US1830765A - Printing head reciprocator - Google Patents

Description

Nov.. 10, 1931.

R. E. PAGE PRINTING HEAD RECIPROCATOR Filed Sept. 2, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l h is bten/LW Nov. 1o, 1931. R. E. PAGE 1,830,765

PRINTING HEAD REGIPROCATOR l Filed Sept- 2. 192W 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 imm RQP E. Po ge @13 his @htm/14mg Nov. 10,

R. E. PAGE PRINTING HEAD RECIPROCATOR Filed Sept. 2. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 4AHillllllln |205 | 2b 33,12* his www Ralph amg@ Nov. 10, 1931.

R. E. PAGE PRINTING HEAD RECIYPROCATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 2. 1927 wuawtoz Patented Nov. 10, 1,931

" unirsi) STATES PATENT: OFFCE f i RALPH E. PAGE, F 'IBINGHAIVIY.ONy NEW YORK, 'ASSIGNOR T0 THE'TABULATING MVA- CHINE COMPANY, 0F ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION .0E NEWJE'RSEY PRINTING finan nnoirnocnfror.

Application filed SeptemlierZ, 1927. Serial 4No'. 217,079.

This invention relates to reciprocatory printing machines and moreV particularly to a printing head reciprocator to be used in conjunction With accountingmachines or the like.

Many tabulating machines in commercial use are equipped with a printing attachment which includes type bars, having type uniformly spaced thereon, and reciprocable to w bring the different type into printing position. It isdesirable that the type bars have a uniform motion throughout'their type selecting stroke and this has been very dicult of attainment When straight type bars are used. The type bars are driven from a rotary shaft through the intermediary of either arms and links or cams. The diiliculty of obtaining uniform rectilinear motion from the link construction Without introduc- 2e ing unduly complicated operating connections is obvious. Theoretically the cam drives may provide the desired uniform motion butlpractically the accurate machining of the cams for this purpose presents a serious construction problem. Furthermore, When box cams 'are used there is Aalways more or lcsstendency for the parts to bind, thus entailing further designingr and machining' problems to avoid excessive Wear on the op- 3e erating parts. f n l According to the present invention a simpler form of type bar drive is contemplated in which Jdie motion of the type bars tliroughout the type selecting portion of their stroke is made absolutely uniform Without the accurate machining of parts Whichv has hereto-v fore been necessary. This is accomplished by the use of a rack and pinion drivefor the bars in which case the pinion may be oper 40 ated from the rotatingv drive shaft. Owing to the reciprocatory movement of the type the motion with ing separatecam drives yfor the end or reversing portions'of the stroke. Y As these end portions of the stroke do not require uniform motion the cams may be designed toireverse as little shock to 'the parts as may be. v A f l f The invention@ further contemplates f the elimination of springs for operating the type bai-s either in their advancingy or restoring movements. The restoring movement is like- Wise enqected in the preferred embodiment bya rack and pinion drive which preferably is independent of the advancing rack `and pin-f 'l ion and designed to provide for a quick return motion. It is obvious, howeve ir,lth`atl uniform motion during the restoringportion of the stroke is not essential and theba-rs couldbef driven during `this portion Voflthestroke by cams, linkage or even springs and thefprin-r cipal advantages of the invention, in regard to uniform operating movement during the type selecting stroke, Vstillr realizeda The general 'scheme of operation'of the' preferred embodiment of the inventio'nimay be briefly summarized. The type bars are started in advance directiont With gradually increasing speed av cam drive. normal speedV for the advancestroke'is attained the drive is assumed by a rack and pinion device which maintains the normal uniforin'speed until all types have passedprinting position. :After this the drive is assumed by a second cam drivevvhich reduces the speed gradually to zero, reverses the direction of f movement .of the'bars and` gradually increases their speed in the reverse direction. When normal high restoring speed is reached the drive is assumed by azsecondfrack and` pinion drive Which operates f until towards the end of thereversing stroke When the drive is again taken up by the first cam drive to again reverse the motion.' r

When

The prncipalobject of the inventionis to provide a reciprocatory drivel fora printing mechanism in which a uniform motion is obtained during the type selecting stroke and to provide improved and simplified construc-V tion and operationof parts forthis result'.

Another object of the invention. is to Yprovide for-a rack and pinion drive for reciprocatory type carrying mechanism and to provide for removing the shocks due to reversal of movement from the rack and pinion drive.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined cam and rack and pinion drive for a reciprocatory printing mechanism with a view to obtaining uniform motion during the type selecting portion of the stroke and to eliminate shocks to the drive mechanism dur-ing reversals of movement of the printingmechanisms.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for eliminating Operating springs in a reciprocatory printing mechanism.

Further objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in thev accompanying specification and claims and shown in the drawings, in which Fig.. lisa front elevational view of the printing head reciprocator.

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of same.

- Fig. 3 is :a detail of the vhammer,actuating mechmsmf Fig. A4 isa detail showing a connection between the type carriers and the reciprocating cross head.

'Fig 5k is. an enlarged detail of the mecha.-

s nism shown. in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6vis--adiagram illustrating the operation 'of the printing. head.

Figs. 7, 8. and 9 are similar detail views showingthe operation of the parts in different positionsand Y .Y

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 10-10 of vertical movement` on rods 14,1 plurality of type bars- .and other suitable mechanism which will` .be presently described. A gear 16a rigidly mounted on the shaft 10 meshes with a gear (not shown) on a tabulating l machine which rotates the shaft 10 one complete revolution for each printing cycle.

' At the beginning ofthe cycle, as shown in Fig. 7, cam followers16 .mounted on the up,- per end of the .arcuate arms 17 fixed at their lower ends to a cross piece'18and at their opposite lends tothe cross` head 13 begin tocoact with portions 11a ofV cams 11. As the cams l11 continue torotateclockwise, cam portions 11erl coacting with followers 16,

e.. cause thecross head 13 to be raised with graduallyaccelerated speed as indicated in Fig. 6. At a predeterminedqpoint vinthe cycle of the machine, .the cam followers 16 will leave their-.coacting cams 11 at which time mutilated gears 19 .also -Xed on the shaft 10 will engagef the teeth on the racks 20 which are connected at theirv ,upper ends to the cross head 13 andat their 'lower ends to the. cross piece 118. Atthis point the `racks 2O will have i attained a linearlspee'd'which corresponds to the peripheral speed of the gears 19 above referred to. During the time that the gears 19 engage the teeth on the racks 2O the cross head 13 and the type barsv 15 will be moved upwardly at a constant speed as indicated in Fig. 6, so that the type pass a given point synchronously with the passage of a corresponding index point on the Vtabulating card through" the usual card reading or analyzing device. The means for arresting the. move.- ment of the .type bars 15 atany desired denomination when a circuit is set up through a perforation in a card at an index point showing the denomination desired, will bc presently described.

As `the mutilated gears 19 become disengaged with the teeth on the racks 20 (Fig. 9,.) cam followers 21 mounted on the lower ends of the arcuate arms 17 will engage portions 12a of their coacting cams 12 fixed on the shaft 1 0. The engagement of these cam followers with cam portions 12a will decelerate. vthe upward movement of the cross head 13 to zero velocity. As cam 12k continues to rotate, the cam follower 21 coacts with. the portion 22 of the camv 12 designed to impart a dwell to the type bars, at which time printing hammers 22a (Figs.V 2` and 5)' will strike against the type standing in printing position to print the characters represented by the type. During this printing operation-the shaft 1() will continue to rotate. After the cam followers 21 have passed the dwell portion 22 on the cams 12, these portions 12.7) of cams cause the cross head 13 to gradually descend beginning at a lowV speed and'rapidly accelerating untijl the speed of the descending cross head 13 andthe arcuate arms 17 is the same as the speed of the arms 23 rigidly fixed on the shaft 10 (Figs. 7, 8 and 9). The arms 23` are provided with gear teeth 24: at one end which engages a. tooth 25 on the arcuate arms 17 on the downward stroke of the cross head. The engagement of the arms 23 with the arcuate arms 17 takes place j ust before the cams 12 release their cam followers 21 after which the arms 23 continue to move the cross head downwardly as indicated in Fig. 6. As teeth 24 and 25 disengage, cam followers 16 engage portions 11b of cam 11 designed to slowly decelerate the downward movement of the cross head, until the parts reach the positions shown in Fig.

7 where the cross head has reached its lowering `is effected and very quickly returns to 'its initial position with substantially no shock or noise. Fig. 6 shows clearly the motion diagram of the cross head. From this diagram it will be noted in reading from the left that the heavy line indicates the movement of the cross head 13, the rise commencing on its zero position and increasing its speed through a gradual curve, then rises at a constant speed until near the upper limit of its movement when it d-eceleratesy and then dwells for a moment after which it commences to descend, rapidly accelerating its speed and then descends through the greater part of its downward movement at a constant speed, then decelerates near its lower extremity to a-zero velocity.

Referencewill now be had to Figs. 2, 4 and 5 wherein the operation of the "ype bars 15 and their associated parts will be described.

.- Rig-idly fixed to the cross head 1.3 by means of screws 26 is a bar 27 which carries a cross rod 28 upon which are pivotally mounted at 29 impositive locking pawls 30, it being understood that there is a pawl for each type i bar 15. As will benoted in Fig. 4, the nose portion of each pawl 30 is urged by spring 31a to engage a notch 31 in the lower end lof each type bar so that when the cross head 13 rises in the manner previously described, the pawls will causethe type bars 15 to rise in unison with the cross head 13. Each typebar 15 (Figs. 2 and 5) has'a series of notches 32 thereon which coact with a pawl 33 normally locked out of engagement with the notches 32 bymeans which will. be presently described, it being understood that there is a pawl 33 for each type bar. The notches 32 are so spaced that when a type bar 15 moves upwardly in the manner described, as each type 33a is reaching its printing position a corresponding notch 32 on the type bar will be passing the latching pawl 33. If the latching pawl 33 is tripped during the upward movement of the type bar it will engage'one I of the notches 32 and prevent further'rise of the bar, the impositive locking pawl 30 slipping out of its notch 31 to prevent interference with further upward movement of the cross head 13. This stop-ping of the type hars holds one of its type 33a in printing position opposite the platen 68a and the particular type selected depends on the time of` tripping latch 33. In the present instance I prefer to so arrange the type elements 33a i that the zero type 34 is at the bottom of the type head of bar' 15 and after skipping the position 35 the type elements 32 in the ascending orderare from 1 to 9; the 9 being the uppermost type. In automatic accounting machines the zero type are usually caille-d bv a separate controlling system which depends for its operation on the printing of a significant .gure to the right of it. .The spacing shown is convenient for such a system but as it does not enter into the present invention it will not be'further described. After. print- .ing is effected in a manner to'be explained notch 31 (Figs. 2 and 4) at the bottom ofthe type bar whereupon it will carry the type bar downwardly with it and thus restore it to its initial position. Should the friction between the pawl 30 and the type bar 15 be su'icient to carry the type bar downwardly without the pawl 3() engaging in the notch 31, the type bar will descend until it strikes a shock absorbing stop pin 36 (Fig. 4) slidablymounted in the frame of the-device. lar 37 at its upper end against which a coil spring38 rests; thus the collar is held against the frame of the device causing the pin 3.6 to be extended when in its normalv position. Should the type bar 15 abut the surface of the pin 36, the spring 38 will be compressed slightly until its force of compression is sufficient to overcome the friction between` the pawl 30and the type bar 15 at which point itv would hold the type bar stationary permit- This pin has a colting the pawl 30 to be slidably. restored downwardly to engage its respective notch 31. The tripping of latch 33 to vengage anotch 32 in the type bar 15 is effected by means of a magnet 35a vwhich is energized by a circuity completed in any desired manner at a time depending on which type hammer is to be actuated for printing.v Normally the pawl 33 is locked in the position shown in Fig. 2 by the latch 40. As will be noted the pawl 33" and the latch 40 are pivotally mounted at 41 and 42 to brackets 43'fixed to the device and` 15. Vhen the magnet 35a is energized, it

attracts its armature 45 which is connected by a link 46 to the latch40 and thus pulls the latch to thefright `as viewed in Fig. 5, out from under the tail piece 47 of the pawl 33 thereby releasing the pawl permitting it toE engage with one of the notches 32 to which the type bar had been set in the manner previously described. As soon as printing has nfsl been effected, a bail 49 pivoted at 50 is actuated by a link 51 which vrocks the bail about its axis in a clockwise direction lifting the tailH piece 47 of the pawl 33 upwardly so that the latch 40 urged bythe spring 44 may again latch the pawl 31 out of engagement with the notches-32.

ent instance.

The link 51 referred to is actu-'p ated by mechanism inthe tabulating machine which is not necessary to disclosev in the pres-' 13u lce Cil

Reference will now be had to Figs'. 1, 2 and 3 for a description of the'manner in which printing is effected. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 10 are two cams 52 and 5S. Riding on cam 58 is a cam roller 54 and wiping on cam 52 is a removable cam wiper 55. Both the cam roller 54 and cam wiper 55 are fixed to a link 56 pivoted at or 'to a bracket 58 in themachine. The opposite end of the-link 56 is Vpivot-ed at 59 to another link 60 pivoted being such as to permit it a slight play be-l tween the plates. Extensions Gela of the webs 63 carry studs .65 to which are anchored a pair of springs 66, the other ends of which are mounted on pins 67 of the frame members A andA. As cams 52 and 53 rotate clockwise during the cycle, camroller 54 coaets with cam V53 to slowly lower link 60 and thereby rock plates 62 and 62 counterclockwise, permitting hammers 22a to move away from the type lugs and at the same time to tension springs 66. Near the end of the upward movement of cross head 13, cam 53 leaves roller tand cam 52 then engages the acute vtip of cam wiper 55 and stays in contac hammers are almosli in contact with the type lugs, web extensions 64a strike studs S0 (F1555.

1) on the frame members A and A', thus stopping bail plates 62 and 62 but the hamn beinepermitted a .slight play between said plates7 continue to move Ydue to their inertia andstrike thetype lugs 72 (Fig. which reason, the second cam 52 and itswiper is provided. During the major 'portion of the cycle. the roller 5ft and cam 52 coact .and during this time preventycoaction of cam 52 and wiper 55. Just before the printing action is desired to take place, roller 54 is released by It is desired to have the cam 53 allowing engagement for a short in-` terval of cam 52 and wiper 55 after which the i wiper is released to'permit the printing operation as explained. The tip of wiper 55 does not strike the bottom of the recess 52 in the cam 52 beceause roller 54 engages cam 53 to prevent this. Thus the possibility of wear en the tip of wiper 55 is held to a-minimumand consequently the latter is always .accuratein its action. All the type barsy 15 that are not being used to record columns in the record card maybe held down by manually pushing the locking latches .69 igs. 1 and 2) in the direction of the type bars. slidably mounted in a series of grooves between two plates running the. entire length of the printing head and attached to the side frames of the device by brackets 71, (Fig. 1). )When one ofthe latches 69 is pushed toward one ofthe type bars the turned-down end .72 (it the latch will engage over the top of the type bar thus preventing it from being raised in he manner previously described.

TWhile I have shown and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification it will be 1ifnderstood that various omissions illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in theY art without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend to be limited therefore only as indicated bythe scope of the following claims: i

1. In apparatus of the class'described, a cyclically movable type bar,'a releasable driving means therefor, and a plurality of actuating means to actuate sait driving means uni-directionallyeffective Vat different times during each cycle. Y s

2. In apparatus of the kind described, a type bar, a driving means therefor, an impositive coupling between the bar and its driving means, resilient means for elfectingthe coupling and means for releasing said coup.ing. y

V3. In apparatus as described, a type bar, a

*ing means therefor, an impositive coupling between trie bar and the driving means, means for effecting release of said coupling` during the forward stroke of the type bar and resilient means for effecting recoupling of said-har and d riving means during the return stroke of the bar.

ll. Means for cyclically driving a type bar, comprising a plurality of driving members active during each cycle, and a single actuating-shaft for the plurality of driving members. some of said driving members being of a different character or type than the others.

5. lleans for cycli/cally driving a type bar, comprising a main shaft andA driving means for the .bar carried by said shaft, said driving means including a gear and a cam each acting during a different portion of the cycle.

6. Means foiucyclically driving a typebar,

These latches are' andv changes in the form and details of the device comprising a main shaft, cams carried thereby for gradually moving the bar during predetermined portions of the cycle and gears Y for rapidly driving the bar during other porcomprising a plurality of independent actuating members, each separately active during a different portion of the reciprocating cycle to move the type bar in one direction.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a re -iprocating type element, a main actuating shaft, and a plurality of separate actuating means driven by said shaft effective to reciprocate the type element during each recipro- 1 eating cycle.

10. Means for driving a type bar comprising an actuating member, and a spring-urged member carried thereby to releasably engage the 'type bar to drive said bar to a dierently adjusted position.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising a type bar, actuating means therefor.

a pawl carried thereby and a cooperating notch in the bar engaged by the pawl to effect a driving engagement between the bar and the actuating means to drive said type bar to a differentially adjusted position.

12. In a device of the kind described, a type bar, a positive drive therefor, means for actuating said bar, and a spring pressed plunger for absorbing the shock ofthe bar at the end of restoring its movement.

13. In a device as described, a reciprocable type bar, carrying a series of individual type means for differentially adjusting said bar by cyclically moving the bar at a variable speed during certain portions of the cycle, and other means for moving the bar at constant speed during the remaining portions of the cycle.

14. In a device as described, a reciprocable type bar, carrying a series of individual type means for differentially adjusting said bar by moving the bar with a variable velocity.

and other means for at times moving the bar with a constant velocity.

15. In a hammer actuating mechanism, a main actuator, a cam member driven by said main actuator and adapted to impart a gradual retracting movement to the hammer and another cam member driven by said main actuator and adapted to permit a sudden forward movement of the hammer.

16. In a hammer actuating mechanism, a i

cam actuator, a cam follower cooperating therewith to impart a gradual movement to the hammer, a second cam follower alternately cooperating with said actuator to permit a sudden movement of the hammer said first follower during its cooperation with said actuator holding the second follower from engagement with said actuator.

17. In a printing device, including type bars and a series of individual hammers for striking the same to eii'ect printing, means for releasably driving said hammers, means foil releasing the drive of said driving means from said hammers prior to the latter striking said type bars, and means comprising spaced members for thereafter permitting a limited movement of the hammers toward the type bars to strike the latter', said means havingprovision for limiting the latter movement of said hammers.

18. A printing mechanism includinor reciprocable type bars and driving mec anism therefor, saiddriving mechanism comprising a rack and pinion device for driving a bar at uniform speed during an intermediate porvtien of a stro-ke and a cam driving device for decelerating, reversing and thereafter acceleratinn the bar at the ends of its stroke.

19, printing mechanism including reciprocable type bars and driving mechanism for moving them from a normal position through a plurality of printing positions, a releasable connection between said driving mechanism and said type bars and resilient means for causing a recoupling of said driving mechanism and type bars and for holding said bars in normal position.

20. In a printing mechanism comprising in combination wit-h a cyclically reciprocable bar carrying a series of printingtype, and separately acting means whereby said barfis gradually driven from its position of rest and i thereafter at a constant and uniform speed past a predetermined printing line.

21. In a printing mechanismcomprising in combination with a cyclically reciprocable bar carrying a series of printing type, and means whereby said bar is gradually drivenv from its position of rest and thereafter at a constant and uniform speed past a predetermined printing line, saidmeans being effec'tive to Vpositively restore said bar to its normal starting position.

22. Ina printing mechanism comprising in combination with a cyclically reciprocable bar carrying a series of printing type, cam means whereby said bar is gradually driven from its position of rest and thereafter by a rack and pinion device past a predetermined printing line.

In testimony whereof I heretoaflix my signature.

RALPH E. PAGE.

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