EP0042975B1 - Tabulierzahnstange für eine Schreibmaschine oder dgl. - Google Patents

Tabulierzahnstange für eine Schreibmaschine oder dgl. Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0042975B1
EP0042975B1 EP19810104005 EP81104005A EP0042975B1 EP 0042975 B1 EP0042975 B1 EP 0042975B1 EP 19810104005 EP19810104005 EP 19810104005 EP 81104005 A EP81104005 A EP 81104005A EP 0042975 B1 EP0042975 B1 EP 0042975B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pins
tabulation
rack
bracket
holes
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19810104005
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0042975A1 (de
Inventor
Clinton Edward Abbott
Larry Joe Rice
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
JP Morgan Delaware
Original Assignee
International Business Machines Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/163,676 external-priority patent/US4348123A/en
Priority claimed from US06/163,677 external-priority patent/US4348124A/en
Application filed by International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Publication of EP0042975A1 publication Critical patent/EP0042975A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0042975B1 publication Critical patent/EP0042975B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J21/00—Column, tabular or like printing arrangements; Means for centralising short lines
    • B41J21/02—Stops or stop-racks

Definitions

  • This invention relates to tabulation racks for printers which step to printing locations, particularly typewriters.
  • Tabulation racks for use in a tabulation operation are well known in the typewriter and related arts.
  • the tabulation mechanisms permit the machine operator to quickly position printing means relative to paper at a predetermined point on the writing line by depressing a "tab" keybutton. Movement is initiated by depression of the keybutton and usually is terminated in response to movement carrying a member into contact with a tabulation stop element located properly on a tabulation rack. This is used in typing columns of Figures indenting paragraphs, and any other operation that requires positioning the printing means to a specific point each time.
  • Tabulation racks which comprise an elongated slotted frame structure and a plurality of tubulation stop elements (often called “tab stops”) fitted in the slots of the frame structure and pivotably mounted with respect thereto, for individually pivoting between a set position and a clear position, in which they are respectively located in the travel path of the moving carriage and out of said travel path.
  • tab stops In order for the tab stops to releasably remain in their set or clear position, tab stop holding means must be provided.
  • Some known devices employ a friction positioning of the tab stops with respect to the frame structure. For example, in United States patent 3,333,669, a drag force between the tab stops and said frame structure is created by the resilience of the tab stops which are twisted to frictionally bear against one of the sides of their associated slots.
  • shaped surfaces on the tab stops provide a positive de- tenting action.
  • GB-A-1,026,958 discloses a tabulation rack including the same type of tab stops as those found in the last three mentioned references.
  • This tabulation rack has an elongated mounting bracket with opposing sides showing opposed holes positioned at locations providing tabulation positions.
  • a tabulation pin is loosely fitted in each pair of said opposed holes and extends past said bracket sides to slide to set and clear positions.
  • the upper surface of each pin has detent notches equal in number to the number of desired pin settings.
  • a tabulation rack employs tab stops in the form of simple pins having smooth surfaces, with the pins held at different settings by frictional engagement between said smooth surfaces and a pin receiving hole of the frame structure, with sufficient frictional drag created by force from a biased spring or resilient member.
  • the tabulation rack according to the invention is of the type having:
  • Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the tabulation rack 1, according to the invention, assembly and partially in its operating environment.
  • the rack can be considered to have three major elements: the main bracket or beam 3, which may be as long as necessary to encompass all tabulation positions in a particular typewriter; the tabulation stop, elements which are pins 5; and the resilient, biasing members 7.
  • the typewrter has a paper carriage which moves past a printing station step-by- step during printing as is entirely conventional.
  • the beam or bracket 3 is seen to be mounted to vertical portions of the carriage 9 by attachment through an L shaped bracket 11.
  • the shorter leg of bracket 11 is mounted on top of beam 3 through a screw 13 and nut 1 5.
  • the longer leg of bracket 11 is mounted against a thin vertical area of carriage 9 which is threaded to receive an hold screw 17.
  • Figure 3 presents a perspective view which illustrates the structures by which adjustments of the rack 1 are made.
  • the short leg of bracket 11 has a slot 19 just wide enough to receive screw 13, but elongated across the width of the leg.
  • the slot 19 terminates near each side of the leg of bracket 11.
  • the long leg of bracket 11 has a slot 21 just wide enough to receive screw 17, but elongated up the length of the leg.
  • slots 19, 21 and 23 and associated screws 13 and 17 provide adjustment vertically and horizontally, both down the direction of the length of rack 1 and at 90° to that, which is toward the front and back of typewriter.
  • Bracket 3 of rack 1 is stamped from soft, cold rolled steel, specifically from a sheet one-half millimeter in thickness.
  • the bracket alone, in a view looking down its long dimension, is shown in Figure 4.
  • bracket 3 has a bridge 25 joining opposing sides 27 at 90° angles; sides 27 have opposing holes 29. Holes 29 are elongated in the direction perpendicular to bridge 25 to accommodate pins 5 as will be futher discussed.
  • the small sizes realized in accordance with this invention should be appreciated.
  • the inside dimension between sides 27 is 7 millimeters.
  • the length of sides 27 from top to end is 5.84 millimeters.
  • the shortest distance from the underside of bridge 25 to farthest end of a slot 29 is 5 millimeters.
  • Figure 5 is a side view of an intermediate part of bracket 3, illustrating more clearly the slots 29.
  • the slots 29 have regular, straight sides and are rectangular in cross-section. Their long dimension, which extends perpendicularly to bridge 25, is about 2.5 millimeters. Their width is about 0.76 millimeters.
  • holes 29 are in pairs directly opposed on opposing sides of bracket 3, so that a pin 5 can be inserted through the pair and thereby be supported on two sides by the sides of the holes 29 in which it is inserted.
  • a pin 5 is illustrated by side view in Figure 6 and by end view in Figure 7. Although gently rounded at its top 40 and bottom 42, its major dimensions are straight rather than curved. Of particular interest is the straight bottom surface 42, which appears as one of the sides of a rectangle when viewed from the side, as in Figure 6. Surface 42 rides against the bottom side of holes 29. Since the surface is straight, any significant resistance to movement laterally from set and clear positions will be of simple frictional drag.
  • the pins are 10 millimeters in major length, 2 millimeters high, and 0.7 millimeters thick. They are thereby designed to enter holes 29 with a loose fit.
  • Two coil springs 7 fit side-by-side in the area between bridge 25 and pins 5 and extend along the entire length of the rack where pins 5 are situated, so that each spring 7 contacts all of the pins 5.
  • Springs 7 are of 0.3 millimeter diameter mechanical spring wire. The outside diameter of each spring 7 is 3.4 millimeters and the initial tension is 0.231 Newton.
  • the set and clear mechanism 50 is essentially conventional and is shown only illustratively as it forms no part of this invention.
  • Each pin 5 may be brought opposite the abutments 52 and 54 of the mechanism 50 by relative longitudinal movement of the bracket 3 with respect to mechanism 50.
  • mechanism 50 is rotated in the set direction, as shown in Figure 1, the abutment 52 is moved leftward to engage the end of a pin 5 and move that pin 5 by direct force down its length until the end of the pin 5 is substantially flush with the outside of the right side of bracket 3.
  • FIG. 8 shows an intermediate portion of a rack 1 having various pins 5 in the set and clear position.
  • a different pin 5 must be present to locate each different stop location.
  • the stops 5 trip a mechanism which causes an escapement pawl to fall between selected teeth in an escapement pinion or the like. If the typewriter is of dual pitch type, two escapement pinions are provided, one having teeth spaced for 10 pitch typing and the other for 12 pitch typing. Accordingly, the tabulation rack must be such that it can control the engagement of the escapement pawl with the teeth of either of the escapement pinions. This leads to a non-uniform spacing of the stops along the tabulation rack.
  • pins 5 are arranged in sequences of six pins, with the second and third spaced 0.1 inch (2.54 mm) from the preceding pin along the tab rack.
  • a fourth pin is spaced 0.05 inch (0.127 mm) from the third pin.
  • a fifth pin is spaced 0.083 inch (0.211 mm) from the fourth pin.
  • the last of six pins is spaced from the fifth also 0.083 inch (0.211 mm), and the first pin of the next sequence of six pins is spaced 0.083 inch (0.211 1 mm) from this pin.
  • the springs 7 must be depressed so as to be partially collapsed along their central axis while a pin 5 is inserted through opposing holes 29. When the springs 7 are released, their recovery force presses and holds the pin 5.
  • the springs 7 are simply placed in the bracket 3, resing on bridge 25, and pushed in one direction along their central axis with a surface which fits within the bracket.
  • Both of the springs 7 are deformed in the same direction down their central axes. As shown in Figure 2, this results in an acute angle between the coils and the central axes of springs 7, said acute angle being smaller than the corresponding angle when the springs are undeformed.
  • the assembled tabulation rack is sprayed by SAE 30 weight oil.
  • SAE 30 weight oil In quantity prodcution, it is expected that the rack will be dipped into the oil, rather than sprayed.
  • Figures 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a second embodiment of this invention, in which the pins 50 are round and the resilient, biasing member 52 is a single, normally straight wire.
  • Figure 9 is a side view of an intermediate portion of the tabulation rack in accordance with this second embodiment. The discussion and illustrations of functioning and associated structures made with respect to the first embodiment, with reference to Figures 1 through 8, are equally applicable to the second embodiment and will not be repeated.
  • the rack can be considered to have three major elements: the main bracket or beam 54; the stops 50; and the biasing member 52.
  • the beam or bracket 54 is mounted in a typewriter as discussed with respect to Figure 2 and 3 for the first embodiment.
  • Bracket 54 is stamped from soft, cold-rolled steel, specifically from a sheet one-half millimeter in thickness.
  • the bracket 54 containing pins 50 is shown in Figure 10 in a view looking down the long dimension of bracket 54.
  • Bracket 54 has opposing sides 56 having opposing cylindrical holes about 1.1 millimeter in diameter, which loosely receive a pin 50.
  • the pins 50 are cylindrical, with their major dimension extending between opposing sides 56.
  • the outer dimensions of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, illustrated in Figures 1 through 8.
  • the pins 50 are one millimeter in diameter, being cut from a rod of 8620 steel, a very hard steel. As shown in Figure 10, each pin 50 has an entirely flat face on the set side (right side in Figure 10) and a chamfer on the clear side.
  • the chamfer is a surface at 45° starting 0.3 millimeter from the end.
  • One purpose of the chamfer is to assist in a continuous clear of tab stops by bringing a wedge- shaped clear abutment into close contact with the rack while the rack is moved continuously. The details of such continuous clearing operation form no part of this invention.
  • the second purpose of the chamfer is to facilitate insertion of the pins 50 in the holes of bracket 54, using the chamfered end of the pin as the leading part during the insertion.
  • a single length of round music wire 52 of about 0.250 mm diameter Located half-way between the sides of bracket 54 and engaging all of the pins 50 is a single length of round music wire 52 of about 0.250 mm diameter.
  • the vertical positioning of the pins 50 is illustrated in Figure 11. This positioning is such that the top of one pin is on the same plane, labeled 60, as the bottom of the next adjacent pins. Thus, the top of every other pin 50 is located substantially on the same plane as the bottom of the other pins 50.
  • Wire 52 is deflected in up and down or serpentine configuration by the amount of its radius. Wire 52, thus, produces a force toward assuming a straight line. This forces the pins 50 located above wire, upward, and the other pins 50, located below the wire, downward.
  • the pins 50 remain in their set and clear position by simple frictional drag against lateral movement created by the force of the wire 52 attempting to assume a straight line.
  • the primary advantages anticipated from this second embodiment are in manufacture.
  • the staggered holes permit wider spacing between the holes. Since the holes will be punched, the increasing separation provides a margin of safety against failures in the punching operation.
  • the round pins 50 may be more readily inserted in certain feeding techniques. The wire 52 can be guided into place while the pins 50 are inserted, using automated equipment for quantity production.
  • the assembled tabulation rack is sprayed by SAE 30 weight oil. In quantity production, it is expected that the rack will be dipped into the oil, rather than sprayed.
  • Figure 12 shows a typewriter from the rear without a cover and with emphasis on the tabulation rack 70.
  • the latter is mounted on a movable carriage 72 and is as described in the foregoing.
  • the other typewriter structures are conventional and form no part of this invention. These structures include the keyboard 74, the platen 76, upon which paper to receive typing is mounted, and margin controls 78. The printing structures, located between platen 76 and keyboard 74, are not shown.
  • the carriage 72 moves from left to right, as viewed in Figure 12, during typing, spacing, and tabulation.
  • the set and clear mechanism 50 is mounted to the typewriter base 80 at the center of the typewriter.
  • Tabulation is initiated by a key operation, at which time the carriage 72, including rack 70 moves freely from left to right as viewed from the rear of the carriage.
  • a stop lever 82 normally located in front of the clear abutment and below the pins of the rack, is raised up to the plane of the pins. This is shown illustratively, but in some detail, in Figure 1 and 12. It should be understood, of course, that this discussion of stop lever 82 is equally applicable to the embodiment of Figures 9 through 12.
  • stop lever 82 is shown in its position prior to tabulation, immediately in front of clear abutment 54 and with its top part under pins 5. Stop lever 82 is mounted on a pivot stud 84 in a vertical elongated slot 86. During tabulation, stop lever 82 is shifted upward as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.
  • any pin 5 in the set position will engage stop lever 82 and pivot the same, clockwise as viewed in Figure 12, around stud 84. That motion is linked to the escapement mechanism of the typewriter to cause a pawl to fall between the teeth of the escapement pinion or rack, thereby stopping carriage motion and completing the tabulation.
  • An intermediate part of the tabulation rack, with a pin 5 about to engage stop lever 82, is shown in Figure 12, again illustratively only.
  • the operator may resume typing using keyboard 74.

Landscapes

  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)

Claims (4)

1. Tabulierzahnstange (1) fuer eine Schreibmaschine oder dergleichen, die aufweist:
einen langfoermigen Auflager (3, 54) zur Stuetze von entgegensetzten Seiten (27), die entgegengesetzte Bohrungen (29) aufweisen, welche Bohrungen entlang dem Auflager in Stellen positioniert sind, die Tabulierpositionen geben,
eine Vielfalt von Tabulierstiften (5, 50), wo jeder Stift loesbar in einem Paar der Entgegenzetsten Bohrungen (29) angeordnet ist und an den Auflagerseiten (27) vorbei zur gleitenden Verschiebung in Kupplungs- und Entkupplungslagen erstreckbar sind, und
elastische Halteelemente (7, 52), die in Eingriff mit den Stiften (5, 50) zum loesbaren Halten jedes der Stifte in seiner Kupplungs- oder Entkupplungslage kommen, wobei, die Tabulierzahnstange dadurch gekennzeichnet, ist das die gesamten auesseren Flaechen der Stifte (5, 50) glatt sind, und die elastischen Halteelemente (7, 52) mindestens ein gemeinsames, fortlaufendesn, elastisches in Kontakt mit jedem Stift (5, 50) erstreckbares Halteelement (7, 52) aufweist, wobei das elastische Element (7, 52) ein verbogene Haltung zur Ausuebung einer Rueckfederungsenergie hat, die zum Druecken der Stifte (5, 50) gengen eine Seite der Bohrungen (29) dient, wobei diese Rueckfederungenergie einen ausreichenden Reibungswiderstand schafft, so dass die Bewegung der Stifte (5, 50) beim normalen Betrieb gehemmt ist, waehrend eine unmittelbare schrubkraft ausgeuebt ist, um die Stifte (5, 50) in den Kupplungs- und Entkupplungspositionen gleitend zu verschieben.
2. Tabulierzahnstange (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Auflager (3) eine fortlaufende mit Abstand von den Stiften (5) liegende Flaeche (25) aufweist, das elastische Element zwei aehnliche in dem Zwischenraum zwischen der fortlaufenden Flaeche (25) und den Stiften (5) angeordnete Schraubenfeder (7) aufweisen, wobei der auessere Durchmesser der Schraubenfeder (7) groesser als der Abstand zwischen den Stiften (5) und er fortlaufenden Flaeche (25) ist, so dass Abweichung der Feder-Schrauben hinsichtlich ihrer mittleren Achse gezwangt ist, um den Winkel zwischen den Schrauben und der Achse auf einem Wert herabzusetzen, der kleiner als der Wert des entsprechenden von den unverbogenen Schraubenfedern gebildeten Winkels ist.
3. Tabulierzahnstange (1) nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Stifte (50) in allgemeinen zylinderfoermig sind und ihre Achse sich durch die entgegensetzten Bohrungen (29) erstreckt, und weiterhin dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das elastische Element (52) einen geraden normalerweise durch die Stifte (50) hindurch schlangenweise gewickelten Draht aufweist.
4. Tabulierzahnstange (1) nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Bohrungen (29) auf der gleichen Auflagerseite (29) versetzt angeordnet sind, so dass der Oberteil des einen Stiftes (50) in gleicher Ebene mit dem Unterteil der unmittelbar anliegenden Stifte (50) liegt.
EP19810104005 1980-06-27 1981-05-25 Tabulierzahnstange für eine Schreibmaschine oder dgl. Expired EP0042975B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/163,676 US4348123A (en) 1980-06-27 1980-06-27 Tabulation rack with spring pin holding
US163677 1980-06-27
US163676 1980-06-27
US06/163,677 US4348124A (en) 1980-06-27 1980-06-27 Tabulation rack with spring pin holding

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0042975A1 EP0042975A1 (de) 1982-01-06
EP0042975B1 true EP0042975B1 (de) 1984-09-12

Family

ID=26859855

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19810104005 Expired EP0042975B1 (de) 1980-06-27 1981-05-25 Tabulierzahnstange für eine Schreibmaschine oder dgl.

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0042975B1 (de)
DE (1) DE3165974D1 (de)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5722086A (en) * 1980-07-11 1982-02-04 Serabisu Sa Tub set device for typewriter

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH402010A (it) * 1963-11-25 1965-11-15 Olivetti & Co Spa Dispositivo di tabulazione per una macchina per scrivere o simile
SE363278B (de) * 1973-03-21 1974-01-14 Facit Halda Ab

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0042975A1 (de) 1982-01-06
DE3165974D1 (en) 1984-10-18

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