US639660A - Type-writing machines. - Google Patents

Description

No. 639,660.- Pate nted Dec. I9, I899.

L. s. BUBRIDGE. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet L (III/WWW m: NORRIS PETERS ca. Puoro-urna, wnsnwercm n, c.

N0. 639,660. Patented Dec. [9, I899. L. S. BUBRIDGE.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 2.

THE mums PETERS co. PHoYo-urna, WASNINGTDN, n, c

9 9 mm m! E e D d e t n e l a DI .L G D" R u B S L flw 6 7 9 3 6 0 N TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

(Application filed Mar. 26, 1898.) A

4 SheetsSheet 4.

(No Model.)

m wi m THE. NORRIS PErERs c0. m-(o'mum WASHINGTON u c NITED. STATES PATENT EEICE.

LEE s. BURRIDGE, on NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE CENTURY MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHIINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,660, dated December 19, 1899.

Application fi March 26, 1898. Serial No- 6'75,270. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that I, LEE S. BURRIDGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type -Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in certain improve ments upon or modifications of the typewritin g machines set forth and claimed in Letters Patent No. 585,838, dated July 6, 1897, and No. 593,563, dated November 16, 1897, both granted to Lee S. Burridge. It also embodies various features, details, and combinations original in themselves and independent of the Burridge constructions.

The improved machine is illustrated in accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. 2, a side elevation with the skirt of the base-plate broken away to show the parts beneath said plate; Fig. 3, a vertical section from front to rear on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 looking toward the rear of the machine; Fig. 5, a perpective view of one type-bar with its supporting and actuating mechanism; Fig. 6, a detail view of a ball-and-socket joint used to connect parts of said mechanism; Fig.7, a perspective view, and Fig. 8 a top plan view, of the type-bar guide; Fig. 9, a perspective view of the inking roller.

The invention is susceptible of embodiment in framework of varying design and proportions; but that represented in the drawings is preferred because of its simplicity and compactness. This consists,essentially,ofa base 1, with a depending skirt 2, with or without feet 3, the skirt serving to raise the bed-plate sufficiently to permit the placing of portions of mechanism thereunder and to protect such mechanism.

At the front of the bed-plate 1 there is a vertical wall or shield 4, which serves to protect the mechanism and to support portions therethe 'of,for which latter purpose it is provided with a series of arms 5, arranged in pairs, as seen in Fig. 1.

At the rear side of the bed-plate and extending across the same from side to side is a raised support and feed the paper.

runway 6, which serves as a track or guide for a carriage 7, bearin g a roller or platen 8 to The front and rear vertical walls of the track or runway 6 are undercut to receive supporting and guiding lugs or rollers 9, which project inward from the depending skirt of the carriage, as seen in Fig. 1, though obviously any other usual mode of mounting the carriage and guiding it may be adopted.

It is desirable that the carriage be prevented from lifting from its ways, or, in other words, that the lugs or rollers 9 be held down upon the lower walls of the grooves in order that the platen may move in a straight line and without rising and falling. This result is insured by providing the under side of the carriage with a longitudinal bar 10,having aprojecting flange or ledge, and arranging a light bow-spring 11 to engage over said flange, the

spring being made fast to the top of the run-v way 6, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The spring further serves to produce a slight degree of friction,sufficient to prevent thecarriage from being advanced too far through the momentum acquired in letter-space feeding.

The paper-roll or platen 8 is provided at one end with a ratchet-wheel 12, which is engaged bya dog or pawl 13, carried by a lever 14, fnlcrumed on the platen-axle or coincia 'dently therewith, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

A stop-arm l5, pivoted to one of the standards in which the platen-axle is carried and which has two stop-faces at different distances from its pivot, serves to arrest the lever 14 and to determine its range of movement. One face is so positioned as to permit the lever to carry the platen the distance for ordinary full-line spacing, while the other stops it half-way and gives half-line spacing. A spring 15" returns the lever 14, causing it to swing backward and to carry the dog 13 back from the tooth last advanced and into engagement with another.

At the forward or inner side of the carriage 7 there is secured a rack-bar 16,havin g ratchetteeth on its upper edge, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4, with which engages a feeding dog or pawl 17, carried by an elbow-lever 18, fnlcrumed upon the carriage runway or base, as shown in Fig. 4, which runway, it should be observed, is movable toward and from the front and rear of the machine. A spring 19 tends constantly to move the vertical arm of lever 18, and consequently dog 17, in the direction in which the carriage travels in letter-spacing, and a second and lighter spring 20 serves to draw the free end of the dog downward and to hold it in engagement with the teeth of the rack-bar. A pin or stud 21, projecting from the side of dog 17 and playing in a notch or opening in a post orplate 22, serves to prevent the undue rise of the free end of the dog, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 4.

Rising from the carriage runway or base, midway between the ends thereof, are two uprights 23, each carrying an inwardly-projecting arm 24. (Best shownin Figs. 7 and 8, but also seen in Figs. 3 and 4.) These arms are provided with or are fashioned into guideblocks 25, which are designed to guide and to steady the type-bars in their movements to the printing-point and to hold them against play in any direction while the printing is being done.

Formed with or secured to the uprights 23 and extending upward in the space between said uprights are two curved and slotted guide-plates 26, separated a distance sufficient to receive between them an inking-roller 27 and its carrying-yoke 28. The yoke 28 has a central supporting-stem, the lower end of which is hinged or -pin-jointed to a lever 29, one end of which is carried horizontally to a support 30 on the under side of the carriage-runway 6, to which support the lever is pivoted, a light spring 31 being provided to elevate the roller, yoke, and lever and to maintain them normally in their elevated positions. The axle or central shaft of the in king-roller 27 has its ends extended outward to enter and traverse the slots of the curved guides or plates 26, as shown in Fig. 4, and consequently the roller, it depressed, will follow the path prescribed by said slots and will return by the same path to its first or normal position. In descending, the roller will thus pass from a position over the platen or paper-roll 8 to a position at one side thereof, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The several parts are made quite light in order that they may act quickly and without offering much resistance to the type-bars by which they are primarily actuated.

The platen or paper-roll is partially encircled by paper-guides 32, and a bar 33, carried by arms 34, lies upon and presses down the upper end of the sheet of paper. If desired, a spring 35 may bear upon one of the arms 34, and thus cause the bar to press with greater force upon the paper.

As above noted,the carriage runway or base 6 is itself movable forwardly and backward] y in or upon the bed or base plate of the machine. To insure its easy movement,itis provided on its under side with grooved bars or blocks 36, eiitending at right angles to the length or line of travel of the paper-carriage, and is supported upon balls 37, which in turn rest in grooved bars or ways 38 in the base of the machine. These bars are seen in Figs. 2 and 4, but are omitted in Fig. 3 to avoid confusion of parts.

The bars or blocks 36 of the carriage-runway 6 are connected therewith each by a neck 39, passing through a slot or opening 40 in the bed-plate of the machine. (Seen in Figs. 1 and 4.)

To maintain the carriage runway or base normally in a medial position, yet leave it free to be moved forward or backward upon application of moderate force, said runway is provided with an arm 41, which extends downwardly through an opening in the bedplate of the machine and carries a laterallyprojecting bowl or roller-stud 42, with which coacts a spring-pressed lever 43. This lever is fulerumed at one end in the base-frame and bears upon the upperside of the bowl or stud 42 with a force or pressure aiforded by a spring 44. The lower edge of lever 43 has two inclined bearing-faces meeting at their highest points and forming a sort of V notch or seat, the apex of which is normally occupied by the bowl or stud, the inclined faces tending always to return it to such position.

For the purpose of moving the carriage base or runway, and thereby the carriage,fo1- ward or backward there is provided a vertical lever 45, the lower arm of which is connected by a bar or link 46 with said base or runway, while the upper arm is similarly connected with the depending arm of a shiftlever 47, fulcrumed in a bracket projecting from the wall or shield 4, as seen in Fig. 2. The upper end of the shift-lever 47 has two branches, one in front and the other in rear of its pivot or fulcrum, and each is furnished with a suitable finger key or button 48 or 49. By depressing the key or button 48 the carriage base or runway and the carriage will be drawn forward, while by depressing key 49 they will be receded. In either case they will return automatically to a medial position when the lever 47 is released.

To accurately limit and determine the travel of the carriage-runway and carriage, screw- stops 50 and 51 are provided, as seen in Fig. 2. v

For the purpose of lifting the dog 17 out of engagement with the rack 16 to permit the carriage to be receded without noise or wear of the dog or rack, a flat plate or bar 53 is carried lengthwise of the paper-carriage and arranged to travel beneath a projection 54 on the rear side of the dog, as best shown in Fig. 3, said plate being carried upon journals in the end standards of the carriage and provided with a lever or finger-piece 55, by which to tip or rock the plate.

Passing now to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, the con struction, arrangement, and mode of operation of the printing mechanism proper will be explained. This mechanism comprises a series of type-bars 52, each bearing a number of types or printing characters and capable of a swinging movement or of a compound swinging and endwise movement, suitable key mechanism being provided to effect the movements necessary to bring any one of the printing characters to the printing position. The drawings show nine type-bars each with nine bosses or enlargements 106 to bear types or printing characters, which project from their lower faces, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5; but it is obvious that the number may vary. When three positions of the platen are provided for, the types or printing characters are arranged in three groups, a different group to print in each different position of the platen. So, too, when the type-bars are constructed and arranged to stand with their pivot-supports normally in a medial position and to be moved forward and backward therefrom to effect longitudinal movement of the bars there will be three types or printing characters in each group. Such is the construction and arrangement here illustrated and such will be preferred in use; but it is obvious that the number of positions of the platen and of the pivot-supports of the typebars may be increased or diminished without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each type-bar 52 has at its pivotal end a fiat block or plate 56, which is pivotally supported and guided by and between the two plates or walls of a carrier 57. This carrier is supported and guided at its inner end by a horizontal rod or stem 58, movable through a guide-plate 59, and is carried at its rear or outer end upon a swinging post or standard 60. The lower end of the standard is formed with a long sleeve (seen in Fig. 5) to encircle a pivot pin or axle 61, projecting laterally from a lug beneath bed-plate l, or made in the form of a continuous rod through a series of such lugs and common to the entire series of standards, as found expedient. The long bearing thus afforded precludes any appreciable twisting or lateral play of the standard and insures a right-line movement forward and backward. The connection between the carrier 57 and the upper end of the standard 60 is also designed to prevent lateral play, and to this end a slotted ing 62 is made fast to or formed with the carrier, and the upper end of the standard 60 is extended in the direction of movement to afford wide bearing or contact faces between it and the walls of the lug 62. In the drawings the carrier is represented as made up of metal plates,with suitable spacingpieces between but obviously it may be cast or forged in one piece with the lug 62, or it may be bent up from a single plate of metal,

with ears or plates to receive the head of standard 60, these being mere details of manufacture. From the side of each plate or block 56 of the several type-bars projects a stud or pin 63, from which a link 64 extends to an actuating-lever 65, the ends of the link being constems and standards, as indicated in Figs. 1 V

and 5. In other words, while the guides and standards are arranged to move in parallel lines or planes the carriers are arranged in planes radial to a common center. This is not essential, but is advantageous in that it involves less lateral deflection or bending of the type-bars than would be incident to an arrangement of the carriers in parallel planes, with the actuating keys and levers separated the distance necessary to give proper spread of the keyboard.

There is an actuating-lever 65 for each typebar, and the several levers are arranged parallel to one another, their inner ends being carried into slotted posts 66 and fulcrumed upon a common rod 67, as seen in Fig.1.

Each lever is of the form shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5-that is to say, it is a lever of the second order-and has at a point between its ends a downwardly-extending arm 68, to

which is attached one end of a coiled or spiral;

The springs 69 serve to ele- Y 69 to be located below the bed or base plate of the machine, where there is ample space for long and elastic springs and where they do not at all interfere with the free and proper movement of the type-bars, their carriers, or their actuating devices.

70 indicates a plate, of met-a1 or other thin but strong material, standing in a vertical plane and pivotally connected with the forward or power end of lever 65, there being one such plate for each lever. In addition to the support and guidance afforded by the levers 65 each plate 7 O (hereinafter-designated as shifter-plates has its outer or forward edge extended into and guided by one or another of the slotted arms 5, projecting inward from the wall or shield 4 and hereinbefore' to guide and to retain in place the shifterpl'ate, though permitting it to freely rise and falland to rock or tip to the slight extent necessary to enable it to follow the movements of lever 65. v

Each shifter-plate 70 has three slots 73, 74, and 7 5, the first of which is straight, or practically so, while the other two are parallel with the first in their upper portions and then converge and join the central slot at a point somewhat above its lower end.

Each carrier 57 is formed with a forwardlyextending arm 76, provided with a lateral stud 77 to enter the slot 73 of the shifterplate belonging to such carrier, the stud resting normally in the lower end of said slot, as in Figs. 2 and 5. The branch slots are guarded and normally closed to the stud 77 by gates or directing-fingers 78 79, formed upon levels 80 and 81, pivotally supported upon the shifter-plate and provided, respectively, with finger- buttons 82 and 83. The play of each lever 81 is limited by a stop-pin 84 or equivalent stop device, and each is normally held at its highest point by a light spring 85. A third finger key or button 86 is applied directly to the shifter-plate 70. If this button be depressed, it will carry the shifter-plate directly downward, the mouths of the branch slots being closed by the gates or directingfingers 78 and 79; but if pressure be applied to either lever 80 or 81 through its button 82 or 83 the gate or directing-finger of such lever will be thrown across the central slot and away from the mouth of its own slot, thereby preventing the stud 77 from following the central slot and directing it into the one thus opened. As the plate 70 is forced to move in an un varying path directly up and down or with inappreciable swinging or rocking movement, it follows that the stud 77 will either be held in a fixed position by the vertical walls of the central slot 7 3 or moved forward or backward by the inclined walls of that branch slot into which it is directed by the gate thrown across its path. In this, as in the Burridge patent noted, the carrier57 will be connected with the shifter 70 thus manipulated, will be held against longitudinal movement, or will be moved longitudinally forward and backward, according as one or another finger- key 86, 82, or 83 is depressed, and of course a longitudinal movement of the carrier involves a like movement of the typebar mounted in it. In this way, without any shifting of the platen, the three type or characters of any given group may be printed, and each of the groups may be brought into action by operating the appropriate shift-key or omitting to operate either of them, as required.

The actuating-levers 05 have their free forward ends provided with stems 87, which are guided in slots or ways in a comb or guideplate 88, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

It has been explained that dog or pawl 17 is carried backward over the teeth of rack 16 of the carriage by elevating the horizontal arm of elbow-lever 18, being thereafter drawn forward by spring 19 to advance the carriage one letter-space. It is of course necessary that this action take place after the printing of any character and also between words, which result is attained by the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4- and now cX-'- plained.

89 89 indicate two arms secured upon opposite ends of the rod 67, on which the actuating-levers 65 are hung or fulcrumed, said arms being connected by a rod 80, which crosses the machine just in rear of the depending arms 68 of the actuating-levers 65. At or near the mid-length of rod 67 there is secured an elbow-lever 81, the lower arm of which forms an additional support or carrier for the rod, while the upper arm is connected by a link 92 with one end of a lever 93, pivoted at a point between its ends beneath the bedplate 1 of the machine. The opposite end of lever 93 is provided with a lateral stud 94 to engage with and to lift a like stud 95 of the lever 18. It will be seen that by this construction and arrangement of parts the depression of any actuating-lever 65 will cause its arm 68 to press backward and downward the rod 90, thereby carrying down the upper arm of elbow-lever 91 and, through the connecting link 92, depressing the forward and elevating the rear end of lever 93, which, engaging with and lifting the horizontal arm of elbow-lever 18, will carry the dog or pawl 17 back over one tooth of the rack-bar 16 and into engagement with a fresh tooth of said rack-bar. As soon as the actuating-lever 65 is freed from the pressure im'parted through one or another of its controlling finger-buttons the actuatinglever and its finger-buttons are restored to normal position by spring 69 and spring 19 advances dog 17 and with and by it the carriage 7.

To effect spacing between words or at the commencement of a paragraph, there is provided a space bar or key 96, which extends across the front of the keyboard a suitable distance and is carried by vertical rods or stems 97, the lower ends of which are connected by a cross-bar 98 beneath the bed of the machine. From the cross-bar 98 a rigid arm 99 reaches to and bears upon the projecting end of the rod or pin 100, by which connection is made between link 92 and lever 93. From this arrangement it results that pressure upon the space key or bar 96 will cause the actuation of lever 93 and conse-.

quently of dog 17, the same as is done by the levers 65. The rod is normally held forward and in contact with the arms 68 of levers 65 by means of a spring 101, coiled about rod (57, as seen in Fig. 1.

The type-bars 52 when not in action rest beneath a plate or bar 102, supported by bars 103, secured to plate 59.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a convenient way of forming the universal joint, by which links 64. are connected with levers 65, two angle- pieces 104 and 105 being formed with shallow depressions in their opposing faces and riveted or otherwise made fast to the lovers 05, as shown, with the ball 106 of the link clasped between them. Any other convenient construction may of course be substituted. The inking-roller 27 is preferably made of felt and saturated with a suitable ink, as is done with inking rollers and pads of other machines.

It will be noted that the grooves or spaces between the type-carrying'bosses 106 of the type-bars 52 are just sufficient to receive the guide-arms 25, which latter, being beveled, guide the type-bars accurately to the printing point. The bosses preclude endwise movement of the type-bars after they enter between the guide-arms, and hence the alinement of the type or characters as printed is made and maintained accurate.

I have shown and described in the ink-roller guides and yoke or support a construction which is the invention of another and which is notspecifically claimed herein.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim is 1. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a base or frame; a carriage guide or runway mounted therein and movable toward and from the front of said base or frame; a stud carried by'said runway; a lever having its face arranged to bear upon said stud and inclined both ways therefrom; and a spring bearing upon the lever and urging the same against the stud; whereby the stud is normally held at or is returned to the meeting-point of the two inclined faces of the lever when left free from other force, and the carriage-runway is held normally in its medial position.

2. In combination with bed or base 1, carriage guide or runway 6 bearing a paper-carriage; ways 36 and 38 for said runway; rollers 37 interposed between said ways; stud or bowl 42 carried by the runway 6; lever 43 bearing upon the stud or bowl 42; spring 44 serving to press lever 43 against said stud or bowl; and means substantially such as described and shown for moving the carriagerunway forward and backward from its normal position.

3. In a type-writing machine, a type-bar support comprising a carrier 57 provided with a guide-stem 58; a plate 59 to receive said guide; and a swinging standard or support 60, substantially as shown and described.

4. The herein-described printing mechanism for type-writers consisting of a type-bar 52 provided with a plurality of type or printing characters; a pivot-block 56 by which said bar is carried; a carrier 57 in which the block 56 is pivoted, said carrier being provided with a guide-stem 58 and with a supporting-standard 60; a guide-plate 59 to receive the stem 58; an extension 76 projecting from the carrier 57 and provided with a stud 77; a lever connected with the type-bar block 56 bya link 64; a slotted plate 79 carried by the lever 65; gates or directing- plates 78 and 79 carried by the plate 7 O and serving to guard the slots therein; and finger-keys carried respectively by the plate and by the levers 80 and 81 of the gates or directing-plates, substantially as set forth.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a type-bar; a carrier in which said bar is pivoted, movable in a rightline toward and from the front of the machine; and mechanism substantially such as described and shown for moving said carrier back and forth to varying but determinate distances and for effecting a swinging of the type-bar about its pivot, said mechanism comprising a plurality of keys, each key adapted to set the carrier in one of its several positions and to swing the type-bar thereof about its pivot.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of carrier 57 provided with type-bar 52 and guide-stem 58; swinging standard or support 60; lever 65; plate 70 pivotally connected with lever 65 and having guide-slot 71; pin 72 passing through the guide-slot 71; converging slots 73, 74 and 75 formed in the plate 70; a stud or pin 77 projecting from the carrier 57 into the slot 73; levers 80 and 81 provided with guard- plates 78 and 79; and finger- buttons 86, 82 and 83 carried respectively by the plate 70 and by the levers 80 and 81.

7. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a paper-oarriage provided with a rackbar; a dog adapted to' engage with and advanoe said rack-bar; a lever carrying said dog; a spring adapted to move the dog in the direction necessary to advance the carriage; a series of type-bars; a series of levers 65 for actuating said type-bars, each'lever provided with an arm 68; an elbow-lever 91; a rod carried by said lever and lying in rear of the arms 68; and a lever 93 connected with said elbow-lever and adapted to act upon the dog-carrying lever and to recede the dog. 8. In a type-writer, the combination with a paper-carriage and mechanism substantially such as shown and described for advancing said carriage, of a lever 93 adapted to'act upon said spacing mechanism; a series of actuatinglevers 65 for swinging the typebars about their pivots; a rod 90 located in the path of said levers and adapted to be moved by each; an elbow-lever 91 carrying said rod; and a connection between said elbow-lever and the lever 93 whereby the movements of the actuating-levers are transmitted through the lever 93 to the spacing mechan ism.

9. In combination with a series of type-bars and their actuating-levers 65; carriers 57 for said type-bars, each provided with a stud or projection 77; slotted plates 70 pivotally connected with the lever 65 and guided in the main frame; guards or directing-plates car.- ried by the plate 70 and serving to direct the projection 77 into one or another of the slots of the plate; and finger-buttons carried by the plate 70 and the directing-plates, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In combination with a type-bar 52 hav ing a series of bosses 106; guide-arms 25 of a pressed, said support is moved relatively to thickness to fill the space between the bosses theplaten and means whereby when either and separated a distance sufficient to permit key is depressed the type-bar is rocked upon the body of the bar to pass between them, substantially as shown and described. 1 thereon to the printing-point.

11. The combination of a platen, a type-bar In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand having two type arranged longitudinally in the presence of two Witnesses. thereon; asnpport to which the bar is pivi LEE S. BURRIDGE. oted, capable of movement in a right line to- I ward and from the platen; two finger-keys; means whereby when one of the keys is de- \Vit nesses:

THOMAS WA'rsoN, LEON HUHNER.

its pivot to bring the corresponding, character [5

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