US1838712A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1931, J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June l5, 1928 Patented Dec. 17931 'rasY iasgiz er 'rear vPrien 5 i FISHER CGMPANY, OF ll-EVSV YCRK, E; Y.,'A CORPRATION 0F DELAVARE frYrnwnrriiis iniicriinn Application filed June 15,

This invention relates to work-holders for cylindrical platens of typewriting machines,

`the main object being to provide means-for Conveniently and quicklyv inserting and positioning sinall'stiif cards of special shapes.V

In telephone-transinitting equipments it is customary to employ a card upon which is printed the number of the telephone. 1 These cards have a variety of shapes. Tt is an ob- Vject of the invention to provide means for typewriting the numbers upon the cards, one feature of the invention being an improved means for holding these exception ally shaped l cards'and feeding Athe same on the round platen, and for typing many cards'during one line of typing or one vtravel ofthe typewriten,

carriage. l

`The device is ofthe front-insertion order, i

inwhich 'the Vwork` is inserted Adownwardly at the front of the platen. Tt is inserted downwardly into a work-holder that lies close to the front of the platen and extends 'from end to end thereof, and is fixed to the platen. This work-holder, or clip, has at its top edge I' an undercut extending to the depth of about a quarter of an inch, leaving a slight space between the work-holder and the platen into which the bottom kedge'of the card is thrust downwardly7 the bottom of the cut serving as the bottom gage for the card and tru-eing the card relatively to the printing line.

To aid in presenting the card properly to the work-holder there is provided upon the platen-carriage a bar extending along the platen and separated a little therefrom sufficiently to allow the freeinsertion of the card downwardly behind the bar and in front of the platen, the bar andthe platen co-operative to form a chute `for the introduction of the work-piece downwardly into the card-` bottoni edge first, between the introductory barV and the` platen and descends into the,

ieee. serial no'eeaea.

Vpocket of the clip-bar. l The platen is then rotated b'ackwardly, together with its clip and JLSSE A. B. SMITH, OF STANFORD, CNNECTICUT,'ASSGNC-R T0 UNDVEBFV00DV LLVOTT theV card, to Vbring the proper point of the wcrlzto` the printingiline, and then the nurnber is typed upon the card, thev chuteQb'ar and the clip co-operatingto bend the card :firmly v against the platen, to givea` good backing for tliecardvfor receiving the,typeblows. VV-hile the card at first sets down loosely into the pocket formed al'cng'the top edge vof the clip-bar, still it will'beunderstood that by turning the platenbackwardly the clip operates vtobend the 'card a trifle around the platen, and thereby a firm grip is securedupon the card, so that it is not in danger of becoming displaced during the typing operation. t .'This grip increases 'with' the backward travel ofthe platen Thetypewriting machine may be provided with afset of 'exceptionally large types for prntingthe numbers veryfplainly.`

' One of the advantages of the invention is that manyicar'ds can be placed side by side in position uponthe platen` and then, by turning the platen back, all the cards are dropped to bring themto printing position. Then' all of the cards can be typed during a-single run of the carriage, and then all taken out preparatory to inserting a fresh quantity of cards. Y Y Y Y Any hindi ofirregularlyshaped cards can be inserted, land someof them are illustrated. vThe invention lis also serviceable for the downward introduction of-other work-pieces, such as envelopes and small sheets, and in all cases the advantage gainedis the alignment ofthe work-piece relativelyto the printing line without attention from the operator, who

has only to press the workpiece down until it reaohesthebottom of the pocket in the cardclip. y Y 7 l/Jhen writing a number of telephone'nuinber cards, the device can be employed that vusually releases theplaten from the control of the linespace wheel. The platen is then turned downwardly to bring the Vcard into proper s position for typing while the `platen remains released. Then the platen, is reconnected to thelinefspace wheel. Then when typing any quantity of similar cards,fit is only necessaryV to insert the card and turn the platen backwardly for a given number of notches, whereupon the card will be brought automatically into proper typing position Without adjustment of either `the card or any part of the typewriter-carriage. I j

The device is useful for front or downward insertion of small stiff work-pieces. A work-clip is fixed 'upon the platen to be rotatable therewith and is normally located below the typing line. It is effective to hold and gage the lower extremity of a 'Work-piece. A stationary member is rigidly mounted upon the platen-frame in close relation with the platen-surface 'above the'typing line, to hold `the upper part of the ismallworlz-piece down upon thel platen, thisdco-'operative way a small stiff Icard is securely held and `tiered bach upon the `front of the platen for a vlirni support at thetyping operation.

, In positioning a plurality of similar: cards alo'i'ig the platen, `a form ofclip is preferred which 'extends from 'end to end of the platen, and has an undercut along its entire upper' edge to Areceive and f'gafge therein Vthe lower estre`` ties of a line' of work-pieces. Above the typing lin'e is a bar extending from end to end o'f tlfiepla'ten-frame. AA .plurality of Acards may be introduced positioned by` a -singlesweep of the platen, the numbers written during one travel of the carriage, and the cards discharged again by returning the platen: A l l The stationary holding'membermay be adjustable 'upon the platen-frame to Vary the :clearance Yofthe paper Aintake for proper cooperation with said4 clip when the wor-hpieces Yare being inserted. j

Se'ttable gages may c o-opera'te with the holding device, to'laterally locate the work- A"pieces in a :predetermined manner along the platen, for (1o-operation with settable carriage-stops, to quickly posi-tion Vthe workpieces at the printing point. Y j y rllhe settablegages may form chutes arranged along the platen, by means of which a lin'e of :irregularly shaped work-pieces may befquiek-ly positioned.

An Aordinary rtabulating mechanism successively brings 'the work-pieces to the Aprinting point for a single-line entry thereon.

@ther features advantages will hereinafter appear.

l-n the accompanying drawings. Y j

`Figure 1 shows the novel work-holding ldewice as applied tothe platen and the carriage-frame, respectively, of aV standard maehine, a line of smalleards being lined up in l preliminary position along the platen and ready to 4be shifted simultaneously down to the ltyping line. j j

Figure 2 isa cross-section taken of Figure 1, and shows `more clearly the Yprocedure vof inserting agplurality-of sma'll work-pieces, ac-

cording to the novel method, whereby the Vshown connection with movable paper-cli) is shown as shifted to proximity with the stationary bar or guiding member above the typing lin-e.

Figure 3 is similar to Figure 1, parts being broken away, to merely indicate the final position of the work-pieces relative to the typing line.

Figure l is a cross-section of Figure 3, showing the means to hold the small and stilil work-pieces above and below the typing line upon the platen-surface, for a single-line entry.

Figure 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic section, showing conditions prevailing at the preliminary stage of inserting small stilll work-pieces, and disclosing that the lower end portion of the cards, while loosely seated behind the clip and the stationary member, isgiyen a slight crosswise tension upon the j ilfaten-su'rfaee, so as to enable the work- -pieces by friction to be carried down to the typing line wnen the platen is backed up, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 shows in detail a work-piece of special shape, being of lower height than those lshown in 4Figures 1 and 3, to indicate an occasion which requires a change in the set-ltiiigfb'y operating .the line-space clutch.

'The frame of the platen-carriage is indicated to include the sid-es 10 in which is journal-ed shaft 11 of an ordinary rotary `platen 12. The projecting left-handend of v"the platen-shaft ris shown to carry a wellknown line-space wheel 13 with the associated d'e'ten't-member 14, as Vfound in standard machines. The line-space wheel is clutch or fractional line-'space Vmechanism15, such as is disclosed in the patent to Helmond 1,148,167, dated July 27, 1915. This clutch permits jtheline-space wheel -to be dscon'nected from 'the platen-shaft, so that the platen may be freely rotated to adjust aworl-pieee thereon to a certain reference line. while the linespace wheel is held stationary by a usual detent roller 1 6 resiliently mounted upon the platen-frame. rllhere is also shown` for purposes hereinafter to appear, a tabulating mechanism known inthe art and indicated merely7 by fplungers 17 liftable upon the stationary machine-frame, as at 18, to eo- 4operate with settable stops 19, the stops 19 bei-ng settable upon -the rack-bar 2O which normally forms part or". the travelling platen-carriage. The tabulating mechanism vordinarily serves to jump the carriage predetermineddistances, to quickly position rertain columns at the jiu-mixing point.

The novel work-hold; r

device shown to be used for lthe preferred purpose of positioning a 'line of irregularly shaped cards, for instance number cards, such as 'are employed upon the mouthpieces of telephones.

The-entry is a single-line entry and may 'be Y that the. card-holder be turned upwardly with'the platen (see Figure 2) to proximity made upon all the cards during one run of the carriage. y

The device travels with thecarriage and includes. a clip e fixed upon the platen to be rotatable therewith and effective to hold` the lower extremities of the work-pieces, and a stationary member rigidly mounted upon the platen-frameV to hold the lwork-pieces vdepth to receive and hold therein small front-inserted work-pieces, such as shown in the. form of an envelope 23 (in dot and dash), or in the form'of a line of small number cards 24 and 25. AAs the work-pieces are thrust downwardly into said undercut, the' bottom of the cut will serve as a bottom Vgage for the cards, and true the same relatively7 to theprinting line. The bar 21 lis formed at each end with a side arm 26 having slots 27 to engage over flattened hubs 28 of thevv platen-shaft. A latch 29 is pivoted at 30 upon each side arm and has a hook 31 to embrace said hub to securely attach the cardholder to the platen. A finger-piece or lug 32 provided upon an opposite extension of said latch serves to unlatch the card-holder from the hub. An arcuate slot 33 in the latch co-operates with a pin 34 upon the side arm to limit the movement of the latch.

There are also shown another pin 35 upon.

brackets being mounted upon the top. of they sides 10 of the platen-frame and having` depending portions V4() to `locate said bar 37 above the typing line and in proximity yto the platen-surface. connections 39, 39at between the brackets and the supporting platen-frame, the intake clearance may be altered to suit the character of the work-pieces, and for proper co-operation of the intake with the clip or card-holder. Y j

The novel card-handling method provides with the stationary bar 37 to form therewith a pocket or groove in which aline of cards, as shown at 24 and 25, is to be primarily seated and positioned.

The diagrammatical detail Figure 5 shows the lower extremities of the work-pieces in slightly curved condition flexed upon the Due to screw-and-slot the'bar 37 to'be used for platen while held in the arcuate undercuty 22.

- This slightlytensioned condition oers "sufficient friction" upon the platen-surface to subsequently carry the work-pieces down to the printing line when the platen is backed up in the direction of the arrow, as shown at FigureV 4, andwh'en said work-pieces are pulled down under the guidanceof said Astationary bar 37. It will .be understood that the grip upon the platen increases with the backward rotation of the platen, thereby `securing'a firm grip upon the card, so that the latter is not in danger of becoming displaced during the typing operation. Since said bar 37 is in fixed position upon the platen-'frame it will not move under the tension of the flexed 4stiff cards, and a type-bar 40a will find a firm backing at the printing line. f

From Figures 4 and it will furthermore appear that the card-holding portions of the devices are spaced from the platen-surface and disposed relatively to eachother, so as to allow the upper and lower ends of the cards to slightly flare away from the-platen-surface, while the intermediate portions, d'ueto the stiffness of thecards, are tensioned upon theplaten. y

J When writing a number ofv telephone cards, the above-mentioned clutch 15 canbe employed. After releasing the platen from the control of the line-space wheel, the platen may be turned downwardly to bring the cards into proper position, when" the platen may be reconnected tothe line-space-wheel. `Now the .card-holding deviceis so conditioned that when typing any quantity, of similar cardslit is only necessary to insert thecards and turn the platen backwardly for a given number of line-spaces, .whereupon the cards. willt be brought' automatically into proper typing positionwithout adjustment' of either 'the cards or any part'of the typewriter-carriage. It is also'possible to use .anyv other known means for predetermining the required platen-sweep in order'jto'facilitate `and, speed up positioningof the cardsA f AV further eXpedientin thepresent card- Y handling method provides side` gages 41 settably mounted upon said bar 37 foreach work- piece 24, 25,.- ,One'pair ofside gages" may form an individual chute for each workpiece, ea'ch gage having a slot-and-screw Vconnection142, 43'with Vsaidbar `37,'so` as to be laterally adjustable uponthe bar tofit Vvari-` able sizesV of work-pieces, and particularly' to'aid in positioning cards'of 'irregular shape. At 44 are shown .additional tapped holes u'pon said gages 41.

' "According to another feature, the chutes'or i' gages maybe arranged and adjusted to lat- `erally predetermine the" location of"each al different set-up of rfi pieees, fisvthus-positioned at the typing line, the tabula/ting meohanisinmay he oper- `ated"tof'suocessively bring each Work-piece to the` printing point. This` combination; adds ,toi-the tinievand labor .saving qualities et the device. y

Variationsinay be resortedfto within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may he used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

` le Inaftypewritingmachin-e having a earringe iixcluding platen-frame, the combination with .a1 rota-ry platemiot means for positioning small relatively :still Work-pieces thereon for typing, including a paper-clip upon said platen rotatable therewith, to hold the lower extremity of a small Work-piece, and `a stationary member rigidly mounted Y upon the platone-frame `allieve the typing line and spaeedfrom. the platensurtace to allow free insertion of a Work-piece and to hold the upper part of said Workpiece flexed down. upon the platen when rotated back- Ward.

Q. vIn a typewritng machine, having a laterally traveling carriage includingl a platentrame, and having tabulating instrumentalities, the combination with a .rotary platen, of means for quickly positioning small 'workpieeesat the-*printing point, said means in- -clud'ing a .cli-p engaged upon the platen to he rotatable therewith,andfedective, by `co-operwith the platen-surface, .to hold the lower edge of frontinserted worlifpieces, a

stationary barspaeed from the platen and above the typing line mounted upon the platen-frame, and' eifective to hold the upper part of aWork-p-ieeefdovvn uponthe 'fpla'tem and. settaloleggages associated with said bar to laterally predetenmine the posi- Ation of a work-.piece so that thetafbul-ating -inechan'isln may jump the Seairiage .to 'posif tion the Work-.piene .at the .printing point.

` typing line .parallel ther-oto, and l'eflieotive to hold the work-pieces upon the platen, and :settahle `gages for the Work-'pieces mounted upon 41sai-d har isofas to laterally centime the work-pieces thereon, said gages (io-operative with said clip in properly positioning -the y Workfpieced said bar Zh aving :a :row vof 'spaced holes,.iand :sai-.d gages being `arranged in pai-rs,

one pair for each card, eachy gage having a slot extending lengthwise of the bar, and individual fastenin devices passing through said slots andl ancl ored in said holes, for receiving the gag-es Where adjusted.

4. In a typewrting machine, having :i carriage including a platen-f1a1ne,the combination with a rotary platen, of a .device for conveniently positioning aV line of small work-pieces to be arranged along the platen for typing the same during onetrayel of the carriage, said devioeincluding ,a clip ixed upon the platen Vand effective to grip and to seat the lower extremities of the Work-pieces, a har mounted upon the platen-frame above the typing line, and a pair ot side gages for each work-piece, to he adjustably mounted upon said har, to form individual chutes to lit the Work-pieces to be inserted therein and .to be sea-ted when the `clip is raised to proxim

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