US2211911A - Typewriter - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 20, 1940. f RS. REID 2,211,911

TYPEWRITER Filed Oct. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 jail P TYPEWRITER Filed 001;. 11, 1937 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug.20, 1940. 55 2,211,911

TYPEWRITER Filed on. 11, 1937 s Sheets- Sheet 3 JG. 5 ,q-

Patented Aug. 20, 1940 I rrrnwarrsa I Roswell S. Reid, Morgantown, W. Va., assignor to West Virginia Newspaper Publishing Conipany, Morgantown, W.

West Virginia Va,, a corporation of Application October 11, 1937, Serial No. 168,494

6 Claims. (01. 191-84) o This invention relates to typewriters and more particularly to typewriters of the variable spacing type; this general class of machine being exemplified by the invention disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 157,964, filed August '7, 1937. o

The general purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved typewriter of the character described; and more particular objects include the provision of novel variable escapement mechanisms and also of novel electrically operated means for actuating the escapement to cause the appropriate movement of the carriage to take place upon the depression of a character key or a spacing bar.

Another object is to provide, in connection with such a typewriter, novel means for varying the operation of the electrically operated escapement controlling device in accordance with the actua- The invention is equally adaptable to single and 35 double shifting arrangements as will be more particularly shown hereinafterl Although not specifically limited thereto, except as set forth in the appended claims, the present invention in its preferred embodiments is 30 well adapted for application to a typewriter of the kind described in the copending application to which reference has been.made.

As distinguished from machines of the ordinary typenow in widespread use, wherein each printed letter-occupies the same amount of space measured longitudinally of the printed line regardless of the widths of the letters, these typewriters .embody means for causing the carriages thereof to move forwardly after each actuation of a type 40 bar, a distance proportional to the width of the character just printed; so that the final appearance of the completed typewritten lineis similar to that of a printed line; at least so far as the spacing of the letters therein isconcerned. These 45 improved typwriting machines are particularly useful in the preparation of typewritten sheets.

for subsequent employment in processes of printing which involves the transfer by a photographic step of the typewritten matter from the paper to sheet to an element to be'used in the actual-printing operation, such as for example in any one of various offset or planographic printing methods.

These variable spacing machines in which'the.

present invention is preferably embodied comtion of the carriage shifting mechanism to effect prise in addition to the usual type bars. an on,-

gitudinally movable paper holding carriage, mechanism which is responsive to the actuation of the type bars for effecting advancement of the carriage variable distances,- the distance advanced by the carriage after the actuation of ally 6 type bar being proportional to the width of the letter imprinted on the paper sheet. It will be understood, of course, that the type elementsare not aifixed to the type carrying bars in the eonventional manner now employed in; typewriter 10 manuafcture, i. e., so that the various type elements are-centered upon the type carrying bars; but on the other hand, are so arranged that the left hand edge of each letter would strike the paper at the same identical point if the carriage I were not moved between impressions.

While the individual units which go to make up a font of printer's type'may be made in a large number of different widths, they may be conveniently classified according to width into five groups, ranging from a relatively small group, containing a few of the widest capital letters, to a group of the narrowest small letters. All of the letters of the font may be allocated to one or the other of these five groups. The present invention therefore involves a; variable spacing mechanism by which the travel of the carriage is automatically'regulated so that it will advance, after actuation, of the type bar, a distance corresponding to the width of type in the group in 80 which the letter just printed is classified; the advance of the carriage after the printing of one of the largest capital letters being, in this embodiment, five times as great as the advance after the printing of one of the smallest letters, the de- 35 sired spacing of the letters in the printed line be-' ing thereby attained. Proper. justification of the printed line is provided for by the sub-division of the usual spacing bar into five units and the connection of these separate units with the vari-, 40 able spacing mechanism in order to bring about U variable spacing between the words or letters;

this provision further increasing the ability of the operator to provide typewritten matter which is indistinguishable from printed matter.v The preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of certain modifica-' tions in the usual escapement mechanism, such ,as will permit the conventional ratchet wheel or equivalent member to rotate through predetermined angles under the influence of the main spring or tensioning device for eifecting the travel of the carriage. These modifications include the provision of a pawl or detent device of novel construction, and also means for initiating and governing its action upon the depression of the keys. Separate electromagnetically controlled means are preferably provided to determine the respecpositioned so as to be closed by the actuation of the keys. A separate switch is preferably provided in conjunction with each key bar and with each of the several space bars, and is connected with the particular electrom agnetic limiting means which corresponds to the spacing required for the character printed or the blank space desired.

The switches are arranged in a plurality of banks or tiers beneath the key bars and suitably mounted upon a movable member which can be adjusted by means of the carriage shifting mechanism to bring the appropriate bank of switches beneath the keys for determining the proper spacing for either capital or small letters or the customary figures and symbols invo1ved,in the bodiment of the invention is illustrated, but it will beappreciated by one skilled in the art that without departure from the invention the design and arrangement of its various elements may be very considerably modified, particularly in adapting the invention to typewriters of various makes and designs. It will be understood also that in the accompanying drawings, many conventional portions of a typewriter have been omitted in order that the novel features of invention may be more clearly illustrated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a typewriter showing the frame and keyboard and illustrating certain elements of the variable spacing mechanism; I

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 22 of Figural;

Figure 3 is a view similar toFigure 2 but more fragmentary and showing a shifted position of the switch bank and carriage shifting mechanism;

Figure 4 is a similar. view illustrating the adaptation of the invention to a machine having a double shift keyboard;

' Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the typewriter illustrated in Figure 1 showing the major elements of the carriage controlling mechanism;

, Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of portions of the switch supporting mechanism an adjacent parts of the keyhbars;

Figure 7 is a wiring diagram showing the 'circuits connecting the switch banks with the escapement controlling electromagnets;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of the operative connections between the escapement,

and both the key bars and spac'i g bars;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view n rear elevation and on an enlarged scale, of one fo of escape-- ment mechanism, showing the operating niecha nisms in different positions from those which they occupy in Figure 5; y

Figure -10 is a view in side elevation of the escapement mechanism shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 shows in disassembled relationship the several elements of the pawl which comprises part of the escapement mechanism shown' in Figure 9; and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 12- I2 of Figure 9.

In the drawings, the frame of the typewriter is indicated generally by the reference character l0, and this frame may be of any suitable or conventionalltype. The carriage of the machine 1 is indicated rather diagrammatically at II in Figure 5 of the drawings, the platen being designated by the numeral 12 in this figure and also in Figures 1 and 2. It will, of course, be understood that the carriage is mounted, for movement in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platen l2 and that, after the actuation of a type bar, the carriage will be advanced in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 5 by any ordinary or usual tensioning device such as diagrammatically indicated at l3, this device being connected to the carriage by means of a strap or tape l4.

' The keys are indicated at I 5 and they are operatively connected to the type bars, one of which is indicated at IS in Figure 2, by means of the key bars I! and other conventional mechanism not shown. The type bars l6 carry at their outer ends the type l6 which, as already mentioned, are preferably of a design suitable for the simulation of the'typ graphy ordinarily effected by printing devices of different kinds. It is essential, however, that each key bar be provided with a downwardly extending portion ll which is adapted to actuate the electromagnetic controllingmeans for the variable escapement, the details of which will be later described. Space bars are indicated at l8, each of these space bars having a spacer key I 9 mounted upon its outer end and having its inner end secured to the transverse shaft 20. The central spacer key I9 is longer than the other four and is mounted uponthe two central space bars l8 which move simultaneously when the central key I! is depressed.

One of the two shift keys is indicated at H and a shift key bar at 22, this key bar being mounted upon the transverse shaft 23 and having an extension 22' which is horizontally slotted to receive a pin 24 fixed upon a rocker member 25 rotatably supported on the shaft 25'. To the rocker member 251s pivotally connected, as at 25',

to its dotted line position. It is by means of this shift mechanism that the platen is adjusted for the printing of capitals, small letters, and figures in the customary manner. The shift mechanism thus described is of conventional type.

At the rear of the, machine is an escapement mechanism of the pawl and ratchet type. one

embodiment, illustrated best in Figures 5, 9 and 10 ofthe drawings, being substantially the same as that disclosed in the above mentioned copending case.

This escapement mechanism comprises the escapement ratchet wheel 3!, fixed ontheshaft'll,

- which shaft is operativelyconnected by the usual arrangement ,of gearing to the typewriter carrlage H so that the ratchet I2 is constantly urged to rotate in the direction of the arrow B by the carriage advancing means. Associated .with the escapement ratchet 30 is mechanism for releasing the ratchet to permit it to rotate and hence provide for the advancement of the carriage in the direction of the arrow A (Figure 5), and for stopping such rotation after a predetermined angular travel, and thus halting the movement of the carriage. This'mechanism will.

now be described.

Mounted for free rotation on the shaft 3| is a member 32 having two angularly disposed arms 32 and 32, the first of which carries at its outer end a pawl 33 arranged in the plane of the ratchet wheel, and the second arm 32 having attached to its outer end one end of the spring 34, the opposite end of which is attached to a stationary portion of the machine such as the plate 10 by any suitable means as at 34, the spring being normally in tension and tending to rotate the member 32 in a counterclockwise direction about the axis of shaft 3|,

-or opposite to the direction in which theratchet wheel 30 rotates when released. Rotatably mounted in a cylindrical aperture formed in the end of arm 32' is a stud 35 having an enlarged head 35' and a reduced axial portion 35 upon wheel, to abut the pin 4|] secured to the pawl carrying arm 32'. One end of the spring 39 is attached to arm 32 by means of.-pin 4| and the other end connected to the head 35 of stud 35 at a point spaced from the axis thereof, which stud, as has previously been explained, is rotatably mounted in arm 32'. The pawl 33 is provided with a projection 33' which is adapted to' strike a selected one of the stop devices which will be later described. Y

An escapzment lever or pawl is indicated at 45, this le r being mounted for rocking movement upo a pin 46 rigid with the frame. One end of le er carries. a tooth 45' adapted to engage one or other of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 30 an rotation. The escapement lever likewise carries an arm 45 the outer end of which is notched to receive a pin 41 carried by the pawl 33, member 45 comprising means for disengaging pawl 33 from ratchet 30 when lever 45 is locked in a clockwise direction. Clockwise movement of pawl carrying arm 32' is limited by the contact of projection 32 thereon with the stop pin 48.

The escapement lever 45 is actuated in a clockwise direction of rotation about pivot 45 by mechanism which includes the multi-armed bell crank lever which is pivoted as at 5| to a fixed plate 52 suitably carried by the frame of the typewriter. The arm 53 of the bell crank 50 projects above the adjustable contact pin 54 on the end of the pawl lever 45 and is adapted to abut therewith and move it downwardly upon the actuation of a key or a space bar. One form of mechanism which serves to operatively connect the key bars and space bars with-this escapement actuating bell crank 53 is illustrated fragmentarily in Figure 8 of the drawings. The precise details of this particular arrangement form no particular part of the present invention and any equivalent operative connection obviously might be employed.

In this construction, however, there is secured to the transverse rocking shaft III which carries the space bars IS, the crank arm 55 to the outer end of which is pivotallysecured one end of the link 51. The movements of this link may be end or the lock the ratchet wheel against guided by any suitable mechanism not shown,

and the rear end thereof is formed with a hooked I portion 58 which engages the outer end of the arm 59 of the bell crank 50, to form a lost motion connection therewith. It will thus be seen that when any one of the spacer keys I!) is depr'essed, the crank 50 will be rotated in the direction of the arrow C in Figure 8 and thus actuate the escapement mechanism; the distance the carriage is allowed to move upon such actuation being governed by the variable spacing mechanism which will presently be described.

Upon the actuation of a character key I5, the

type bar I6 will be moved toward the platen l2 and'during such movement the cam 60 formed on the type bar IE will engage a ,portion of the arcuate member 6| of the sliding frame 62 adapted to move longitudinally of the typewriter frame. This sliding frame 62 may be-guided in its sliding movement by any suitable means which may involve the upwardly projecting bracket 63 and pin 64. The sliding member 62 is provided with a rearwardly projecting portion 66 which is connected by means of link 61 with the arm 69 of the bell crank 50. Thus, when any of the character keys is depressed, the corresponding type bar l6 will move the frame 62 rearwardly and rotate the bell crank 50 in the direction of the arrow C and initiate the operation of the escapement mechanism, the amount of movement being regulated by the variable Y spacing mechanism. When the lever arm 53' causes the lever 45 to rotate about its pivot 46, the detent 45' of this lever will immediately engage one of the teeth of the escapement ratchet wheel 30, to' lock the same against rotation, the arm 45 being at the same time swung away from the escapement ratchet and carrying the pawl pin 41 with it to effect disengagement of the pawl from the ratchet.

A graduated stop mechanism is indicated generally by the reference character S and is best illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings. This mechanism is preferably applied to the same plate 10 as is employed to support the ratchet escapement device. A casing or bracket H may be applied to the rear face of this plate 10, as viewed in Figure 9, and a plurality of stop pins 15,

' 15 are supported by the plate and casing in face of the plate III in the path of movement of the projection 33' on pawl 33. The remaining pins 15' are slidably mounted in openings through the plate Ill and the rear supporting casing or frame H, are provided with shoulders or frames 11 and are urged rearwardly by the expansive influence of the coil springs 18 which surround the pins and are seated between the sleeves or shoulders I1 and the rear wall of the plate 10.

The rear ends 13 of the pins are adapted to normally project beyond the rear wall of the frame H and the front ends of the movable pins are adapted to be disposed substantially flush with the outer surface of the plate 10. With all of the lower movable pins I5 in this normal retracted position the rotation of the arm 32' in its counterclockwise direction after the pawl is released from the ratchet wheel, will continue under the influence of the spring 34 until the projecting ear 33' of pawl 33 engages the, uppermost stationary pin 15, the spring 39 maintaining the tooth at the lower end of the pawl 33 out of contact with the teeth of ratchet 30 during such movement. As soon, however, as the stop engaging ear 33' strikes the stop pin 15, which lies in its path, it will cause the pawl 33 to rock in a clockwise direction aroimd the axis of the stud 35 and against the tension of spring 39 until its toothed end enters the space between two of the ratchet teeth. This will effect the maximum movement of travel of the carriage permitted by the escapement. For the attainment of smaller increments of travel appropriate to the width of narrower letters or space, selected ones of the lower movable stop pins I5 are projected from the face of the plate 10 into the path of the ear 33' of pawl 33, and the actuation of the pawl will take place sooner according to the position of the selected pin along the arc.

The function of the spring 39, therefore, is to hold the pawl 33 .out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 30 until the extension 33 on the pawl 33 strikes the stop pin. The extension 33 on pawl 33 moves against pin 40 on the arm 33 under the action; of the spring 39, thus limiting the extent of movement of the pawl 33 so that the engaging end will just clear the teeth of the ratchet wheel during the upward swingof the arm 32. The pin 48 acts as a stop pin for limiting the return or downward swinging movement of the projection 32 on pawl carrying arm 32 of member 32.

It is clear that by the projection of selected ones of the pins the angular travel of the pawlcarrying arm upon its release from the ratchet wheel, may be regulated. Inasmuch as the ratchet wheel and pawl move together upon the,

return stroke of the pawl, until the arm 32 carrying the pawl strikes the stop pin 08, it is clear that the length .of the arc of upward travel of I the pawl determines the extent of angular rotation of the ratchet wheel when the pawl returns to the initial position, thus determining the extent of advancing'movement of the carriage. Hence by proper selection of one of the five pins I5, I5 to be effective in stopping the pawl, the carriage may be allowed to advance after a printing operation, either one; two, three, four or five spaces.

For selectively projecting the movable pins 15, the following mechanism is provided. There is fulcrumed upon the shaft .80 carried by the brackets 8'I secured to the rear face of the plate I0, a plurality of levers 82, the upper ends of which are disposed adjacent the rearwardly projecting ends 19 of the four movablestop pins 15'. The lower' ends 83 of these levers 82 are provided with armature portions which are adapted to be attracted by the cores of the electromagnets 50 when said magnets are energized. In order to permit, a relatively close spacing of the'levers 82, as by means of the sleeves BI, the electromagnets are staggered, and the lower ends of the levers 82 are of alternating lengths as clearly shown in Figures 5 and 9 of the drawings.

The electrical connections between these stop actuating magnets 90 and the keys of the typewriter will now be 'described,together with the details of the novel switch arrangement adapted to be actuated by the keys. Horizontal shafts 55 are secured, as by means of the brackets 96, to a portion 91 of the frame I0 of the typewriter. Slidably mounted upon the shafts is the shiftable switch assembly designated generally by the reference numeral I00. This assembly will he seen to comprise an elongated transversely disposed, inverted, U-shaped member or block IOI which is provided with openings adapted to receive the shafts 05 adjacent each end thereof. The block IN is therefore slidably carried by the shafts 35 softhat the switch assembly I00 may be shifted for the purpose to be later described. A casing I02 which is adapted to house certain of the main conductors included in the electrical circuit is carried by the member IOI and may comprise an inverted U-shaped member I03 formed of fiber or other suitable insulated material and an interposed sheet of insulating material I04 forming the bottom of the casing I02. Within the casing I02 there are suitably disposed the four conductors I05 which are respectively placed in communication with the magnets 00 as by means of the wires I06 shown in the diagram comprising Figure 7 of the drawings. The other terminals of the magnets 00 are each connected with a source of current such as indicated at I 01 by means of the wires I08, the opposite battery terminal being connected with a return conduit or suitable ground such as the frame of the typewriter.

Suitably secured to the top of the casing I02 of the switch assembly I00, is the contact strip I08 which is made of spring metal and either grounded to a portion of the frame of the typewriter, or connected by a return conductor to the remote terminal of the source of current I01. The contact strip I 08 is provided with a plurality of curved flexible members II0'and IIO projecting from opposite sides thereof and each disposed approximately beneath and in the same vertical plane with a key bar projection II. The contacts IIO are also disposed above and suitably spaced from the fixed contact points III which extend through the casing I 02 and are connected ,to suitable ones of the main conductors I05 depending upon which of the stop pins I5 is to be projected to effect the travel of the carriage corresponding to the width of the letter printed by the selected key. Of course, the few capital letters which require the maximum width of spacing need not be provided with the fixed contacts since none of the movable stop pins are utilized in this case, dependence being placed on the final fixed pin to stop the pawl.

As indicated in Figure 2 of the drawings, one series of resilient contacts IIO isdisposed heneath the row of actuating projections I'I' cartied by the keys and the corresponding fixed contacts III for each of these contacts IIO are connected to the appropriate conductor I05 by -means of the wires II3; all of these individual connections being based upon the lower-case" or unshifted keyboard arrangement. In order to provide the appropriate spacing for the keyboard arrangement corresponding to the capitals, shifted characters or punctuation marks, provision is made for sliding the switch assembly I00 upon the guiding and supporting rods 95 until the row of flexible contacts designated I I0 are disposed beneath the line of projections IT as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. Then the contacts 0' will be individually depressed according to the key which is selected and will close the circuit throughthe fixed contacts III' which are.connected to appropriate ones of the conductors I05 by means of the wires 3'; these connections all being arranged in accordance with the proper widths of the capital letters and punctuation marks which are brought into use by depressing the shift key 2| 10 of the typewriter as at Sand the upper arm of the pawl controlling the release of the esca'pethe bell crank NB. This bell'crank' H8 is fulcrumed to, a suitable fixedportion of the frame I20 thereof is provided with a slot l2! within which a pin I22 carried by the vertically movable carriage shifting member 26' is adapted to move. Obviously, when the member 26 is lifted by means of the depression of the shift key 2| ,in order to raise the carriage rail 21, as shown in Figure 3, the bell crank H8, 120 is rocked in a clockwise direction from its position shown in Figure 2 to the shifted position illustrated in Figure 3. Thus there is provided means for actuating the proper limiting stop pin 15' which determines the amount of release of the escapement mechanism, in accordance with thewidths of both the lower-case characters and the capitals. 1

The space bars 18 are also provided with depending projections such as indicated in con'nec tion with the key bars at H and four of these space bars may be adapted to actuate appropriate-contacts H0, III in order to regulate the width of the blank spaces in the same way as .the width of the type is regulated.- Obviously the space bars will actuate contacts connected. to the same magnet in either the shifted or unshifted position; and the space bar intended for the actuation of the carriage for the maximum travel will not be provided with electrical connections to a magnet.

In Figure 4 of the drawings there is illustrated an arrangement for adapting the invention to a double shift typewriter. carriage will be lifted to one of two different heights and the element 26 will be capable of being disposed in three different positions instead of two as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The same type of connection can be disposed between the switch block 100 and the member 26 except that the switch block or assembly will in this case be capable of adjustment to and from three different positions. Also, an additional row of pairs of contacts indicated at H and III will be provided and the contacts III will be connected with the appropriate main conductors 505 by means of the wires H3. The lower-case position of the switch assembly I00 is shown in Figure 4 in full lines and is indicated by the reference character I. The two shifted positions of the assembly, wherein the contacts H0 and H0 are respectively brought beneath the key projections II are indicated by the fragmentary broken lines designated II, III..

Thus it will be seen, that the electrical actuation of the variable spacing mechanism may be readily adapted to a double shift typewriter.

As a specific example of the operation of theinvention, it may be explained that whenever the key representing the small letter 1" is depressed,

the projection I'I' carried bythe key bar will cause its flexible contact H0 to contact with the fixed contact II! which is connected by-means of the wires 3 with that one of the main conductors I05 which is connected to the magnet 90, controlling the projection of the lowermost pin 15' which permits the least amount of travel In such machines the adapted to be ment ratchet 30. However, if the switch assembly I00 isshifted by the mechanism already described, upon the depression of the shift key 2|, and the key designated by the capital W .is depressed, no actuation of a movable pin ,15' is eifected and the pawl will travel through its arc of movement until stopped'by the last fixed pin 15 and thus effect the maximum travel of I 1 the carriage.

It is obvious that all of the pins including the pin '15 could be made movable and projected.

from the plate by means of magnets, but this would entail the provision of an additional magnet and additional connections to the keys. It is also obvious that more or less than the five different widths of spacing could be employed by using an appropriately greater number of stop pins, magnets and conductors.

The mechanism is entirely automatic in character and the typewriter may be operated rapidly to produce typewritten matter indistinguishable from printed matter insofar as spacing of the letters is concerned. This typewritten matter is entirely suitable for use in the method of printing commonlyknown as offset printing and V involving a photographic step. It also presents a superior appearance when used for this or any other purpose.

It will be further understood that various other changes in the design and arrangement of the embodiments illustrated and described herein, as for example, in adapting the invention to typewriters of various makes, maybe made with out departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A typewriter of the class described including the usual keys key bars, and shift mechanism, a'

carriage, means for advancing the carriage, and means for controlling the forward movement of the carriage, said means including a graduated stop mechanism, electromagnetic means for actuating said stop mechanism, a source of current for energizing said electromagnetic means, an electric circuit making and breaking means operated by movement of said keys to energize said electroemagnetic means in order to actuate said stop mechanism, and means adapted to be actuated by operation of the shift mechanism to upper case position to adjust the circuit making and breaking means so as to prepare the same for efiecting a different actuation of the stop mechanism by the movement of said keys, when said shift mechanism is operated than when the typewriter is. set for lower case operation.

2. A typewriter of the class described including the usual keys, key bars, and shift mechanism, a carriage, means for advancing the carriage, and means for controlling the forward movement of the carriage, said controlling means including netic means associated with each of said stop means and said source of switches operable by each of said keys and controlling said circuits, andzmeans actuated by the 10' devices to actuate them, a'source of current, elecy tric circuits connecting said electromagneticcurrent, a plurality of shift mechanism for determining which switch will be actuated by said key, whereby the stop element appropriate to the lower case and capital characters, represented by the selected keys may be selectively actuated.

3. A typewriter of the class described including the usual .keys, key bars, and shift mechanism, a carriage, means for advancing the carriage, andmeans for controlling theforward movement of the carriage, electrically operated means for regulating the distance of movement of the carriage appropriate to the width of the character printed, a pair of switches movably disposed adjacent each of the keys, and each adapted to close an electric circuit through the electrically operated means to determine the movement of the carriage corresponding to the width of the lower case and capital characters capable of being printed by manipulation of said respective keys, and means actuated by the shift mechanism to bring one or the other of said switches of each of said pairs into operative relation with said keys. I

4. A typewriter of the class described including a keyboard comprising the usual keys and key bars, a carriage, shift mechanism, means for advancing the carriage, and electrically actuated means for controlling the amount of forward movement of the carriage in accordance' with the widths of the characters printed, a plurality of electric circuits placing said means in connection with a sopr'ce or current, a movable switch block disposed beneath said keys and provided with a plurality of banks of switches for controllingsaid respective circuits, each of the switches of 'one bank being disposed belowand adapted to be actuated by one of the keys'of the typewriter during one position of the shift mechanism, and means for moving said block so that another bank of switches is brought into operative relation to said keys upon actuation oithe shift mechanism from said position. 1

5. In combination with a typewriter of the class described, a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys and key bars, a carriage, shift .tance, electromagnetic means associated mechanism, means for advancing the carriage, an electrically actuated means for controlling the amount of forward movement of the carriage in accordance with the widths of the characters printed, a plurality of electric circuits placing said means in connection with a 'source of cur rent, a projection on each of said keys, said projections being disposed in a straight line, an electric switch block horizontally slidably disposed beneath said keyboard, a plurality of rows of switches carried by said block for controlling said riage, means for controlling the forward movement or the carriage, a plurality of stop devices,

the carriage to a difierent predetermined d' th each of said'stop devices to actuate them, a source of current, electric circuits connecting said electromagnetic means and said ,source of current, a shittable switch block disposed beneath the keys, a plurality of rows of switches carried by saidblock, the switches of one row adapted to be respectively actuated by the keys Y when the typewriter carriage shift mechanism is not actuated, the switches of another row adapted to be actuated by the keys when the shift mechanism is actuated, a plurality of conductors carried by said switch block and respectively connected with said electromagnetic means, and means connecting one contact of each oi'said switches with that one of said conductors which is connected to the electromagnetic means which limits the carriage travel to the distance corresponding to the letter printed by the key associated with said switch.

' ROSWELL S. REID.

each operable to limit the forward movement o t

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