US1989785A - Toy typewriter - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 5, 1935. D. BOISSELIER TOY TYPEWRITER Filed April 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l WW 3 w aw w wmm v jwucn'io'o EllBoisse lie);

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Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY TYPEWRITER Application April 20, 1934, Serial N0. 721,627

13 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriters, and more particularly to a construction particularly adapted to typewriters of the toy class, while at the same time embodying features of construction and operation which render it thoroughly practical and reliable in use, thereby to closely simulate the work produced by standard machines.

A general object of the invention is to provide a toy including cases of type which may be 10 made to closely resemble the type characters of commercial typing machines with the result that a clear and distinct impression may be obtained because of the fact that the construction lends itself to the use of substantial metal characters, and a positive and reliable means of effecting their impression on the paper by the use of a ribbon, thereby providing a good ribbon copy, as well as carbon copies if desired, from a toy device. Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for controlling the movement of the type carrier which will insure accuracy in the typing operation. That-is to say, it is proposed to provide means for manually tilting the type wheel support as well as the type wheel itself in both a backward and forward direction instead of relying on gravity or spring means for controlling one phase or stroke of the typing op eration. To that end, the invention contemplates the use of two keys, one for typing and one for spacing. Thus, after the type key has been actuated to effect an impression, a second key must be operated to bring the type means back to initial poised position, and, at that time, the operator may bring a new letter or character into printing position. This mode of operation has the effect of not only insuring accuracy in typing and complete visibility of the previously typed matter, but, at the same time, the key which is depressed to return the type means to normal position also positively cooperates with means to space or feed the carriage on which the platen is mounted so that the paper being prepared will be properly positioned to receive 45 the next character to be typed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel type-disk bearing upper and lower cases of type, the said disk being so mounted that it may be readily shifted from one position to another to bring the selected case of type into printing position.

A still further object is to provide a construction which is susceptible of embodiment in a simple and practical form thereby to facilitate manufacture and assembly and subsequent ease of manipulation.

With the above and other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in the appended claims.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the present construction, a portion of the platen carriage being broken away to illustrate the position of the means for holding the rockable type carrying means in one position or the other until manually changed to another.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the type means in printing position, the type key being depressed and the space key elevated.

Figure-4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the type means in its normal position and with the space key depressed and the type key elevated.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the mechanism for effecting spacing movement of the platen carriage, the parts being illustrated in the position they assume when the type means is in normal position, that is, away from the platen as shown in Figure 4 and at the end of the spacing stroke as a result of depressing the space key.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the position of the parts when the type means is actuated by the type key to perform the typing stroke.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the position of parts when the platen carriage feeding means is released, that is, held in inoperative position to permit the carriage to be pushed back to print a new line, or to back-space.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the parts shown in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of the case selecting cam for the type disk.

Figure 10 is a detail view of the type disk elevated by the cam of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a detail view of. the type disk actuator and carrier means.

Figure 12 is a detail view of the type-wheel showing the detent for holding the same to print the desired character.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In its general organization, the present invention includes a casing A having a top section 1 .and sides 22, a tiltable or oscillatable type unit B and a platen carriage device designated generally as C. The movement of the type unit B toward the platen to printing position is controlled by the type key D and the movement away from typing position is controlled by the space key E.

In other words, alternate depression of keys D and E by two fingers of the same hand rocks the type member B toward and from printing position, and the movement of the type member B cooperates with a platen carriage feeding mechanism designated generally as F to cause step by step advance of the platen. To eifect release of the platen carriage, a lever G isprovided at one side of the casing. As will presently appear more in detail, when the lever G is depressed, the platen carriage feeding means F is temporarily rendered inoperative so that the platen carriage may be moved to the right by manual force or pressure.

Referring first to the type unit 13, shown in Figure 2, and its actuation by the type and spaning keys D and E respectively, it may be pointed out that the type unit proper consists of a disk 3 which may be manually raised or lowered, and includes a side face 4 provided with lower case characters 5 and upper case characters 6 with a blank space a: between the beginning and end of each case to permit of effecting spacing between words. The details of construction of the type disk 3 will be best observed from Figures 3 and 4 from which it will be seen that the disk also ineludes an upstanding manipulating collar 7 on its upper face and a hub 8 at its under side. The upper face of the disk 3 may be provided with a case index corresponding to the characters on the edge of the disk to aid the operator in selecting characters for printing. The hub 8 is: intended to receive a pivot pin 9 whose upper end has a spring 10 coiled thereabout and receives a suitable abutment in the form of a washer 11 for compressing the spring 10. Clearly, the spring 10 and upper end of pin 9 are located within the collar :1. The pin 9 is rigidly carried by the ,head 12 of a supporting post 13 which is mounted for tilting or rocking movement as will presently appear. The lower end of the hub 8 rests on the flat inner surface of a controlling or case selecting cam 14 clearly illustrated in Figure 9 and which includes the operating lever 15. The central portion of the cam 14 is provided with an opening 14 for receiving the pin 9 and is also provided with the reversely related cam elements 16 and 17 which cooperate with the spaced studs 18 and 19 on the head 12 so that upon turning the cam lever to the left, .the cam portions 16 and 17 will ride on the tops of the studs and elevate the cam. Thus the cam either raises or lowers the type disk 3 to bring the upper or lower case characters into printing position.

When the cam leveT15 is in the position shown in Figure 2, the lower case is in printing position and the type disk 3 will assume the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. When the cam lever 15 is moved to the left of the position shown in Figure 2, the type disk 3 will be elevated as shown in Figure 10 to bring the upper case or capitals into printing position. Therefore, it will be apparent that the type disk 3 is mounted for rotary movement on the pin 9 to bring separate characters into play and may also be lifted by the cam means 14-15 to bring characters of different cases into printing position.

- For the purpose of holding the disk in position to bring a selected character, the inner face of the side wall 4 is provided with a series of notches after the fashion of a rack as indicated at 4 and which cooperate, with a roller 4 carried by the vertical arm of an angular detent 4 mounted in the post 13 beneath the head 12. As shown, the

generally as 20. In the assembly shown, the shaft 13 is provided with a socket 13' for receiving a key or stud 13 on the actuating member 20 whieh'is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and more in detail in Figure 11. I

Referring to Figure 11, the actuating mem- It will thus be apparent that the type her preferably includes a shelf portion 21 rigidly, united with a rod 22 having its ends 23 pivot- I ally mounted in the sides 2-2 of the casing. These parts are in effect a 'unit and as an alte nate manufacturing expedient may obviously be.

made in one piece. The shelf 21 has rigidly connected thereto, a lever 24 which carries the space key E previously referred to. Also, the shelf 21 carries therewith at the side opposite the lever 24 a keeper member 25 which extends rearwardly and has its free end adapted for engagement with opposite sides of the rib 26 of a'spring restraining member 27 carried by the rear wall of the casing. Since the actuating member is pivotally mounted in the casing, it will be apparent that the same may rock or oscillate and, in so doing, the keeper niember 25 will be caused to move or snap mode side or the other of the rib 26. Thepiir pose of this arrangement is to cause the actuating member 20,'and'consequently the member 13 carried therebyto assume one l or the other of two positions until manually shifted or released. That is to say, when the space key E is depressed, the lever 24, whi'ch'is' carried by the actuating member 20, will'cause the latter to assume such a position that the free end of the keeper 25 will be positioned above the rib 26 as shown in Figure 4. On the other. hand..

when the type key D is depressed in a manner vj,

presently to be described, the keeperf25 will ride over the rib 26 and assume the position sho y.

in Figure 3. The spring 27, is therefore, primarily the tensioning means for the actuating member 20 and the type member supporting post 13. And, it will also be apparent, thatthe actuating member will be temporarily held or restrained in either printing position or normal poised position, depending on the position of the free end of the keeper 25 with reference .to the rib 26 on the spring 27. 1

Referring now to the manner in which the type key D moves the actuating member 20, it

will be observed that the said type key'is a part of the lever 28 provided with the pivot ears 29,

mounted on a cross shaft 30 whose end portions 31 are mounted in the side walls 2-2 of the cas-- ing. The free end 28 of the type key lever 28 is positioned to engage beneath the shelf 21. Clearly, since the actuating member 20is piv-' oted as at 23 and the type key lever 28 is pivoted as at 30, it will be seen that upon depression of the type key D, the free end 28 of the type key lever 28 will engage the underside of the shelf 21. 'And it will also be apparent that'upon depression of the type key D, the free end 28'- of the type key lever will move or rock the actuator rearwardly. In this movement, of course, the

type disk 3 will bemoved on its printing stroke toward the platen of the platen carriage device C.

Accordingly, the actuating member 20 is moved from one position to the other by alternate depression of the keys D and E. In other words, manipulation of both keys is necessary to complete the rocking movement of post 13 which carries the type disk 3 to cause it to perform both strokes of movement.

The movement of the platen carriage C to provide letter and word spacing is therefore effected positively by the movement of the space lever E. This has the advantage of causing a definite and reliable movement of the carriage because the spacing is accurately controlled and not dependent upon relatively weak parts involving springs and other forms of unreliable escapement.

As will be observed from Figures 1 to 8 inelusive, the platen carriage includes a roller or platen 32 rotatably mounted in a support 33 which may be also formed with a paper guide 34. One end of the roller 32 is provided with a knob 35 which cooperates with suitable friction means 36 to effect proper line spacing of the paper. The support 33 is preferably mounted on a channel member 37 which is in turn interlocked with a mating or complemental channel member 38 carried by. the top 1 of the casing so as to guide the carriage properly in its longitudinal movement. A spring 39 may be interposed between the members 37 and 38 to insure proper frictional engagement; and, to further assist in the guiding of the paper around the roller 32, suitable paper guide rollers 32 may be provided.

The channel member 37 is preferably provided with a depending front flange 40 formed with rack teeth 41. These rack teeth are intended to cooperate with the rack teeth 42 on a feeding arm 43. This arm is pivoted as at 44 to one arm 45 of a. bell-crank type lever pivoted at 46 to a casing part or support, and also including the actuating arm 47. The feeding arm 43 is tensioned by spring 48 so that the teeth 42 will always be urged toward the teeth 41 of the rack.

As will be observed from Figures 5 to 8 inelusive, the arm 47 is positioned to be engaged by the post 13 which carries the type disk 3. When the type key D and its lever 28 are manipulated, the shaft 13 will be thrust or thrown forwardly toward the platen and the arm 4'7 will be compelled to follow the inward movement of post 13 due to the tension of spring 48 which, in addition to keeping the teeth 42 in position to engage the rack also tensions the bell-crank lever. As the arm 45 of the bell-crank lever moves to the right, that is clockwise, due to arm 47 following the inward movement of post 13, the teeth 42 will trail idly back over the rack so as to engage a new set of teeth. Thus, when the type key D is depressed, the feeding mechanism is set so as to be in position to effect movement of the platen carriage through rack 41 when the post 13 is moved in the opposite direction due to manual depression of the space key E and lever 24 connected with actuating member 20. When the latter condition prevails, namely when the space key E is depressed, it will be apparent that the post 13 will be moved or rocked backwardly as shown in Figure '7 and consequently, the arm 4'7 will be moved backwardly and thus force the arm 45 of the bell-crank in a counter-clockwise direction to in turn cause the feeding arm 43 to move the rack the required distance to the left to provide proper spacing for receiving a new character in the typing process. This action of the feeding means is repeated upon alternate depression of the type keys D and E and the feeding mechanism F is thus actuated to move the platen carriage during typing.

When it is desired to release the teeth 42 from the rack 41 so as to permit of the carriage being shifted back to starting position, it is only necessary to disengage teeth 42 from the rack 41. To accomplish this result, a portion of the feeding arm 43 is provided with an abutment 49 adapted to be engaged by a laterally projecting finger 50 carried by a releasing slide member 51 shiftably mounted in slots in the casing as indicated at 52. The arm 51 is retained in its rearward position by a spring 53 and, therefore, the rear end 54 of the slide 51 is normally held in engagement with the upstanding leaf 55 of a releasing cam 56 which is carried by shaft 57 suitably journalled as at 58 and 5.9 in the casing and extending exteriorly thereof at one end to receive the release lever G previously referred to. The spring 53 not only maintains slide 51 in its normally retracted position but also tensions the lever G through the medium of cam 55--56 and shaft 57. Therefore, when lever G is manually pushed down, it will be apparent that the slide 51 will be thrust forward so that the projection 50 thereof will engage the abutment 49 on thefeeding arm 43. This will result in withdrawing and holding teeth 42 from the rack-teeth 41 and thus free the carriage so that it can be manually returned to starting position without interference from the normal platen carriage feeding means F.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention includes in its organization a tiltable type unit B whose rocking or tilting movement is controlled alternately by the manipulation of the keys D and E, the former performing the typing stroke and the latter the spacing stroke which includes the operation of the feeding means F to the platen carriage C. As previously explained, this arrangement facilitates the typing operation especially since it makes it possible for the operator to use two fingers of one hand to tilt the type means while the other hand may be left free for rotating the type unit to bring the desired character into printing position or to shift the type means so as to bring either the upper or lower case of characters into printing position.

When the machine is -in use the platen carriage C is positioned at the right hand end of the machine and the disk 3 is in its outward position. After the paper has been inserted over the roller, the operator may begin the typing operation. The operator then rotates the disk to bring the desired letter or character in position for printing on the paper. The type key D is then depressed to throw the disk 3 of the type unit 8 toward the platen to effect the desired impression. The space key E is thendepressed to move the type unit away from the platen, and at the same time the carriage feeding means F advances the platen one space for accommodating the next letter. This operation is repeated to spell out the desired word. When it is desired to space between words, the blank portion or land, 1:, on the edge of the type disk 3 is brought into the same position that a character would normally be with reference to the paper on the platen. The type key D is then depressed and the space key subsequently depressed to thereby actuate the carriage feeding means F to accomplish the desired spacing between words. The movement of the disk 3 toward the platen when the blank space 4 weaves a: on the disk 3 is positioned in front of the platen, is of course, idle so far as effecting any impression on the paper is concerned. In event that it desired to back-space or return the carriage C to normal position, it will of course be understood that the lever G is depressed to separate parts s1 and 42 (Fig. so that the carriage may be manually shifted to the right.

Without further description it thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood, that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resortedto, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. A toy typewriter including a platen, a shiftable type unit, separate key-levers respectively for actuating said unit toward and from the platen, and feeding means for the platen controlled by said shiftable type unit.

2. A toy typewriter comprising a platen, a shift able type unit, a type key and space ke'y adapted for alternate menual actuation respectively .for moving said unit toward from the platen, and feeding means for the platen controlled by said type unit to move the platen when the space key is depressed and to be positioned for further platen movement when the type key is depressed.

3. A toy typewriter including a platen, a tiltably mounted type unit, and a plurality of manually actuated key levers operatively connected with said type unit whereby alternate manual manipulation thereof will tilt the type unit forward and backward.

4. A toy typewriter including a platen, a. tiltably mounted rotatable and vertically adjustable type unit, and separate elements adapted for alternate manual actuation to more the type unit respectively toward and from the platen.

5. A toy typewriter including a platen, a tiltably mounted rotatable and vertically adjustable type-wheel, separate elements adapted for alternate manual actuation to move the type-wheel respectively toward and from the platen and means for releasably holding the type-wheel in its forward or backward position.

6. A toy typewriter including a platen, a tiltable type-wheel, manual means for throwing the type-wheel toward the platen, manual means for retracting the type-wheelfrom the platen, means for rotating the type-wheel. and means for adjusting the type-wheel, said means for rotating and means for adjusting the type-wheel being adapted for operation at the end of the actuation of the type-wheel resulting from the operation of said manual means for retracting the same.

7. A toy typewriter including a platen, a rotatable type-wheel, a post for supporting the same, an actuator carrying said post, a space key-lever carried by the actuator for moving the same in one direction, a type key-lever adapted to engage the actuator to move it in the opposite direction, means for temporarily restraining the actuator in either one of the positions to which it is moved, and feeding means centrolled by the movement of the post.

8. A toy typewriter including a casing, a platen, a type-wheel, a post carrying the type-wheel, a tiltable actuator pivoted in the casing for rocking movement and carrying said post, a space key-lever fixed to the actuator, cooperating means respectively carried by said actuator and by the casing to releasably hold the actuator in one or the other of its tilted positions, a printing key-lever having an axis remote from the axis of the actuator and having one end engageable with the said actuator, platen feeding means operated by the movement of the said actuator and means for moving the platen feeding means to inoperative position whereby the platen may be manually returned to starting position.

9. In a toy typewriter, a type-wheel, a tiltable type-wheel support, a pivot pin on the support for the type-wheel whereby the latter may be rotated, and a horizontally arranged manually shiftable cam between the support and the typewheel for elevating or lowering the latter.

l0. In a toy typewriter, a type-wheel, a tiltable type-wheel support, a pivot pin on the support for rotatably receiving the type-wheel, a spring surrounding the pivot pin and confined between an abutment on the pin and the type= wheel to urge the latter downwardly, a stud on the support, and a cam rotatable about the said pin and arranged between the support and the type wheel, and a lever carried by the cam for shifting the same whereby it may ride on the stud to lift the type-wheel against the tension of said spring.

11. In a toy typewriter, a type-wheel having a top wall and a side wall, a central hub on the lower face of the top wall and having an opening, a pivot pin carried by a tiltable support for receiving said hub, a collar formed on the upper face of the top wall, upper and lower rows of type on the outer face of the side wall, means for raising and lowering the type-wheel, a. plurality of holding notches on the inner face of the side wall, and a spring pressed detent mounted on the support and engageable with said notches.

12. A toy typewriter comprising a casing, a platen carriage slidable on the casing, a rack on the platen carriage, a tiltable type-wheel support including a printing type-wheel, and feeding means for the platen, said means including a feeding arm having a tooth for engaging the rack on the platen carriage, a spring for urging the arm toward the rack, a bell-crank-type lever pivoted at its elbow to the casing and having one arm pivotally connected to the feeding arm while its other arm is disposed for operating engagement with said tiltable type-wheel support.

13. A toy typewriter comprising a casing, a platen carriage slidable on the casing, a rack on the platen carriage, a tiltable type-wheel support including a printing type-wheel, feeding means for the platen, said means including a feeding arm having a tooth for engaging the rack on the platen carriage, spring means for urging the arm toward the rack, an angular lever pivoted at its elbow to the casing, and having its arms respectively connected to the feeding arm and in engagement with said tiltable type-wheel support, and means for releasing the feeding arm from engagement with the rack comprising, a slide mounted in the casing and having means for engaging the toothed end of the feeding arm, a spring for normally retracting the slide. a cam for engaging the slide to move it in opposition to the spring, and means extending exteriorly of the casing including a lever for actuating said cam.

EARL D. BOISSELIER.

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