US1247379A - Combined type-writing and computing machine. - Google Patents

Description

NG MACHINE.

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WETNESSES:

-G. O. DEGENER. COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATIQN EILED FER. 3. 1913 1,247,379. Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR:

G. 0. DEGENER. v comsmsn TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHiNE.

APPLlCATION FILED FEB. 3, I913.

Patented Nov. 20, 1917.

3 S HE ETS SHEET 3.

' WITNESSE INVENTOR:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE O. DEGENER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED TYPE-WRITING- AND COMPUTING MACHIN':

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 609,709, filed February 20, 1911.

February 3, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GosTAvn O. Dncunnn, a. citizen of the United States, residing in New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedType-lVriting and Computing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to combined typewriting and computing machines, such, for instance, as illustrated in the pending application of Walter \Vright and Gustave O. De-gener, No. 543,603, filed February 12, 1910.

In such machines, the numeral keys are connectible to the computing mechanism for detern'lining the extent of rotation thereof. It is usual to disconnect the keys manually from the computing mechanism, whenever it is desired to write figures without effecting computation thereof.

One of the objects of my invention is to facilitate the operation of the machine, which I do by relieving the mind of the operator from the task of remembering to connect and disconnect the keys and the computing mechanism at every line of writing; as, for instance, in the making of a hill, where it is desired to write numbers without computation thereof, except those that are written in a certain column upon the work sheet. I arrange for the carriage of the typewriter to effect automatic connection between the numeral type keys and their connections to the computing devices, whenever the carriage reaches the desired position for computation. The devices by which the carriage controls the connection of the figure keys to the computing mechanism, include a tappet or device adjustable along the carriage itself, so as to determine at what point in the, line of writing computation may begin. This tappet, which may be mounted upon the column stop bar, and which may itself also serve as a column stop, engages and operates a cam orlever which is connected to the key connection, so as to make or break the latter; and provisioii is made to hold the key connections in the desired relation during a substantial portion of the Patented Nov. 20, 19l7.

This application filed Serial No. 745,852.

run of the carriage in letter-feeding direction.

In said application of \Vright and Dcgener, the connect-i0ns from the keys to the com,- puting mechanism include a set of hooks, which hooks are connected to the keys in a manner to permit them to be simultaneously released, and said keys through said hooks are provided with simple and effective means for preventing simultaneous depression of two numeral keys.

To this end, the hooks are connected to a converging series of blades which may be moved by the keys to occupy a common position. The blades are shown converging about a common center. Each key may move its blade to said common center at the initial part of the key depression. If an-- other key is operated. its blade will strike the first operated blade. In other words. each blade interferes. with the operation of all the others. Hence the depression of more than one key at the same time is prevented.

It will'also be seen that the blade of the operated key prevents the operation of any key till the first key is returned to normal position. Since these interfering blades are connected to the keys through the hooks which connect the keys to the computing mechanism, these interfering blades are also released from the keys simultaneously with .the computing devices when the hooks are released.-

(.)ther features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an Underwood typewriting and computing machine, having the present improvements applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation from front to rear of said machine, showing the typewriter c-arriage as having moved the parts to position for connecting the numeral keys to the computing mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a device for manually setting the connecting mechanism. Figj 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the principal parts necessary to understand my invention.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, showing the relation of the tappet to the cam which connects the 7 keys to the computing mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing how the key-interfering mechanism operates.

Fig. 7 shows parts of Fig. 3 in another posit1on.- 1

Fixed to the forward portion of the fram 1 of the Underwood typewriting machine illustrated, is a transverse plate 2 on edge, overlying key levers 3, which operate the figure and letter type bars 3 causing them to strike rearwardly against a platen 3 journaled in a platen frame 3 which is vertically shiftable, as usual, for writing either capital or small letters at will.

As set forth in said application, No. 543,603, a transverse horizontal endwise movable rack or bar 5 is employed for the purpose of connecting and disconnecting the computing devices from the type-operating key levers 3. Links 6, one for each numeral key lever, are dropped through holes in said disconnecting bar 5, and are connectible at their lower ends by hooks to catches 8 on the numeral key levers 3, and are pivoted at their upper ends to bell cranks, which will presently be described, for controlling the computing devices. Whenever any numeral key lever is depressed, the link 6 is pulled down, and the computing device is operated. By shifting the bar 5 to the right at Fig. 3, the links 6 are swung free of the catches 8, and then the numeral keys 3 may be depressed to cause their types to rint without com uting.

'Fhe disconnecting ar 5 may be operated in any suitable manner, as, for instance, that shown in said application; said bar 5 being preferably connected to the mechanism that shifts the platen frame up and down, 'so that no addition may be performed when the keys 3 are being used for writing upper case characters instead of figures.

Said bar5 has a pin or pivot 11 engaging a slot 12 in the lower end of an upstanding lever 13, which is pivoted between its ends at 14 upon a fixed support 15, forward of and separated from the fixed plate 2, and secured thereto by any suitable devices. By swinging the lever 13 to and fro, the bar 5 connected thereto may be caused to disengage and reengage the links 6 and the numeral type-operating key levers 3.

A slot 17 in the upper end of the-lever 13, is engaged by a pin or pivot 18, the latter projecting rearwardly from the top of the uppermost arm of a four-armed lever 19; the latter being rotatable upon a centrai pivot 20, provided upon the'support 15. Said pin 18 projects through an opening 21 in said fixed support 15. The lever 13 is pivoted upon the rear side of said support 15.

Upon said pin 18 is loosely pivoted, by means of a hub 22, a crank or arm 23' car'rying a handle 25. To the latter is attached the lower end of a draw-spring 26, the upper end thereof being caught upon a fixed pin 27. Said spring holds an arm 24 (also provided upon the hub 22) up against a pin 35 projecting from the left-hand cross arm 35 of said four-armed lever, and thereby holds the latter in the Fig. 3 position, and the disconnecting bar 5 in position to hold the links 6 in operative engagement with the key levers 3.

By means of thehandle 25, the arm 23 is swung to the right from the Fig. 3 position, and the parts are moved to the Fig. 4 position; the spring 26 holding them there, with the links 6 disconnected from the keys 3.

WVhen the parts are in either of the Fig. 3

and Fig. 4 positions, they may be shifted' temporarily to the other position, by means of a key 33, without first shifting the arm 25 relatively to the four-armed lever 19. Said key 33 is provided upon a lever 33", the latter having a-segme'nt 33 to mesh with a segment 33 provided upon a lever Upon depression of the key 33*,the lever is carried down, and by means of a link 32, pulls down upon a pin 29, to which its upper end is pivoted, and thereby swings the fourarmed lever 19 either from the Fig. 3 position to the Fig. 4 position,-or vice versa; in eitlier case against the tension of the double-acting spring 26; and in any case, upon the release of the key 33 from pressure, said spring 26 restores the parts to initial positions.

' During the operation just described, the pin 29 moves in anarc about the pivot 20, as if said pin 29 were fixed to the fourarmed lever 19; but it will be seen that said pin 29 is provided upon a link 30, which is pivoted at its lower end to the lowermost arm of said four-armed lever, and that said pin 29 works in a slot 28 in said arm 24, as set forth in said application. Upon swinging the handle 25 to the right at Fig. 3, the double-acting spring 26 is carried over the dead center, and thereafter serves to hold the four-armed lever 19 permanently in the position at Fig. 4-. At such time, the key 33 will serve to return the four-armed lever 19 temporarily to the Fig. 3 position.

To said pin 35 is pivoted the lower end of a vertical rod or link 36, carrying a lug 39 which may be pressed down by a lever 38 which is connected .to a rail 39, upon which runs the roll 40 of the shifting platen frame 3. Said lever 38 presses down the link 36 from the position at Figs. 2 and 3 to that at Fig. 4, whenever the platen frame 3 is shifted up for writing capitals, so that at this time, the computing mechanism will not be aifected by means of said pivots 9.

The links 6 are connected to bell cranks 41, and links 42 extend from the latter to levers 43, which operate jacks 44 to thrust out pins 45 provided upon a computation wheel or primary escapement wheel 46, said pins being adapted to engage a four-armed pinion 47, which is fixed to a secondary escapement wheel 48. The latter is controlled by dogs 49 upon a rock shaft 50, the latter connected by a link 51 and lever 52 to a universal plate 53, operable by arms 54 on all the levers 43, the latter having fulcrum points 55. Whenever a lever 43 is operated by its key, a pin 45 is thrust out toward the left at Fig. 4, so as to. be the next pin to engage the pinion 47; at the same time, the dogs 49 are rocked, and the secondary escapemcnt wheel 48 is permitted to rotate; the main computation wheel 46 being power-driven, and turning to an extent dependent upon the position of the last pin projected by its jack 44.

Power for the wheel 46 is derived from a constantly rotating motor 56, having a friction clutch 57 to engage a ring 58, to which is secured a pinion 59, meshing with a pinion 60 on a shaft 61, the latter having a pinion 62 meshing with a pinion 63, to

.which is fixed a pinion 64 meshing with a pinion 65 fixed to the computation wheel 46. As the pins 45 pass beyond the pinion 47, they are restored to normal positions by a wiper or cam 66.

A train of computing mechanism extends from said wheel 46, and includes said pinions 65, 64, 63, and also a pinion 67 meshing with 63 and fixed upon a shaft 68, which also carries a pinion 69 meshing with a pinion 70 on a vertical shaft 71, the latter carrying at its upper end a pinion 72 meshing with a pinion 73 on a shaft 74, which carries a master wheel (not shown) of the computing mechanism. The computing mechanism includes computing wheels 75 and number wheels 75, all contained in a carriage 76, connected by arms 77 to the main carriage 78 of the typewriter, all as set forth in said application.

The typewriter carriage 78 is driven by a spring barrel 79, said carriage having a rack 80 meshing with a pinion 81, connected to an escapement wheel 82. Coiiperating with said escapementwheel are dogs 83, 84, operated by a universal bar frame 85, the latter including a universal bar 86, which is operable by heels 87 on the type bars 3, so that as every type key is operated, the carriage 78 is fed a letter-space, and a similar movement occurs between the gang of computing wheels and the master wheel by which the latter are rotated.

For tabulating the carriage 78, there is provided a set of decimal or other tabulator keys 88 upon the forward ends of lovers 89, fulcrumed at 90 and at their rear ends constructed to lift rods 91. These rods are jforn'lcd at their tops with decimal stops or counter-stops 92 to engage any of a series of column stops 93 adjustable along a rack 94 fixed upon said carriage 78.

WVhenever any key 88 is depressed, the rod 91 is thrust up, and a lug 95 thereon lifts a small universal bar 96 which turns upon a pivot 97, and has an arm 98, the latter connected by a link 99 to a lever 100, the lever having a roll 101 to lift the rack 80 from the pinion 81, so that the carriage 78 can run freely along until arrested by the engagement of the elevated decimal stop 92 with the next column stop 93; this being the usual operation of the Underwood decimal tabulating n chanism.

The column stop 93 is 0 simple U-shape; but I provide one or more special column stops 102, each'having at its rear end a projection 103 in position to engage the edge 104 of a plate or lever 105, the latter provided with a' shaft 106 whereby it is journaled in brackets 107 provided upon the machine frame. The working edge 104 of said lever begins with a cam or bevel 108, which is the first to be engaged by the projection 103 of the special column stop 102, as the carriage letter feeds in the direction of the arrow at Flg. 4. By means of this engagement with the bevel edge 108, the lever is swung rearwardl and a horizontal arm 109 thereof is li ted; and by means of a link 110, an arm 111 provided uponv a rock shaft 112, which extends forwardly to the keyboard and there carries an arm 113, which is connected by a link 114 to a pin 115 provided upon an arm of said fourarmed lever 19; the arm 113 moving down wardly together with the link 114, there by pulling down thepin 115, and causing the four-armed lever 19 and the upright lever 13 to swing in a direction to carry the shifting bar 5 to the left at Fig. 4, to connect the links 6 temporarily with the catches 8 on the key levers 3. The length of the straight edge or dwell portion 104 of the lever determines the length of carriage run during which the connection between the keys and the computing devices shall be automatically maintained. Hence, upon depressing a tabulator key to bring the machine to position to write in a given column, the connection between the keys and the computing devices is made automatically by the carriage in running to said column. It will be observed that the case shift mechanism is so connected to the means for connecting the keysto the computing wheels, that the case shift can be in only one posi- 'tion when the keys are connected to the numeral wheels. Therefore, when the plate 105 ismoved out by its tappet 103 to connect the computing mechanisms to the numeral key levers, it will lock said case shift mechanism against operation. This makes it impossible to operate numeral keys impropof'the work sheets.

30 cal guide 12]..

erly in the space Where computing is intended to be done. The adjustability of the special stop 103 permits the computation of columns at different widthvvise portions tabulator key, the spring parts to normal positions.

Said edge 104 preferably terminates in a bevel portion 116, so that When the car- 26 returns the riage returns, it may push said lever 105 backvvardly out of the Way, instead of being arrested thereby. The upper end of the link 114 is preferably connected by a loop 117 to the pin 115, so as to permit downward 15 movement of said pin 115 (at the operation of key 33 or lever 38) independently of the lever 105. A spring 118 (substantially weaker than spring 26) moves the arm 113 down and the plate 105 back when the handie is swung from Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 position.

Means are provided for preventing a simultaneous operation of two keys, or in fact the operation of any one key until the op- .325 eration of any key previously depressed is result of this is that when any one blade 119 is in efl'ective position, as seen in Fig. 6 it prevents any other blade from being moved to effective position. These blades 119, it Will be noted are connected to the 40 numeral keys through the links 12, and

therefore whenever said links are disconnected from the numeral keys, said blades 119 are also disconeete'd.

Thus when the'computing mechanism is disconnected from said numeral keys, said keys may be operated free of the arrester mechanism, of which said blades form one part, and the cylinder 121 forms another.

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, 1 claim:

l. The combination of a typewriter carriage, tabulating mechanism therefor ineluding stop'devices, a computing mechanism, keys, means connecting said keys to said computing mechanism, and means conitiiolled by said carriage through certain of said stop devices for controlling the connection and disconnection of said keys from said computing mechanism.

1 2. The combination of a typewriter carriage, a tappet or projection thereon, a. plate mounted in the path of said tappet and hav- Upon release of the eaner/e ing a cam edge whereby it may be moved by said tappet, and also having a straight or dead edge whereby it may be held by said tappet against return to initial position, a computing mechanism, a. set of keys, means for enabling said plate when moved by said tappet to connect said keys to said com puting mechanism and maintain such connection, an arm connected to said plate, and a spring-returned lever connected to said arm and having means to shift the connections between said keys and the computing mechanism.

3. The combination of a typewriter carriage, tabulating mechanism therefor ineluding stop devices, a computing meehanism, keys, a member in the path of certain of said stop devices .to be moved to abnormal position thereby, and to he held in abnormal position for predetermined length of movement of the carriage, and means connected to said movable member vfor connecting the keys to said computing mechanism.

4. The combination of a set of keys, a computing mechanism, connections extending from said keys to said computing mech anism, manually operated shiiitable means for either silencing said connecting means or rendering them effective at Vill, means for holding the connections when so set in either effective or silenced condition, a typewriter carriage, and means to enable said carriage to shift sai'd connections from silenced to effective condition and hold them there.

5. The combination of a carriage, column stops thereon, one of said column stops having a projection, a counter stop at the rear of the machine, a pivoted cam or plate in the path of said projection, said cam or plate having an arm, a link connected to said arm, a rock shaft having an arm to which the other end of said link is connected, said rock shaft extending from rear to front of the machine, an arm on the forward portion of said rock shaft, a link rising from the last-mentioned arm, a set of keys, computing devices connectible to said keys, a rack or bar to connect or dis connect said computing devices, and a lever having a double-acting spring and connected to said bar, said lever connected to the last-mentioned link to be operated thereby.

6. Thc combination of keys, computing mechanism, individual connections said keys to said computing mechanism, a carriage, a tabulating mechanism for-said carriage including a series of stops, one of said stops provided with a tappet,- and means engageable by said tappet to connect said keys to the computing mechanism.

7. In a combined typewriting and com puting machine, the combination with numoral-keys and a typewriter carriage, of a computing mechanism, a case shift for said from :puting mechanism.

keys, means controlled by said carriage connecting said numeral keys to the computing mechanism, and means locking said case .puting machine, the combination with a traveling carriage and numeral keys, of a computing mechanism, a tabulating device for positioning said carriage, and automatic means operated by the tabulating device for connecting said numeral keys to said com 9. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and a computing mechanism, of links arranged to connect with the levers of said keys, a universal bar arranged to swing said links into and outof said connection, a traveling carriage controlled by said keys, a tabulating mechanism for said carriage, and

a member in said tabulating mechanism operating said universal bar.

10. In a combined typewriting and computing'machine, the combination with numeral keys and computing wheels, of a con- 'nection between said keys and computing wheels movable to operative and' inoperative position, a case-shift automatically holding said connection inoperative when in one position, and means controlled by the position of the typewriter carriage for connecting said keys to said computing wheels and locking said case shift.

11. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and computing wheels, of means connecting said-keys to said-wheels, a tabulating'mechanism for positioning the computing wheels with reference to the means driving them, a case shift mechanism for said keys, and means for locking said case shift by the tabulating mechanism.

12. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and computing wheels, of means for connecting said keys to said wheels, a

tabulating mechanism for positioning the computing wheels with reference to the writing point of the typewriter, and arranged to connect said keys to said wheels, a case shift arranged to disconnect said connecting means when in one position, and means for locking said case shift from said tabulating mechanism.

13. A combined typewriting and computing machine, having computing mechanism, numeral keys therefor, said keys having numerals as lower case characters and other characters as upper case characters, and a traveling carriage for determining the computing zone; and comprising, in combination, means for preventing the writing 'of as determined by said carriage.

14. In a combined ypewriting and computing machine, ha 'ng computing mechanism, numeral keys herefor, said keys having numerals as lower case characters, and other characters as upper case characters, a case shift mechanism for determining whether upper or lower case characters shall be written, and a traveling carriage for determining the computing zone; and comprising, in combination, means brought into action through the medium of said caseshift mechanism for preventing the writing of upper case characters in the computing zone as determined by said carriage.

15. A combined typewritingand computing machine, having computing mechanism, numeral keys therefor, said keys having numerals as lower case characters, and other characters as upper case characters, a traveling carriage for determining the computing zone, and a tabulating mechanism for controlling said carriage; and comprising, in combination, means brought into action through the medium of said tabulating mechanism for, preventing the writing of upper case characters in t'- 1e computing zone as determined by said carriage.

16. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with alphabet and numeral keys, of a traveling carriage, a gang t computing wheels, a device set by said nuieral keys for determining how far said wheels shall be turned, a link connecting said device to each numeral key, a tabulating mechanism for positioning said carriage, a stop on said carriage to determine when said tabulating mechanism shall become efi'ective, means for connecting said links to said numeral keys, and a bar moved by said stop on said carriage for making said connection effective.

'17. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys, of atraveling carriage, a gang of computing wheels, a key-arrester mechanism, and means controlled by said carriage for automatically connecting said keyarrester mechanism to said numeral keys in the computing zone.

18. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and computing wheels, of means connecting said keys to said wheels, a traveling carriage, tabulating stops to control said connection, and manual means for controlling said connection when no stop is effective von said carriage.

' 19. In acombined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and computing wheels, of means connecting said keys to said wheels, a travpositioning said carriage comprising stops on said carriage, controlling means for making said key connection effect ve, and means operable by only a portion of said stops for operating said controlling means. i

20. In a combined typevvriting and computing machine, the combination With nu- 6 meral keys and computing Wheels, of means connecting said keys to said Wheels, a traveling carriage controlling said connectingmeans, a. case-shift mechanism for the type Writer controlling said connecting. means, a 10 fingenpiece for controlling the normal condition of said connection, a second fingerpiece controlling the temporary condition of said key connection, and a sin 'le lever through Which all of said contro ing devices operate on each other.

21. In a combined typewriting and computing machine the combination with numeral and alphabet keys, of computing Wheels, levers for said numeral and alphabet keys, a link for each numeral key lever from Which link its lever normally is free, a single bar controlling all said links, a traveling carriage, tabulating stops for said traveling carriage, and means controlled by at least one of said tabulating stops for moving the said bar to connect said links to said numeral keys.

22. In a combined typeWriting and computing machine, the combination With numeral I and alphabet keys, of computing Wheels, levers for said numeral and alphabet keys, a link for each numeral key lever from which link its lever normally is free, a single bar controlling all said links, a traveling carriage, tabulating stops for said traveling carriage, means controlled by at least one of said tabula-ting stops for moving said bar to connect said links to said numeral keys, and a finger-piece manually 4O settable to cause said bar to make said connection throughout the travel of said traveling carriage.

23. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, thev combination With a Copies of this patent may he Obtained rorflve cents each, by addressing the traveling carriage and a tabulating device therefor comprising stops, of numeral keys, computing Wheels, means for connecting said Wheels to said keys, one of said tabulating stops effective to make said connection elfective, another tabulating stop settable without affecting said connection, and manually effective means for making said connection effective anywhere in the travel of said carriage.

24. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with alphabet key levers and numeral key levers,

,of computing Wheels, a separate link connecting each numeral key lever to said Wheels, a bar through Which said links pass, a traveling carriage, means for controlling said bar from said carriage, and manual means for controlling said bar.

25. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys, computing Wheels and a traveling carriage, of a tabulating device for positioning said carriage, means settable to connect said keys to said Wheels throughout the travel of said carriage, a key for temporarily reversing said connection, and a stop forming part of said tabulating device to determine a zone in Which said temporary key is inefi'ective.

26. In a computing machine, the combination With numeral keys and computing Wheels,

of a traveling carriage, means manually settable for connecting said keys to i said Wheels,

means for temporarily reversmatically connecting said keys to said Wheels by travel of said carriage, said means preventing the operating of said reversing 'means.

Commissioner of I'atentl.

Washington, D. 0.

ing said manual means, and means for auto-

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