US1821099A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1931. A. G. F. KuRowsKl TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Oct.

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Patented Sept. 1, 1931 NTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED G. F. KUROWSKI, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR T0 UNDERWOOD ELLIOTT FISHER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE TYPEWR-ITING MACHINE Application filed October 26, 1927. Serial No. 228,774.

This invention rela-tes to means for rotating the platen of a typewriting machine, in

a single sweep, to expedite positioning of a work-sheet for certain entries. 1

L In the condensed-billing mechanism usually employed upon the Underwood typewriter, the work-sheets are swept around the platen by means of a long handle, which is connected to drive a wheel which is fixed 1 upon the shaftupon which the platen is also fixed.

A feature of the present invention is provision for effecting minute rotative adjustments of the platen, at will, relatively to the platen-sweep mechanism.

To carry out my invention, the condensedbilling driver may be taken out of its usual position at the right-hand end of the platen,

and by suitable means may be directly con- 23 nected to a clutch-drum at the left-hand end of the platen. The condensed-billing mechanism therefore will remain entirely stationary during the rotative readjustment of the 4 platen while the clutch is released. There- Sii fore there is no disturbance of the operation of the condensed-billing mechanism arising through rotative adjustment of the platen relictively to the condensed-billing drive- Wheel, but the operation of the condensed- :is billing mechanism is perfect at all readjustments of the platen relatively'to the drive- Wheel.

Preferably the same clutch-drum is connected to both the condensed-billing drivewheel and the line-space wheel, thereby economizing space, weight and cost,Y and also adapting the invention to use with parts of the standard Underwood mechanism for clutching the platen to the line-space wheel. a The invention provides an inexpensive and simple platen-sweep device which may be advantageously used for filling in blank spaces on duplicates or circulars in order to obtain uniform spacing and neat looking ap- 5 pearance of the entries in the quickest possible time, said attachment including a handoperated pawl-and-ratchet device or platensweep mechanism to be used on standard machines in combination with a variable line- 55" spacing device or clutch. This clutch mechanism permits the platen-sweep-drive-wheel to be disconnected from the platen-shaftso that the platen may be freely rotated to ad- ]ust a work-sheet thereon to a certain reference-line, While the drive-wheel is stationary. Thereafter, the clutch may be rendered operative to engage said drive-wheel, and the adjacent platen-sweep may be brought to rotate the platen through a plurality of linespaces to position the first Writing line of the entry proper, which then, after sweeplever and pawl are automatically disengaged, may be written line byline in the ordinary manner or rotated at will.

The clutch, as indicated in the drawings, includes an outer clutch member or drum rotatably mounted upon the platen-shaft. A drive-wheel, rigidly fastened to said outer clutch-member, may be rendered effective for platen-sweeping Work by causing eXpansible inner clutch-members or grips to engage the inner periphery of the drum, said grips being mounted upon the shaft to rotate therewith. An axially-operating thumb-piece may be in control of a tapered sleeve or cam provided upon the shaftand effective to urge said inner clutch-members into operative engagement withA the drum.

According to one feature of the invention, the platen-sweep-mechanism is compactly arranged upon said outer clutch-member,

- with which it is to co-operate, so as to minimize the space occupied upon the platenshaft, whereby the drivingwheel is placed in rigid relation with the line-space-wheel While the associated pawl-carrying operating lever is loosely mounted for-oscillating movey ment about the platen-axis. The same clutch connects the line-space-wheel to the platen, and the latter Wheel may be rigid with the drive-wheel.

Another feature provides means for independently attaching and detaching said operating lever.

A further feature resides in the proximity to each other of the clutch-governing fingerpiece and the platen-rotating handle, Vfacilitating their alternate operation, which is required for quick positioning vof certain entries.

In a preferred embodimentof the invention, there are provided upon said clutchdrum peripheral one-way ratchet-teeth to be opposed to those of the line-space-wheel with which they are in rigid relation. A pawl controlled by an oscillating lever may engage said ratchet-teeth to sweep the platen backwardly, which, aside from having operative and constructive advantages, serves the special purpose of conveniently 'filling in addresses or headings upon'duplicated or circular letters, as may be seen in the following description.

Certain features disclosed herein are broadly claimed in my pending application, Serial No. 157,912, tiled December 30, 1926, but the claims in this case are limited to features not disclosed in said application Other features and advantages willhereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a semi-sectional front elevation to show the combined clutch and platen-sweep mechanism applied to an Underwood machine and assembled upon the left-hand end of the platen-shaft, the right-hand end of the platen being broken away.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end View of Figure 1, showing the platen-sweep-handle spring-held in ineffective position, and also means to independently attach and detach the operating lever.

Figure 3 is an end view similar to Fi (fure 2, illustrating the manipulation of the operating lever, showing same as being held in ei:- treme operative position.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, `showing some of theparts of the platen-sweep mechanism disassembled to illustrate the novel method of assembling them.

In Figure 1, a type-bar 10 is shown in dot Yand dash, which strikes the front of a revoluble platen 11, whose shaft 12 at its lefthand end is shown to be journaled in an end plate 13 of` an Underwood tpyepwriter platen-frame and to terminate in a usual finger-wheel 14.V A hub or Collar 15 may be secured by means of a set screw 16 upon the platen-shaft at either side adjacent to the platen-ends to locate the vsame within Athe platen-frame. `Between the end plate 13 of the platen-frame and the iinger-wheelV '14, there is shown the novel combination of a variable line-spacing` mechanism or clutch and a platen-sweep mechanism, bot-h to be concentrically assembled upon the shaft. The clutch includesA an exterior drum 17, which is formed with a hub 13, to be rotatably mounted upon the platen-shaft. The hub extends from said drum towards said end plate 13 and carries its end. and shown to be integral therewith, a line-space-wheel 19 which co-operates with a usual detent-roller 1 2O supported by an arm 21, which is pivoted at 22u non the end 1slate 13 and held under tension by a usual spring 23 encircling said pivot 22. Inner clutch-members are to connect the drum 17, i. e., the line-space-wheel 19 to the platen-shaft 12 for ordinary linespace-worlr, which may be performed by operating a well-known platen-return and linespace-lever which brings a dog into engagement with the line-space-wheel, said linespace-lever and dog, indicated in Figure 2, at 24 and 25, respectively.

Said inner clutch-members may include a hubbedr disk 26 secured upon the shaft 12, as by a pin 27, and carrying expansible gripping` members, as indicated at 28. To operate the clutch, there is provided a tapered sleeve or cam-member 29 upon the shaft. An axiallyoperating thumb-piece 30, located adjacent the outer face of the finger-w ieel 14, is connected to said cam-sleeve through rods 31 which are carried and guided in said fingerwheel. The thumb-piece, from its ineffective (dot-and-dash) position, may be pressed inwardly to cause the cam-sleeve to urge the inner clutch-members 28 into gripping engagement with the inner periphery of. the drum 17. The clutch may be held in or out of engagement by suitable means, not shown on the vdrawings but clearly shown in the aforesaid Helmond patent.

At 32 a spacing sleeve laterally locates the outer clutch member or drum, at 33 a plate covers the open end of the clutch-drum, while at 34 an Aapron or cover-plate encloses the line-space mechanism, and is secured at 35 to the carriage-end plate 13 in a well-known Underwood manner.

The platen-sweep mechanism, associated with the variable line-space mechanism just described, includes a one-way ratchet-wheel 3G shown in the form of a rim having teeth opposed to those of the line-space-wheel 19 and being shrunk or otherwise rigidly fastened upon the drum 17, and a driving pawl 37 carried by a sweep-lever 38. The lever 38, loosely mounted upon the said clutch-hub 18 for a swinging movement and occupying part of the space left between the line-space-wheel 19 and the drum 17, has a handle 33a and may be operated between stops provided upon the cover-plate 34 (see Figure 2). A rigid stoppin 39 at the rear may determine the ineffective position of the lever, where it is norm ally held by the tension of a spring 40 fastened between the lever and an extension 40P- which is part of the cover-plate.

The movement of the operating lever is limited by a stop-screw 41 which may be inserted in different tapped holes 42 for the purpose of adjustment. The driving pawl is pivotally mounted upon the sweep-lever by means of shouldered screw 43 and is to operatein a plane with the associated ratchetwheel. The tension of a spring 44 fastened between a tail-extension 45 of said pawl. and a pin 46 upon the sweep-lever tends to pull said pawl into mesh with the ratchet-wheel. In its Figure 2 position, the pawl is held out of engagement by the stop-pin 39 against spring-tension 44, and it will be seen that, as the operating handle is pulled forward,

the pawl 37 will engage a tooth in the ratchet n 36 and a further pull of the handle will rotate the platen rearwardly or reversely to a linespace direction.

In Figure 3, the sweep-lever is held by the operators finger against spring-tension l0 in extreme operative position, whereby the pawl becomes locked by the stop-screw 41 to prevent the platen from overrunning its intended rearward position, due to vigorous throw of the operating lever. Upon release, the operating lever and pawl will automatically return to neutral. It should be understood that for proper co-operation of the parts, the extreme position of the operating lever should coincide or time with a full engagement between the detent-roller and the teeth of the line-space-wheel.

A novel method of detachably mounting the sweep-lever requires that the lever or cani 38, made of flat material, be formed with a cut-out 47 to titv over the clutch-hub 18. The cut-out, however, at its open end 48 is narrowed down to the shape of a key-hole so as tol embrace more than half of the hub 18. r he hub has corresponding straddle mill-cuts A19 to pass the ends 48 when assembled to the hub, in the direction of arrow (Figure 4), and then axially shifted into Contact with the drum or ratchet-wheel 36 to be properly seated upon said hub. A clamp 50 may be assembled to cover the mill-cuts and be locked in place around the hub by screw 51, the clamp also serving as a spacer between the 1Aever and line-space wheel 19.

It will be noted that the line-space wheel 'l 9 with its hub 18 and annular flange 17, that houses the expansibledogs 28, are similar to Helmond, aforesaid, which has become a standard Underwood product; that to this standard part a second ratchet-wheel 33 is added to the flange 17 and a straddle mill clotting cut 49 through the hub is provided for; that within these slots of the hub 18 the operating handle 38a is assembled to find a rotary bearing upon the hub and held in kposition by a spacing member 50; that the operating handle 38EL is an assembled unit includi a spring-controlled pawl. 37 to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 36; and that stops are assembled upon the face of the carriagecnd plate 34 to adjustably limit the sweep of the handle in two directions, the restoring movement thereof being effected by the recoil of a spring.

lt will also be noted that the reconstructed part 17 3C may replace the original Helmond part 1719 as a standard part to be employed with all variable line-space assemblies, and which new part provides for a factory assembly of the platen-sweep or forthe subsequent assembly of the platen-sweep by unskilled hands wherever the machine may be located in the field; that the new part 17-19-36 includes a pair of adjoining oneway ratchet-wheels for driving the platen in alternate directions when secured to the platen-shaft by the clutching mechanism; that each ratchet-wheel has an independently operating lever and each lever rotates both ratchet-wheels in unison regardless of the platen-rotating direction; hence the accurate timing of the two wheels annot be disarranged by the separation of the platen'from the platen-shaft in adjusting the printed form of a circular to the typing position for the lirst typing line; and that the two ratchetwhe-els may be integral as shown but spaced apart by a hub to provide for the compact assembly of the handle 38a between the two wheels.

The operation of typing addresses upon the blank heading of stock form circul r letters 52, as illustrated in Figure 1, is as follows: The thumb-piece 30 is pulled outwardly to the dotted position of Figure 1, which releases the platen-shaft from the detented line-space wheel 19 and the platen may be rotated without resistance, except from the feed-rolls 54C. A sheet is inserted at the rear of the platen and fed under and around the platen bythe use of the linger-wheels 14e until the printed Dear Sim is aligned to the wing-scales 53, as shown. The thumbpiece 30 is now restored to the full-line position of Figure 1, which reclutches the linespace wheel with the platen-shaft, and with the same hand the adjoining handle 38'a is pulled forward, which causes the pawl 3'? to engage an adjacent tooth of the ratchet-wheel 3S to rotate the platen in a clockwise direction and back-feed the adjusted circular until the forward sweep of the lever 38 is arrested by the stop l1, whereupon the lever is released by the linger to respond to the tension of the spring 40 to rotate both the lever and pawl 37 to 'their norma-l positions of rest against the pin 39. The name is typed and then the usual line-space mechanism provides for the forward line-spacing of the sheet for the subsequent lines of the address,when the circular is removed.

lith this combined manipulation of two distinct platen-spacing mechanisms, one mechanism` sweeping the platen rearwardly and the other mechanism line-spacing the platen. forwardly, the sheet may be quickly aligned to the initial printed line, and quickly reversed for the linetyping of the address, which is properly spaced upon the blank heading by mechanical means, and parallelism between the typed lines and the printed lines of theform is preserved, which all tends to give an appearance to the type-addressed scope of the invention, and portions of the .improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

l. In a typewriting machine having a platen, a platen-shaft rotatable by a linger-wheel, a line-space wheel, and a clutch mountedL upon said shaft for disconnecting at will linespace wheel from said shaft to independently position a work-sheet with the linger-wheel, a pawl-and-ratchet device to sweep the platen for certain entries upon said work-sheet, said device inclucing a ratchet-wheel which is integral with the line-space wheel, and a pawl-carrying sweep-arm arranged loosely upon the platen-shaft to swing between limits and reversely rotate the reclutched platen through a plurality of line-spaces.`

2. In a typewriting machine having a platen; a platen-shaft rotatable by a linger-wheel, a. line-space wheel, and a clutch mounted upon said shaft for disconnecting at will said line-space wheel from said shaft to independently position a work-sheet with a fingerwheel, a device to sweep the platen for certain entries upon the positioned work-sheet, said device including a ratchet-wheel which is integral with the line-space wheel, a pawlcarrying arm arranged loosely upon the platen-shaft to swing between limits and reversely rotate the reclutched platen through a plurality of line-spaces, and means toauto-v matically engage and disengage the pawl through the swinging of the operating arm.

3. ln a typewriting machine havingv a platen, a platen-shaftrotatable by a fingerwheel, and a line-space mechanism including a line-space wheel and dctent, the combination with a clutch mounted upon said shaft for connecting or disconnecting at will said line-space wheel from said shaft to primarily position a work-sheet independently of the line-space mechanism, said clutch including an exterior drum-like member rotatable upon the shaft and carrying rigidly thereon said line-space wheel and including interior (Tripping members mountedv to rotate with the platen-shaft and operable thereon to engage the drum-member for line-space worx, of a device to sweep the platen through a plurality of line-spaces for certain entries upon said work-sheet, said device including a ratchetwheel rigidly provided upon said drum-member and` concentrically thereto, a pawl-carrying operating lever loosely mounted upon said drum-member for oscillating movement about the platen-axis and operable 'through the pawl to said ratchet-wheel for platen-sweep within certain limits when the clutch is operative, and means to automatically restore the lever and pawl to neutral.

e. ln a typewriting ma hine having a platen, a platen-shaft rotatable by a linger-wheel, and a line-space-wheel, a combinedclutch and platen-sweep mechanism, said clutch operable for connecting or disconnecting, at will, said line-space-wheel from said shaft to primarily position a work-sheet independently of the line-space-wheel, said clutch including an exterior drum-like member which, by means of a hub, is rotatably mounted upon the platen-shaft and secured against lateral displacement and which at its free end carries rigidly provided thereon said line-space-` wheel., and interior gripping members mounted to rotate with the platen-shaft and operable thereon to engage the drum-member for line-space-work, said platen-sweep mechanism as a whole mounted upon the exterior clutch-member and including a ratchet-wheel rigidly fast upon the opposite end of said hub, a pawl-carrying operating lever loosely mounted upon said hub between said linespace-wheel and said ratchet-wheel and operable for oscillating movement between certain limits to sweep the platen through a plurality of line-space distances for certain entries when the clutch is operative and the pawl is engaged with the ratchet-wheel, means to independently attach and detach said operating lever, and means to automatically control the pawl when said pawl-carrying lever is operated.

5. In a typewriting machine having a platen, a platen-shaft rotatable by a, finger-Wheel, and a line-space-wheel, a combined clutch and platen-sweep mechanism, said clutch operable for connecting or disconnecting, at will, said line-space-wheel from said shaft to independently position a work-sheet, said clutch including'an exterior drum-like member which, by means of a hub, is rotatably mounted upon the platen-shaft and secured against lateral displacement thereon and which at its free end carries rigidly fastened thereto said line-space-wheel, and includingl interior gripping members rotating with the shaft and operable to engage said exterior' member for line-space-work, said platensweep mechanism, as a Whole, mounted upon said exterior clutch-member and including a ratchet-wheel rigidly fast upon the opposite end of said hub, a pawl-carrying operating lever to sweep the platen, at will, for certain entries when the clutch is operative, said lever of ilat material to be detachably mounted for oscillating movement upon said hub bctween said line-space-wheel and said ratchetwheel, and having at the inner end a cutout in the shape of a key-hole open at its narrow end to allow the lever to be sidewardly applied to said hub by sliding the narrow end of said cut-out over a correspondingly flattened part of said hub previous to laterally shifting` the lever upon the hub, to provide proper bearing of the circular part of the key-hole upon the circular part of the hub,

' for cooperation of the pawl andsaid ratchetiii wheel. Y s,

G. In a typewriting ,machine lhaving 'a platen, a platen-shaft'rotatable by a fingerwheel, and a line-space-w'heel, a combined clutch and platen-sweep mechanism, 'said clutch operable for connecting or disconnecting, at will, said line-space-wheel fromsaidshaft to independently position a work-sheet, said vclutch including an exterior drum-like member and interior gripping members-rota-ting with the platen, said exterior member, by means of a'hu'b, rotatably mounted upon the platen-shaft vand secured againstl lateral" displacement, and having ati its free end rigidly provided said line-space-wheel` said platen-sweep mechanism including a ratchetwheel rigidly fast upon the opposite end of said hub, and a pawl-carryingr operating lever to sweep the platen, at will, for certain entries when the clutch is operative, said lever of flat material to be detachably mounted upon said hub between said line-space-wheeland said ratchet-wheel for oscillating movement and having at its inner end a cut-out in the shape of a key-hole open at its narrow end to allow the lever to be sidewardly applied to said hub by sliding the narrow end ofthe cut-out over a correspondingly flattened part of said hub previous to axially shifting the lever thereon, to provide proper bearing of the circular part of the key-hole upon the circular part of the hub, and a clamp-member to cover up said attened part and to locate the lever upon said hub for proper cooperation of the pawl and Saidratchet-wheel.

7. In a typewrit-ing machine having a platen, a platen-shaft rotatable by a fingerwheel, and a line-space-wheel, a combined clutch and platen-sweep mechanism, said clutch operable for connecting or disconnecting, at will, said line-space-wheel from sai'd shaft to independently positiona work-sheet, said clutch including an exterior drum-like member and interior gripping members, the latter rotating with the platen, said exterior member, by means of a hub,rotatably mounted upon a platen-shaft and secure against lateral displacement, and having at its free end rigidly provided said line-space-wheel, said platen-sweep mechanism, as a whole, mounted upon said exterior clutch-member and including a ratchet-wheel rigidly fast Aupon the opposite end of said hub, and an operating lever engageable at will withsaid ratchet-wheel to sweep the platen for certain entries when the clutch is operat1ve,saidlever made of flat material to be detachably mount- Led upon said hub between said line-spacewheel and said ratchet-wheel for oscillating movement upon said hub, the mounting heilig such that a cut-out at the inner end of said operating lever fits over a flattened part of said hub to primarily position the lever thereon, and such that an additional'axial movement willbring `aneXtreme circular part of said-cut-outto properly bear upona cylindrical part ot' thehub, and means to hold the lever in place adjacent the ratchet-wheel 'for proper cos-operationtherewith.

8. ln a typewriting machine hav-ing a pla-ten, a platen-shaft journaled inthe side plates'of aF platen-trame and rotatable by a linger-wheel, and a 'line-space-wheel, a combined clutch and platen-sweep 'mechanism upon the drum, and a paw-l-carrying operatmg ylevertoy lcompera-te with lsaid ratchetteeth to sweep the platen, at will, through a pluralityof line-spaces yfor certain entries when fthe Iclutch is operative, said lever to be detachably mounted upon said hub lbetween said line-space-wheel and-saidV ratchetteeth. i

- 9. In a typewriting mach-ine having a platen, aplaten-shaft j ournaled in side plates l of a platen-frame and rotatable `by la lingerwhee'l, ianda iline-'space-wheel, a combined clutch' v and `:platen-'sweep mechanism conveniently arranged for alternate operation of clutch and platen-sweep to vfacili-tate certain entries, vsaid clutch including a 4drum-mem'- ber rotatably mounted 'upon said platenshaft and laterally located between one of theside plates of Athe 'platen-frame and said iinger-wheel'landcarrying rigidly at its Ainner end saidline-spacewheel,' interior clutch-members connected' 'to said -shatt and operable to engage-said -drum-memberto connect vor disconnect -the line-space-wheel from the platen-shatto `independently position llt) a work-sheet, af finger-piece adjacent the' outer surface olf said finger-wheel and 'axially' inovab'le to operate the clutch,fsa'id 'platensweep mechanism including a ratchet-wheel rigidly provided upon said l'drum-member, a pawl-carrying operating lever loosely mounted I upon .fsalid drum-member, said ratchet-wheel 'having teeth opposedto those ofithe line-space-wheel, so that-the operating-*lever isfine'iiiective `when swung to the rea-fr, :and .may 'be swung forwardly by lthej operators finger to vposition the fplaten' )for a ycertainlentry 'after fsa-'id -inger-p-iecewis pressed inwardly by the operators palm to connect the line-space-wheel to the platen, means to automatically control the pawl when the lever is operated, and means to automatically restore the pawl and operating lever'to neutral. Y

10.`A circular-addressing mechanism in a typewriting machine having a platen mounted upon a shaft, including a platenclutch mechanism releasable to free the platen for a finger-wheel rotation thereof, to feed a Circular from the rear around under the platen and above the typing line, and then restore the platen to the control of the clutch, a back platen-sweep mechanism including a ratchet-wheel clutched to the shaft by said clutch-mechanism androtated by a sweep-lever on the platen-shaft, to sweep the platen reversely and back-feed the circular to a typingV position predetermined by a stop ,engaging said lever, and a line-space Wheel fixed to the ratchet-wheel and having a line-space lever to line-space the platen and line-feed the circular in typing an address. y Y

11. In a circular-addressing mechanism for a typewriting machine having Ya platen mounted to be driven by a platen-shaft, a platen-driving member loose -on the shaft, amanually-controlled clutch-mechanism connecting said member with said shaft, said member including a pair of spaced-apart parallel annular flanges, each flange having one-way ratchet-teeth of opposite directions,

Loverating levers individual to each toothed flange and means operated by said levers to rotate the platen in reverse directions, one lever swingable about the platen-shaft and compactly disposedbe'tween'the two flanges.

12. In a circular-addressing mechanism for a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage having a shaft rotatable with a platen, a line-space Wheel loose upon the shaft, a clutch-mechanism operable to connect the line-space Wheel with the shaft and a line-space lever on the carriage to en-r gage said wheel to'rotate the platen by said clutchmechanism in a line-space direction, ofl means for sweepingthe platen through adistance greater than a line-space, said means including a vratchet-wheel c integralwith the line-space wheel, and an operating handle swingable upon the shaft and opera. tive to engage said ratchet-wheel and sweep the platen rearwardly bya forward stroke of said operating handle to position the oircular prior to a subsequent line-space operation. v Y Y 13. In a A circular-addressing Vmechanism for a typewriting machine having ka platen mounted upon a shaft, including a platenclutch mechanism releasable to free the platen for a finger-wheel rotation thereof, to feed a non-addressed circular from the rear, aroundrunder the platen and above'the

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