US724671A - Type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 724,671. 'PATENTED APR; 7. 1903. 5

H. (moss & J. GRIFFITHS TYPB'WRITING MACHINE.

,APILIQA TION FILED JUL? 24, 1901 10 MODEL. Y

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fizveaforJi W 7 a 1% we.

p. ,PATENTED APRQV, 1903. H. (moss & G.VJ. GRIFFITHS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum) JULTM, 1901.

I 110 1:01am.

8 SHEETS-SHEET Z- I] Ell-l ln'll ml l i Jam JP]? I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY CROSS AND GEORGE J. GRIFFITHS, OF NVOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TOTHE OLIVER TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

- TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SIEGIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 724,671, dated April 7, 1903. Application filed July 24,1901. Serial No. 69.480- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY CROSS and GEORGE J. GRIFFITHS, of Woodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful 'Improvements in'lype-Writing Machines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and r ing the universal bar and the key-levers to their uppermost positions.

The several features of the invention are herein shown as applied to the Oliver typewriting machine, though it will be apparent that some of the features of the invention may be adapted for application to other types of machines.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sec-' tion of an Oliver type-writing machine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the spring for raising the universal bar and the keys to their uppermost positions.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a fragment of the machine designed to show our improved dead key and the connections between the same and the escapemeut mechanism and showing also parts of the right-hand stop mechanism. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line 4 4: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar section with the operative parts of theinvention in changed positions. Fig. 6 is a detail section in line b 6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a like section with the parts in changed positions. Fig. 8 is a vertical detail section on line 8 S of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a plan View on line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a cross-section taken through the carriage near one end thereof, showing an auxiliary spring for supporting the lower paper-guide... Fig. 11 is asection on line 11 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a bottom view of a fragment ofthe rack, showing the means of fastening the auxiliary spring in place. Fig. 13 is a vertical section taken through the central longitudinal member of the universal-bar frame and adjacent parts, illustrating a cushioning or buffer spring which limits the depression of the universal-bar frame and keylevers. Fig. 14 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 15 15 of Fig. 2.

In said drawings only such parts of the type-writing machine are illustrated as are essential to an understanding of the application of the several features of the invention thereto. We will first refer to the general construction of the machine shown and will thereafter explain the parts constituting our present improvements.

The'gene-ral construction of the machine is like that shown in the prior United States Letters Patent to Oliver, No. 599,863, granted March'l, 1898.

As shown in said drawings, A designates thebase of the machine, and A A a plurality of key-levers which are pivoted at their rear ends to standards a, rising from the base, and are connected by upright links B with 'U-shaped type-bars 0, Figs. 9 and 10, such as are employed in said Oliver type-writing machine:

D designates as a whole a shifting frame on which the carriage (designated as a whole by the letter E) rests. Said shifting frame is provided with transverse guide-bars D D on which travel the supporting wheels or rollers e of the carriage, and with a rearwardly-extending guide rod or stem D which slides in a vertical guide A rising from .the rear of the base-plate A. The forward part of the shifting frame is supported by devices for this purposesuch,for instance, as are shown in the prior United States Letters Patent to Oliver, referred to.

F designates a vertical escape-wheel shaft located near the center of the machine and mounted on the front of the shifting frame D. Said shaft- F is provided at its upper end with a gear-pinion F, adapted to engage a rack-bar E on the carriage. The shaft carries at its lower end an escape-wheel F The upper end of the shaft passes through a block F located in a guide-bracket F, connected with the shifting frame.

G designates an oscillatory escapementlever, Fig. 3, which extends from the front to the rear of the machine and is pivoted to the front of the shifting frame D to swing in a vertical plane. The forward end of the lever is located at one side of and adjacent to the escape-wheel F and carries stiff and limber pawls g g, which are adapted for engagement with the escape-wheel F as the lever is oscillated to permit the escapementwheel to turn under the impulse imparted thereto by the carriage-actuating spring in the manner set forth in said prior patent to Oliver.

H designates a transversely-arranged vertically-movable space-bar located beneath and adapted for actuation by all the keylevers and which constitutes part of an oscillating frame, which is formed by means of said space-bar, a rock-shaft 1'1 arranged parallel therewith at the front part of the machine, and a plurality of arms which rigidly connect the said rock-shaft with the spacebar. One of said arms is located near the center of the machine and is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, being therein indicated by the letter H. The escape-lever G is connected with the rear part of the oscillating frame by a slotted yoke H which is pivoted at its upper end to and depends from the said lever, and the slot of which is arranged horizontally and adapted to receive a stud h, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which is affixed to said arm H of the spacebar frame. Through the medium of the slotted yoke vertical movement of the spacebar is transmitted directly to the escapelever, and backward-and-forward movement of said lever with the shifting frame is permitted by said slotted yoke without affecting the action of the escape devices.

The space-bar H is thrown upward into contact with the key-levers by means of an expansively-acting spiral lifting-spring H, which is arranged vertically beneath said space-bar and bears against the same at its upper end. The said upper end of the spring H is held in place by engagement with a depending stud h on the space-bar. The lower end of the said spring is contained within an upright upwardly-opening cylindric casing H attached to the base-plate by means of a bracket-arm 7L on the casing, which is secured by screws to the bottom surface of the frame, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. To provide for adjustment of the tension of the coiled lifting-spring H, a follower-plate 7L8 is located within the cylindric casing H between the lower end of the spring and the bottom wall of the casing, and an adjusting-screw H is inserted upwardly through the said bottom wall of the casing, so as to bear upwardly against said follower, said adjusting-screw being provided with a jam-nut 7L, which bears against the said bottom wall of the casing and holds the screw from shifting in position when adjusted to Vary the tension of the spring.

Provision is made forcushioning the spacebar frame, or, in other words, for yieldingly arresting the downward movement of the space-bar frame when a key or the space-key is depressed, as follows: Such cushioning device consists of a straight leaf-spring H attached to the central arm 11 of the space-bar frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 13, and 14, and projecting rearwardly and downwardly from its point of attachment to said arm. Said arm 11 terminates at its rear end in a vertical part which rises to the space-bar 1-1, which is considerably above the level of the main part of said arm, and the spring H projects at its free end beyond or to the rear of the vertical part of the said arm. Said spring is secured at its forward end to the bottom surface of the arm H by means of a headed screw h, which passes through the spring and enters the said arm, the latter being provided with a seat 7t for the spring, which seat is downwardly and rearwardly inclined to give an inclined position to the spring. Provision is made for adjusting the tension of the spring and the vertical position of the rear or free end thereof, consisting of two bolts 72 71 which have screw-threaded engagement with the arm H and engage apertures in the spring.

H designates a depending bracket provided with an adjustable stop 7L5, having the form of a screw, which passes upwardly through the horizontal extremity of the arm and is adapted for engagement with the free end of the cushioning-spring H the said screw 7L5 havinga jam-nut it When a keylever or the space-key is depressed, before the limit of depression is reached the rear end of the spring H comes into contact with the stop-screw if and yieldingly arrests or cushions the movement of the descending part.

The bolt 72?, which is located between the attaching-screw h and the rear end of the arm H, is adjustable in the said arm and is provided above the spring with an enlargement or collar 7L forming a downwardly-facing shoulder, against which the spring bears. Conveniently the lower end of said bolt h passes through the aperture formed therefor in the spring, Fig. 14, and is provided with a slot for a screw-driver, so that the bolt may be easily adjusted in the frame-arms H. Said bolt h is also preferably provided above the arm H, through which it passes, with a jamnut 7t to hold the bolt from turning when adjusted. The bolt 71/ is located near the rear end of the arm H and engages the spring 'near the free end of the same. Said bolt it passes through the aperture made therefor in the spring and is provided at its lower end with a head 71. which serves to limit the downward movement of the free end of the spring. Said bolt h is also provided with a jam-nut h, which bears against the arm H to hold the bolt from turning when adjusted.-

The bolts k 71, arranged as described, serve to enable the tension of the spring or, in other words, the resistance afforded thereby to the depression of the space-bar when the spring strikes the stop it to be varied or adjusted as desired, and said bolts also aid in adjusting the free end of the spring vertically, so that it will strike the stop h at an earlier or later point in the depression of the spacekey and may therefore be made to operate through a greater or less portion of the down- Ward movement of the space-bar, as required, for the best results in the operation of the machine. The adjustment of the stop it also aifects the time and duration of the cushioning action of the spring. Manifestly if the bolt 71, be adjusted downwardly the spring will press more forcibly downward on the head of the bolt h and the spring will act with greater pressure or resistance when it first strikes the said stop k The same result will be produced by adjusting the bolt h uowardly; but such adjustment will lift the endv of the spring and result in the same striking,

the stop h at a lower point in the downward movement of the space-bar. In adjusting the spring, for instance, the bolt It may first be adjusted to make the spring strike the stop at the desired point in the descent of the space-bar .and the bolt h then adjusted to give the desired tension in the spring. Such adjustment of the bolt h will slightly change the vertical position of the end of the spring, and the stop it may then be adjusted to compensate therefor.

Referring now to the dead key and its connection with the escapement mechanism, which forms one feature of our invention, these parts are made as follows: 1, Figs. 3, 4:, and 5, designates a key-lever carrying a key 2' and which is connected with one of the upright links B for operating one of the typelevers. Said key-lever, so far as its function of actuating its connected type-bar is concerned, is made like and operates in the same manner as the other key-levers, and depression thereof oscillates the space-bar H and raises the front end of the lever G and the connected pawls. Means are provided,however, which are set in operation by the depression of the said key-lever I for elevating the escape-wheel at the same time the pawls are raised, and thereby retaining these parts in engagement, so as to prevent the usual operation of the escapement mechanism. The means for effecting this result are made as follows:

I designates a horizontal vertically-reciprocatory lever, which is pivoted near'one end thereof on a pivot-stud t", affixed to the front part of the shifting frame D. The inner end of said lever is bent obliquely and is adapted to engage a groove f in a collar F affixed to the shaft below the guide-block F The outer end of said lever I is provided with a forwardlyprojecting arm 1 located above the key-levers and which passes through and has engagement with a loop t which is attached to and is elevated above the key-lever I. With this construction it will be seen that when the key-lever I is depressed it acts through the space-bar frame to raise the front end of the escape-lever and pawls carried thereby, which in the like operation of the other key-levers disengages said pawls from the escape-wheel and permits the carriage to move one step. The escape-wheel shaft, however, in the operation of the dead key-lever is raised by means of the lever I a sufficient distance to prevent disengagement of the pawls from the escape-wheel. The position of rest of the dead key-lever and the associated parts embraced in this feature of our invention are shown in Fig. 4, while in Fig. 5 the key-lever is shown as depressed and the escape-wheel and the shaft elevated to corre spond with the elevation of the escape-lever and pawls carried thereby. The purpose of said construction is to enable accents and like characters-such as the acute, grave, and circumflex accents-to be printed immediately over letters, it being obvious that no spacing movement of the carriage can take place between the printing of the letter and the char-v acter when the latter is to be placed immediately over the letter.

Referring now to the construction of the right-hand stop mechanism, which constitutes another feature of our invention, these parts are shown in Figs. 6 to 9 and are made as follows: On the front of the carriage-frame and at the right-hand end thereof is located a dependinglongitudinal flange E and on said flange is movably secured a sliding line stoplug E3, which is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the flange by engagement of a tooth thereon with a series of notches on the lower edge of the flange in the manner set forth in thesaid prior patent to Oliver, above referred to. tact with an arm J on the shifting frame located normally in the path of the said lug, but which is adapted to be swung forwardly therefrom to permit the carriage to pass beyond a certain point determined by the adjusted position of the lug on the carriage and which determines the width'of the right-hand margin of the paper. The arm J is formed on or connected rigidly with a lever J, which is pivoted on a stud j, affixed to a forwardlyprojecting part of the shifting frame D, located at one side of andadjacent to the escapement-wheel shaft, between the escapementwheel and pinion on said shaft. Said lever Said stop-lug is adapted for con- J is provided with a keyj', by which it may be conveniently manipulated. The lever is &

normally held in its retracted position, with the arm J thereof in the path of the stop-lug E by means of a spiral contractile spring J connected at one end with the shifting frame and at its other end with a lug on said arm. The flange E is provided with a graduated scale, as shown in Fig. 8, by which the lug may be set thereon to give a certain width of margin at the right-hand side of said printed page. After the lug has been set for a given width of margin the carriage will be stopped by contact of the arm J with the stop-lug E as the carriage approaches the end of the line. If it should be desired, however, to print a letter, letters, or a word beyond the margin determined by the position of said stop-lug, the

lever J is swung downwardly, which swings the arm J out of the path of said stop-lug and permits the carriage to move beyond said arm or to the end of its maximum travel, if desired. The normal position of the arm and lever are shown in Fig. 6, while the parts are shown in Fig. 7 in position to permit the'stoplug to pass the arm J. Moreover, the depression of the lever J to move the arm J out of l the path of the stop-lug E permits the car riage to be removed from the machine without removal from the carriage-frame of the line stop-lug, as heretofore necessary in machines of this class.

In Figs. 10, 11, and 12 we have shown a supplemen tal or auxiliary spring located beneath the lower paper-guide for the platen and intended to support the same when feeding extra heavy paper or cards through the carriage. As shown in said figures, E designates one of the end plates of the carriage in which the shaft of the platen E (indicated in dotted lines) is mounted. E E designate upper and lower paper-guides attached to the end plates of the carriage, whereby the paper is guided toward and from the platen in entering and leaving the machine. E designates a presser-roller which is located beneath the platen (indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 10) and which engages the paper after it leaves the lower paper-guide E The devices whereby the presser-roller E is mounted on the carriage-frame are substantially like those shown in the prior patent to Oliver, before mentioned. The shaft of said roller is mounted at its ends in blocks e, which are attached to the forward and free extremities of horizontally-arranged spring-arms E one located at each end of the carriage. Said spring-arms are attached at their rear ends to the carriage-frame in any suitable manner and project forwardly toward the platen. Said springarms act to press the roller firmly against the platen. The roller is released from contact with the platen by means of a rock-shaft E which is mounted in the end plates of the carriage and extends longitudinally thereof above the spring-arms. Said rock-shaft is provided near its ends with cam arms or lugs e, which are located over said spring-arms and are adapted to act upon the spring-arms in a manner to depress the same when the rock-shaft is turned or rotated in a direction to carry the cams or lugs against said springarms. E designates a guide-plate attached to the forward ends of the spring-arms and extending forwardly and upwardly from the pressure-roller E for guiding the paper under the platen as it leaves the roller. The tension of said spring-arms is varied by means of screw studs e which pass upwardly through lugs on the end plates of the carriage and engage the under faces of said arms. 0 designates one of the supplemental or auxiliary springs referred to. Said spring 6 is attached to the rack-bar E of the carriage, on the under side thereof, with its end projecting upwardly through an opening in said rack-bar in position to act upwardly against and support the forward or free edge of the guide plate E. The said supplemental springs are located normally out of contact with said guide-plate; but said guide-plate is adapted when a heavy sheet of paper or cardboard is inserted between the same and the platen to press or force the guide-plate into contact with the upper ends of the springs, whereby said springs act in conjunction with the spring-arms E to hold the guide-plate E pressed against the paper between the same and the platen to hold said paper in frictional contact with the platen, and thereby insure its movement with the platen. The pressure of the plate E toward the platen required to insure the proper feeding action or movement of the paper with the platen is greater in the case of a thick sheet or a plurality of sheets than in the case of sheets of ordinary thickness, and the supplemental springs described act to give the additional pressure required when the plate E is forced away from the platen by the presence between it and the platen of athick sheet or a thick mass of thin sheets without interfering with the usual action of the said plate in feeding sheets of ordinary thickness or a few of such sheets.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the details of construction above described without departing from the spirit of our invention, and we do not wish to be limited to such details except as hereinafter made the subject of specific claims.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination with the key-levers of a type-writer, type-bars connected with and actuated by said levers, a paper-carriage and an esca'pement mechanism actuated'by the depression of said key-levers for imparting a step-by-step movement to said carriage and embracing an oscillatory escape-lever and a toothed part which moves in unison with the carriage and the teeth of which are adapted for engagement with the escape-lever, said toothed part of the escape mechanism being capable of movement with the escape-lever, of means connecting one of said key-levers with the toothed part of the escapementmechanism, whereby actuation of said lever to depress its type-bar produces movement of said toothed part with the escape-lever and prevents operation of the escapement mechanism.

2. The combination with the key-levers of a type-writer, type-bars connected with and actuated by said levers and a paper-carriage, of an escapement mechanism embracing a rotative shaft provided with apinion adapted for engagement with the rack-bar of the carriage and with an escape-wheel, an escapelever provided with a pawl adapted to engage the escape-wheel to permit the turning of the shaft step by step, said escape-wheel being movable in a direction endwise of the shaft, connections between the key-levers and the escape-lever for oscillating the latter, and means connecting one of said key-levers with the escape-wheel adapted to effect the movement of said wheel with said pawl when the said lever is depressed to prevent operation of the escapement mechanism at such time.

3. The combination with the key-levers of a type-writer, type-bars connected with and actuated by said levers, a paper-carriage and an escapement mechanism for imparting to the carriage a step-by-step movement comprising a rack-bar on the carriage and a rotative and vertically-movable shaft provided with a pinion adapted for engagement with the said rack-bar and with an escape-wheel, a vertically-oscillatory lever provided with a pawl adapted to engage said escape-wheel, connection between said escape-lever and keylevers for actuating the escapement mechanism upon the depression of the keys, and a lever pivoted between its ends and having connection at one end with the escape-shaft and at its other end with one of said key-levers.

4. The combination with a carriage provided with a line-stop, of a key-lever which is pivoted to the machine-frame by means of a pivot-pin which is generally parallel with the path of travel of the carriage,-and is provided with a rigid arm movable into and out of the path of said line-stop and the carriage, said lever terminating at its forward end in the region of the keyboard and being adapted to be depressed to move the rigid arm thereof out of the path of said line-stop, and a spring applied to said key-lever and acting to hold said rigid arm yieldingly in the path of said line-stop.

5. The combination with a paper-carriage, a line-stop comprising a depending notched flange on the carriage, and a stop-block having adjustable sliding engagement with said flange, of a pivoted lever provided with a rigid arm which stands normally in the path of said block, and a spring for yieldingly holding said arm in the path of said block.

6. The combination with a paper-carriage, a line-stop comprising a depending notched flange on the carriage, a stop-block having adjustable sliding engagement with said flange, of a key-lever pivoted on the machineframe and provided with a rigid arm which rests normally in the path of said block, and

a spring applied to hold said key-lever in its elevated position and the said arm in the path of said block.

7. The combination with a paper-carriage,

.of a line-stop comprisinga depending notched flange on the carriage, and a stop-block having adjustable sliding engagement with said flange, a lever pivoted to the carriage-supporting frame and provided with a rigid arm which extends into the path of said block, a

spring applied to the arm for holding it in the path of the block, and a key on the outer end of the lever. v

8. In a type-writer, the combination with key-levers, type-bars connected with and actuated by said levers, and a space-bar located transversely beneath said key-levers, of an expansively-acting spiral spring located beneath said space-bar between the same and the base of the machine, a cylindric, opentopped casing attached to the frame within which the lower end of the spring is inserted and held, and a set-screw inserted through the bottom wall of the casing and bearing upwardly on the spring for adjusting the tension of the same.

9. In a type-writer, the combination with key-levers, type-bars connected with and actuated by said key-levers, and a space-bar which is pivotally connected with the machine-frame and is located transversely beneath the key-levers, of a spiral spring acting upwardly against the space-bar, an upwardlyopening casing attached to the machine-base adapted to receive the lower end of said spring, a follower in the casing, and a setscrew inserted through the bottom of said casing and acting on the said follower to adjust the tension of the spring.

10. In a type-writer, the combination with key-levers, type-bars connected with and actuated by said key-levers, a pivoted spacebar located transversely beneath said key-levers, a flat spring carried by said space-bar, and an adjustable, stop on the machine-frame with which said spring comes into contact in .the latter part of the descent of the bar.

11. In a type-writer, the combination with key-levers, type-bars connected with and actuated by said key-levers, and a bar pivotally located beneath said key-levers, of a flat spring attached at one end to said bar, a stop on the frame for contact with said spring and adjusting means whereby the free end of said spring may be raised or lowered with respect to the bar, and the tension of the spring may be varied.

12. In a type-writer, the combination with the space-bar frame, of a flat spring attached at one end to said frame and adapted for contact at its opposite end with a stop on the machineframe and adjusting means for the spring embracing two bolts which have adj ustable connection with the space-bar frame, one of said bolts being adapted to bear downwardly and the other upwardly on the spring.

13. In a type-writer, the combination with a space-bar, of a flat spring attached at one end to the space-bar frame, and adapted for engagement at its free end with a stop on the machine frame, an adjusting bolt which passes through the spring near its free end and has screw-threaded engagement with the space-bar frame and provided with a head beneath the spring, and a second adjusting-bolt which has screw-threaded engagement with the space-bar frame and acts downwardly on the spring at a point between the first-mentioned bolt and the end of the spring which is secured to the space-bar frame.

14. In a type-writer, the combination with a space-bar frame, of a fiat spring attached at one end to the space-bar frame, a vertically-adjustable stop on the machine-frame adapted for contact with the free end of said spring, a vertically-adjustable bolt on the space-bar frame engaging the lower surface of the spring near its free end, and a second vertically-adjustable bolt on the space-bar frame arranged to bear downwardly on said spring at a point between the bolt first referred to and the end of the spring which is attached to said space-bar frame.

15. The combination with a carriage and a platen mounted therein, of a presser-roller located beneath and pressing upwardly against the platen, spring-arms attached to the carriage and provided at their free ends with a bearing for said presser-roller, a guide-plate attached to the spring-arms and arranged to guide the paper after it leaves the roller, and auxiliary springs attached to the carriage and adapted to bear upwardly against said guide plate when the latter is depressed away from the platen.

16. The combination with a carriage and a platen mounted therein, of a guide plate, spring-arms supporting said guide-plate and holding the same adjacent to the platen, and auxiliary springs having longitudinal parts which are attached to a longitudinal frame member of the carriage, and parts which are bent at right angles to the longitudinal parts and which extend through apertures in said frame member with their ends in position for contact with said guide-plate when the same is thrown away from the platen. 4

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we aflix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of July, A. D. 1901.

HARRY GROSS. GEORGE .T. GRIFFITHS.

Vituesses:

D. R. J OSLYN, EMIL ARNOLD.

Images