US1166704A - Mechanism for operating a type-writer from a calculating-machine. - Google Patents

Description

v I. F. MAYS. 1 MECHANISM FOR'OPERATING A TYPE WRITER FROM A-CALCULATING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV. I2, 1914. 7 1,166,704. Patented Jan.4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

112177168 FMays,

J. F. MAYS.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING A TYPE WRITER FROM A CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.12. 1914.

1,166,704. Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EZR -l;-

' onirnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES F. MAYS, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR TO MAYS ACCOUNTING MAGHINE COMPANY, OF ASHEVILLE, NOB-TH'CAROLINA, ,A CORPORATION OF NEVADA.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING A TYPE-WRITER FROM A CALCULATING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MAYs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jeifersonand State of Alabama, have invented certain calculating machine not equipped with a.

full or self contained listing or printingati tachment'itself, may be readily soconnected to a typewriting machine that the latter machine will operate to print the numbers struck on the calculating machine keys, without in any wise interfering with the normal operation of the typewriter.

My invention places in reach of those who cannot afford the more expensive adding machines now generally equipped with a complete listing attachment, mechanism whereby more inexpensive adding machines such, for

example, as those of the light or portable desk type may be equipped with listing or printing mechanism with slight additional cost, assuming that the owner of the calcu-' lating machine owns a typewriter, which is usually the case.

In order to more fully describe my said invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein :'Figure 1,

represents in front elevation a typewriter and calculating machine operatively connected with my invention; Fig. 2, a diagram of one arrangement of electric circuits which I employ in carrying out my inven-;

tion; Fig. 3, a top plan viewpartly in section,,looking down upon the special base for the typewriter, and showing in horizontal section, with parts broken away, a portion of a calculating machine connected thereto in accordance with one form of my invention;

Fig. 4t, a sectional elevation ,through the lower portion of the typewriter and my special base therefor, taken on line %*i* Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5, a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 5"-5" Fig. 3, looking in the direc- Specilication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Application filed November 12, 1914. Serial No. 871,756.

- culating machine.

In the calculating machine here shown, each key coinprlses a vertically movable stem 2, and these keys are arranged in a series of columns corresponding respectively.

to units, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc., there being ten keys, in each column 'numbored 1 to 0 respectively, according to the common practice in this class of machines, and all keys bearing the same digits are arranged in transverse rows. The 0 keys on the calculating machine are merely for the purpose of causing the tyepewriter to print 0, and are therefore not connected to operate the calculating machine.

In the base of the calculating machine, mount ten metal bars 3, which extend transg,

versely across said base and lie each beneath an individual transverse row of said key stems and in alinement,therewith, so that all of the 1 keys are in line with one of said bars, all of the 2 keys are in line with another of said bars, and so on. Each of these bars is insulated from the other and from the frame of the machine by being mounted upon insulated supports 4c fast to the sides of the calculating machineframe, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5.

For each key stem there is provided a special yielding contact consisting, in the case shown, of a metal plunger 5, located directly in the line of travel of its corresponding key stem and beneath the same so as to be engaged by the lower end thereof when the corresponding key is depressed in operation. Each of these plungers is mounted for vertical movement in an individual chamber 6 (see Fig. 6) in bars 3, and each plunger is provided with a shoulder or flange 7 normally held up against the limiting plate 8 by spring 9 in said chamber, said spring hearing at one end against said shoulder and at its other end upon a' screw 10 which forms the bottom of said chamber.

It might be stated, in passing, that the arm 11 on the side of the calculating machine is for resetting the dials after operation by the keys, and therefore does not correspond to the operating arm .on the side of the ma chine of the Burroughs type, which are employed to actually operate .the dials in performing the adding operation.

As operating in conjunction with this calculating machine, I have indicated, with many parts removed, a typewriter 12 in which the digit keys 13 are indicated ,in full lines in Fig. '1', and the other keys in dotted lines. The-actual typewriter shown is an 7 L. C. Smith. This form of typewriter, however, is selected merely for the purpose ofv illustration, it being understood that T do not limit my invention to any particular make of such machines.

F or the typewriter, T provide a special base 14, preferably of'wood. Upon this base is mounted four upright supports 15,. each having. an extension 16 of reduced diameter; These supports are so placed that their extensions 16 register each with a socket in the base ofthe typewriter. These sockets are found upon all standard makes v of typewriters and are normally employed to receive rubber feet upon which the typewriter rests. Uprights 15 support the typewriter above the auxiliary base 14; so that the type: writer base will be about two inches above the auxiliary base.

Sluaported upon base 14, adjacent its rear end so as, to lie in the rear of the typewriter,'

is a metal support 17. upon which is mounted a series of ten electro-magnets 18 it of the solenoid type. Each of these magnets is provided with an armature core 19, and each of these magnets is pivotally connected to an individual lever 20, each of which fulcrum ed upon an individual bracket 21 fast to the base 14. I

The end of each lever 20, on the other side of its fulcrum from its armature, is operatively connected to a separate digit key of the typewriter. vTn the specific mechanism here shown, this connection is effectedwith regard to all of the typewriter keys, except the 1 key, by the engagement of each lever 20' with a hanger 22 fast to the key lever of the typewriter key to be operated by the particular lever 20. v Each of these hangers consists, in the case shown, of a metal strip bent upon itself andflared slightly at its upper end, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5. These flared portions embrace the typewriter key lever and are clamped thereagainst by means of a bolt and nut 23, 24. Each hanger 22 is provided. with an elongated vertical slot 25, and as to each of these hangers, except the one connected to iaeeyzoa sponding key lever 20 1's effected in a somewhat different manner from that above described, due to the particular position of the 1 key of the standard typewriter keyboard here shown, this position not permitting of such alinement as to employ the more direct connection between the typewriter key levers and levers 20, above described. In the case of the l key lever, the slot 25 of its hanger is traversed by an auxiliary lever 26 pivoted atone end upon a bracket 27 fast to the base 14, and having 'its other end connected, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, to the outer end of a lever 20 by means of a pin 28 held in position by a spring clip 29.

It will be seen that the hangers 22 permit of ready connection to. the key levers of the typewriter, without in any way altering said keys. 1

lit will also be seen that when anyone of the magnets 18 is energized, it will draw up the adjacent end of its corresponding lever 20, thereby depressing the other end of said lever and, causing the operation of the corresponding key lever of the typewriter. Along the right hand edge of base 14; is arranged a "series of metal contact plates 30. Each such gagement with individual metal bars 3-re-' spectively, so that when the calculating ma-' chine is placed in the proper position along-- side the typewriter supporting base 14,-

spring contacts 31 will rest each .upona separate contact 30.

F or the purpose of readily connecting the typewriter and calculating machine in proper alinelnent so that said contacts will register, the calculating machine is provided with two flat lugs 82, fast to the casing thereof and adapted to engage respectively sockets formed in metal plates 33'fast to base 14.

The other coil terminals of all the magnets 18 are electrically connected to metal support 17, said support being provided with a binding post 34 from which electrical connection is made to one pole of the battery 35 or other suitable source of electric current. The other pole of this battery is electrically connected through a switch 36 to the frame of the calculating machine, so that all of the key stems 2 of the calculating machine may be simultaneously connected to the source of current writer corresponding to the digit key of the calculating machine operated. If it is desired to operate the calculating machine independently of the typewriter, switch 36 is opened, which breaks the connection from the calculating machine to the source ef current. The typewriter, however, may be operated independently of the calculating machine while such switch is closed, as will be readily understood from the foregoing description; I v

One of the greatad'vantages of this invention is the ease with which the. calculating'machine may be connected up to the typewriter for operating the same, it being .iecessary merely to set the calculating machine down alongside the typewriter, assuming that the typewriter has been placed upon the auxiliary base and connected to.

the levers 20, which may be expeditiously done.

It is not believed to be necessary to here enlarge upon the-utility of operating a typewriter from a calculating'machine, it being well understood that such use arises prin cipally in cases where it is desired to make a-list of the numbers and result entering a very easily and mg machine, and for billing purposes.

Having thus described a specific form of out departing from the spirit of my inven{ tion.

W'hat I claim is 1. In mechanism of the class described,

the combination with a supporting base, of

a typewriter removably supported upon said base, afi-series of magnets mounted on said base, means to operatively connect said magnets to the printing mechanism of said typewriter, a calculating machine placed alongside "said supporting base and having a plurality of rows of calculating keys, each row containing a series of keys correspond ing to the same numeral, a series of electrical conductors individu'al respectively to said rows of keys and operatively associated therewith to close each an individual electric circuit, and a series of electrical circuits each including an energizing coil of one of saidmagnets and one of said conductors.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a

givencalculation on the adding or calculatcalculating machine having a plurality of rows of calculating keys, each row contain ing a series of keys corresponding to the same numeral, and a series of electrical conductors individual respectively-to said rows of keys and operatively associated there with, each to close an electric circuit individual to eaclr of said conductors on the operation of any key of a row corresponding thereto, a typewriter supporting base, a series of magnets mounted on said base, means to effect operative connection between said magnets and the printing mechanism of a typewriter placed upon said base, a series of electrical contacts located upon said base adjacent one of its side edges and forming individual terminal connectors for said magnets, said magnet terminal contacts and said conductors being so arranged as to be brought intoelectrical contact respectively with each other when the said 7 calculating machine and typewriter base are placed side by side. a

8. In mechanism of the' class described, the combination with a calculating machine havinga plurality of rows of calculating keys, each row contammg a series of keys corresponding to the same numeral, of a series of insulated metal bars individual respectively to said rows of keys, a series of yielding contact members carried by and in electrical engagement with each of said bars and operatively connected with said keys to close an electric circuit through the individual bars on the operation of any key of a row corresponding thereto, a typewriter supporting base, a series of magnets mounted thereon, means to effect operative connection between the said magnets and the printing mechanism of a typewriter placed upon said base, a series of electrical contacts located upon said base adjacent one of its side edges and forming individual terminal connectors for said magnets, and means to effect electrical connection between said insulated metal bars and said magnet terminal contacts individually by placing the calculatingmachine and typewriter side by side.

from a calculating machine having a plurality of rows of keys each row containing a series of keys of the same numeral, and the numerals of the keys of any row differing from those of any other row, said mechanism comprising in combination with 4. Mechanism for operating a typewriter said keys a series of electrical conductors individual respectively to the said rows of keys and arranged to be brought into electrical connection with any key in its corre sponding row when. actuated to perform a calculating operation, a typewriter supporting base, a series of magnets supported thereon, a series of levers operated individually by the respective magnets, means to effeet operative connection between said levers and the key levers of a typewriter placed upon said base, a seriesof electrical contactsilocated upon said base adjacent one of its side edges and forming individual terminal connectors for said niagnets, and means to effect electrical connection between said electric conductors associated With the calculating machine keys and said contacts When the calculating machine and type memo Writer are placed side by side, a source of electricity and means for connecting said

Images