US1932646A - Combined typewriting and computing machine - Google Patents

Description

@d. 31, 1933. L. STARCK COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 31, 1933. I STARCK 1,932,646

COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5,1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Muenfar: 2%

Oct. 31, 1933. L. STARCK COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Got. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND COMPUT- ING MACHINE Leo Starck, .Chicago, Ill., assignor to Elliott- Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 5, 1931. Serial No. 579,191

11 Claims. (Cl. 197180) This invention relates to accounting machines, as, for example, an Underwood, in which numbers typed. upon a work-sheet by numeral keys are also computed. The invention relates more particularly to machines that are used in making out bills, and especially bills of the class in which an item maybe entered upon each bill daily throughout the month, so that at the completion of the month the bill is ready for mailing to the customer.

In this class of work each entry upon the bill usually consists of a single line. The bills are inserted one by one in the machine, the one line item is typed, and the bill is then removed to make away for the next.

At the beginning of each'item, it is usual to print the date by means of a special type device, as shown, for example, in the patent to Bosch, 1,512,310, of October '21, 1924. This invention relates to date-printing and auxiliary devices.

Upon inserting the bill into the machine, the first work is usually done at the end of the previously typed line, and consists of typing the amount of the old balance.

According to the present invention, a part is then operated which effects a series of automatic steps. The first stepis the returning of the carriage to begin a new line. This return i effected by an electric motor, the carriage is automatically arrested, and the platen is automatically line spaced, preparatory to beginning the typing of a fresh line.

When the carriage reaches the beginning of the line, the next step is to cause'the date to be printed. The third step is to cause the carriage to tabulate or jump to the point for beginning the entry fcr the typing of the first item.

The carriage-return motor is brought into action at the final letter feeding movement which is made by the carriage at the typing of the last numeral in the old balance. At the completion of the return of the carriage, a device automatically cuts out the motor and the usual carriage-propelling spring comes into use, to propel the carriage in letter-feeding direction.

The carriage, upon reaching the end of its return movement, according to this invention, connects up a train from the usual cycling motor of the add machine to the date printing type. At the ame time the carriage also causes cycling motor to begin an operation, and said cycling motor thereupon causes said train to drive the date printing type to the platen. The date printing type is then springreturned to normal position. 7

Upon the return of the date type to normal position, there occurs an operation of the dogs which controls the carriage escapement; and, owing to a gap which is provided in the carriage escapement rack, the carriage is allowed at this time to jump three or more spaces, whereby the carriage is advanced to position to begin the typing of the first word in the item.

In beginning the bill, or in writing the first item thereon, there is brought into use a mar-,- gin release mechanism, which permits the carriage to be set over to the right four or five spaces, so as to permit the name of the month to be typed in the margin; but this, of course, does not need to be repeated for the remaining items. The margin release mechanism operates simply, having a handle which needs only to be pressed to the left for ordinary setting, and pressed to the right whenever it is desired to type the name of the monthv in the machine.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side sectional view of an Underwood computing machine with the present invention applied thereto. I

Figure 2 is a broken side view showing the automatic printing mechanism in operating position.

Figure 3 is a broken perspective front view looking from the right side of the machine, showing the machine in its normal position ready for the operator to type in, the details of the merchandise.

Figure 4 is a similar view to Figure 3, showing the machine at automatic printing position.

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the automatic carriage return and line spacing.

Keys 10, when depressed, swing type-bars 11 against a work sheet on a platen 12 to print through a ribbon (not shown). The platen 12 is mounted on a traveling carriage l3 and controlled inits letterfeeding movements by an escapement wheel 14 co-operating with a fixed dog 1 1 and a loose dog 14* The dogs are actuated at every key stroke by a heel 15 on the type-bar 11 actuating a universal bar 16.

The numbers are printed by keys 1'7, and are indexed or set up on a mechanism, outlined at 18, and subsequently run into a totalizer 19,

Figure 1. Pendants 20 rock shafts 21to actuate a linkage 22 to depress index pins 23. The index pins 23 on bars 24 are set seriatimas the typewriter carriage 13 is fed. Carriage tap'pet 25 actuates jack 26, link 27 and transposition device 28 to move the denominational bar 24 forwardly, as more fully described inPatent No. 1,280,065, to Minton.

A general operator. 29, driven .by motor 30,

drives bars 24 and dial wheels, asin patent to Thornton, 1,146,371.

The cycling motor may be automatically started as the carriage completes its traverse of a computing zone, by the usual dog (not shown) that is settable on a carriage-rack '73, and depresses the usual trip lever 32 to release the clutch 38 for cycling the machine. The trip lever 32 when operated raises the usual link 33 to rock the bell crank 34 and move a holding arm 34 out of the path of a lever 35, to permit spring 36 to swing the lever 35 about its pivot and depress the slide 37 to release the clutch 38, thereby causing the machine to be cycled.

A carriage-returning clutch 40 and gear 40 drive a carriage rack 41 through belt and pulley connection 42 actuated by motor 39. The clutch (Figure 5) is moved into engagement by doublearm lever 43 connected bylevers 44 and 45 to rod 51 held in position'by a spring 52 against a latch 53 operated by lever 105 and depending link 54 freely attached to margin stop-rack 46.

When the carriage is moved against the left hand margin stop 47, a projection 48(Figures 3 and 5) on the carriage moves against a cam surface 49 loosely attached to the margin stop 47 and causes rack 46 to move around margin stop shaft 50, and thereby operates depending link 54to release latch 53 and allow-rod 51 under the urge of spring 52 to connect clutch At the end of the carriage-return movement a cam 56 loosely held to margin stop and keyed to margin stop shaft 50 is depressed by projection 48 on carriage 13. This vibrates margin stop shaft 50 and lever 57, and through link 58 operates lever 59 and clutch-lever 43 through clutch lever shaft 60, to disconnect the clutch 40 and thereby stop the carriage returning mechanism, the motor being simultaneously stopped by the rod 51 disconnecting switch 109, as illustrated in patents to Hoyt, 1,298,720 and DeHaven & Schaaf, 1,432,678.

For automatic line-spacing, a shaft 61 (Figure 5) and a lever 62 are vibrated by the carriage rack 41,'to operate feed pawl 63 on slide 64, to rotate platen 12, as set forth in patent to Kupetz, 1,609,478.

The carriage 13, through an extension or cam 31 forming part of an adjustable stop 31, sets up a date type or mechanical printing mechanism by raising a pin 81 attached to type-baroperating link 80 to an operative position. The stop or dog 31 operates a mechanism to release the clutch of the cycling motor30, and thereby iefiect the printing.

The carriage carried extension 31 is arranged to engage a cam '74 fixed to a lever '74 to rock the latter, and, through link'75 and lever arm 76, to vibrate a rock-shaft 7'7 against the tension of a spring 95and therewith lever arm '78 and pin '79. 'This raises and connects the end of type-bar operating link 80' to its operating lever 85. The pin '79 working'in a slot 82, thereby brings pin 81 into a driving position in an L- shaped slot 84 in the lower end of the lever 85.

This lever is adjustably attached by screws 86 and 8'7 to a lever arm 88'fixed to a shaft 90 that is rocked at each trip or cycling'operation,

for disconnecting the adding machine "indexing mechanism while cycling the general operator 29. l I V At the beginning of the cycling of the general operator, the latter swings out arms 8 8 through the usual connecting train of mechanism, which includes the rocking of bell crank 93, to cause the link 94 to operate bell crank 92, which in turn will rotate the shaft 90 through its arm 91. The rocking of the shaft 90 thereby rocks the arms 88 and lever 85.

Since the pin 81 is in the upper part of the slot 84, the rocking of the 1ever'85 will swing the date printing type 104 against the platen by thrusting forward the link 80. This link is pivotally connected at 83 to the type-operating bell crank 97 and will cause the latter to be rocked to operate the date printing type bar 104.

During the cycling of the general operator 29, the type bar 104 actuates the escapement mechanism 14 in the same manner as type bar 11 by heel 15, allowing the carriage to move a space, which permits cam 31, 31 to move out of contact with jacks 32 and '74 and permits the springs 95 and 98 to move parts back to normal;

The lever 85 is vibrated during each computing cycling of the general operator, but, since the carriage is out of its date printing zone, pin 81 on the date type bar operating link 88 will be in its normal lower position in the slot 84, so that the vibrating of this lever will now be ineffective to operate the date-printing type, since the pin 81 merely rides idly in the slot 84.

Said adjustable stop 31 is formed with a slight spring grip, to fit in the slots of the rack '73.

An adjustable collar 100 (Figure 3) held in position by screw 101 on shaft 50 locates the right hand margin stop 55, to permit typing the month before automatically printing the date.

' An adjustable collar 192 held by screw 103 on shaft 56 locates the right hand margin stop 55, to obtain the required travel of the carriage to automatically print the date and skip to detailtyping position.

The machine is also provided with means to permit the carriage of the machine at a predetermined position to travel a predetermined distance greater than its usual step by step diu tance. To obtain this skipping action, there are provided a plurality of teeth in a block 66 flexibly mom ted in a slot 6'7 cut in carriage-iced rack 68. The light spring 69 normally keeps said block 66 against the left side of the slot 67 (Figure 4). When the carriage is fed until the teeth of the rack 68 on the left side of the slot 67 are clear of the retaining gear '70, under the urge of the strong spring in spring drum '71 attached to the carriage 13 by draw band '72, the carriage 13 together with rack 68 moves the predetermined distance until the right side of said slot 6'7 rests against skip block 66 (Figure 3). The teeth 65 of said block 66 remain in engagement with the retaining pinion, and thereby prevent the further travel of the carriage until the ordinary escapement 14 is operated, as more fully described in patent to Kupetz, No. 1,680, 526.

A record-sheet 106 and a carbon sheet are inserted into the machine over the usual rear paper table 10'? and positioned for typing thereon. The sheets may be held in position by any suitable paper fingers or clamps (not shown), while a bill sheet 108 is inserted from the front or rear of the machine and collated over the record sheet with its previously typed line in typing position, and with the carriage in position to type in the old balance column on the record sheet. The last balance on the bill-sheet 108 is now copied onto the record-sheet when a usual trip stop on the carriage rack '73 engages a cam 32 forming part ofthe trip lever 32, to

cycle the machine and run the old balance into a register.

Simultaneously with the cycling operation, the stop 48 on the carriage 13 operates trip 49 to close a carriage return switch 109 to start the carriage-returning mechanism.

As soon as the carriage is returned, it is desired to type the number representing the day of the month in a date column, and then to position the carriage in the adjacent or merchandise column in position to type the name of the merchandise sold.

According to the present invention, automatic means is provided for returning the carriage to the date column to type the datetherein, and to immediately tabulate the carriage to proper position in the adjacent column.

For this purpose, the carriage is arrested in its return movement as soon as the desired position in the date column reaches the printing point. This is accomplished by a carriage stop 110 engaging the margin stop while the stop 48 engages the cam 56 to stop the carriage return mechanism. Simultaneously with the arrest of the carriage, the stop 31 operates lever 32, to trip the control mechanism 37, 38, while the extension 31 of the stop 31 holds the lever '74 in operated position, to retain the pin 81 in its effective position in the upper part of the slot 84. At the initial partof the cycle, the general operator 29 rocks parts 93, 94, 99, 92 and 91, to swing the arms 88 and rolls 89 to the rear, to permit the tappet-dogs 25 to be lowered out of the way of the jacks 26. This rocking of the arms 88 causes the lever 85 to be swung forward, and since the pin 81 is in its raised position in the slot 84 of lever 85, the link will be thrust forward to rock the bell crank 97 and operate the date printing'type bar 104. During the time that the type bar is returning to normal position, the escapement mechanism operates to bring the skip-block 66 in mesh with the pinion '70, to allow the carriage to be automatically tabulated for typing in the merchandise column. s

The carriage tabulating movement causes the extension 31 to ride ofif of the lever '74, which is returned to normal position by the spring 95 rotating the shaft '77 through stop-arm 111, secured to the shaft 77. The spring 95 in rock ing the shaft '77, to return the lever 74, also operates the parts '78, '79 and. 80 to return the pin 81 to its ineffective idle position in the lower part of slot 84. The stop-arm 111 abuts a plate 112, mounted on the rear of the machine-frame, is adj ustably mounted on the shaft 77 to limit the rotation of the latter, for positioning the pin 81 with respect to the slot 84 and the cam 74 with respect to the extension 31 The plate 112 has ears 113 in which the'shaft 77 is rockably supported.

At the end of the cycle of the general operator, the finger 93 of the bellecrank 93 enters a slot 29 of the general-operator rack 29, therebypermitting the spring 98 to return the parts 88, 89, 91, 92, 94, 93 and 99 to their normal positions. Thereturn of arms 88 swings the lever rearwardly to its normal position, and thereby pulls the link 80 rearwardly, which aids in returning the bell crank 97 and the type bar 104.

A spring 114 presses upward a lever 115 to which the bell crank 97 is connected by a pin and slot connection 116 to retain the typebar 104 and the bell-crank 97 in their normal positions, and also co-operates with the lever 85 in returning the type-bar and bell crank.

An operator may now type a description of the items sold in the merchandise" column, and then tabulate to a .debit or credit column where the item-charge is entered, and the amount either added or subtracted from the old balance, which was previously run into the register. This new balance is copied in its respective column on the bill sheet 108, after which the sheet 108 is removed from the machine, while the reoord sheet 106 remains stationary. A new bill sheet is now inserted into the machine and collated over the record-sheet.

Assuming that the entry to be typed on the new bill sheet is the first entry of the month, it will be necessary to first type the name of the month before permitting the automatic operation of the date-type bar 104 and the automatic space skipping mechanism.

For this purpose, the right hand margin stop 55 is settable between a pair of adjustable stops 100, 102. When the margin stop 55 is adjacent the stop 102, the automatic dating and skipping devices become efiective as soon as the carriage is fully returned. The setting of the margin stop adjacent the stop 100 returns the carriage a greater distance than when the margin stop 55 is adjacent the stop 102, and this extra carriagereturn movement causes the date tripping stop 31, 31 to actuate the levers 32, 74 without being effective to operate the type-bar 104.

To accomplish this, the extension 31 is so constructed with respect to the trip stop 31 that during the carriage-return movement, the extension 31 will ride off or the actuated cam 74 just asthe stop 31 trips thecycling motor, thereby enabling the raised pin 81. to drop'back to its ineffective position before the motor operates the arm 85.

After the name of the'month is typed in the date column, the stop 3lwill be in position to trip the cycling lever 32, while the extension 31* through the lever 74 holds the'pin 81 in raised oreifective position, so that the date-type 104 is operated and the skipping mechanism made effective to tabulate the carriage to positionin' the adjacent column, after which the line of typing on the bill sheet 108 is completed.

When the carriage is returned for automatically operating the date type bar 104, the margin stop 55 is set adjacent the carriage stop 100, and the carriage is temporarily returned an extra letter-space distance, atwhich time the stop 31 rides upon the motor trip cam 32 and thereby starts the motor, while the extension 3l engages the cam '74 to rock the lever 74 and raise the pin 81 to effective position within the slot 84. Although the carriage hasbeen temporarily returned an extra space, a reverse movement of one space will take place before the type-bar 104 reaches the printing point, and will thereby cause the stop 31 to disengage the cam 32 and permit the motor-trip mechanism to return to normal position, while the extension 31 holds the lever 74 and its train of mechanism in operated position.

.This'reversemovement or back drop of the carriageis effected due to the loose dog 14* of the usual Underwood escapement mechanism being movable in a letter-space direction between temporarily return the'carriage an extra space. As soon as the carriage reaches the end of its return movement, the draw band 72 becomes efiective to pull the carriage in the opposite. or letter-feeding direction. The escapement-wheel 14 will then be rotated until the loose dog 14 is returned to its normal position and becomes effective to hold the escapement wheel 14 when the carriage will have been fed or dropped back a letter space distance.

The stop 31 is set to utilize this carriage drop in such a manner that it depresses the trip lever 32, and immediately moves away therefrom to permit the lever to return to normal position and prevent repeated cycling.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a traveling carriage, printing mechanism, a motor, normally disconnected actuating means driven thereby for said printing mechanism, means controlled by the carriage in its travel for setting into operation said motor, and means controlled by said carriage in its travel to connect said actuating means to said motor.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a traveling carriage, printing mechanism, a motor, normally disconnected actuating means driven thereby for said printing mechanism, means controlled by the carriage in its travel for setting into operation said motor, and means controlled by said carriage in its travel to'connect said actuating means to said motor, said connecting means including a tappet settable to cause the connection of said printing mechanism to the motor at a predetermined point in the travel of the carriage.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a traveling carriage, of a motor mechanism, means brought into action automatically by said carriage in its travel for causing the motor to return the carriage, a date printing train mounted upon the machine framework and normally disconnected, means controlled by the carriage in its travel to connect said date printing train directly to said motor mechanism to be operated thereby, and a carriage-skipping mechanism brought into action automatically by the operation of said date printing train, whereby, at the typing of the last letter of a line, automatically (1) the carriage returns, the date printing train is (2) connected to and (3) operated by the motor, and (4) the carriage jumps a plurality of spaces to the point for beginning the typing of the next line.

4. In a typewriting machineythe combination of a traveling carriage, a motor, a printing mechanism mounted upon the machine frame and normally disconnected from the motor, means for connecting the printing mechanism to the motor, and mechanism controlled by the carriage to put said motor into operation, for operating the printing mechanism.

5. In a typewriting machine having types, a carriage, and a cycling mechanism, the combination with automatically controlled means for returning the carriage, of a date printing device normally disconnected during the run of said carriage, and means controlled by said carriage at a predetermined stage in its travel, for temporarily connecting said date printing device to said cycling mechanism and for bringing the cycling mechanism into operation. 7

6. In a typewriting machine having types, a carriage, and a cycling'mechanism, .the combination of a date printing device normally disconnected during the run of said carriage, means controlled by said carriage for temporarily connecting said date printing device to said cycling mechanism and for bringing the cycling mechanism into operation, and means effective upon the printing of the date for causing the carriage to jump a plurality of letter-spaces to the point to begin typing an item on the work sheet.

7. In a typewriting machine having types, a carriage, a carriage-propelling spring, and a cycling mechanism, the combination with automatically controlled means for returning the carriage, said carriage-propelling spring causingthe carriage to recoil at the conclusion of its return movement, of a date printing device normally disconnected during the run of said carriage, means controlled by said carriage for connecting said date printing device to said cycling mechanism, means also brought into action by said carriage during said recoil for causing a cycling of said cycling mechanism; means being provided to return the dating type to normalposition, and means effective upon the printing of the date for causing the carriage to jump a plurality of letter-spaces to the point to begin typing an item on the work sheet.

8. In a typewriting machine having types, a feeding carriage, a cycling mechanism, and means to enable the carriage to control the cycling mechanism, the combination of a date printing device normally released from said cycling mechanism, and means controlled by the carriage to connect said date printing device to be operated by the ensuing stroke of said cycling mechanism, the latter finally effecting the release of the date printing mechanism.

9. In a typewriting machine having types, a carriage, a carriage-propelling spring, and a cycling mechanism, the combination with automatically controlled means for returning the carriage, said carriage-propelling spring causing the carriage to recoil at the conclusion of its'return movement, of a date printing device normally disconnected during the run of said carriage, means controlled by said carriage for connecting said date printing device to said. cycling mechanism, and means also brought into action by said carriage during said recoil for causing a cycling of said cycling mechanism; means being provided to return the dating type to normal position.

10. In a typewriting machine having a powerdriven carriage, a motor for returning said cariage, printing mechanism mounted upon the stationary machine frame and operable by said motor but normally disconnected therefrom, and means controlled by the traveling carriage for connecting and disconnecting said motor from said printing mechanism.

1 1. In a typewriting machine having a powerdriven carriage, a normally silent motor, date printing mechanism operable by said motor but normally disconnected therefrom, means controlled by the carriage for connecting and disconnecting said motor from said date printing mechanism, means also controlled by the carriage for causing said motor to be operated, and a space-skipping mechanism operating automatically upon the operation of the date printing mechanism.

LEO STARCK.

.LOO

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