US1008053A

US1008053A - Tabulator-stop-setting device.

Info

Publication number: US1008053A
Application number: US59880210A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter E Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-12-22
Filing date: 1910-12-22
Publication date: 1911-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1928-11-07

Description

W. E; PALMER. TABULATOR STOP SETTING DEVIOE.-

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911'.

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W. E. PALMER. IABULATOB. STOP SETTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22, 1910.

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WALTER E. PALMER, OF CICERO, TLLINOIS.

TABULATOR-STOP-SETTING DEVICE. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VALTER E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cicero, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,-have invented certain new and useful .Improvements in Tabula'tor- Stop-Setting Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

- This invention relates to improvements in tabulating mechanism for typewriting machines and refers more specifically to novel means for setting and resettingthe column or tabulator stops of such mechanism by which the carriage is arrested at -predetermined points in its travel for pfinting a series of items in vertical columns. Tabulating mechanisms of this character usually embrace, in combination with the carriage and the machine f'rame, a series of stops supported on one of. the parts and longitudinally adjustable with respect to the path of the carriage travel, and a cooperating device carried by the other part adapted, by manipulation of a key or like device, to be shifted into the path of one of the stops,vthe said key usually operating at the same time to release the carriage from the control of its letter spacing mechanism so as to permit the carriage to move under the influence of its actuating spring to a point or points determined by the adjustment of the stop or stops.

I have herein shown my invent-ion as applied to the Oliver typewriter of the general construction illustrated in the prior patent to Knapp and Harting,,No. 916,720, dated March 30th, 1909, but it will be understood that the essential features of the invention may be applied to other types of machines, and'the invention is not, therefore, limited to the specific adaptation herein disclosed, except as to such claims wherein the particular structure is specifically set forth.

As shown in the drawings,Figure 1 is a transverse section of the paper carriage and a portion of the shifting carriage. "Fig. 2 is a fra .entary plan view of the stop setting device embracing my invention. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the arts shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a face or .ed longitudinally of the bar.

' Patented Nov. 7,1911.

5 is a fragmentary view illustrating'one of REISSUED the stops and its supporting ratchet bar,'

showing the stop released from its supporting member. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating the essential features of my invention, in a position different from that shown in Fig.1. Fig. 7 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 6, in still another position wliich they assume during operation.

As shown in said drawings, 10 designates the longitudinal frame member of the carriage, on the forward margin of which is formed the-rack 11 which engages with the,

pinion 12 of the letter spacing mechanism, said carriage being supported on and traveling on the rails 14 and 15 of the carriage shifting frame. The said frame member 10 is provided with a depending flange or bar 17 located just in rear of the vertical plane o-f'the rack 11. The bar 17 is provided at its lower margin with a plurality of closely spaced ratchet teeth 18, and is provided also on its front face with a scale marked to correspond with the letter space scale of the carriage, and with the ratchet teeth 18. Mounted on said bar 17 are a plurality of adjustable tabulator or column stops 20 of the form shown best in Figs. 5, 6 and 7; each stop comprising parallel front and rear members connected by the lower transverse member, and arranged to embrace the lower toothed margin of the bar 17 The front member of the stop is provided at its upper end near one margin with a stud 21 adapted to engage in a longitudinal groove 22 formed inand extending longitudinally of the bar 17, whereby said stops may be shift- The transverse members of said stops are provided with holding teeth 23 adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 18 of the bar17 to lock said stops in adjusted positions on'the flange. The said stopsare normally held in positions to engage the holding teeth 23 with the ratchet teeth '18 of the bar 17 by means of the springs 25'attached to the stops and to the flange in; the manner shown in the aforesaid patent to Knapp and Harting,

No. 916,720, this being the normal position of the stopsi When the stops are swung downwardly about their pivot studs 21 to the position shown in Figs. 5 and 7 the stops are free to slide longitudinally of the ratchet bar 17 so as to be set, in any desired positionalong thebar; and when the stops are unrestrained the said springs 25 return the stops to normal positionswith the teeth 23 thereof engaged with the ratchet teeth 18 0f the bar 17, whereby to lock the stops in adjusted positions. Said-stops cooperate with a key actuated, stop member 27 pivotally mounted on the shift frame, said stop member being movable vertically into and out of the path ofthe stops 20. Said stop member is shown as formed on the rear end of. the key actuated lever 28 which is piv- 'otally mounted on a suitable bracket carried by the carriage shift frame. The lever 28 is provided with an upwardly and rearwardly extending arm 29 which is connected by a horizontally arranged link 30 with the upper end of the shaft 81 that carries the pinion 12 of the letter spacing mechanism;

the arrangement being such that when the lever 28 is swung to move the stop member 27 into the path of the stops 20, said pinion Will be released fromthe rack of the letterv spacing mechanism so that the carriage will be free to move under the influence of its actuating spring to a position determined by the adjustment of the next adjacent stop 20. These features of the tabulating mechanism described are like that of the construction of the Knapp and Harting patent before referred to and constitute, in themselves, no part of ,thepresent invention. Heretofore in tabulating-mechanisms of this general type it has been necessary. when it is desired to adjust or reset the stops, as the I for example, in large offices requiring tabu-- dating in columns of different widths, such readjustment or resetting ,of the stops to change the spacing of the columns is tedious and" consumes considerable time.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means which may be operated by a single actuating key or like device to set or adjust a plurality-of stops to vary the spacing of the tabulated work without removing the carriage or manually shifting the stops, and a further object of this inven tion is to separately reset any one of a plurality of stops, as the stops 20, by a single actuating device.

In the present Oliver construction it. is convenient to associate the setting or adjusting device with, or mount the same on the right hand margin release key lever 32,

bywhich to release the stop member 33, carried by the rear end of said key lever, from or move it out of the path of the right hand margin stop-34 which is also adjustably mounted on the ratchet bar 17, as shown in Fig. 4. While this arrangement of the setting or adjusting device is desirable to apply my tabulator stop setting or adusting device toa machine of'the kind shown without material change in the construction thereof, yet it is to be understood that the invention in its broader aspect is not limited to this arrangement, but said setting or adjusting device may be provided with a separate actuating key. The said setting or adjusting device comprises, in

general terms, a rearwardly directed finger -of the groove 22 which .receivesthe pivot studs 21of the stops 20; the said groove being shown as somewhat enlarged by wt ting away the metal of the bar 17 in order to receive said finger and to permit the carriage to be moved freely without restricting engagement of the finger with the carriage frame or said stops. The said swinging laterally extending pin 41 which normally lies a distance above the upper margin 01 the key lever 32, and is adapted, when the rear end of the key lever is swung upwardly, to be engaged by the latter (as shown in Fig. 6). In the continued swinging movement of the key lever the contact of the lever with said pin 41 serves toswing the member 37 forwardly, and thereby swing the rear end of'the finger 36 downwardly. The said stops are provided at their upper ends, and near the margins thereof remote from the pivot studs 21, with upwardly opening notches 42, and the relation of the stop member 27 with the rearmember 87 is provided at one side with a I end of the finger 3G is such that when the carriage is arrested by engagement of one of the stops 20 with said stop member 27 the rear end of the said finger 36 will be located directly over the notch 42 of the adjacentstop, as indicated at the left hand end of Fig. 4. Therefore, when the carriage is thus arrested by engagement of one of the stops 20 with the stop member 27 and it is found necessary or desirable to reset or adjust the stop to bring the column to the proper position on the paper receiving the printed impressions, the key lever is depressed, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and said lever engages the pin 41 to swing the member 37 forwardly and thereby swing the rear end of the finger 36 downwardly into engagement with the notch 42 of the adjacent stop to swing the stop on its pivot stud to the released position indicated-in Fig. 5. The stop may be held in this position by said fin ger andthe carria e shifted in one dire'ction or-theother, either by hand, or by the forward or back-spacing mechanism, and thereby change the relative position'of' the stop on its carrying member or bar 17Tso as to adjust or set said stop to arrest the carriage at a new point for tabulating work. It will be readily seen that either of the stops 20 may thus be adjusted or reset, and that such resetting-operation is effected by a single manually. operable device, as the key lever 32.

WVhen the setting or adjusting device is mounted on or associated with the right hand marginal release key, and is therefore located over the stop member 33 of said key, the said stop member may be provided with the. upwardly opening notch 44 to receive the finger 36 when swung downwardly into engagement'with the notched stop 20 and thus stiifen. said finger againstlateral defiection, as will be evident. In other adaptations of the setting finger it may be otherwise stifiFened.

- While I have herein shown one practical embodiment of my invention for resetting the column or tabulating stops of tabulating mechanisms, it will be understood that the invention-is not limited to the construction herein shown, but is applicable to all tabu; lating mechanism of this general character, embracing a plurality of stops adapted to be longitudinally adjusted on their support,

and to be engaged by a co-acting stop device or member which is arranged to be shifted into and out of the path of the adjustable stops.

I claim as my 1nvent1on:-

1. In a tabulator mechanism for typewritmg machines. the combination with a plu-' rality of tabulator stops and the supporting member along which they are longitudinally spaced and upon which they are mounted to be adjusted toward and fromveach other, of

a a single movably mounted setting or adjusting device adapted to directly engage and separately release and set or adjust the stops along their supporting member. 7

2. Ina tabulator mechanism for typewrit ing machines, the combination with a plurality of tabulator stops and a supporting member therefor, along which the stops are longitudinally spaced and upon which they are adapted to be adjusted toward and. from each other, with means for lockingthe stops in adjusted positions, of a movably mounted setting device adapted to separately andindependently release the locking mechanism of each stop, and hold the stop to permit it to be adjusted by relative movement of tlfe supporting member. I Y 3. In a tabulator mechanism-for typewriting machines, the combination with aplurality of tabulator stops and-a supporting member therefor along which the stops are adapted to be adjusted, with means for lockingv the stops in adjusted positions, of alever operated setting finger adapted td re lease the locking means and to confine-the stops while relative adjustment of the stops and bar is effected. 4. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a plurality of tabulator stopsand a supporting bar along which said stops are adapted to 'be adjusted, said stops having rocking motion on the bar whereby they may be locked to and released from the bar, and means to interlock with the stops to rock them to releasing positions and to retain or confine the stops while being adjusted on said bar.

5. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a mem- "to hold the stops while the member is shifted to adjust thestops on saidban.

6. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting-machines, the combination with a member'carried by or movable with the carriage and a plurality of stops having means to lock them on said memberand adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the member, of a lever actuated finger pivoted to a rela .tively fixed part of the frame'and adapted to interlock with the stops to release them from the member and, to hold them while said member is being longitudinally shifted to thereby adjust the stops on the member.

7. In a tabulator mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a member carried by or movable with the carriage and a plurality of stops having means to lock them on said member and adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of the member, of a lever actuated finger pivoted to a relatively fixed part of the frame and adapted to interlook with the stops to-release them from 1 the member and to hold them while said memberfis being longitudinally shifted to thereby adjust the stopson the member, and

means arranged to brace or stiffen the finger near its free end.

8. A 'tabulator stop setting device-comprising a lever-actuated member having means to separately engage the tabulator stops to release the latter from their supportmg member and confine the stops while they are being, adjusted on the support, and

means. for movably supporting the lever actuated member. a

9; Ina tabulator or stop" -inechanism for typewritmg machines,-the combination with a stop device auditssupportingmemberto with the stop device to hold it"stationaryi and torelease' the stop device from its supporting member.

: In a tabulator or stop mechanism for typewriting machines, the combination with a stop devlce and its supporting member to which the stop device is normally-locked, of

Va pivoted lever arranged when swung in-one dlIBCtIOIl to release the stop device from 10 airy, and when swung in the other direction its supporting member and lock it stationto relock the stop device to its supporting a member and release said stop device.

1 1. A typewriting machine embracing an endwi traveling paper carriage and its supporting frame abar carried by and arrangedr longitud .ally of the carriage, a series ofspaced tabulate stops on the .bar and adjustable longitudinally therealong with meansjfor lockingthem in adjusted poiition, means mounted on said frame to separately and independently release 'said stops from the bar and'to hold them sta tionary while the carriage is shifted end wise and thereby reset the stops on said bar, and a cooperating stop on the frame. 12. A typcwriting machine embracing an endwise traveling carriage and its support-v ing frame, a bar carried by and arranged longitudinally of the carriage and provided with a series of closely'spaced notches, a series of tabulator stops spaced longitudinally of said bar and slidable endwise thereof and provided with means to engage the notches of the bar to lock the stops thereto, means carriedby said frame arranged to separately release said stops from the notches of said bar and to hold them stationary while the carriage is shifted. end- Wise to thereby reset the stops on the bar and a cooperating stop on the frame,

13. A typewriting machine embracing an endwise travehng carriage and its supporting frame, a bar carried by and arranged longitudinally of the carriage and provided with a series of closely spaced notches, a

series of tabulator stops spaced longitudinally of said bar and slidable endwise there of, and having a rocking or tilting move-- ment thereon to engage the stopsvvith and release" them from the notched bar, means carried by the frame for so releasing the stops from said bar and for holding them temporarily fixed during the endwise movement of the carriage and a cooperating stop carried by said frame.

1 1-. A typewriting machine embracing an endwise traveling carriage and its supporting frame, a letter spacing mechanism embracing a rack on the carriage and a'pinion flange on the rack bar, a series of longitudinally spaced tabulator stops carried by and adjusted longitudinally of said flange, a cooperating stop on the carriage and resetting means. embracing a member mounted on the frame to separately engage the tabulator stops and release them from the said flange and to hold them fixed while the carriage is shifted en dwise.

15. In a typewriter, an endWise traveling carriage and its supporting frame, a series.

of tabulator stops carried by and adjustable '-relatively to each other longitudinally of as m invention I aflix m si nature in the presence of two witnesses. this 16th day of December A. D. 191.0.

WALTER E. PALMER. IVitnesses \V. L. HALL,

IVILLIAM GOLDBERGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C.

60 and a tabulator mechanism embracing a