US1252820A - Type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

A. G. F. KUROWSKL. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION man JULY 19. 1915.

1,252,820, Patented Jan. 8, 1918. 4 SHEETS-811E511- iNVENTOR \WITNESSES: WW Q W ywaw M A A. G. F. KUROWSKI.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19. 915.

' Patented Jan. 8,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\NVENTOL? AT ORNEY,

A. G. F. KUROWSKI. TYPE WRlTlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED luLYw. ms.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. G. F. KURKIWS KB. TYPE WRITING meme. APPLICATION HLED JULY.I19. 1915.

Patented Jan. 8, 1918v 4 sumssnsu 4.

wrmissas: WWM' Rowsm, a subject of the German Empire,v

residing in first line to be printed thereon.

%TATE% PATENT @FFEQE.

ALFRED e. r. KUROWSKI, or BROOKLYN, new YORK, ASSIGNOR To UNDERWOOD 'rYrn- WRITEB, COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Application filed July 19, 1915. Serial No. 40,572.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED G. F. KU-

Brooklyn borough, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful 1m" provements in Type-Writing Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to mechanism, especially adapted for use as part of a typewriting machine, for supporting cards in a relatively flat condition against the platen, and for effecting a line-space feed of the cards as the latter are printed or stenciled.

Card-holders of this general description are usually connected to the platen, orto the line-space mechanism of the latter, in order that in the line-spacing operation, the platen and card-holder may be moved in unison from a single key or lever, or by means of a hand wheel on the platen shaft. These connections have ordinarily been such as to prevent movement of the card-holder independently of the platen even in the. operation of positioning the card for the For simplicity and convenience in positioning or re-positioning the card-holder, and for other reasons, as, for example, to permit the use of a record sheet, or to permit withdrawal of the card-holder'from the machine without disturbing the line-space mechanism, it is desirable that, except in the line-spacing operation. the card-holder be movable independently of the platen.

To this end, an ob ect of the present invention is a line-space mechanism for the' cardholder, such that, only when operated, does it actually enigage the card-holder; the card-holder being normally movable independently of the platen 1n either direction.

' A preferred form of mechanism embodying rying a this feature of the invention comprises a card-holder whichis mounted to slide in a frame rigidly attached to the carriage, the holder having fast thereto a rack adapted to be lifted by a. pawl normally disengaged therefrom, and the platen shaft cartoothed wheel which vibrates the pawlwhen the shaft turns, to cause the pawl first to engage the rack and then'to lift it one step on each vibration. A suitable retaining dog holds the rack aftereach feed, and it may be moved to release the rack to permit free movement of the holder when desired. I v

A further object of this invention is a card-holder of size, shape and weight to hold heavy cards firmly, and in flat condition, while the same are fed and printed, and which to be used does not necessitate serious modification of the well-known other parts of a typewriting machine. A feature of the invention is a frame on which the holder is supported independently of the platen, and on which the holder has a sliding movement in guides of a nature to maintain the holder and the card in true alinement at all times. A further feature of the invention is a spring device for throwing the card holder to an initial or normal position, preliminary to the printin Patented J an. 8, 1918.

or stenciling of the first line on the car,

In its preferred form, this last device consists of a pairof spring arms, detachably connected to the holder whenthe latter is mounted on its frame, and which exert a downward pressure on the holder to throw the latter when the retaining dog, above mentioned, is withdrawn from theline-spacing rack on the card-holder.

Other features and advantages inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings--- v .Figure 1 is a perspective view of the platen and platen carriage of a modified Underwood typewriting machine .\'ith the. card-holder and operating mechanism of the present invention attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation of the platen. card-holder, and pawl-andratchet mechanism for line-space feeding of the card-holder, the parts being shown in normal position preparatory to the printing of the first line on the card.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, showing also the type bars, keys, universal bar, and other parts; the card-holder being in its normal or initial position shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the platen, card-holder, and mechanism for supporting and feeding the latter, the ful1-l1ne position of the parts'being that assumed after the card-holder has been fed up by the line-space mechanism, and the position of the parts shown in broken line; bein will herethat assumed after the card-holder has been released for its return to normal ppsition.

Fig. a View similar; to Fig. 4, except that the line-space mechanismis shown as a locked to the card-holder and in the act of lifting the latter.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. l.

Referrine to the drawin s which show 1 a 0 w tne lnvention as applied to a modified form of an Underwood machine',the platen 7 is fast to the platen shaft 8, rotatably mounted at or near its ends in the carriage frame 9, and having the usual hand wheels 10. -Also 35 fastto the platen shaft 8 is the usual line space ratchet wheel 11, codperating with a pawl (not shown) on a slide 12, actuated by the linc space finger lever 13, pivoted at 14 to the carriage frame. The carriage frame m has its usual letter-feed movement on the rod 15 on the main frame 16. In the em.- bodimentof the invention shown in the drawings,the platen is not shiftable between case positions, but is held in. upper case 25 position by standards (not shown) on the carriage frame. A tie b21111? is substituted for the usual rod which ties, together the sides of the carriage skeletomand the latter is secured to the carriage frame by plates as 18, having ears l9 screwed at to the car- 35 presently to be described.

For carrying and guiding the card-holder, there is a frame having side pieces or racks- 24 and 25-, each of which is secured at 26" to. a depending car 27 on the tie bar 17.

ao iFor further supporting the side pieces 24 ""and25, there are brackets 28, secured at 29 to the carriage frame, and at 30 to the side pieces 24 and 25. The side pieces 24 and 25 are tied together at their upper ends by a rod 31, and .each has a ti-shaped guide 32 on ,"which the card-holder. has up and down movement.

The card-holder is comprised of side members 33 tied at their lower ends by a cross piece 34, and at their upper ends by a cross piece 35, to form a rectangular frame. Each of the members 33 has a laterally-extending flange 36, and each of the flanges 36, near its bottom and also near the top thereof, can ries a roller 37, which-is grooved to ride on the opposing guides 32 on the supporting" frame. Each of the card-holder frame anembers 33 is groovedat 38 to receive one edge of the card, the bottom cross piece 34 serv so ing as a base for the card. The cardholder supporting frame members 24 and 25 have also spring fingers 39 attached thereto,- which extend over the side pieces of the card-holder and are slightly turned toward 5 the platen to press the card against the sate for bearings.

T he card holder is normally held in its lowermost position, in its supporting frame, and when released is returned to such a position by means of arms-40, forked at their forward ends 42, to engage pins 43 on the side pieces'33 pf the card-holder, and. mounted} at the rear on a sleeve 44 on the rod 23 which ties the plates 18; Attached at one end to the sleeve 44, and at the other end hooked under the adjacent plates 18, are coil springs 45, which tend to force down the arms 40, so that at theprop er time the card-holder may be thrown to normal or Fig. 1 position. Upon contact of the racks 24. and 25 with blocks 24 and 25 the cardholder is arrested on reaching its lower position. It will be noted that the mere lifting of the card-holder to withdraw it from the frame, causes the pins 43 thereof to lbe released by the arms 40 after a suflicir'mt upward movement of the holder. The connection of the holder to the arms 40 in placing the holder in its frame, is,almost an.

equally simple matter. The platen being shorter than the distance between the arms 40.,does not interfere with the movement of the latter.

For effecting the line-space movement of the cardholder, the followingmechanism is provided: Alilxed to and'concentric with the platen 7 at each end thereof, is a ratchet wheel 46, the teeth 47 of whichact as cams to engage cam surfaces or teeth 48, one on each of a pa1r of arms 49. The arms 49 are ailixed to a sleeve 50 adapted to rock on a shalt 51, which, for convenience, may be the paper clamp rod, and whichis secured at either end.52 to the carriage frame 9.

The cams lift the, arms 49 against the-tension of springs 49, each attached at oneend to a pin 49 or the arm 49, and at the other end to a pin 49 on the adjacent plate 18, Rotation of the platen by the line-space wheel 11 therefore causes the arms 49 to 1 be vibrated up and down.- Each of the arms 49'carries a pawl 53 pressed forward "by a spring 53 to' have a normal position determined by a pin-54 on the lates 1-8.

On the rear face of eac of the side members 33 of the card-holder is a rack. 55, the teeth of which are adapted to be engaged by the pawls 53 when the latter are actuated by the cam wheels 46. The pins 54 hold the pawls normally out of engagement with the racks. When, however, the line-space wheel 11 is actuated to cause one or.;more of the teeth 47 on the cam wheels 46 to vibrate the arms 49', the pawls 53 are swung forward by the springs 53 into engagement with the racks. and lift the racks and card-holder one step for each complete vibration of the arms 49. For supporting the card-holder in 'its advanced position after each step movement of the latter, there are two dogs or pawls 56 attached to a rock shaft 57, which has hearing at either end in the brackets 28, and which carries a coil spring 59, secured at one end to the shaft and at the other end to one of the brackets 28 for normally holding the dogs 56 against the racks 55, so that on line-space movement of the card-holder, the dogs are first cammed out: fronr the racks by the inclined upper surfaces of the teeth thereof, and then by reason of the spring 59 are caused to hook under those teeth to support the card-holder in its new position. If the retaining dogs 56 be disengaged from the racks when the lifting pawls 53 are also disengaged therefrom, then the card-holder is at once returned to. lower position by the spring-controlled arms and for so disengaging the dogs 56, there is provided a finger lever 60 secured to the dog-carrying shaft 57, which lever when depressed rocks the shaft 57 and thus throws the dogs 56 from. the racks. The throw of the dogs is determined by contact of the same with the platen axle.

Referring to 3, the type keys 61 are shown mounted 'on key levers 62, having pinand-slot connections at 63-with bell crank interponents 64:, pivoted to the frame at 65. The interponents 64 connect at 66 to the e bars 67, the latter being pivotally mounted at 68 on the type segment, so as to be thrown upward against the front of the platen. Each type lever has a shoulder 69 adapted to strike the forward end of the universal bar 69 which controls the escapement for letter feed of the carriage, and also vibrates the ribbon on each type stroke. In order that the universal bar may clear the card-holder frame, it'is somewhat U-shaped,

as shown in Fig. 3. At its rear it is pivotally connected at-70 to a frame 71 mounted to rock on a shaft 72. It carries abracket 73, which has two ears 74 and 75, and may be shifted on the universal bar to bring one or the other of the ears into pin-and-slot engagement at 76, with one arm of the ribbon-vibrating lever 77 causing a greater or less throw of the ribbon according to which of the bracket ears is engaged with the v1- brator, so that different color bands of the ribbon may be employed. The bracket 73 has a neutral position in which neither ear engages the vibrator, and when in this position, the ribbon does not vibrate attype strokes. The bracket 73 is in neutral position when stenciling is to be effected. The vibrator lever 77 is of a shape to clear the card-holder frame, and has the usual pivotal connection at 78 with the ribbon-carrier 79. Since-the card-holder is inclined to the vertical, the ribbon-carrier 79 and the rib hon-shield 80 are similarly inclined, and the latter is supported by a bracket Sl'held by screws 82 to the segment bridge. The type 83 are set at an angle on the type-bars, so that the face thereof, at the printing point, may lie tangentially to the platen, and are rounded over at 85 in order that they may not interfere with the type guide 84.

It will therefore be seen that the incline of the cardholder, to bring the lower part of the same beneath the platen and out of the way of the keys, has involved no serious alteration of the other parts'of an Underwood typewriting machine. It is also to be note that the frame in which the card holder is mounted to slide is carried by the carriage frame and not by the rotatable parts; also that this frame provides a firm mount for the card-holder, and holds the latter in true alinement. The holder itself is a substantial structure adapted to hold and feed heavy cards, and not easily distorted.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I

' claim:

, enable said platen structure to operate the llIlO-fQQfllllg mechanism of the.card-holder.

The combination with a platen, of a card holder, means for effecting a line-space feed of the platen, a separate line-feeding mechanism for said card holder, said platen and card holder being normally movable independently of each other, and means to 0pcrate'said separate line-feeding mechanism.

3. The combination with a platen, of a card holder, means for effecting a step-bystep line-space feed of the platen, means for connecting the card holder to the platen for a step-by-step feed of the card holder with the platen, and means for automatically disconnecting the platen and card holder after each line-space feed, to permit. independent movement in either direction of either the platen or the card holder.

4. The combination with a platen, of a card holder, means for effecting a line-space feed of the platen, means for connecting the card holder to the platen foia feed of the cardholder with. the platen, means for automatically disconnecting the platen and card holder after each feed, and means for'holding the card holder in its advanced position after each feed.

The combination with a platen, of a card holder, means for effecting a line. space feed of the platen, means for connecting the card holder to the platen for a feed 'of the card holder with the platen, means t for automatically disconnecting the platen and card holder after each feed, and a spring-controlled dog for. automatically engaging and holding the card holder after each feed of the latten 6. The combination with a platen, of a card,holder, means for effecting a progressive line-space feed of the card holder past a printing line .at the platen, means tending; to drive the card holder in the reverse direction, and means for delivering the card holder to the action of said reverse driving means, and causing the latter to return the card holder independently of the position of the platen.

7. The combination with a platen, of a card holder, means for effecting a progressive line-space feed of the card holder past a printing line at the platen, springs connected to the card holder to throw the same in the reverse direction, and means operable independently of the position of the platen for delivering the aid holder at will to the action of said'springs.

8. The combination with a rotatable platen, of a relatively flat card holder, a

fixed frame on which the card holder is adapted to slide, means for etlectin-g a linespace feed of the card holder on the frame, and means operable while the platen is at rest to return the card holder from any position to which it has been fed.

9. The combination with a rotatable platen, of a relatively tiat card holder, a

fixed frame on which the card holder is adapted-to slide, meansvt'or efiectlng a linespace feed of the card holder on the frame, and means operable inde wndently of the rotative position of the platen for throwing the card holder in the reverse direction on its frame.

10. The combination with a rotatable platen, of a relatively fiat cardholder, a fixed frame on which the card holder is adapted to slide, means for effecting a linespace feed of the card holder on the frame,

spring-controlled arms connected to the card holder for throwing the cardholder in the reverse direction on its fame, means for holding the card holder against the action platen, offamans t'or ell'ecting a line-spacc movement of tlieplaten, a card holder, a

toothed wheel rotatable with the platen,a rack on'the card holder, a dog or pawl vibraiable by the teethof said wheel to engage the rack and advance-the card holder step by step with the movement of said wheel, and a spring-controlled dog to hold the card holder in its advanced position after each feed thereof.

13. The combination with a platen, of means for effecting a line-space movement of the platen, a card holder, :1 toothed wheel rotatable with the platen, a rack on the card holder, a dog or pawl vibratabl'e by the teeth of said wheel to engage the rack and advance the card holder step by step with the movement or said wheel, a spririg-controlled dog to hold the card holder in its advanced position after each feed thereof, and key-controlled mechanism for disengaging at will the retaining dog from the card holder to permit reverse movement of the latter.

11'. The combination with a rotatable platen, of means for effecting a line-space movement of the platen, a card holder, a toothed wheel rotatable with the platen, a rack on the cardholder, a pivoted arm hav ing a cam surface for successive engagement with the teeth of said wheel as the latter is rotated, a spring for holding said arnr; againstsaid wheel, and a dog orpawl carried by said arm to engage said rae t andach vance the card holder on each vibration of the arm.

15. The combination with a rotatable platen, and movable. platen carriage, of carriage-feeding mechanisnna relatively flat card holder in front. of, and extended below the platen. front-strike type-bars, and a universal bar protrmling into the path of the type-bars in front. of and above the base of the card holder. and extended under and upward to the rear of the card holder for engagement by the type-bars to operate the (an'riage-feeding mechanism on each'type st roke.

16. The ,combination with a rotatable platen, of a relatively flat card holder, a fixed frame on which the card holder is adapted to slide, means l'or ett'ecting a linespace feed of the card holder on the frame, and spring fingers attached to the. frame for pressing-the card against the platen atthe printing line.

- lit. The combination with a platen, of a card holder, and means for cilia-ting a linespace feed of the platen and card-holder, said card-holder being normally,movable in either direction independently oi the platen.

18. The combination with a platen. of a card'holder, means for effecting a line-space feed of the platen and card-lmlder, saidcard-holderbeing normally lnm'nlile independentlv of the platen, a springrlo move the card-holder in one direction, means to hold rotatable 7 lac the card-holder against such movement by said spring, and a key to release said cardholder to the action of said spring.

19. The combination with a platen, of a card-holder, means for effecting a line-space feed of the platen and cardholder, said card-holder being movable independently of the platen, a spring to move the card-holder in one direction, a rack on said holder, a

locking dogto engage said rack and prevent the holder from being moved by said spring, and a key to release said dog and permit the holder to be moved by the spring.

20. The combination with a platen, of a card-holder, means for feeding the cardholder step by step past theprinting line at the platen, a spring operative to movethe card-holder in the opposite direction, a reciprocatory feeding pawl or dog to engage said card-holder to line-feed the same, means to 'hold the card-holder against movement by said spring, and a key to release the holder to the action of said spring.

21. The combination with a platen, of a card-holder, means for effecting a progressive line-space the printing line at the platen, a spring for throwing the cardholder to initial position independently of the platen, a holding device to normally prevent said movement of the card-holder by the spring, and a key-to release the card-holder from said holding device and permit said operation of the spring.

22. The combination with a platen of a cardholder, mechanism for line-spacing the platen and concomitantly effecting a progressive line-space feed of the card-holder past the printing line at the platen, a spring for throwing the card-holder to initial position while the platen is at rest, a restraining dog to normally prevent the card-holder from being actuated by said spring, and a key to actuate said dog and thereby release the card-holder to the action of said spring.

23. The combination with a rotary platen, of line-spacing mechanism to rotate the platen, a card-holder, means actuated by the line-spacing mechanism to effect. a progressive' line-space feed of the card-holder past the printing line at the platen'as the latter is line-spaced, a spring connected to the card-holder to thfow the same in the reverse direction, and means operable independently of the rotative position of the platen to deliver the card-holder at will to the action of said spring.

24:. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, linefeeding mechanism therefor, and types to strike at the front face of the platen, of a card-holding frame in an upright position at the front of the platen, said frame having means for guiding and holding a card, permitting the latter to be dropped into said feed of the card-holder pastsions, means t upwardly step frame into position at the platen to receive the type impressions, step-by-step feeding mechanism for said frame, including means to normally prevent a return movement of said frame, and a device operable to cause the frame to be moved downwardly to its initial position.

25. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a. rotary platen and types to strike at the front face of the platen, of a card-holding frame in an upright position at the front of the platen, said frame having means for guiding and holding a card, permitting the latter to be dropped into said frame into position at the platen to receive the type impressions, line-spacing mechanism to rotate the platen step by step, and means operated by said mechanism to move the frame upwardly step by step to feed the card upwardly past the printing line at the platen, said moving means comprising a separate line'spacing mechanism.

26. In a front-strike typewriting machine the combination with a rotary platen ant types to strike at the of a card-holding frame in an upright position at the front of the platen, said frame having means for guiding and holding a card, permitting the latter to be dropped into said frame into position at the platen, to receive the type impressions, line-spacing mechanism to rotate the platen step by step, means operated by said mechanism to move the frame upwardly step by step to feed the card upwardly past the printing line at the 'platen, a spring to move said frame downward to its starting position, a detent to hold the frame at any position to which it has been advanced by the line-spacing mechanism, and a key to actuate the detent and release said frame to the action of said spring.

27. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a rotary platen, of a -card-holding frame provided withnpright the edges of a card whereby dropped into said frame and held in position to receive the type impressions, a rack device on said frame, and linespacing reciprocatory pawl mechanism to engage said rack to feed said frame and cardupwardly step by step at successive reguide-ways for he card may be ciprocations of said" pawl mechanism, past the printlng line at the front face of the platen.

28. In a front-strike ty'pewritin machine, the combination with a rotary pl aten, of a card-holding frame provided with upright guide-ways for the edges of a card whereby the card may be dropped into said frame and held in position to receive the type impresfeed said frame and card by step past the printing line at the front face of the platen, and springhOldiIlg fingersarranged to bear against the outer face of the card at the printing line for holdingthe card firmly against the platen. 1

29. In a typewriting machine, the comhination with a rotary platemof guide rails extending transversely of the platen, a cardholding frame mounted to travel on said frame step by step as the platen is rotated to feed a card past the printing line at the platen, and means whereby the card-holding frame may be moved in either direction independently of the rotation of the platen, from [any position to which it. has been brought by the operation of the line-spacing mechanism.

31. In a type vriting machine the comhination with a'oarriage of a rotary platen mounted thereon, line-spacing mechanism for rotating the platen, upright guide rails mounted on the carriage, a card-holdin frame mounted on said guide rails to trave up and down thereon, said frame having guides to receive the lateral edges of a card whereby the card may be dropped into said frame and held fiat and in contact wi h he platen along the printing line, meansactw ated by the line-spacing mechanism to 'ad- Vance the card-holding; frame step by step and thereby hnespace't'he card concomitantly with the linespacing movement of the" platen, and'means tomove the card-holding frame in either direction independently of the line-spacing platen is at rest.

82. The combination with a platen and line-spacing mechanism therefor, of a eardv mechanism and While the holder, means for efi'ecting a line-space feed of the platen, and a pa l-and-raclt mechanism between the platen and the cardholder and operable by the laten for efi eet ing a line-space feed of the card-holder.

- ALFRED G. F. KURUWSKI.

Witnesses I l i' W. (l. Wnsrennn 9 C. Hewett.

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