US1898683A

US1898683A - Tabulating device for type composing machines

Info

Publication number: US1898683A
Application number: US396381A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas A Payne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-09-30
Filing date: 1929-09-30
Publication date: 1933-02-21
Anticipated expiration: 1950-02-21

Description

Feb. 21, 1933. T. A. PAYNE TABULATING DEVICE FOR TYPE COMPOSING MACHINES Filed Sept. 30, 1929 2 SheetsSheet l [N VENTOR m5 HEW/v5 60 A TTORNE Y5 Feb. 21, 1933. T. A. PAYNE TABULATING DEVICE FOR TYPE COMPOSING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 30, 1929 INVENTOR 7H0MA5 fl. Pa /v5 A TTORNEYS fi \U Patented Feb. 21, 1933 PATENT QFFICE THOMAS A. PAYNE-OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA TABULATING DEVICE FOR TYPE CGMPOSING MACHINES Application filed' September 39, 1829. Serial No. 396,381.

My invention relates generally to type composing machines and more particularly,

although not necessarily, to type composing machines of the character by which open- 5 ings are punched in a ribbon of paper at predetermined locations in response to the manual actuations of keys on the keyboard of the machine, for the subsequent use of the thus perforated ribbon incontrolling the operation of a type casting machine in casting individual characters separately in type.

It is the primary object 01' my invention to provide a device of simple, rugged and compact construction, which in its use with a type composing machine, greatly facilitates the work of the operator in setting up tabular matter on the machine, and in such manner as to eliminate time consuming manual operations at present necessary in setting up matter of this character, to'the end that the output of the machine will be materially increased.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tabulating device for type composing machines which in its use on the well known Monotype type composing machine, for example, is advantageously employed in the setting up of tabular matter thereby, and by which the return movement of the em rack of the composing machine occurring in response to actuations of the justifying keys or certain other keys of the machine, can be automatically arrested at positions predetermined to be the starting location of the lines of each column, so that the starting locations of the lines of each column when cast in type will be in vertical alinement with each other, all for the purpose of obviating the present time consuming and'in convenient practice of manually rotating the unit wheel of the composing machine in order to move the em rack to the proper starting location for a line of each succeeding" column after completion or justification of a line of the previous column, thus greatly expediting the work of the operator as well as promoting his efiiciency.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a tabulating device of the above described character which is capable of being applied with the utmost easeand dispatch to conventional forms of type composing machines such as the well known Monotype composing machines without any modification of the construction of the latter.

I will describe only one form, of tabulating device for type composing machines embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of one form of tabulating device embodying-my inven tion, appl ed to the conventional Monotype type composing machine.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the tabulating device and the parts of the type composing machine with which the device is directly associated. V

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 and illustrating a different position of the device.

7 Figures 5 and 6 are views of the device in end elevation and illustrating respectively, non-latching and latching positions of a latching means embodied in the device. 9

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 2 and illustrating one of a plurality of stops embodied in the device. a,

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are sectional views taken form of stop shown in Figure 12, and

Figure 15 is avertical sectional view taken on the line 1515 of Figure 14 and looking in the direction of thearrows.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which similar reference characters designate similar parts in each of the several views, my

chine, the em rack 11 is advanced towards 7 one extreme position in the direction of the arrow A (Figure 2) by suitable mechanism (not shown) controlled by the actuation of character representing keys 15 on the keyboard 16 of tiie machine. The movement of the em rack is transmitted directly thereto by the mechanism above referred to, through the medium of a unit wheel 17 to which is fixed a pinion gear 18 directly meshing with the teeth of the em rack so that sliding movement of the latter will be effected in one direction or the other according as the unit wheel is rotated in one direction or the other by the mechanism. Upon the actuation of any key 15 the em rack is automatically advanced in the direction of the arrow A, a predetermined amount which varies in accordance with the width in units of ems of the character represented by the particular key which is actuated, and the graduations 13 of the scale it are such that the pointer 12 will co-act therewith to indicate the amount in ems and half ems. Thus the operator can determine at any time the number of ems required to complete the line being set, by noting the position of the pointer 12.

In tabular work which is to be arranged 1n vertical columns, 1t will be understood that as each line of each succeeding column has be set.

been set by actuation of the proper keys 15, the line is slightly underfilled by adding em quads thereto in response to actuation of a certain key on the keyboard 16, thus further advancing the em rack. The line is then justified in response to actuation of one of a plurality of upper justifying keys 19 provided on the keyboard, in accordance with the indication of a justifying scale 20, which operation causes the em rack to be further advanced,

and beyond a predetermined starting location for a line of the next succeeding column to t will be noted that by actuating one of a plurality of lower justifying keys 19 on the keyboard, that the inherent action of the mechanism controlled thereby is to first further advance the em rack 11 a small distance in the direction of the arrow A in Figure 2, and tien reversely move the em rack to its opposite extreme and starting position to the left as viewed in Figure 2.

After justification of Va lineby actuation of one of the justifyingkeys 19, it is at present necessary that in order to reposition the ,zontally em rack so that the pointer 12 will indicate on the scale 14: the precalculated starting location of a line in the next succeeding column to be set, that the unit wheel 17 be manually rotated in the direction to effect the necessary return movement of the em rack to the proper position, thus resulting in a loss of time and greatly hampering the operator as well as reducing the efficiency of the latter, as this operation necessitates that the hands of the operator be removed from the keyboard.

By the provision of my invention these disadvantages are entirely overcome, and return movement of the em'rack as a result of justilication by a lower justifying key 19 auto matically arrested at the position for the pointer 12 to indicate the precalculating starting location of a line in the next succeeding column to be set. V

My invention in its present embodiment comprises a pair of L shaped brackets 21 and 22 which are secured as is the bar 10 by bolts 23 to lugs 24: formed on the frame 25 of the composing machine. One arm 26 of the bracket 21 and one arm 27 of the bracket 22 project downwardly and forwardly, and in these arms is journaled a support in the form of a rectangular frame F, by means of hori- 'ment in advance of and below the bar 10 about an axis parallel to the length of the alined trunnions 28 extending through ahned openings 1n these arms. The

rack, and is normally urged towards the latter by a coil spring29 surrounding one of the trunnions 28 and having hooked engagement with the frame and with the arm 26. The pivotal movement of the frame F under the urging action of the spring 29 is definitely limited to normally dispose the frame in the upright and active position shown in Figures 2 and 3, by a pin 30 projecting from the arm 26 into the path of movement of the frame.

The frame F broadly constitutes a means for mountinga plurality of stops S in precalculated positions one in advance of the other in a direction parallel to the length of the em rack for engagement thereof successively when the frame occupies the upright position shown in Figures 2 and 3, by the head .31 of a stop member 32 secured to and projecting forwardly from the em rack. The head 31 is HOVlClQCl with a stop face 33 disposed at a right angle to the lengthof the frame, and a beveled surface 34: constituting a cam which functions in a manner to be hereinafter described.

One or more of the stops. S are employed depending on the number of columns of tabular matter to be set up, and as all the stops are identical in construction a'detailed descriptioniof one stop will suffice for all.

Each stop S comprises a body 35 having a vertically disposed tubular portion 36' in which a stop bar 37 is slidably mounted, and

a bifurcated portion 38 adapted to freely receive the upper rail 39 of the frame F to support the body with its tubular portion 36' in a vertical position on the frame. The opposed walls of the bifurcated portion 38 are provided with vertical ribs 40 which are adapted to enter vertical grooves 41 formed in the side faces of the rail 39 at intervals along the length of the rail corresponding to the spacing between the teeth of the em rack which in the Monotype type composing mach ne is an amount equaling 9 units or half an em. The ribs 40 and grooves 41 co-act to definitely maintain the'body 35 and hence the stop bar 37 in any one of a multiplicity of selected positions along the length of the rail 39 for coaction of the stop bar 37 with the stop member 32 in arresting at a precalculated location the previously described return movement of the em rack resulting from an actuation of the justifying keys. The top surface of the rail 39 is provided with a scale 39 identical to the scale 14, and by which the operator is enabled to set the stop at a selected position along the length of the rail.

The vertical side face of the stop bar 37 with which the stop face 33 of the head 31 directly co-acts in arresting the return movement of the em rack is provided along its length with a series of steps 42, nine in number, representing units of ems, and any one of which is adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of the head upon a suitable vertical adjustment of the bar which can be readily efi ected by grasping a knob 43 formed on the upper end of the bar, and moving the latter upwardly or downwardly in the body 35. To releasably retain the'stop bar in any one of the nine positions of vertical adjustment selected, the bar is provided along the length of a side face adjacent the steps 42 with notches 44 at intervals corresponding to the lengths of the steps, whereas the casing 35 is provided with a spring pressed pin 45 clearly shown in Figure 9 which is adapted to enter any one of the notches and latch the bar in the selected position of vertical adjustment. In order to indicate to the operator which step 42 is in the proper vertical position to be disposed in the V path of movement of the head 31 of the stop member 32, the stop bar 37 is provided with a series of numerals 46 indicating the numbers of the respective steps. 7

The extent to which the uppermost and lowermost ones of the steps 42 are vertically ofiset is equal to the distance between adj acent grooves 41 along the lengthvof the rail 39, and as the steps are all uniformly offset vertically from each other, it will be clear that the spacing between adjacent notches is subdivided by the steps,iso that with the casing definitely positioned along the length of therail 39 by the selected grooves 41, the return movement of the em rack can be arrested in any one of a plurality of positions which vary from each other a predetermined fractional part of the spacing'between the particular groove 41 utilized and the next adjacent groove.

Projecting upwardly from the arm 27 of the bracket 22 is an ear 47 on which is pivotally mounted by a horizontal pin 43 a.

gravity latch lever 49 adapted to co-act with a latching lug 50 on the frame F to automatically latch the frame in the inactive position shown in Figure 6 wherein the head 31 of the stop member 32 clears the stop bars 37 of the stops S so as to permit the free and unrestricted return movement of the em rack from its fully advanced extreme position to its extreme retracted position when the justifying keys 19 are actuated to justify a line in the last column of the'matter to be set up. To move the frame F'from the active position shown in Figure 2 to the inactive position shown in Figure 6, so that the latch lever '49 will actunder the force of gravity to latch the frame in the latter position, the

latching lug 50 is provided with a cam surface 51 which is engaged by the cam surface 34 of the stop member 32 when a line in the last column is being justified and the slight advancing movement of the em rack occurring as a result of the operation ofthe justifying mechanism, is effected.

It will be noted that the arm 26 of the I bracket 21-is bifurcated as vindicated at .52 to freely receive a knurled nut 52 which is mounted on the respective trunnion 28 threaded for the purpose of being threadedly engaged by the vnut so that upon rotation of the latter the frame F can be shifted longitudinally to compensate for adjustment by a conventional adjusting knob 53, of the conventional pointer 54 which. is provided on the bar 10 and functions to indicate on the scale 14 the number of keyboard ems to which the measure is set.

Referring now to Figures 12 to 15 inclusive, I have herein shown another form of' stop '8', one or more of which can be employed inlieu of the stops S to function with I respect'to the head 31 of the stop member 32 in the same manner as the stops S. As all the stops S are identical in construction, a description of one will suflice for all.

Each stop S comprises a body 55 bifur cated at 56 to freely receive therail 39, and" action with the head in arresting the return movement of the em rack.

Fixed to the outer end of the shaft 58 is an operating knob 61 by means of which the shaft can be rotated to move the stop collar to any one of nine circumferentially adjusted positions and thus vary the extent to which the stop collar projects from the body. The collar is adapted to be releasably retained in any one of the positions to which it is adjusted, by means of a spring pressed pin 62, mounted in the body and adapted to enter any one of a circular series of depressions 63 formed in the rear side face of the knob 61. In order to indicate the particular position occupied by the collar, the knob is provided with a series of suitably numbered radial graduations 6%, any one of which is adapted to be alined with an index mark 65 on the body.

The adjustable stop collar 59 performs the same function as the steps 42 of the stop bar 37 in permitting the return movement of the em rack to be arrested in any one of a plurality of positions which vary from each other a predetermined fractional part of the spacing between the particular grooves 41 utilized and the next adjacent grooves, it being understood that the vertical offset between that portion of the periphery of the collar disposed for engagement by the head 31 of the stop member 32 when the collar is adjusted circumferentially to one extreme position, and that portion of the collar dis posed for engagement by the head when the collar is adjusted circumferentia ly to its other extreme position is equal tothe spacing between adjacent grooves 41.

The operation of the tabulating device is as follows:

Let it be assumed that tabular work is to be .set up embodying three columns of matter.

The pointer 54: is first adjusted to indicate on the scale 1 the number of keyboard ems and units of ems to which the measure is to be set, and it will be understood that the po- .sition of this pointer determines the extreme retracted or starting position of the em rack 11 which will be the starting location of the lines of first column. Two of the stops S are now utilized and are applied to the rail 39 and positionedby reference to the scale 39 so that when the stop face 33 of the stop member head 31 engages the selected steps 42 of the bars 37 during return movement of the em rack, the positions occupied by the em rack will be those precalculated to be the starting locations of the lines of the second and third columns.

The first line of the first column is now set by actuating the keys 15 of the keyboard 16, after which the line is slightly und rfilled if necessary by addingem quacs, and is then justified by actuating one ,of each of the justifying keys 19 and 19 in accordance with the indication of the justifying scale 20. As previously described the justifying operation first causes the em rack to be further advanced from the position it occupied after the line was set, and this advancing movement is sufficient for the cam surface 3% of the stop member head 31 to engage the body of the first stop S applied to the rail 39, and rock the frame F about the axes of its trunnions 28 from the active position shown in Figures 2 and 3 to the inactive position shown in Figure 4, so that the head 31 will be free to pass beyond the stop as a result of this advancing movementof the em rack. It will be understood that this rocking movement of the frame effected by the head 31 is insufficient for the latch lever 49 to become effective, and that as the head passes beyond the stop, the frame instantly returns to its active position shown in Figures 2 and 3. As the em rack after thus advancing beyond the stop, tends to return to its fully retracted and starting position as determined by the position of the pointer 54, it will be clear that the stop face 33 will co-act with the selected step 42 of the first stop S, in arresting this return movement of the em rack a definite position corresponding to the precalculatcd starting location of the lines of the second column to be set.

The first line of the second column is now set and then justified, causing the head 31 to co-act with the second stop S in the manner described for the first stop, so that the return movement of the em rack will again be arrested to dispose the em rack in a sec- 0nd definite position corresponding to the precalculated starting location of the lines of the third column to be set.

The first line of the third column is now set and then justified, causing the cam surface of the head 31 to engage the cam surface 51 of the latching lug 50, and thus rock theframe F to the position shown in Figure 6, thereby permitting the latch lever to co-act with the latching lug in retaining the frame in this position. As the stops S in this position of the frame, clear the path of movement of the'head 31, the em rack is free to return to its retracted and starting position determined by the pointer 54.

The latching lever 49 is now manually elevated sufficiently to permit the frame F to move to its active position under the urging of the spring 29, after which the second lines of the columns are ready to be set. It will be clear from the foregoing description that when once the stops S have been applied to the rail 39, the return movement of the em rack will be automatically arrested at the proper starting location for the lines of the next succeeding column upon justification of a line of the previously set column, and that upon justification of a line of the last column, the'return movement of the em rack will be free and unrestricted, thus overcom ing the disadvantages above pointed out and resulting in a material saving of the operators time.

- Although I haveherein shown and described only one form of tabulating device for type composing machines embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a type composing machine having an em rack, a stop member carried by the em rack for movement therewith, a support, a stop on the support positioned in the path of movement of said stop member, for coaction with the latter in arresting return movement of the em rack at a predetermined position, and means for rendering the stop member free to pass said stop during advancing movement of the em rack, the last means comprising means for mounting the support for movement to occupy an active position wherein the stop is disposed in the path of movement of the stop member and an inactive position wherein the stop is clear of the path of movement of the stop member, means for normally urging the support to the first mentioned position, and cam means on the stop member engaging the stop during advancing movement of theem rack to move the support to its second mentioned position.

2. In a type composing machine having an em rack tending to return to a predetermined starting position in response to justification of a previously set up line of a column, a support, co-acting means on the em rack and support for arresting the return movement of the em rack at the starting lo cation for a line of the next succeeding column to be set, means for mounting the support for rocking movement to occupy one position wherein the coacting means is effect-ive to arrest the return movement of the em rack, and a second position wherein the co-acting means is ineffective to arrest the return movement of the em rack, means for normally urging the support to the first mentioned position, means for moving the support to the second mentioned position in response to justification of a line of the last column, and means for releasably retaining the support in the second mentioned position to permit the return of the em rack to said predetermined starting position.

3. In a type composing machine having an em rack tending to return to a predetermined starting position in response to justification of a previously set up line of a column, a support, co-acting means on the em rack and support for arresting the return movement of the em rack at the starting location for a line of the next succeeding column to be setup, means for mounting the support for movementto occupy one position wherein the co-acting meansis eflective to arrest the return movement of the em rack,

and a second position wherein the co-acting means is ineffective to arrest the return movement of the em rack, means .for normally urging the support to the first mentioned position, means for moving the support to the second mentioned position in response to jusmined starting position in response to justij fication of apreviously set up line of a col= umn, a support, 'co-acting means on the em rack and support for arresting the return movement of the em rack at the starting location for a line'of the next succeeding column to be set up, means for mounting the support for movement to occupy one-posi-' tion wherein the co-acting'means'is effective to arrest the return movement oi the em rack, and a second position wherein the coacting means is ineffective to arrest the return movement of the em rack, means for normally urging the support to the'first mentioned position, co-acting means on the em rack and support for moving the. latter to justification of a line inthe last column to beset up, and means for releasably retain ing the support in its second'mentioned-position and thereby render the em rack free to 'to its'second mentioned position in response return to said predetermined starting'posi tion. I Y

5. In a type composing machine, having an em rack, a support, a stop on the'support, a stop member on the rack co-acting with the stop to limit return movement of the em rack at the starting location for a line ofa succeedingcolumn to be set up,

means for rendering the stop adjustable on the support to vary the position at which the return movement of the em rack is' arrested, the stop having an adjustable stop bar with which the stop member directly coactsfand the stop' bar having steps,any one of which is adapted to be disposed in the path of movement of the stop member for the purpose described. 1

6. In a device of the character described, a stop comprising a body, a stop bar slidably mounted'in the body for adjustment when the stop is in applied position, and having a plurality of steps, and means for releasably retaining the stop bar in any one of a plurality of adjusted positions relative to the body.

7 In a type composing'machine, a support 9 having a plurality of steps along its length,

and means for releasably retaining the stop bar in any one of a plurality of positions of adjustment relative to the body.

8. In' a type composing machine having an em rack, a stop member on the em rack movable therewith, a movable support having a stop thereon, means for normally urging the support to a position wherein the stop is disposed in the path of movement of the stop member for co-action therewith in arresting return movement of the em rack,

means operable during advancing movement of the em rack to move the support to a sec- 0nd position wherein the stop member is free to pass the stop, latching means for the support, and means for moving the support to a third position when the em rack reaches a predetermined advanced position and wherein the latching means is effective to retain the support with the stop clear of the stop member for the free return of the em rack to an initial starting position.

9. In a type composing machine having an em rack, a stop member on the em rack, a stop for arresting return movement of the em rack, mounted for movement into and out of the path of movement of the stop member, means for urging the stop into the path of movement of the stop member, means for moving the stop out of the path of movement of the stop member to enable the latter to pass the stop during advancing movement of the em rack, and means responsive to justification of a line in the lastoolumn to be set up, to releasably retain the stop in a position clear of the path of movement of the stop member so as to permit return movement of the em rack.

10. In a type composing machine having an em rack, stops, one of which is carried by the em rack and co-acts with the other to arrest return movement of the em rack at a predetermined position, and co-acting means on the stops by which the latter are rendered inefiective to prevent advancing movement of the em rack.

11. In a type composing machine having an em rack, stops, one of which is carried by the em rack and co-acts with the other to arrest return movement of the em rack at a predetermined position, and co-acting cam means on the stops by which the latter are rendered ineffective to prevent advancing movement of the em rack 12. In a typecomposing machine having an em rack, stops, one of which is carried by the em rack and the other of which is movable to co-act with the em rack stop in arresting return movement of the em rack at a predetermined pos1t1on, and co-acting means on the stops for moving the said other stop out of the path of the em rack stop during-advancing movement of the em rack.

13. In a type composing machine having an em rack, stops, one of which is carried by the em rack and the other of which is movable out of the path of the em rack stop during advancing movement of the em rack.

THOMAS A. PAYNE.