US1649325A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 15, 1927.

E. G. ROWLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed NOV. 50, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Niw. 3,1927. V 1' 1,649,325

' E. G. BOWLEY 7 TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov.- 30. 1923 shgets sheet 2 Nov; I5, 1927.

E. G. ROWLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 1923 4- Sheets-Sheet 3 I hue/77W":

Affa/ 2 Nov; 15, 1927.

E. G. ROWLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed NOV. 1923 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES EDWARD G. ROWLEY, OF BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOOD PATENT OFFICE.

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

myrnwnrrme MACHINE.

Application filed November 30, 1923. Serial No. 677,859.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, in which it has been proposed to mount on the case-shift frame the ribbon-vibrator and means for varying the means of 5 the ribbon-vibrator for printiil in different colors or for stenciling, an such varying means by a finger-piece, at the front of the machine, mounted on a stationary part of the machine and having an operative connection with such varying means irrespective of the position of the case-shift frame. Mechanism of this character is employed in the Underwood portable typewriter, uponwhich the present improvements are based.

A feature of the present invention consists in the provision of improved ribbon-vibrator-controlling means including a fingerpiece mounted on the case-shift frame and preferably positioned at the front thereof, to

- shift therewith,'for so controlling the ribbon-vibrator as to determine the color of the typing or to render the ribbon-vibrator ineffective when a stencil is to be prepared.

As herein illustrated, each of the usual character key-levers, upon depression, acts through suitable means, such as a tongue thereon, to rock a universal bar, and thereby swing forwardly at the rear of the machine an arm for actuating theescapementmechanism, In its forward movement this arm engages and rocks a bell-crank to shift to the left a link. connected to atog le having at one end a fixed pivot and pivoted at the other end to a lever for actuating a ribbonvibrator on the case-shift frame. The actuating lever for the ribbon-vibrator has no fixed fulcrum, and theaetion on the ribbonvibrator actuating lever is determined by means of a member rockableto extreme positions to cause projections at the opposite ends thereof to enter into either one of two openings in the ribbon-vibrator. actuating lever to vary the effect of the toggle, or to I an intermediate position to permit idle actuation of said lever. Heretofore the controlling memberhas been actuated by a finger-- piece mounted on a fixed part of the machine. According to the preferred form of the present invention the controlling mem? her isprovidedv with a forwardly-extendinlg arm so shaped as toavoidinterference wit to actuate its forward end with a fin er-piece adjacent the front of one of the rib on-spool cups on which are color indications to assist in prop- I erly positioning the finger-piece. It will be seen that the improved machine 1s efficient in action, and that the novel parts are simple in form, economical to manufacture, and conduce to-compact arrangement in the machine.

. Other features and "advantages will here- I inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

. Figure 1' is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the invention as applied to-an Underwood portable machine.

-Figure 2 is a detail view, partly in section, showing the mounting of the controller for the ribbon-vibrator-actuator means.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of so-much of the machine as is necessary for the purpose of illustration. Figure .4 is a fragmentary front elevation.

Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section,-showing the central stiffening member and its connection with other parts of the machine.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation, showing the line-lock or means for locking the keys when the carriage is checked by the left margin-stop.

Figure 7 is a detail front elevation, showing the means for selectively controlling the actuation ofthe ribbon-vibrator and the connection by which the silent key operates the ribbon-vibrator.

- Figure 8 is a top plan View of the device for selectively controlling the movement of the ribbon-vibrator.

Fi ure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing a deta'il'of the back-spacer mech anism. v

In the machine herein illustrated, t pekeys 11 are mounted on the forward en s of key-levers 12, having notched rear'ends engaging the lower edge of a vertical flange 13 of a transverse member 14, preferably 1n the form of an angle bar; the vertical flange 13 serving as a fulcrum for said key-levers and ha'vin notches in its lower edge to maintain t e proper spacing between the key-levers. The key-levers 12 may also be guided by a comb 15 at the front of. the machine. At its ends, the transverse member may be attached to frames 16 secured by suitable fastening means, such as screws 17, to a main frame.

The key-levers 12 are provided with downwardly-extending fingers 18 from which studs 19 project into slots 20 in forwardlyextending arms of bell-cranks 21 pivoted on a transverse member 22 also secured to said frames 16. Upon depression of a type-key 11 the corresponding bell-crank 21 acts through a link 23 to swing a type-bar 24 about its pivot 25 in a type-segment 26 also attached to the frames 16 to cause types 27 to strike against a platen 28 rotatably mounted in a letter-feeding carriage 29. Preferably the bell-cranks 21 are pivoted on a wire or rod 30, and the pivot 25 is a wire or rod on which all of the type-bars are mounted. The type-action herein described may be similar to that disclosed in the co-pending f iaqpplication of William A. Dobson, Serial;

0. 639,068, filed May 15,1923 (now Patent No. 1,564, 329, dated December 8,1925).

The carriage 29 is supported for movement transversely of the machine by means of a rear rail 31 on which runs a-roller 32, pivoted on the carriage, and a front rail 33 between which and the carriageare interposed rolls 34 and 35. Said rails 31 and 33 form part of a case-shift.frame 36 which is guided in its upward and downward movements by two sets of arms 37 and 38. The rear ends of said arms 37 are pivoted on standards 39 projecting upwardly from said frames 16,

v and the forward endsof these arms are converse member 14.

To shift the case-shift frame upwardly vfrom its normal position, provision may be made at each side of the machine of a shiftkey 47 on a lever 48 mounted at an intermediate point onv a pivot 49 carried by -a bracket 50 on the adjacent frame 16 andhaving at its rear end-a lateral rojection 51.

underlying the forward end v,o the adjacent arm 38. i

At each de ssion of a type-key 11 a tongue 52' on t e corresponding key-lever 12 depresses a universal bar 53 against the action of one or more springs 54. This bar 53 is moanted, on forwardly-extending arms Q55 of bell-cranks 56 fixed on a shaft 57 jour- 'naled in the frames 16. Fixed on the shaft the 57 is an arm 58 which actuates a dog-rocker 59 of an escapement mechanism, whichmay be similar to that disclosed in the patent to G. W. Campbell, No. 1,332,972, dated March '9, 1920, and causes a step-by-step movement of the carriage 29 in the letter-feeding direction.

For back-spacing the carriage provision may be made of a back-space key 60 on a lever 61. fulcrumed on the flange 13 in the:

same manner as the key-levers 12 and guided at its forward end by the comb 15. Preferably the back-space lever 61 is rovided near its front end with adepending nger 62 from which a stud 63 projects through a slot in the forward end of an intermediate lever 64 movable about a piv0t'65 in a bracket 66 attached to the cross-member 22. Upon depression of the key 60'the rear end of the lever 64 rocks a bell-crank 67 about a pivot 68 in abracket 69 on the cross-member 14, to actuate a link 70 and effect back-spacing by means which may be similar to-the mechanism disclosed in the patent to Lee S. Burridge, No. 1,297,085ydated March 11, 1919.

To give greater rigidity to the machine, provision may be made of a girder 71 for the same general purpose s the girder disclosed in the patent to Lee S. Burridge, No.

1,322,530, dated November 25, 1919. The

secured to the main frame, as by screws 72 girder'71-is centrally locatedand is suitably passing through the frame and threaded into lugs 73 on arms 74 at the rear end of the girder and 'assing on opposite sides of the shaft 43. e girder 71 passes through a notch in the flange 13 and at its lower edge is provided with a curved finger or book 75 to receive the shaft 57. The girder 71 is attached to the type-bar segment 26 by an angle member or plate 76, of which one flange is secured by suitable means. such as 1 screws 77, to the segment, and the otherflange is secured to lugs 78 offset in opposite directions from the 'rder, by suitable means, such as screws 79. e girder 71 is also provided with a depending finger 80 having a slot through which the rod 30 passes, and the extreme forward end of the girder extends beneath a t bar rest 80 and engages the same; i It wi I be evident that the girder 71. is soconnected with various parts as to prevent relative displacement thereof. I

Except when-stenciling is to be effected, each depression of a characterrkey 11 causes a ty 'ewriter ribbon 81 to be moved fr'om'an ine ective position to an effective position at 1printing point,'and.when, asillustrated mt e present case, I in ,for example. a black field 82 and a red fie d 83"is used-the movement of the ribbon is varied to present thefiesired color field at the printing point. For this purpose, the ribb0n'81 is threaded through eyes in the arms of a U-shaped ribbon-vibrator or cara'--.bichrome ribbon havprising also a lower arm 97 connected at its rier 84 mounted for up-and-down movement on a guide 85 secured by suitable means, such as screws 86, to a vertical bar 87, which may be unitary with the front rail. The lower part of the ribbon-vibrator is at the front of the guide 85, but the upwardly-extending arms 88 of the vibrator lie to the rear of arms 89 offset forwardly at the upper part of the guide, and are guided thereon by means of lugs 90 extending from the arms 88 of the vibrator 84 around the inner edges of the arms 89 of the guide. At its lower end, the vibrator 84 is guided for vertical movement by means of a stud 91 projecting from the vibrator into a vertical slot 92 in the guide 85.

The stud 91 also serves to connect the vibrator 84 with an actuating lever 93 connected at an intermediate point by a pivot 94 to an upper arm 95 of a toggle 96. comupper end by a pivot 98 to the arm 95, and

. connected by means of a'link 99 to one arm of a bell-crank 100 movable about a vertical made of a bracket 109 secured to one side of the character-key pivot 101 on a bracket 102 fixedon the trans-' verse member 14. The other arm of the bellcrank is in the path of the arm 58 and will be actuated thereby, againstthe resistance of a spring 103, upon each depression The lever 93 has no fixed fulcrum, but

I preferably is provided with two openings 104 and 105 spaced longitudinally thereof. and, by rocking a suitably shaped member 106 to insert the rightend 107 thereof into the opening 105 to the right, the movement of the ribbon-vibrator will be such as to place the black field 82 at the printing point, and, upon moving the left end 108 of the member 106 into the left opening 104, thered field will be made effective. It will be seen that if the rocking member 106 is in its intermediate position the lever 93 will be moved of the case-shift vframe 36 by suitablemeans, such as screws 110, passing through oppositely-extending lugs 1,111;- and' threaded into the side of the case-shift 'frame. Secured to the bracket 109 by suitable'mea'ns, such as screws 112, is a secondary bracket 113 having a horizontal flange 114 on which the member 106 is pivoted by means of a shouldered screw 115. The bracket is also provided with an inwardly and downwardly extending arm 116 carrying a pivot 11 for the lower end of the arm 97 of the toggle.

' In said application, Serial No. 669,447, the rocking member for varying the. actuation of the ribbon-vibrator is controlled by means of a. finger-piece mounted on the fixed frame and having such connections with the rocking member as to be effective thereon irrespective Jot the case-shift position of the case-shift frame. I According to the present invention, a finger-piece 118 for controlling the member 106 is mpunted on the shift frame, and preferably such mounting is effected by means of an arm 119 properly shaped to avoid interference with other parts and projecting-from the member 106' to the front of the frame 36, where it is provided with an upward extension 120 to sup port the finger-piece 118, provision being made of red and black color indications, 121 and 122 respectively, on an adjacent ribbonspool cup 123 preferably at the right of the case-shift frame 36. The color indications 121 and 122 are spaced apart, and the ribbonvibrator may be causedto present either color field at the printing point in accordance with the color indicatiorfopposite which the finger-piece is set, or the ribbon-vibrator may be silenced b setting the finger-piece opposite a' white eld 124 between the color indications 121and-122.

Preferably. the finger-piece 118 is yieldablyjdetained in one of its settings by means of a pin 125*projecting upwardly from the arm 119"and having its upper end shaped to 123 mounted at opposite sides of the shiftframe on brackets 129 and 130. In eachof said cups 123 is a ribbon-spool 131 mounted to rotate with a fine-toothed ratchet-wheel 132 by means of an eccentric pin 133 projecting from the ratchet-wheel into a corresponding opening in the spool, the spool being preferabl retained in position on said ratchetwhee "by a SCIGYV 134 threaded into a central spindle 135 fixed to said ratchet-wheeljand mounted in a frame or bracket 136 attached to the adjacent side of the case-shift frame mmediately beneath each ratchet-wheel 132 is an arm 137 mounted to turn about the axis of said spindle 135, and having an actuating pawl 138 connected thereto by a pivot 139 and'urged intoengagement with the ratchet-wheel by means of a spring 140, the ratchet-wheel also being engaged by a detent pawl 141 pivoted on the lower side of the adjacent bracket 130 and urged against the ratchet-wheel preferably by means. of a spring, not shown. To actuate the arm 137, provision maybe made of a pin 142 projecting.downwardly therefrom and into a slot 143 in a lateral projection at the upper end of a lever 144mounted on a pivot 145 on the inner side of the bracket or frame 136 and connected at its lower end by a link 146to an upright arm 147 of the adjacent bell-crank 56.

It will be seen that each spool-actuating device tends to draw the ribbon from the other, and it is necessary, therefore, to

render one of said devices inefiective when the other is effective. To this end, provision may be made for each of said devices of a plate 148 rotatable about the axis of the spindle 135 and having two cam portions 149 and 150 to throw ofl the pawls associated with the adjacent ratchet-Wheel, and a recess 151 between said cam portions to permit the detent pawl 14-1 to engage the ratchet-wheel when the actuating pawl 138 is efiective.

The plate is also provided with a forWardly-. extendin arm 152 to control the positionof the plate 148: The ribbon-feeding mechanism just described is in many respects similar to that disclosed in the patent to Lee S.

Burridge, No. 1,249,022, filed December 4, 1917, in which the forwardly-extending arms are connected by a linkto render the driving and detent pawls for one spool ineffectivewhen those of the other spool are efiective.

According'to the present invention, how ever, the connection between the cam plates ,148 is made at the rear of the cups 123. For this purpose provision may be made at each end of the machine of a lever 153 pivoted to turn about the axis of the spindle 135 and resting on the lower horizontal part of the bracket 136. The lever may be connected .with the cam-plate 148 by means of a pin 154 extending downwardly from the arm 152' of the cam-plate into an opening in the forward end of the lever 153, the lovers 153 at the opposite sides of the machine being connected at their rear ends by means of a link 155. For convenience in shifting the cam-plates. 148, one of .the levers- 153, preferably that at the left, is. extended forwardly and then upwardly to the front of the left spool cup 123, and is provided at its upper end with a suitable finger-piece 156 immediately at the front of the. cup. To detain the fingerpiece156 in either position in which it may be set, provision may be made of a pin 157 extending downwardly from the left-hand lever 153 to engage in one of two depressions 15 8 in a plate 159 secured to the bottom of the adjacent bracket 136. Obviously the arrangement just de-- v1sion may be made of a margin-stop 160 suitably positioned at a desired letter-space position on a rack-bar or margin-stop bar 161 slidably mounted by pin-and-slot connections 162'onbrackets 163 secured-to the back wall 164 of the case-shift frame 36. Mounted on the inner face of said back wall 164 is a" horizontal bar 165 preferably guided, at its left end, by means of a stud 166 fixed in the-back wall, and extendingthrough a slot 167 in the bar, and, at its right end, by means of an arm 168 extending through an opening-in the back wall to a point adjacent the right end of the margin stop bar-and connected therewith by means of a pivot 169. The bar 165 is also provided with an arm 170 extending forwardly and downwardly, and bothnbars, 161 and 165, are urged to the right by means of a spring 171 connected to said arm and to a pin 172 on said rear wall. The margin-stop 160 is provided with a lug 173 to be engaged by one end of a lever 174 mounted on a pivot 17 5 on the rear of the carriage 29, and pro-- videdat its other end with a finger-pieee 176 to shift the margin-stop-engaging end to ineflective position when desired.

- The portion of the key-locking mechanism, I

just described,,is in general similar to that disclosed in the patent to G. W. Campbell, No. 1,407,982, dated February'28, 1922. In thls patent the locking of the keys is illustrated as effected by moving an obstructing member into the path of theuniversal bar to which the esc'apement mechanism is actuated. According to the present invention, however, the locking of the character-keys is, effected by means of a bar or member 177 slidabl mounted on the transverse member 14', pre

extending through slots 179 in the bar and erably by means of shouldered screws 178 threaded into said transverse, member. Said bar 177 is normally held in its extreme right position b means of a spring 180 attached at. one en to a fixed part of the machine, and at the other end to the bar adjacent the left end thereof which normally lies immediately to the right of the path of the arm 58 through which the escapement mechanism is actuated. At the right the bar. 177 is provided with an arm 181, of which the end lies in the path of the arm 170., and upon movement of the marginrstop bar 161 to the left the left end of .the bar 17 7 will be moved into the path of the arm 58 to prevent the actuation of the universal bar 53 and consequently to' lock the character-keys 11. Release of the keys 11, when desired, may be effected by depressing the finger-piece 176. i

In order that marks, such as accents, may

187 also comprises an upwardly and for-- silent key 182, or one which may be operated without causing a this'end' provision'may be made of a link 184 connecting the upright arm of a bell;

crank- 185, for actuating the accent typebar, with an arm 186 of a bell-crank 187 pivoted, preferably by means of a shouldered screw 188, in a horizontal flange 189 extend ing rearwardly from the lower edge of the arm 116 of the bracket 109. The bell-crank wardly extending arm- 190, of which the end engages the toggle 96 at such a point that upon actuation of the silent key 182 the toggle 96 will be shifted from'its Figure 4 position to its Figure 7 position, thereby.

actuating'the ribbon-vibrator 84 1n accordance with the setting of the finger-piece 118'. Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements ma. be used without others. Having thus escribed my invention, I

j claim:

1. In a t pewriting machine, the combination of a pl to case-shift positions, a bichrome ribboncarrier on the shift frame, a ribbon-vibrator pivoted at one end to the ribbon-carrier, a bracket secured to the shift frame to support the opposite end of the ribbon-vibrator, means mounted uponthe bracket and 'en gageable with the ribbon-vibrator at different positions of its len h to determine the throw of the carrier rom a normal position, a toggle also mounted upon said bracket and connectible to the ribbon-carrier, a bell-crank mounted'u on a stationary part of the machine, a link connecting the bellcrank and operable to straighten the toggle, and ke actuated means operative to vibrate the bel -crank bon zone to the typing position.

' 2. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen,'aribbon-wibrator actuator ineluding a lever, an--' actuating toggle connected at one end to said lever, a bracketon which the. other end of the tog le is pivoted, a device mounted on said brac etfor varyin the fulcrum of said lever to vary the co or of the t ping, anda lever pivoted on said bracket or operating said toggle.

3. In a typewritmg machine,'in combination, a platen, esca'pement mechanism, a ribbon-vibrator actuator including a lever, an

letter-feeding step of the carriage 29. The silent key I 182 may be aten and a platen-frame shiftablebracket andconnectible to effect theshifting. of a rib-' end to said lever,,a bracket, on which the mounted on said bracketfor varying the fulcrum of said lever to'vary the color of escapement-actuated toggle'connected at one other end of the toggle is'pivoted, a device the-typing, and a lever: pivoted on said bracket for operating said toggle.

4. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, acarriage'therefor, a case-shift frame on the rear of which said carriage travels, ribbon-spool cups on said case-shift frame at the front and opposite sides thereof, a ribbon-vibrator on said' case-shift'frame, and means to vary the action of said ribbonvibrator, comprising-a member swingable about a vertical axis to cause one or the other of the color fields of a bichrome ribbon to be presented at the printing point or to an intermediate neutral position, an arm supported b said member and extending forwardlyeneath one of said cups, and a finger-piece extending upwardly from said. armto the front of. the cup, so that, when in neutralfposition, it will lie substantially in a plane passing through said vertical axis and the axis'of the cup.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination ofa platen, a ribbon-vibrator-actuator including a lever,

nected. at one end to said lever, a bra eton 6. In a t pewriting mach1ne,'the combina-- an actuating tog le con 5 which the other end of the toggle is pivoted, a device mounted on said brac st to vary the tion of a p aten-andaplaten-frame shiftable to. case-shift positions, -aj laiclirome' ribboncarrier on the shift frame, aribbon-vibratorlever pivoted at one end to the ribbon-carrier, a bracket secured to the carrier, a bell-or '11]; mounted upon a stationary art of gthemachme, the the toggle, and afkey-actuated universal bar including an arm operative to vibrate the bell-crank to effect a ribbon-shifting movement without limiting the throw'thereof.-

to v the vibratora link connecting ll-c'riink .and operable to straighten shiftframe to sup Y ort the opposite end of the ribbon-vibrator-' n the bracket and a normal 7. In a typewriting machine,- the combination of a to case-s ift mounted upon t vibrator-lever carried b and connected to said ri aten and a platen-frame shiftable h ositions', a ribbon-carrier e case-shift frame, a ribbonthe case-shift frame hon-carrier, a toggle on the shift frame and connected to the v1- brator lever, and a pivot carrier movable with the shift frame and swmgableat right for a. in'anualcontrol in swingingthe pivots angles to the plane of the vibrator lever and including spaced-off pivots engageable with said lever at difierent positions of its length to predetermine the typing zone of the ribbon presented to the'printmg position.

1 8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen and a platen-frame'shiftable to case-shift positions, a ribbon-carrier mounted upon. the case-shift frame, a ribbonvibrator-lever carried by the case-shift frame and connected to said ribbon-carrier, a-toggle on the shift-frame andoonnected to the viinto engagement with the vibrator.- lever. '9. In atypewriting machine, the combination of a platen including a ribbon-carrier and a ribbon-vibrator levena bracket supporting one end of said vibrator lever, n1eans mounted upon the bracket for varying the fulcrum of said leverto vary the color zone of the ribbon in typing, a key-actuated universal bar operable to vibrate the ribbonvibrator-lever, and a lever pivoted onsaid bracket to vibrate the ribbon independently ofthe universal bar for typing in either color zone.

10. In a typewriting machine, the comtination of a platen, a ribbon-carrier, a

ribbon-vibrator-lever, means for printing an accent-mark, a bracket supporting one end of said vibrator lever, means mounted upon the bracket for varying the fulcrum of said lever to vary the color zone of the ribbon in typing, a key-actuated universal bar operable to vibrate the ribbon-vibrator-1ever, a lever pivoted on said bracketto vibrate the ribbon independently of the universal bar for typing in either color zone, and a key operatively connected to said last-mentioned lever, the depression of said. key being effective to operate said printing means without actuating said universal bar.

EDWARD o. RoWLE

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