US1955782A - Autographic register - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1934. w. J. wlswALl. 1,955,782

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Original Filed March 17, 1924 3 Sheets-sheet l INVENTOR BY W ATTORNEY W 249 E93@ w. J. wlswALL 1,955,782

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Original Filed March `1'?, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 24, 1934. w, 1 WlswALL 1,955,782

AUTOGRAPHI C REGI STER Original Filed March 17, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheecl 3 W ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1934 Litiges erstes American Sales Book Company,

Limited,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation oi Ontario Application March 17,

1924, Serial No. 699,863

Renewed November 24, 1931 11 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in autographic registers and With respect to its more specic features to registers utilizing reversely folded books or pads.

An object of this invention is to improve a machine of the character described both structurally and functionally to secure greater facility and eiciency of operation and greater simplicity of construction.

A further object is to facilitate the movement of continuous paper strips in a machine of the character described over the transfer sheets and to insure that the strips shall be in smooth position ready for writing.

A further object is to provide a machine of the character described in which the continuous strips are folded back upon one another in zigzag formation with an improved feeding mechanism which will secure the smooth and accurate feeding oi 2@ the strips through the machine and maintain them flat upon a tablet for Writing. Y

A further object is to provide a machine of the character described in which one of the strips is diverted into a lock compartment with an improved feeding and retaining mechanism adapted to convert one of the feeding strips Vinto the lock and prevent its withdrawal. f

Other objects will be in partV obvious. and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations'of elements,

and arrangement or" parts, which will be exempli` fied in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in con-'- nection with the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View oi the improved machine,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section,

Fig. 3 is a detail of the friction reducing 'de vice and guide mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view of the retaining device,

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the cover,

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section,

Fig. 'l is a partial top plan view with the cover removed,

Fig. 8 is a detail in section of the retaining device,

Fig. 9 is a view of a form strip. Y

In the present embodiment of the invention a case 1 is provided of suitable capacity, and oi any desired material, and the said case is provided at one end with a door 2 hinged at 3 to the bottom of the case. The case comprises three compartments, namely, a compartment 4 for the pad 5 of unused forms, a compartment 6 for the feeding mechanism, and a compartment 7 for the permanent record strip. The feeding or strip Y advancing mechanism includes a shaft 8, journaled in the side walls of the case, and provided with a crank 9 outside the case, for convenience in turning the same. A pair of feed discs 10 is secured to the shaft, in spaced relation. Each disc has a peripheral rib 11 which is knurled to provide a gripping surface for' engaging the strips of 7' paper to be described, and the knurled surfaces cooperate with a feed roller 12, which is journaled in bearings 13 slidable in recesses 14, in a locking bar, or housing 15, which is hinged to the ease at one'side, as indicated at i6. The bearings are supported by springs 17, which act normally to iorce the bearings downward, and to force the roller toward the eed discs, the bearings being restrained in their downward movement. The roller has annular knurled surfaces 13, which register with the ribs of the discs, when the roller is in feeding position, to firmly grip the superposedstrips oi paper, between the roller and the feed discs.

The locking bar is as before stated hinged to the case at one side, and at vthe other side latching mechanism is provided, for holding the bar in locked position.. The latching mechanism comprises a depending notched lug 19 on the free end of the bar, which is adapted to engage witho in a recess in an enlargement 20 on the side of the case. A latch bar or belt 21 is mounted to slide inthe enlargement toward and from the recess which receives the lug when the locking bar is closed, and the belt is connected to a plate 22 on the inner face of the case Wall. A push button 23 is mounted to slide in the venlargement, the inner end of the button being connect ed with the plate, whileitsouter end extends beyond the enlargement, in position to be enl gaged by the thumb, to release the latch. The latch is normally spring pressed outwardly, that is into engaging position, and is released when the button is pushed inwardly. Y

rThe manifolding book or pad is composed of a plurality of superposed strips of paper, there being 2, 3, 4 or more used, as desired. The strips are provided at equally spaced intervals lwith transverse lines 24 of partial separation to form a series of sheets or leaves, each bearing a printed l;

sales form, and all the forms are identical. Near its upper margin, each sheet or leaf is provided with one or more apertures 25 the number depending upon the number of feed discs, and being two in the present instance. The apertures occupy a uniform position with relation to the printed form, and to the line 24 of partial separation. The strips are then superposed with the apertures 25 in register, after which the strips are folded zigzag fashion, along the lines of partial separation to form a flat package. It will be evident that the superposed strips are reversely folded, and that they interengage with each other, so that corresponding parts, leaves or sheets of all the strips are in register, or superposed. The folding and nesting of the sheets in this manner would cause them to retain their registry position even when they are fed to a registering machine.

The strips are fed by the feeding and registering mechanism above described, and when the apertures 25 of the lowermost strip come into register with the contacting surfaces of the discs and rollers, the feed of the said strip will stop,

and the feed of each strip will stop as its apertures come into registering position. The feed discs l are of a circumference such that one complete rotation of the shaft will feed the strips from one set of apertures to beyond the next set, that is a distance greater than the length of the form, and a releasable stop is provided for limiting the movement of the shaft to a complete rotation. The stop indicated at 49 is normally held in the path of movement of the crank by a spring 50 arranged between the stop and the recess in which it is mounted, and the stop may be depressed to permit the crank to pass, when it is again desired to feed the strips.

Since the feed discs and roller do not cooperatively engage the strips while the apertures are in register with said discs and roller, means is provided in connection with the discs for initiating the feeding movement. The said means in the present instance are laterally extending lugs 51 on the inner faces of the discs, the said lugs being so arranged that when the crank is released from the stop 49, and moved in a direction to feed thestrips, the said lugs will come into engaging position, and will engage the lowermost strip laterally with respect to the line of apertures, and thus advance the strips, until the strips are again engaged between the feed discs and the roller. Thus corresponding leaves of the superposed strips are brought into registry position above Vthe writing tablet or platen 26, which is arranged transversely of the top of the case, between the feeding and registering mechanism, and the end of the compartment 4 from said mechanism. This tablet in the present instance is a plate, which is hinged to a rod 2'7 mounted transversely of the case, just above the partition 28 which separates the storage compartment 7 for the record strip from the feed and registering mechanism compartment 6. Because of the arrangement of the folds, any tendency of the apertures of the corresponding leaves of the strips to get out of register, will be in a direction to advance the apertures in the bottom sheet. These apertures when they reach the feed roller will insure the stopping of the lowermost strip, and allow the feed mechanism to engage directly the edge of the next overlying strip, in order that the said strip may be pulled into exact registry with the bottom strip. The Same action obtains with the strips in succession from the lowermost to the uppermost.

In order that the record upon the topmost leaf may be repeated on the leaves of the succeeding strips, a plurality of leaves 29 having transfer material on their under faces is arranged transversely of the writing tablet, and the said leaves are stationary. In order that the transfer leaves may be easily renewed when exhausted, they are in the form of strips, which are wound at one end upon a shaft 01 roller 30 arranged in a trough 3l extending longitudinally of the case wall at the opposite side from the feed crank. From the trough, the leaves extend across the writing tablet to the opposite side, where they are held in any suitable or desired manner. In the present instance three superposed strips, 32, 33 and 34 are used, the strips being designated from above downward, and two transfer leaves 29 are provided, one leaf for each of the lower strips. Since the leaves 29 are stationary, there is some friction between the strips and the leaves, and there may also be a tendency to injury of the leaf edges, by the apertures 25. Such apertures may have roughened edges, or they may engage roughened places in the edges of the transfer leaves, to cause injury to the same. It is desirable also that the corresponding leaves of the strips be separated before they reach the transfer leaves, since any sticking of the strips might cause injury to the leaves. A certain amount of tension is also desirable, to flatten out and smooth the strips, that is to facilitate the change from folded to unfolded condition.

In order to facilitate movement between the strips and the transfer leaves, and to prevent injury to and guard the edge of the leaves, and to positively separate corresponding leaves of the strips, before they reach the transfer leaves, provide means, in the form of plates 35, arranged between the strips, just before they engage the transfer leaves, to space the strips vertically, and to lift and guide them over the rear edges of the transfer leaves. Each of these plates 35 is secured to a shaft or roller 36 of relatively heavy material, and each roller has journal pins 37 at its ends. One of the journal pins is adapted to engage a bearing opening 38 in one wall of the case, while the other is adapted to engage an open notch 39 in the opposite wall, to thus rotatably support the roller, and to hinge the plate so that it may oscillate transversely of the plane of the strips. It will be noticed that one of the plates is slightly in advance of the other, and this plate at its free edge laps upon the adjacent edge of the writing tablet. The free edge of the other plate laps upon the attached edge of the first named plate. A guide roller 40 is provided for the strip 32, and pairs of guide and separating rollers 4l are provided for the strips 33 and 34. One member of each pair of rollers 41 is mounted to swing away from its companion roller, being supported by arms 41a as shown pivoted to the case walls. It will be noticed referring to Fig. 2, that the rollers 40 and 4l are spaced to separate the strips prior to their superposition on the writing tablet, while retaining them in juxtaposition, and in proper relation with repsect to each other. The arrangement is such that whichever strips is uppermost at the moment must travel somewhat further than the succeeding strip, so that the strips do not stick in the folds, but come into separated relation readily. The lowermost strip 34 passes between the writing tablet and the lowermost plate 35.

The next or intermediate strip 33 .passes vbetween the'plates'35, andthe uppermost strip 32 passes above the uppermost plate 35. Since the strips when moving over the plates are moving in the direction of the feed and registering mechanism, there is some pressure upon the. undersides of the rollers 3S, tending tov turn the said rollers in a direction to cause the free 'edges ofthe plates 55 to bear down. upon the succeeding strips, thus to tension the strips. IIhus each; of the lower strips is tensioned by the movement of the succeeding strip.

A spring plate 4.2 is `connected withy the side walls of the case at theside of the pad or: book in compartment Li, to hold the said pad or book centrally of the compartment, and inwardly extending iianges or ledges 43 are provided at the top of the case side walls, upon which the. writing tablet rests, when it is in writingv position. The case walls have inwardly extending ribs or anges 44 between the compartment- s 4 and 6, and a suitable cover or margin frame'45 is hinged to the rear wall of the case at 46, for closing down upon the edges of the writing` tablet, and for forming therewith a closure for the. compartment 4. rl'his cover or cover frame is a plate of suiiicient area, having an opening at the writing tablet, through which the major portion of the tablet is visible. This cover also closes the trough 3l which holds the transfer leaves, and it is eX- tended beyond the adjacent Yend of thecase I, as indicated at 4?,.to provide a rest for the arm, when writing'on the tablet. A sprinor latch 43 is provided for holding the cover frame closed', and it is independent of the locking bar 15. The compartment 7 for receiving the record strip has a cover 52, hinged to the rear side of the case as at 53, and a suitable lock indicated at 54 is provided for holding thisV cover closed. It will be noticed that the cover has a flange or extension 55, which is engaged by the locking bar when it is closed, so that even without the locking 54.-, the cover 52 could not be lifted without releasing the locking bar. The pla-tes 35 assist in straightening and smoothing the strips'as they are moved into registry position.

I have discovers that the feeding of the webs is greatly improved by providing means to resiliently hold the superposed strips smoothly down upon the tablet preferably on the Vside from which the carbon sheets are fed. This means may be in the form of one or more spring plates 56, which engage the side edges of the strip, throughout substantially the entire length of the tablet, extending from the forward` end of the tablet, toward the feed mechanism at the edge of the opening through the cover 45. In the present instance the plates are supported by the cover frame, being secured to the latter at the end of the plate remote from the feeding mechanism as indicated at 57.

The hinge connection or rod 27 of the writing tablet is on the opposite side of the feeding mechanism from the body of the tablet, the rod being above the partition which separates the compartments 6 and 7. Adjacent to the hinge, the tablet is notched as shown at 58, and the feeding discs extend through the notches. The lowermost strip 34 of the superposed strips is separated at the feeding mechanism from the upper strips, passing between the tablet and the cover 52. into the compartment 7. In order to prevent movement of the strip out of the compartment after it has been entered thereinto, pawl and ratchet mechanism is provided in connection with the feeding mechanism. A ratchet wheel 59 is secured to the shaft 3, and the wheel is engaged by a springV pressed` pawl 60 on the case Wall. The pawl and ratchet prevent reverse movementr or" the feeding mechanism, and in order toprevent withdrawal of the strip from the closed compartment manually, I provide pointed spurs or lugs 61 on the writing tablet, at the rod 2'7. These lugs or spurs incline slightly upward toward their free ends, and they are so positioned that should there be an attempt to withdraw the record strip from the closed compartment, the spurs or lugs will engage the strip, and will prevent Withdrawal. If the attempt to withdraw is persisted in, the strip will be torn.

As the record strip passes into the 'closed oompartment between the tablet and the vcover 52, it falls naturally into the reversely folded condition, since it isl already creased in such manner that the separate leaves will fall into the reversely folded condition of themselves. A spring 62 is provided on the cover 52, and the spring rests upon the pad o folded leaves in the compartment. The spring is hinged to a lug 63 depending from the cover as shown, so that it may rise as the pad increases in thickness.

Since certain changes may be made inv the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended rthat all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying ldrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a machine of the class described, in combination, means to simultaneously feed a plurality of superposedstrips of record leaves, stationary transfer leaves between the strips, and a common means to guide each strip to the upper face of the adjacent leaf and to tension a lower strip, controlled by the movement of the first named strip.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a case having a holding and a receiving compartment for pads `or books of superposed strips of reversely folded record leaves, feeding and registering means between the compartments for feeding the strips, means beyond the feeding mechanism for separating the lower strip from the upper and deflecting it into the receiving compartment, and means to engage the strip to prevent withdrawal of the strip from the corn- Y engage the strip and hold the same when it is Withdrawn.

4. In a machine cf the class described, in combination, a case having a holding and a receiving compartment for pads or books of superposed strips of reversely folded record leaves, feeding and registering means between the compartments for feeding the strips, a writing tablet between the feeding means and the holding compartment over which the strips are fed into registry, means to resiliently engage the side edges of the strips as they move over the tablet to smooth and hold the strips to the tablet, means beyond he feeding mechanism for separating the lower strip from the upper and deflecting it into the receiving compartment, and means engaging the strip to prevent its withdrawal from the compartment.

5. A device of the character described cornprising in combination, means for supporting a strip supply, a tablet, means for feeding a plurality of strips from said supply over said tablet, means to support a supply of transfer material to be interposed between said strips and to extend laterally on each side thereof, a cover plate adapted to extend over said tablet, having an opening to expose said strips, and ribs upon the under face of said cover plate adjacent the edges of said opening adapted to bear upon the transfer `material.

6. A device of the character described comprising in combination, means for supporting a strip supply, a tablet, means for feeding a plurality of strips from said supply over said tablet, means to support a supply of transfer material to be interposed between said strips and to extend laterally on each side thereof, a cover plate adapted to extend over said tablet, having an opening to expose said strips, means for maintaining separation of said strips as they pass onto the tablet comprising a pivoted guide plate separating each pair of webs, and a spring finger upon the under side of the cover plate adapted to exert pressure on said guide plate.

'7. A manifolder comprising a platen; means for advancing a plurality of superposed fabric strips along said platen; guides at one end oi' the platen over which the fabric strips are led to the platen; separators carried by the guides and located between adjacent fabric strips and extending onto the platen; and a margin frame which when closed coacts with the separators to exert pressure on the fabric strips for effecting even movements of the fabric strips over the platen.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a writing tablet, means to feed a plurality of superpose-d webs longitudinally over said tablet, means at one side of the machine for supplying a transfer strip for movement transversely of said tablet into transfer position between the webs cn the tablet, and an elongated yielding guide positioned near one longitudinal edge of said tablet proximate to said transfer strip supply and having i'ts major dimension extending longitudinally of said tablet and transversely of said transfer strip near the point where the latter passes to the tablet and yiel-dingly pressing upon said strip to smooth it in its movement to the tablet.

9. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Writing tablet, means to feed a plurality of superposed Webs longitudinally over said tablet, means at one side of the machine for supplying a transfer strip for movement transversely of said tablet into transfer position between the webs on the tablet, and an elongatedl yielding guide positioned adjacent to each longitudinal edgeof said tablet, each said yielding guide having its major dimension extending longitudinally of said tablet and pressing upon opposite longitudinal margins of said webs to smooth them upon the tablet, a cover member having an opening exposing said tablet and said yielding guides being carried by said cover and extending along the margins of its opening.

l0. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a writing tablet, means to feed a plurality of superposed webs longitudinally over said tablet, means at one side of the machine for supplying a transfer strip for movement transversely of said tablet into transfer position between the webs on the tablet, and an elongated yielding guide positioned adjacent to each longitudinal edge of sai-d tablet, each said yielding guide having its major dimension extending 1ongitudinally of said tablet and pressing upon opposite longitudinal margins of said webs to smooth them upon the tablet, one of said yielding guides extending transversely of said transfer strip near the point Where the latter passes to the tablet and yieldingly pressing upon said strip to smooth it in its movement to the tablet.

l1, An autographic register including, in combination, means for feeding a plurality of superposed record strips into inscription receiving position with reference to a tablet, and means for maintaining a separate tension on each strip as said strips are fed forwardly by said feeding means into inscriptionv receiving position, said last mentioned means including strip tensioning members overlapping the strips and operatively interconnected so that pressure on one of said tensioning members is transmitted to another to equalize strip tension and a biased member cooperating with said tensioning members.

WILLIAM J WISWALL.

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