US1423637A - Calculating machine - Google Patents

Description

0. woonwARb. CALCULAVTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 911921- Patented July 25, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' LENEEr FELL; AMMML WITNEEEEE Hi5 ATTURNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR WOODWARD, OF BABYLON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON ACCOUNT- ING MACHINE CORPORATION, YORK.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW I CALCULATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1922.

Application flled lune 9, 1921. Serial No. 476,198.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR WoonwARn, citizen of the United States, and resident of Babylon, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to calculating machines and is shown embodied in the present instance in a combined typewriting and calcu lating machin of the character known on the market as the Remington accounting machine, (Wahl mechanism!) and one style of which is shown, for example, in the patcut to John C. Wahl, No. 1,270,471, dated June 25, 1918; although it should be understood that the invention is not restricted to its embodiment in such machines. 1

In the Remington-Wahl machine, the vertical totalizer carrying truck runs on certain rolls at th middle of the machine and is connected at its ends to the typewriter carriage to travel with the latter, the character of the connections between the carriage and truck being such that a sli ht individual movement of limited extent 0 the truck relatively to the carriage, and transversely of the line of travel of the truck, is permitted in order to automatically take care of or compensate for any lack of absolute straightness in the truck itself or other in accuracies of manufacture. It sometimes occurs that certain difiiculties which will hereinafter appear are encountered by reason of this manner of supporting the truck, and which are due to wear.

The main object of my invention isto provide simple and efficient means for overcoming these difiicuilties heretofore encountered.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective means of the character specified which may be readily applied to a Remington ahl machine without modifying, or materially modifying. the-structural features of said machine as they now exist.

To the above and other ends which will hereinafter appear, my invention consistsin the features of construction, arrangements of parts, and combinations of devices setforth in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like referenm characters indicate corresponding parts in the different views,

Flgure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a portion of a Remington-Wahl machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a detail fragmentary front vlew, partly in section, showing the connec tions between the truck and carriage at the left-hand of the latter.

Figure 3 is a like view showing the connections at the right-hand end of the carl i gures 4c and 5 are detail face views of modified forms of washer plates that may be used as an alternative means for connecting the forward end-s of the restraining members or springs to the truck at'the left and right-hand ends respectively thereof.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary vertical fore and aft sectional view of the machine, taken on a line 66 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows at said line.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the connections between the truck andcarriage at one end thereof, the section being taken on a line 77 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows at said line.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail fragmen-' tary fore and aft vertical sectional view showing a modified form of means for limiting the rearward thrust of the truck at the upper portion thereof.

Figures 9 and 10 are respectively fragmentary top plan and front elevation, with parts in section, of a modified form of means for anchoring the rear ends of the springs to the carriage.

In the drawings I have shown only so much of a Remington-Wahl machine asmay be necessary to arrive at an understanding of my invention in its embodiment therein.

Said machine comp-rises atypewriter of which there is shown in the drawing little except a portion of the carriage 1,'its forward fixed guide rail 2, the top plate 3 and a front corner post 4. The carriage is angle brackets 6 secured to the top plate 3 by screws 7; screw bolts 8 and nuts 9 connecting the angle brackets to the actuator frame. Sheet metal arms or brackets 10 are rigidly secured in the usual manner to the carriage 1 and project forward therefrom. The forward end part of each bracket 10 is formed with a depending ear 11, in a tap ed opening in which is received the threaded end of a headed shouldered screw 12 held b a lock nut 13. The screw 12 passes through a vertically disposed slot 14 in a bracket arm 15 that is secured to and in effect constitutes part of a totalizer truck designated as a whole by the reference numeral 16. From an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that the distance between the front face of each ear 11 and the head of the associate screw 12 is greater than the thickness of the bracket arm 15 to permit a slight fore-and-aft movement ofthe said arm 15 and of that end of the totalizer truck connected therewith. The pin and slot connection 1214 between the carriage and truck also permits the latter to receive a limited up and down movement of slight extent relatively to the carriae, but prevents any movement of the true relatively to the carriage in the direction of the travel of the latter and, therefore, compels the carriage and truck to move accurately together in the direction of the feed or travel of the carriage. The purpose of the looseness in the connections between the carnage and computer or totalizer truck will hereinafter more clearly appear. The truck also comprises a casting 17 secured by bolts 18, nuts 18 and washer plates 19 to the bracket arms 15 The casting is formed with a dove-tail cross section in d1cate d at 20, to fit corresponding openlngs 1n the side plates of each totalizer 21, and the totalizers are thus supported on the truck. Each totalizer is held in its adjusted sition along the truck by a handreleased etent or catch 22 which has a tooth that engages between teeth on the upper edge of a rack bar 23 carried by and extendmg longitudinally of the truck. Any desired number of detachable totalizers may be carr ed by the truck and each contains computlng mechanism including a series of gear wheels 24 which are adapted to mesh, one at a time, with a master wheel 25. This master wheel is carried by the fixed actuator frame 5 and constitutes part of the computer actuating mechanism driven by the numeral keys of the typewriter.

As the typewriter carriage moves toward the left in the operation of writing and computlng a number, the wheels 24 move one after another into mesh with the master wheel 25. Said gears 24, and the totalizers in which they are supported, must of necessity be gulded across said master wheel with wise the teeth of the wheels 24 might collide with the teeth of the master wheel and if the wheels 24 and 25 do not mesh properly the operation may be hard or otherwise imperfect. In the Remington-Wahl machine, as heretofore constructed, the totalizer truck has been loosely connected with the arms 10 by means of the pin and slot connection 12-14 in the manner hereinbefore described. The truck by reason of this connection has a small limited amount of freedom of movement at its ends both up and down and also front and back with respect to the ends of the brackets 10. The accu- 'rate guiding of the truck is effected at the middle of the machine sulstantially in the front to rear vertical plane of the master wheel 25, this being the point at which accuracy is required. To this end the truck has been given a cross section like that indicated .in Fig. 6 so as to provide three trackways 26, 27 and 28. The trackway 26 is at the bottom of the truck and faces downward and is supported by a roller or wheel 29 which carries the vertical weight of the truck, and of the totalizers mounted on it. The trackway 27 is at the bot-tom of the truck and faces rearward and presses against a roller or wheel 30. The trackway 28 is at the top of the truck and presses forward against a roller 31 somewhat similarly to the rollers 29 and 30; all these rollers 29, 30 and 31 being carried by the fixed actuator frame 5' in the ,fore-and-aft vertical plane of the master wheel. In practice, the bearing for each of said rollers is so constructed as to afford a fine adjustment of the roller transverse to its axis, so that, in manufacturing the machine, the truck can be adjusted to cause the gears 24 to mesh accurately with the master wheel 25.

In addition to the rollers 29, 30 and 31, the Remington-Wahl machine includes an adjustment stop a coacting with the truck to limit its upward displacement in the plane of the master wheel. Said machine also includes an adjustable stop 6 coacting with the truck in the same plane to limit the rearward displacement of the upper part of the truck. The shoulder 0 at the rear ed of the track 26 coacts with the side of t e roller 29 to limit the forward displacement of the truck at the lower end thereof. The said stops and rollers are all carried by the fixed actuator frame 5 and located in the plane of the master wheel. The rollers 29, 30 and 31 supply a means for guiding accurately that portion of the truck which at any 'ven moment is passing the master whee and insure a proper intermeshing of any individual totalizer wheel 24 which is for the moment brought, or is about to be brought into co-operative relation with the master wheel.

a considerable degree of precision, as other- It will-be observed that the center of gravity of the truck is a little forward of'the roller 29 by which the weight of said truck is supported, and this is' especially so when severa totalizers are mounted and project forward therefrom, so that there is a constant pressure due to the weight of the parts backward on the lower back roller 30 and forward on the upper front roller 31. In some instances a number of totalizers are mounted on the truck and the overhanging weight then becomes considerable, and it has been found that sometimes the upper front roller 31 co-operating with the trackway 28 fails to turn. Said trackway, sliding against the roller 31, gradually causes wear, the roller sometimes being worn flat so that it has to be replaced with a new one. The coacting face of the track 28 also becomes unduly and unevely worn, and the wear on this roller and track allows the upper part of the truck to swing forward and destroy the nice adjustment and relation between the totalizer wheels 24 and the master wheel 25.

The immediate object ofmy present invention is to overcome this difiiculty without detracting from the loose'connection between the carriage and truck which enables the latter to move up and down without restraint at either end relatively to the carriage and to attain the advantages derived from such movement.

To these ends I employ connecting'means separate and distinct from those previously described, and in addition thereto, for connecting the truck and typewriter carriage, and for opposing, overcoming, restrainin or counteracting the tendency of the true to move forward at the upper portion thereof relatively to the carriage.

In the present instance these means comprise two substantially} horizontally disposed connecting or restraining members 32.

' varied at will. As shown in These are shown in the-present instance as coiled contractile springs which extend longitudinally fore and aftof the machine one at each end ofthe truck. The rear end .of each spring is anchored to the carriage in any suitable manner, the forward ends being connected to the truck and preferably adjustable means are provided for each member or spring 32. As shown in. Figs. 1, 6 and 7 each spring is connected to. a pin 34 riveted at 35 to a connecting arm 10, and projecting inwardly therefrom above the usual tie-rod 36 which connects the arms 10 and which is secured thereto'by nuts 37 and 38. or spring 32 is connected to the truck near one end thereof by adustable means by which the tension of the sgring may be igs. 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 the forward end portion of each spring receives therein an exteriorly and interiorly threaded nut 39, the exterior threads coacting with the convolutions of The forward end of each member.

thespring to holdthe nut in place, and the interlor threads coacting with an adjusting screw 40 or 41. As shown. in Figs. 1 an 2 the screw 40 extends through a countersunk opening formed in the left-hand bracket arm 15 of the truck and is threaded into its companion nut 39. The right-hand screw 41 in a like manner extends through an opening in the right-hand bracket arm 15 and connects with a nut 39 in the righthand spring 32. By these means each screw 40 or41 may be independently adjusted to var the force exerted by itsv companion spring rearwardly on the upper part of the truck and thus vary the restraming or opposing force of the springs at opposite ends of the truck which tends to oppose, restrain or counteract its tendency to move forward at said upper portion under its weight and the overhanging weight of the totalizers mounted thereon, and thereby counteract the tendency of the truck through its track 28 to bear with more or less force against the roller 31. In other words the effect of the springs 32 is to exert a rearward; pull on the upper part of the truck and thus to take a part of the force, due to the over-hang of the totalizers,which' tends to move the upper part of the truck toward the front of the machine, and which force or pressure has heretofore been borne in its entirety by the wheel 31. The tension of said springs can be regulated by means of the screws 40 and 41, and the pressure of track 28 against wheel 31 will be' relieved or diminished by whatever such tension amounts to. The extent of adjustment of the springs may vary according to the number of totalizers mounted on the truck, or'according to how far it may be deemed desirable or necessary to restrain or counteract the tendency of the truck to move forward. It is my purpose to provide springs 32 which are 'stlfi' enough, and to so construct the adjusting means therefor that any desired result may be obtained, from com letelv overcoming the tendency of the loa ed truck to move forward against the roller 31, to merely restraining or neutralizing this tendency to an extent that will relieve or lighten the weight of the truck on the roller. It will be'seen that the force of the springs 32 is exerted only to fore and aft of the machine and is merely exerted to restrain, resist or op ose a forward movement of the truck relatlvely to the carriage without opposing or interfering with the relative orjindividual up and down movement of the truck permitted by the pin and slotconnection 12-14.

It may be found desirable in some instances to substitute for the usual back stop b shown in Fig. 6, a back stop roller 42 as shown in Fig. 8, and said roller 42 may if receives the forward thrust of the truck. When the back stop roller 42 is employed then the truck is freed from undue frictional resistance that might be encountered between the truck and a back stop such as the stop I) in the event that the force of thesp-ringsis great enough to normally maintain the loaded truck off the roller 31 and in contact with the back stop.

In order to apply the devices of my invention as thus far described to the Remington-Wahl machines now on the market, it is merely necessary to connect the pins 34 to the arms 10 as indicated, and to substitute bracket plates 15 of the form shown and which are provided with'perfo-rated ears or enlargements 4:3 for the detachable bracket plates usually employed and which are devoid of such perforated ears.

If preferred, however, the usual bracket arms by which the truck is connected to the carriage may be used and the usual washer plates 19 may be replaced by combined washer and bracket plates 19 and 19", such as are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively. These substituted plates 19 and 19 may be employed for connecting the left-hand and right- hand screws 40 and 41 respectively thereto. Moreover, if desired the pins 34 may be dispensed with and sheet metal bracket arms 44; may be secured in. place by the nuts 38 and the rear ends of the springs 32 may be anchored to the arms H as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

It will be understood, therefore, that by the provision of simple and effective de vices which are-in the nature of attachments that may be readily applied to existing; forms of machines without changing, or materially changing, the structural features of said machines as the now exist, I am enabled to overcome the isadvantages heretofore encountered by relieving wear on the forward guide roller 31 and its track 28, thereby preventing the difficulties which are apt to raise from such wear.

What I claim as new and desire to secure! by Letters Patent, is,

1. The combination of a totalizer truck normally having individual freedom in its runway and a tendency to move forward from its normal position when carrying totalizers, a typewriter carriage, a connection between the carriage and truck for causing the two to travel together, and another and independent intervening connection for opposing the tendency of the truck to move forward.

2. The combination of a totalizer truck having individual freedom in its runway and a tendency to move forward from its normal position when carrying totalizers, a typewriter carriage, and an intervening adjustable connection for opposing the tendency of the truck to move forward.

3. The combination of a totalizer truck having individual freedom in its runway and a tendency to move forward from its normal position when carrying totalizers, a typewriter carriage, and an intervening spring connection for opposing the tendency of the truck to move forward.

4. The combination of a totalizer truck having individual freedom in its runway and a tendency to move forward from its normal position when carrying totalizers, a typewriter carriage, and an intervening ad justable spring connection for opposing the tendency of the truck to move forward.

In a calculating machine, the combination of a carriage, a totalizer truck, means for connecting the truck to move with the carriage but enabling the truck to have a limited movement relatively to the carriage transversely of the line of travel of the truck, and two members in addition to said connecting means for connecting the truck and carriage, each of said members extending longitudinally fore and aft of the ma chine and exerting a restraining force on the truck to resist a tendency of the truck to move forward.

6. In a calculating machine, the combination of a carriage, a totalizer truck, means for connecting the truck to move with the carriage but enablin the truck to have a limited movement re atively to the carriage transversely of the line of travel of the truck, a bearin roller which coacts with said truck to guide it and limit its forward displacement, and two members in addition to said connecting means for connecting the truck and carriage, each of said members exerting a restraining force on the truck to resist a tendency of the truck to bear forwardly against said roller.

7. In a calculating machine, the combination of a carria e, a totalizer truck, means for connecting t e truck to move with the carria e but enabling the truck to have a limited movement relatively to the carriage transversely of the line of travel of t e truck, and two members that extend longitudinally fore and aft of the machine, each member being connected at its forward end to one end portion'of the truck and at its rear end to the carriage and o posing the tendency of the truck to move orward.

8. In a calculating machine, the combination of a carriage, a totalizer truck, means for connecting the truck to move with the carriage but enabling the truck to have a limited movement relatively to the carriage transversely of the line of travel of the truck, two members that extend longitudinaly fore and aft of the machine, each member being connected at its forward end to one end portion of the truck and at its rear end to the carriage and opposing the tendency of the truck to move forward, and

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