US1085900A - Envelop-addressing attachment for type-writers. - Google Patents

Description

G. M. FREEMAN.

BNVELOP ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.1'7, 1910.

1,085,900, Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (TO-,WASHINGTON, D. c.

G. M. FREEMAN. ENVELOP ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17, 1910.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

a 8HEETS-SEEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON. b?

G. M. FREEMAN.

ENVBLOP ADDRESSING ATTACHMENT FOR-TYPEWRITERS.

APP'L IGATION FILED MAR-17, 1910.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

GEORGE M. FREEMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ENVELOP-ADDRESSING- ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

Application filed March 17, 1910. Serial No. 549,916.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE M. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Envelop-Addressing Attachments for Type-VVriters, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanylng drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide an envelop addressing attachment for typewriters by means of which the envelops may be properly positioned on the cylindrical platen for being addressed without the necessity of feeding them in under the platen by turning the latter in the manner in which paper is usually fed into a typewriting machine.

The advantages of the construction are that the envelops may be placed in position more rapidly than is possible when they have to be fed in around the platen, and every envelop may be brought to exactly the same position so that the addresses will always be at a uniform distance from the lower edge of the envelop.

The attachment can be equally well used in positioning cards or any other small piece of paper.

My invention is capable of use with any typewriter, but is of particular advantage in connection with so-called visible typewriters which are arranged so that the place where the impression is made is always visible to the operator.

I will first describe one embodiment of my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view extending from front to rear through the carriage of a visible typewriter showing my improved attachment; Fig. 2 is a similar View through the carriage showing the envelop inserted into the positioning device with the paper fingers elevated; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the paper fingers in engagement with the envelop; Fig. i is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the relation of my improved envelop-positioning device to the platen; Fig. 5 is a front view of the positioning device removed with an envelop therein; Fig. 6 is a detail of one end of the rod supporting the paper fingers; F g. 7 is a View on the line ww Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view through the central part of the envelop-positioning device.

As stated above my attachment is applicable to any visible typewriter, and in the drawings 3 designates the cylindrical platen of any well-known type of visible typewriter which is supported in usual manner upon the carriage, parts of which are shown at a, and which is slidably mounted in usual way upon the rods or guides 5 of the typewriter frame. The carriage has associated therewith the usual paper rest or table 6 on which the paper is supported as it is fed into the machine, and the paper fingers 7 which hold the paper against the cylinder. The carriage also has mounted therein the rod 8 situated below the platen on which are loosely mounted one or more arms 9 that carry at their ends a rod 10 on which are mounted the usual front feed rolls 11, there being three such rolls. The rod 8 also has loosely mounted thereon other rearwardly-extending arms 12 that support at their ends another rod 13 on which are loosely mounted the rear feed rolls 14:.

15 is the usual guide plate carried by the arms 9 and which serves to guide the paper as it is fed into position.

The parts thus far described may have any suitable or usual construction and as they form no part of my present invention I have not deemed it necessary to completely illustrate them herein.

With the ordinary typewriting machines of this nature, the only way in which an envelop, card or piece of paper can be brought into position for typing thereon is by placing it on the feed table 6 and then turning the platen 3 to feed it into position. This, of course, consumes considerable time and also necessitates more or less manipulation either of the platen or of the envelop to properly position the envelop for receiving the address.

My improvement is of such a nature that the envelop can be placed in position by merely inserting it into place in front of the platen and without the necessity of feeding it in under the platen, and further, it willoperate to invariably position the envelop correctly to receive the address.

lVhile there are various forms which my improved attachment can assume, .that herein shown is in the form of a pocket open at the top and situated beneath the platen so that the lower edge of the envelop can be inserted down between the platen and the front guide roll directly into the pocket where it will be correctly positioned for receiving the address.

In the embodiment herein shown the envelop-positioning device is formed from a piece of sheet metal 16 which extends longit-udinally of the platen and is bent into substantially Ushape in cross section to form the two sides 17, 18 between which the lower edge of the envelop 19 may be received. This pocket is made with the open throat 2O situated slightly in the rear of and directly below the front feed roll so that when these feed rolls are separated from the platen, as shown in Fig. 2, the envelop may he slipped between the rolls and the platen directly into the pocket. The rear side 18 of the pocket preferably extends upwardly to a point where the upper edge is in close proximity to the platen so that the upper portion 21 of this side acts as a guard to guide the envelop down into the pocket. The envelop positioning device thus made may [be secured in position in a variety of ways without departing from the invention. I have herein shown it as provided with two or more arms 22 which extend rearwardly from the side 18 of the pocket and are secured to the rod or bar 8. I have also shown the side 18 as having a portion 23 struck up therefrom through which struckup portion the screw 2% passes that is used to hold the usual guide finger 25 to the car riage. In this way the envelop-positioning pocket will be firmly held in position without interfering with any of the other parts of the mechanism. The manner of supporting the pocket may be changed, however, without departing from the invention. The front guide rolls 11 usually lie against the platen 3, and in order to permit an envelop to be inserted into the pocket, it is necessary to remove the rolls some distance from the platen. I accomplish this herein by a special construction of the usual paper release mechanism. The arms 9 that support the front feed rolls have integral therewith arms 26 which bear against a cam shaft 27 that is journaled in the carriage and is operated in. any suitable way. This shaft is provided with the fiat portions 38 which when the parts are in normal position stand parallel with the arms 26. By turning the cam shaft 27. the arms 2t) are acted on to throw the feed rolls 11 into the position shown in Fig. 2. The flattened portions of the cam shaft are of such a shape that when the shaft is turned the feed rolls will be given the desired movement.

In order to place an envelop in the machine, it is simply necessary to throw the paper fingers 7 backwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and to turn the cam shaft 27 to throw the feed rolls into the position shown in Fig. 2 when the envelop may be inserted into the pocket. The cam shaft 27 may then be restored to its initial position, thus permitting the feed rolls to force the envelop against the platen, as shown in Fig. 3, and if desired the paper fingers may be brought against the envelop to hold the. up per edge thereof in position.

The pocket is made adjustable to accommodate envelops of different sizes, and while this can be accomplished in a variety of ways, I have herein provided it with a movable bottom so that the portion on which the envelops rest may be adjusted to different elevations. This movable bottom is in the form of a bar 28 which is received between the sides of the pocket and is capable of adjustment vertically therein. The bar is longer than the pocket and projects beyond the same at each end, as shown in Fig. 4, thus affording a means by which it may be adjusted. The sides of the pocket are herein shown as indented at 29 to form positioning projections that are adapted to engage in recesses formed in the bar 28 for positioning the latter at different points.

Any other suitable way of making the pocket adjustable may be employed, however, without departing from the invention.

The paper fingers 7 are carried by arms 30 as usual and these arms are mounted on a finger-sustaining rod 31 which extends from one end to the other of the carriage. The arms 30 are capable of turning rel ative to the rod and are frictionally held in adjusted position in some suitable or usual way which as herein shown is by means of a spring pressed pin or member 32 which is carried by the arm and is adapted to engage in a groove 33 formed in the rod 81. This construction permits the paper fingers to move longitudinally of the rod but yieldingly holds them in their operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, while permitting them to be swung into inoperative position.

In some typewriters the rod 31 is fixed in the frame, in which case each paper finger must be moved separately from its operative to its inoperative position. In my improve ment I sustain the rod 31 so that it can be turned in the frame, and this has the advantage that by turning the rod both paper fingers will be simultaneously moved from one position to the other. As shown herein, this rod 31 is journaled in the side pieces 34 of the carriage, and has extending radiall from one end thereof a pin which is adapted to be received in either one of two recesses 36, 37 formed in a block 38 that is secured to the inside of the plate 39. A spring 40 surrounds the rod 31, one end of which spring is secured to the cheek piece 34 and the other end of which is secured to the pin 35. This spring tends both to maintain the rod in the position shown in Fig. 6, that is, with the paper fingers in operative position, and to force the rod longitudinally to keep the pin 35 against the block 38. When the rod 31 is turned to throw the paper fingers into inoperative position, the pin 35 is swung into the recess 37 and the friction of the pin in the recess will hold the rod in this position. A slight pressure on either paper finger, however, will release the pin from the recess 37 when the spring 40 will turn the rod into the position with the pin in the recess 36. The block 38 is provided with two stop shoulders 41, 42 which limit the swinging movement of the rod in either direction. As stated above, my invention is equally applicable for positioning cards or small pieces of paper, and hence wherever I have used the term envelop, I intend it to cover broadly envelops, cards or other small pieces of paper, and the term envelop-positioning device is also intended to include a device capable of positioning cards, small pieces of paper, etc.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a typewriter, the combination with a revoluble platen and front and rear feed rolls engaging the under side thereof, of an envelop-receiving pocket beneath the platen and situated between the front and rear rolls, said pocket having an adjustable bottom and adapted to receive the edge of the envelop inserted between the front feed rolls and the platen thereby to position the envelop.

2. In a typewriter, the combination with a revoluble platen, of front and rear feed rolls engaging the under side thereof, an envelop-receiving pocket situated beneath said feed rolls and between the front and rear rolls, said pocket having sides and a bottom adjustable relative to the sides and adapted to receive the edges of an envelop thereby to position the latter when it is inserted between the front feed rolls and the platen.

3. In a typewriter, the combination with a revoluble platen and front and rear feed rolls engaging the under side thereof, of an envelop-receiving pocket beneath the platen and to the rear of the front feed rolls, said pocket having its rear side extending above the front side thereof and into close proximity to the platen thereby to act as a defleet-or to deflect the edge of an envelop thereinto when said envelop is inserted backwardly.

4. In a typewriter, the combination with and having front and rear sides and a bottom adjustable vertically relative to the sides, the upper edge of the rear side being bent backwardly to form a deflecting surface adaptedto guide the entering edge of an envelop into the pocket.

5. In a typewriter, the combination with a revoluble platen and front and rear feed rolls engaging the under side thereof, of an envelop-receiving pocket beneath the platen and to the rear of the front feed rolls, said pocket having sides, the rear one of which extends above the front and into close proximity to the platen, and a bottom between the sides and adjustable relative thereto to vary the depth of the pocket.

6. In a typewriter, the combination with a revoluble platen, of front and rear feed rolls engaging the under side thereof, an envelop-receiving pocket situated beneath the platen and to the rear of the front feed rolls and having front and rear sides and a bet tom adjustable vertically relative to the sides, the upper edge of the rear side being bent backwardly to form a deflecting surface adapted to guide the entering edge of an envelop into the pocket, and means to retract the front feed rolls to permit the insert-ion of an envelop into said pocket.

7 In a typewriter, the combination with a carriage and a platen thereon, of a rod mounted on the carriage, a paper finger sustained by the rod, a pin extending laterally from said rod, a cheek piece provided with a groove to receive said pin, and means yieldingly holding the pin against the cheek piece whereby the rod may be turned and will be yieldingly locked in adjusted position.

8. In a typewriter, the combination with a carriage and a platen thereon, of a rod journaled in the carriage, paper fingers carried by the rod and capable of turning thereon, a pin extending laterally from the rod at one end, a cheek piece provided with two notches adapted to receive said pin, and a spring tending to move the rod longitudinally to hold the pin yieldingly in either one of the notches in the cheek piece.

9. In a typewriter, the combination with a carriage and a platen, of a rod mounted on the carriage, two paper fingers sustained by said rod, means whereby either finger may be moved relative to the rod, a pin extending laterally from the rod at one end, a cheek piece provided with two notches adapted to receive said pin, and means yieldingly holding the pin against the cheek piece whereby the rod will be yieldingly held in either of two positions.

10. In a typewriter, the combination with a carriage and a cylindrical platen thereon, of a rod journaled in the carriage, a plurality of paper lingers sustained by the rod and all of which are capable of turning thereabout a pin extending laterally from the rod, a spring acting on the rod and tending at all times to turn it about its axis in one direction and also to move it longitudinally and means held in frictional engagement 10 with said pin by said spring for frictionally holding the rod in a position with the paper fingers raised.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscrlbing witnesses.

LOUIS G. SMITH, THOMAS J. DRUMMOND.

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

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