US1094299A

US1094299A - Expense-tabulator.

Info

Publication number: US1094299A
Application number: US78464013A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward Lounsburg Brown
Original assignee: ALFRED R RODWAY
Current assignee: ALFRED R RODWAY
Priority date: 1913-08-13
Filing date: 1913-08-13
Publication date: 1914-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 1931-04-21

Description

E. L. BROWN. EXPENSE TABULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13,1913.

Patented pr, 21, 1914.

AND

8 E 8 8 M .H W

UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori fon.

EDWARD LOUNSBURG BROWN, O YORK, N. Yi, ASSIGNOR OF ONJ.

ALFRED R. RODWAY, OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

EXPENsE-TABULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2t, 1.914.

Application filed August 13. 1913. Serial No. 784,640.

T o all ywhom, it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD L. Bnowx, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of Xew York, have invented a ne\Y and Improved Expense-Tabulator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

T his invention relates to an expense tabulator which is intended primarily for use by traveling salesmen, whereby each expense as it is incurred can be easily and conveniently recorded on a strip of paper or other table contained in the device for daily 0r weekly records, there being a suitable printing mechanism that is adapted to be manipulated for printing on the tape various items of expense and amounts thereof. The device, however, is not necessarily limited to use by salesmen, as it can be obviously adapted for use by others where it is de sired to make expense and other lists, thereby doing away with the necessity of having paper and pencil handy and of the inconveniencev of writing down the entry.' v

The general objects of the invention are to provide a device of the' character referred to which is of comparatively simple and inexpensive construction, reliable and etticient in use and so designed as to be conveniently carried in the pocket so as to be always ready for use.

More specifically, the invention has for its object to provide a recording device in the form of a casing which has onits exterior a table consisting of suitably arranged words, such as items of expense and munbers representing dollars and cents, and wit-hin the casing is a type-carrying element having words and dollar and ccnt numbers correspomgling to the same on the casing, and connected with the type element is a slider which the user adjusts to any desired word or lnunber on the face of the casing so as to bring the corresponding word or number on the, tape into printing relation, and then by pressing a presser bar the type is pressed against the tape to imprint thereon the name or number desired to be recorded, the printing operation being accompanied b v the movement of the tape one space so as to be in position for receiving the next. ilnpression.

Another objcct of the invention is the provision of record tape which is folded back and forth in layers so as to take up comparatively little space and to dispense with spools or, rolls to hold the saine. the tape being arranged in a suitable holder or compartment from which it feeds to the printing mechaninn and in passing from the latter the tape may be wound oni, spool or folded in its original form and the whole record kept for fidare reference. A tape folded in this um rr if adding, tabulating or other inachiin l jtwngtapes.

lYit-h these objects in \"w, and others as w11A appear as the description proceeds, the mventlon comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more full described hereinafter and'set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a plan view of the device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal ,section taken parallel with the face; Ft C3 is a transverse section on the line SW3 of Fig. L); Fig. 4 is a view of the typecarrying element; Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view on the line 5"?) of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of thc slider; and Fior. T a view of a portion of a tape or paper with expense entries shown thereon,

Referring to the drawing, AY designates a suitably constructed casing that isvprefv crablv of such sirio as to be convcnienttv carried in a pocltct of one`s garment` and on the fate of the casing is a table li divided into spaces Il cach containing a word t or number 5. In the present ius-tance the labio is such as would be used bv a travcting salesman. and the wordsl ,shown are ot' the various items of expcnsc that :t salesman ac counts for to his employer. land the numbers are in terms of dollars and cent:-A 'so that` the amounts of the various expenses` can be rc corded..`

Within the casing is a tlvpcaatrying clcmcnt ti which is shown as an endless strip of rubber that passes around guide pulleys or rollers T mounted on s, "idlcs o. asctxirlv shown in Fig. 5. and on onc-halt ot thil, .strip of rubber t are formed in tvpc words El and numbers l() to corresl'iond to the words and numbers in the table V1? on thc face of the casing A. This type-carrying element t5 raduni, in

lil-5 is adapted to be moved to bring any word or number in printing relation by means of a slider C that extends across the .tace of the easing A with its ends ll and 12 slidably connected with one side of the casing A and with a presser bar l5 atrthc opposite side. This presr bar is formed with a bent lug or arm 1t which passes through a slot 15 in the upper-face of the casing A and connects with the type-carrying element 6 so that as the slider is moved back and forth between the ends of the casing the type-carrying element 6 is moved correspondingly. The slider may be mounted in place in any suitable manner, as, vfor instance, by forming a groove l5 in the side lo of the casing A for receiving an ear or lug 17 on one end ot the slider, such lug having an offset portion 18 which engages in the channel 15, and the end 1Q of the slider is formed with a similar lug 19 which has a depressed or off-set portion 20 which engages in a longitudinal groove or channel 21 in the presser bar 13. Arranged in the channels l5 and Q1 of the casing and presser bar respectively are longitudinal wires and 23 which form retainers to hold the

lugs

17 and 19 slidably engaged with the casing and presser bar. In adjusting the slider the ends 11 and 12 are gripped by the finger and thumb of one hand, as indicated in Fig. 3, while the other hand grips the ends of the casing, and when the device is so held the slider C can be moved bach and forth to shift the type-carrying element to bring any desired number or word te printing position.

The slider C forms an index device or indicator in the adjusting oli the type-carrying eleimnt. .For this purpose the left edge of the slider C is straight and it is adapted to coperate with index lines 9A in the words and number spaces of the table B, such index lines being arranged in a predetermined order or according to the order in which the words and numbers appear on the typecarrying element G, Fin. More particularly, the index lines :24 are arranged in series of steps, the lines of each series cor1'e spending to seven words or numbers and extending tr table B, Fig'. l, and the several series are spaced apart longitnriinaliy of the table. linrthermore, tho adjacent index lines are spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between adjacent words or numbers on the type element 6. dien the slider or indicator C is in the position shown in Fig. 1, that is, with its straight edge registering with the index line in thc space of the table I3, in which 4.0i) appears, the type-carrying element it will be so disposed that the 4.00 number ot the said clement will be in printingr position. Tilhen the indicator C is in alinement with the index line in the space containing? the word 'l`ips" the typerarf answrsely or vertically of the,

rying element 6 will be in such position that the Word Tips thereon Will be in printing relation to the paper or tape in the device, so that it is merely necessary for the operator to shiftthe slider or indicator C to the required index line and then operate the printing mechanism.

The pressingr of the type element against the strip of paper or tape 25 is accomplished by a platen 26, Fig. 2, which is connected by a shank 27 with the presser bar 13, and on the side of the type element 6 opposite from the platen is the bed 28 over Which the tape 25 is directed by the fixed guides 29 and 30, the bed 28 being in fact the central portion of the guide 29, and the guide 30 is made in two parts separated to admit of the bed between them. The presser bar is adapted to be operated by the slide C While the same is grasped between the thumb and linger, as shown in Fig. 3, and for this purpose the slide C is made Ain two sections a and b, telescopicall y connected, the section b being the part that engages with the presser bar. Behind the presser bar are springs 3l which hold the bar projected, and this bar is provided with terminal members 32 which slide in openil'lgs 33 at the adjacent corners of the casing, said members having lugs 34 disposed inside the casing for holding the presser bar attached to the casing and yet allowing of free movement of the bar. In the operation of printing it is merely necessary to move the slider to the right or left to bring it opposite the desired word or number, and while the slider is still held a pressure is applied to the part of thei slider with the result that the platen 2G engages the type-carrying element G and presses the same against the tape, whereby an impression is made, the type of the tape being inked by inking rolls 35 mounted adjacent the bed 28.

The means for feeding the tape in the present instance is shown as a roll 36 mounted in the casing and having a ratchet wheel 37 with which engages a yielding pawl 38 that is mounted on a slide 39, which slide is pivotally connected with a lever 40 that is fulcrumed atfll and has a pivotal connection 42 with the shank 27 of the platen 26, so that as the platen and presser bar are moved inwardly the lever 40 will be operated in a direction to drag the pawl 38 over a tooth of the ratchet wheel 37, and when pressure is released from the presser bar the springs of the latter will restore the parts to normal position and thereby cause the paw] 3S to turn the ratchet wheel one step, whereby the tape 25 will be moved along over the l; zd 28 as the tape winds on the drum 36. The tape 25 is ot any suitable length and is folded back and'.

forth in a zigzag fashion and mounted in a compartment or holder 4:0"l in the casing of the device. By folding the tape in this manner ai large piece can be held in a comparatively small space, and a holding spool for the tape is obviated, yet the tape can readily feed from the zigzag pile without tearing, twisting or becoming otherwise deranged. The compartment 40 that holds the folded tape is formed by the top and bottom of the casing A, the ends and side walls thereof and the guide 29. The folded tape is set loosely into this compartment so as to readily unfold as the .tapeis fed through the printing mechanism. By fold ing the tape no special means other than the compartment is necessary to hold the tape.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and methody of operation and of the device shown will be readily iinderstood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device which I now consider to bc the best embodiment thereof, I .desir to have it understood that the device siown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A device of the class described comprising a easing, a table or scale on the casing, a slider movable to different parts of the table, a. tape feeding means in the casina. a bed on which the tape bears at all times, a printing mechanism on the casing for impressing the tape, said mechanism including an endless type-carrying element and a platen, a connection between the slider and element for moving the latter, and a presi-ier bar mounted on the casing and operating the platen to press the said element against the tape.

2. A device of the class described coniprising a casing, a table thereon including a serial arrangement of words and numbers. a slider movable over the table and into registry with any word or number, a printing mechanism in the casing and including a type-earrying element and a. platen, said slider consisting of telescoping sections, a presser bar, a connection between the presser bar and slidable section o f the slider, and a tape-holdinf means against which the typeearrying element is pressed by the platen when the presser bar is actuated.

il. A device of the class described comprising a casing, a table thereon including a serial arrangement of words and numbers, a slider movable over the table and into registry with y any word or number, a printing mechanism 1n the casing and including a type-carrying element and a platen, said slider consisting of telescoping sections, a presser bar, a connection between the presser bar and slidable section of the slider, a tape-holding means against which the type-carrying element is pressed by the platen when the presser bar is actuated, .a feeding device for the tape, and means actuated by the presser bar for operating the feeding device.

4. A device of the class described comprisin a casing, a table thereon with suitable ata, a slider on the casing and movable over the said table, a type-carrying element in the casing, a connection between the said element and slider, a presser bar exterior of the casing, a platen, said slider including a movable part having a sliding engagement with vthe presser bar, the said platen being connected with the presser bar and disposed at one side of the said typeearrying element, a bed in the casing disposed at the other side of the type-carrying element from the platen, means for guiding the tape across the` bed, a feeding device for the tape, and a ratchet and pawl means operated by the presser bar for actuating the feeding device,

A device of the class described comprising a casing, a table thereon with suitable data, a slider on the casing and movable over the said table, a type-carrying element in the casing, a connection between the said element and slider, a presser bar exterior ol' the casing, a platen, said slider including a movable part having a sliding engagement with the presser bar, the said platen being connected with the presser bar and disposed at one side of the said type-earrying elenient, a bed in the casing disposed at the other side of the type-carrying element frein the platen, means for guiding the tape across the bed, a feeding device for the tape, said feeding device including a ratchet wheel and a pawl, and a lever connected with the presser bar and with the pawl for actuating the latter.

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

liDlVARD LO'UN SBURG BROIVN. Witnesses:

E. J. CLANsINe,

A. R. RoowAY.

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