US1859165A - Automatic tape cut-off - Google Patents

Description

May 17, 1932 J. F. PORTER ET Al; 'I 1,859,155

AUTOMATI C TAPE CUT OFF Filed May 8, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 1 A ff/1111111111A gnou/tots J. F'. PORTER G. MARX May 17, 1932. J. F. PC RTER ET AL 1,859,165

AUTOMATIC TAPE CUT-OFF Filed may 8, 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1932 STATES vJ'AlVIES-I1`."I"0RTER OFYONKERS, AND GEORGE MARX, OFNE'W YORK,N. Y., AS'SIGNORS j TO THE'WESTERN UN'ION TELEGRAPH COMPANY,`OF NEW YORK, N. .A CORFEORA- :TION OF NEW 'YORK 4Application-led May l8, 1931. Serial No. 536,002.

This invention relatesv t alprinting telegraphmachineand more particularly toV mechanism lfor performing auxiliary functions associated With the operation-.ofthe 5 machine.

.'In the normaloperation of tape printing telegraph machines in Whichzthe messages iare receivedupon a'gummedvtape, the re- Vceiving l operator, `in addition to applying the printedand gummed tape tothe telegraph blanks, has a-number of other duties to per- `formfandconsequently, Vat ti-mes a considerable length offprinte'd tape-may accumulate before lthe Voperator has anfopportunity to 'applyA the tapetothe blanks. This causes an fappreciablelag in the-'passage of the message through the ofce. `\7hile-this delay lisa-not su'i'icient to'become o'f-importancewith regard "tothe usualfrun of messages," it becomes -so 'in the `case oan `urgent or rush message Iwhich should be given preference at each Astage i inits transit through the oice.

p lAccordingly, itis one of the objects of the Ipresent invention `to provide mechanism as- `sociatedwith a telegra-ph printer forexpedit ing the handling of such rush -orflash messages and to eliminate unnecessary -delay'in 'the application of'- such messagestol the telegram blanks L`for further-routing of the mes- 80 `sage throughv the otlice. Y Y Another object is to-indicateto the rece1ving operator when ta message is being received which should talepref-erence over previously Areceived messages.

Another and more specific object is toprovvide atelegraph printer Awhich Will respond toa predetermined code lcombinationof impulses, 'to sever the tape orto markit for severance immediately preceding yand/crim- 40 mediately following the vprinted flash message so as toproduce the special orprefer- `encemessageupon an individual length of tape ready for immediate application to the telegram blanks.

It Will be obvious to those familiar with the operation-ottapeprinting telegraph machines that it is notfeasibleto cut the tap-e at the printing 'position but that it must be advanced beyond 'the printing position an appreciable-distance sol as to free-it from the platenl and other printing mechanism, .before the severing isaccomplished. i

yIn the particular machine disclosed inthe accompanying drawings, it was foundxadvisable'to Space the cutting mechanism a disi5 vtance corresponding .to about fourteen-letter spaces, `beyond theprinting posi-tion, tofenable -the cutting'mechanism to be operatedv Without interference. Consequently, 1 ifk the :cutting device isfcontrolledbyfa lspecial codesignal cb transmitted immediatelyrbefore fthe ."irst vcharacter of the flashi message, lit is `necessary to delay the actual severance of the tape until the last character of the precedingmessage has been advanced past' the cuttingposition. 65 Accordingly,z anothertofthe obj ects-xofnthe invention is to provide a counting or timing `mechanism, responding to la predetermined code combination of impulses, vvlichserv-esto operate the severing mechanism `only when 'Pl) Athe tape has been advanced'a'deiinite number of letter spaces past the printing position after, the receipt of such. code combination.

.More broadly statedyitiis an` object of 'the invention to provide, in ai printing telegraph@l5 machine, mechanism the operation of'whi'ch -is initiated by a code signal :but thecomplete functioning of which is delayed until after-a substantial 'number t of subsequent `printing cycles have been completed.

1 Other objects 'andadvantages of 'the invention Will appear fromthe'following'delscriptionand the 'appended claims.

ln accordance with the preferred embodiment of our `invention We provide a cutting Q mechanism disposed in thefpath `of travel of the tape and spaced from the printingposition a distance correspondingto the number of letter spaces. A countingfor control 'device is larranged to beset into oper-ation only inresponse to -a predeterminedfcode signal,

so as to be advanced' over ia. predetermined path, jstep-by-step, as. each succeeding chfaracter code combination is received. 'Thefcon- ,l trol device servestooperate the cutting mechi anism, When'the tape has'fbeen advanced kpast the printing position sulliciently to -bring the character printedtimmediately before'the' re'- ception ofsaid special code signahpastl-the M .cutting point.I TheJ operation `of the cutting m0 Vis to be understood that the operation may be entirely mechanical and we contemplate such obvious modifications as come within the scope ofthe appended claims. y

In order that the invention may be fully understood reference will now be had-to lthe accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 isa side elevation, partly in section, of a multiplex printing telegraph machine embodying the present inv-ention Figure 2 is a sectional view, substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing aportion of the counting mechanism and the circuits completed thereby;

Figure 31is asectional view on the line 3-'3 of Figure 1.

Yso

`.telegraph practice.

' 'Figure 4; is a sectional View on the line of Figuregl. Figurev is a plan-view of the principal operating parts of the machine, associated with --the tape feed, countingy and severing mechanism f Figure 6 is a front elevation of the cutting mechanism in its relation to the printing posi- 1tion of the machine;

, Figure 7 is a detail of the cutting members and Y Figure'8 is a detail showing the means for v Vshifting the platen to the upper case position.

.machine with which the preferred-embodi- The particular type of telegraph printing ment of thepresent invention has been shown, is known as' multiplex printer 21-A, extensivelyused by The VVestern'Union Telegraph Company and well known to those versed in Therefore, lthe printer .has-not been illustrated in detail but only the essential working parts necessary foran understanding of the invention have been shown.

`In this type of printer the printing is done `on a narrow gummed tape which as it emerges .from the machine, is moistened and applied i to a` message blank. The printing is effected by type bars selected by a series of five selector 5,5

bars Vcontrolled by individual selecting magf nets. These magnets are electrically connect- 'edtofthereceivingsegments on the multiplex distributor so as to receive the code impulses ,.insuccession. v, l

y,The .selecting magnets are located transversely across the top of the machine, one'only being'shown andA indicated'at'lO. The five .selector bars 11, which are controlled by the selecting magnets,are disposed one above the '65 other, an individual selecting magnetibeing vlatter in `its forward position.

provided for each selector bar. The selector bars are notched on their front edge and are moved longitudinally, in different combinations, to bring a single vertical row of notches into alignment. Normally, all of the selector bars areheld in their extreme right hand position. hfounted to the rear of the'selector bars is a slidable selector carriage l2 which is parallel and of substantially the same length as the selector bars. The selector carriage carries selector bar pawls 13, an .individual one of which is provided for each selector bar, under the control of one of the five selecting magnets. vFlach ofthe selector bars, opposite its individual pawl, is provided on its rear side with a notch 14 into whichthe pawl is moved by its selecting magnet. Each pawl as it moves into its notch 14 is lockedtherein by an individual latch 15. i

When a selecting magnet receives an impulse from its distributor segment, its-armature is attracted and the lowerv end thereof strikes the rear edge` of the corresponding selector bar pawl 13 and rotates it aroundits pivot point, thus causing it to enter the notch 14 of its selector bar, whereupon the latch 15 drops into the rear of the pawl and locks the The operation of any selector magnet closes the circuit for a relay, not shown, for completing the circuit from one of the segments of the multiplex distributor, not shown, to the selector carriage'magnet 16.- After the complete code combination has been received, the magnet -16 operates and through its armature shifts the selector carriage to the left, causing all of the forward pawls, through engagement'in the notches of their respective selector bars, to shift the latter to the left. Vhen the cho-sen selector bars have been moved sufficiently, rfive notches, one in each bar, will have been lined up to the rear o f one lof the selected pull bars17. As the selector carriage approaches the limit of itsmotioii to the left, it closes contacts, not shown, which completes a circ-uit to the printing solenoidV 18.` Thereupon the printing solenoid pulls down its plunger 19 and through a rock arm 2O connected to the upper end thereof, it rocks the transverse printing shaft 21, thus raising the printing bail 22 and roller 28 upward in an arc. The roller 23 and bail 22 extend back of the pull bars, one ,of which is provided for each type bar. As the roller moves upwardly, it asses off ofthe enlargement l24; of the pul bar and permits the selected pull bar to drop into the previously ,aligned slots of the :selector bars. Continued upward movelment of the printing bail 22 causes thefront edge ofthe bail to engage inthe notch 25, of

yzontal bar 26, tothe corresponding type bar 27, thus causing it to rotate about the type .bar Vfulcrum 28 so-as to strike downwardly against theplaten 29 to effect printing.

As the type bars move down, the fiat portions 31 thereof strike the rim of an arcuate universal, bar 32, depressing it through ymechanism to be described, effecting the fortion upon de-energization of the magnet 16,

to condition the same so as to respond to the succeeding code combination. i

Pivoted at the front of the printer and eX- tending tothe rear thereof is a lever 33, which is connected to one side of the universal bar 32 by a coiled spring 34. This lever at its free end rests on a spacing beam 35, pivoted about the platen shaft 36. This beam has its left end attached to a spacer connecting link 37, operated by the printing shaft 21 and on its right hand it carries a spacing pawl 38 held in engagement with a ratchet Wheel 39,

by means of a coiled spring 41.

When the universal bar is depressed, it carries the spacing beam lever 33 down with it, the spacing beam moving in the slotted Aend 42 of the link 37. This rotates the spacing beam through a small arc so that the pawl, at its outer end moves up and engages a new tooth on the spacing ratchet 39.

Upon the completion of printing, the revturn or upward st-roke of the solenoid plunger 19 imparts to the spacing link 37, an upward movement, thus rotating the spacing beam and ratchet the distance of one tooth. The ratchet 39 is rigidly secured to the platen shaft 36, thus rotating the platen the distance of one character.

The tape upon which theprinting is done, passes through guides 43 and thence across the upper face of the platen 29, between the platen and a knurled pressure roller 40 driven from the platen shaft by gears 44 and 45. Rotation of the platen shaft thereforev feeds the tape forward one letter space to bring a new portion of the tape into printing position.

All of the mechanism so far described is the standard construction of the printer, and alone, forms no part of the present invention.

To the left of the platen there is arranged a cutting mechanism for the tape comprising a blade 46 which slides vertically in a frame 47 having an aperture 48 through which the tapepasses. The blade is normally held upwardV away from the tape by a spring 49` and is=moved downwardly to sever the t-ape by a solenoid 51. The solenoid plunger 52is connected to the blade by means of a pin 52 engaged in horizontal slot 53, formed in the upper end of the plunger. The frame -47 and platen 29 are carried upon the supporting framework 50 of the platen, so as to move forwardly or rearwardly with the platen, as

theV platen is shifted tozprint eitherupper or lower case characters. 1

The platen shifting is effected by Ya special code combination which selects a predetermined or shift pull bar. The lower end of thev upper case shift pull bar54 is shown in Figures 4 and 7 and is provided with a curved heel portion 55, adapted to engage a roller 5.6 carried upon the right end of a crossarm 57, thus shifting the crossarm forwardly, by .cam action, as the pull bar is raised. The crossarm has a forward extension 58 to which-the platen frame 50 is rigidly secured, so as to move the platen mechanismforwardly. A detent lever 59 engages theroller 56 in both itsforward and rear positions to lock the l'aio same in either shifted position. `The platen 29 is shifted in the opposite direction by another pull bar 61, the forward side of which engages a roller 62, carried bv the opposite end of the crossarm 57 ,from the roller 56.

The counting or control mechanism for effecting the operation of thecutting device, is mounted upon across plate 65 carried at the rear of the machine and includes a stub shaft 66 which passes loosely through thefplate 65 and on its forward end carries a disk`67 having hub portions 68 and 69d. rAlso mounted V upon the shaft 66 is a second disk 71 provided with an annular series of perforations 72. The disk 67 is held against rotation by apin 73 extending outwardly from the plate 65 through an aperture in the rim of the disk 67. Thel disk 71 is loosely mounted for rotation relative to the disk 67 and is connected Athereto through a spiral spring`7 4, anchored spring 76 contained between the disk 67 and Athe plate 65. A washer 77v and a retaining nut 78 complete the assembly. 1

The disks 67 and 71 are normally held in a rearward position against the compression of the spring 76 by a latch r7 9 which extends in front of the plate 67;V The'latch 79 is pivoted to the plate 65, at 81 and has a tail portion 82 which maybe engaged by a finger r83 carried by a link 84 (Figl) under prescribed conditions as will presently appear.

The link 84 is pivoted to the end of a horizontal lever 85, which in turn is pivoted at 86 to the frame of the solenoid18. The forward end 87 of the lever 85 extends over a lug 88 carried by one of the pull bars 17, preferably a pullbar associated with a type bar which carries no character* in the upper case position. The lower end of the link 84 extends forwardly at 89 and is secured to the crossarm ter or preceding a flash message, a combinasevering device.

lever 85 is rocked, forcing the link 84 down-A ward and tripping the latch 79. Thereupon,

the Adisks 67 and 71 are moved forward by the spring 76, bringing the plate 71 into engagement with a pin 91, extending horizontally from the rear face of the ratchet wheel 39. The perforations 72 correspond to the angular positions assumed by the platen shaft 436 so that in whatever angular position this shaft may be one of the apertures 72 will be positioned opposite the end of the pinr91 and will'beentered by the pin, thereby locking the platen shaft and the disk 71 together.

At this time the end of the latch 79 will rest upon the periphery of the disk 67.

Upon the transmission of subsequent printing signals andthe consequent vrotation of the platen shaft to advance the tape, the disk 71 will be carriedaround, stepV-by-step, with the platen. VThe disk 71 is provided with a pair of radial extensions 92 and 93, the former of which, yin the normal or release position of the disk, is held against a stop pin 94, by means of the spiral spring `7 4. Upon engagement of the disk 71 with the pin 91, the radial extension 92 is rotated counter' ,clockwise `with the platen shaft until it engages the contacts 95 to close the same. This occurs after the tape has been advanced from the printing position at the top of the `platen into position beneath the blade 46 of the l Upon closing of the contacts v95 a circuit is completed from the negative side of the supply main through the contacts 95 and winding of the solenoid 51 of the cutting device, to the positive side of the supply main. The solenoid 51 is thereby Y energized to sever the tape and upon the downward movement of its plunger, to close a pair of contacts 96, thus completing a second circuit from the negative side of the line, magnet 97, contacts 96 and the winding 98 of a relay 99, to the positive side of the line. The relay V99V thereupon closes its contacts .completing a locking circuit through the manual key 101, armature and front contact Y 102 of the relay and a signal lamp 103.

`The magnet 97 has an armature 104 (Fig. 5) pivoted at 105, the free end of which is forked and extends around the shaft 66 be-V tween the plate 65 and the head 106 of the shaft. Upon energization of the magnet following the cutting operation, the shaft 66 is drawn rearwardly by the armature of the magnet, compressing the spring 76 and alrlowing the latch 79 to drop in ahead of the nssaies plate 67, Vthereby locking the counting device free of the pin 91. Upon release of the disk 71 from the pin 91, the disk rotates to its original position with the lug 92 against the stop pin 94, thereby opening the contacts 95 and deenergizing the solenoid 51, which in turn opens its contacts 96, deenergizing the magnet 97; The relay 99, however, remains locked up and the signal lamp 103 operated until it is manually released by the attendant operating the key or switch 101. The system is now in a condition to respond to a subsequent 'cutting signal which may beV transmitted immediately following the last*W character of the flash or rush message.

rlhe lug 93 is provided as a precautionary means in case the solenoid 51 is not operated for any reason upon the closing of the contacts 95. It is spaced relative to a pair ofh `contacts 107 so that normally it does notcome into engagement therewith. However, if the system is not restored to normal by the sequence of ope-rations following the closing of contacts V further rotation of the disk 171m will bring the extension 93 into engagement with the contactsV 107, thereby closing the same andrcompleting a circuit from the negative battery through the restoring magnet 97, contact 107 and positive battery, thereby a withdrawing the disk 71 from the pin 91 and -95 allowing the system to restore to normal. It will be understood, of course, in this latter event that the severing operation does not take place.

` It is to be understood that the 'countingi or control mechanism is not restricted to `the operation of atape cutting device but `may be employed for effecting other operations whereit is desired to delay such operations for a predetermined number of signals after the transmission of thecontrol signals. For instance, it may be desired to operate a time stamp following the completion of the transmission of each message, the stamp being disposed to one side of the printing position. j It is to be understood therefore, that we are not limited to the eXact details of construction shown and described but contemplate all modifications thereof and all usesF of the invention that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a telegraph printing machine,a tape feed mechanism, means responsive to .groups` of code impulsesr for operating said tape feed mechanism, a tape severing device, a normally inoperative counting device, means responding to a group of code impulses for rendering said counting device operative and means for advancing said counting device one step for each subsequent group of code impulses received, said counting device after it has been advanced a predeterminedA number of steps, causing the actuation of. said tape'severing device. f Y

v 2. YIn a telegraph printing machine, a tape feed mechanism, means responsive to groups of code impulses for operating said tape feed mechanism, a tape severing device, a norf mally inoperative counting device, means reber of steps, causing the actuating of saidV tape severing device, and means for automatically restoring said counting device to its ,initial position upon the operation of said severing device.

3. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative counting device, means responsive to co-de signals for rendering said counting device operative, means for advancing the counting device one step for each subsequent group of Vcode signals received and a control circuit completed by said counting device after it has been advanced a predetermined number of steps.

4f. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative counting device, means responsive to code signals for rendering said counting device operative, means for advancing the counting device one step for each subsequent group of code signals received and means actuated by said counting device after it has been advanced a predetermined number of steps for performing functions auxiliary to the main printing function of said machine.

5. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative counting device, means responsive to code signals for rendering said counting device operative, means for advancing the counting device one step for each subsequent gro-up of code signals and a signal operated by said counting device after it has advanced a predetermined number of steps.

6. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative counting device, means responsive to code signals for rendering said counting device operative, means for advancing the counting device one step for each subsequent group of code signals, means actuated by said counting device after it has been advanced a predetermined number of steps for performing a function auxiliary to the main printing function of said machine, and means for restoring said counting device to inoperative condition after said auxiliary function has been completed.

7. In a telegraph printing machine, a normally inoperative counting device, means responsive to code signals for rendering said counting device operative", means fior ad,- vancing the counting device one step for each subsequent group of code signals received, means actuated by said counting device, after it has been advanced a predetermined number of steps, for performing afunction auxiliary to the main printing function of said machine, a signal and means for operating said signal after said auxiliary function has been completed.

8. In a telegraph printing mechanism, a tape feedmechanism, a tape advanced by said tape feed mechanism past the printing position one step for each printing stroke, a tape severing device, means controlled by code signals for determining the operation of said tape severing device when a particu-1 lar portionofsaid tape is in printing position, said tape severing device operating to cut the tape adjacent said particular portion after said portion has been advanced a predetermined distance beyond the printing position by successive printing strokes.

9. In a telegraph printing mechanism, a tape feed mechanism, a tape advanced by said tape feed mechanism past the printing posi;

tion one step for each printing stroke, a tape engagingv device positioned to one side of side printing position in the path of said tape, and means controlled by code signals for determining the operation of said tape engaging device when a particular part of the tape is in printing' position, the operation of said tape engaging device being delayed until after said part of the tape has been advanced a predetermined distance beyond Vthe printing position by successive printing strokes.

l0. In a. tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, means for rotating said platen to advance the tape thereacross upon each operation of the printing mechanism, a

character counting device normally discon-v nected from said platen, means responsive to a code signal for connecting said counting device and platen whereby the counting device is operated in response to eachmovement of the platen, and a tape engaging member operated by said counting device after predetertheI platen is rotated through a mined arc.

11. In a tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, means for rotating said platen to advance the tape thereacross upon each operation of the printing mechanism, a character counting Vdevice normally disconnected from vsaid platen, means responsiveto a code signal for connecting said counting device and platen whereby the counting device is operated in response to each movement of the platen, a tape engaging member operated by said counting device after the platen is rotated through a predetermined arc, and' means for disconnecting said counting device from the platen following the operation of said tape engaging member.

12. In a tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, means for rotating said Y platen to'advance the tape thereacross upon by each succeeding cycle of the selecting'Y 35' each operation of the printing mechanism, a

character counting device normally inopera-y tive, means 'responsive to a code signal to cause said counting device to operate in step lWith said platen, meanscontiolled by said counting device in one position thereof for performing a function auxiliary tothe normal printing operation and a second means controlled by said counting device in a different position thereof for performing an additional function.

13. In a tape telegraph printer, a printing mechanism, a platen, means for rotating said platen to advance the tape thereacross upon each operation of the printing mechanism, a character counting device normally inoperative, means responsive to a code signal to cause said counting device to operate in step With said platen, a circuit. controlled by said counting devicein one position thereof for performing a function auxiliary to the normal printing operation and a second circuit controlled by said counting device in a different position for rendering the counting device inoperative and restoring it to its initial position.

14. In a printing telegraph machine, a selecting mechanism having a definite cycle of operation, a normally inoperative controlv mechanism, means responsive to `a predetermined operation of said selecting mechanism for conditioning said control mechanism to respond to saidselecting mechanism, Wheremechanism Will advance the control mechanism along a predetermined path and means actuated by said control mechanism after a predetermined number of said subsequent cycles have been completed.

15. In a printing telegraph machine, a selecting mechanism having a deiinite cycle of operation, a normally inoperative control mechanism, means responsive to a predeterv mined operation of the selecting mechanism for conditioning said control mechanism to respond to each succeeding cycle of the selecting mechanism and auxiliary means actuated by said control mechanism after a plurality of said subsequent cycles have been completed. Y

16. In a printing telegraph machine, a selecting mechanism having a definite cycle of operation, a normally inoperative Vcontrol mechanism, means responsive to a predetermined operation of the selecting mechanism,

'Y for conditioning said control mechanism to respond to each succeeding cycle of the selecting mechanism, auxiliary means actuated by said control mechanism after a plurality of said subsequent cycles have been completed, and means for restoring said control mechanism to its normal inoperative conditionupon the operation ofy said auxiliary means. v

17. In a printing telegraph machine, a sepleted, means for restoring Vsaid controlv mechanism toits normal inoperative condition upon the operation of said auxiliary means, and separate means acting inresponse to additional cycles of said selecting mechanism to restore said control mechanism to its normal inoperative condition in case said auxiliary mechanism fails to operate.

In testimony vvhereof We affix oursigna'- tures.

JAMES F. PORTER. GEORGE MARX. f

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