US1942722A

US1942722A - Manifolding apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1942722A
Application number: US657534A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mosfelt Harold Thomas; Schagerholm Harold
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-02-20
Filing date: 1933-02-20
Publication date: 1934-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1951-01-09

Description

Jan. 9, 1934.

H. T. MOSFELT El' AL MANIFOLDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 20, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IHM w Jan. 9, 1934.

Y H.T. MOSFELT ET AL MANIFOLDING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 20, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 9, 1934.`

H.T. MosFEL-r' Er AL MANIFOLDING APPARATUS Filed Feb` 20, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 MANIFOLDING APPARATUS Harold Thomas Mosfelt and Harold Schagerhohn', Chicago, Ill., assignors to Ross J. Beatty, Chicago, Ill.

.Application February 20,1933. seria1N0.657,534 v 9 claims. (ci. 1197-153) Our present invention has relation to manifolding apparatus for associattion with type writers and has for its main objects the simplication and perfection of the constructionand operation of such apparatus. As will hereafter be seen, we employ, with an endless inked ribbon, an apparatus for supplying the ribbon with ink. This arrangement, broadlyis not new with us, but we have greatly simplified the mechanism for securing the desired results, and we have mproved and made much more dependable both the inking and feeding of the ribbon.

We have also developed extremely simple and much more ecient ribbon tensioning means, and we have rendered the entire organization more sturdy in character, simple and eiective inoperation and of a design which will permit of material economies in its manufacture. d

We have attained the foregoing objects by 20 means of the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan of our improved manifolding attachment,

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at the end of the apparatus carrying the ribbon inking and feeding mechanism,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the end opposite to that shown in Fig. 2, looking, however, in the same direction, 3,9.'- Fig. l is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal section, to

an enlarged scale, through the casing containing the ribbon feeding and inking mechanism, particularly illustrating the organization of the ribbon feed,

Fig 6 is a perspective view, to an enlarged scale, of the ribbon tensioning bracket detache from the frame,

Fig. 7 is a fragmental detail of the ratchet employed in the ribbon feed, Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5 except that the inking and drive roller is in place and the spring cover or closure of the ribbon feeding and inking mechanism is shown in open position in dotted lines, V

Fig. 9 is a horizontal, longitudinal section through the structure shown in Figs. 5 and 8,

Fig. 10 is a perspective. detail of the movable ribbon guide arm detached from the frame; and

Fig. 11 is a transverse, vertical section through the inking reservoir showing the means for adjusting the supply of ink.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the respective views.

We have provided'a simple rectangular frame which seats upon `and has means for assembly with a cross rod now generally provided in the platen carriages of standard designs of typewriting machines. This rectangular frame of our manifoldingattachment consists of a longitudinal rear rod 15 and a longitudinal front strap 16. The opposite ends of this rod and. strap are secured together at one end by an end rail made of two

pieces

17 and 18, which pieces are secured together bymeans of slots 19 and screws 20 so as to permit of an adjustment of the width of the frame. The end of the rod 15 is assembled with the piece 17 bythreading the end of the rod and employing nuts 15a, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, so as to permit of Ilongitudinal acljustment of the end rail with respect to the rod. Strap 16 serves also as a paper bail for the inanifolded sheets.

The opposite ends of the longitudinal members of the frame are secured together vby an end piece 21 substantially similar to the end piece 17 and the side wall 22 ofthe casing for the ribbon feeding and inking mechanism. The end piece 21 and side wall 22 are secured together through the instrumentality of slots 23 and screws 24 similar in all respects to slots 19 and screws 20. The end pieces 17 Aand -21 are provided with vertical downwardly opening slots 25, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 8, to receive either the cross rail 26 of the platen carriage of a typewriter or the cross rail of an adaptor, which adaptor cross rail has end brackets 27 secured to the platen carriage of the typewriter. Such adaptor is indicated in Figs. 2, Sand 8. The side wall 22 of the casing for the ribbon inking and feeding mechanism is bent inwardly upon its lower edge, as at 28 in Figs. 5 and 8, to provide a bottom for the casing, and the front edge of the side wall 22 is also bent inwardly at right angles, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 5 at 29, to form a front Wall for the casing.

To one end of the longitudinal front strap 16 of the frame is fixed a depending arm 30 which extends down opposite the printing` line on the platen and serves for supporting one end of a guard ribbon (not shown). To the opposite end of the strap 16 is secured a depending ribbon finger 31, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2, 5 and 8. The shape, as shown by front elevation, of the ribbon finger 31 is similar to that of the movable ribbon inger shown in Fig. 10, hereafter to be described.

Secured to the front strap 16 by headed screws 32 passing through the slots thereof, is the ribbon tensioning bracket 33, shown most clearly in Fig. 6, This tensioning bracket has a depending ribbon arm 34 and is held yieldingly toward the end of the carriage by means of a coil spring 35, one end of which is secured to one of the screws 32 and the other end of which spring is secured to a finger piece 36 provided upon the bracket 33.

Secured to the side plate 22 of the ribbon feed and inking casing, by means of a headed screw 37, passing through a slot 38 therein, is a slide bar 39, the upper rear edge whereof is provided with a rack 40, and the front end whereof extends through a slot provided in the front wall 29.

of the casing, and upon the extended front end of the slide bar 39 is secured a bracket 40 which is engaged by the line spacer lever of the typewriter for the purpose of forcing the slide rod 39 into the casing.

Secured to the wall 22 by the pivot 41 is a gear 43. Journaled upon a stud or arbor 44, fixed to and extending from the Wall 22, is a gear 43. The gear 43 is provided integral therewith and parallel thereto the ratchet 45. Also journaledupon the stud or arbor 44 is the hub 46 carrying the disc 47 adjacent to and parallel with the ratchet 45. Hub 46 is held on arbor 44 by nut 46a. Pivoted to the face of the disc 47, as most clearly shown in Fig. 7, is a dog or detent 48 held in yielding co-operation with the'ratchet 45 by the coil spring 49. The edge of the disc 47 is pro vided with gear teeth 50 and from the face of the disc 47, opposite to that adjacent the ratchet 45, extends, a stud or pin 51.

An inking and ribbon drive roller 52, having a recess therein for receiving the pin or stud 51, slips over the hub46 and is held in position by a cap nut 53 which screws on to the threaded outer end of the stud or arbor 44. Pivoted upon a stud 54 extending inwardly from the lower inner ex-v tremity of the casing wall 22 is a curved spring cover plate 55 which extends around the portion of the ribbon drive mechanism just described, and forwardly to the front end of the casing, where itengages the front wall 29 of the casing by means of a perforation 56 provided in the front casing wall 29 and a button 57 carried by the cover plate 55. Secured to the inner face of the spring cover plate l55 isv an additional curved spring strap 58, the free end whereof is bifurcated, andy between the bifurcations of which is rotatably carried a shaft 59. The shaft 59 has fixed to it a gear wheel 60 co-operating with the gear teeth 50 upon the disc 47, and also fixed to the shaft 59 is a presser roller 61.

It will now be seen that a ribbon carried around the inking and ribbon feed roller 52 and between the roller 52 and the presser roller 61 will be positively driven by both the feed and the presser roller as both of these rollers are mechanically rotated, otherwise than by the passage of the ribbon, which arrangement secures a ribbon feed of increased efficiency and dependability.

In front of the location of the ribbon feed mechanism and in the upper forward corner of the wall 22 is provided an aperture in which is pressed the neck 62 of an ink reservoir 63. The neck 62 is used, in addition to securing the reservoir in place, for the purpose of supplying the reservoir with ink and is interiorly threaded and closed by a screw plug 64. Passing longitudinally through the reservoir 63 is a wick chamber 65 which is open at both ends and. which has communication with the interior of the ink reservoir only through a .port 66 in one wall of said wick chamber, which port 66 is controlled by a needle valve 67 threaded through the opposite wall of the ink reservoir 63. This construction is most clearly seen in Figs. 5 and 11. The wall of the ink" reservoir around the needle valve 67 is reinforced by an escutcheon plate 68 which may be marked as by lines 69 which, in connection with a mark 70 on the outer end of the needle valve 67, will indicate the adjustment of the valve. A wick 71 of suitable size and shape to frictionally remain in adjusted position in the wick chamber 65 is mounted in said chamber and adjusted so that the end thereof which extends from the Wick chamber contacts with the ribbon driving and inking roller 52. A suitable adjustment of the wick 71 may be easily secured as both ends of the wick chamber are open to access, as shown in Fig. 5.

Aflixed to the casing wall 22 immediately behind the front casing wall 29 is a stub shaft 72, the outer end whereof is reduced in diameter, and pivoted upon this outer reduced end of the shaft 72 is the movable ribbon finger and mounting therefor, shown in perspective detail in Fig. 10. The movable ribbon finger mounting 73 consists of a U-shaped stamping, the arms whereof are perforated at 74 for the passage of the reduced end of the shaft 72. One of the arms is extended and turned over at the end to form a handle 75 for swinging the ribbon finger forward out of its normal position. An inner arm of ,the mounting is formed to produce a stud or tang 76k which is perforated for the purpose of securing thereto a spring 77, the other end whereof is secured tothe slide bar 39 so that the spring 77 functions to hold the .movable ribbon finger in normal position and also functions to hold the slide bar 39 in its forward position and to return it to that position when the line spacing lever is released after the slide has been pressed into the casing. To the lower portion of the movable finger mounting 73 is riveted, or otherwise secured, the ribbon finger 78 which has an angular recess 79 in its lower end, in which respect it is similar to the stationary ribbon finger 3l heretofore described. The outerarm forming one side of the angular recess 79 is slightly enlarged at its end and is designed to co-operate with the fixed depending arm 30 at the opposite end of the strap 16 in holding a guard ribbon when it is desired to use a guard ribbon in connection with the apparatus. The ribbon path is indicated in Figs. 4 and 5. Starting at the point where the ribbon cornes from between the feed roller 52 and the presser roller 61 it passes forwardly and downwardly in front of the fixed ribbon finger 3l. at the bottom thereof. The ribbon then passes through the angular recess in the end of the ribbon finger 31 and proceeds at right angles to its former direction to the depending arm 34 of the tension bracket 33.. The ribbon comes from behind the arm 34 and retraces its path to a point in front of the movable ribbon finger 78. 'I'he ribbon then passes rearwardly through the angular recess 79 in-the movable rib- L bon finger and upwardly through the casing and over the ink reservoir 65 and from thence to the top of and around the roller 52 to the point of .lil

strands of ribbon passing in front of the writing line of the platen so that the sheets of paper uponA which the manifolds are to be made may be more easily inserted between the strands. 'Ihe spring ribbon iinger, 34 permits the manual tightening ofthe ribbon when it isdesired to turn the paper backward in the typewriter.

The tensioning bracket 33 is not only simple to make and not liable to get out of order, but itv also :exerts its effort directly upon the strands of the ribbon in front of the writing line upon the platen so as to keep these strands directly in proper position and under suitable tension.

The inking or re-inking of a ribbon also involves problems and diiiiculties peculiarly inherent. It is extremely easy to supply too much ink to a ribbon and it is dimcult to secure a desired equal distribution of the ink which is supplied. By providing means for graduating the supply as the service requires, we make it possible to feed ink to the ribbon in accordance with the wishes of the operator, and by bringing the ribbon between and subject to the action of the mechanically driven roller 52 and presser roller 6l, the distribution of ink supplied to the roller 52 is more uniform and thorough. The relatively large size of the inking and drive roller 52 permits of some gravitational distribution of the ink thereon and the direction in which the ribbon is fed secures a re-inking after a double use of the inked surface and presents a freshly inked ribbon to the rear manifolded copy which receives the lightest type stroke.

We have set into the side of the roller 52 a stud or arm 52a by means of which the roller may,

for billing and for making manifolded copies when the writing machine is being mechanically driven so that it is capable of constant and severe service which would quickly exhaust the ordinary spool ribbons.

Having described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A manifolding attachment for typewriters comprising a rectangular frame, means for assembling said frame with the platen carriage oi a typewriter, means for adjusting the width of said frame, a plurality of ribbon fingers depending from one side of said frame and mechanism carried by said frame comprising a pair of mechanically rotated rollers for feeding a ribbon by the rotation of said rollers longitudinally between said ribbon ngers.

2. A manifolding attachment for typewriters comprising a rectangular frame, means carried by said frame for assembling the same with the platen carriage of a typewriter, a pair of ribbon ngers depending from one corner of said frame, a single spring pressed ribbon finger depending from the opposite corner upon the same side of said frame and means for feeding a ribbon from one of said pair of ribbon fingers to said spring pressed ribbon nger and back to the other of said pair of ribbon fingers.

3. A manifolding attachment for typewriters platen carriage of a typewriter, a pair of ribbon ngers depending from one corner of said frame, one whereof is yieldingly maintairfed in parallelism with the other, a single spring pressed ribbon finger depending from the opposite corner upon the same side of said frame and means for feeding a ribbon from one of said pair of ribbon fingers to said spring pressedribbon nger and back to the lother of said pair of ribbon fingers; I 4. A manifolding attachment for typewriters comprising a rectangular frame, means carried by said frame for assembling thesame with the platen carriage of 'a typewriter, spaced ribbon fingers depending from one edge oi said frame and means for feeding a ribbon between said spaced iingers comprising a longitudinally movable rack, an idler gear co-acting with said rack, a gear co-acting with said idler gear, a ratchet xed to said last mentioned gear, a gear carrying aspring pressed detent co-operable. with said ratchet, a spring pressed gear co-operating with the gear carrying said detent and ribbon drive rollers associated with and driven respectively by said detent carrying gear and the' gear cca-operatively iherewith.

5. A manifolding attachment for typewriters comprising a rectangular frame, means carried by said frame for assembling the same with the platen carriage of a typewriter, spaced ribbon nngers depending from one edge of said frame and means for feeding a ribbon between said spaced fingers comprising a longitudinally movable rack, an idler gear co-acting with said rack, a gear co-acing with said .idler gear, a ratchet vliixed to said last mentioned gear, a gear carrying a spring pressed detent co-operable with said ratchet, a spring pressed gear co-operating with the gear carrying said detent, ribbon drive rollers associated with and driven respectively by said detent carrying gear and the gear co-operating said ribbon drive rollers.

6. A manifolding attachment fortypewriters comprising a rectangular frame, means carried by said frame for assembling the same with the platen carriage of a typewriter, spaced ribbon ngers depending from one edge of said frame and means `for feeding a ribbon between said spaced ngers comprising a longitudinally movable rack, an idler vgear izo-acting` with said rack, a gear co-acting with said idler gear, a ratchet xed to said last mentioned gear, a gear carrying a spring pressed detent co-operable with said ratchet, a

spring pressed" gear co-operating with the gear carrying said delent, ribbon drive rollers associated with and driven respectively by said detent carrying gear and the gear tao-operating therewith, means for supplying ink to one of said ribbon drive rollers, and means for controlling said ink supply.

7. A manifolding attachment for typewriters comprising a frame, means for assembling said ist frame with the platen carriage of a typewriter, 4

spaced ribbon fingers depending from said frame, means for :feeding a ribbon between said spacedngers including oppositely driven ribbon drive rollers and means for supplying ink to one of saiddrive rollers comprising an ink reservoir,

a wick channel extending transversely throughsaid reservoir, a needle valve controlling communication between said ink reservoir and said wick channel anda wick disposed in said channel and extending into co-operation with one of said ribbon drive rollers. 1

8. A manifolding attachment for typewriters IAC vISIS comprising a frame, means for assembling said frame with the platen carriage of a typewriter, a pair of ribbon fingers mounted upon said frame adjacent with and parallel to each other, one whereof is yieldingly mounted, a spring pressed ribbon nger mounted upon said frame in spaced relation with said first mentioned pair of ribbon fingers, means for feeding a ribbon between the aforementioned ribbon fingers comprising oppositely driven ribbon drive rollers, means for rotating said rollers including a longitudinally reciprocable rack and a single spring extending between said rackmember and the above mentioned yielding ribbon nger.

9. A manifolding attachment for typewrilers comprising a frame, means for assembling said frame with the platen carriage of a typewriter, spaced ribbon fingers depending from said frame, means for feeding a ribbon between said spaced ngers including oppositely driven ribbon drive rollers and means for supplying ink to one of said drive rollers comprising an ink reservoir, a wick channel extending transversely through said reservoir, said reservoir having a port establishing communication between said ink reservoir and said wick channel, means controlling the passage of ink through said port and a wick disposed in said channel and extending into co-operation with one of said ribbon drive rollers.

HAROLD THOMAS MOSFELT. HAROLD .SCHAGERHOLB/.