US1256308A

US1256308A - Combined type-writing and computing machine.

Info

Publication number: US1256308A
Application number: US66958012A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick A Hart
Original assignee: UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE CO
Current assignee: UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE CO
Priority date: 1912-01-05
Filing date: 1912-01-05
Publication date: 1918-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1935-02-12

Description

F. A. HART. COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND-COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JANS. I9l2.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: Z

F. A. HART. COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN, 5. 1912.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

WITNESSES: 5

UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

FREDERICK A. HART, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Application filed January 5, 1912. Serial No. 669,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing in Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Type-\Vriting and Computing Machines, of which the. following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for printing a clearance sign upon the work sheet, particularly in a machine of the class in which one element of the computing mechanism is connected to travel step by step with a letter-feeding carriage.

According to the present improvements, there is provided upon each of a series of computing heads or sets a device, whereby, when the computing head is in or adjacent to the computing zone, it can, if all its wheels stand at zero, release the normally locked key which controls the special clearance type, so that the clearance sign can be placed upon the work sheet, to indicate that the wheels stood at zero in that particular computing set at the beginning of the opera-- tion of computing thereon. The device is preferably so formed that it is operable not only just before but also just after the computing head has passed the computing zone, so that in case the operator copies upon the work sheet the amount which shows upon the computing head, (first setting the machine to subtract), the clearance sign may be written directly after the writing of such sum on the work sheet, since all of the wheels will then stand at zero.

The computing heads are preferably mounted upon the carriage and independcntly adjustable therealong; and the clearance key rcleaser is effective at any position to which any computing head may be adjusted. It is not necessary for all of the computing heads to stand at zero in order to release the clearance printing key. since said hey is controlled independently by each of the three computing'heads when it is in the computing zone.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a RcmingtOn-Vahl machine, showing my improvements applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the upper part of the machine. with several adding heads or totalizers.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the clearance mechanism as locked out of use.

Fig.4 is a perspective view, showing the relation of the notched computing wheels and the clearance tumbler.

Alphabet and numeral keys 1 are connected to levers 2 to throw type bars 3 by means of connections 4 against a platen 5, which is mounted upon a carriage 6 controlled by dogs 7 and escapement wheels 8; said dogs being operated by a universal bar 9 actuated by the key levers 2.

Upon a bar or rack 10, extending along the front of the carriage, are adjustably mounted computing heads 11, having dial wheels 12 operable by gears 13, 14 and a master wheel 15, the latter having connections 16 to the numeral type keys, as usual in the Wahl machine, so that when any numeral key is depressed its type is printed, and a dial or computing wheel 12 is turned to a corresponding extent. The dial wheels are grouped in sets to form computing heads or totalizers.

Upon each .dial wheel 12 there is provided (Fig. 4) a notch 17. which may be of a concave form. and may bear one of the numerals of the dial, wheel. as for instance the numeral 9, as illustrated. Into these notches there may fall a universal tumbler 18, which is mounted upon a pair of arms 19, extendingforwardly from a pair of pintles 20. which are pivoted in the opposite sides of the casing of each adding head 11; said arm lying outside of the casing.

There may extend downwardly from said pint-les 20 a pair of arms 21, forming with a cross bar 22 a frame: and one or more draw springs 23, connected between the computing head and arms 21. may pull said tumbler 18 down into the notches 17, whenever the dial wheels all stand at zero, that is, when their Zeros are all visible through a sight opening 24 in the computing head 11; said bar being preferably just back of said' sight opening. and working through an opening 25 in said casing.

\Vhcnever any of said dial wheels 12 moves out-of zero position. as at Fig. 4, the universal tumbler '18 is lifted out of the notches against the tension of draw springs 23. so that the bar 22 will strike and carry outward an arm 26. and by operating

members

28, 32, 35, 36, bring a catch or stop 37 under a hook 38 on a special key lever, which aetuates a type bar that bears a special clearance-indicating type or character 39 on a special one of the key-actuated type bars 3, preventing its imprint against the platen. The arm 26 normally rests against the pin 27; said arm 26 being fast upon rock shaft 28, supported in a bearing in the computing mechanism casing 29 at one end, and a bracket 30 on the typewriter main frame 31 at the other end; said r061 shaft 28 having mounted fast upon it an arm 32, forked at its outer end 33, so as to engage pin 34 on the arm 35 of the bell crank latch 36.

The special telltale character or clearance sign printing type is hence locked when an adding head, which is not at zero, is in the computing zone. To prevent jamming when bar 22 strikes 26 during the movement of the carriage, the ends of bar 22 are rounded or bent back at 39 and the sides of arm 26 are beveled at 39".

In order to prove that the operator has set an adding head to zero, a star or other clearance proving sign, must be printed on the work sheet in front of the first sum computed, and close thereto, as follows:

As soon as any wheel is turned from zero, the clearance key is again locked against depression.

When any adding head comes into the computing zone, if it is not at zero, the clearance sign key is locked, before the registering wheels of the adding head get into proper relation with the master wheel, preventing the printing of the clearance sign before the column of figures, or while saidadding head is in the computing zone.

Before transcribing the total from an adding head, to the foot of the bill on the work sheet, the computing mechanism may be set to subtraction in the way usual in the YVahl device, and then during the printing of the total, the dial wheels will all be turned to zero; whereupon the clearance key again becomes unlocked and the clearance sign may be printed at the end of the total, as 6952*, thus indicating that the total was correctly transcribed.

It will be seen that one computing head or set when not in the computing zone, even though its wheels do not stand at zero. cannot prevent the clearance sign from being printed on the work sheet in respect to another computing head. Each of the computing heads is adjustable independently of the others along the carriage, and whenever it enters the computing zone, that is, the reglon in which it may be actuated by the usual master wheel 15. the tumbler bar 22 may affect or control the releaser bar 26, while the other computing heads have no effect on said releaser bar 26.

It will be seen at Fig. 2 that each tumbler bar 22 is longer than the set of computing wheels, so as to be effective, both just before and just after the computing head is in the computing zone, and so that the special type may be printed to indicate that the wheels stand at zero before computation begins, and may also be printed just afterthe total is written at the bottom of the column, to indicate that the total was correctly transcribed on the work sheet.

It will be understood that the clearance sign must be printed close to the number on the work sheet to which it belongs, and that the printing of said character at a point remote from the column, when the releaser arm 26 is out of control of any tumbler bar 22, has no significance. During the writing of a single line, the releaser arm 26 comes under control of the tumbler bars 22 successively, so that a clearance sign may be printed for every column that is to be written and computed.

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. A combined writing and computing machine comprising two primary elements, one of which is a master wheel, and the other a set of computing wheels, said elements cooperating in a computing zone to register numbers, a carriage connected to one of said primary elements, said carriage movable to carry its primary element entirely out of the computing zone, a special clearance type, a key connected thereto, and means dependent upon the movement of said carriage to bring its primary element into or adjacent the computing zone to prevent said special type from being operated unless all of the computing wheels stand at zero.

2. A combined writing and computing machine comprising two primary elements, one of which is a master wheel, and the other a set of computing wheels provided with coincident notches, said elements cooperating in a computing zone to register numbers; a carriage connected to one of said primary elements, said carriage movable to carry its primary element entirely out of the computing zone; a special clearance type; a key connected thereto; a latch to lock said key; cooperating bar and tappet members; one of said bar and tappet members being connected to the carriage and the other controlling said latch; a tumbler; a spring to move said tumbler into the notches in the computing wheels when the wheels stand at zero; and a connection from said tumbler to one of said bar and tappet members for releasing the latch when the tumbler is in the notches and the carriage member is in or adjacent the computing zone.

3. In a typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a series of totalizers, each having computing wheels, and means for operating them, of a carriage, a special clearance type, a key connected thereto, and means dependent partly upon the movement of said carriage to position for computing upon any selected totalizer, and partly upon the positions of the computing Wheels in the selected totalizer, and independent of the positions of the Wheels in any other totalizer, for preventing said special type from being operated unless all of the computing wheels in the selected totalizer stand at zero.

4. In a typewriting and computing machine, the combination of a special clearance type, a key to control the same, means to prevent the operation of said type by said key, a releaser movable to permit the operation of said clearance type'by said key, a series of computing heads each having computing wheels or devices provided with notches, means for operating the Wheels, a carriage for said computing heads, separately operable tumblers upon said computing heads movable into the notches when the Wheels stand at zero, and independent connections effective between said tumblers and said releaser.

5. In a typewriting and computing machine, the combination of a special clearance type, a key to control the same, means to preventthe operation of said type by said key, a releaser movable to permit the operation of said clearance type by said key, a computing head having computing Wheels or devices provided with notches, means for operating the wheels, a carriage for said computing head, a tumbler upon said computing head movable into the notches when the wheels stand at Zero, and a tumblenoperated bar or member upon said computing head for engagement with said releaser, said bar constructed to be effective both just before and just after the computing head is in the computing zone.

6. In a typewriting and computing machine, the combination of a special clearance type, a key to control the same. means to prevent the operation of said type by said key, a releaser movable to permit the operation of said clearance type by said key, a carriage, two 'irimary elements, one comprising a series of computing sets and the other comprising a master wheel or operating means. one ot'said primary elements mounted on the carriagefand the other mo ted upon the framework of the machine for relative step-by-step movements, said computing sets having denominational members provided with notches, a separately operable tumbler upon each computing set for falling into the notches When all the.

members of the set stand at zero, and means controllable by any tumbler independently of the other tumblers for operating said releaser.

7. The combination with sets of computing wheels, each forming a computing head and a master wheel of a carriage-to which said computing hea are connected for step by-step movements, a clearance type key on the framework of the machine, and means controllable independently by any of the computing sets for locking said clearance type key just before coming into the computing zone, ifsaid totalizer is not at zero.

8. The combination with a computing head and a master wheel, of a carriage to which said computing head is connected, a releasing arm in the computing zone, a clearance type key lock connected to said releasing arm, and normally ineffective means con-' trolled by the computing head upon arriving in the computing zone, for operating said releasing arm.

9. The combination of a special clearance type, a key for controlling the operation of the same, means toprevent the operation of said type by said key, a spring to render said means effective, a carriage, a series of computing sets on said carriage and each independently adjustable therealong, each computing set including a series of notched members, a separately operable tumbler upon each computing setfor dropping into the notches thereof when the members in said set standat zero, bars connected to said tumblers, and a releaser connected to said means for preventing the operation of said type, and in position to be engaged by any of said bars and held thereby out of releasing position unless the tumbler is in the notches;

cam surfaces being provided to become effective when the releaser is engaged by any bar, to enable the bar to cam the releaser to position to prevent the key from operating said type.

10. The combination with a carriage, of sets of computing members, a master wheel, said computing sets being adjustable independently of one another along the carriage to variably cooperate with the master wheel to determine computing ,zones, and moving with it step by step, and a clearance typekey controllable by any of said computing sets solely when said carriage is in a computing zone corresponding to the controlling computing set.

11. The combination with a series of independent computing heads and a master wheel cooperating to select computing zones, of a carriage for said computing heads, a locked clearance type key, and means controlled independently by each of the several computing heads just after passing its computing zone for unlocking said clearance key.

12. The combination with a plurality of individual computingheads, of a special type for printing a telltale character, looking means for said type, and controlling means individual to each of said computing heads for governing the effectiveness of said locking means, each of said controlling means being independent of every other controllin means.

13. he combination with a-carriage, of a series of computing heads adjustably mounted on said carriage so as to be capable of varying their relative position With respect to each other and with respect to said carriage, a special type for printing a telltale character, locking means for preventing the printing by said type, and controlling means mounted on each of said computing heads, so as to be movable therewith with respect to said carriage and with respect to the controlling means of every other computing head, each of said controlling means being individually capable of governing the efiectiveness of said locking means.

14. The combination with two primary elements, comprising a computing head and actuating means for said computing head, said primary elements having a relative movement to afford an effective cooperating zone, of a special type for printing a telltale character, and controlling means moving with one of said elements for governing the effectiveness of said type to print.

15. The combination with two primary elements, comprising a computing head and actuatin means for said computing head, said primary elements having a relative -movement to afford an effective cooperating zone, of a. special type for printing a telltale character, and controlling means moving with one of said elements for governing the effectiveness of said type to print, said controllin means having a limited eflective zone s ightly greater than the effective cooperating zone of said elements.

16. The combination with a computing mechanism including a computing head and a master wheel cooperatin with said computing head to afford an e ective computing zone, of printing means, and controlling means for said rinting means governed from said computing mechanism solely when said computing head and said master wheel arecooperating in an efiec'tive computing zone.

17. The combination with dial wheels forming a plurality of totalizers, of lockcontrolling devices associated with each to talizer, a printing type, and a lock for said type selectively controlled by saidtotalizers.

18. The combination with a plurality of totalizers each having computing wheels, of a single means for selectively indicating the condition of said wheels. 7

19. The combination with a plurality of totalizers each having computing wheels, of a single type under the control of every totalizer for'indicatipg selectively for each totalizer the condition of its wheels.

20. The combination with a printing key and a traveling carriage, of a lock for said key, and means for selectively controlling said lock in difi'erent columns during the travel of said carriage.

21. The combination with a printing key and a traveling carriage, of a lock for said key, and means settable on said carria e for selectively controlling said lock in di erent columns during the travel of said carriage,

22. The combination with a printing key and a traveling carriage, of a computing device settable along said carriage, a locr normally holding said key in a given position of said carriage, and means connected to said computing device to release said key at a point determined by the setting of said computing device along said carriage.

23. The combination of a typewriter carriage, a key lever, a link connected to said key lever, a bell crank connected to said link, a second link connected to said bell crank, a type-bar connected to said second link, a platen on said carriage to be struck by said type-bar, a hook on said key lever, a pivoted catch having an arm whereby said catch may be swung beneath said hook, a bell crank device for operating said arm, a second bell crank device normally ineffective for operating the first bell crank device, but adapted to be brought to effective position by said carriage, number wheels having a series of grooves, and a spring to move the second bell crank device into said series of grooves.

24. The combination of a typewriter carriage, keys for controlling the same, an additionalslgy, a hook for said additional key, means normally restraining said hook and key, and a plurality of automatic means Settable on said carriage for releasing said hook.

25. In apombined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with computing wheels and a traveling carriage, of printing means for printing computed numbers at a point determined by said carriage, key-operated means for printing a sign indieating that said wheels stand at zero, and a locking device for said key-operated means brought under the control of said carriage at intervals and adapted to permit printing only in the computing column when all said wheels stand at zero.

26. The combination with a typewriter carriage, of a wheel rotatable on said carriage, numeral keys for so rotating it, a feeler cooperating with said wheel and adapted to lie in a notch therein, a bell crank connected to said feeler, a cam arm mounted on said bell crank and extending over a portion only of the travel of the carriage of said typewriter, another printing key for said typewriter, a lock for said printing key, and a bell crank between said lock and Said cam and operated by said cam.

27. In a typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a series of computing heads, each having computing wheels, of a carriage,a special clearance type, and means to permit operation of said clearance type whenever the carriage is in or adjacent to position for computing upon any computing head, and when its wheels stand at zero, independently of the other computing heads.

28. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a carriage to determine different computing zones, a plurality of totalizers, and means for rendering the totalizers'active selectively, of a special clearance type, a key for controlling the operation of the same, a lock to prevent operation of said type by said key, each totalizer including a series of notched members, a. separately-operable tumbler upon each totalizer for dropping into the notches thereof when the members stand at zero, and bars connected to said tumblers to move said lock to operative position, said bars movable by any active totalizer, said bars also moving to release said lock when the particular totalizer stands at zero.

29. The combination with a plurality of totalizers each including computing members, and a master wheel cooperative with said totalizers and relatively movable with respect thereto, of a carriage to which said totalizers are connected for step-by-step movements, a clearance type-key on the frame of the machine, means for locking said key made effective as any totalizer comes 7/ into the field of the master wheel, and means for making said locking means ineffective in said field when the members of said totalizer stand at zero.

30. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with acarriage to determine difi'erent computing zones, and a totalizer movable therewith, of

' a special clearance type, a lock for said type,

and a tumbler bar on said totalizer for controlling said lock, said tumbler bar normally ineffective to control. said look, but rendered effective to control the same on the carriage reaching a definite position.

31. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a carriage to determine different computing zones, and a plurality of totalizers, of a tumbler bar for each totalizer, a special clearance type, a lock for said type, and means whereby said lock comes successively under control of the tumbler bar for each totalizer during a single run of the carriage.-

32. The combination with a plurality of totalizers, of keys selectively controlling said totalizers, means for selectively printing in various zones the numbers set up'by said keys in said totalizers, and means for print ing a sign for each totalizer to selectively in dicate its condition, the printing of said sign being under control of each totalizer when active in the particular zone corresponding to the column printed.

33. The combination with a plurality of totalizers, of a single set of keys selectively controlling said totalizers, means for selec tively printing in various zones the numbers set up by said keys in said totalizers, and a single key for printing a sign for each totalizer to selectively indicate its condition, said key being under control of each totalizer when active in the particular zone corresponding to the column printed.

34. The combination with computing mechanism, of a traveling carriage to determine diiferent computing zones, a clearance printing indicator, cams settable on said car riage, and a key-locking device under the control of said carriage through said cams to control said printing indicator.

35. In a computing machine, the combination with a totalizer having relatively-movable computing members, a carriage for determining a computing zone or column of said totalizer, a special printing type, and means depending on the location reached by said carriage and on the relative position of said totalizer members for enabling printing by said special printing type.

36. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a plurality of computing heads, and means for rendering any computing head active individually, of a special clearance type normally free to print, means to prevent printing by said type when any computing head is active, and means for releasing said type to print when the said active computing head stands at zero.

37. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a plurality of computing heads, of means for rendering the computing heads active individually, a special clearance type, and means dependent upon the zero condition of any active computing head for enabling said type to print.

38. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with :1 carriage, and a plurality of computing heads, of means to enable the carriage to determine the activity of different computin heads, a special clearance type, and means dependent upon the zero condition of any active computing head for enabling said type to print.

39. The combination with a carriage and a gang of computing Wheels, of a special indicating device associated with said gang, and means to enable said wheels by their rotation to cooperate with said carriage to control said special indicating device,

40. The combination with a computing mechanism including a plurality of individual totalizers, of a special printing means for printing a characteristic sign indicative of a peculiar condition of said totali'ze'rs and common to all of them, and means individual to each totalizer dominating said print ing means so as to control the actuation of the same when the associated totalizer is in said peculiar condition.

41. The combination with a carriage movable into and out of a plurality of zones, and a computing mechanism for computing in a plurality of zonesand including a plurality of totalizers, of a special printing means common to all zones for printing a characteristic sign indicative of a peculiar c0nd1- tion of the computing mechanism for a computing zone, and controlling means for said slpecial printing means, the activity of which (1 epends jointly upon the condition of a totalizer and of the carriage FREDERICK A. HART.

Witnesses K. FRANKEORT, C. RIPLEY.

copies 0! this patentmay be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Oommluioner o! mum, Washington, I). 0.