US1122174A - Printing mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

O. WALES.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.6,1911.

1 1 22, 1 74B Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

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C. WALES. PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION TILED SEPT.6,1911.

1,122, 174. Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HYZ'VESSES C. WALES.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

.PPLIGATION FILED SEPT.6',1911.

U. WALES.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.6,1911.

1 1 22,174, Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

8 SHEBTSSHEET4I H 4.

WITNESSES Allorney G. WALES.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1911.

1,1 22,174; Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

8 SHEBTSSHEET 5.

G. WALES. PRINTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1911.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

8 SHEBTS-SHEET 6.

C. WALES.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.6,1911.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

8 SHEETSSHEET 7.

0 m f 9 i M [ATVEA/TOR Ji l/Mum wwmw m m f O. WALES.

PRINTING MECHANBM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT16, 1911.

1 1 22, 1 74. Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

B'SEEETS-SHBET 8.

lV/TIVESSES ATENT CHARLES WALES, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOIR TO THE "WHITE ADDING- MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 9F CON- NECTICUT.

PRINTING MECHANISM.

icence.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '22,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES WALES, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Printing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My improvement relates particularly to the printing mechanism in ordinary use in calculating machines, such printing mechanism usually comprising a platen and a group of type-bars or type-supporting members, each bearing ten type, one for each of the nine digits and the cipher. In some cases, the type are placed upon type stems which are secured slidably on the type-supporting member. In such machines the type bars or type-supporting members are usually placed upright and side by side and arranged for movement up and down parallel to the working face of the platen to bring the different type into position to be pressed against the middle or printing line of the adjacent side of the platen, the impression being then made by forcing the type against the platen by a blow from a hammer.

For accurate work, each type bar or typesupporting member must be raised to a precisc position before the stroke is made by the hammer to impress the type upon the platen. In machines of this class, the operating or key lever and'the' connection between said lever and the type bar or type supporting member are of such nature as to make it extremely diflicult to produce a precise lifting of the type bars by means of such lever, and this imperfection leads to irregularity in alinement of the printing upon a strip or sheet of paper. This difliculty in attaining a precise lifting of the type bars is due to the practical impossibility of the exact shaping and assembling of all of the parts connected with the group of type bars. Every defect in any part is to a more or less extent magnified in the printing, and a relatively small variation from an accurate alinement of the impressions is apparent to the eye.

My improved mechanism provides for two movements, or two stages of movement for each type bar or type-supporting member for the attainment of the printing position, each such movement being effected by an element which-is distinct from the 'element which effects the other movement. The distance through which the type-supportino member is moved by said two elements may be varied; but usually the first movement may be relatively long while the second movement is relatively short, the purpose of the first movement being to bring the type bar nearly to a chosen position, and the purpose of the second movement to bring such bar precisely and finally to the desired position. For convenience in description, such first movement is herein termed the ma.- or movement while such second movement is termed the minor movement. The first movement is effected by individual lifting means coupled to each type bar, while the second movement is effected by a single separate lifting means (herein termed the minor lifting member) which simultaneously engages and lifts all the bars. In other words, individual lifting devices operate singly upon the individual type bars for the major lifting movement, while another single or common lifting mechanism operates simultaneously. upon all the type bars as a gang, for the final and precise lifting of the type bars into the printing position.

The individual lifting means consists of ordinary approximately horizontal key le vers and the connection between each such lever and its individual type bar, while the means for the minor lifting of the type bars as a gang consists of the ordinary calculating machine main handle or main lever and devices intervening between such lever and the group or gang of type bars, the part or member simultaneously engaging all the type bars being a horizontal minor lifting bar arranged to engage the type bars after the individual key levers have ceased their upward movement and support the type bars at the height to whichthey have thus been brought. To make such minor lifting independent of the key levers, each type bar is yieldingly connected with its key lever in such a manner as to permit' lifting a short distance away from said lever. In the form of the mechanism illustrated by the accompanying drawings, this yielding connection is made by means of an upright link intervening between the type bar and the rear or inner end of the key lever, one end end of the key lever and the other end of such link being hinged slidingly to the type bar, so that normally the type bar will slide toward the lever into tne lowest position of said bar with reference to said hinge and thus be free to be moved upward to a limited extent by any means other than said link and the adjacent key lever.

The accuracy of alinement which I attain is due to the fact that the minor lifting bar or member presents a working face or edge which must be straight and can be so made, andthe further fact that the engagement of said bar is directly upon the type bars, which are unitary pieces, all made in the same dies and not subject to variations resulting from the assembling of a plurality of pieces. And it is to be further observed that the minor lifting abovementioned is a true lifting action, the minor lifting bar moving freely beneath the horizontal faces of the type bars, without being in contact with such faces, and then moving upward in an approximately upright line. Thus the minor movement or lifting is of the same character as the major movement or lifting, the difference being only in range of the movement, and the fact that the minor movement is effected by a single bar (the minor lifting bar), while the major lifting is effected by individual key levers, one for each type bar. An essential difference exists between this minor lifting and the forced alinenient heretofore used in some other calculating machines, such forced alinement involving a wedge or cam action tending to force the parts involved into a position which failed of attainment on account of defects in the operating parts. This has always involved excessive and ol. jectionable friction and strain on the parts and required much power. These devices have heretofore caused an amount of friction in the machine which would necessitate the use of main springs to overcome said friction, while my device above described, leaving the parts of the machine moved in the major movement at rest, lifts the type bars for the minor movement, without disturbing those parts (the links and the lovers) previously adjusted for the major movement. This leaves the minor move: ment as free, easy, and delicate as the major movement; and the mechanism as a whole can be constructed and adjusted, and so maintained, for light, easv and delicate action.

A hammer mechanism of any desired and suitable form may be combined with the type bars, type-stems, and platen.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the right hand side of a portion of a machine embodying my improvement. the parts being in their normal, or rest position; Fig. 2.is a plan of the same mechanism, portions being broken away; Fig. 8 is an enlarged section 011 the line of Fig. 1, looking to the right; Fig. l is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an elevation looking toward the left in Fig. 1; Fig. (3 illustrates diagrammatically the three positions of the minor moving member; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 illustrate in side elevation the minor moving mechanism.

For convenience in description, the portion of the machine at the left, in Fig. 1, is herein termed the front of the machine, while the portion at the right is termed the rear of the machine.

The operative portions of the mechanisms are supported by a rigid frame comprising a casting, A, two side plates or pieces, 0, and a cross-plate, B. The casting, A, has a horizontal piece, A tapering, as viewed in plan, from the front toward the rear. At each forward corner, it has an upright standard, A having a horizontal, transverse bearing, A At each rear corner, said casting has a relatively high upright standard, A*. In the upper end of each such standard is a horizontal transverse bearing, A receiving the journals, 1, of the cylindrical platen, Approximately midway between the base, A, and the bearings, A the standard, A, has a forward extension, A, to which is secured the cross-plate, B, by means of bolts, A The side plates or pieces, C, are secured to the front of the cross-plate, B, in an upright position, by means of small screw bolts, C extending through the flanges, C ,'of said pieces, 0, into the crossplate, B. Bolts, C C and C extend horizontally from one side piece, C, to the other, and have threaded necks, G, extending through the adjacent side plate and receiving a nut, (1 By means of said bolts, the spacing between said plates is definitely fixed. In the front face of the cross-plate,

B, between the sideplates, C, are ten uprightv channels, B and in front of the channels a retaining plate, B is secured to the crossplate, B, by means of screws, B Thus ten upright guide-ways are formed for as many type-bars, D.

Each bar, D, is-in operative relation (as hereinafter described) with a key lever, D to permit the lifting of said bar by the tilting of said key lever upon its fulcrum. And the connections whereby such operative relation is established is preferably such as to leave each bar free for slight upward movement by the action of the minor moving member without disturbing the key lever from the position which it has assumed at the termination of its movement for the lifting of the adjacent bar, D. In the particular form of the mechanism shown by the drawings, this is accomplished by a slack link connection between said bar and said key lever, at D, such slack being in this.

- forward face of the type-bar.

ta-12mm case formed by a slotted, loose, or slidingv end a horizontal forward extension, D

Coming from said extension downward, said bar has at one side ten horizontal channels B parallel to the sides of the machine, equally spaced, and each of proper size to receive a type-stem, D. A housing, D, formed by folding a sheet of metal around the type-bar, at the front of the latter, and having its edges lying against said bar and the extension, I), and secured thereto in any suitable'manner, as by rivets, D, covers said channels, D thus forming guide-ways for the front ends of the type-stems. Horizontally opposite each channel, D the front wall of said housing has an aperture, D, to receive the front ends of the type-stems within the housing. Each type-stem has an upward-projecting lug, D adapted to bear againstthe adjacent front wall of the housing and to serve as an abutment for the forward end of an expanding coil spring, D the rear end of which bears against the By means of said spring, said type-stem is normally held away from the platen, 2, as far as said lug will permit, and at proper times the forward end of said type-stem is struck or fired by a hammer, F. To each bar' is ap plied an approximately upright lifting link, D", the upper end of such link extending into the lower portion of the housing,

- -D*, and being hinged to said housing by a pintle D extending movably through said housing and loosely enough through a bearing, D, in said link to permit of the turning of the latter.v But said bearing is elongated in an upright direction, so that said link and the type-bar may also have a slight up and down movement relative to each other. As will a'ppearlater on, the object of this elongation is to permit the minor lifting movement of the type-bar already herein mentioned without moving said link.

To normally hold the type-bar down to said lifting link, D, a contracting coil spring, D; has its upper end secured to a pin, D extending transversely through the housing, D at'the front of said link, and has its lower end secured to the ear, I), formed upon thefront of said link.

At its rear, each type-bar has ten horizontal, downward-directed faces, D spaced from each other according to the upright spacing of the ten type on said bar; and the said faces are all spaced and positioned identically on all of the type bars of the series or group. To whatever heights the different type bars are raised by the lifting levers, D, for the printing of a number, certain of the faces, D, are in approximate alinement. At the height occupied by the lowest of said faces, D when the type-bars are in the highest position, is the minor lifting bar E. Said bar is horizontal, and in the form shown in the drawings, it is of triangular cross-section. And each end of said bar is supported by a carrier, E the latter having a V-shaped notch, E into which the adjacent end of said bar is laid. Said bar is secured at each end i'n-the adjacent notch, E .by a binding plate, E laid against the outer face of said carrier, E and having a flange, E extending over said bar, said plate being secured to said carrier by a binding screw, E After loosening said plates, said bar may be turned in said V-shape notches, so as to bring another face of said bar upward. Thus the three faces of said bar may be brought upward in succession to let six face-edges receive wear due to engagement with the faces, D, on the bars, D. Normally said minor lifting bar stands rearward out of the path of the type-bar, D. But when said bar is to operate, the carriers first carry said bar forward until it stands beneath the adjacent faces, I), on said type-bars, and then said minor lifting bar is carried upward into engagement with all of said faces which are at the time immediately above said bar until contact has been made with all of said faces. By further movement of said minor lifting bar all of said type-bars. are then carried upward in unison, or as a gang, by said minor lifting bar.

Each carrier, E extends upward in front of the cross-plate, B,-an'd the flange, C of the adjacent side-plate, C; and at some distance below its upper end, said carrier is hinged at, E, to the upper, end of a rocking member, E, which isrigid on the horizontal rock-shaft, E resting in bearings, C Said rock-shaft may be turned slightly by an upward and downward movement of the arm, E which is rigid on said shaft. Such movement is given to said'arm by the main handle, H, as will be hereina t r described.

The upper end of each carrier extends far enough rearward to make contact with the front face of the adjacent flange, C during the latter portion of the upward movement of the arm, 11], and the consequent rearward movement of the upper arm of the rocking member, E and the hinge, E. After such contact has been established, the place of such contact serves as a fulcrum, and the body of the carrier, E is driven rearward by the rocking member, such fulcrum being the turning point for such movement of the carrier. There is space-enough between the lower portion of the front face of the flange, C and the adjacent upright portion of the carrier, E to allow said member to move rearward far enough to cart the minor lifting bar rearward out of the path of the type-bar, and the several parts are so proportioned as to produce a rearward movement to that extent. The. lower por-' tion of the carrier, E ,h as a forward extension, E placed in proper position to abut against the lower end, E ,of the rocking member, E when the arm, E, has moved downward, so as to carry the upper arm of therocking member, E and the upper por tion of the carrier, E forward away from the cross-plate, B, and the flange, 0, whereby the extreme upper end of the carrier, E is moved out of contact with said flange. \Vhile the upper end of the carrier, E is thus being freed from the flange, C said carrier is made to turn, the lower portion going forward by the action ofgravity, the greater weight being rearward of an upright line, cutting the hinge, E", parallel to the cross-plate, B. The distance between the extension, E, and the lower end, E of the rocking member, E when the lever, E, is at its upper limit, is suflicient to allow the lower portion of the carrier to thus move forward far enough to bring the minor lifting bar'beneath the faces, I), of the typebar, which are then immediately above the plane of the upper face of said lifting bar. Hence, immediately upon the depression of the lever, E, the lifting bar moves automatically forward beneath said faces without being in contact therewith. But said movement is arrested by the abutting of the extension, E against the end, B. Then the further depression of the lever, E causes the lifting of the minor lifting bar, for'the carrier, 19*, must now turn in unison with the rocking member, E upon the shaft, E, for movement of the carrier, E by turning on its hinge, is, for the time, eliminated, the upper portion of said carrier being held by the hinge, E and the lower portion thereof resting by gravity against the extension, E of the rocking member. A contracting coiled spring, I), is secured by one end to the lower portion of the carrier and by its other end to the rocking member to supplement the action of gravity for the movement of the minor moving member or lifting bar leftward. During the upward movement of said lifting bar, all of the type-bars are lifted by said lifting bar to the precise height adapted to bring the type accurately into the printing line. But it is to be observed that the engagement of the minor lifting bar with the various type-bars need not be, and is not expected to be, effected at the same time; for it s to be assumed that the major lifting mechanism, comprising the lifting links, D", and the lifting levers, D are inaccurate in the lifting of the type-bars, so that the faces-D which are at the time immediately above the minor lifting memher are not in true alinement, and therefore are engaged at'different times by said lifting member during its upward movement.

The arm, E, has at its front end, a wrist, E extending, into a cam slot, 11, in the main handle, H, the righthand portion of the cam-slot being nearer the shaft D", so that the arm, IE, will be depressed when-the handle, H, is turned toward the left, and raised when said handle is turned toward the right.

It is to be understood that the .key levers, D are,'by preference, extended for ward and operatively connected with any desired form of keyboard mechanism adapted to therequirements of a calculating machine embodying a printing mechanism having the general features herein described.

For the purposeof the present improvement, the hammermechanism may be of any desired form adapted to operate upon the type-stems herein described. As an example, the hammers, F, are shown hinged upon the shaft E the latter extending loosely through the stems of said hammers. It is deemed unnecessary to herein show the mechanism for actuating such hammers.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the minor lifting bar or member moves through an L-shape path; and Fig.

,6 shows said member, diagrammatically, in

three positions in said path, at each end and at the angle of said path. The upright portion of said path is due to movement of said minor member on a radius having a point in the axis of'the shaft, E, for its center; and because said path is short relative to said radius, said path is substantially straight. The horizontal portion of said path is due to the moving of said member on a radius having a point in the axis of the hinge, E, for its center; and since said movement is short relative to the length of said radius, said portion of said path is' substantially straight. And it may be noted that, in such a calculating machine as herein described, the minor lifting maybe through a relatively short distance as short as one-fiftieth vor one-hundredth of an inch; for it is easily practicable to so form and assemble the parts involved in the major lifting, as to produce a variation of only one-fiftieth or one-hundredth of an inch from accurate alinemcnt.

Then the key levers, D are released and the main handle turned rearward, so that the minor member moves out of the path of the type-bars, D, the latter are free to descend by gravity into the position of rest.

It is to be noted, that, in the event of the derangement of a key-lever or" a lifting link so that the corresponding type-supporting member is not brought into proper position to bring a face, D3, just above the path of the minor lifting member, no harm will be done when the main handle is shifted for moving the minor lifting bar forward; for then the lifting member will merely bear against the portion of the type-supporting member above said face, D and not move forward throughthe remainder of its normal path, but move upward in contact with the rear face of the type-supporting member without exerting damaging strain upon any of the parts of the mechanism, the lifting member being free to thus remain rearward, excepting thatthe springs, D ,when used) must remain stretchedthey having been stretched to put the lifting member rearward of the type-supporting members. In the absence of such springs, only gravity must be overcome. Thus it will be seen that the parts of the mechanism are so organized as to give to the lifting member a tendency to move forward automatically, when the rocking member, E is turned rearward,

such tendency being yielding to a resistance which is less than the strength of the parts associated with said lifting membe I claim as my invention 1. In a mechanism of the nature described,-the combination with a platen and type and a shiftable type supporting member, of means for moving said member toward but not quite into a chosen position,

and other means movable in the same direction as the typesupporting member for thereafter independently of said first-mentioned .means moving said member pre-. cisely i'nto said-chosen position.

2. In a mechanism of the nature described,

the combination with a platen and type and a plurality of shiftable type-supporting members, of a lever for'each member and slack-connectionbetween each lever and its member for moving said member toward a chosen position, and a single other means for thereafter moving said plurality of members as a group-or gang into such chosen position.

3. In a mechanism of the nature described, the combination with a platen and type and a shiftable type-supporting member, of a major moving means in operative relation with said type-supporting member for moving the latter toward but not quite into a chosen position, and a minor moving member arranged for movement into and then in the path of said type-supporting member towardsaid chosen position.

4. In a mechanism of the nature described, the combination with a platen and type and a shiftable type-supporting member, of a major moving meansin operative relation with said type-supporting member for moving the latter toward achosenposition, and

\ a minor moving member arranged for movement transverselyto and into the path of the type-supporting member and then in said path in the'direction of movement of said member. 1

5. In a mechanism of the nature described,

the combination with a platen and typeliind a shiftable type supporting member having a series of faces transverse to the path of movement of said member, of means for moving said member toward but not quite into a chosen position, and other means for thereafter independently of the first-mentioned means, moving toward saidposition and engaging one of said transverse faces for moving said member into such chosen position.

6. In a mechanism of the nature described, the combination with a platen and type and a shiftable type-supporting member, of means for moving said member toward but not quite into a chosen position, a minor moving member, and a carrier supporting said minor member in position moving it into engagement with said type-supporting member and in a direction parallel to the direc- .movin'g member located adjacent and transversely to said type-supporting members, and means located at the opposite sides of said group of type-supporting members for supporting said minor moving member and carrying it in a path which is in part transverse and in part parallel to or coincident with the paths or course of such type-supporting members.

8. In a mechanism of the nature described, the combination with a platen and type and a shiftable type-supporting member, of a major moving means in operatii e relation with said type-supporting member for moving the latter toward a chosen position, and a minor moving member arranged for movement transversely to and into the path of the type-supporting member and then in said path in the direction of movement of said member, said minor moving member having a plurality of faces and being adapted to be turned to present any one of said faces for engagement with the type-supporting member.

"9. In a mechanism of the nature described, the combination with a platen and type and a plurality of shiftable type-supporting members, of means for moving said members toward a chosen position, a minor mov; ing member having a plurality of faces, and a carrier adapted to support said minor moving member with any one of said faces in position for engagement with all of said type-supporting members as a group or gang for moving said'plurality of members into such chosen positions.

10. In a mechanism of the nature deof said group of type-supporting members for supporting said minor movmg member with any one of its faces directed upward and carrying said member in a path which is in part transverse and in part parallel to and coincident with the paths or course of 15 such type-supporting members.

In'testimony whereof I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this first day of September, in the year one thousand nine hundred and eleven.

CHARLES WALES. Witnesses:

JOHN H. DE Wm,

BRENDA BELL.

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