the ribbon and ribbon-spools, and ratchetwheels connected with the spools, of a curved 'frame connecting .the -spool-supports, three ports, and elliptical gearing for imparting variable rotary movement to the cranks, substantially as described.

10. In a typewriter ribbon-feedmg mechanism, the combination, with a rock-shaft and an arm and pawl carried thereby, of elliptical gearing operated by the pawl for imparting a suitable` movement to the ribbon', substantially asy described.'

11. In a type-writer ribbon-feeding mechanism,the combination,with a rockshaft and a broad pawl carried thereby, ofa revoluble shaft' and an elliptical ratchet-Wheel fixed upon the shaft, said pawl being arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, whereby a variable movement is given to the shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aftlx my signature i n presence of two witnesses.

. J. A. I/VATSON. Witnesses:

W. CLARENCE DUVALL, VJ M. E. NEFF.

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