US1963285A - Computing and typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1934.

Y o. wooDwARD COMPUTING AND TYPEWRITING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet `1 Filed Dec. 7. 1927 wx .......wNH llykiw @wl 1 QMS mi l @D AMT l .n E@ %Q\ nu s n@ \H11\x1k|\ IWW Hm l INU www l |n.\ n xl m INVENTOR Ww A TTORNE Y June 19, 1934. Q WOODWARD COMPUTING AND TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Deo. 7, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nmm l um IN VEN TOR WITNESSES ATTORNEY June 19, 1934. Q. wooDWARD 1,963,285

COMPUTING AND TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Deo. 7, 1927 e sheets-sheet 3 INVENTOR 51M ATTORNEY Junel 19, 1934.

O. WOODWARD COMPUTING AND TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY JUN 19, 1934l o. wooDwARD COMPUTING AND TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 WMF 1NVENTOR 9M BY K ATTORNEY June19, 1934. Q WOODWARD 1,963,285

COMPUTING AND TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Deo. 7. 1927 6 sheets-sheet 6 INVENTOR BY ZM l ATTORNEY Patented June l19, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,963,285 v COMPUTING AND 'rrrEwm'riNG MACHINE Oscar Woodward, Forest Hills, N. Y., assigner to Remington Typewriter Company, Ilion, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 7, 1927, Serial No. 238,338

`- 16 claims.v (c1. 23S-s2) This invention relates to power drives for computing and typewriting machines and it is especiallyv adapted to combined typewriting and computing machines.

The invention has for its principal object to provide improved power driven means for oper- 4ating computing mechanism and especially the computing, and also, preferably, the printing mechanism, of a combined typewriting and com'- puting machine.

. To the above and other ends, the invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts all of which will be fully set forth herein and particularly pointed out in the claims. The invention is capable of considerable modification. The illustrative form of it shown infthe drawings, is of that class of power driven mechanism in which a cylinder or drum is continuously rotated from a suitable source of, power and acts on cams or eccentric rollers to operate certain levers. In the present instance said levers operate not only the computing mechanism but also the type bars which print Ythe numerals. .It

9 5 is to be understood, however, that somev of the features of the invention could be expanded tol apply to the letter or character keys as well.

The invention comprises .improvements in the means whereby the rotary movements of eccentric rollers or cams are controlled by the finger keys, and inthe manner in which the cams contact with the roller.

In combined typewriting and computing machines the `mechanism is sometimes locked in order to prevent the erroneousoperation thereof. The invention comprises novel means adaptedto yield in such manner as to prevent vinjury to the mechanism,l when said mechanism is thus locked against operation. The invention-also comprises means for warning, or notifying, the

operator' of the machine that a key stroke has.

been abortive, due to the machine being locked up, said means in the present instance consisting of a bell which is rung every time a key is struck when the machine is locked and for that reason cannot be operated, the bell being notice, sooner or later, to the operator that the depression of the key has,been without adding or printing function, thus avoiding an error by the operator passing on vto the next key, under the impression that when the rst key had been vtouched its function had been performed. The invention also comprises novel means whereby thepower roller can be readily removed from its .supporting frame.

The invention also comprises novel means for effecting the necessary adjustments between the operating levers and the several things to which each of them is connected, namely, a type bar, the computing mechanism, and the power mechanism.

The cam is held in its normal position byr a detent and the connections to the nger keys are such that when one 'of the latter is depressed it first releases said detent and then positively turns the cam into engagement with the power roller. The construction is such that the cam will be caught and held in its normal position whether orv not the finger key is held down by the operator. The invention also includes devices and arrangements to prevent slipping between the cams and.v the power roller.v When the power roller first takes hold of a cam to operate it, the engagement constitutes a 'sort of toggle action of such character as not to admit of slipping and as the cam is turned by the power cylinder it is pressed againstthe latter by a stout spring which also prevents slipping between the camv andthe cylinder. This 'non-slipping contact prevents to ran important extent the cam scufling and wearing the cover of the power roller.

The invention also comprises an inter-lock between the power operated devices and the ilnger` keys of such a character asv positively to prevent a second actuation of a key until the operation B5r due to the first key action shall have been completed.

The invention comprises `various other devices and features, all of which willl appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings one vform of the f invention is shown Awhich may be said to consist essentially of a power drive applied to a'Remf ington bookkeeping machine, now in use. The machine, except for -the changes hereinafter pointedv out, issubstantially of the sort shownk and described in the patent to Wahl, No. 1,270,- 471 dated June 25, 1918, but the typewriter is a No. 12 Remington instead of the No. 11 Remington shown in said patent.

In all of said drawings partshave been omitted or shown in section or broken away, as has been found convenient. In general, no more of the Remington bookkeeping machine is shown than is necessary to rillustrate the application of my invention thereto.

Fig. 1 is a front-to-rear vertical sectional view of the machine on a scale a little smaller than that of the balance of the drawings.

Fig. 2 is a view of the power mechanism the 11o parts being in normal position and shown in secion just inside the right-hand side plate of the ase.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows the parts in the midst of an operation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing one of the cams or eccentric rollers at the instant when it is first brought into engagement with the power drum, the view being diagrammatic in order to bring out the toggle action at that instant.

Fig. 5 is a right-hand side view of the power mechanism similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the action in the midst of an operation which was abortive due to the computing mechanism being locked.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 and looking in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the key arrester or single key device on a larger scale than the other figures.

Fig. 8 is a plan view mostly in section on the irregular line 8-8 of Fig. 1, and looking downward as indicated by the arrows at said line.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a certain bracket.

Figs. 10, l1 and 12 are perspective views of the power roller and its supporting frame and some associated parts.

Fig. 13 is an end view of the power roller and some associated parts.

Fig. 14 is a section on the line 14 of Fig. 13 and looking in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the several parts of the power frame disassembled.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged side view of a certain adjustable joint.

Fig. 17 is a section of the same on the line 17-17 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of one of the power cams and some associated devices including a finger key.

The main frame of the No. 12 Remington typewriter includes a base l, corner posts 2 and a top plate 3. The latter, in a well-known way, supports a traveling paper carriage which includes or carries a platen 4. A type segment 5 has type bars 7 pivoted thereto on a wire 10 and actuated b y bell crank sub-levers 11 which are pivoted at l2 in a slotted frame member 13 in the base of the machine. These bell cranks are operated by key levers 15, Figs. 1 and 8, which levers are pivoted on a cross bar 16 and are held up by returning springsl. The present machine preferably contains the alphabet and other key levers 15, but the invention is herein shown as applied to the numeral keys and the parts controlled thereby, and these are not like the regular character key levers 15 as will be explained hereinafter.

The Wahl computing mechanism is not shown in detail but is conventionally represented by the main casting 20 secured by brackets 21 to the top plate 3, the main truck 22 secured to the typewriter carriage by brackets 23, a vertical totalizer 24, a so-called fan 25 pivoted on the rod 26, and a goose-neck 27 operated by said fan. It also includes a roller 28 which is the universal bar operated by all of the fans 25, said roller supported by the universal rock shaft 29. The Wahl mechanism includes two full stroke pawls for cooperation with the fans 25. These are preferably omitted in the present instance, being rendered unnecessaryby the power mechanism. The Wahl mechanism also includes a key arrester or single key device cooperating with the fans 25 to prevent more than one of them from being op` erated at a time. This is also omitted and is replaced by another device in the base of the machine.

The power for operating the computing and numeral printing mechanisms is supplied by a continuously rotating cylinder or drum 30, herein called the power roller, whose shaft 31 carries a pulley 32 connected as by a belt 33 with any suitable driver, conventionally represented as an electric motor 34. The roller may be constructed as shown in Figs. 11, 13 and 14, that is to say, it may consist of a hollow wooden core 35 surrounded by a rubber sheath 36, and may have metal end pieces 37 and 38, each including a disk and an elongated hub through which the shaft 31 passes, said disks being fastened to the ends of the drum-by wood screws 40.

. In machines of this kind the rubber sheath 36 of the power roller is subjected to considerable wear, and it is therefore desirable that this drum be removable and replaceable with another. In order that this may be readily effected the following means are provided: The shaft 31 is inserted through the hub pieces 37 and 38 lengthwise, and it is splined to the hub 38 by means of a feather 4l set in a longitudinal slot 42 in the shaft and pivoted at 43 and pressed outward by a fiat spring 44. The hub' 38 has a longitudinal groove 45 cut therein for the reception of the pivoted spline 41. The construction is such that the shaft can be pushed into the cylinder, the spline 41 being pressed inward to pass through circular openings but springing out into the slot 45 when it reaches the latter.

The support for the shaft 31 consists of two bearing members 46 and 47 mounted'respectively on arms 48 and 50 secured to a cross bar 51 which may advantageously consist of a tube, the whole structure constituting a frame movably supported in the machine as will be explained hereinafter. As best shown in Fig. 13, a lever 52 is pivoted on the end of the bearing piece 46 and drawn toward the shaft by a. spring 53, or, preferably, two such levers, on opposite sides of the shaft as shown, these two levers normally lying .in an annular groove 54 in the end of the shaft 31 and by their engagement with said groove preventing endwise motion of said shaft in either direction. They can be instantly released by pinching together the free ends of the two levers 52 whereupon the shaft 31 may be drawn out of the machine endwise toward the right. This construction permits the power roller to be withdrawn endwise from the machine, which is important owing to the limited space, inside the typewriter frame and above the key levers, in which the roller is located.

Eccentric rollers 55, hereinafter called cams,

are adapted to be individually driven by the power roller 30, there being in the present instance ten of these cams, one for each of the ten numeral keys of the machine. Each of these cams is journaled on a short shaft or rod 56 supported in a pivoted frame or lever hereinafter called a cam carrier and comprising two side plates 57 and 58 and a hub member 60 common to the two said plates. The shaft 56 passes through the plate 57 and is screwed into the plate 58, so that it and the cam are readily removable. The hub members 60 arey journaled side by side on a cross shaft or rod 61,'in the base of the machine above the key levers 15. In the specific embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the present construction of the Remington bookkeeping machine has been modified as little as possible in order to facilitate the application of this invention to that machine. In accordance with that policy the shaft 61 consists of a shaft used in the machine and associated with the case shift mechanism. In Fig. 8 the two case shift key levers 62 are shown hung on this shaft and rigidly connected together by the usual heavy cross piece 63. The side plates 57 and 58 of the cam carriers are preferably flat plates mounted on hubs as shown, this construction being much stronger than that in which the plates are bent out of their main planes. g i

In order to convey the motion of the cam carriers 57, 58 to the computing mechanism and to the numeral type bars, the side plate 57 of each of said carriers is extended 'toward the front of themachine vto form a lever arm and is connected .by a pivot screw 64 to an operating leverv- 65. The ten operating levers 65 lie in the base of the machine, Fig. 8, side by side withrthe key levers 15, and may be pivoted at their rear ends on the same bar 16 as said key levers, and each of them is provided with a returning spring 66, Fig. 1, here shown arranged in an independent row from the key lever springs 18, so that they will have more room. These operating levers 65 have for the most part the general form of the regular vkey levers l5, but their forward ends do not terminate in finger pieces. On the contrary, the forward end of each of them terminates alittle short of the rear row of finger keys, the end being curved upward as shown at 67 through a suitable slot in the horizontal portion of the usual comb plate 68 of the Remington typewriter. Each'of Athe extensions 67 has its upper end connected by a link 70 with one of the fans 25 of the actuator of the computing mechanism, these links70 replacing those which heretofore have connected f the ordinary numeral key `levers with the fans25.

`These links are the same as heretofore used except that they are shorter. The ends 67 make it more convenient for attaching the links 70 to the levers 65 than the usual construction, where the connecting 'point is below the comb plate 68. The cam carrier is in effect a bell crank lever, the

vpivot 64 being so located that when the cam 55 is appropriate numeral type bar 7 so that when one vof the cams 55 is operated the appropriate numeralis vprinted by its" type-bar 7 and is added by its fan 25 and goose-neck 27.

Each .operating lever has to cooperate properly with three different things, namely, with `the bell crank 11, the fan 25 and the cam carrier 57, 58, The necessary adjustments may be effected as follows: If necessary the bell crank y y f` 11 can be bent to bring the lever 65 to the right height when the type bar 7 rests against its pad v72. In the'computer actuator the goose-neck 27 'should normally rest with its upper end in contact with, or substantially in contact with, the front `face yofthe casting 20, said goose-neck being held ,l l

the nose 92 acting on the shoulder 93 sets the way so that the length of this link can be regu" lated or adjusted by screwing the wire into or out of these end pieces. This wire can be adjusted so as to bring the goose-neck 27 into its proper Fig. 2 should stand at a certain distance, say, onesixteenth of an inch from the power roller 30. i

The two preceding adjustments having been first made, the proper position of the cam can be obtained by an adjustment at the pivot 64, one illustrative form ofl which is shown in detail in Figs. 16 and 17. The screw 64 has a circular part 75 lying in a slot 76 in the plate 57. The threaded part of the screw is of reduced diameter and is eccentric to the bearing part 75, thus forming a shoulder which can be clamped tight against the lever 65 by means of a nut 69. It will be obvious that the front end of the lever 57 can be given a fine up and down adjustment by turning the screw 64 and that said adjustment can be secured bytightening the nut 69. In this manner each cam is set to bring it to the desired normal distance from the power roller.

In order to control the Acams 55 so as to bring them into operation when desired, ten finger key levers, or trip levers 77, are provided, one lying just to the right of each of the operating levers 65, as shown in Fig. 8. `Each of the trip levers is provided with a finger piece or key 78 and restoring spring 79. As shown in the present instance the keys 78 constitute the rear row of character keys in the typewriter keyboard in the position ordinarily occupied by the numeral keys in a typewriter keyboard. These keys, of course, do not directly operate either the type bars or the computing mechanism but merely control the starting of the cams 55, which do the work of typing and computing. Each of sai'd cams has a plate 80 secured to its side as by pins 81, and said plate is perforated so that the pivot screw 56 passes through it. A detent 82 is pivoted at 83 to the side plate 57 and it is drawn toward the plate 80 by a spring 84. This detent has a tooth 85 adapted to enter a notch 86 in the plate 80 to retain the cam 55 in its normal position as shown dn Fig. 2. Said tooth and notch are so shaped as to prevent motionofthe cam in both directions. A dog 87 pivoted at-88 to the key lever 77 extends upward between the side plate 57 and the cam 55 in front of and in the plane of the plate 80. This dog may conveniently be called the cam starter.

It is bifurcated at its upper end to embrace thev shank of a headed rivet 90, which limits the swinging of the dog in front and back directions. The head of the rivet is enlarged so that the dog is guided between said head and the plate 57 Jto which the rivet is secured. The dog is drawn rearward by the spring 84, the forward end of which is connected to it.

The starter 87 has a lower nose 91 which (Fig. 2) normally stands above the forward end of the detent 82, so that if the finger piece 78 be depressed this nose will draw said detent out of engagement with the disk 80.- The starter has also an upper nose 92 which stands above a shoulder 93 made in the edge of the plate 80 but stands above it at a greater height than the nose 91 does abo've the detent 82. When a key 78 is depressed the nose 91 first releases the detent 82 Yfrom .plate 80 and `immediately afterward cam has been started by the dog 87, it is rotated by the roller 30 until its high part is in engagement with the roller as shown in Fig. 3, the

eccentricity of the cam forcing the pivot 56 toward the front of the machine and operating the mechanism as will be understood. When the mechanism moves from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 3, which is about its extreme operated position, the plate strikes the dog 87 and swings it forward until the nose 91 is out of the Way of the detent 82 so that as the cam completes its rotation and comes back to normal position the detent 82 can re-engage the notch 86 without interference from the nose 91.

The cam 55 has the outline best shown in Fig. 4. That part of its periphery which actively engages the power roller is luted as is common in devices of this general character so as to take hold of the rubber sheath of the power roller. The part of the periphery nearest the center 56 consists of a concave 94 which as shown in Fig. 2 normally faces the power roller. The lower end of the concave 94 appears vin Fig. 4 as an angle 95 which is in reality of course a dihedral (but with its edge rounded off), of such a character that it can take a good hold on the rubber sheath. In Fig. 4 this dihedral is shown at 'its first contact with the power roller and lines are drawn to illustrate the toggle action obtained by it. 96 is a straight line'joining the pivotal centers of the cam and the power roller, and 97 and 98 are, respectively, the radii of the cam and the roller to the contact point '95. It will be seenthat these two radii occupy the position of the members of a toggle which is approaching its straight line or dead-centered position. It is the action of this toggle which starts the cam carrier on its motion toward the front of the machine to actuate the mechanism. The motion is continued by the eccentric or involute curve 100 which terminates at 101. When this latter point 101 comes into engagement with the power roller the positive actuating stroke of the cam carrier and of the operating lever 65 is complete. and following it is a concave olf-set or drop 102 and following that an eccentric section 103 extends to the upper end of the concave 94. As will presently appear the cam is always pressed against the roller by spring pressure and this section 103 causes the cam to be turned back to its normal position under the driving power of the roller 30. When it reaches its normal position it is caught by its detent 82.

Cams driven by power rollers of a kind generally resembling those iused in the present instance, have heretofore been used for operating the type bars of typewriting machines. The computing mechanism however adds very greatly to the duty imposed on these cams. 'I'he computing mechanism not only offers much more resistance to its operating devices than a type bar does but also that resistance is not uniform but comes as it were in a succession of jerks. It results from these conditions that unless means are provided to prevent it the cam would probably slip on the power roller and due to the jerkiness of the resistance said cam might have a sort of chattering action against the roller and the cam would rapidly wear out the rubber surface of the power roller by scuifmg.

The added resistance of the computing mechanism is partially compensated for in the present construction by making the cams 55 of con The angle at 101 is rounded olf,

siderably greater width than those that have been heretofore used in twypewriters. As these cams are applied only to the ten numeral keys the whole power roller can be used for those ten keys, giving the cams 55 the extra Width illustrated in Fig. 6.

The principal provision made herein for the irregular resistances of the computing mechanism consists in the addition of means for pressing the cams 55 tight against the roller 30 by spring pressure, this pressure being in addition to that caused by the resistance of the mechanism to its actuation, and being in the nature of a steady extra pressure and not of the irregular character of the resistance, and being much more than that required to return the parts to their normal position. To this end each of the cam carriers had added thereto a depending arm 104 which as shown in Fig. 15 may be put on by making in it yan elongated hole 105 and appropriately ilattening off the sides of the hub pieces 60 as shown at 106, this fiat part of the hub being forcibly inserted in the elongated hole 105. At its lower end, at 107, a spring 108 is connected with the arm 104 and its forward end is connected to a cross bar 110 in the base of the typewriter, as shown in Fig. 1. These springs 108 are much heavier and stronger than the returning springs 66, as they have an additional and independent function to perform, which is to cause a considerable pressure of the cam 55 against the power roller when said cam is in action. The pressure due to this spring entirely prevents all chattering and slipping of the cam on the power roller. It may seem paradoxical that the wear on the roller due to the cam is diminished by increasing the pressure of the cam against the roller; but the wear is not due directly to the pressure so much as it is to the scuiing and friction incidental to slipping and jumping. The pressure of this spring in normal position is converted ultimately either into pressure of the type bar 7 against its pad '72 or of the goose-neck 27 against the casting 20, or both.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a rock shaft 111 having arms 112 thereon. These arms in the Remington typewriter support a universal bar which is operated by lugs or arms 113 projecting downward from the key levers 15, said universal bar actuating the ribbon vibrator of the machine. In 125 the present instance these arms 113 are provided not only on the alphabet levers 15 but also on the operating levers 65 of the numeral printing and computing mechanism. These arms 113 are not provided on the trip key levers 77. Said 130 ftrip key levers may however be provided with the usual arms 114 for cooperation with the line lock mechanism of the machine.

In order to prevent more than one of the trip key levers 77 from being depressed at a time any 135 suitable key arrester or single key device may be provided. In the present instance, each of said levers is made with a depending finger 115 adapted to enter a slot 116 in a tube 117 -supported in the base of the machine below the keyboard. In said tube are a series of sliding pieces 118, each with frusto-conical ends and of such length that the lost motion in the entire series of them between a stop plug 120 in the 45 left-hand end and a stop screw 121 in the righthand end is just sufficient to allow the entrance of one ringer 115. In the present instance the right-hand end of the tube passes through the right-hand side plate of the base 1 and the left- 150 hand end of it is mounted on a bracket 122 which is present in the'Remington machine.

In order to preventl the possibility of a trip -key lever 77 being operated very quickly, and recam carrier is rocked, this pin 124 moves over.

the upper surface of the finger 123 as shown in Fig. 3, locking said finger and the lever 77 in depressed position and keeping it locked until the cam carrier is well on its way back towards normal position, Since this lever is locked down it cannot receive a second operation, and its 1inger 115, cooperating with the stop devices 118, will prevent the depression of any other key lever 77. It will be noted that if any of the mechanism should stick, so as not to return to normal position, as for example, if the numeral type bar 7 should become hunched with one or mrore of the alphabet type bars, then the key lever 77 would remain locked down and further operatiorr of the numeral key levers would be prevented until the tiefup of the machine had been corrected. y v

The computing mechanism of the` Remington bookkeeping machine contains several locks, any one of,y which can prevent the actuation of the fans 25; for example, the universal bar of said fans is locked when the carriage stands at a punctuation point,`such, for example, as the decimal point, and there are various other occasions on which this part is locked.

Onefof said locks is conventionally illustrated in Fig. 1 where .the parts thereof are designated by the'same reference numerals as are employed in the aforesaid Patent No. 1,270,471. The shaft 29 of the universal bar, so-called rocker, has an arm 460 projecting upward therefrom, and a plate or blocking device 463, adapted under certain4 conditions to prevent motion of said arm, hangs from a lever arm 465 in front of a fixed abutment 462 secured to the main casting 20.. This plate or blocking device 463 is controlled partly by the vertical totalizers and partly by the cross truck of the machine, and under certain conditions it automatically moves to such aI position as to block the motion of the arm 460 and thus 'to prevent the operation of the uni-r versal'bar and rock shaft and therefore to prevent the depression of any of the operating4 levers 85. Also operation of said levers might be prevented by something in the typewriter, such for example as the bunching ofV several type bars.

It will be perceived that unless some provisions were'made to'prevent it, considerable damage might be ,done by an operation of the power ymechanism when the machine is locked as described by this or by any other means. 'I'he meansprovided in the present instance for that purpose constitute one of the features of the invention, said means consisting of a yielding device such that'in case the cam carrier cannot move, said yielding device can give way and prevent injury to the machine. An individual semi-positive yieldingdevice may be provided for each cam, but preferabl:r the device is arranged so that the power roller 30 itself can yield towards the back of the machine, as indicated in Fig. 4. To this end the frame hereinbefore described and comprising the arms 48 and 50 and the connect-r4 ing bar 51, is not rigidly mounted on the frame of the machine but is pivoted therein on two pivots `125 and 126,' engaging respectively a hole 127 in the arm 48 and a hole 128 in the varm 50. The pivot 126 consists of the inner reduced end of a screw stud 130 passing through the righthand side plate of the base casting land secured in position by two .nuts 131. interference with certain parts of the machine the left-hand pivot 125, in Figs. 8 and 9,k con sists of a stud riveted'into a sheet metal bracket 132, .which is secured by screws 133 to the lefthand side plate of the casting 1. The sheet metal bracket extends first downward, then horizontally to the right and thenceeupward to the point wherethe pivot 125 is riveted to it. The whole construction is such that the power roller 30 and its supporting frame can swing rearward about the pivots 125 and 12.6. Said frame is held in its normal position by means at each side of the machine, said means comprising in each in'-` stance a sheet metal bracket 134 secured to the inner face of the side wall of the base casting 1.

Each of these brackets has two L-shaped'slots 135, and two screws 136 and 137 screwed through bosses of they base casting 1, pass through said slots and have nuts 138 by which the bracket 134 can be tightened against said bosses. The forward end of each of the brackets 134 is bent off to make a stop piece 140 to engage a stud 141 projecting from the arm 48 or 56.v Said arm is normally pulled rearward to press said stud 141 into contact with said stop 140 by a fairlystiff tension spring 142 connected at its forward end to the arm and at its rear end to an ear 143 bent off from the bracket 134. This spring exerts its `tension to hold the frame, including the power roller 30, in its normal position, and it serves also to return said frame to itsl normal position in case it has been .deiiected therefrom, asv indicated in Fig'. 5. It has lbeen found that this spring by itself is not sufficient to hold the power roller 30 steady to its work without any vibration or chattering), and amore nearly positive holding means which may be termed asemi-positive means, has therefore been provided in addition to it. To this end an ear 144 has been bent 01T horizontally from the middle of the bracket 134 and a leaf spring, consisting in the present instance of an upper leaf 145 and a lower leaf 146 is secured to this ear by ascrew 147. The upper leaf 145 is bent upward so as to embrace the stud 141 between itself and the stop ear 140. Just above its point of contact with the stud 141 this Yleaf of the spring is bent forward, forming a finger 148 on which the stud 141 rides when the frame is rocked as shown in Fig. 5. It will be perceived that this fiat leaf spring construction takes a much firmer hold on the pivoted frame than the spring 142. It requires a considerably stronger force to pull the stud 141 out of the grip of the-spring. Once' it has got out, as shown in Fig. 5, however, the resistance to further motion offered bythis fiat spring is reduced to little ornothing. In case a cam 55 is brought into action when the machine is locked one severe jerk is required to free the stud 141 from the In order to avoid spring 145, and after that further yielding of the power roller 30 takes place against little or no resistance except that of the restoring springs turns the cam back toits normal position. As soon as the cam 55 has completed its rotation the springs 142 restore the parts to their normal position semi-positively locked bythe springs 145.

The slots 135 enable the bracket 134 to be adjusted front and back to get each of them into its proper position. It will be perceived that the springs 142, 145 and 146 are all adjusted in harmony with the bracket 134, said springs being mounted on said bracket. The slots being made L-shaped as shown, the bracket can, if necessary, be readily removed by merely loosening the nuts 138, and sliding the bracket first forward, and then downward.

In the specic instance shown in the drawings, these brackets 134 are mounted on screws and bosses already in the machine. The rear screws 136 are the same as have heretofore been employed, and in this machine are still employed as pivots for the universal bar frame 111 and 112. The forward screws 137 are likewise pivot screws for a rock shaft 150 having arms 151 on its ends and constituting part of the space key mechanism of the typewriter.

It will be perceived that in case the machine is locked when one of the levers 77 is depressed, the cam 55 makes its rotation as usual, but it does not result in an operation of the adding mechanism, nor in the printing of a numeral. It

is important that the operator of the` machine realize that this particular key stroke was abortive, and means are provided to notify the operator of this fact, said means in the present instance consisting of a bell that is rung each Atime the power roller frame is caused to yield rearward. As shown in Fig. 5, a bracket 152 is secured to the right-hand side plate of the base 1 by screws 153, and on this bracket is mounted a bell 154. A clapper 155 is mounted 'on a spring arm, 156, secured to a lever 157, pivoted to the bracket at 158, and normally drawn by a spring 160 against a stop pin 161, in which normal posif tion of the parts the clapper 155 occupies the position shown by the broken line in Fig. 5, just clear of the bell 154. The lever arm 157 is extended towards the front of the machine where it is made with a v -shaped nose 162 adapted to be engaged by a stud 163 projecting from the arm 50, in such wise that the rocking of the frame will ring the bell. 'I'he bell rings every time an abortive key stroke is made, so that, if the operator fails to take notice of the first, warning and strikes one or more other numeralkeys, the bell will ring at every key stroke until it forces attention to itself.

In the particular form of the invention shown in the drawings the supporting, frame for the power roller is constructed as best illustrated in Figs. 8 and 12. 'Ihe bar 51 is made as a tube in order to give it at once the properties of lightness andstiifness. The arms 48 and 50 are not secured directly to this tube `but indirectly as follows: In each end of the tube there is inserted and secured in place a piece 164 consisting of a cylindrical piece of metal that just fits the inside of the tube but the end of it is of reduced diameter and constitutes the pin 141 hereinbefore described. Short arms 165 are rigidly secured to these pieces of metal 164, 141 at the end of the tube, and they project therefrom as shown in the drawings. Each of the arms 48 and 50 is made with a hole 166 which fits over the pin or stud 141 and with another hole 167 through which a screw 168 is passed and threaded into the contiguous arm 165. This particular construction was fixed upon for convenience in assembling the machine. The bar or tube 5l is beneath the key levers and the arms 48 and 50 project above the key levers and they have the bearing pieces 46, 47 projecting laterally from them, the whole construction being such that if it were assembled before it was put into the machine it could not be put in there except by doing so before the key levers were mounted in place. In assembling the machine the arms 165 are thrust up from beneath at the two sides of the key lever system and then the arms 48 and 50 are put on one at a time and secured in place by the screws 168 after which the frame is mounted on its pivots 125 and 126.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement without departing from the invention.

Ido not claim the power driven operating mechanism herein described, as novel mechanical movements applicable to machinery generally, but only as improvements in machines of the general class described, and as utilized in such machines substantially as described. Forexample, a device that can yield to excessive resistance in order to prevent breakage, is a'well known element in power driven machines of many kinds, and I do not claim such a device broadly, but only as an element in the mechanism such as described and of the class described.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a machine of the class described and including a power roller, a cam and cam carrier operated thereby, and computing mechanism operated by said cam carrier, the "improvement which includes a device adapted to yield to excessive resistance so as to allow said roller to turn said .cam without operating or injuring said mechanism, said device comprising a returning spring and a semi-positive holding device.

2. In a machine of the class described and which includes a power roller, a series of devices each adapted to be operated by said roller and computing mechanism operated by said devices, the improvement which includes, a support forsaid roller capable of alloving the roller to yield bodily to excessive resistance due to a blocking of said computing mechanism, spring means for returning said roller, and semi-positive means for holding said roller firmly to its work when the resistance is not excessive.

3. In a machine of the class described and which includes a power roller, a series of devices adapted to be operated individually by said roller, and computing mechanism operated by said devices, the improvement which includes a support for said roller movably mounted to enable said roller to move bodily away from said devices to prevent injury to said computing mechanism in case the latter should be blocked, and a stiff spring detent engaging said support in such wine as to offer a comparatively high resistance m initial motion of said frame and a less resistance to continued motionlof said frame after sucl motion has once been initiated.

4. In a machine of the class described and which includes a power roller, a series of cams adapted to be individually rotated by said roller, and cam carriers connected to the computing mechanism to be operated, a movable support for said roller, means for offering a high initial resistance to yielding motion of said support, and spring means for restoring said support as a cam completes its rotary motion under the driving vincludes a frame supporting'said roller for motion in place of said operating devices in case the latterare prevented from moving by a blocking of said computing mechanism, and means for controlling the action of said frame, said means including an adjustable unit,A said unit coinprising yielding means for holding said frame in normal position and for returning it to such position, and a stop for arresting said frame in its normal position vwhereby said stop and said holding and returning means are adjustable to,- gether. ,4 y

6. In a machine of the class described and comprising computing mechanism, type bars, and horizontal trip key levers for controlling said type bars and computing mechanism, the combination of a power roller extending across said series of levers above the latter, a 'series of cams and cam carriers, said camcarriers in the form of bell cranks, a series of operating levers parallelwith said key levers and each connected with oney of said bell cranks, with one of said type bars and with said computing mechanism, and starters operatedkby said key levers for initiating the operation of said cams.

7. In a 'machine of the class described and comprising computing mechanism, the combina- `tion of a power roller, cams and cam'carriers` individually operable by said. roller and operating said computing mechanism, trip key levers, and connections for initiating the operation of said cams, each of said key levers having a locking portion 123 and each of said cam carriers having a cooperating locking portion 124 so arranged that when one of said key levers is depressed and the corresponding cam carrier operated, said locking portion 124 moves into engagement withA said locking portion 123 to prevent a return of the key lever to normalposition until the operation of the cam carrier is completed.

8. In a machine of the 'class ydescribed and comprising computing mechanism, lthe combination of a power roller, a series of cams and cam carrier levers individually operable by said roller and operating said computing mechanism, and trip key levers for initiating the operation of said cams, each of said key levers having a hook 123 and each vof said cam carriers having on an arm thereof a lug 124 adapted when the cam carrier is actuated to swing into engagement with the hook 123 to delay return motion of the key lever.

9. In a machine of theclass described and comprising computing mechanism, type bars. a power roller, cams and cam carriers individually operable by said power roller, and Ameans for initiating the actuation of said cams,- the combination .of operating levers 65, each connected at one point thereof with a type bar and each connected at another point thereof with the. computing mechanism, and an adjustable connection 64 between an operating lever and the corresponding cam carrier whereby said cam carrier can be adjusted into proper normal relation to said power roller without disturbing the normal position of said operating lever.

injuring 10. In a machine of the class described and comprising computing mechanism, type bars, a power roller, cams and cam carriers individually operable by said power roller, and means for initiating the actuation of saidcams, the combination of operating levers 65, each connected at one point thereof with a type bar and each connected at another point thereof with the computing mechanism, each such operating lever being directly pivoted to one of said cam carriers by an eccentrically adjustable pivot 64 whereby the cam carrier can be adjusted into proper normal relation to the power roller without disturbing the normal position of the operating lever.

1l. In a machine of the class described and comprising computing mechanism and type barsl the combinationof operating levers each connected to said computing mechanism and to the type bars, trip key levers disposed side by side with said operating levers, a power roller extending across said series of key levers and operating levers, and cams and cam carriers operated by said power r'ollerand each actuating one of said operating levers, each of said trip key levers c'onnected to initiate rotation of one of said cams.

12. `In a machine of the class described and including power operated computing mechanism, the combination of a power roller, a cam anda cam carrier operated thereby and operating said computing mechanism, and a semi-positive holding device adapted to yield to excessive resistance 4due to said computing mechanism being blocked against operationso as to allow saidv of the cam and at the same time operating said which includescomputing mechanism, a continholding said roller steadily in a definite normal position during ordinary operation but .allowing the roller to yield bodily away from 4any of said cams only in casethe computing mechanism is vblocked against operation, whereby a single yielding device serves to prevent injury to several trains of cam-operated mechanism.

15. In a machine of the class described and which includes computing mechanism, a continuously rotating power element andra series of computer-operating devices selectively and positively operatableby said power. element, the improvement which includes a yielding vdevice L for said power element holding said power element steadily in a denite normal position during ordinary operation but permitting said powerr element to yield bodily insteadl of operating any of the series of computer operating elements only in case one of the latter blocked against operation.

l 1s. In a machine of the class described and 150 Leeaes steadily in a definite normal position during ordinary operation and only in case the computing mechanism is blocked against operation the roller and any cam may continue to rotate but the roller may yield bodily away from the cam to prevent injury to the computing mechanism.

OSCAR WOODWARD.

Images