US620960A - pratt - Google Patents

Description

No. 620,960. Patented Mar. l4, I899.

J. PRATT. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Applicatlon filed June 20, 1895. I (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

ZqiZwes-ses w lnventar.

TNE n'onms PETERS coy. PHoTmuma, wAsmNa'rou, a c.

No. 620,960. Patented Mar. l4, I899.

J. PRATT. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 20, 1895.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

{No Model.)

O QQQQS.QQQQQ OQQQQOQQ 0 m: nanms PEYERS cc. Puorournm WASHINGTON. n..c.

' No. 620,960. Patented Mar. 14, I899.

J. PRATT.

TYPE -WR|TING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 20, 1895.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheats-S,haet 3.

THE norms PETERS co. womuruou WASHINGTON, my C.

NO. 620,960. Patented Ma'r'. [4,1899.

J. PRATT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

( Application filed June 20, 1895.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No Model.)

Z2 venivrs messes:

"m: NORRIS PETERS 00.. PHOTO-UTHG. WASHINGTON, D c.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PRATT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE HAMMOND TYPE- WRI'IER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TYPE-WRITING MACH'I N E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,960, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed June 20,1895. $erial No. 553 ,460. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Type-WVriting Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in type-writing machines of the class in which all the types are in one type -carrier, and more especiallyin the line of my United States and English patents of 1868 and 1869, respectively. I

The objects of my improvements are speed, accuracy, uniform touch for all the keys,manifolding, and simplicity, cheapness, and durability of construction. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a plan of the entire machine; Fig. 2, a plan of the machine with papercarriage, spools, and type-plate removed; Fig. 3, a vertical lateral section of the machine along the line 03 w of plan 1; Fig. 4., a rear elevation of same; Fig. 5, a vertical longitudinal section along the line y y of plan 1; Fig. 6, a partial longitudinal elevation of left side of machine; Fig. 7, a rear view of stopplate and guide; Fig. 8, a view of stop-plate and stop-arms in contact; Fig. 9, a view of type-plate, and Fig. 10 of reversing-mechanism.

Similar letters and numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A is a wooden case, to which is secured the metal base-frame B, to which is fixed all the mechanism except some parts relating to feed. Bar N is secured to standards M.

The types are arranged in horizontal rows on the face of a rectangular plate D, which may be of thin metal or of celluloid, parchment, or similar substance, and in case of metal may be stamped thereon or formed of electros. In case celluloid is used the type is preferably of rubber and may be slit at the lower end to receive the margin of celluloid and secured with cement, as shown at 19, Fig. 9. 'Thetypes are slit'apart in vertical rows of three each, preferably, and are arranged, preferably, with the lower case in the upperrow, capitals inthe middle, and the figures and other signs in the lowermost row. The separation of the type triplets is intended to secure the clean impression, especially in manifolding, of the separate types, free from smudgings of adjacent types, and the plate is made flexible in order that each slat when struck by the hammer may be driven a little beyond the vertical plane of the type-plate. In order that the work may be seen as done, the type-plate is set about a quarter-inch from the platen and is moved nearly in contact .with the platen before impressed, as shown hereinafter.

The type-plate is curved at each end into short cylinders, through which passes a guiderod W, on which it slides laterally. This rod rests in holes in the upper ends of the sides 0c of an H -shaped frame 00 102, where it is confined by the thin strips 202 203, made flexible, so that the rod, and with it the type, maybe instantly removed for cleaning. The typeplate has a prolongation which enters a slot 300 in a plate 201, by which it is held in a vertical position. This prolongation is slotted at 2 and forms a yoke to receive a pin '74, fixed in the upper end of arm g, forming a prolongation of stop-arms f and secured therewith to hub 82 of shaft 0, pivoted in bars 105 106, framed into bars 73, secured to bar N. 011 the obverse face of said hub is fixed driverarms e, formed, like the stop-arms, of one piece. Driver-levers I, journaled on brackets O, secured to standards M, traverse over the key-levers, nearly meeting at the middle of keyboard. These driver-levers oscillate the shaft 0 and arm g, the one to the right and the other to the left, and by means of thepin 74 move type-plate to and fro on its guide-rod, the slot in type-plate permitting-the circular movement of the pin. The nearer a given key-lever is to the fulcrum of its driver-lever the greater its movement, and it is the relative position of these that determines the degree of movement of a given type. A little over half the movement of the driver-levers is waste in order that either one may be in position to operate its driver-arm from the extreme limit of its previous movement, for if a given lever rested normally immediately under its driver-arm the type-plate would have to return to its initial position before the next key could be struck. So machines of this class have the driver initially out of the field of movement of the driver-arms 0r gear-arms, as the case may be; otherwise the movement would be locked both right and left, and to allow the type-bearer to return to its initial position the previously-struck key must be allowed to rise to its initial position, and this takes time.

The reversing mechanism consists of a lug 2', which is a light three-sided rectangular frame pivoted to frame-lever K Pand having the upper ends of its fingers bent over the reversing-arms d, mounted on the shaft 0. \Vhen the said frame-lever is lifted by a key-lever, the type-plate is freed from any resistance, but when the lever drops back to its place the lug reverses it to initial position. The novelty of this reversing mechanism is that no special reversing-spring is employed as in all other machines of this class, and the key-touch, as regards this movement, is sub stantially the same for all the key-levers. It is the weight of P in the frame that does this work while reversing the escapement and hammer, as shown hereinafter.

The mechanism for stopping the type-plate at the impression position consists of framelever J Q, consisting of shaft J, side arms 15,

a wooden bar Q, having regulator-screws 16 therein, a middle arm 14, and a stop-frame 13, resting in a notch of arm 14. Said frame 13 is slotted and guided by a projection 209 on bar 106. (See Fig. 7.) Frame 13 is flanged on both sides, as shown, and one or the other of said flanges moves counter to its stop-arm and opposes and stops its downward mover;

Frame-lever The degree,

ment and so stops type-plate.

J Q, is centered in standards R. of its movement is regulated by adjustingpins 16, and that movement is greater in proportion as the movement of a driver-lever is less. over a corresponding key-lever and the nearer a screw in initial position is to its key-lever the sooner, therefore, said key-lever will operate the frame-lever J Q and the sooner the'latter stops the type-plate. The adjusting-screws may be set in the key-levers instead of the frame-lever. Usually the driver-levers operate as such but in very rapid manipulation it often happens that the stop-lever acts as the.

driver'lever and the d river-lever as the stop-leyer, forin such case the key-lever acts before the reversing-lug has time to return type-plate to initial position, and then the type-plate, instead of moving as usual to the lefte. 9., when impelled by a right-hand driverlevermoves to the right from a previous longer movement in the opposite direction. Properly, therefore, the driver-levers should be named driver stop-levers and the stop-levers stop driver-levers from their double function, and so of their adjuncts, andlshall so designate them in the claims. I dwell on The regulator-screws are severally set this as anovel feature of this invention, since in all other machines of this class the righthand and left-hand series of key-levers impart motion only in one direction and the re versing-sprin g and mechanism is indispensable, the machine being inoperative without it. In this the reversing-1n g is not necessary, but is used only as a subsidiary device, the mechanism in many positions moving the type from the last preceding position, and in all cases may do so. All this tends to increment of speed.

The paper carriage consists of two end plates G, framed together by bar 39, guiderod 37, bail 94, large rollerE, pressed in contact with small roller F, and axled in said plates. Other parts thereof are paper-guide scroll 86, secured to bar 39 by brackets l], antifriction-rollers 40, axled on said bar 39, presser-roller frame 36, carrying rollers 35, and a guide-plate 21, consisting of thin sheet metal stretched between end plates just above small roller. Other parts will be described in showing interlinear mechanism. The paper is introduced between large roller and scroll 86, which guides the upper margin to the lips of the rollers. Large roller is then rotated and the paper moves in contact with guide 21 and then presserroller frame is lifted and dropped upon it to hold it smoothly against the large roller.

The carriage-way frame consists of a swingshaft- T and a rail U, riveted together by arms Y. The rollers 40 travel on rail U, being secured thereto by brackets 41, which are perforated so as to slide on said rail. These perforations are open, as shown, to allow the arms Y to pass through. Shaft T is pivoted to standards S, and the frame is held in initial position byspiral spring 89. A set-screw collar 42 stops carriage at any desired point by coming in contact with one of brackets 41.

The carriage is supported vertically by a vertical slot in standard 17, wherein rod 37 moves laterally for line-feed and Vertically, as will hereinafter be described, for another purpose.

The line-feed mechanism consists of the ratchet-bar 63, secured to swing-frame 62, hinged to end plates G at (34, having a perforated projection for fastening pulleycord, pulley-wheel V, journaled in standards 68 and operated by spring tensioned by disk 70 and screw 71, pressing against same. The swing-frame is hinged to paper-carriage so as to allow the feed to be operated at anyvertical position of the carriage. The feed is accomplished by means of escapement mechanism geared with ratchet-bar. This consists of the frame-lever K P, operated by all the key-levers severally, arm 56, secured to a sleeve 57, mounted on shaft K and geared with a hanger 55, pivoted to arm 51, mounted on shaft 52, stepped in standard 17. The sleeve has also an arm 58 resting on bar P of lever K P. Sleeve 57 fits shaft K loosely and arm 58 rests on P is also actuated by said leverK P. Secured to standard 17 isabracket 47, having two notches in which reciprocate detents 50 and 48, pivoted to arm 51 on opposite sides of shaft 52, whereon said arm osoillates. Initially detent 48 is geared with the ratchet through nib 49, its slot in bracket 47 allowing lateral play corresponding to the distance of one escapement movement. Spring 97, connecting the two detents, causes detent 48 to resume initial position after retraction from ratchet-bar. Detent 48 has a nib 49 pivoted thereto, which allows the ratchet free reverse movement when the carriage is pushed back for a fresh line of print. The reverse movementof scapement is made by weight of bar P. The large forward movement of carriage is made by lifting swingframe 62. Space-key lever 60 has an upward limb 61 which rests against arm 58, mounted, as has been said, on sleeve 57. The spacekey through these parts actuates the escapement independently of the lever K P without moving it and without disturbing the impression mechanism. Spring 115 reverses the arm 58, and so the escapement for spaces, being tensioned by collar 116 just enough for this, but not enough to lift lever K P.

The page -feed mechanism consists of ratchet-wheel 23, secured to end of roller E, pawl 24, hinged on arm 25, which is a prolongation of a disk, a slotted lever-arm 27, straddling said pawl, a shaft 28, whereon is mounted said arm, a reversing-spring 29, tensioned by set-screw collar 30, a thumb-plate 31, slotted at its lower end to receive an adjustingscrew pin 32, stepped in end plate of carriage and bearing an adjusting-nut 33; also, of friction-washer 87 and collar 88. Initially the pawl is lifted by spring 29 out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel, so that the large roll may be revolved either way freely without lifting a latch. A pin 26 on arm 25 limits the movement of pawl and causes 25 to move with it. The reverse movement of arm 25 is limited by a pin 206, fixed in end plate G. The page-feed is operated by pressing the thumbplate in pushing back the carriage. This brings the pawl into gear with the ratchetwheel, because the friction of the arm 25 against the friction-washer is greater than the friction of the pawl in its bearing. Then the roller E is moved a distance determined by the adjusting-nut 33.

The impression mechanism consists of a hammer L, having the face vertically prolonged to cover the field of impression, connecting-rod 8, geared with arm 7 on end of hammer-shaft and with arm 9 on shaft K of lever K P. Since it is difficult to time the hammer-stroke so as to follow and not precede the stop of the type-plate, I employ a mechanism to slightly delay the stroke. This consists of mounting arm 9 on shaft K so that it may turn freely thereon. A set-screw collar has a pin 10 passing behind arm 9. A spring 11, tensioned by set-screw collar 12,

'ness of the stroke.

presses arm 9 against pin 10. Now when a key is struck the arm 9 propels the hammer through the resistance of the spring, which yields the more in proportion to the sudden- The resistance of the spring is regulated by the tension-collar. The hammer-shaft is journaled in projections of bars 73.

In its initial vertical position the paper-carriage is so adjusted that the upper part of the hammer-face strikes the outer row of types against the large roller. Since the type-plate cannot be raised to bring the supplementary type rows into the field of impression without changing the relative positions of the type moving and stopping mechanism, it is necessary to lower the paper-carriage. anism for this purpose consists of the carriage-way frame, already described, arm 100 on the left end of rail U, hangers 45 and 46, secured to shaft 72 and forming therewith a toggle-joint, shifting-keys y y, fixed to said shaft and having their motions regulated and limited by adj usting-screws 107. A pressure on either key lowers the carriage by flexing the joint. the screw on that side stops the platen at the capitals row of type. If the left-hand key is pressed, its screw stops it at figures and signs. Reversing-spring 89 brings back the carriage to initial position. During this vertical movement of the paper-carriage the ratchet bar or rack 63, secured to swing-frame 62, rests on bracket 47, while only its hinge connection with paper-carriage shifts therewith. Guiderod 37 descends in slot of bar 17.

The ribbon is wound on spools p and feeds from one to the other. The spools are mounted on shafts r, the spool on the right hand turning on but not with it. That on the lefthand shaft is geared therewith by means of a pin is and a disk 108, having perforations to receive it. The feed consists of an ordinary ratchet-wheel s, pawl 25, pawl-lever u, connecting-rod 103, hinged to lever '10, and arm 104 of shaft K. The lift of frame-lever K P operates the feed. The spools have each a pin is on obverse sides, and the ribbon is reversed by interchanging spools, which hasthe advantage of presenting a fresh margin thereof and increasing its durability. The spools are fitted loosely on the shaft, so as to be easily lifted ofi to renew ribbon.

' Normally, as has been said, the type-plate .is held some distance from the platen, but it is moved nearly in contact therewith before the hammer strikes it. For this purpose the 1 H -fram e, consisting of two uprights ac, framed by cross-bar 102, is hinged at 210 to brackets 211, secured to bar N. A connecting-rod 212 is pivoted to a boss 213 on said upright 00 and also to an arm 214 on shaft K. Shaft K moves the said frame and the type-plate 'sim ultaneously with the hammer. The frame P, shaft K, and arm 214 constitute abell-crank lever for operating the H-frame through the link 212. The ribbon 202, guided and sup- The mech- If the right-hand key is pressed,

ported by slits in the plates 203 terminating uprights 00, is moved to and fro with typeplate, so that the last letter of line of print may be seen after each impression.

The key-levers operating all rest in the slots in the plates a onfulcra at the bottom of slots cut shallow where used as fulcra or else on separate fulcra b, according to what bank a given key may belong to. There are preferably four banks of keys with fulcra so arranged as to equalize leverage.

Having thus described my invention and the mode of operating the same, I claim- 1. In a type-writer, the combination with the platen, of a type-plate having the type arranged on the side nearest the platen, a pivoted frame supporting said .plate in front of the platen, a bell-crank rock-lever having one arm bearing upon the key-levers, and adapted to be operated by the same, and a link pivoled to the opposite arm of said lever and to said frame respectively, whereby the frame and plate are rocked toward and away from the platen, as set forth.

2. In a type-writer, the combination with the platen, of a type-plate having the type arranged on the side nearest the platen, a pivoted frame supporting said plate in front of the platen, a rock-lever adapted to be oper-. ated by the key-levers, a link connecting said frame and rock-lever, the hammer having its striking-face in front of the type-plate, and

, its operating-arm connected with the shaft of the rock-lever, all as set forth.

3. In a type-writer, the combination with the platen, of the flat type-plate having the type arranged on the side nearest the platen, a pivoted frame supporting said plate in front of the platen, and a support in said frame and between the plate and the platen for the inkingribbon, a bell-crank rock-lever having one arm bearing upon the key-levers and adapted to be operated by the same, and a link pivoted to the opposite arm of said lever, and to said frame respectively, all as set forth.

4. In a type-writer, the combination with the platen, of a type-plate having the type arranged on the side nearest the platen, and supported on a pivoted frame in front of the platen, a rock-lever adapted to operate said frame, and be operated by the key-levers, the hammer having its striking-face in front of the type-plate, a spring secured to the rocklever and bearing upon the hammer-operating arm, all as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a type-writer, the combination with the type-plate supported loosely on a horizontal guide, and having a downwardly-projecting yoke,adriver-lever having its two arms extending laterally on opposite sides of its fulcrum, and having an upwardly-extending arm engaging with the yoke of'the type-plate, two sets of key-levers and intermediate mechanism whereby the operation of said two sets of levers will cause the two driver-arms to raise respectively and slide the type-plate laterally in both directions, all as set forth.

6. ha type-writer, the combination with the type-plate supported loosely on a horizontal guide and having a downwardly-pro posite sides of its fulcrum, an arm extending upward from said levers and engaging with the yoke of the type-plate, two sets of key levers, and intermediate mechanism for raising the two driver-arms respectively, and mechanism for stopping the movement of the descending stop-arm, all as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a type-writer, the combination with the type-plate supported loosely on a horizontal guide and having a downwardly-projecting yoke, a driver and a stop-lever both hav ing their arms extending laterally on opposite sides of its fulcrum an arm extending upward from said levers and engaging with the yoke of the type-plate, two sets of key-levers and intermediate mechanism for raising the two driverarms respectively, and a verticallymovable frame raised by the action of the keylevers for coming in contact with one of the descending stop-arms and thus limiting its descent, all as and for the purposes set forth.

9. In a type-writer, the combination with the type-plate supported loosely on a horizontal guide and having a downwardly-projecting yoke, a driven lever having its two arms extending on opposite sides'of its fulcrum,and having an upwardly-extending arm engaging with the yoke of the type-plate, two sets of key-levers, two transverse arms pivoted to the machine-frame, and extending over the two sets of type-levers respectively, and said two arms adapted to raise the two driver-arms respectively,all as and for the purposes set forth.

10. In a type-writer, the combination with the type-plate supported loosely on a horizontal guide and having adownwardly-projecting yoke, a rocking lever having its two arms extending on opposite sides of its fulcrum,and having an upwardly-extending arm engaging with the yoke of the type-plate, a frame adapted to be raised and depressed by the key-levers, and having two vertical arms with bent ends overlapping the two rocking arms respectively,all as and for the purposes set forth.

11. In a type-writer, the paper-carriage, in combination with a spring swing-frame supporting said carriage and the action of the spring tending to force the frame upward, a toggle-joint the upper arm of which is connected with said carriage, the lower arm be- IlO ing secured to a rock-shaft, a rock-lever on said shaft, and stops arranged at difl'erent 13. A type-plate for a type-writer, consisting of a series of rubber or other flexible strips having the type upon one side, and said strips arranged side by side, and attached to a 10ngitndinal strip of celluloid or similar material, by slits and cement, and a rigid connection with said strip, whereby the plate may be moved operatively on the machine, all as set forth.

JOHN PRATT.

Witnesses:

L. HOLLOWAY, M. C. PINCKNEY,

Images