US1516922A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

W. a? HELMOND TYPEWRIT I NG MACHINE Original Filed June 13, 1919 fMM Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

WILLIAM F. HELM'OND, 0F HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD- TYFEWVRITER GCM PANY, QF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORE'ORATION OF DELAWARE.

TY'BEXVRITING MACHINE.

Original application filed June 13, 1919;; Serial No. 30 3,9118.

Serial No. 371,312.

To; all whom it may concern: 1

Be it knownthat I, Vii-Jamar 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 lmp-rovementsin Typewritinjg Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to, the means whereby the type-keys effect letter-feeding; movements of the carriages of typewriting machines. In this application, which is a division of my prior application, Serial. No. 303,913, filed June 13, l9l9, (now Patent No.- 1,451L02el, dated March 28, 1922), the inven-- tion disclosed and claimed relates more particularly to an improved construction and mounting of the universal bar which trans m-its the movements of the keys to the letterfeeding dogs; and to improvements inmeans whereby the type-bars of the machine may be inserted and removed. The claims of the aforesaid parent, application are confined to. other parts of the typewriter escapemen-t mechanism, including improvements in the:

means for controlling; the movements, of the feed-dogs and the means for mounting the escapemen-t wheel.

The universal bar in the Underwood typewriting machine is curved or segmental, isoperated directly by the type-bars, anditorms part of a frame which at its rear end is carried upon a rocking frame. This universal bar. not only operates the escapement: dogs, but also vibrates the ribbon: up in front of the platen at the typestrolreaand, owing to the narrowness of the printing field of the ribbon, particularly when a bichrome ribbon is used, it isnecessary for the vibrator to-be accurate in its movements. Tothis end, it is necessary for the universal bar to be accurately placed with reference to the type-bars, and it has therefore been the practice tobend and twist the universal bar frame in attempting to secure the desired ac" curate relationship of the universal bar with the type-bars. It is necessary that the active face of the universal bar, that is, the face which is engaged by the type-bars, shall be in a plane which is parallel with the generalplane of the type-bar pivots. An object of the invention is to provide simple and ellicient means for securing this, result. This Divided an-dthis application filed- April 5,

backwardly upon the machine, so, that an.

end of the universal bar'may be swung horizontally either forwardly or backwardly, as

required, thereby bringing it into the, re-

quired parallelism.

The invention also comprises an improved mounting for a dog-rocker stop, which is movable to a position such as to permit an amplified movement of the rocker and universal bar to facilitate the-insertion and removalof the type-bars.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a central sectional side View of an Underwood typewriting machine, illustrating the present improvements.

Figure 2 shows part of the devices seen at Figure 1-, and illustrates the method of re: moving a type-bar from the machine.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail of a conical pivot and a fitting therefor in the arm of universal bar frame.

Figure 4 illustrates details of a stop-lever which isv movable to permit the operationseen in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is-an enlarged perspective. View of a conical pivot for the rocking frame- Wlll'Cll carries the universal bar, showing the, arbor or mount for said pivot and its ad justing head and locking pin.

Figure 6 is a rear view of the escapement' mechanism.

Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken about; centrally of Figure 6.

Keys 20 depress levers 21 to operatebellcranks 22 to swing type-bars 23' up against the front of a platen 2e, as is common in the Underwood machine; said platen being mounted upon a carriage 25 running on tracks 26, 27. A. carriage rack 28 meshes with a pinion 29 that is connected to an escapement wheel 30, for controlling the let'- terfeedin'g movements of the carriage, the latter being driven by a spring barrel 31 under control of the escapement wheel. The movements of the Wheel are controlled by a rocker 32, having a rigid dog and a. step.- ping dog- 34', the latter normally meshing withthe wheel; andmovements are imparted to the dog rocker by a striker 35, which is carried by a frame 36, the latter comprising a universal bar 37, operable by heels 38 upon the type-bars. The universal bar 37 is concentric with the wire 39, upon which the type-bars are usually pivoted.

At the depression of any key, its bell-crank 22 is operated, and the type-bar 23 swung up to the printing point, pressing back the uni: versal bar 37 and frame 36, and by means of the striker 35 pressing the dog rocker back, so that the stepping dog 34 thereon escapes from the wheel 30, and the rigid detent dog 33 is carried into mesh with the wheel. The dog 34 is swung by a spring 40 to a point opposite the next notch in the escapement wheel 30. Upon relief of the key from pressure, it is returned by a spring 41; the typebar returns to normal position, and the universal bar is returned by a spring 42. The spring 40 operates also to return the dog rocker to the normal Figure 1 position.

One of the features of invention resides in the mounting of the universal bar frame 36. This frame is necessarily light, 'be'cause it has to be moved quickly by its returning spring 42, and is therefore weak, but it must move accurately, since it not only. operates the letter-feeding mechanism, but also vi brates the ribbon to cover the printing point at each type stroke. This ribbon movement must be accurate, especially where abichrome ribbon is used, in which the type striking field is extremely narrow, and in which underthrow and overthrow must be practically eliminated. The ribbon vibrator comprises a lever 43 engaged by an actuator 44, which is mounted upon the universal bar frame 36. The lever is connected to vibrate a ribbon carrier 45, as usual in the Underwood typewriter.

This universal bar frame 36 has at its rear ends opposite arms 46, 47, which are pivoted upon upright guide arms 48, 49; the frame 36 being guided at its front end in the usual manner by a tongue 50 working in the type-bar segment 51. These arms rise from a rock shaft 52, which is pivoted bet- ween uprights 53, 54, forming part of a general framewor; for the escapement mechanism.

In order for the light and weak universal bar frame 36 to actuate the letter-feed dogs and the ribbon-vibrating mechanism with the required nicety, it is important that the front edge of the universal bar 37 should lie in a plane parallel with the plane of the curved wire 39 upon which the type-bars are fulcrumed, and which is about concentric with the printing point. This is desired so that the universal bar will be given equal strokes by all the type-bars. In order to secure this parallelism, it has been the practice to bend the universal bar frame 36. This, however, has demanded high skill,

and has been slow and expensive in manufacturing and repairing or overhauling the same, particularly since this'fraine is confined at the middle part of the machine, where it is surrounded by various other parts and hence inaccessible and inconvenient for bending in the required manner.

The desired alignment of the universal bar 37 is obtained by providing for bodily adjustment of the rocking guide frau'ie 48, 49, 52. To this end, the rocking frame is mounted upon pivots 55, 56, which are rela-' tively adjustable laterally in a manner to displace one side of the rocking frame either forwardly or backwardly of the machine. The pivot is in the form of a screw having a conical point, which fits in a bearing in one end of the shaft 52 the arbor or mount 56 having a conical point- 57, which fits in a similar bearing in the opposite end of the rock shaft 52. The pivot 55 may be stationary, except that it may be shifted endwise to adjust or take up play of the rock shaft 52; but the pivot point is adjustable forwardly and backwardly; the arbor 56 being for this purpose mounted eccentrically of the pivot point 57. The pivot 57 should be at its topmost position, as in Figure 7, and may be secured against rotative displacement bya lockin pin 58, which may enter any of several notches 59 in a head 60 provided upon the arbor or shaft 56; said pin fixed at 61 in the casting 54. If, however, the universal bar 37 should be found to operate differently at one end from the other, this difiiculty can be corrected, by first taking out the arbor or shaft 56 and turning it so as to shift the pivot 57 either forwardly or backwardly, and then restoring said arbor, thereliiy displacing this end of the rocking frame 48, 49, 52, and hence swinging the frame 36 and universal bar 37 horizontally until the'front or active edge of said universal bar is exactly parallel with the plane of the pivot wire 39; the pin 58 now occupy ing another notch 59, to re-lock the arbor 56 against displacement. A set screw 62 may also be provided for the pivot or eccentric 56, to hold it where adjusted endwise in connection with the opposite pivot 55. It thus becomes practicable and simple to secure accuracy ofmovement not only of the ribbon-vibrator, but also of the feed-dogs, enabling a closer timing of theoperation of said dogs to be made, especially at the return strokes of the type-bars from the platen, with a View of rendering the machine speedier and more accurate.

The arms 48, 49 may be provided with gudgeons or pivots, one of which, 63, is

threaded so as to be adjustable, and is secured by a set screw 64 and cone-pointed at 65, Figure 3, to fit m a conlcal hole 66, made in the arm 46. The screw 64 may be loosened, and the pivot 63 screwed out to take up the shake, and the screw 64L then tightened. In arm 49 is forced a companion pivot or gudgeontiii to fit in aconical hole made in arm 47. mounting of the frame 35 and the frame %8, l9, gives lightness and therefore conduces to speed of action, and permits the pivot shaft to be dispensed with, which usually extends from arm to arm at? and renders the feeding dogs inaccessible.

The d etent dog and the stepping dog list are carried upon the rocker 32. Said rocker. may be journaled upon ad ustable pivots 6'7 secured 'by set screws (58. The

universal bar fran'ie'striker 35-engages the end of a screw 69, which is threaded into the upper portion of the dog. rocker 32; the screw being adjustable to secure fine variations in the timing of the rocker action. The dog rocker is returned by the spring 40 to normal position, the lower end of the rocker engaging the head of a stop screw threaded into the framework. At its lower end, the rocker also carries an adjustable screw 71, which strikes against a stop 72 to limitthe initial movement of the rocker. This stop 72 is pivoted upon a screw T3, and has a handle 74, whereby it may be swung out of the path of the screw 71, to permit additional movement of the dog rocker and universal bar frame 36 when it is desired to detach any typebar from the machine, Figure 2, said stop 72 being returned by a spring 75 against a stop pin 75. The stepping movement of the dog 34 is limited by a cone-headed adjustable screw 76 shown as carried by the dog-rocker 32.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the inun'ovements may be used without others Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a set of type-bars pivoted in an arc, of a curved universal bar in the paths of the type-bars for operation thereby, a frame of which said universal bar forms a part, a ribbon-vibrator operated by said universal l ar frame, a rocking frame constituting a support: for said universal v-bar franjie, pivots for said rocking frame. and means for effecting relative lateral adjust ment of said pivots to bring the edge of the universal bar into parallelisn'i with the plane of the arc of the type-bar pivots.

In a typewriting machine, the combina tion with a set of typ- -bars pivoted in an arc, of a curved universal bar in the paths of the tvpe-bars for operationv thereby, a frame of which said universal bar forms a part, a rocking frame constituting a support for said. universal bar frame, and means movable for bringing the edge of said universal bar This construction and into parallelism with the are of said'typebar pivots.

3'. Ina typewriting machine, the combination'with a set of type-bars pivoted in an arc, of a curveduni-vei-sal bar, a frame of which said. universal bar forms a part, a rocking frame constituting a support for' said universal bar frame, and; pivots for said rocking frame, one of said pivots having an eccentric mounting whereby said rocking frame and universal bar frame may be swung about the other of said pivots.

4:. In a typeavrit ingi machine, the combination with a set of type-bars pivoted in an arc, of a curveduniversal bar in the paths of" the type-bars for operation thereby, a

frame of which said universal bar forms a. part, a rocking frame constituting asup port for said universal-bar' frame, pivots-for said. rock'ng-frame, and means for effecting relative lateral adjustment of said pivots to bring the edge of the universal bar into parallelism with the plane of the arc of the typebar pivots, said rocking frame pivots being also relatively adjustable endwise.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a set of type-bars pivoted in an arc, of a curved universal bar, a frame of which said universal bar forms apart, a rocking frame constituting a support for said universal bar frame, pivots for said rocking frame, one of said pivots having an eccentric mounting whereby said rocking frame and universal bar frame may be swung about the other of said pivots, said mounting having a disk provided with notches, and a pin insertable in any of the notches to lock the mounting against rotation.

6. In combination, a universal bar frame supported at one end, said universal bar frame having at its other end two spaced arms provided with depressions to receive pivot points, a rocker having two arms, each of which has its free end adjacent one of the arms of the universal bar frame, a pivot point fixed in one rocker-arn'i and engaging in the depression in the adjacent framearm, and another pivot point threaded in the other rocker-arm in position to engage in the depression in the adjacent frame-arm, whereby any excessive play between the universal bar frame and the rocker may be taken up.

7. The combination with a set of detachable type-bars, of a carriage eseapement mechanism, comprising a universal bar engageable by type-bars of said set, a dogrocker operable by said universal bar, a rocker-bracket having parallel arms in which said dog-rocker is pivoted and a U- shaped connector for said arms extending to one side of the plane of said arms so as to permit a sufficient movement of said dogrocker, a stop for arresting said dog-rocker,

and a substantially horizontal lever oarrying' said stop and pivoted on the face of said connector, said lever having an arch extending over the adjacent side of said connector and a finger-piece at the outer end of said arch extending laterally beyond the adjacent arm of the rocker-bracket, movement of said fingerpiece from its normal position being effective to displace said stop and permit additional movement of the dog-rocker and universal bar to permit detachment of a type-bar.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a universal bar, of a rocking frame connected to the universal bar, and means for effecting relative adjustment of the ends of said universal bar, comprising a pivot bearing for said frai'ne mounted 'for adjustment transversely to the axis of the pivot, means for securing said'bearing Where adjusted, and locking means for preserving the adjustment.

9. In a typevvriting machine, the combination with a series of key-actuated members and an escapement-operating universal bar in the paths of said members for actua-V tion thereby, of a supporting rocker connected to the universal bar and having opposite conical bearings, cone pivots for said bearings, each pivot being adjustablein an axial direction independently of the other, and means whereby an adjustment of one of said pivots in a direction transversely to its axis

Images