US1181958A

US1181958A - Automatic type-writer operator.

Info

Publication number: US1181958A
Application number: US732400A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lyman R Roberts
Original assignee: Underwood Typewriter Co
Current assignee: Underwood Typewriter Co
Priority date: 1911-08-31
Filing date: 1912-11-20
Publication date: 1916-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1933-05-02

Description

BDBERTS AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 110120.1912.

Patented May 2,1916.

4 SHEETS- SHEET INVEINTOR:

QMJM

L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. l9l2.

Patented May 2,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR! WITNESSE3! zma ATTO NEY L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOVv Z0, $912.

ATTDR [Y Patented May 2, 1916.

4 SHEETS-"SHEET 3 ,Wnuses:

L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV/10, 1912.

1,181,958, Patented May 2,1916. v 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- FIG. 7.

kid

f i 'J\J INVENTOR! wmw g 6m? ATTOR 5v WITNESSES:

n ITED STATES PI LYMAN R. ROBERTS, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD TYPE- XVRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AUTOMATIC TYPE-WRITER OPERATOR.

Original application filed August 31. 1911. Serial No. 646.975.

Serial No. 732,460.

writers, and more especially means for feed-' ingwork members. such as envelops to the platen. 'Io properly position work mem hers on the platen. as each one is supplied thereto. it has been found desirable to give the platen several line-space movements in order to brine the desired point on the work member to the printing point of the typewriter. To do this a special platen rotating mechanism is provided in addition to the normal line-space mechanism. This platen rotating mechanism is controlled at a tracker or tracl er-bmird by a perforated master member. The platen rotatin; mechanisn'i is shown in this case in the form, of a ratchet wheel secured on the platen axle and driven by a pawl to rotate the platen. The pawl is mounted on a lever provided with a oller. which. when the carriage is in its starting position at the beginning of a line. underlies an arm which may be swung by a pneumatic actuator when a certain perforation in the master sheet comes into register with correspond ing aperture in the tracker-board. V The ex tent of movement of the pawl. andthus the extent of rotation of the platen. may be adjustably limited by a locking detent which is forced into engagement with another ratchet wheel on the platen axle.

The. broad purpose of the invention may be. considered to include. .among other thing's. the idea of using a plurality of different line-space mechanisms for the platen, which line-space mechanisms may be controlled from different points. and arranged so that-the different points of control may be brought selectively into action.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 31:132. 1916.

Divided and this application filed November In the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 IS a fragmentary sectional view. showing such of the parts as are necessary to illustate the present invention in connection with a typewriter. Fig. '3 is a fragmentary perspective view. showing certain details of the special platen rotating mechanism. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of one of the pneumatic controls. showing the relation of the primary and secondary pneumatics thereof. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail top plan view of the special platen rotating mechanism. Fig. (i is a view in elevation of the parts shown at Fig. Fig. 7 is a skeleton detail view. showing the means whereby the active control is shifted from one master sheet to the other. Fig. 3 is a detail view. showing the means for actuating the normal line space mechanism. Fig. 9 is a reduced fragmentary perspective view of the two master sheets. Fig. 10 is a detail view in side elevation showing the normal line-space, mechanism for the platen.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of this inventioi'n'as embodied in the form shown in the drawings. 1 indicates a. dotted outline of a typewriter, which is to b actuated by a typewriter ope'ator indicated in general at 2.

In illustrating. this invention. the typewriter 1 is shown to be of the usual Underwood type. and is provided with a carriage 2 mounted to run on ways on the frame of the typewriter. and having a platen 3 rotatably mounted in the usual manner. To be specific. the platen i is provided with an axle or shaft 4. which is journaled in the carriage i of the machine 'Land extends to one side at 5 where it is provided with the usual line-space wheel 150, which is oper ated through the intermediary of a slide and pawl 151 by the usual line-space lever (3 forming a normal -linespace mechanism adapted to give a rotation to the platen 3 of one or more line-spaces according to the particular adjustment of this line-space mechanism. This particular line space mechanism may be. of any suitable. type. and in this instance indicates that generally in use on Underwood typewriters. In this case. inasmuch as the typewriter is not to be operated by hand. but by a mechanical operator. means must .be provided for actuating the line-space lever 6 to produce :1 normal line-space operation between the writing of two'lines. For this purpose there is.

provided a connector 7 having an arm 8 with a slot 9 therein to engage over-an upstanding finger- 10 on the line-space lever 6.

This connector 7 is arranged to be broughtinto engagement with a continuously driven member 11, shown in the form on screw rotating in fixed bearings. I

The connector 7 is provided with a half nut 12 which, when the connector 7 is properly swung, comes into engagement with theof the connector 7 with the screw 11 is continued, not only will-a line-space action take place, but the carriage 2 will be returned toward its starting position for the begin ning of a line.

The'connector 7 is pivotally mounted on a rod 13, so as to swing about this rod as a pivot and yet travel along the same. The connector 7 is also mounted so as to slide along a rod 14 and still be connected to this rod so that when the rod is moved bodily, the connector 7 will be swung about the rod 13 as a. pivot. The rod 14-is supported on a pair of

arms

15 and 16, so that it can be swung back and forth. The rod 14 and the arms supporting the same are normally held by the weight of the parts in a position corresponding to a position of the connector 7, such that the half nut thereon will be out of engagement with the screw 11.

In order to bring the connector 7 in opera: tive engagement with the screw 11, there 15.

provided a plunger 18 slidingly supported on a rod 19, so that the end thereof is held adjacent to the rod 14. The plunger 18 -is pivotally connected to a bell crank 20, so as to be actuated bythe latter. This bell crank 20 is in turn actuated through the intermediary of a link 21, by a pneumatic actuator 22. The pneumatic actuator 22 is shown to comprise a motor 23 and a pneumatic control 24, which in turn comprises a primary pneumatic 25 and a secondary pneumatic 26. The primary pneumatic 25 is connected by a pipe 27 and branch pipes 28 and 29 to a pair of trackers or tracker-boards 30 and 31.

The trackers 30 and 31 are normally covforward and engage the rod 14, forcing it to such a position that the connector 7 will be swung about its pivot rod 13 bringing the half nut thereon into engagement with the screw 11.

The details of the pneumatic control which enables this action will be seen by reference to Fig. 3. The air admitted at the tracker comes into theprimary pneumatic through the pipe 27, so that this air comes into a chamber 34 always connected to a suction chamber ,35 by a bleed hole 36 in a diaphragm 37. The vacuum or suction chamber 35 is normally kept under a subatmospheric pressure by a vacuum pump 38 (see Fig. 1), which is connected thereto by a pipe 39 and is driven by any suitable form of a motor indicated at 40. The aip admitted through the pipe 27 when the latter is opened by a perforation in the master sheet, comes into the chamber 34 at a greater rate than it can pass out through the small bleed opening 36, producing an unbalanced pressure on the diaphragm 37 so that the diaphragm is raised carrying with it a valve stem 41 resting thereon. The valve stem 41 carries a valve 42 which, when the diaphragm 37 is raised, will close an opening 43 in a partition 44 located between the vacuumror suction chamber 35*and chamber 45. The valve stem 41 also'carrie'sfanother valve 46, which uncovers an opening 47 permitting the outside air to come into the chamber 45. The chamber 45 is connected by a pipe 48 to a chamber 49 in the secondary pneumatic. This chamber 49 is separated from'the chamber 35 by a diaphragm 51 and is normally under a subatmospheric pressure by being connected with the suction chamber 35 through the intermediary of the pipe 48, the chamber 45 and the port 43. The diaphragm 51 will be raised by the air rushing-in the chamber 49, so that it carries up with it a valve rod 52 supporting a valve 53. 53 normally closes an opening 54 in a partition 55, which separates'the suction chamber 35 from a chamber 56. The chamber 56 is connected by a pipe 57 to the interior of the pneumatic motor 23, so that as soon as the valve 53: is raised, this motor will be exposed to suction from the chamber 35 and the pump 38, causing it to collapse, and

thus actuate the plunger 18. The valve stem rod 52.

The valve Thus far it has been shown how the normal line-space mechanism can be controlled in its actuation from either tracker-board and by either master sheet. It now remains to be shown how the platen can be rotated by a special line-space mechanism. which can be used independent of the normal line space mechanism. as in positioning a new work member. such as an envelop after it has been supplied to the platen. so as to bring the proper point thereon in apposition to the printing point of the typewriter for the beginning ot the printing oi an address thereon. To accomplish this end, the platen axle i has secured thereon a feeding ratchet wheel (ll. A lever 62 is loosely mounted on the axle -i so as to bring a pawl 63, carried thereby, into engagement with the teeth oi the ratchet wheel 61. This pawl 63 is forced by a spring 64 nto en gagement with the ratchet wheel 61. so that it will rotate the latter in one direction and yet be free to slip by the teeth of the ratchet wheel when moved in the other direction. The lever 62 is held in a normal raised position by a spring drum indicateil diagrammatically at 65. The lever 62 is provided with a contact roller (36. which is so located that. when the carriage 2 is drawn to its extreme position to the right, that is to a position corresponding to the beginning of a line, it will underlie a projection 67 on an arm 68. which is pivotallv mounted at 69 so as to swing down into engagement with the contact roller 66. hen the arm ()8 is swung down. it will carry with it the lever 62 and thus cause the pawl (33 to ro tate the ratchet wheel (31 and therefore rotate the platen 3. In order to limit the extent of this rotation so that the platen will not be thrown beyond a predetermined point, there is provided a locking detent lever 70 pivotally mounted at 71 and normally held in a raised position against a stop 72 by a spring 73. The detcnt T0 is extended, however, to such a position that it will be engaged by the lever (32 during its down ward movement, so that the detent 70 will also be swung downwardly, during the final movement of the lever, bringing a tooth H on the detent into engagement with a locking ratchet wheel 75. also secured to the platen axle 4, but having its teeth faced in the opposite direction to the direction in which the teeth of the feeding ratchet wheel 61 face. This will cause r. positive locking of the platen preventing it from rotating beyond a certain predetermined extent with each actuation of the lever 62. The extent to which the lever 62 may move before coming into engagement with the detent 70 may be varied by varying the position of a head 76 which is adjustably mounted on the de: tent 70, and so located that it will be the part first engaged by the lever 62.

The movements of the arm 1 trolled from one of the mast crably the master sheet 2&2. the feeding of an envelop to To accomplish this there is pr matic actuator T7. comprisirg u .H pneumatic motor TS, and a pncu'math ortrol 79 having primary and sewn-wai ililt'i matics St) and 81 respectiwly. The matic control T9 is similar in i the pneumatic contro 24. are; mary pneumatic M connected or pipe 82 to the correspomiia the tracker lit).

\Vhen a certain pt i eration in th a sheet 32 comes into register \Yitil 1 sponding aperture in the tracker r r i will be admitted to the prhaaz 1 50, so as a) enable the interio TS to be connected to the exhan m-i 1; so that it will be collapsed to d: than 11 the arm 68 through the law a link 83.

'hen the master sheet iri is few 1.; enough to cover the aperture in the it 30, the motor 78 will be connected to mosphere and cut oil from the we: ion 38 by the pneumatic control 5 m; 1 will be free to expand under the pun tension spring 94, whicn at the same restores, through the intermediarv of link 83, the arm 68. E

in the embodiment shown in my any tion above mentioned, of which ti. vision, as already stated, the upper ma sheet 32 illustrated as controlling 11v supplying and placing of the Sliitfk iv= cu velops on the platen, and the lower on: sheet 33 was shown as contr hing the \ir ing oi" the address on the: enveiop and the actuation of the normal line-space uh anism for linespaces between the serve typewritten lines of the address mastersheets, however, are not in act the same time, but are alternately hit" in play as each finishes its spccitic work To accomplish this, the master sheet i stretched across the face of ti" by means of a pair of rollers and so. one of which may be used to feed the masier sheet past the tracker. This done by n o viding on the roller a gear 8? located so that a gear 88 can be brought in iaiwh therewith. This gear 88 is secured to a shaft 89 mounted on a rocker an.

ammy- The tr o which meshes with a gear 101 secured to a shaft 102, the latter also forming a pivotal mounting for the rocker 99. The gears 92 and 101 are continuously driven by a means not shown.

The rockers 90 and 99 are provided with upturned ends engaged by rollers 103 and 104 mounted on the opposite ends of a shifting lever 105, which is pivoted intermediate its ends as at 106. The shifting lever 105 is so arranged that when it is swung in one direction, it will swing the rockers 90 and 99 so as to bring the gear 88 out of mesh with the gear 87 and drop the gear 7 into mesh with the gear 90. as shown in Fig. 7, and so that when it is swung in the opposite direction, it will swing the rockers 90 and 99 so as to bring gear 88 into mesh with the gear 87 and force the gear 97 out of mesh with the gear 96. Inasmuch as the gears 88 and 97 are constantly driven. it will be seen by this arrangement that the

master sheets

32 and 33 can be alternately fed, but that both of the master sheets cannot be fed at the same time.

In order to shift the lever 105 there is provided a pair of plungers ,107 and 108, which are arranged in apposition respectively, to pins 109 and 110 secured to the shifting lever 105 at opposite sides of its pivot. The

plungers

107 and 108 are operated respectively by pneumatic actuators 111 and 112. These pneumatic actuators include pneumatic motors 113 and 114 connected to bell cranks 115 and 116, which actuate the

plungers

107 and 108. These pneumatic actuators also include pneumatic controls 117 and 118 having the usual primary and secondary pneumatics. The pneumatic control 117 is connected to the tracker 31 by a pipe 119, and the pneumatic control 118 is connected to tracker 30 by a pipe 120. It will be seen that this is a cross connection so that the tracker 30 and the master sheet 32 control the throwing into operation of the tracker 31 and the master sheet 33 and vice versa. By this arrangement the master sheets are alternately brought into action and the one controls the bringing into action of the other. It will thus be seen that there are provided two separate and distinct mechanisms for rotating the platen, one.the normal line-space mechanism and a special platen spacin mechanism, which mechanisms may be in ividually controlled fi'om separate points, so that one means of rotating the platen can be used when the other is silent.

Variations 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 claim:

.1. The combination, with typewriting the other mechanism, including a platen; of two separate platen-rotating mechanisms, one for imparting a single line-space movement, and the other for imparting a multi-linespace movement; and master-sheet mechanism for controlling the actuation of said platen-rotating mechanisms.

2. The combination, with typewriting mechanism, including a platen; of two separate master-sheet mechanisms; actuating mechanism therefor; a platen-rotating mechanism controlled by one of said mastersheet mechanisms for imparting a multiline-space movement to said platen; and a separate platen-rotating mechanism controllable by either master-sheet mechanism for imparting a single line-space movement to said platen.

The combination, with typewriting mechanism, including a platen; of two separate platen-rotating mechanisms one for imparting a single line-space movement, and the other for imparting a multi-linespace movement; and two separate mastersheet mechanisms, one of which solelycontrols the actuation of one of said platenrotating mechanisms, and either of which may control' the actuation ofthe other platen-rotating mechanism.

4. The combination, with typewriting mechanism, including a platen; of two separate platen-rotating mechanisms, one for imparting a single line-space movement, and the other for imparting a multi-linespace movement; two separate master-sheet mechanisms, one of which solely controls the actuation of one of said platen-rotating A mechanisms, and either of which may control the actuation of the other platen-rotating mechanism; and means for shifting the control from either master sheet mechanism to the other.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of two separate linespacing mechanisms therefor, a pneumatic actuator for each of said line-spacing mechanisms, a master sheet for controlling each actuator, means for feeding the master sheets, and means for silencing one master sheet when the other is being fed.

6. The combination, with a platen; of a line-space device therefor comprising a linespace lever; an actuator for said lever arranged to strike thereagainst, but normally out of contact therewith; and "master-sheet mechanism for controlling the operation of said actuator.

7. The combination with a platen, of two different line-space mechanisms for said platen, an individual actuator for each of said line-space mechanisms, a master control set for each actuator, and means for shifting the control from one control set-to another control set; said means including l, ii

driving connections for each control set, the shitting means adapted to bring only one driving connection into action at a time.

The combination with a platen, of a' line-space mechanism tor said platen including a line-space lever mounted to swing in a vertical plane. means for striking downwardly on said line-space lever to effect a line-space action of said mechanism, and an air motor for operating said striking means.

9. The combination with a platen, of two distinct and separate line-space mechanisms for said platen. an individual actuator for (:Hll of said line-space mechanisms, a master control set for each actuator. said control sets being alternately active, and means tor shitting the control from one control set to another control set. the shifting means being adapted to bring one of the control sets into action at one time.

lit. The combination, with a rotary platen: of a device at one end of said platen tor imparting a single line-space movement thereto: a separate device at the other end of said platen for imparting a multidimespace movement thereto; and master sheet mechanism for controlling the actuation of said devices.

11. The combination, with a rotary platen: of a device at one end of said platen tor ii'nparting a single line-space movement thereto; a separate device at the otherend of said platen for imparting a multi-linespace movement thereto; an actuator individual to each of said devices; and mastershcet mechanism-for controlling the activity of said actuators.

12. T he combination with a rotary platen and a line-space ratchet wheel connected to rotate therewith, of a line-space lever, a pawl carried thereby to engage said wheel and rotate the platen, a locking ratchet wheel having its teeth faced in the opposite direction from those of the firstnamed wheel, a locking lever provided with a. detent to engage said locking wheel. and an adjustable stop carried by the locking lever in the path of the line-space lever.

13. The combination. with a. rotary platen, and a line-space ratchet wheel connected to rotate therewith; of a line-space lever rotatable about the platen axis; a. pawl on said lever to engage and rotate. said ratchet wheel; an impact member arranged to strike against and thereby actuate said lever, but normally out of contact with the same; operating means for said impact member; a locking lever in the path of said line-space lever to be actuated thereby; and means to form a locking connection between the platen and locking lever when the latter is actuated by the line-space lever.

14. The combination, with a rotary platen and a line-space ratchet wheel connected to rotate therewith; of a linespaee lever rotatable about the platen. axis and having a contact roller; a pawl on said lever to engage and rotate said ratchet wheel; an actuating member arranged to strike against, said contact roller. to actuate said line-space, lever, but normally out of contact with said contact roller; and operating means for said actuating member.

15. The combinatiomwith a rotary platen, and a line-space ratchet wheel connected to rotate therewith: of a line-space lever; a. pawl ope ated by said line-space lever to engage and rotate said ratchet wheel; an impact member arranged to strike against and thereby actuate said line space lever. but normally out of contact with the same; operating means for said impact member: and a locking lever for said platen adapted to be struck. and thereby actuated, by said line space lever.

16. The combination, with a rotary platen and a line-space ratchet wheel connected to rotate therewith: ot' a line-space lever; a pawl operated by said line-space lever to engage and rotate said ratchet wheel: an impact member arranged to strike against and thereby actuate said line-space lever, but normally out of contact with the same: operating means for said impact member: and a locking lever for said platen having a stop thereon arranged in the path of, and adapted to be struck by, said i inc-space lever during its movement, so as to enable said line-space. lever to operate said locking lever. said stop being adjustable to vary the point in said movement at which the striking occurs.

17. The combination, with a typewriting mechanism, including a carriage and a platen mounted on said carriage; of automatic mechanism acting to concomitantly return the carriage and impart a single line-space movement to the platen: and separate automatic mechanism acting solely to impart a multi-line-spacc movement to said platen.

18. The combination, with a platen: of line-spacing device for said platen comprising a line-space wheel connected to rotate therewith, and a lever for rotating said wheel; an intermittent. reciprocatory impact member arranged above said lever and adapted to strike against and thereby actuate the same: an actuator for said impact member; and master-sheet mechanism for controlling said actuator.

19. The combination, with a platen; of a line-spacing device for said platen comprising aline-space wheel connected toro tatc therewith, and a lever for rotating said wheel; an intermittent, reciprocat-ory impact member arranged above said lever and adapted to strike against and thereby actu ate the same; a pneumatic actuator; a link iii connection between said impact member and said actuator, for operating the former upon the collapse of the latter; and master-sheet mechanism for controlling said actuator.

20. The combination, with a platen; of a line-spacing device for said platen, comprising a line-space wheel connected to rotate therewith, and a lever for rotating said wheel; a pivotally-mounted, depressible member hawing a projection arranged to strike against and thereby actuate said lever; an actuator for said impact member arranged beneath, and connected with, the same; and master-sheet mechanism for controlling said actuator.

21. The combination, with a platen and its axle; of a pair of ratchet wheels connected to rotate with said platen and having oppositely-facing teeth; a rocking line-space lever pivotally mounted on said axle; a pawl operated by said line-space lever to engage and rotate one of said ratchet wheels; and a locking lever having a detent to engage the other ratchet wheel, and also having a portion projecting into the path of the linespace lever to be struck thereby, to enable said line-space lever to operate said looking lever during its movement.

22. The combination, with a platen and its axle; of a pair of ratchet wheels connected to rotate with said platen and having oppositely-facing teeth; a rocking linespace lever pivotally mounted on said axle; a pawl operated by said line-space lever to engage and rotate one of said ratchet wheels; a locking lever having a detent to engage the other ratchet wheel; and a stop carried by said locking lever and projecting into the path of the line-space lever, to be struck by the latter during its movement, so as to enable said line-space lever to operate said locking lever during its more ment, said stop beingadjustable to vary the point in said movement at which the striking occurs.

LYMAN R. ROBERTS.

\Vitnesses: Y

'PiTUs H. IRONS, J. F. BROPHY.

Gopleo of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Wolhington. D. G."