US1216712A

US1216712A - Combined type-writing and computing machine.

Info

Publication number: US1216712A
Application number: US64950111A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred F Main
Original assignee: UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE CO
Current assignee: UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE CO
Priority date: 1911-09-15
Filing date: 1911-09-15
Publication date: 1917-02-20
Anticipated expiration: 1934-02-20

Description

F. F. MAlN.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 15, 191 l.

Patented Feb. 20,1917.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

1H I MH. 1m. i 5 1.-.-.. -11:1 --..i--..illlillSi! away...

ms NoRms P515075 co PNOm-LITNO wAsm/vcwm n c.

F. F. MAIN.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5, 19! 1- 1,216,712,. Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mr Mmkls perms ca. PHOT'D-LITNO WASHING mu. m c.

F. F. MAIN.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15. 1911.

1,216,71 2. Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mg wnms runs 50.. Pnom Lnnu WASNINKHON. n c.

F. F. MAlN.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE. APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 15, 191 I.

1,216,71 2. Patented Feb. 20,1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W? e 1W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED 13. MAIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY IIIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 UNDER- VVOOD COMPUTING ltIACHINE COMPANY, OF NEVV' YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED TYPE-WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

Application filed September 15, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Farm 1*. MAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined TypelVriting and Computing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a typewriting attachment for a computing machine, and is an improvement on my Patent No. 1,110, l-tS, granted September 15, 191%.

The machine to which this invention is applied is of atype adapted. to do rapid computing work, and so constructed as to type write explanatory notes, names, or dates on the same sheet on which the numbers computed are printed by the printing mechanism of the computing machine or mechanism. There is provided a platen or worksheet-bearing member, which is common to the typewriting attachment and the comput ing machine, so that it will serve both. This platen is also so arranged that it can be swung from cooperation with the printing mechanism of the typewriting attachment, to cooperation with the printing mechanism 01" the computing machine, and vice. versa, the print-ing range of the computing machine being inclusive of the printing point of the typewriting attachment.

Tabulating mechanism is provided for the platen and the carriage therefor, so that the worksheet can be quickly jumped or spaced from one computing zone to another, or from one major column on the work-sheet to another. There is also provided stcp-b v step escapement mechanism for the carriage bearing the platen, so that in addition to the major movements thereof, minor letter-space or digit-column movements may be had, which will not only permit the feed for the striking of the different characters of the typewriting attachment, but also permit a minute adjustment of the platen and the work-sheet carried thereby for the printing mechanism of the computing machine.

The shifting mechanism for adjusting the platen with respect to the two printing mechanisms, in this case operates from in back and from below, so as not to intcrtere in any way with the platen in its travel or the worksheet thereon. The shi'tting mechanism to! the platen is controlled from the operator or handle of the computing machine, and allows Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

Serial No. 649,501.

for the travel of the carriage and the platen relative to the fixed portions of the computing machine.

Other features and advantages will hereinatter appear. 7

In the accompanying drawings,

.liigure 1 is a side view in elevation, with parts broken away to show the underlying structure.

Fig. 2 is a front view in elevation, with parts removed to simplify the showing and to uncover the concealed elements.

Fig. 3 is a rear view in elevation, with parts removed to disclose underlying elements.

Fig. 4tis a fragmentary perspective view oi the carriage escapement mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section a part of the carriage escapement mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of this invention as embodied in the drawings, 1 indicates an adding machine which may be of any suitable character, and in this instance is shown in the form or a Burroughs adder, operated to set up the figures, to be calculated, by keys 2, and which are printed when desired by printing mechanism indicated at 8, through the actuation of an operating lever 4.

The adding machine 1 divides the typewriting mechanism into actuating means 5 and actuated means 6, the former of which is located in t'ront of the adding machine, and the latter of which is located to the rear of the adding machine.

The adding machine and the typcwriting machine have a connnon element, which in this instance is shown as a platen T, with which the printing mechanisms of the adding machine and the typewriting machine can cooperate at the will of the operator.

The actuating means 5 embodies a plurality of character keys 8, which are adapted to operate through the intermediary of suitably mounted bell crank lovers 9, a plurality of type bars 10. in such a manner that they will strike on the upper surface of the platen T. The platen 7 is mounted on a frame .11, which is pivotally mounted at 12, so that it can swing from cooperative juxtaposition with the type bars 10, to cooperative juxta position with the printing mechanism when the handle t is operated, through the l!ltt'!1ll(f(ll1ll'y ot a link 3, a bail arm it and a link 15. The two positions of the platen will be seen in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When any one of the keys 8 is actuated, it is returned to its normal position by means of a spring 16, but before returning to its normal position, it will have operated a universal member 17, which shown in the form of a U-shaped bar pivoted at 18. This universal bar may be provided with stops 19, so that all of the character keys can cooperate therewith.

The universal bar 17 may be returned to its normal position by means of a spring 20. The typewriting mechanism is provided, as is usual in most typewriters, with a ribbon 2.1. which the type on the type bars 10 strike, so as to obtain the necessary im n'inting on the paper.

It is desirable that this ribbon should be fed from time to time, so as to present a fresh surface to the type bars at each stroke. For this purpose there are provided reels 22 and 23, which support the opposite ends of the ribbon 21, and which are mounted on shafts One or both of these shafts may be driven from the universal bar 17 (Fig. by having provided thereon a ratchet wheel 25, which is engaged by a spring-pressed pawl 26 on a lever 21', which is connected to the universal bar 17 by means of a link 28. The ratchet wheel 25 may be held in any adjusted position by means of a detent 29.

It is also desirable that the ribbon 21 should be shifted from a position away from the work sheet, to a position between the work sheet on the platen 7 and the type on the type bars 10 at each stroke of the character key. For this purpose there is provided a link 30 (Fig. 2) connected to the universal bar 1.7, so as to be operated thereby at each stroke of a character key, which in turn is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 31, so as to manipulate the same.

The opposite end of this bell. cank lever extends to the rear of the adding machine, where it is adjustably connected, by means of one or more nuts 32, to a spindle link 33, which is rotatably mounted on one arm of a bell crank lever This bell crank lever 34 is provided with arms 35, which together with pivotally mounted arms 36, form a support for a shift 38, which carries the ribbon 21 in such a manner, that the ribbon can slip through it and yet will be manipulated by the shift, so as to move from a position exjacent the type on the type bars 10 and the sheet on the platen 7, to a position interjacent these elements.

The platen frame 11 is pivotally mounted on a carriage 39, as at 12. This carriage in turn is slidingly mounted on suitable supporting members, as by means of rolls 10 and 411, which travel on ways 42 and 13 respectively. For the purpose of moving the carriage step-by-step in a letter-feeding direction, there is provided the usual spring drum 11 (Fig. connected to the carriage by a flexible connection s15. In order to prevent the carriage from instantly returning under the influence of this spring drum, there is provided an escapement mechanism which includes a pinion 416 meshing with a rack-l7 on the carriage 39. The pinion -16 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 1-8 which swiveled at its bottom, as at -11) (Fig. .1) so as to swing the pinion -16 into and out of engagement with the rack 17. This pinion it; is normally held in engagement with the rack 17 by means of a spring 50. .lfior a normal step-by-step movement of the carriage, the pinion 16 is held in engagement with the rack 17 by the spring 50.

Located adjacent the lower end of shaft 18, there is provided an escapement wheel 51, which is held from movement under the influence of the spring lelpulling on the carriage 39, by means of a ratchet mechanism This ratchet mechanism includes a lever 53 having a lixed detent 51 and a pivotally mounted dog The dog 55, when the lever 58 is at its normal position, engages between the teeth of the escapement wheel 51, so as to prevent the rotation of the escapement wheel 51, and thus the movement of the carriage under the tension of the spring 4 1-. This dog 55 is forced into alinement with the fixed detent 5-1, by the rotating tendency of the escapement wheel 51, but tends to assume a position in front of and out of alinement with said detent under the urgency of a spring 56.

When the lever 53 is swung up at its detent and dog-carrying end, the detent 5-1 will come between the teeth of the escapement wheel, holding the same against movement while the dog is lifted from engagement with the teeth of the escapement whee], permitting it to swing upward between the next two teeth under the pressure of the spring 56, so that when the lever is swung back to its normal position, the dog will pern'iit the movement of the escapement wheel 51 a sullicient distance to bring it once more into alinement with the detent 51, at which point its movement is limited by a shoulder 57 thereon engaging a corresponding shoulder on the lever 53.

Movement of the escapement wheel 51 in the opposite direction is permitted by the dog 55 being formed in two parts, pivotally connected at 58, the lower portion of which forms a spring-pressed pawl which is adapted to ride over the teeth of the escapement wheel 51, when the latter is returned after writing a complete line.

In order that this escapement just described may be operated at each stroke of a character key, the universal member 17 is connected by a link 59 (Fig. 1) to an arm 60 on a shaft 61. The shaft 61 extends to the rear of the machine, and Where it is provided with an arm 62 connected by a link 63 to the lever 53.

It will be seen that the carriage is permitted to travel step-by-step under the influence of spring 4L4, at each impression of a character or space key. Aside from this step-by-step escapement of the carriage, it is desirable that the carriage should have a jump movement, so as to position the platen at predetermined points, as for example, in making a plurality of columns of names or figures. For this purpose there is provided on the carriage 39, a bar 64-, on which are mounted a plurality of adjustable tabulating stops 65 having toes 66 adapted to engage a projection 67 on a stop 68, secured to any fixed portion of the frame.

In order to bring the t-abulating stops (35 into operation, it is merely necessary to swing the shaft 48 so as to disconnect the pinion 46 from engagement with the rack 47, when the carriage will jump until the next stop (35 comes in engagement with the projection 67. For the purpose of shifting this shaft 48 in this manner, there is provided a bell crank lever 69 (Figs. 1, J: and which engages the shaft 48, and is operated through the intermediary of a link 70 by an arm 71 secured on a shaft 72. The shaft 72 is provided at the front of the machine with an arm 73, connected to a tabulating key 74', mounted in juxtaposition tothe character keys 8. 7

It is undesirable, however that these stops should be in such a position, that they will engage the projection 67, and thus stop the carriage when the step-by-step escape ment mechanism is in operation. In order to avoid this, there is provided a cam lever 75, which is provided with a cam run 76, the apex of which is adapted to engage a projection '77 on the stops (35, so as to swing the toes 66 of said stops upward to such a position, that they will pass over the projection 67. This is made possible by the fact that the rod ()4 is rotatably mounted.

The apex of the cam run 76 occurs at a point corresponding to the projection 67, so that when any one of the stops 65 is in a position to stop the carriage, it will. be lifted, if the tabulating mechanism is not in operation. If the tabulating mechanism, however, is in operation, means is provided for lifting the cam lever to such a position, that it will not disturb the obstructing action of the stops (35. For this purpose the shaft 72 is provided with an arm 78 connected by a lever 79 to a link 80, which is connected at its opposite end to an arm 81 of the cam lever 75.

lt will be seen that when thc tabulating keys 74 are operated to rotate the shaft 72, the am lever 75 will be lifted out of cooperative relation with respect to the projection 77 on the stops 65, so that said stops will be free to engage the projection 67.

The cam lever 75 will return automatically to its operative position onthe removal of pressure from the tabulating key 74, by the action of a spring 82. One or more stop keys 83 may be provided for operating the step-by-step escapement, by manipulating the universal bar 17 without the actuation of any of the type bars.

It will be seen that there is provided a new and improved machine embodying type writing mechanism and adding mechanism, the latter of which divides the former into two parts, to-wit, actuating and actuated elements, and in which there is provided. an element which cooperates with both the adding mechanism and the typewriting mechanism, so that the results of both can be impressed on a single work sheet placed on this element, which in this case is shown in the form of a. platen.

It will be further seen that means is provided for actuating the ribbon both to shift and feed the same, and for controlling the step by-step escapement of the carriage concomitantly with the actuation of each and all of the character keys.

It will be further seen that provision is made for the proper jump movement of the carriage for tabulating purposes.

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 a computing machine, of a typewriting machine, said machines having a platen common to both, a combined jump and step-by-step escapement for said platen enabling the proper positioning of said platen to cooperate with both said typewriting machine and said compnt ing machine; said platen being movable from a position cooperating with said typewriting machine to a position cooperating with said con'iputing machine, and means for concomitantly actuatii'ig said comput ing machine and shifting said platen into cooperation therewith.

2. The combination with a computing ma chine, of a typewriting machine, a platen common in both of said machines, each of said machines having a printing mechanism cooperating with said common platen in the same Z0116 but approaching said platen from different directions, a. step-by-step movement mechanism for bringing any portion of said platen in the printing zone for the typewriting machine, and a. jump movement mechanism for bringing any portion of said platen in the printing zone of said cmnputing nmchine.

3. The combination with a. con'iputing machine of a typew-riting machine, a platen common in both of said machines, each of said machines having a printing mechanism cooperating with said common platen in the same zone but approaching said platen from different directions, a step-by-step movement mechanism for bringing any portion of said platen in the printing zone for the typewriting machine, a jump movement mechanism for bringing any portion of said platen in the printing Zone of said computing machine, and means for selectively facing said platen to receive an imprint from either said computing machine or said typewriting machine.

4. The combination with a typewriting machine,of a computing machine, said typewriting machine and said computing machine having a common platen, a general operator for said computing machine, a link connected to be operated by said general operator at the operation of said computing machine, a bail operated by said link, said platen having a traveling movement relative to said computing machine and said typewriting machine, and a link connected to said platen and said bail so as to shift said platen between engagement with said typewriting machine and said computing ma chine, said last-mentioned link having a sliding connection with said bail so as to be capable of shifting said platen for any position thereof.

5. The combination with an adding ma chine, of typewriting mechanism located to the rear of said adding machine, a platen cooperating with both said typewriting mechanism and said adding machine, keys for actuating said typewriting mechanism located in front of said adding machine, a stepped plate universal to all of said keys to be actuated thereby, said stepped plate underlying said keys at the front of said adding machine, an escapement for said platen arranged to move said platen step by step, and extraneous connections between said universal plate and. said escapement extending from the front of said adding machine to the rear thereof enabling the operation of said escapement by any of said keys.

6. The combination with an adding machine, of typewriting mechanism located to the rear of said adding machine, a platen in the rear of said adding machine cooperating with both said typewriting mechanism and said'adding machine, a series of keys located in front of said adding machine for actuating said typewriting mechanism, a stepped plate underlying and universal to all of said keys arranged to be actuated thereby, a ribbon for said platen, shifting mechanism for said ribbon, connections between said shifting mechanism and said universal plate extending from front to rear of said adding machine enabling. the shifting of said ribbon at the actuation of any of said keys, an escapement mechanism for said platen located to the rear of said adding machine, and connections extending from front to rear of said adding machine enabling the actuation of said escapement by said universal plate.

7. The combination with an adding, machine, of typewriting mechanism located to the rear of said adding machine, a platen 1 in the rear of said adding machine cooperating with both said typewriting mechanism and said adding machine, a series of keys located in front of said adding machine for actuating said typewriting mechanism, a stepped plate underlying and universal to all of said keys arranged to be actuated thereby, a ribbon for said platen, shifting mechanism for said ribbon, connections be tween said shifting mechanism and said universal plate extending from front to rear of said adding machine enabling the shift ing of said ribbon at the actuation of any of said keys, an escapement mechanism for said platen located to the rear of said adding machine, connections extending from front to rear of said adding machine enabling the actuation of said escapement by said universal plate, driving means for advancing said ribbon step by step, and connections to said universal plate for operating said driving means.

8. The combination with a computing device having printing mechanism, of a typewriting attachment for said computing device having its own printing mechanism, a platen common to both said computing device and said typewriting attachment so as to be subservient to either of the printing mechanisms thereof, a general operator, and shifting means for said platen connected with the general operator to shift said platen between positions of cooperation with said printing mechanisms, the connection between the general operator and the platen extending partly around the path of move ment of the platen and paper carried thereon, to permit the paper to pass said connection,du1.'ing the travel of the platen.

9. The combination with a computing mechanism, a typewriting mechanism and a traveling platen common to both and shiftable between positions cooperating with each. of a shifting bail having a reach parallel to the travel of said platen and of an extent at least as great as the travel of said platen, and a link connecting said platen to said reach so as to enable said bail to shift said platen, said link having a sliding connection with said reach of said bail so as to admit of the traveling movement of said platen relative to said bail.

10. The combination with a computing mechanism, of a typewriting mechanism, said mechanisms-having a platen common to both, a carriage for said platen, a step-bystep escapelnent for said carriage enabling the use of said platen with the typewriting mechanism, a jump escapement for said carriage enabling the use of said platen with said computing mechanism, and including a plurality of spaced stops, a fixed projection lying in the path of movement of said stops, means for successively preventing the engagemont of said stops and said projection during the step-by-step movement of said carriage, and means for rendering said lastmentioned means ineffective during the jump movement of said carriage.

4 FRED F. MAIN. Vitnesses A. M. MAIN, RUTH MAIN.

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

DISCLAIMER.

L,2l6,712.-Fred F. jllae'n, Chicago, Ill. COMBINED TYPEWR1TING AND COMPUTING MACHINE. Patent dated February 20, 1917. Disclaimer file-d October 6, 1925, by the assignee, Underwood Computing Machine Company.

Hereby enters its disclaimer to claims numbered 1, 2, 3, and 10 the right to said claims having been established by lVilliam S. Gubelmann in interference pr0ceeding No, 43,563.

[Oficial Gaeette November 3, 1925.]