US398833A - higgins - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 10 SheetsSheet 1. F. H. W. HIGGINS.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

No. 398,833. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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No. 398,833. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

No. 398,833. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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No. 398,833. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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No. 398,833. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

No. 398,883. Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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(No Model.) 10 SheetsSheet 10. P. H. W. HIGGINS. PRINTING TELEGRAPH Patented Mar. 5, 1889.

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FREDERICK HERBER'I \VILLIAM HIGGINR, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRINTING-TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,833, dated March 5, 1889.

Application filed May 29, 1888. Serial No. 275,424. {No model.) Patented in England February 10, 1887, No. 2,128.

To all whom 23/. may concern.-

Be it known that l, FREDERICK HERBERT \VILLIAM HIGGI *s, electrical engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 17 Cornhill, in the city of London, l lngland, i have invented certain new and useful Im' provements in Electrical lype--\ \"riters, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great 1 Britain, No. 2,128, dated February 10, 1887.) l of which the following is a specification.

The leading features of the improved eleetrio-a1 type-\vri ter are the following: A manipulator and a printer. connected by two electric circuits with automatic apparatus in the manipulator for continuously opening and clos ing a circuit and keeping in rotation a typewheel in the printer. Finger-keys in the manipulator depressed by the operator stop this automatic apparatus and also the type-wheel Whenever the latter arrives in position for printing. The same finger-keys close the printii'ig-eircuii and bring the printingmech- 3 anism into use. T h e matter thus transmitted is printed upon a page line by line. An indicator in the manipulator shows, for the information of the operator, the number of letters struck in any line being printed. By the manipulation of a finger-key theindexot this indicator returned to the starting-point and the apparatus brought into position to print a new line. This is accomplished by the transmission of a printing-current when the shaft of the typewheel is in a given position, correspondin With a blank upon the type-wheel, and the operation of the printing mechanism at this time moves the paper forward for the next line to be printed upon it.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention embodied in one practical and efficient manner.

Figure l is an elevai ion oi the manipulator. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. is a plan with the coverand some of the parts removed. Fig. 4- is a section on the line at 4; in Fig. 3, omitting some of the parts. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 3, omitting some of the parts. Fig. (3 is a detail of the cam-circuit-interrupting wheel. Fig. 7 is a plan of the printer, omitting some of the parts. Fig. 8 is an end elevation. Fig. 9 is a back view I of the printing lever and magnet. Fig. 10 i is an elevation showing separately that portion of the a jiparatus for returning the typewheel to zero and feeding the paper. Fig.11 is an elevation of the type-wheel with its inking-roller. Fig. 12 shows in plan, on a larger 1 scale, parts of the apparatus shown by Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 shows the type-wheel circuit. Fig.1; shows the printing-circuit. Figs. 15 and 16 are diagram detail views showing the checking of the printing-frame to prevent printing both in the zero and spacing positions of the type-wheel. Figs. 17 and 18 are perspective views of the printing-frame and devices for operating the papei:--1-oller and the type-wheel feeding mechanism.

\Yhat I term. th e man ipulator consists, generally, of an apparatus having an automatic circuit-interrupter, in the interrupted circuit of which is included a magnet for rotating the typo-wheel step by step to bring the desired letter into proper position with reference to the rotary movement of the wheel for printing. In the manipulator there are the de* sired number of keys, either of which, when depressed, checks the automatic circuit-interrupter, and consequently the rotation of the type-wheel. I'pon such depression of the key and pause of the type-wheel the printingcircuit, including the printing-magnet, is con1- pleted, and the printing-frame or paper-carrying devices are thereupon moved up to the type-wheel. Upon the retrograde movement of the printingdrame the type-wheel is moved laterally upon its shaft or spindle the space of one letter to bring it into position to print the next letter in the line. Each time that the printing-circuit is completed a magnet in the printing-circuit is energized, and an i11dioator for keeping a visual record of the number of letters struck in the line then being printed is operated.

Vith this general statement, I will 110w describe the construction and operation of the various parts of the apparatus.

In Figs. 1 to 6, which illustrate the manipulater, a is the propelment-magnet, whose cir euit is automatically interrupted, as presently described, and by which the finger g is rotated step by step beneath the circular series of keys 72, by anyone of which, when depressed, it may be checked. The type-wheel-actuating magnet B, Fig. 13, being in the same circuit with the magnet a, as above mentioned,

the type-wheel will move step by step in unison with the finger g. The armature b of the magnet a is fixed to a pivoted propelmentlever, c, which operates the ratchet-wheel d on the shaft d. The end of the lever c is bifurcated and embraces the ratchet-wheel, and when the lever is attracted by the magnet one of its bifurcations operates by means of its beveled end against a tooth of the ratchet wheel and moves the wheel through a space of half a tooth, and when the armature is retracted byits spring (P the other bifurcation of the lever, acting against the opposite side of the ratchet-wheel, moves it through another like space, and thus as the circuit is alternately opened and closed the ratchet-wheel and its shaft are constantly rotated step by.

step. A retaining-pawl, a engages a duplicate ratchet-wheel, CF, 011 the same shaft, (1, and prevents slack motion. On the same shaft is the circuit-interrupting cam-wheel for operating the circuit-completing lever e. A second lever, e is also shown; but this is only used when the manipulator is required to work printers in two circuits. The lever e vibrates upon an insulated fulcrum, e, and carries a contact spring, 6 which works against an insulated contact-screw, f. "When a notch in the cam-wheel comes under the jaw or lug on the lever e, the lever is by its ordinary retractile spring drawn away from the contact-screw f and the circuit is opened. The magnet a, now being demagnetized, releases its armature, and its lever c is drawn back by its retractile spring, the effect of which is, that one arm of its bifurcated end acts on the ratchet d, moving it and the camwheel (1 and a tooth of the cam-wheel lifts the contact-lever e and re-establishes contact at f, whereupon the armature-lever c is drawn up by its magnet, and the ratchet wheel (1' is acted upon by the other fork of the lever, and moves the spindle and cam-wheel so that a notch therein again comes under the end of the lever e, and the operation is repeated. The propel: rent-circuit (shown by Fig. 13) is therefore automatically opened and closed, and the shaft d, carrying the pointer g, is rotatedstep by. step and in unison therewith. The type-wheel in the printer is correspondingly moved, as presently described, because the type -wheel actuating magnet B isincluded in the interrupted circuit. The finger g, carried by the shaft d, is insulated therefrom by a block of vulcanite, g. The fingerkeys h are arranged in a circle around the frame of'the manipulator, and are held raised by springs h. When any finger-key is depressed, the finger g comes against it, as shown in Fig. 14:, the cam-wheel d is checked, and of course the type-wheel in the printer is simultaneously stopped in a position corresponding with the particular key depressed. The contact of the finger g with the key'also completes the printing-circuit, (see Fig. 1a,) which circuit includes the print-magnet H, and the printing-frame is actuated, as presently described. The printingcircuit also includes a magnet, 2 located in the manipulator, Figs. 3 and 14, which magnet, as presently described, serves to operate an indicator each time that the printing-circuit is closed, so that the operator may know at a glance llOW many keys have been depressed or letters have been struck in the line then being printed. hen a new line is started, the indicator is returned to zero, as described below.

Figs. '7 to 1? illustrate the printer. A is the frame of the machine, and B the type-wheela'ctuating magnet, whose armature is carried by arms 0, projecting from a rock-shaft, O. This shaft carries the type-wheel propelmentlever C, Figs. 7 and 8, which isbifurcated at its end, or carries a propelment-anchor, G which engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel, c, on the type-wheel shaft D, as usual.

The

type-wheel E slides along this shaft, being moved .as presently described, but is prevented from turning thereon by two rods, D D, passing through it parallel with the shaft D, and carried by arms 0 projecting from said shaft. By the rotation of the shaft D and type-wheel the proper letters thereon are in succession and in correspondence with the movement of the finger g in the manipulator brought into the printing position. Parallel with the type-wheel shaft D is a screwrod, F, which, as the printing progresses, effects the movement of the type-wheel step by step along its shaft in the following manner: A nut, F, on the screw-rod has a laterally-projecting fork, F which embraces the type-Wheel. The nutis guided and prevented from turning by two arms, F depending from it and terminating in small rollers which bear on either side of a fixed bar, F Fig. 11, mounted in the frame. Vertical standards F, carried by the nut F, have laterally-projecting arms f pivoted thereon, and these arms carry the inking-roller G. Obviously, now, if the screw-rod be rotated, the nut F, type-wheel, and inking-roller will move together laterally without reference to their rotation. Apartial rotation is given the screw rod and the type-wheel advanced laterally into position to print a new letter after each action of the printing-frame K, as I will now describe. The armature H of the print-magnet is carried by arms I I, projecting from a rock-shaft, I, which shaft also carries the printing-lever frame K K. The sheet of pa- The type-wheel has of course been rotated by the action of the manipulator to presenttheproperletterupon its periphery to the paper, and has also been advanced along its shaft to the proper lateral position in the following manner, (see Figs. 10 and r 11:) A pin, 1., in the side of the printing- .l'rame K engages a slot, L in a lever, L, pivoted at L, and carrying a pawl, L which acts upon the ratchet-wheel M on the end of the screw-rod F. hen the printing-frame advances, the lever L is lifted and its pawl L slips over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel M;

1 indicated in Fig. 8 up from the printing-pad but when the printing-frame is withdrawn by 1 its ordinary retractile spring the pawl engages the ratchet, rotates it one step, and conse 1 are retaining-pawls T T, Fig. 8, which serve quently through the action of the screw-rod moves the type-wheel along its shaft into lateral position to print the next letter. A retaining-pawl, N, having a spring, N engages the ratchet-wheel M and prevents its back motion. I provide a type-wheel returner, which is preferably constructed in the following manner: Up 0.1 the opposite end of the screw-rod F is a pinion, F Fig. 7, that gears with a spur-wheel, F which as the screw-rod is rotated by the pawl L winds up a coiled spring, F \Yhen a line of printing has been completed and the ratchet M is released, as I will now describe, the spring F", acting to rotate the screw-rod in a reverse direction, returns the type-wheel to zero, or the initial position for the commencement of a new line.

On the shaft D of the type-wheel is a radial K over a metallic roller, R, against which the propelling or paper-driving pawls S (seen in Fig. 10) work. Above the propelling-pawls S simply to prevent the paper being drawn back when the propelling-pawls S retire. The propelling-pawls S, beneath which the paper passes, are carried by levers S, which are movable about the shaft of the roller B. One of the levers S has upon it an arm, C from which the roller receives movement at the proper time for feeding the paper forward that is to say, when the type-wheel is released and allowcd to go back to the commencement of a line. At this time the pin K upon the printing-frame strikes against a iillingpiece or pusher, U, and this in turn abuts against the arm 5' of the lever carrying the pawls S,

pin or shifter, D which once in each revolu- 1 tion of the type-wheel operates againsta vertical incline, 0 upon ahorizontally-swinging piece or yoke, 0, Figs. 10 and 12, turning upon a vertical pivot, O. The pin moves the end of the yoke 0 (against the pressure of a light spring, 0') toward the adjacent end of the instrument, or toward the observer, looking at Fig. l 0, while the opposite end, 0, moves inward. A lever, 1, jointed at its upper end.

to the printing-frame K, has its lower end connected by a horizontal pivotal link, Q,

each revolution comes to the position in which 1 advances. O, as just t'lescribed, then, if at this moment i it is shown in Fig. lo and displaces the piece moves the link (.3 to the right, thereby lifting both the pawls If and X away from thc'lceih of the ratchet. and the spring 1: returns the type-wheel to its starting-point.

wheel mavtherefore be returned to the zero position at any point in the line, as well as at The t vpcso that when the printing-frame advances it moves the arm and the pawls S, and so it rotates the roller one step, carrying forward the paper, which is held between the roller and the pawl. Springs .5- hold the pawls in contact with the paper. This filling-piece or pusher '[T is jointed to the printing-frame by means of the horizontal pivot or pin l", which permits movement of pusher l: in a plane parallel with that in which the printing-frame moves; but the pusher I. also has a movement at right angles thereto on the pivot-pin u, which unites it with the pin l".

l. is an arm projectil'ig out from the rear of the pusher or iillingpiccc U, and this arm is embraced by a fork, 0, fixed to the piece 0, so that when the piece 0 is moved by the pin D" on the shaft D to liberate the typewheel, as already described; it also places the filling-piece or pusher U between the pin K and the arm S and eonseq uently the pawl by which the paper is f ed forward receives the movement required when the printing-frame In Fig. 13, which indicates the arrangement of the propelment-circuit, the course of the current may be traced in the manipulator from the battery X through the propelmentmagnet u, the screw f, a spring, 6 and lever e, thence to the printer and through the coils of the tvpe-wheel magnet B, and so back to the battery.

in Fig. .111, which indicates the arrangement of the printing-circuit, the course of the current may be traced in the manipulator from the battery X through the electro-magnet t' of the indicator, the finger g, and one of the finger-keys hto the frame of the manipulator, thence by a wire to the printing-magnet H, and by another Wire back to the battery.

As above mentioned, in order that the op- ,erator may be informed how many letters have been printed in any line, I employ the following arrangement: The magnet 2 in the printing-circuit operates a propelment-lever, k, Figs. 3 and 5,,which drives a ratchet-wheel, Z, fast on the shaft Z. A ratchet, Z fast on the same shaft re eeives a checkpawl, P, which prevents false movements. A disk, Z fast on the shaft Z,is perforated around its edge for the reception of a pin, m on a corresponding disk, m', carried by a sleeve, m, loosely mounted on the reduced upper end of the shaft Z. A spring, m surrounds the shaft Z within said sleeve, and normally holds the disks Z and m in contact. A finger, m on the upper end of the sleeve indicates upon any suitable dial the number of times the printmagnet circuit has been closed; When a line is finished,however, and the zero-key h is depressed, a collar, h, thereon moves the finger n around its pivot 02' and forces the finger against the incline or spiral cam m on the sleeve m, thereby lifting the sleeve, disengaging the disks m' and Z and turning the sleeve to bring its index-finger on to zero. On the release of the zero-key the spring within the sleeve returns it and brings the disks m andZ again into engagement.

From the above description the operation of various parts will be obvious, and since the arrangement of circuits and the location of the actuatingun agnets therein are fully shown in Figs. 13 and 14, further description of the operation seems unnecessary. It may be re marked, however, that the apparatus is brought to unison each time that the typewheel is returned to the initial or zero position.

In order to allow of spaces being left between successive words, it is necessary to be able to prevent the paper from coming into contact with the type-wheel when the printing-lever is swung upon the depression of the spacing-key. For this purpose the pins D on the axis of the type-wheel are bent slightly downward, so that when the type wl1eel armature is attracted and held by its magnet the first time after the type-wheel has passed Zero the pin upon the printing-lever comes against the bent end of the pin on the axis of the wheel and is stopped by it. Again, when the type-wheel is at zero and the printing-lever is swung, the paper is similarly prevented from touching the type-wheel by reason of the pin on the printing-lever coming against the stop. A pin may also be provided at the other end of the axis of the type wheel, to effect or assist in eifecting the same purpose. In this case sufficient breadth is given to the end of the pin to enable it to get in the way of a 'pin on the. printing-lever wheel step by step and in unison, a single I electric circuit including the elect-ro-magnetic devices for actuating the rotating finger and the type-wheel, a circuit-breaker in said circuit, the finger-keys, the print-frame, its electro-magnetic actuating devices, and a second electric circuit including the finger-keys, the

rotating finger g, and the print-frame-act-uating devices.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of. the rotating finger g, the shaft on which it is mounted, the notched wheel carried by said shaft, but insulated from the finger g, the circuit making and breaking'lever engaging with said notched wheel, the propelment lever, the ratchet on the shaft of the finger g, with which the propelment-lever engages, its electro-magnet, the type-wheel, its electro-magnetic actuating devices, and an electric circuit including the type-wheel-actuating devices,-and the electro-. magnet which actuates the propelment-lever.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the type-wheel, the shaft 011 which it is mounted and on which it is free to slide, electro-magnetic devices for re-.

volving the type-wheel, the screw-shaft, the print-frame, connections between the printframe and the screw-shaft,whereby the screwshaft is revolved to advance the type-Wheel 011 its shaft, the coiled spring, gearing between the spring and screw-shaft, the shifting-pin D on the type-wheel shaft, and connections between the pin and the screw-shaft, whereby the movement of the print-frame at a predetermined position of the pin D is caused to automatically release the screwshaft to allow its reverse movement by the spring with which it is geared.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the typewvheel, the shaft on which it is mounted and with which it revolves, electro-magnetic devices for revolving the shaft, the screw-shaft connected with the type-wheel for moving it back and forth on its shaft, the print-frame, connections between the print-frame and the screw-shaft for revolving it, the rotating finger of the transmitter, the finger-keys engaging therewith, an electric circuit including the finger-keys, rotating finger, and the print-frame-actuating devices, one of said keys being arranged to actuate the print-frame to release the connec-.

tions between the print-frame and the screwshaft when the finger is depressed.

5. The combination, substantially as here.

IIO

inbefore set forth, of the typewlieel, the typewheel shaft on which the type-wheel is free to slide, the screw-shaft, the nut on the screwshaft, connections between the nut and the f type-wheel, the coiled spring, gearing between the coiled spring and the screw-shaft, the oscillating printing-frame, the toothed wheel on the end of the screw-shaft, the pawl engaging with the toothed wheel, a lever, on one end of which said pawl is mounted and having its opposite end connected to the printing-frame, the retaining-pawl M, the jointed levers connecting said pawl to the printing-frame, the pin I.) on the type-wheel shaft, and the pivoted arm with which said pin engages to release the pawls from the type-wheel, for the purpose specified.

6. I11 an electric type-writer, the combination of parts constituting the indicator and by which the indicator is brought to zero, consisting in the combination of the magnet i, lever 70, shaft Z, and wheel Z, disk Z sleeve 77?, and disk m, engaging with Z key 71*, finger n, cam m and pointer m 7. In an electric type-writer, the combination of parts for bringing back the type-wheel to the commencement of a line, consisting in the combination of the typeuvheel, the shaft on which it-is mounted, a pin, D on the shaft, the piece 0, moved thereby, the printingframe K, the lever P, connected therewith, the retaining-pawls L and N, also connected with the leverP the screw F the nut F,the s )rin F and the connecting-gear.

b. In an electric typewriter, the combination of parts for advancing the paper at the end of each line, consisting in the co1nbination of the type-wheel, the driving-shaft on which it is mounted, the pin D on the driving-shaft, the piece 0, moved thereby, the filling-piece Y, the piece 0, connected with the filling-piece U, the pin K on the printingframe, the arm S the p aper-driving pawl, and

tion, substantially as hereinbcfore set forth, i of the type-wheel, the print-frame, the magnet for operating the print-frame, the screw-shaft, connections between the screw-shaft and the type-wheel, the pawls engaging with the screwshaft, the levers connecting the pawls with the print-frame, the pivoted arm 0 the pin D 011 the type-wheel. shaft engaging atti-ines with the arm 0 and the springs for returning the type-wheel to zero.

10, In an electric type-writer, the combination, substantially as hereinbcforc set forth, of the type-wheel, the print-frame, the magnet for operating the print-frame, the screwshaft, connections between the screw-shaft and the type-wheel, the pawls engaging with the screw-shaft, the levers connecting the pawls with the print-frame, the pivoted armature 0 the pin D on the type-wheel shaft engaging at times with the arm 0 the spring for returning the type-wheel to zero, the pusher U, the paper-rolhthe pawl for operating the paper-roll connected with the pusher U, and connections between the pusher and the pivoted arm 0 whereby the pusher is disconnected from the paper-rollactuating pawl.

11. The combination, substantialh as here inbefore set forth, of the rotating finger, the 7 type-wheel, electro-magnetie devices for retating the finger and actuating the typewheel, the printing-frame, the finger-keys, elect-ro-niagnetie devices for actuating the printing-frame, and an electric cireuitincluding said actuating devices and the finger-keys, the indicator included in the printing-circuit and actuated step by step in correspondence with each actuation of the printingframe, and connections between one of the fingerkeys and the indicator for returnii'ig it to zero.

l FREDERICK HERBERT WILLIAM HIGGINS,

\Vitnesses:

GEO. J. FRANKLIN, I, ALTER J. SKERTEN, 1 Bot]; ofl? Graccchurch Street, London,E. C.

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