US2030056A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1936. w. A. DOBSON 2,030,056

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed June 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Shes? 1 VENTOR Feb. 11, 1936. wg'A. DOBSON y zomose TYIfEWRI-IING MACHINE v x 7 Filed June 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 1 I 4 pi W.

Patented Feb. 11, 1936 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mnwm'rme mcnnm Application June 21, 1933, Serial No. 670,900

10 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and particularly to improvements in means for mounting and guiding the platen-carriage for case-shift movements, and for adjusting the platen relatively to the type-faces for securing evenness of type impressions.

I provide opposite =raceways for anti-friction rollers, said raceways extending in the direction of the case-shift movement of the carriage-track frame. The anti-friction bearing thus formed at each end of the platen-frame takes up the end thrust and is localized, there being but a single roller in the form of a ball playing in each pair of raceways. Co-operating with the localized anti-friction bearings, based on foundation plates, to guide the shift frame in case-shifting direction, is the lower pair of swing-arms fastened to a cross-shaft which is journaled in the foundation plates, said swing-arms being pivotally connected with the shiftable platen-supporting frame.

The foundation plates abut facewise the inner sides of side members of the main framework. Instead of milling a recess in said side members for guiding the foundation plates, said side members are provided at little cost with novel lugs which fit the foundation plates to slidably guide the latter in the direction in which they are adjusted for bringing the platen further from or nearer to the type-faces. Binding screws secure the foundation plates in adjusted position. Each foundation plate may be moved by means of an eccentric collared stud which passes through the foundation plate and the adjacent main frame side member.

The foundation plates also include adjustable stops for determining the case-shift positions of the shiftable platen-supporting frame. Said stops are broadly faced with cushioning material and are provided on each foundation plate. The aforesaid swing-arms are each provided with novel ends which are transversely broadened to form spatulate stop faces co-acting with said broad stops on the foundation plates.

The anti-friction bearings are adjustable for the purpose of securing proper coaction of the balls with the raceways. To this end, one of the raceways, preferably the one carried by one of the foundation plates, is formed in an adjustable block which has an inclined seating against the foundation plate. Said seating slopes relatively to the raceway so that when the block is adjusted in a direction lengthwise of its raceway, the latter is adjusted toward or from the companion raceway on the shift frame. Adjustment of the block may effect adjustment of the raceways at both sides of the shift frame. The seating for said block may be of tongue-and-groove form so as to maintain the raceway in the block par allel to the companion raceway at all adjust- 5 ments. Since the anti-friction bearings are based on thefoundation plates, the latter may be freely moved for effecting adjustment of the platen relative to the type-faces. 1

Other features and advantages will herein- 10 after appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the novel case-shifting organization, some of the parts being shown in section for clear illustra= 15 ion.

Figure 2 is a front elevation view showing the shift frame, swing-arms, and the anti-friction bearings at the ends of said shift frame.

Figure 3 is a side elevation view showing the g shift frame in upper-case position.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view showing details of the shift frame, foundation plates and the mounting of the latter on the main frame side members. 25

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the parts forming the anti-friction bearing at one end of the shift frame separated in order to bring out details of construction.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side elevation of 30 the typewriting machine showing the case-shifting mechanism in lower-case position.

In the herein-represented typewriter, I0 is one of the usual key-operated type-bars pivoted in a segment ll, mounted on a bridge l2, fas- 5 tened to left and right side members I3, I 4 of the typewriter-framework which. includes a rear cross-bar IS, a front cross-plate l6, and an intermediate cross-bar H. The usual letter-feeding carriage l8 includes a platen l9, journaled in 40 side plates 20 upstanding from a truck 2| guided by means of anti-friction rollers 22 along rails 23.

Each type-bar l0 carries lower and upper case types 25, 26, and, in order that the carriage l8 and its platen l9 may be shifted between lower- 5 case position, Figure 6, and upper-case position, Figure 3, the carriage-rails 23 are parts of a shift frame which includes end plates 28 rigidly joined to a cross-plate 29 having a flange 30, to which the rear rail 23 is fastened by screws 3|. 50 The front rail 23 is fastened by screws 33 to lugs 32 of said end plates. The shift frame is supported and guided for movement in case-shift direction by means of a novel organization, which will now be described. 55

The type-bars iii have their printing movement limited by means of the usual stop-surfaces 35 presented by the segment H. For adjustment of the platen i toward or from the types 25, 26, the shift-frame supporting and guiding means are carried by foundation plates 31, 38, shiftable in the direction of said adjustment and normally fastened to the inner faces of the main frame side members I3, I 4 respectively, as will be described. Journaled in the foundation plates 31, 38, is a cross-shaft 48, to which are fastened arms 4i, facing the outer sides of the shift-frame end plates 28, and having inwardly-extending studs 42. Each shift-frame plate 28 has a notch 44, by means of which it is pivotally seated upon a stud 42-. Each shift-frame plate 28 has the usual catch 45 whose hook 46 may be set under the stud 42 to normally prevent upward displacement of the shift frame relative to said stud. Each catch 45 is secured to its plate 28 by the usual screw-and-slot connection 41 which provides for close adjustment of the hook 46 against the stud 42.

By means of the described connections, the swingable frame, comprising the cross-shaft 40, arms 4|, and studs 42, guides the shift frame at its lower portion in case-shift direction, it being obvious that the swing-arm studs 42, in swinging between the Figure 3 and Figure 6 positions, describe a path which substantially coincides with said case-shift direction.

Co-operative with the swing-frame 48, 4|, 42, to guide the shift frame in case-shift direction, and at the same time to minimize end-thrust friction, are novel anti-friction devices. Each shift-frame plate 28 has a raceway 49 extending in case-shift direction and facing a parallel raceway 58 presented by the companion foundation plate 31 or 38. A single anti-friction roller, in the form of a ball plays in each pair of raceways 49, 50. The anti-friction balls 5| are pinched tightly enough between their raceways so as to roll at the case-shift movements of the described shift frame. Provision is made to adjust the raceways, to thus pinch the balls, and, to this end, one of the foundation plates, the plate '31, may have its raceway 50 formed in a block 53 having a tongue-and-groove seating 54 against said plate 31.

Viewed as in Figure 2, the seating 54 slopes relatively to the raceway 50, so that movement of the block 53 endwise in proper direction (downward as indicated) forces the companion ball 5| against the raceway 49 of the shift frame, the latter being, in turn, forced towards the raceway 50 at the other end of the frame to pinch the other ball 5|. The articulated tongue and groove'of the seating 54 keeps the raceway 50 of the block 53 parallel with the raceway 49 at any adjusted position of said block 53.

The block 53 is secured in adjusted position by a screw 56 threaded into said block and passing through an opening 51 of the foundation plate 31, which opening, as seen in Figure 5, is elongated in the direction of block adjustment. The head of said screw 56 may be seated in a recess 58, Figure 4, of foundation plate 31, so as to clear the main frame side member l3 which said plate 31 abuts. Said side member l3 may have an opening 59, giving access to said screw 56.

Each main frame side member l3 or l4 has lugs 68, 6|, 62 to guide its companion foundation plate 31 or 38 in the direction in which the latter is adjusted to adjust the platen I9 in proper contact relation to the type-bars [0 whose movement aosaoee toward the platen is limited by the stop 35. A

slot 63 in the foundation plate fits the lug Gil, and the lugs 6|, 62 are spaced to fit the sides of an arm 64 of the foundation plate.

Each of the foundation plates 31, 38 receives a screw 65 having an eccentric collar 66 fitting a hole 61 in the companion main frame side member |3 or I4, said hole being elongated in a direction transverse of the adjusting direction of said plates 31,. 38. By turning the screw 65, the foundation plate 31 or 38, guided by the lugs 60-62, is moved to adjust the platen |9 relatively to the types 25, 26, as indicated by dotted outlines In Figure 6.

The foundation plates 31, 38 are each secured in adjusted position by screws 68, which are threaded into the foundation plate and bind upon the companion main frame side member |3 or l4, the latter having screw-receiving holes 69 elongated in the direction of foundationplate adjustment. Each foundation-plate-adjusting screw 65, 66 may have a nut co-operating with a head ll of said screw to hold the same in adjusted position and to co-operate in securing the foundation plate.

At each side of the machine, is a case-shift key mounted upon a case-shift key-lever l2, fulcrumed upon a stud 13, which may project from the side member |3 or l4. Each case-shift keylever I2 has an arm 14 for engaging a corresponding swing-arm stud 42, and each shift-key lever 12 has a spring 1211 which yieldably holds the lever in normal position determined by abutment of a laterally-extended tongue ll of the lever with the lug 60 of the main frame side member, as in Figures 2 and 6. Said tongue 11 may be bent to adjust the shift-key-lever arm 14 to abut the swing-frame stud 42 when the platensupporting case-shift frame and associated parts are in lower-case position as in Figure 6. For determining said latter position and also the upper-case position, each swing-arm 4| has, at its forward end, a portion 18 of the illustrated spatulate form to make broad contact with lower and upper case shift stops l9 and 80, respectively. Each stop I9, 80 is of shock and noise reducing material, such as leather, and is retained in the cupped head of a screw 8| carried by an car 82 projecting laterally from the companion foundation plate 31 or 38. The two ears 82 and their screw-holes of each foundation plate need not be inclined since the swing-arm portion 18 may have its spatulate upper and lower stop-surfaces inclined to one another to abut the stops I9, 80 substantially fiatwise. The screws 8| are turned to bring their respective case-shift stops I9, 80 to proper positions, said screws being looked after their adjustment by check-nuts 83.

It will be seen that the swing-frame 40, 4|, 42,

. in addition to equalizing the movements of the ends of the shift frame for preventing skewing of the latter, also has the function of guiding the shift frame in case-shift direction in co-operation with the described anti-friction devices. Thus said anti-friction devices at each end of the shift frame may be localized. That is, each device may be limited to a single ball 5|, and the raceways 49, 50 may be correspondingly short, thereby conducing to the feasibility of providing anti-friction bearings on the adjustable foundation plates 31, 38. The localized anti-friction bearings are effective to take up all end thrust on the shift frame. The swing-frame cross-shaft 40 may be tubular as indicated in Figure 2, the foundation plates 31, 38 having at their arms 64 pivoting screws 85 arranged as in Figure 2 to rockably support said shaft 88.

'Ihe adjustable raceway-block 53 spaces its raceway 58 inwardly from the body of the foundation plate 31, as indicated in Figure4. The raceway 58 at the opposite foundation plate 38 may be similarly spaced by forming it in a boss 88 of said plate 38. A similar but more shallow boss 81 on the foundation plate 81, Figure 5, has one part of the seating 58 for the block 53. The foundation plates 31, 38 may be made of sheet metal blanks. and, for facilitating formation of the bosses 86, 81 by a press-operation on the blanks, may have an opening 88 at the bottom of each boss.

The cross-bars l5, l1 of the framework cooperate to prevent spreading of the raceways 58 presented by the foundation plates 31, 38.

The invention is not limited to any specific way for forming the lugs 60, 8|, 62 which guide the foundation plates 31, 38, such as casting them with the framework side members 13, ll, or pressing them therefrom, or making them as separate pieces secured to said side members l3, H, as by welding or riveting; nor is it necessary always to form the lugs on the side members l3, H. The provision of the lugs avoids the expansive milling of a guiding recess for the foundation plate in each side member l3, l4.

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

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, a case-shifting platen-frame, side members spaced from the ends of said frame, and anti-friction rollers coacting with said side members to guide said frame in case-shifting direct-ion. each frame-end having a roller-raceway facing a companion raceway in the side member, one of the raceways being formed in a wedge-shaped piece adjustably fastened to an inclined seat, so that adjustment of said piece in the direction of its raceway determines the spacing of the latter from the companion raceway, said adjustment being effective to take up play in the anti-friction bearings formed by the raceways and rollers.

2. In a typewriting machine, a case-shifting platen-frame, side members spaced from the ends of said frame, and anti-friction rollers coacting With said side members to guide said frame in case-shifting direction, each frame-end having a roller-raceway facing a companion raceway in the side member, oneof the raceways being formed in a wedge-shaped piece adjustably fastened to an inclined seat, so that adjustment of said piece in the direction of its raceway determines the spacing of the latter from the companion raceway, said adjustment being effective to take up play in the anti-friction bearings formed by the raceways and rollers, said seat and wedge-shaped piece being articulated to guide said piece so that the raceway of the latter is parallel to the companion raceway at any adjusted position of the piece.

3. A front-strike typewriting machine having a platen, a traveling platen-carriage, a nontraveling frame mounting said carriage, and means mounting and guiding said frame for caseshifting movement, said means including members spaced from the ends of said frame, a rockshaft journaled externally of said frame, said shaft having fastened thereto spaced arms pivoted to the shift frame, and a single anti-friction roller playing between a raceway in each frameend and a raceway in the companion member, the rollers co-operating with said shaft, arms, and members to guide the frame in case-shifting direction, said raceways and single roller being capable of pivoting movement relative to one another, in accordance with the slight rocking of the frame due to the 'arcuate'path of the points of connection of said arms with said frame.

4. In a typewriting machine, mounting means for a case-shifting platen-frame including a plate spaced facewise from each end of the frame, each plate, presenting an inwardly-facing raceway cooperative with an anti-friction roller to guide the frame in case-shifting direction, one of the plates having an inwardly facing inclined seat on which is seated a wedge-shaped block which presents the raceway, adjustment of said block on said inclined seat in the direction of said raceway being effective to adjust said raceway toward or from the shift-frame.

5. In a typewriting machine, mounting means for a case-shifting platen-frame including a plate spaced from each end of the frame, each plate having inwardly-extending bosses, presenting inwardly-facing raceways co-operative with antifriction rollers to guide the frame in case-shifting direction, one of the bosses having an inclined inner face on which is seated a wedge-shaped block which presents the raceway, adjustment of said block on said inclined face in the direction of the raceway being eflective to adjust said raceway toward or from the shift frame.

6. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers, arresting means therefor, a platen, a platen carriage, and a track-frame for guiding and shifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodily case-shifting movement and for independent adjustment of the printing plane of the platen, said means including rockarms hinged to said trackframe for effecting its case-shift movements, opposite roller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latter and coacting with said rock-arms, said track-frame being guided for case shifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms, opposite side plates upon which said trackframe is shifted up and down and adjusted forwardly and backwardly, said rock-arms being hinged to said side plates and said roller-bearings comprising balls running in grooves in said side plates and track-frame, a guide for one of said plates in each of the opposite sides of amain frame of said typewriting machine to guide said plate forwardly and backwardly, and means for effecting forward and backward adjusting of saidplates together with said rock-arms, roller-bearings, track-frame, platen-carriage and platen relatively tothe printing plane of the platen at either side of the machine.

7. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers and arresting means therefor, and having a platen, a platen-carriage, and a track-frame for guiding and shifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodily case-shifting movement, said means including rock-arms hinged to said track-frame for effecting its caseshift movements, opposite roller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latter and coacting with said rock-arms, said trackframe being guided for case shifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms, and side members of a main framework of the typewriter, s aid rock-arms beinghinged to said main frame side members, said roller-bearaeeaoee ings including a raceway in each frame side member facing a companion raceway in said track-frame, a single roller-ball playing in each pair of raceways, one of said raceways being formed in means adjustable to regulate the contact between the raceways and balls, whereby said single ball at each end of the track-frame co-operates to eliminate end play of said trackframe.

8. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers, arresting means therefor, a platen, a platencarriage, and a track-frame for guiding and shifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodily case-shifting movement and for independent adjustmentof the printing plane of the platen, said means including rockarms hinged to said track-frame for effecting its case-shift movements, opposite roller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latter and coacting with said rock-arms, said track-frame being guided for case shifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms, opposite supports at said track-frame sides, said rock-arms being hinged to said supports, said roller-bearings including a raceway in each support facing a companion raceway in said track-frame, a roller playing between the companion raceways, and means mounting and guiding said supports so that the latter may be adjusted forwardly or backwardly to effect said printingplane adjustment.

9. In a typewriting machine having type-carriers, arresting means therefor, a platen, a platencarriage, and a track-frame for guiding and shifting said carriage, means for supporting said track-frame for bodily case-shifting movement and for independent adjustment of the printing plane of the platen, said means including rockarms hinged to said track-frame for effecting its case-shift movements, opposite roller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latter and coacting with said rock-arms, said track-frame being guided for case shifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rockarms, opposite side plates uponwhich said trackframe is shifted up and down and adjusted f0r= wardly and backwardly, said rock-arms being hinged to said side plates and said rollerbearings comprising balls running in grooves in said side plates and track-frame, a guide-for one of said plates in each of the opposite sides of a main frame of said typewriting machine to guide said plate forwardly and backwardly, means for effecting forward and backward adjusting of said plates together with said rock-arms, roller-bear ings, track-frame, platen-carriage and platen relatively to the printing plane of the platen at either side of the machine, and adjustable stops mounted upon said side plates for arresting said rock-arms, track-frame and carriage.

10. In a typewriting machine having type-bars, arresting means therefor, a platen, a platen-carriage, and a track-frame for guiding and shifting said carriage; means supporting and guiding said track-frame for bodily case-shift movement and for adjustment of the printing plane of the platen, said means including side members of a main frame of the typewriting machine, rock-arms hinged to said track-frame for effecting its caseshift movements, roller-bearings guiding said track-frame at opposite sides of the latter and co-operating with said rock-arms, said trackframe being guided for case-shifting, partly by said roller-bearings and partly by said rock-arms, opposite side plates upon which said track-frame is shifted up and down and adjusted forwardly and backwardly, said rock-arms being hinged to spurs embodied in said side plates, and said rollerbearings comprising balls running in grooves in said side plates and track-frame, and bosses projecting inwardly from said main frame side members, the edges of said bosses forming guiding splines engaging corresponding edges of said plates to guide the latter forwardly and backwardly for printing-plane adjustment, two of said splines engaging opposite edges of said spur of each side plate, and another spline fitting a slot of the plate spaced from said two splines in the direction of printing-plane adjustment.

WILLIAM A. DOBSON.

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