Free platen typewriter

Claim 2

In a typewriter provided with a carriage having end plates: a cylindrical platen having free ends and around which an elongated sheet of paper or the like having a width greater than the length of said platen may be wound, said end plates being formed so as to leave unobstructed the area at each end of said platen; a pair of rollers mounted on said carriage for supporting said platen for rotation and disposed at positions less than 180* apart with respect to the circumference of said platen; a third roller disposed centrally with respect to said carriage and limited in longitudinal extent, said third roller being disposed at a position opposed to said pair of rollers and engageable with said platen at a position spaced less than 180* from each of said pair of rollers; one end plate of said carriage having an inclined slot; a rotatable rod normally disposed parallel to the axis of said platen, said third roller being secured to said rod and one end of said rod being disposed in said inclined slot; the opposite end of said rod being rotatably mounted on the opposite end plate of said carriage; means for turning said rod mounted on said opposite end plate for turning said third roller to impart rotational movement to said platen; a shift lever having a bifurcated end pivotally mounted on said one end plate, said bifurcated end engaging said one end of said rod; said shift lever being arranged to shift said one end of said rod to shift said third roller to a position spaced from one of said pair of rollers a distance greater than the diameter of said platen; and a spring extending between said bifurcated end of said shift lever and said one end plate and arranged to maintain said shift lever and said rod in positions at opposite ends of said inclined slot.

Claim 3

In a typewriter provided with a carriage having end plates: a cylindrical platen having free ends and around which an elongated sheet of paper or the like having a width greater than the length of said platen may be wound; a pair of rollers mounted on said carriage for supporting said platen for rotation and disposed at positions less than 180* apart with respect to the circumference of said platen; a rotatable rod normally disposed parallel to the axis of said platen and disposed at a position opposed to said pair of rollers at a position spaced less than 180* from each of said pair of rollers; a third roller secured to said rod and engageable with said platen for imparting rotational movement to said platen; each said end plate being provided with a front post having a substantially vertical rear edge but leaving unobstructed the area endwise of said platen; a casing pivotally mounted on said front post of one end plate, one end of said rod being rotatably mounted on said casing; means supported by said casing for turning said rod to turn said platen and move paper or the like around said platen with said third roller in engagement with said paper; a bracket pivoted on said front post of the opposite end plate, the opposite end of said rod being rotatably mounted on said bracket; a latch lever pivotally mounted on each of said casing and bracket, said latch levers being connected for simultaneous movement and each latch lever having a notch providing a transverse edge, said latch levers being movable to shift said third roller to a position spaced from one of said pair of rollers a distance greater than the diameter of said platen; and means on each said front post for engaging said transverse edge of the corresponding latch lever, said means being adjustable to maintain said third roller in engagement with said platen.

Claim 4

In a typewriter provided with a carriage having end plates: a cylindrical platen having free ends and around which an elongated sheet of paper or the like having a width greater than the length of said platen may be wound; a pair of rollers mounted on said carriage for supporting said platen for rotation and disposed at positions less than 180* apart with respect to the circumference of said platen; a rotatable rod normally disposed parallel to the axis of said platen and disposed at a position opposed to said pair of rollers at a position spaced less than 180* from each of said pair of rollers; a third roller secured to said rod and engageable with said platen for imparting rotational movement to said platen; each said end plate being provided with a front post having a substantially vertical rear edge but leaving unobstructed the area endwise of said platen; a casing pivotally mounted on said front post of one end plate, one end of said rod being rotatably mounted on said casing; means supported by said casing for turning said rod to turn said platen and move paper or the like around said platen with said third roller in engagement with said paper; a bracket pivoted on said front post of the opposite end plate, the opposite end of said rod being rotatably mounted on said bracket; a latch lever pivotally mounted on each of said casing and bracket, said latch levers being connected for simultaneous movement and each latch lever having a notch providing a transverse edge, said latch levers being movable to shift said third roller to a position spaced from one of said pair of rollers a distance greater than the diameter of said platen; and means on each said front post for engaging said transverse edge of the corresponding latch lever, said means being adjustable to maintain said third roller in engagement with said platen.