US1063948A - Coin and time controlled type-writing machine, &c. - Google Patents

Description

V n. BATES. GOLN AND TIME CONTROLLED TYPE WRITING MAOHINB, 6w.

APPLIOATIONPILED SEPT. 2, 190B. 1,063,948; Patented June 10,1913.

3 HTS-SHEET 1.

ln en/or.

H. BATES. 00m AND TIME CONTROLLED TYPE WRITING MACHINE, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1908.

Patented June 10,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. BATES. GOIN AND TIME CONTROLLED TYPE WRITING MACHINE, 6w.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 2, 1908. 1,063,948.

3 BHEBTSr-BHEET 3.

Patented June 10, 1913.

rarer imio HARRY BATES, OF ALBANY, NEW .YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER PAY STATION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

accents.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatentedJune to, 1913.

Application filed September 2, 1908. SeriaI No. 451,391.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY Barns, a citizen of the United States, residing in Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin andTime Controlled Type-Vvriting Machines, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin-operated, time-controlled devices for limiting the use of typewriting and other machines or apparatuses, and is in the nature of an improvement upon the invention disclosed in United States Patent No. 883,854, dated- April 7, 1908. Said patent discloses a typewriting machine normally out of condition for use, and means whereby by depositing, a coin and operating a lever, the machine is put into condition for use for arperiod limited by a clockwork; and at the termination of said period, the typewriter or other machine is automaticallylocked or returned to normal condition, in which it cannot be manipulated.

The principal object of the present invention is to simplify and improve the mechanism generally.

The invention is shown as applied to a typewriting machine of the Underwood type, and as having an arm which normally 3 holds in eiiective position the key-locking or line-locking bar of the Underwood machine, so as to prevent manipulation of the keys. 1

This lockin arm can be turned to ineffective position by means of a hand lever, after 'the deposit of a coin; and a simple latch connected tosaid hand lever is concomi-,

tantly withdrawn from a notch in a revoluble latching wheel operated by a clockwork.

The typewriter therefore remains in condition for manipulation until said latch, owing to the turning of said Wheel, drops again into said notch or into another like notch in saidwheel; whereupon the parts are returned to normal condition and the typewriter is again locked. Said latching wheel is shown connected to said clockwork by means of a pivoted pawl, which is automatically turned out of engagement with a ratchet of the clockwork at the termination of the period for which the machine is set; whereby theclock is permitted to run independently of the locking mechanism.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing mechanism to sound a bell, preferably at both the beginning and the end of the half-hour or other period for which the user is entitled to operate the machine upon the deposit of the coin.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation taken from the rear or from the inner side, showing the clutch mechanism to connect the clock to the latching wheel, the parts being shown in the normal condition of disconnection; this view also illustrating the bell striking mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the clockwork connected to the latching wheel. Fig. 3 is a perspective side view showing the time-controlled coin-operated devices in the Fig. 2 position. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken at the front end of the casing to illustrate the coin-operated devices and connections. Fig. 5 is a perspective side view of the clockwork and coin-controlled mechanism, showing the parts in normal positions. Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation showing the casing which contains the time-controlled mechanism, etc., as secured to the base of an Underwood typcwriting machine. The locking device is shown in full lines in normal position to lockthe typewriter keys. The abnormal or ineffective position of said looking device is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the upper right hand corner of Fig. 4, but showing the coinoperated lever in Fig. 3 position. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate the setting of the bell hammer for a strike.

The type keys 1 of the typewriting machine are mounted upon levers 2, which have books 3 beneath which is a stop bar 4:. Said bar is supported on arms 5 rising from a shaft (3 mounted in the sides 7 of the typewriter basc. The bar 4 forms part of a linelocking mechanism which locks the keys automatically at the completion of each line of writing in a well known manner, and it will be understood that it continues to perform its usual functions in the present case whenever the writing machine is put into condition for use by operation of the coincontrolled mechanism. In the present instance, use is made of the line-locking mechanism to put the typewriting machine normally out of condition for operation; the locking bar 4 for this purpose being normally held in effective position by a projection 8 provided upon a locking arm 9, the latter carried upon a rock shaft 10 forming part of a coin and time controlled apparatus, and extending into a casing 11 which contains said apparatus. Normally the locking arm 9 is in its forward full line position, Fig. 6, to hold the locking bar 4 beneath the hooks 3 of the key levers, so that the keys cannot be manipulated. Upon the deposit of a coin, the locking arm 9 may be swung back to the dotted line position, Fig. 6, to permit the locking bar 4 to be swung back on the arms 5 by means of a spring 12, thereby freeing the keys and putting the machine into condition for manipulation. It will be understood, however, that the locking arm 9 remains in the dotted line in effective position during the usual vibrations of the locking bar 4 from dotted line to full line position, at the ends of the Written lines,

to perform its usual function of locking the keys.

The movement of the locking device 9 from full-line to dotted-line position to release the typewriter for use, is efiected. by a finger-piece or hand lever 13, upon the operator depositing a coin 14 in a slot 15 formed in the top 16 of the casing 11. Before the coin is deposited, the finger piece 13 may rock idly, without having any effect on the machine; but the deposited coin serves temporarily to effect a connection for transmitting the movement of said handle 13 to the general mechanism in the casing. Said handle 13 is fixed upon a rock shaft 17 and upon the inner end of the latter is secured an upstanding arm 18 having at its top a notch or lip 19, upon which the deposited coin 14 rests for the purpose of performing'its temporary function aforesaid. Directly over said arm 18 and beneath the coin slot 15 is a coin-chute 20, in which the coin reposes while it rests upon said lip 19 of the arm 18. This chute serves as a holder or hearing for the coin, and enables the latter to etfect the desired connection between the arm 18 and a lever 21 upon which said chute isformed or mounted. Said lever 21 is loosely mounted, preferablyupon the shaft or axis 17. When the handle 13 is pressed in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4, it presses the coin and hence the chute 20, together with the lever 21, in the same direc tion. The reason that this movement of the lever 21 cannot be effected without the cooperation of the coin, is because the holder 20 is formed with an opening 22 in its face sufficient to permit the arm 19 to swing idly therethrough. The handle 13 is normally ,eld by a spring 23 against a stop 24; butafter the deposit of a coin the handle is swteng against a stop 25, and this movement swings the lever 21 from the position at Figs. 4 and 5 to the position at Figs. 3 and 7; and during this stroke, a link 26, pivoted at its upper end to an arm 27 of the lever 21 and at its lower end to a horizontal lever 28, serves to depress the latter about its ful- This lever 28 controls the typecrum 29. writer locking device 9. It will be seen that the .shaft 10, carrying said arm 9, is provided within the casing with an upright crank 30 having at its top a wrist 31, which is caused by a spring 32 to press against the end of the lever 28, the latter hence normally locking the arm 9 in the full line position at Fig. 6. then, however, said lever 28 is swung down in the manner just described, the wrist 31 rides off from the end of the lever 28 and along a cam or beveled edge 33 thereon, so that the spring 32 is permitted to swing the locking arm 9 to the ineffective dotted line position at Fig. 6, thus releasing the typewriter for manipulation.

A spring34, connected to the coin-controlled lever 21, 27, tends constantly to return said horizontal lever 28 to normal position; but said lever is latched down in abnormal position by means of a latch 35, pivoted at- 36 upon said lever; the period during which said lever is latched down (and during which the typewriting machine is in condition for manipulation) being limited by a clockwork 37, preferably capable of running eight days or more without rewinding, although other kinds of clockwork may be employed. Said latch 35 normally occupies a notch, or one of the two notches 38 and 38*, formed in a latching wheel 39 which is mounted loosely upon an arbor 40 of the clockwork. At Fig. 5 the latch is shown in normal position in the notch 38;

while at Fig. 3, it is shown as pulled down from the notch and pressed by a spring 41 up against the periphery of the Wheel 39, thereby latching down the lever 28.

At this point it should be mentioned that upon the lever 28 being latched down, the finger piece 13 may be released and spring 23 may return it to normal position together with the arm 18 having the coin support or lip 19. The coin-operated lever 21, 27 of course remains stationary, because of its connection to the latched-down lever 28; and hence the support 19 for the housed coin 14 is 'withdrawn, and the latter falls out of the coin holder 20 as indicated at 14*, and drops upon an incline 42, and from thence falls into a coin box 43, as seen at 14"; said box being preferably fixed upon the inner face of a cover 44, which may be secured by a lock 45 at its top and a lug 46 at its bottom. It will also be noticed that while the coin-operated lever 21 remains in the Fig. 7 position, it is impossible to put another coin 'into the depositary 20 or through the coin-slot 15, because a plate 47 is provided upon the top of said lever 21,

- immediately beneath the slot 15, to close the same. A second coin cannot be inserted until the expiration of the period for which the machine is set to operate. Said notched latching-wheel may be formed upon a head 48, whose hub 49 is loose upon said arbor 40 of the clockwork. Upon said head is pivoted at 50 a spring-pressed pawl 51, which engages a ratchet 52 fixed upon said arbor 40. The last may correspond to the arbor of a clockwork which usually carries the hour hand, and which, in the present instance, is constant-1y revolving, making half a. revolution in half an hour. It will be understood that upon the completion of half an hour the notch 38 in the wheel 39 will arrive at the bottom of the Wheel, and that the latch 35 will fall or rather rise into said notch by reason of the tension of the spring .34; and all of the active parts so far described will be returned to their normal positions and the typewriter become again locked against furtheruse until the insertion of a fresh coin and re-operat-ion of the finger-piece 13. d I

Projecting up from the latch lever 28 by the side of the latch 35 is a latch tooth 35,

which may be a trifle shorter than the latch 35 and serves to let the nose of the latter dip into the notch in the wheel'39 a trifle in advance of the completion of the half hour period; the further movement of the wheel permitting both 35 and 35 to snap into the notch. Said parts 35 and 35 may be regarded as forming a compound latch, the latch 35 being of importance to catch im mediately under the corner of the wheel when withdrawn from the notch 38, to prevent the latch from returning into said notch when pressure is relieved on the finger piece 13.

In the present form of the invention, the clock may continue in operation whether the typewriting machine is in use or not, and hence a disconnection is effected between the latch wheel 48 and the clockwork. This is done by means of a pin 53 projecting inwardly from the latch lever 28, to engage a releasing arm 54L of the pawl 51 at the return or up stroke of the latch lever 28, whereby said pawl 51 is withdrawn from the ratchet 52, as seen best at Figs. 1 and 5. Since said pawl 51 must be withdrawn twice in each revolution of the latch wheel head 18, there is provided an auxiliary lever or arm 55, pivoted at 56 upon the framework and preferably geared to the main latchlever 28, as at 57. This auxiliary lever 55 has a pin or projection 58 to release the pawl 51,said pawl being released alternately by the main lever 28 and the auxiliary lever 55. If desired, a similar pawl 51, having a releasing arm 51 may be pivoted at 51 upon the latch wheel head 48 diametrically opposite to the pawl 51, to be released alternately by the projections 53, 58; the two pawls being released simultaneously at each operation. It will be understood that the pawl 51 may be omitted and that other clutch devices may be employed between the latch and wheel and the clockwork. A draw-spring 59 may be connected between levers 28 and 55, if desired.

It will be noticed that there is combined with a bank of manually operable keys 2, means extending into the operative path of movement of the keys for normally retaining them locked against operation, and a timclength controlling-mechanism contained in the casing 11, and normally inactive, so that said keys remain locked against movement;

and said time-length controlling mechanism being rendered active by the movement of the lever 13 in coiiperation with the deposited coin l l, thereupon serving to control the length of time during which the operation of the key shall be permitted; the activity of the time-length controlling mechanism being coincident with the movement of the locking means It will also be noticed that said device 4: constitutes a locking element movable into and out of the path of the keys and operating simultaneously on all of the keys, and that a device is provided for moving said element, comprising the bar 28 having the cam 33, to act upon the wrist 31 carried upon the rock arm 30, to which is connected the rock arm 9, the latter having a wrist 8, to engage the rocking standard 5, which carries the locking device 4:. Apowerdriven wheel 48 coiiperates with the device 28, etc., to control the periods of freedom of the keys or key lovers 2.

To make a signal preferably at both the beginning and the termination of the half hour during which the typewriting machine is in condition for use, there is provided a bell (SO and a spring hammer (31 pivoted at (32. The hammer has diametrically opposite lugs (33, (i l operated alternately by the auxiliary lever 55. During the initial or up stroke of said lever, the lug 63 is operated to withdraw the hammer and release it to strike; while during the down or return stroke-of said lever, the upper lug (3a is operated for the same purpose.

.Fitted in a housing 65 provided upon the top ofsaid lever 55, is a hau'lmcr-setting tongue ($6, having at its lower end a cam (37 to engage the lug (33, and at its upper end a cam (38 to engage the lug (34-. This tongue 66 is shil table upand down in the housing, its movements being limited by a stop (it fitted into a slot 70 in the tongue. The tongue is fitted in the housing with sullicieut tightness to cause the necessary friction to hold it lightly at either end of its shifting stroke.

The setting of the hammer is illustrated in claim: a y

l. The combination with a clockwork have Figs. 8 and 9. When the lever 55 moves up from thel ig. 1 to the Fig. 2 position, the cam 67 of the tongue engages the lug 63 on the hammer, and turns the latter until it is arrested by a stop 71. As the arm 55 continues to rise, the lug 63, acting upon the cam 67, shifts the tongue upwardly so that its upper end projects from the housing.

The apex of the cam finally passes lug 63, thus liberating the latter and permitting a spring 72 to throw the hammer up against the bell. On the return or down stroke of the lever 55, at the close of the half hour, the cam 68 engages the upper edge of the lug 64;, and presses the hammer down against the stop 71, whereupon'the further downward movement of the arm 55 causes the tongue 66 to becammed downwardly to the other end of its stroke; and the apex of the cam 68 passes the lug 64 and releases the hammer, which is again thrown up by the spring 72 to strike the bell.

v The casing 11 has lugs 76 whereby it is secured to the framework of the machine by means of shoulders 73 on screws 73. These screws also secure rubber feet 74. to the under side of said lugs 7 6. The shoulders 7 3 bearing against the under side of said lugs, and-the screws'are threaded as usual into lugs 7 5 formed upon the bottom of the machmebase.

Vari tions 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

ing a ratchet, of a wheel to turn about the axis of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the wheel to engage the ratchet, said wheel provided with a notch, a pivoted arm having a tooth to ride upon said wheel, a spring connected to said arm to press the tooth against the wheel and into the notch, a part connected to the arm to swing the pawl away from the ratchet, a manipulable machineand a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine .and having a connection with said arm to be moved to in effective position thereby when the tooth is drawn out of the notch.

2. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet, of a wheel to turn about the axis of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the wheel to engage the ratchet, said wheel provided with a notch, a pivoted arm having a tooth to ride upon said wheel, a spring connected to said arm tt press the tooth against the wheel and into the notch, a part connected to the arm to swing the'pawl away from the ratchet, a manipulable machine, and a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine and having a con,- nection withsaid arm to be moved to inefiective position thereby when the tooth is oeaeaa drawn out of the notch; said movable device being in the form of a locking arm mounted on a rock'shaft, the latter having a second arm engaged by a cam upon said latch-arm.

3. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet, of a wheel to turn about the .nected to the arm to swing the pawl away from the ratchet, a manipulable machine, a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine and having a connection with said arm to be moved to in effective position thereby when the tooth is drawn out of the notch, said movable device being in the form of a locking arm mounted on a rock-shaft, the latter having a second arm engaged by a cam upon said latch-arm, and an operating lever connected to said latch-arm.

4. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet, of a wheel, a pivoted pawl to connect said wheel to said ratchet, a latch pressed by a spring against said wheel, the

out of condition for manipulation, and a devlce controlled by said finger piece and movable at the operation thereof to abnormal pos1t1on, to put said machlne into condition for man1pulation,-means being under the control of said latch both to hold said movable device in abnormal position while the latch is held out of said notch, and also to restore said device to normal position when.

the latch falls into the notch.

5. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet, of a wheel, a pivoted pawl to connect said wheel to said ratchet, a latch pressed by a spring against said wheel, the

latter having a-notch into which said latch may fall, means connected to, said latch to turn sald pawl to disconnect it from said ratchet when the latch falls into the notch, a finger-piece to Withdraw the latch fromthe notch, a manipulable machine normally out of condition for manipulation, and a device controlled by said finger piece and movable at the operation thereof to abnormal position, to put said machine into condition for manipulation, means being under the control of said latch both to hold said movable device in abnormal position while the latch is held out of said notch, and also to restore said device to normal position when the latch falls into the notch; said pawl mounted to rotate with said wheel, and

said latch having a part to engage said pawl to swing it out of engagement with said ratchet.

6. The combination of a lever, a link connected thereto, a second lever connected to said link and having a cam, a machine-locking arm mounted upon a rock shaft, the latter having a crank and wrist to be engaged by said cam to enable the second lever in moving from normal position to control the movement of said locking arm, a tooth device on said lever, a clockwork having a shaft or arbor, a ratchet fixed thereon, a spring, a head revoluble loosely about said shaft or arbor and comprising a wheel toward or against the periphery of which said tooth is pressed by said spring, a notch being formed in said wheel to receive said tooth device, which may be withdrawn by the second lever, a pawl upon said head to engage said ratchet, and a projection upon the second lever to engage said pawl to release it from said ratchet when said tooth device enters the notch in the wheel.

7. The combination of a lever, a link connected thereto, a second lever connected to said link and having a cam, a machine-locking arm mounted upon a rock shaft, the latter having a crank and wrist to be engaged by said cam to enable the second lever in moving from normal position to control the movementiof said locking arm out of effective position, a tooth device on said lever, aclockwork having a shaft or arbor, a ratchet fixed thereon, a head revoluble loosely about said shaft or arbor and comprising a wheel toward or against the periphery of which said tooth is pressed by a spring, a notch being formed in said wheel to receive said tooth device, which may be withdrawn by the second lever, a pawl upon said head to engage said ratchet, a projection upon the second lever to engage said pawl to release it from said ratchet when said tooth device enters the notch in the wheel, a third lever connected to the second, and a bell hammer operated by the third lever at each stroke thereof.

8. The combination of a manipulable machine, a lock normally preventlng manipulation of the machine, a clockwork, a releaser for said lock, manually operable means, including a vibrating device, to operate said lock releaser and to place it under the control of said clockwork to be restored thereby to normal position, for re-lockmg said manipulable machine at the end of an interval determined by the clockwork, and a pivoted bell hammer having lugs on opposite sides of its pivot, said vibrating devlce having a double tappet to engage said lugs in alternation, to operate the bellhammer at each of the to and fro strokes of the vibrating device.

9. The combination of a manipulable machine, a lock normally preventing manipulation of the machine, acIockwork, a releaser for said lock, manually operable means, including a vibrating device, to opcrate said lock releaser to unlock the machine and place the lock releaser under the control of said clockwork for restoration to normal position, for relocking said manipulable machine at the end of an interval de termined by the clockwork, and a pivoted bell hammer having lugs on opposite sides of its pivot, said vibrating device having a double tappet to engage said lugs in alternation, to operate the bell hammer at each of the to and fro strokes of the vibrating device, said double tappet movable upon the vibrating device and having cams to engage said lugs, whereby the tappet is forced to shift to and fro upon the vibrating device, a stop being provided to limit the setting stroke of-the hammer.

10. The combination of a manipulable machine, a lock normally preventing manipulat-ion of the machine, a clockwork, a releaser for said lock, manually operable means, including a vibrating device, to operate said lock releaser to unlock the machine and place the lock releaser under the control of said clockwork for restoration to normal lable machine at the end of an interval determined'by the clockwork, and a pivoted bell'hammerhaving lugs on opposite sides of its pivot, said vibrating device having a double tappet to engage said lugs in alternation, to operate the bell hammer at each of the to and fro strokes of the vibrating device, said double tappet movable upon the vibrating device and having cams to engage said lugs, whereby the tappet is forced to shift to and fro upon the vibrating device, a stop being provided to limit the setting. stroke of the hammer; said double tappet in the form of a sliding tongue supportedupon the vibrating device and having a cam at each' end, whereby the hammer is set and tripped.

11. The combination with a clockwork provided with a ratchet having an axis, of a wheel to turn about the axis of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the wheel to engage the ratchet to drive said wheel, an arm mounted upon the framework to engage Said pawl, means tending to move said arm to release the pawl, and means to hold said arm-away from the pawl. for a period dependent upon the revolution of the wheel.

12.,The combination with a clockwork provided with a ratchet having an axis, of a wheel to turn about the axis of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the wheel to engage the ratchet to drive said wheel, an arm mounted upon the framework to engage said pawl, means tending to move said arm to release the pawl and means to hold said arm away osition, for re-locking said manipufrom the pawl for a period dependent upon the revolution of the wheel and pawl, and means dependent upon the revolution of the wheel to hold said arm away from the pawl.

13. The combination with a clockwork provided with a ratchet having an axis, of a wheel to a pawl pivoted on the wheel to engage the ratchet to drive said wheel, an arm mounted upon the framework to engage said pawl, means tending to move said arm-to release the pawl, means to hold said arm away from the pawl for a period dependent upon the revolution of the wheel, a manipulable -machine, and-a movable device normally preventing manipulation of said machine and having a connection with said arm to he moved to and held in inefiective position therewith while the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet.

14. The combination with a clockwork provided with a ratchet having an axis, of a wheel to turn about the axis of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on said wheel to engage the ratchet to mounted upon the framework to en age said pawl at either of two points in the travel of said wheel, means tending to move said arms to release the pawl, and means to hold said arms away from the pawl for periods dependent upon the revolution of the wheel.

15. The combination with a clockwork provided witha ratchet having an axis, of

turn about the axis of the ratchet,

drive said wheel, a pair oat arms oeaeas a Wheel to turn about the axis of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on said wheel to engage the ratchet to drive said wheel, a pair of arms mounted upon the framework to engagesaid pawl at either of two points in the travel of said wheel, means tending to move said arms to pawl-releasing positions, and to holdthem there for periods dependent upon the revolution of the wheel, and means to lock the wheel against rotation when the pawl is released. I

16. The combination with a clockwork provided with a ratchet having an axis, of a wheel to turn about the' aXis of the ratchet,

a pawl pivoted on said wheel to engage the ratchet wheel to drive said wheel, a pair of arms mounted upon the framework to engage said pawl at either of two points in the, travel of said Wheel, means tending to move said arms to release the pawl, means to hold said arms away from the pawl for periods dependent upon the revolution of the wheel, a manipulable machine, and a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine and having a connection with said arms and held in ineffective position while the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet.

HARRY BATES.

Witnesses dorm (l. SEIFERT, K. lFnANKFon'r.

Images