US1614472A - Power-operated typewriter - Google Patents

Description

- Jan. 18,1927. 1514,4 52 I O. A. HOKANSON POWER OPERATED TYPEWRITER Filed March 1, 1924 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 1/2 yen/o1 Jan. 18, 1927.-

0. A.' HOKANSON POWER OPERATED TYPEWRITER 2 Streets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1 1924 jm enfor Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,614,472 PATENT OFFICE.

.OTTO A. HOKANSON. 0F WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WOODSTOCK TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, 'OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

POWER-OPERATED TYIEWRITER;

Application filed March 1. 1924.

This invention relates to typewriting mechanism having a power device, such as an electric motor, for supplying the power to move the operating parts, and has for one of its objects the provision of a device of the class named which shall be of improved construction and operation, simple and economical to manufacture, and in which the operating mechanism is controlled by the usual keyboard, the keys of which require but a very light touch to control the power-operated mechanism.

Another'object is to provide means whereby the writing mechanism'may be operated entirely by the keyboard in the usual man- 'ner if desired.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. The invention is exemplified in the com bination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical fragmentary section of the operating mechanism of a typewriter having one embodiment of the present in vention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of a typewriter frame showing the driving motor and operating shafts;

Fig. 3 is a'horizontal section of a portion of the typewriter frame showing the control mechanism for the motor;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the interlocking mechanism for the typewriter keys; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of the operating mechanism for the switch shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, the numeral designates the frame of a typewriting machine 'having key levers 11 pivotedat 12in a manner similar to that of the Woodstock type r writer. A series of type bars 13 are pivoted at 14 and are provided with sub-levers 15 pivoted at 16 on the frame. Each of the sub-levers 15 is provided with a finger 17 disposed beneath a' pin 18 on the corresponding key lever 11.

A series of plates 19 are pivoted on a cross-rod 20 and each plate is provided with a slot 21 for receiving a stud 22 on the corresponding key lever 11. Each of the sub- Serial No. 696,113. 7

levers 15 has an actuator 23 pivoted at 24 thereto and provided with a hook 25 arranged to engage teeth 26 on a rotary driver 27. The driver 27 comprises a cylinder extending transversely of the frame 10 and journ-aled in the opposite sides thereof. The teeth 26 extend longitudinally of the cylinder 27. At one side ofthe frame 10 the cylinder 27 is provided with a beveled pinion 28 which meshes with a pinion 29 on a shaft 30 journaled at 31 and 32 in brackets projecting from the typewriter frame.

A motor 33 is mounted on the rear of the typewriter frame and provided with a worm 34 which meshes with a worm gear 35 on the shaft 30. Means is thus provided for continuously driving the cylinder 27 when the motor is operated. The operation of the motor is controlled by a switch '36 to which one of the lead wires 37 from the motor is connected. The switch 36 engages a contact member 38 connected with another lead 39 through which the circuit of the electric motor is continued from the switch 36;

A bar 40 is slidably mounted adjacent the I 1 gaging the switch 36 to open the motor cir cuit. At its forward end the rod 40 is pivotally connected at 42 toan angular plate 43 pivotally supported at 44 on the side .of the frame. A link 45 is also pivoted at 42 to the plate 43 and is supported at its forward end by a spring 46.- The link 45 is provided with a slot 47 through which a screw 48 passes to provide connection with a hanger 49 pivotally supported from the side frame. A similar hanger 50 is pivoted at 51 on the opposite side of the side frame and the two hangers 49 and 50 are connected by a'transverse bar 52.

A stud shaft 53 is journaled in the frame 10 and is provided with a crank 54 and an eccentric pin 55. The pin 55 engages a notch in the upper edge of the link 45 so that when the stud shaft 53 is oscillated the link 45 will be moved in a longitudinal direction.

.The notch in the upper edge of the link is the bar 40 will be shifted rearwardly to back to back to the angle bar 56 and the lower flange of the bar 59 is provided with a series of slots to receive the actuators 23. The upper flange of the bar 59 is likewise provided with a series of slots to receive a series of tappets 60, there being one tappet for each key lever and its corresponding actuator, the tappets being pivoted at 61 to the lower ends of the plates 19 and being rovided with contact heads 62 for engaginglpins 63 on the actuators 23.

ach of the actuators 23 is provided with a spring 64 supported bythe angle bar 56 for holding the actuator in retracted position away from the driver 27. The lower edges of the actuators 23 are provided with cam faces 65 arranged to engage a roller 66 on a shaft 67 which is supported transversely of the machine by a pair of arms 68 each pivotally mounted at 69 on opposite sides of the machine frame. The arms 69 are provided with fingers 70 for engaging eccentrics 71 ona transverse shaft 72. The shaft 7 2 is provided at one end with a crank 73 having a spring pin 74 for engaging openings ina retainer plate 7 5. The pin 74 is operated by a fingerpiece 76 so that the crank may be turned to various angular positions .and retained therein by the pin 74. This rotation of the shaft 72 will move the roller 66 toward and away from the cam face 65.

It will now be apparent that when a key lever 11 is depressed a slight distance the corresponding actuator 23 will be moved by the tappet 60 into the path of the teeth 26. Contact with theteeth 26 will move the actuator 23 in a longitudinal direction and thus operate the sub-lever 15 and the corresponding type bar 13. Sutiicient clearance is provided to permit operation of the sub-lever 15 independently of the key lever 11 after engagement of the actuator 23 with the teeth 26. It will be noted that the pin 18 on the Sub-lever contacts with the top of the finger 17, but'the finger is free to move downwardly independently of the pin. The movement of the actuator 23 will cause the cam face 65 to engage the roller 66 and force the actuator out of mesh with the teeth 26. The position of the roller 66 may be regulated by the shaft 72 to control the force with which the type bars strike. The teeth 26 will be retained in mesh with the actuator for only a portion of the movement of the type bars and the remaining movement will be effected by the momentum of the moving parts.

Prior to contact between the cam face 65' and the roller 66 the pin 63 will move past the lower end of the tappet 60 leaving the actuator 23 free to move upwardly out of contact; with the teeth 26. As soon as the "actuator is released from the driving teeth it will be retracted by the Spring 64 and will be drawn against the lower edge of the tappet 60 in the rear of the contact portion 62. It will be noted that the lower edge of the contact portion'is bevelecbsothat upon release of the key lever the beveled portion will ride over the pin 63 into position to reengage the pin when the key is again depressed. i

As shown in Fig. 4, the transverse bar 52 is slotted at its upper edge to provide a comb to receive the key levers 11. The lat eral face of the-bar 52 is also recessed to provide space for a series of tumblers 77 seated. in notches 78 and enlarged at their upper ends to intercept the downward movement of the key levers 11. Adjustable stops 79 are provided at each end of the bar 52 for re ulating the space between the tumblers 77 so as topermit downward movement of but a single key lever at one time. In the drawings the key levers are shown as provided with contactwedges 80 for passing between the tumblers 77, but it will be -un.- derstood that these special contact wedges are not essential and that the clearance between thetumblers 77 may be regulated to accommodate merely the thickness of the key lever stock. This arrangement makes it impossible to depress more than one key lever at a given time a sufiicient distance to cause its corresponding actuator to engage the driving cylinder. type bars is thus prevented.

A cover plate 81 is provided for the recess 77 and the upper edge of this cover plate forms a stop for thekey levers 11 so that only sufiicient movement of the key levers'is permitted to selectively engage the actuators 23 with the driver.- The cross-bar 52 is slotted much more deeply than the top of the plate 81. It will be apparent that when the crank 54 is drawn forwardly to open the switch 36 the cross-bar 52 will be moved rearwardly, as previously stated. This will.

bring the upper edge of the plate 81 out of registration with the contact wedges 80 so that the key levers are free to move downwardly for their full range of movement. This will permit sufiicient actuation of the key levers to operate the type bars by hand in the usual manner. At thesame time that the plate 81 is moved rearwardly the angular plates 43 will also be swung rearwardly and upwardly, thus lifting the transverse angle bar 59 and the tappets 60 so that they will 'be raised out of operative relation with' the actuators 23. Thus at the same time that the electric switch is opened, the power mech- Interference between the fee anism will be automatically disconnected and the machine will be set for manual operation.

During manual Operation the key levers will be returned to their initial position by the usual springs 82 and the type bars will u be restored after each .stroke by the spring (5st in the same manner as during power oporation. The tappets 60, will, however, be maintained out of operative relation with the actuators 23 so that the actuators will not be causedto engage the teeth 26. It is apparent that such engagement would interfere with manual operation.

The movement of the cross-bar 52 is sufficient to bring the plate 81 out of registration with the wedges 80, but does not move the tumblers 77 suflicient to bring them out of the path of the wedges. It will thus be seen that the interlocking mechanism for the key levers is effective both for power. and hand operation. Since no two key leverscan be depressed at one t me the operator may rest his fingers uniformly upon the keyboard without causing move ment of any of the keys. This is an advantage in case the operator wishes to rest his hands and fingers fora short time as they may be dropped upon the keyboard without causing movement of the type bars either during hand operation or power operation.

While the presen tsinvention is illustrated by the embodi'ments shown and described herein, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended cla ms.

I claim:

1.. The combination with a typewriter having type bars, of an electric motor for operating said type bars, a switch for controlling said motor, a plurality of key levers adapted to operate said type bars independently of said motor, said switch being operable inde pendently of said key levers, and means for preventing operation of said type bars by said key levers when sa d switch is closed.

2. The combination with a typewriter having type bars, of a motor for driving said type bars, a switch for controllingsaid motor, a plurality of key levers adapted to operate said type bars, a stop for said key levers for preventing operation of said type bars by sa d key levers, and means for interconneeting said stop with said switch to move said stop out of operative relation with said key levers when said switch is opened and to bring said stop into operative relation with said key levers when said switch is closed. r

3. The combination with a typewriter, of

I power mechanism for driving said typewriter, a plurality of key levers, an electric switch operable independently of said'key levers for controlling said power mechanism, a plurality of key levers, a locking device for limiting the movement of said key levers,

means operable by said key levers during the limited movement thereof tor operatively connecting said power mechanlsm with said typewriter, sa d locking device being movable to a position to permit a greater movement of said key levers for operating said typewriter independently. ofsald power mechanism, andmeans for interconnecting said switch and locking device to prevent actuation of said typewriter bysaid key levers when said switch is closed.

l. The'combination with a type bar, of a sub-lever fpr operating said type bar, a key lever for operating said sub-lever, contact members on said key lever and sub-lever for actuating said sub-lever when said key lever is depressed but permitting movement of said sub-lever to actuate said type bar independent of said key'lever, an actuatorfor said sub-lever, a continuously operating driver, means operable by a limited movement of said key lever for causing said actuator to engage said driver and move said sub-lever independently of said key lever, and a spring connected with said actuator tor returning said sub-lever to normal po sition independently of said key lever.

5. In a typewriter, a continuously operating driver, a plurality of type bars, actuators for said type bars, key levers, tappets controlled by said key levers for moving said actuators into operative relation with said driver, and means for moving said tappets out of operative relation with said actuators.

(3. In a typewriter, a plurality of type bars, a power-operated driver, actuators for connecting said type bars with said driver, a plurality of key levers one for each type bar, tappets connected with said key levers and operated thereby and for selectively connecting said actuators with said driver, a common guide device for said tappets, and means for shifting said guide device to move said tappets out of operative relation with said actuators.

7. In a typewriter, a plurality of type bars, a power-operated driver, actuators for said ty 'e'bars, key levers, means for limiting the movement of said key levers, tappets operated by said key levers during the limited movement thereof for selectively engaging said actuators with said driver, a guide bar for said tappets, and means for simultaneously shifting said guide bar and said l miting means for moving said tappets out of operative relation with said actuators and for moving said :limiting means out of operative relation with said key levers .to permit a greater range of movement of said key levers for operating said type bars independently of said driver.

8. In a typewriter, a plurality of type bars, a power-operated driver, actuators for said type bar arranged to engage said driver, tappets for controlling said actuators,

key levers for operating said tappets, a. stop for limiting the movement of said key levers, a guide bar having slots therein for -said actuators and tappets, a movable sup- 9.-In a typewriter, a plurality of key levers. a slotted bar forming a comb for guiding said key levers, pro ect1ons on sand key levers movable in the slots in said comb,

and means for, shifting said comb to vary the relation thereof with said projections, said comb having means thereon for mtercepting said pro ections when said comb is in one position but disposed out of the path of said projections when said comb is in another. position.

. 10. A typewriter comprising a plurality of key levers having downwardly extending projections thereon, a barhaving slots therein forming a comb in which said projections are guided, a stop connected with said comb for engaging said pro ections to limitthe movement of said key levers, and means for shifting said comb to bring said stop out of registration with said projections.

11,. In a typewriter, a plurality of key levers, a slotted bar forming a comb for guiding said key levers, a pivotal support for said comb, a stop on said comb for limit ing the movement of said key levers, a link having a pin and slot connection withsaid comb, a lever having a pin and slot con vnection with said link for shifting said comb and stop relative to 'said key levers, and a spring for holding said link in operative relation with said lever.

12. A'typewriter comprising a plurality of type bars, key levers for actuating said type bars, a power-operated driver, actuators for said key levers, tappets operatedby said key levers for moving said actuators into contact with said driver,- a guide bar for said tappets, a swinging support for said guide bar, a stop for limiting the movement of said key lever, a swinging sup- )ort for said sto a link connectin said 1 P z:

swinging supports, and means tor shifting.

said link to simultaneously bring said tappets out of operative relation with said actuators and to bring said stop out of op-f erative relation with said key levers.

'13. A typewriter having a pluralityof 1 key levers, of a motor drive for said typefor causing operation of said typewriter by said motor drive, a stop for limiting the movement of said key levers, and interlocking mechanism to preventmovement of more than one of said key levels at a given time, said stop being movable to an inoperative position to permita larger range of movement of said key levers, said interlocking mechanism remaining inoperative relation with said key levers when said stop is so moved.

14;. A typewriter comprising a plurality of key levers a power driven device for operating said typewriter, means controlled by said key levers for operatively connecting said typewriter with said power driven device, a stop for limiting the movement of said key levers, tumblers 'for preventing operation of more than one of said key levers at a given time, and means for moving said step to permit a larger range of movement of said key lev'ers for hand operation of said typewriter, said tumblers remaining in operative relation with said key levers during said greater range of movement.

, 15In a typewriter, motor driven mechanism, a plurality of'type bars, ke levers, a'device to stop the key .levers so tiat they cannot be moved beyond a given position adaptable to the operation of the motor driven mechanism, interlocking means associated with said stop device for allowing no more than a single key lever to be depressed at one time,and means for moving said sto'p device and interlocking means intoa new position adaptable to manual op erati-on of the type bars, in which new position said stop device permits the key levers to move farther and said interlocking means permits "only one key to operate at a time.

16. The combination with a typewriter having a plurality of key levers, of a mo ots tor driven device 'for actuating said typewriter, means controlled by a limited movement of said key levers for causing actuation of said typewriter by said power driven device, a 'stop for limiting the movement of said keylevers, means for preventing simul- OTTO A. HOKANSON.

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