US1302161A - Type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. F. HELMOND.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men MAY is. 1911.

Patented Apr. 29,1919.

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w wd flwfi UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM F. HELMQND HAR F R O NE T C T- S GNQ s ND BWQQD myrnwmrnncomrmx, or new YORK, n. A content on, or ,nnLAwAnE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Apr. 29, 19:19.

Application filed May 18, 1917. Serial No. 169,448.

Tooll whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WIL IAM F. HELMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing in Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State-of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TypelVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto an improvement in type-writing machines, and more espeoi ally to a work-gage-an'd holder for wraping a'stiff work memberaround the platen.

One of the objects of this invention is to form a'ca-rd-guide and holder in a single piece, Which may cooperate with a gage to properlyposition a card on the platen.

Grage elements and the card-holder are mounted floatingly and connected to the case-shift frame, so as tomaintainthe same relation with respect to the printing lineof the "platen inboth upper and lower-case positions of the platen. The floating frame forthe gage and'holder-is guided in its vertical movements byhaving a pair of flanged rollers projecting in slots provided on the floating frame, thus preventing the parts fromgetting out of alinemcnt by a movementlengthwise of the platen. The flanged rollers are mounted; on spring brackets fixed onthe type-bar segment, so that they maintain the gage and holder yieldingly against the platen-for all positions of vertical movement. This necessitates a loose pivotal mounting or open bearing of the floating frame on the case-shift frame, allowedfor by holdingthe floating frame on its pivot by means of its spring. In this way, the device maybe quickly assembled, andis quite flexible.

The cardholder-itself has a loose open pivot, or,'in other words, it is merely fulcrume'd in grooved brackets, so as to be swung between an operative position in close juxtaposition to the platen and to an inoperative position forward and clear of the platen. Springs are provided for maintaining a card;guide onthe brackets, and act to lock the card-holder automatically in either of its adjusted positions. The looking action of the springs is aided by a pair of rounded studs, with which lower ends of the -card guide and holder engage alternately on the frontand rear sides thereof, according to the position of the card-guide and. holder cooperative relation with the platen, and away from the platen, respectively.

The card-holder is preferably formed of asingle strip ofmetal out out and stamped up to the proper contour, so as to form a light simple structure easily manufactured. It includes a pair, ofV-shaped prongs, iwhich arch from the back surface of the holder toward the platen, so as to guide the leading edge of the card as it comes around the platen. The gage is provided with a projection extending upwardly from the scale edge of the gage, so as to. cooperate withone of the prongs, and insures an almost continuous surface against which the leading edge of the card may cam, so as to properly guide it around the platen.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical section; taken from front to rear, with parts omitted to simplify the showing, and illustrating the card-holder and guide as in its position cooperating with the platen.

Fig. 2 is a skeleton perspective view, showing the way in whichthe card holder and gage are mounted to move with the caseshift frame.

.Fig. 3is anenlarged detail view,infront elevation, showing the card-holder in its rearmost position cooperating with the platen.

Fig. 4 is a view, l ooking at it from the right side, with parts in section, and showing, the card-holderin cooperation .with the platen, but in its upper-case position corresponding tothe upper-case position ofthe platen.

5 is an .enlargeddetail view, partly in section on line .5 5, Fig.3, and showing the card-holder, as swung away from the platen to an inoperative or idle position.

Numeral keys 1 and alphabet keys 2 de press key levers 3 to rock, bell cranks 4, so as to swing type-bars 5 up rearwardly against the "front side of a platen 6, mounted to rotate on a carriage 7. Thecarriage 7 has the usual step-by-stepmovement, at the actuation of the character keys ,under the control of an. escapement mechanism," indicated in general at 8. Each of the type-bars 5 has two characters 9 and 10, corresponding to writing of lower and uppenoase charactors,

To enable the change in writing from normal lower-case characters to upper-case characters, the platen 6 is mounted in a platen frame 11, which, in turn, is supported for vertical movement by means of arms 12, pivotally mounted on the carriage 7. The platen frame 11 rides by means of traveling rollers 13 on a shift rail 14. The shift rail 14 is mounted on a shift'frame 15, pivoted at 16. To rock the shift frame 15, and thus raise the platen 6 for upper-case writing, there are provided two keys 17, one of which may be used for temporary shift and the other for semi-permanent shift. These keys are provided with the usual levers 18, which, when the associated keys are depressed, are rocked individually to swing forward arms 19. Each of these arms bears against one of the sides of the shift frame 15 at the rear thereof. In this way, the shift frame 15 is rocked in a clockwise direction to raise the platen 6.

For the purpose of properly positioning a work member, such as a stiff card, on the platen 6, there is provided a gage 20 and a card-holder and guide 21. In order that these two elements may cotiperateproperly with the platen 6 in both lower and uppercase positions of the latter, they are supported on a floating frame 22. The floating frame 22 is, in turn, supported on the caseshift frame 15. For this purpose, the floating frame 22 is formed of a cross-piece 23, on which the gage 20 and the card-holder and guide 21 are mounted in the manner to be described, and side arms 24. The side arms 24 extend downwardly from the cross piece 23, and arch rearwardly along the shift rail 14 and engage pivots 25 in-the form of studs mounted on the case-shift frame 15. To engage the pivot studs 25, the side arms 24 are provided with open bearings 26, whereby the floating frame as a whole may be readily slipped onto the studs and will allow a certain amount of lost motion.

In order to hold the floating frame 22 on the pivot studs 25 there is provided on each side a spring 27, which engages a pin 28 fixed on the shift frame 15, and at the other end engages a stud 29 fixed on the corresponding arm 24 of the floating frame. It will be noted that the studs 29 arelocated on projections 30 of the arms 24, which extend somewhat to the rear and below the pivot studs 25. This will tend to hold the floating frame 22 and the parts carried thereby in proper position to cooperate with the platen 6.

In order to insure theproper vertical movement of the floating frame 22 with the case-shift frame, it is guided for vertical movement. For this purpose there are pro-' vided on the cross-piece 23 of the floating frame 22, a pair of guiding brackets 31, pro

jecting upwardly from the cross-piece and having guiding slots 32 therein. Guiding rollers 33 are each provided with a radiallyextending circular flange 34, which projects from the body of the rollers into the guiding slots 32. The guiding rollers 33 are fixed so that the floating frame 22 may have a certain amount of vertical movement relative thereto, and still be held against a movement lengthwise of the platen. The body portion of the rollers do not project through slots 32, but rest on brackets 31, so as to prevent forward movement of the guiding frame, and thus hold indirectly the gage and card-holder in close juxtaposition to the platen. In order that a certain amount of yielding may be provided for this guiding and constraining action, the rollers 33 are pivotally mounted on spring brackets 35, which are normally under a slight tension tending to force the floating frame and the parts carried thereby toward the platen 6. The brackets 35 are fixed on a type-segment 36, which guides the type-bars 5 in their movement to and from the printing point of the platen.

Having'shown how the supporting floating frame 22 is guided and mounted, so as to give a proper vertical movement of the gage 20 and the holder 21, it is merely necessary to show how the latter two elements are mounted on the floating frame 22. The gage 20 includes a pair of scale plates 37 and 38 with scales 39 along their top edges, so as to determine letter-spaces along the typewriting line. The scale plates 37 and 38 are separated at their top edges by a slot 40, which permits the striking of the type-bars between them at the printing point, and are joined integrally at their lower edges by a connecting strip 41. The scales 37 and 38 have projecting from the sides thereof, toward the ends of the platen, strips 42, which assist the scale plates in properly guiding long work members on the platen 6. The gage as a whole is secured to the cross-piece 23 of the floating frame 22 by means of brackets 43 fixed at opposite ends on the frame 22 and the strips 42.

To support the guides 21 on the floating frame 22, there are provided. a pair of brackets 44 secured to the floating frame 22. These brackets extend forwardly to form shelves 45 and upwardly to form combined guides and fulcrums 46. The guides and fulcrums 46 are provided with V-notches 47 into which extend the sides or legs of the card-guide and holder 21. In this way the upwardly-extending elements 46 form fulcrums for permitting back and forth swing ing movement of the card-guides 21. The legs of the card-guide 21 project beyond the apex of the notches 47 on the outside of the brackets 44, so that the card-guide and holder 21 as a whole straddles the brackets 44-betweemthemi In other. words, the legs of thercardeguide-and holder-21 extendon' the outside of the brackets 44, and arepro vided with inwardly-extending shoulders 48 to-engage the. fulcrums formed by the apex of the notches47 in thebrackets 44.

Inorder to hold thecard-guide and holder 21 in ositiorron the brackets 44, there are provi ed apair of springs49'secured to the holder 21at one end, and to a pin 50 at their otherend. It will be seen that this permits a certain amount of back and forth swinging movement of thecard-guide andholder 21 from the idle position seen'at Fig. 5 to the active position of F'ig. 1. This shift of the holder 21 must, however, bedone forcibly, as the springs 49 are extended from the pin 50 tothe holder 21 in such a way as to lock the holder in both its idle and active positions, by passing beyond a dead-center.

In order to assist in this locking, the lower ends of the legs engage rounded studs 51 provided on the shelves'45. Thelegs of the holder 21 pass alternately from position in rearofthe studs to position in front of the studs, when the upper edge of the guide and holder 21'wil1 swing oppositely to an active position in engagement with the platen and to an idle position away from the platen respectively.

For preventing the-accidental disengagement of the card-guide and holder 21 from the notches 47 on the brackets 44, when it is movedquickly to an idle position, the

rear sides of the notches 47 are indented at 52 to form shoulders in a position to be engaged by the shoulders 48 on the legs of the holder 21. When the force shifting the holder is discontinued, thespring 49 will automatically settle the holder to its proper position.

The card-holder and guide 21 is formedof a single sheet of metal cut out to givethe necessary contour and having 1ts edges flangedup to give the desired amount of rigidity with a lightness of structure. In addition to the legs mentioned above, the card guide and holder has a top cross-piece 53 provided with a forwardly extending finger-piece 54, by which the card-holder as a whole may be manipulated.

Projecting downwardly from the top cross-- piece 53, there are provided a pair of prongs55, spaced from each other on opposite sides of the printing point of the typewriter. These prongshave their side edges flanged up to give a certain amount of rigidity for the lightness of their structure. The lower pointed ends or apexes of the prongs are bent rearwardly toward the platen, as seen more clearly at Fig: 1, so as to conform somewhat to the curvature of the platen, and in thisway properly warp a. stiff "card around the platen.

The gage 20' has projecting upwardly from one of itsscale plates 38 an extension 56, which goes in behind one of the prongs 55, so as to-form a practically continuous surface, with which the'le'ading edge of the stifh card may engage in its movement to a proper position around the platen 6;

To assist the gage 20 and theguide and card-holder 21 in-properly maintaining; a

work member on the platen 6, there is-provided a pair of rollers 57 which take thecard or other work member as it comesfrom the holder 21 and guides it around theplaten; The rollers 57 are mounted on a rod 58, so as to bequite close to the-top edge of the guide andcard-holder 21; The rod 58 forms a part of a swinging bail 59, so that it may be moved between operative and in operative position into engagement and outof engagement with the platen, respectively. The sides of the bail 59 extend forwardly of their pivot points 60 to conform with the sides of the platen frame 11, then-inwardly a sufficient distance 'to' avoid the normal overhead pressure rollers 61when the latter Theutility of the-device will be readily understoodwhen taken in connection with the above description. VV'hen the cardholder is not in use, it is shifted to the Fig.

5 position, whereit willbe clear of the platen. In this bosition, it is locked bythe springs49, so that it will be practically rigid. To bring'the card-holder into play, it is merely necessary to lift it slightly againstthe tension ofthe springs, so that the side legs clear the studs 51, andswing the holder in toward the platen.

holder in itsproper position in close relation withrespect'to the platen. It will then cooperate-with the gage 20 to warp a stifi" card snugly around the platen. WVhen the platen is shifted to write upper-case characters, the gageand holder will move with the platen to maintain substantially the same relation, so that thecard will' always be automatically held andguided'on the" platen 6.

Variations may be resorted tOWithin the scope of theinvention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine having amain framework, the combination with a carriage and a platen thereon, of a support located upon'said framework in juxtaposition to said platen to remain stationaryduring'the travel of the platen, aholder loosely fulcrumedonsaid support and 1 rocking for= The springs 49 will automatically settle thewardly and backwardly' between operative and inoperative positions near and away from said platen, and two-way acting springs maintaining said holderv on said support and automatically looking it in both its positions of adjustment.

2. Th combination with a platen, of a support located in juxtaposition to said platen, a pair of notched brackets on said support, a holder resting in the notches of said brackets, and springs for preventing said holder from coming out of said notches.

8. The combination with a platen, of a pair of notched brackets located in juxtaposition to said platen, and a holder straddling said brackets and having shoulders projecting into said notches, so as to fulcrum said holder on said brackets.

4. The combination with a platen, of supporting brackets, and a card-holder straddling said brackets, said card-holder including legs projecting down to the outsides of said brackets and prongs projecting interiorly of said holder and rearwardly of the back face thereof, so as to conform somewhat to the curvature of said platen.

5. The combination with a platen, of supporting brackets, a card-holder straddling said brackets, said card-holder including legs projecting down to the outsides of said brackets and prongs projecting interiorly of said holder and rearwardly of the back face thereof, so as to conform somewhat to the curvature of said platen, and a gage having an extension overlapping one of said prongs vertically, so as to form a practically continuous surface for guiding the leading edge of the work-member around said platen.

6. The combination with a platen, of means for enabling the proper adjustment of a work-member on said platen, case-shift mechanism for said platen, a support mounted formovement with said case-shift mechanism and said platen, and acting to maintain said means in substantially the same relation to said platen for both upper and lower-case writing, and guiding rollers for said support justifying the position of said support and the parts carried thereby.

7. The combination with a platen, of means for enabling the proper adjustment of a work-member on said platen, case-shift mechanism for said platen, a support for said enabling means mounted on said caseshift mechanism for movement therewith, and guiding means for preventing movement of said support lengthwise of said platen comprising a slotted bracket on said support, and a stationaryroller projecting into the slot of said bracket.

8. The combination with a platen, of means for enabling the proper adjustment of a work-member on said platen, a support for said means, case-shift mechanism connected to simultaneously adjust said platen .of a work-member on said platen, case-shift mechanism for said platen, a support for said means having an open pivotal bearing on said ease-shift mechanism, guides for said support, and'springs for said support, said guides and said springs cooperating to adjust said support, so as to maintain said means in proper relation with said platen for both upper and lower-case writing.

11. The combination with a platen, of

means for enabling the proper adjustmentof a work-member on said platen, a floating support for said means having a pair'of slotted brackets thereon, a pair of rollers having circumferentially projecting flanges extending into said slots to guide said support and the means carried thereby, and spring means for forcing the body portion of-said rollers into engagement with said brackets, to maintain said means in proper relation with respect to said platen.

12. The combination with a revoluble platen and a shift frame by which said platen is shiftable up and down, of a frame hinged upon said shift frame and having a card-holding surface to bear upon the front of the platen, and a pair of spring rollers, one at each side of the printing point, to press said surface of said frame against the front of the platen; said rollers mounted upon the stationary framework to roll upon said frame at the shifting of the platen.

13. The combination with a revoluble platen and a shift frame by which said platen is shiftable up and down, of a frame hinged upon said shift frame and having a card-holding surface to bear upon the front of the platen, a pair of spring rollers, one at each side of the printing point, to press said surface of said frame against the front of the platen; said rollers mounted upon the stationary framework to roll upon said.

frame at the shifting of the platen, an auxiliary card-holder loosely mounted upon said hinged frame to bear against the platen above the printing point, and a spring between said auxiliary card-holder and said hinged frame to press the auxiliary card.-

holder upon the platen.

14. The combination with a revoluble platen and a shift frame by which said platen is shiftable up and down, of a frame hinged upon said shift frame and having a card-holding surface to bear upon the front of the platen, and a pair of spring rollers,

one at each side of the printing point, to press said surface of said frame against the front of the platen; said rollers mounted upon the stationary framework to roll upon said frame at the shifting of the platen, said hinged frame being mounted by open bearings uponsaid shift frame, and said rollers being mounted below the point of contact of said hinged frame surface with the platen, but above said open bearings, to hold the latter against dislocation.

15. The combination with a revoluble platen and a shift frame by which said platen is shiftable up and down, of a frame hinged upon said shift frame and having a card-holding surface to bear upon the front of the platen, a pair of spring rollers, one at each side of the printing point, to press said surface of said frame against the front of the platen; said rollers mounted upon the stationary framework to roll upon said frame at the shifting of the laten, an auxiliary card-h0lder loosely mounted upon said hinged frame to bear against the platen above the printing point, and a spring between said auxiliary card-holder and said hinged frame to press the auxiliary cardholder upon the platen; said springs connected to said auxiliary card-holder to hold it either back against the platen or forwardly away therefrom.

16. In a typewriting machine having a main framework, a carriage. to travel thereon, and a platen upon said carriage, the combination with a card-holder mounted upon the main framework, and means for pressing the card-holder against the platen, said card-holder arranged about at the printing line of the platen, of an auxiliary card-holder, and a support upon the main framework for said auxiliary card-holder, said auxiliary card-holder extending upwardly to bear upon the platen above the printing line.

17. In a typewriting machine having a main framework, a carriage to travel thereon, and a platen upon said carriage, the combination with a card-holder mounted upon the main framework, and means for pressing the card-holder against the platen, said card-holder arranged about at the printing line of the platen, of an auxiliary card-holder, a support upon the main framework for said auxiliary card-holder, said auxiliary card-holder extending upwardly to bear upon the platen above the printing line, and means upon said support to hold said auxiliary cardholder forwardly away from the platen.

18. In a typewriting machine having a main framework, a carriage to travel thereon, and a platen upon said carriage, the combination with a card-holder mounted upon the main framework, and means for pressing the card-holder against the platen, said card-holder arranged about at the printing line of the platen, of an auxiliary cardholder, and a support upon the main framework for said auxiliary card-holder, said auxiliary card-holder extending upwardly from said support to bear upon the platen above the printing line and in the form of an inverted U-frame having at its upper portion a depending card-guiding projection.

19. In a typewriting machine having a main framework, a carriage to travel thereon, and a platen upon said carriage, the combination with a card-holder mounted upon the main framework, and means for pressing the card-holder against the platen, said card-holder arranged about at the printing line of the platen, of an auxiliary card-holder, a support upon the main framework for said auxiliary card-holder, said auxiliary card-holder extending upwardly from said support to bear upon the platen above the printing line and in the form of an inverted U-frame having at its upper portion a depending card-guiding projection, and springs to engage the legs of said U-frame to hold the card-holder against the platen.

20. The combination with a card-holder and means for pressing it against the platen, said card-holder arranged about at the printing line of the platen, of an auxiliary card-holder, a support for said auxiliary card holder, said auxiliary card holder extending upwardly to bear upon the platen above the printing line and in the form of an inverted U-frame having at its upper portion a depending card-guiding projection, and springs to engage the legs of said U-frame to hold the card-holder either back against or forward away from the platen.

WILLIAM F. HELMOND.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. BAsKERVILLE, SHIRLEY E. GLEDHILL.

Odples 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! I'atents, Washington, D. G.

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