US1652988A - Writing machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13,- 192 7.

K. A. SUNDQ UIST WRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24. 19 25 3 Sheets-Sheet l V 10; 11 frallx dlldytdzf L V 1 BY j HFQTTORNEY Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,988

K. A. SUNDQUIST WRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet ,2

v i Y v 1+. :1 ATTORNEY Dec. 1 1927. 1,652,988

K. A. SUNDQUIST WRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24 1925 :s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR fig 7 Karlflflandyaelsl ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UITE

KARL A. snnnenisr, or BRIDGE-PORT, CONNECTICUT; MAGDA E; NELSONJADMINISIJ TRATRIX or SAID KARL A. sonnenrsr, nncnasiinyessieivon T0 JOHAN' 0. I

sonnenrsr, or LULEA, SWEDEN.

WRITING MACHINE.

Application filetl November 24, 1925 Serial No. 71,264.

This invention relates to a writing 'or drawing machine for advertising purposes, and the broad object-of the invention is to provide a writing or drawing machine which will include a plate having a master groove, a groove follower and means for propelling the follower along the groove of the master plate, and a stylus adapted to travel with the groove follower to reproduce its movements.

A more specific ObjCUtis to provide novel, improved and efficient means forpositively propelling the follower alongthe master plate groove.

Afurther specific object is to. provide a writing machine as stated, which will include mechanism whereby a plurality of master plates can be successively fed to and from a station or location in the machine to receive the follower. I v I A further specific'object is to provide mechanism whereby the machine can have any desired number of'plates the feed of each which is separately and automatically controlled,v each plate being adapted to be fed to a station or location in the machine to receive the groovefollower, to be fed from said station or location. to make room for a succeeding plate when the follower shall have completedits traverse of a inasterplate at said station or location, and to be fed to a position in the machineready to be rte-presented to said station or location in its regular order of succession.

A'- further-specific object is to provide in the maohinean endless curtain or belt adapt ed to serve as a writing surface, and to provide means for'adva-ncing said writing surfa e at predetermined intervals.

in the machine means whereby saidwriting surface can be advanced a. plurality ofstcps instead of a single step, and wh'erebv' there can be feeding of a plurality of plates past the follower receiving station or'location atthe completion, of the traverse by the follower of the groove of a plate, instead of the feeding 'of a single master plate from'said station or location. I

With the above objects in view, as well as others which will appear as the specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as now to be fully described and as hereinafter to be specifically claimed, it being understood that the disclosureherein is merely illustrative and meant in no way in a limiting sense, changes in details of, constructionand arrangement of partsbeing permissible so long as within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forminga part of this specification, y 7 i Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, partly in section, of a machine in which the features of the invention are incorporated;

Fig.2 is a vertical sectional view thereof,

as on line 2-42 in Fig.1; l

Fig. 3 s an enlargeclsectional view detailing smea plate, a groove follower,

means for propelling the follower alongtlie groove of the master plate, a stylus, and-an operative connection between the stylus and the follower and its propelling means;

Fig. 4 iswa diagrammatic'view detailing 31 the manner in which the follower propelling means functions; Fig. 5 isa fragmentary elevational view of a. modified form of follower propelling means; 1 i

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, after the fashion of Fig. 3, :detailing a master plate,v a groove followenand the follower propel ling'meansofIFig. 5; and 1 plateand meanswhereby the writing surface could be advanced a plurality'of steps and a plurality of plates could be fed. past the follower receiving. station or location at,

. Fig; 7 is anelevational viewlof'a master the completion of the'traverse by the foly 1 lower of thegrooveof a master plate." And further specific ob ects are to provide With respect to the drawing and the numerals of reference thereon, 1O denotesa rectangular frame consisting of'a base 11,

side walls12, rear wall 13, top wall 1 and:

front wall 15 having acut-out portion 16. The portion of the front wall 15 below the cut-out portion'flti 'isin advance of the remainder of said frontwalhand at the locavtion, denoted. 17, of the lower edge of the c ut out 16 said frontwall isof extra thick- Numeral 19 denotes a vertical, front guide member secured to the top and extending transversely of the frame, the guide'member 19 being desirably situated in the frame in about the manner as dis;

closed in" Figs. 1 and 2, the side edges 21 of said member terminating in spaced relationto the side walls 12, and the lower portion 22 thereof being curved slightly rearwardly and terminating in spaced relation vto the'base 11 of the frame.

' Numeral 23 represents a rear guide member secured to the side walls 12 of the frame in any suitable manner, as by the crosspieces 24, and also extending transversely of the frame, the guide'member 23 being de- 7 sirably of about the width of the guide member '19 and being situated directly back i i of said member 19. The upper portion 25 of the guide member 23 is spaced from the guide member 19, is preferably vertical, and terminates in spaced relation to the top wall 14 of the frame. Thevertical portion 25 merges in an oblique portion 26 extending downwardly andtoward the guide member 19, and the oblique portion terminates in a vertical portion 27 parallel with and closely adjacent to the guide member 19. The

I lower end 28 of the guide member 23 desir- Jably terminates a trifle short of the lower end of the guide member 19. See Fig. 2. The guide member 19 and the vertical, upper'portion 25 of the guide member 23 provide a storage space 29 for plates 30 each having a master groove 31, the guide member 19 and the oblique portion 26 of the guide member 23 provide a chute 32 into which the masterplates are adapted to drop one at atime from'saidstorage space, and the guide member 19 and the vertical, lower'portion 27] of the guide member 23 pr'o'videa way 33 into which each master plate is adapted to pass from the chute 32.

' 'Mechanism is provided for retaining a pluralityof master plates 30 in the storage space 29 and for retaining a. single master plate in the way 33 at astation or location .34; where a groove follower can enter the groove 31 of said plate in a manner to be explained. The mechanism for so retaining the plurality of plates and thesingle platev includes interconnected devices adapted to at predetermined intervals release a plate at said station or location 34 toallow the I same to move by, gravity out of the way 33,

and to'simultaneously release a plate in said storage space 29 to allow the same to pass to said station or location.

' 3 Of the master plate retaining and releas- Wall 14as at 20 and 38' at the left hand side of Fig. 1 (not shown) are similarly secured. Each spindle 37 and 40 has fixed to it an arm, denoted 41 and 42, respectively, and the arms 41 and 42 at each side of the machine are pivotally connected by a link 43. Each spindle 37 has fixed to it a suitable escapement pinion 44, theteeth of the pinion being desirably spaced at equal distances apart, and each spindle 40 has fixed to it a similar escapementpinion 45. A 'cylinderical s'urface746 integral with the pinion 45' has depressions 47, there desirably being a depression 47 in alignment with each pinion tooth. See Figs. 1 and 2. The teeth of thepinions 44 are adapted to support the master plates'in the storage space 29, and the teeth ofthe pinions 45 are adapted to support each master plate at the station or location 34, and to this end each master plate is provided with a pin 48 in the center of each of its opposite side edges, which pins are adapted to rest upon the opposed pinion teeth in the manner very clearly disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown moreclearly in Fig. 2, the upper and lower ends of the master plates in the storage space 29 are adapted to engage the portion 25 of [the guide member 23'and the guide member 19, respectively, while a tooth of each of the opposed pinions 44 is engaged by the pins 48, of the bottom master'plate in said storage space to thus support all of the plates in oblique position in the storage space. 49 are U-shaped brackets secured to the portion 27 "of the guide member 23 at a locationbeneath cured to a side wall 12. The brackets 35 the depression 47. A rod 50 slidable in the V arms of each U-shaped bracket 49 has its upper end spring pressed into a depression 47 as by a coil spring 51 upon the rod and between the legs of the bracket, and has upon its lower end ahead 52. Clearly, the rods50 thus lock the spindles 37 and 40 which have the escapement pinions'44 and 45 against rotation and thus make. the teeth of the pinion stationary. 53'is a bracket secured as at 54upon the lower end of the rear guide member 23 and having a'bearing 55 for a spindle 56. A. lever 57 fixed upon the spindle 56 is situated in front of'the' guide member 19 to be actuated by, the. groove follower in a manner to be explained. arm 58 fixed upon said spindle 56 is adapted to engage the head 52 of the rod 50 at the" right in Fig. 1 when said lever is so actuated to depress said rod and thus remove its upper end from a'depression' 47., An arn'i 59 fixed upon said spindle 56 isadapted to simultaneously actuate a long link 60 extending transversely of the frame and pivoted to a lever 61 itself pivoted as at 62 to apart of the frame and having an upper portion 63 adapted to engage thehead 52 of the rod at the left in Fig. 1 when said lever 57 is actuated in the manner briefly stated to depress said rod andthus similarly remove itsupper end from a depression 47. Clearly, immediately upon the release of said rods 50 from the depression 47, the weight of the plate at the station or location 34 and the weight of the plates in the storage space 29 causes the escapement pinions it and 45 to be rotated as a unit. The arrangement is such that immediately after the rods 50 are removed from the depressions'e7,'the lever 57 is returned, in a manner to be made clear, to its position releasing the heads 52 of said rods, so that the springs 51 can act and said rods can enter-the next adjacent depressions 47 andthus again lock the pinions as before. Clearly, a quarter-return of the escapement pinionst and 4:5 releases the master plate from the station or location 34 and releases a single plate only from the bottom ofthe storagespace29, which released plate falls immediately to the station or location 3% where it is retained by the pinions d5 in the manner as already stated until the lever 57 is a ain actuated.

lVfechanism isprovided for carrying the a 7 master plates which have been moved by gravity out of the way 33 back to the storage space 29, this mechanism being adapted to v deposit each plate as returned to the storage space directlyon top of plates at the time in said storage space and so positioned that the master groove of each plate will be at the side of the way 33 adjacent the groove follower when the plate again reaches the station'or location 34 in its regular succession through the machine. I

Numeral 64: indicates a'eonveyor belt for the master plates which is upon the upper idler roll 65 mounted upon shaft 66 in the frame side Walls 12 and the lower driven roll 67 fixed upon the shaft 68 also mounted in the frame side walls. .The lower portion 69 of the conveyor belt is directly below the way 33 and is preferably almost horizontal, and curved guides 70 secured as at 72 upon a member .71 attached to the base 11 cause said conveyor belt to curve upwardly and rearwardly as indicated at 73, the upwardly and rearwardly curved part of said belt merging in a vertical part 7 l 7 5 is-a motor having a driven shaft 76v with bevel gear 77 engaging a bevel gear 7 8 fixed upon a shaft 7 9 mounted in any suitable manner in the frame. A small sprocket 8O fixed upon said shaft '1' 9 carries a chain 81 which rides over a small sprocket 82 fixed upon the shaft 68 to continuously rotate the roll 67 to drive the conveyor belt in the direction'of the arrows as shown in Fig. 2. -83 denotes rows of' hooks extending transversely upon the conveyor belt. V

7 I vVhen amaster plate is'released from the 7 wa 83 it falls to'the conveyor belt in about the fashionas disclosed'in Fig-i the r wardly curved portion 22 of the front .guule member 19 insuring that the lower or fore ward end of the plate Wlll rest'upon the conveyor belt between its curved guides 70.

Now as the conveyor belt advances, the lower or forward end of said plate s advanced with it, and the plate is thus caused to move to and past the oblique position'as in Fig.

of the upwardly conveyed plates, the stripper being adapted to push each plate from the books 83 of t is conveyor belt as the same advances and cause the plate to enter the storage space 29 in the manner very clearly 7 disclosed at the upper portion-of FigfQ, it being apparent that the platewill be do posited directly on top ofothervplates in the storagespace and positioned so that its master groove will come at the front side of the way 33' when the plate nextreaches the-station or location S L.

There is in the machinea groove-follower -86 and means for propelling the follower along the master groove 31 of a plate 30, the structure of the groove follower and its propelling means being more clearly, disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4Q Numerals 87 and 88 indicate, respectively,-

upper and lowercross-rods which. extend the width of the machineand are supported upon the side walls thereofas indicated at 89. 90 isa follower carrier which may in ends of which are fixcdto avyoke 92 slidablc along the-cross-rocl 87 and theclower; ends of which arefixed to a similar yoke 98 slidable along the cross-rod 88, the rods 91 and f the yoke's92and 93 alltogether, comprising.

a unit freely movable transversely of said frame, and the cross-rods 87 and 88 together comprislng a carnagefor' said unit." The.

'clude parallel, verticalqrods 91 the upper follower carrier also includes a block 9-4:

mounted upon said rods 91 to: be freely movable vertically; thereon. As disclosed more clearlyin' Fig. the block 945 has associated with it a portion of the follower propelling means. Of-this means, 95 is a i a cylindrical 'member rotatably arranged in.

said block and having a cavityi96 i i-one of its end portions which receives the groove follower 86. A "coil spring 97 in said cavityand engaging a head 98 upon thefollower tends to press the same outwardly away Y i om the member 95, and a pin 99 upon the follower head and entering an elongated slot 100 in the member95 fixes the follower against turning movement-1n said member. The memberflfi' hasa bell crank lever 101 pivoted upon its other endportion and fixed against turning movement relatively to said member. A leaf spring 102 is fixed to-ono armof the bell cranl; lever as at 103 and extends in angular direction from the 1nember 95'and follower 86, the free end 104% of said spring 102 being adapted to engage under spring tension a comparatively s. J

face of a suitable vertical thrust wall 105 fixed in any suitable manner upon the frame V and preferably in front of and parallel. with r of breadth slightly greater than the 'groove- See Fig. 4-.

the guide member 19.

The groove follower 86 has an outer end portion 106 adaptedio ride in the ma er groove 31, said ont'crend portion being of thickness to nicely enter the groove andbeing thewidth of The leaf spring '102is in theplane of the breadth of said outer end portion. it will be evident that the groove follower 86 would follow a groove to pass a location where the groove follower crossed a diiferent groove or a different partof the same groove.

A rotatable pulley 107 is mounted upon the member 95 between the block 94 and the arm 108 of'the bell crank lever opposite that "having the spring 102, and said pulley is provided with a hump or protuberance 109 adapted to strike the arm 108 once for eachrotation ofsaid pulley 107 to'flex the leaf spring 102 and cause it to be thrust against the wall 105. The arrangement is such that the free end 104 (which maybe pointed) firmly grips the wall 105 duringthe thrusting action against the wall produced by the striking of the protuberance 109' with the arm 108, to frictionally resist Li-tendency of the spring 102, together with the elements as sociated, with the spring, to move in the direction of the thrust; that is to say, to move bac-kwardly, in the direction away from the spring and its free end. Naturally, there is, a reaction of the spring directly after it is v flexed and thrust against the wall 105, and i the reaction tendsto move the spring forwardly, in the opposite direction. As disclosed in Fig. 3, the engagement of the free end 104 of the-spring 102 with the surface ofthe'wall 105 is such that the wall will not resist this reactionary thrust, and the spring will jump ahead a little, and its free end will again engage the surface of the wall 105- before immediately at the conclusion of the spring reaction. Evidently, the elements as sociated' with the spring 102 move ahead with it, and continuousrotation of the pulley 107 causes the follower 86 to intermittently move ahead in the master groove, in

quick, short steps or jumps, much after the style with which the ordinary individual causes-a pen or pencil to advance while writing. It is to be understood that the spring 102 desirably normally engages the wall 105 with suflicient spring pressure to insure that the block 94 will he supported against grav-.

ity at any of its working locations regardless upon the cross-rods 87 and 88. The direc tion of movement of the follower is dependent only upon the direction of the groove which it follows, and the leaf spring 102 always extends in rearward direction with respect to the movement of the follower, said follower and leaf spring being fixed against turning movement relatively to the member 95, which member 'from' time to time rotates in the block 9 1, an amount depending upon the curvature of a particular groove 31 in which the follower rides.

In Figs. 5 and 61 have disclosed a follower propelling means of slightly modified construction. Here the pulley 107 has an arm 110 of irregular shape fixed toits outer surface, asat 111, adjacent its periphery. The arm includes a loop 112 bent about the leaf spring 102' secured directly to the member as at 103, and there is a weight 113 upon the end of the arm. Rotation of the pulley 107 causes the weight 113 to revolve about the leaf spring 102' and the centrifugal force produced causes thrusts to'be exerted against the leaf spring. As before, thrusts flexing the spring are resisted by the surface of the wall and the reaction of the spring forces the follower ahead. In the present form of the invention the centrifuunit including the yokes 92 and ,93 to move gal force exerted in direction opposite that.

tending to flex the spring aids the feeding. of the follower ahead, as will be clear. The

remainder of'the follower propelling means of F 5 and- 6 may be as described in con nection with the preferred form of the invention. i The pulleys 107 and'107 maybe continuously rotated in any convenient manner. As disclosed, 114 indicates a shaft extending from front to rear of the machine, said shaft being rotatably mounted in bearings 115 and 116' upon the front and rear walls, respectively, of the frame. A pulley 117 fixed upon said shaft 114 carries'a line 118 which travels over an idler pulley 119 upon a shaft 7 120 at the opposite side of the machine frame and supported in any suitablemanner (see the dotted lines in Fig. 1), the line also traveling over idler pulleys, denoted 121 and l 122, upon the yoke 9.3, an idler pulley 123 upon the yoke 92, and over the pulley 107v or107 as the case may be. The motor shaft 7 6 has fixed to it a sprocket 124 carrying a chain 125 which travels upon a sprocket 126 fixed upon the shaft 114. Clearly, rotation of the motor shaft thus causes the line 118 to bei driven ahead to continuously rotate the pulley upon the member 95.

A. stylus is adapted to travel with the groove follower and its propelling means to reproduce the movements of the, follower. A writing surface is situated adjacent the stylus and the stylus may move in contact with the writing surface or in spaced rela tion thereto. 5

Of thewriting surface as illustrated, 127

" indicates an endless belt or-curtain upon an upper idler roll 128 the shaft 129 of which extends transversely of the frame andis, supported in bearings 130 upon the frame side walls, the'belt or curtain also being upon a lower roll 131 fixed upon a a shaft 132 mounted in bearings 133 upon said side'walls. The shaft 132 is adapted to be driven at predetermined times to advance the endlessbelt or'curtain and then to be brought to rest to present a fresh writing surface for each new master plateat the station or location 34. As disclosed more clearly in Fig. 2, a pulley 134 fixed upon the shaft 132 has aline 135 upon it, which line is also upon a pulley 136 fixed to a sleeve 137 normallyidle' upon the shaft 114., 138 is a fixed clutch element upon the sleeve 137, and 139 is a movable clutch element upon the shaft 114 and adapted to be actuated to engage the clutch element 138 and thus make the sleeve rotatable with the shaft 114. The movable clutch element 139 is actuated by a lever140 pivoted upon the frame as at 141 and having a fork 142 associated with the movable clutch element 139. A rod 143.1nounted in-a bracket 144 upon the frame is normally spring pressed,'as by a coil spring 145 upon the rod and associated with be engaged by an arm 149 fixed upon the spindle 56 which carries the lever 57 It is apparent that at times when the lever 57 is actuated, the arm 149 causes the rod 143 to be withdrawn from the depression146 and this movement of said rod 143 throws the clutch element 139'into engagement with the clutch element 138 to rotate the roll 131 and thus advance the curtain or belt. Before the roll 131 has made a complete revolution the arm'149 releases the rod 143, 'and'the; spring 145 causes the rod 143 to enter the depression 146 as it returns to the location of the rod, this movement of the rod simultaneously removing the movable clutch element l39'away from the fixed clutch element 138.

175 is a wall fined inany convenient manner back of the writing location inthe machine.

The stylus could be adapted to itself write v upon the endless belt or curtain, or the'belt or curtain could be of sensitized material and the stylus could throw a shaft of'light upon said 1 material to reproduce the movements of the master groove follower. As disclosed, however, there is a container 150 beneath the roll 131 into which the belt or curtain reaches,

and said container is loaded with suitable powder or the like to cover the surface of the beltor curtain.- .Thestylus is adapted toprovidea visible reproduction of the movements of the follower by'wipin'g overthe' surface and removing powder or the like,

groove-follower in any convenient and suitable manner. As disclosedmore clearly in Fig. 3, 151 is a tube of preferably stiff material soldered or otherwise secured as at 152 to they lower surface of the block '94.

Said tube 151 extends first forwardly from the block as at 153, thence downwardly as atv 154, thence again forwardly-as at 155,.and-

thence upwardly as vat156, the'up'wardly extendmg portion passing through thetransverse slot 18. See Fig. 2'wherein 157 represents thin edges engaging the portion 156 of the tube and adapted to present as little] friction as. possible. I 158-r'epresentsa wire in the tube 151, the forward. portion of the. wire being secured as at 159 to the stylus 160,

and the rearward portion being secured to a lever 161 pivoted uponthe block94 as at 162. An end of the lever161 is arranged upon the follower 86, asindicated at'163, so v that inward and outward movements of the follower, as allowed by the mastergroove and as actuated by the coil spring 97, swing the lever 161 upon itspivot. The stylus 160 is' arranged in aholder 164which includes .a coil spring 165 back of and engaging the stylus to urge it toward the writingsurface;

In Fig. 3 the follower 86 is disclosed as in engagement with the deepest. part of the groove 31, and the stylus is in engagement with the writing surface. Asthe follower rides up out ofa part ofits groove deep enough to allow the coil spring ,97 toactuate the lever 161 to in turn'actuate the'wire .158 to cause the stylus to; engagethe writing surface, it may ride in apart of itsgroove which pushes the'follower forwardly in the machine and actuates said lever 161 min iturn actuate the wire and remove, the stylus from the writing surface, said stylus at the same time being capable ofmoving ahead with'the master groove'follower, as will be clear. The tube 151 could be differently positioned, but I consider the arrangement described and illustrated as satisfactory, for

the reason that the whole of the tube is in a vertical plane, a feature adapted to cause the tube and the stylus to have a steady and regular movement as the groove follower advances.

As will be more clear from Fig. 1, the front guide member 19 is cut away as at 166 so that the follower 86 can enter the master groove 31 of a plate 30. At one upon the spindle 56 and engaging said lever side of the cut-away portion of said guide member 19 is a pin 167 against which the lever '57- is normally heldby a spring 168 57. The "guide 19 is grooved directly back of the lever 57, 169 denoting the end of the groove of the guide 19 which the follower 86 is adapted to enter, and 170 indicating the end of said groove at which the follower leaves the guide member. It will be seen that the master plate hasa part, denoted lower can' return from the the member. 19 to a plate. The surface'de-- the guide member groove to a 1-71, of. its groove in alignment with the part 169 ofthe guide member groove so that as a follower l-eavesthe master plate it can enter the groove of the member19, and said plate 30 has apart, denoted 172, of its groovein'alignment with the part 170 of the guide member groove, so that the folgroove of willalso be observed that were it desired to utilize but a single plate; and'reproduce its master groove upon a writing surface again and again, the groove 31111 the plate could be continuous, and the lever57 could actuate only anarm such as 149'to advance the writing surface; that isto say, the rimster plate could machine; 1 r

When the traverseby the follower 86 of the groove of a master plateis completed, the follower actuates the lever 57 which in turn vactuates all of the arms 58,59 and 149,

remain stationary in the thearms 58 and 59 having control over the escapement'pinions, and the arm 149 having control over the writing surface, all of which elements operate in the manner hereinbefore fully explained. Also, the follower is adapted to allow vthe lever 57 to 7 return to its. normal position immediately after it 191 actuated, to thus allow the arms 58, 59 and 14.9 to

messes I return to their normal positions. j a y In Fig. 7 I have disclosed a masterplate with groove 31, the arrangement as in Fig. -1 being reversed; that is to say, the

groove entrance isabove the groove exit. Also in said Fig. 7 I have disclosed a groove 17% in the guide member 19 of tortuous passage adapted to allow the follower to successively engage the lever 57 to actuate said lever. Such an arrangement provides for advancing the writing surface a plurality of steps instead of a single step, and provides for the feeding of a plurality of plates past the follower receiving station or loca-.

tion at the completion of the traverse by the follower of the groove ofv a plate;

Clearly, the plurality of plates so advanced will fall to the conveyor on top of each other, but the hooks thereof are constructed to return a single plate at atime to the storage space. As a plate 1S carried along the plate above it then rests up'on the con,-

veyor ready to be engaged by the hooks- Some of the plates could, obviously, be blank plates.

Having thus fully described the. invention,

whatl claim as, new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: 7 i

1. In a machine of the character scribed, aplate having a master groove, a grove follower, means for periodically i1nalong the groove step by step, and means associated with the follower to. reproduce its movements.

* 2. In a machine, of the character de-:

scribed, a plate having a master groove, a

a groove follower, means for periodically iinpa-rting thrusts to the follower to'propel it along the groove step byvstep, means associated with the follower to reproduce its movements, and a surface upon which said means is adapted to inake visible said fol- (11 '3. In a machine of the character described,

lowermovements.

a plate having a master groove, a groove follower, means for periodically imparting des parting thrusts to the followerto propel it thrusts to the follower to propelit along the groove step by step, a stylus associated with the follower to reproduce its movements, a

surface which the stylus is adapted'toengage V tomake visible the follower movements, and meanswhereby the stylus can be out of engagement with said surfac p v 7 Y 4. In a machine of the'character described, a plate having a master groove, a: groove fol;

lower, means for propelling the followe u along the groove of the master plate, and means adapted to travel with the groove follower. to reproduce its movements, said;

groove follower being of thickness to nicelv enter said groove and ofv breadth U than the width ofsaid groove. v

5.":[n a machine ofthe character-described,

greater a plate having a master groove of varying depth, a groove follower, a spring adapted to urge the follower into engagementv with the base of said groove, means for propelling the follower along the groove, a stylus associated with the follower to reproduce its move merit-s, a surface ad acent the stylus, and an operative connection between the groove fol:-

lower and stylus whereby the stylus can engage said surface to make visible thereon the movements of said follower or can travel in spaced relation to said surface, said operative connection comprising a tube movable with, I said follower propelling means, a wire in said tube and secured tothe'stylus, and a pivoted: lever movable with said follower propelling means, said lever being connected to said wire and to said follower. I

6. In a machine of the character described,v

a grooved master plate, a follower adapted to ride in the groove of said plate, means movable with the follower to reproduce its movements, andv means for propelling the follower along said groove, said means including a block mounted to have universal movement in a plane, a member rotatably mounted in said block, and saidfollower being. secured to said member, a spring secured to said member, a Wall which said spring engages, and means for periodically actuating said spring to thrust it with greater force against said wall.

' 7. In a machine of the character described, a grooved master plate, a follower adapted to ride in the groove of said plate, means movable with the follower to reproduce its movements, and means for propelling the follower along said groove, said means including a block mounted to have universal movement 1n :1 plane, a member rotatably mounted in said block, said follower being secured to i said member. a spring secured to said mem ber, a wallwhich said spring engages, and a rotatable pulley upon said member and hav- 7 mg means for periodically actuating Silltl' spring to thrust it with greater force against said wall.

8. The combination as specified in claim 6, wherein the follower is of thickness to nicely enter said groove and of breadth greaterthan the width of said groove, and said spring is in the plane of the breadth of said follower.

after the follower has completed its traverse. I

of the groove of said plate, and means for feeding each plate back to said "container in" position to again be 'fed'tosaid station in its regular order of succession '10. In a machine of the character de. scribed, a plurality of grooved masterplates, a container for saidplates, includingmeans defininga station, means for separately feeding each plate from said container toa. posi- 1011 of rest .at said station, a groove follower adapted to ride in the groove of each-plate voile at said station, means for propelling the follower along each plate groove, means, for releasing each plate from saidstation.

after the'follower has completed its traverse of the groove of said-plate, means for feetb mg each plate back to "said containerin position to again be fed to said'station in its regu-.- lar order of succession, a stylusmovable- Ewith' said follower to reproduce its movementsjasurface upon which thestylus :is adapted to:

make visible, the follower movements, and means for advancing said surface at the C0111? pletion of the traverse by the follower of the groove of-a master plate and for bringing said surface to rest to present a fresh writing surface to saidstylus. v V

. 11. The combination as specified in claim 9, wherein the means for feeding the plates to and from said station consists-of interconnected units adapted to release a plate from said container whence it can move by gravity to .said'station and adapted to simultaneously'release a plate at said station, and

wherein "the means for feeding each plate back to the container comprises a conveyor belt to which said plates can move by grav ity when released from said station.

12. The combination as specified in claim 10, wherein the means for feeding the master I plates to and from said station and for advancing the writing surface are under the control of a single leveradapted to be actuated by said groove follower.

18. In a" machine of the character described, a grooved master plate, a'groove follower adapted to traverse the groove of said plate, means forming astation atwhich the groove of said plate is adapted'to receive said follower, said station including a groove the ends of which are adapted to comaster plate, means for propelling the fol-' lower along the groove. of said master plate and said station, and means adapted to be actuated by said follower while in the groove of said station to release said master plate from said station.

14,-. In a machine of the character described, a pluralityof grooved master plates, a groove follower adapted to traverse the inoide with the ends" of the groove of the r groove of each, plate, means forming a station at which the groove of each plate is adapted to successively receive said follower, said station 'lncludinga groove the ends of which are adapted to coincide with the ends to allow'a different master plate to be fed to a position of rest at said station with its groove ready to receive said follower;

15. The combination as specified in claim 13, wherein the groove'of said station has its'ends in a surface of said station which slantstoward said master plate.

'16. Ina machine of the character described, a plate'having 'a master groove, a groove follower of thickness to nicely enter said groove and of breadth greater than the 'width of saidgroove, means for propelling the follower along the groove of the master late, said follower propelling means exert- I mg its driving 5 force approximately in the plane of the breadth of said follower, and means adapted to travel with the groove follower to reproduce its movements.

17. In. a machine of the character described, a plate having a master groove, a groove follower, means for periodically imparting thrusts to the follower to propel it along the grove step by step, and means associated with the follower to reproduce its movements, said groove follower being of thickness to nicely enter said groove and of breadth greater than the width of saidv groove, and said follower propelling means exerting its thrusts approximately in the *plane of the breadth of said follower to drive the follower ahead.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, this 21st day of November, A. D., 1925.

KARL A. SUNDQUIST. i

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