US1569378A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 12 1926.

A. G. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1925 Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED 'STATES ALFRED G. F. KUROWSKI, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD' PATENT OFFICE.

TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION DELAWARE.

'rYrEWRI'rING MACHINE.

Application filed March 8, 1923. Serial No. 623,622.

In a typewriting machine, in which theV platen is mounted in a frame shiftable on the main frame of the machine between case positions, a feature of the invention is the provision of means for deadening the noise of impact of the platen-frame on its return to lower-case position on its seat o-n the main frame, or on its seat onthe carriage which has movement in letter feed and return directions on the main frame.

In the preferred form of the invention,

- the noise-deadening means, referred to, consist of springs at the front and rear of the platen-frame and at the sides thereof between the platen-frame and the side pieces of the carriage,r the springs being leafsprings folded in U-shape and having their` free ends held in partial compression by' pins, carried by ears on the fixed portions of the springs, to determine the normal setting of the springs and normal or lower case position of the platen-frame; the rear springs being affixed to the platen-frame and the front springs to the carriage side pieces.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a cushion, preferably in the form of a spring, for deadening the^noise of impact of the platen-frame as the sameA is arrested in upper-case position, and of means for adjusting the setting of the cushion to the required upper-case position of' the platen.

A feature of the invention is the provision of means for deadening the noise of impact of the shift-key lever against 'its stop-on return of the lever to normal position.

In a machine in which a detent-arm is engageable with a line-space ratchet-wheel for holding the platen in the position to which it has been line-spaced, andv in which an arm or cam piece, preferably pivoted to swing around the axis of the platen, is rovided to throw such detent clear of the ratchet-wheel, and to hold the same clear" of the ratchet-wheel, for rotary setting of' the platen independent of the detent-device, a feature of the. invention is thel provision of means for preventing loose play of such detent-controlling device and for deadening the noise ot' any movements thereof.

In a. machine in which line-space movement of the platen is effected by a/'pawl-andratchet device, a feature of the invention is the provision of simple and reliable means for throwing the. pawl clear of the ratchet preliminary to the return movement of the pawl to normal position, and for holding it clear of the ratchet during such return movement to prevent noise or rattle of the pawl on the ratchet.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view', in side elevation, take at the left-hand side of the machine on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.l

Figure 2 is a top pl-an'view of the lefthand end of the carriage; the left-hand side .plate of the platen-frame being partly broken away for disclosure of parts beloi1K1 the same.

Figure 3 lis a view, in front elevation, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure f1 is a perspective view of the delvice for 'disengaging the line-space pawl from the line-space ratchet wheel for returningpthe line-space mechanism to normal position; the spring forming part of the device being shown as separated from the rest of the device for clearer illustration.

The platen 10 is fast on an axle 11,r jour#v -naled in the side plates 12 of a platen-frame rshiftable up and vdown between case-posi-A ,bracket 19, secured to the bar`18,,carries a roller 20 supported on a rail 21 on a device which lifts the platen-frame from one case-position to another. This device comprises a pair of bell-cranks 22,' which carry lthe rail 21 and which rre pivoted to the main frame 23, at 24. The other arm of. one of the bell-cranks is cngageable by the arm 26 of a bell-crank shift-lever fulcrumed on the main frame at 27. This lever comprises an arm 2., which extends forward to the keyboard 2t), and at its forward end carries a shift-key 30. A coilspring 3l, engaging` the under edge of the shift-lever, returns the same to normal position and holds the same up in normal position. Depression of the shift-key 3() 'auscs the arm 26 to swing the shifter forward and upward; thus lifting the Iail 2l and the platen-frame supported thereby. When the shift-key 30 is released, the platen-frame,unless locked, is returned by gravity to its original position, carrying the shifter with'it. Ihe carriage 13 has movement in letter feed and return directions on the main fame. For this purpose, it is supported at its rear on a rail 32, and at its front carriesI a roll 33, by means of which it is supported on a rail 34 on the main frame. The machine shown is a frontvstrike machine; one of the type-bars being indicated at 35.

In the normal or lower-case position of the platen-frame. the latter is supported at its rear on a pair of posts 36, one at each side of the carriage, and carried by the side pieces 37 of the carriage. As shown in Figures l and 2, the side plates 12 of the platen-frame have outturned flanges 38. Secured to each of these flanges, by screws 39,

is a leaf-spring 40, which extends from itsV point of attachment forward, as at 41, and which. is then turned on itself at 42, and folded back over the corresponding post 36 on the carriage. As the platen-frame drops by gravity to lower-case position. the springs 40 engage the tops of the posts 36 and serve to vsupport the carriage on the posts. The springs 40 thus cushion the blow which the platen-frame would otherwise give the posts, and deaden the sound of such blows. The set of the leaf-springs is such that they are always under compression, with the parallel legs thereof tending to spread apart. This tendency of each spring is resisted, and the normal setting of thespring determined, by means of a pin 43, which projects under the lower free end of the spring, and which is carried by an ear 44 turned down from the forwardly-extending upper reach 4l of the sp1-mg.

The forward portion of the platen-il rame. in the lower-case position of the latter, is supported by the side pieces 37 of the carriage. For this purpose (see Figures 1 and 2), the side plates 12 of the platen-frame, at their frontl ends, have inturned anges 45. In the present invention, however, the lower edges of these flanges ldo not actually engage the carriage-pieces 37, but, in lower-case position, rest upon leaf-springs 46, secured by 'screws 47 to the carriage-pieces 37. These' springs extend from their point of attachment rearward along the carriage-pieces 37, and are then first turned forward, and then again rearward, in Z-shaped formation, terminating at their free ends 48 below thev flanges 45 of the platen-frame. Like the springs 40, the springs 46 are under compression. lins 49, overlying the upper reaches of the springs 46, determine the normal setting of the springs, and resist the expansion thereof beyond such normal setting. Vlhese pins` 4S) are carried by ears 50, turned up from the side edges of the lower reaches of the springs 46. As the platen-frame returns to lower-case position, the flanges 45 thereof engage the springs 46, and the latter, yielding downward, cushion the blow of such return movement. After the original yield of the springs 40 and 46, the same have a reflex action determined by the pins 43 and 49, so that the platen-frame assumes the normal position shown in Figure 1.

The throw of the platen-frame to uppercase position is determined by engagement of the upper edges of lugs 51, one on each side plate 12 of the platen-frame, with the free ends of springs 53. secured to the side pieces 37 of the carriage. The springs 53 are leaf-springs, which are folded, at 54, at their forward portions. and have two legs and 56. The upper leg 56 has its rearwardv free end turned down, at 57, to the upper surface of the lowerY leg 55, thus stiffening the free end 52 of the spring which receives the impact of the lug 51 on the platen-frame. The springs 53 are set into grooves 58 in blocks or lugs 59 on the carriage-pieces 37, and are held therein by the heads 60 of screws 61, which thread into the carriage side-pieces between the upper and lower legs of the springs. The grooves 58 are inclined downward and rearward. and, when the screws 61 are loosened, the springs may be shifted in either direction along the grooves to raise or lower .the free ends 52 of the springs, and thus to adjust the upper-case position of the platen-frame. As the platen-frame comes to upper-case position, the lugs 51 strike the ends 52 of the springs. and the latter yield to cushion the blow, thus deadening the sound, and then have a reflex action to the normal setting, which is the upper-case position of the platen-fran'le.

The shift-key-levers` as well as the other key-levers. are ordinarily guided in a combplate supported by the front corner-posts of the main frame. and are arrested in upper normal position by this plate, after operation thereof. As hereinbefore stated, a feature of the invention is the deadening of the noise of impact of the shift-leveren the comb-plate or other stop on return to normal posit-ion. This is accomplished by means of a spring 62, secured by a screw 3 I horizontal cross-section.

to the innerface of the corner-post casting 6l; the casting being ordinarily of L-shaped The spring may have a flange 55 thereon, turned over the edgey ofthe corner-post, to hold the spring against angular displacement. Belowv the screw 63, thel spring is turned rearward from the inner face of the corner-post,vand then forward, in the form of a U, terminating in a tip 66 in vertical' alignment with the upper edge of the shift-key-lever As the latter is thrown upward by the spring 31, or by the gravity return of the platenframe acting through the shifter and the lever-arm 26, the upper edge of' the shiftlever strikcs'the' tip 66 of the spring 62, and the lever is thereby cushioned and its normalV position determined. i

A further feature has been stated to be the provision of means for avoiding the. noise or rattle of the line-space pawl on the linespace ratchet-wheel during the return of the line-spacing mechanism t'o normal position. rlhe line-space mechanism shown in the drawings is that Aordinarily present in the Underwood standard typewriting machine. Briefly, it comprises a ratchet-wheel 67,- fast to, or adapted to be made fast to` the platenaxle 11. The teeth of the ratchet-wheel are engageable by the tooth 68 of a pawl 69, pivoted at 70 on a slide 71, mounted to have movement back and forth in a guideway on the left-hand plate 12 of the platen-frame.-

A coil-spring 72, connected at. its rear end, at 7 3, to the, slide 71, and, Iat its front end, at 74, to a lug on the platen-frame, returns the slide, with the pawl thereon, to normalposition. A bell-crank line-space lever, pivoted at on the platen-frame, for angular movement in a horizontal plane, hasom. arm 75l Vthereof in positionto engage a flange or offset 7 6 at the forward part of the slide,'toelfec-t rearward line-spacing movement of the slide with the pawl, and has the other arm 77 thereof extended forward, with a finger-piece 78 on theend thereof, for operation of the line-space mechanism. The spring 72 acts through the slide 7l to return the line-space lever to normal position after each line-'spacing operation. The pawl 6 9 tends by gravity tod-rop and rest upon the topy of the ratchet-wheel. This action is, however, made more `certain `by means of a leaf-spring 79, attached at one end to the platen side-plate, and bearing at its free end on thefupper edge of the pawl. In the return movement of the lslide with the' pawl to norma'lfposition, the pawl therefore rests upon, or isfpressed against, the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, and, as it passes over the teeth, it'cr'eates objectionable rattle or noise.

To avoid this noise, the pawl, at the outset ofits retuin movement, is lifted clear of the teeth y of the -ratchet-wheel bv 'the device shown in- Figure 4. This device consistsA of its vangular movement.

an arm 8() on a hub 81, journaled on a hub or boss 82 which forms the extended bearing of the platen-axle at the left-hand side plate 12 of the platen-frame. The arm 80, near the end thereof', has a cam-slot 83 therein; and into this cam-slot projects a pin 84 on the side face of the pawl 69 beyond the tooth 68 of the pawl; The shape ofthe slot is such as to guide the pawl 'down onto the ratchetwheel, or at least to permit the pawl to drop upon the ratchet-wheel,,when the pawl-slide starts rearward, but to cam the pawl up clear of the ratchet-wheel when the slide starts forward in its return movement. The hub 81 of 'the arm 80 is journaled for angular rearward and forward swing so as `to participate in the movements of the pawl-slide, and not to obstruct such movements. 1n order, however, that the camming, referred to, may take place, the pawl-slide, at the commencement of its movements rearward and forward, must have movement relative to the cam-arm in other words, at such times, the cam-arm 80 should be held against This temporary holding of the cam-arm is effected by means of a leaf-spring 85, riveted at 86 to the arm 80, and having its free end set into a groove or cut 87 which extends crosswise of the hub 81, through the latter, at such a depth as to permit the spring to bear upon the boss orhub '82 on the platen-frame, within the hub 81. The pressure of the spring 85 ever, been attained while the arm 80*- was held frictionally by the spring to the boss 82. The arm 80 being held by the Spring 85, as the pawl-slide starts forward to nor- Y mal position, the pin 84 'on the pawl rides up the slot 83 to lift the pawl-from the ratchet-wheel, whereupon, with" the pawl thuscl'eared of the ratchet-wheel, the arm 80 is rocked forward, holding the pawl in its elevated position. Upon rearward movement of the pawl, the slot 83 first guides the pawl into engagement with the teeth of` the ratchet-wheel, and then, upon further rearward movement of the pawl, the arm 80 is carried therewith in the line-spacing operation.

In order that, line-spacing movement of the platen having been effected, theplaten may be held against accidental displacement, a detent-device is ordinarily employed. vThis isshown as a roller 88, set into a voke 89 on an arm 90, pivoted at 91 to the side plate` of the platen-frame. A spring 92, bearing at one end against a pin 93 on the platen- Iratchet-wheel.

in the Underwood machine a cam-device consisting of an arm or plate 95, having a cam edge or surface 96 thereon for engagelnent with the roller 88 to throw the roller from the ratchet-wheel. lThe plate 95 is provided with a yoke or semi-circular bearing 97, by

means of which it may be journaled, for angular movement, on a hub 98 on the platenaxle. The arm or plate 95 carries a fingerpiece 99, by means of which it may be swung upward around the. axis of the platen as a center, to cause the cam-edge 96 to throw off the arm 90 and roller 88 against thc action of the spring 92. thrown by the finger-piece to the Figure 1 position, it permits the roller SS to be thrown by the spring 92 into cont-act with the teeth .of the ratchet-wheel.

The drawings indicate, in a general way, the mechanism, more fully shown and de- 3" scribed in U. S. Letters Patent to W. F.

Helmond, No. 1,150,366, dated August 17, 1915, vfor permitting adjustment of the j platen relatively to the ratchet-Wheel, for releasing the platen for such adjustment, and

for positively holding the platen in any adjnsted position. The ratchet-wheel 67 is fixed to the hub 98 of a clutch-member 100.

Another clutch-member, not shown, but shown in the Helmond patent referred to, is set Within the clutch-member 100, and is made fast to the platen-axle 11. The platen and its axle 11 turn freely with respect to the hub 98 of the clutch-member 100, and ratchet-wheel mounted thereon, until the inner clutch-member, not shown, is locked to the clutch-member 100. After such locking, therplaten may be rotated by meansb of the ratchet-wheel. When the clutch-members are unlocked, the platen and platen-axle may be turned by means of a hand-wheel 101 on the end of the platen-axle. As shown in the Helmond patent referred to, a locking device 102, movable longitudinally of the platen-axle, is employed for locking and unlocking the clutch-members.

As above stated, it vis upon the hub 98 of ,the clutch-member 100 that the yoke or Semicircular bearing 97 of the detent-release device or cam-plate 95 is journaled. The pressure of the spring 92, acting through. the detent-arm 90, on the periphery of the camplate may serve to hold the yoke or semicircular bearing 97 of the latter on the hub 98. vTo prevent vibration ofthe yoke 97 onto and off of the hub 98, and to avoid the Vhcn the cam-plate is* To prevent' play of the yoke the cani-plate 95. This spring is branched .f

t-o have prongs which extend along the branches ot' the yoke. These prongs or branches of the spring, as shown at 106, are hent\or bellied outward from the yoke intermediate their ends, so as to provide a bearing for the springs on the right-hand face of the clutch-member 100. The spring 101 heing thus compressed het een the cluteh-memlm- 10() and yoke 97, the latter is held by the spring in its extreme righthand position, against play longitudinally of lthe hub, and with the flange 103 of the yoke within the groove in the face of the ratchet-wheel. In this manner, the camplate 95 is held against vibration in any direction, and noise from this part of the mechanism is eliminated. The Spring will yield to permit the yoke to be slid leftward sullc-iently to clear the flange 103 of the ratchet-wheel, thus permitting removal of the cam-plate. Otherwise, as above noted, the spring. by holding the iiange 103 in the ratchet-wheel, provides positive interlocking of the ratchet-Wheel and cam-plate 95 to prevent vibration in the plane of the camplate.

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. I n a typewriting machine, a platen, a frame for the platen, a support for the platen-frame, means for shifting the platenframe between case posit-ions on its support, and a .spring-seat for the platen-frame on its support to cushion and sound-deaden the impact of the platen-frame against the support when the platen-frame is arrested 1n the'movement thereof from one to another case position; the spring-seat comprising a folded leaf-spring secured to the platenframe, and an abutment on the support for engagement with the free end of the leafspring, one reach of the leaf-spring having an ear 'thereon and a pin on the ear for engagement with the other reach of the leafspring to hold t-he sprimr partially compressed and to 'determine the normal setting of the platen-frame on its support.

2. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a

frame for the platen, a support for the platen-frame, means for shifting the platenframe between ease positions on its Support, and a lspring-seat for the platen-frame on its support to cushion and sound-deaden the iinloo pact of the platen-frame against the support when the platen-frame is arrested in the movement thereof from one to another case position; the spring-seat comprising a folded leaf-spring secured to the support, and

means for holding the leaf-spring partially compressed to determine the normal setting of the platen-frame on its support..

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frame therefor movable yinto upper and lower case-positions, a support for said frame, means for shifting sald frame between case-positions, a spring on said support to cushion and sound-deaden" the impact of said/ frame against said support, and means for holding said spring under partial compression 'to' determine lthe normal setting of said frame on said support.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frame therefor, a support for said frame, means for shifting said frame between case-positions, a folded leafspring on said support having a fiat contact portion to engage said frame for lsounddeadening the stoppage of said frame, and

means for engaging said spring adjacent,y

said flat contact portion to limit the expansion thereof anddetermine the normal setting of said franie on lsaid support.

, 5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frame therefor, a support for said frame, means for shifting said lone case-postion to another, a carriage for supporting said platen havingv a forwardlyextendingarm to limit` the movement .0f said flange, means for shifting said frame from one case-position to another, and a.

springA on -said arm for engaging 'said flange and cushioning and sound-deadening lthe impact-of said fiange on said arm.

I 7. In a y.typewriting machine, the combi' nation off-aplaten, a frame therefor having a. forward vertical flange and movable from one case-posltion to another, a carnage for lsupporting said platen having a forwardlyextending arm to limit the movement kof said flange, means for shifting said jframe.

from one case-position to another, a leafspring on said arm for engaging said flange and cushioning and sound-deadening the A impact of said flange 0n said arm, and

means for limiting the return'movementof l said spring after impact and thus determining the normal setting of said frame on the carriage.

@8. In -a typewriting machine, the.l conibination of a lplaten, a frame therefor having an inclined rearward flange and movable from one case-position to another, a carriage for supporting said frame having a post thereon adjacent said flange, a leafspring secured to said flange and folded to form parallel legs having a tendency to lsepara-te, one of said legs engaging said post for cushioning the stoppage of said frame l on its movement to a lower position, and means for limiting the spreading tendency of said legs and thereby determining the n ormal setting ofv said frame on said carriage.A

9. In a typewriting machine, comprising a mainframe and front corner posts, a

platen, a platen-frame shiftable from a lower'to an upper case position, `a key-lever vadjacent one of the front corner posts of the machine and depressible to shift the platen-frame to upper case position, means for returning the shift-leverto normal position, and a spring on the corner post adjacent the shift-lever for arresting the shiftlever in normal position the spring be-i ing a leaf-spring turned inward from the corner post and then .folded forwardand having its free end in alignment `with the upper edge of the shift-lever.

10. In a typewriting machine, comprising a main frame and front corner posts, a. platen, a platen-frame shiftable from a lower to an -upper case position, ya key-lever.

adjacent one' of thefront .corner osts of the machine and depressible. to s ift the platen-frame to upper case position, -means for lreturning the shift-lever to normal position, and a spring on the corner post adjacent the shift-lever for arresting the shift-lever in normal position, the spring having an offset engageable with the side' edge of the corner postte' prevent 'angular' displacement of the spring.

11. In a typewriting machine, lthe oom-` bination of a main framehaving front corner posts, a platen,a frame therefor shiftable intoV upper and lower case-positions, a

posts and depressible to shift .said frame to `key-lever adjacentone of said front. corner v upper case-position, aneafns for returning said shift-lever to normal position, and a' folded leaf-spring secured, to 'said corner postand having ya free end ih alignment withthe upper edge of the shiftlever for arresting it in normal position, said sprmg having also an offset engaged with the side edge of said post vfor preventing .angular displacement of said spring.

VALFRED G. F. KUROWSKI.

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