US1861975A - Paper feeding device for tabulating machines - Google Patents

Description

June 7, 1932. R. E. PAGE PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Dec. 24, 1925 I II IIILIIII/ l K L R. E. PAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1925 I "bent 1 June 7, 1932.

I PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE RALPH E. PAGE, or iamenmon, NEW YORK, assrcnon ro THE TABULATING mi- CHINE comm; or nmcorr, NEW YORK, A conronarron. or NEW JERSEY PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES Application filed December 24, 1925. Serial No. 77,643. .1

This invention covers improved platen feed devices for tabulating machines or the like.

It is customary in machines of that type to print data on-sheets of paper carried by a platen actuated by mechanism, such as a ratchet device, which gives the platen a stepby-step rotation in order that each item or line of data may be printed one ordinary line space below the preceding item. If an extra wide spaceis desired for any purpose, as for instance, before printing a total it has'been' customary to obtain that extra space by actu ating the regular. ratchet device more than once between successive printing operations. The present invention discloses a device by means of'which an increased line space may be obtained by a single actuation of the paper feeding mechanism.

In certain kinds of work, as for instance in printing certain information direct from a record card onto an order blank or bill, a space between lines is required equal to the length of the order blank or bill, and the .principal object of this invention is to provide means suitable for feeding the paper under such conditions.

'F or purpose of illustration my invention is shown in connectionwith a printing tabulating machine of well known type, such as is shown in the copending application of Clair D. Lake, Serial No. 639,153, filed May 15, 1923, but it should be understood that the invention may be used on any other machine of like nature and the invention extends to such use.

In the drawings, r

- Fig. 1 is a side view of my device, portions of the tabulating machine frame and printing mechanism being indicated by dotted lines. v 1

Fig.2isaplan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, partly in section, on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of upper end of rack with stop cam. In Fig.1, 10 is the total print cam and 11 is the listing cam of the tabulating machine.

Cam 10 is fast on total print shaft 12 and cam 11 fast on listing shaft 13.

\Vhenever a printing operation takes place, shaft 16 is rocked-by one or the other of cams 10 or 11 through the instrumentality oflever 14 or lever 15. Upstanding arm 18 being fast to shaft 16 is rocked to the right and back to home position during each printing operation whether such operation is brought about by cam 10 or 11.

The shafts12 and 13 constitute the totaling and listing shafts of a tabulating or record card controlled machine fully disclosed in the Patents 1,822,594 and No. 1,762,145. As

"fully explained inthe patents a series of classified record cards are successively fed to erator, once the machine is set into operation.

The automatic control is fully explained in the patents referred to. The special automatic paper feeding operation is constructed as follows:

20 is the platen fast on shaft 22. Rotatably mounted on shaft 22 is a sleeve 24 on one end of which is fast a pinion 26, and on the other end a. ratchet disc28 provided in its rim with a single notch 30 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4).

On the outer end of shaft 22 is fast a cross arm 32 on one end of which, at 34, is pivotally mounted a curved pawl arm 36. Arm 36 is equipped on its inner edge witha projecting shoulder 38 held against the rim of disc 28- by spring 40 extending from the free end of arm 36 to the free end of cross arm 32.

Pivotally mounted at 42 on the upper end of arm 18 is a rack member 44. At 42 a slot is provided lengthwiseof arm 18 in order that the effective point of connection maybe slot 58 of the rack 44. Fast on the outerend of rack 44 is a downwardly projecting block 60, which cooperates at the proper time with notched collar 62 pinned to platen shaft 22.

With the above construction in mind the operation of the device 'may be readily understood( While cam 10 is rotating and the type are being positioned by arm .64 (Fig. 1), arm

18 is rocked to the right, drawing with it rack 44, which rotates pinion 26 one complete revolution clockwise. 7

In normal position, shoulder 38 of arm 36 rests in notch 30 of disc 28. Disc 28 is fast to pinion 26 so when the pinion turns one revolution as above disc 28 turns with it, carrying with it arm 36, cross arm 32 and platen 20, which therefore makes one revolution for each revolution of listing cam 10. The above feeding stroke occurs .while the type are being positioned prior to the printing operation.

While the type are being restored to their normal lowered position after printing, arm 18 rocks to the left causing rack 44 to restore pinion 26 to'its normal position by rotating it one complete revolutioncounterclockwise. During this revolution the platen and its arms 32 and 36 stand still, while disc 28 turns backwards until at the end of its revolution shoulder 3,8 i again resting in notch 30, ready to turn the platen another revolution when the disc is again turned clockwise.

This mechanism turns theplaten one com- I plete revolution in substantially the same period of time required by the ordinary paper feed devices in turning the platen only one line space, which is only a small fraction of a platen revolution. The platen turns very rapidly and means must be provided at the end of the feeding stroke to stop the platen at a positive. position and prevent. it overrun ing or rebounding, which would cause, un-

even spacingof the paper.

The positive stopplng means comprises notched collar or cam 62, fast on shaft 22,-to-

gether with block 60, fast on rack 44. 1 Near the end of the feeding stroke the parts are in the position shown in Fig; 5 and are moving in the direction indicated by the arrows. By

the time rack- 44 has reached the end of its stroke to the right, face 66 of the notch in cam 62 has contacted with the lower surface of block 60 (Fig. 3) thereby positively stopposition, and preventing it from rotating in either direction until block 60 has been moved out of contact with face 66 which occurs on the return stroke of the rack.

The pin, slot and spring connection between the two halves of the rack member 44 obviates the necessity of stopping the travel of arm 18 as accurately as the platen is stopped. Even if the active end of the rack be stopped, the other end and arm 18 may travel further, the two parts of rack 44 being drawn again into normal relationship by spring 50 during the next stroke of the rack. to the left. i

. Thus it will be seen that my invention provides means to positively rotate the platen one complete revolution between succeeding printing operations.

1. In a machine of the class described, a platen, a mechanism for effecting printing operations, means operable as an incident to printing operationsto automatically rotate said platen a complete revolution in a single continuous operation after printing operat1ons,sa1d means comprising a smgle notched element, a pawl cooperating therewith and a high ratio driving connection to rotate said notched element andthereby the platen at comparatively high speed with respect to the driving mechanism.

2. In a printing tabulating machine, in

combination a. platen, intermittently oper-' able printing mechanism and devices operable as an incident to printing operations, to automatically rotate said platen one revolution between successive printing operations said devices including a single. notched element, a pawl cooperating therewith, and means to positively-and accurately positionsaid platen at the completion of said revolution.

3. In a prnting tabulating machine in combination, a platen, intermittently operable printing mechanism, devices operable as an incident to printing-operations to automatically rotate said platen one revolution between successive printing operations and a notched element operable at the end of the platen revolution to interlock said platen and said devices to prevent rotation of said platen. I 4. In a printing tabulator, in combination,

a platen, intermittently operable; printing (mechanism, and devices operable to rotate said platen one revolution between successive printing operations, said devices including a rack, an automatically operated arm toactuate said rack,'and a resilient connection between said arm and said rack.

5. In a machine of the class described, in

combination, a platen printing mechanism operative intermittently by a cam and devices operable by said cam to rotate said platen one revolution between successive printing operations, said devices including an arm rocked emma by said cam, a rack-reciprocated by said arm and a pinion rotated by said rack.

6. In a machine of the class described in combination, a platen, printing mechanism 1 operative intermittently by a cam and devices operable by said cam to rotate said devices including a trainof mechanism comprising a rack, a pinion operable by said rack and a pawl and ratchet device.

7 In a machineof the class described, in combination, a platen printing mechanism operable intermittently, a cam, devices operable by said cam to rotate said platen one revolution between successive printing opera tions, said devices including an arm rocked by said cam, a rack reciprocated by said arm, resilient means for connecting said rack to said arm, and a device operable to accurately position said platen at the end of its revolution.

8. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a platen, and means automatically effective as a result of a printing operation to rotate said platen one revolution in a single operation said means including a driving mechanism including a single notched element and a cooperating pawl and a high ratio driving connection to rotate said platen at comparatively high speed with respect to the driving mechanism.

4 In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my I signature.

RALPH E. PAGE.

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