US2059198A - Paper feeding mechanism for statistical machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1936. R E AL N 2,059,198

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed July 5, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1936. R. E. BALDWIN PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed July 5, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 n' prro/eiw NOV. 3, 1936. R, E Wl 2,059,198

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR STATISTICAL MAC HINES Filed July 3, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 WIT ESSES INVENTOR RlCHARD EVEREST BALDWIN ATTORNEY M awiw Nov. 3, 1936. R. E. BALDWIN 2,059,193

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed July 5, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- INVENTOR RICHARD EVEREST BALDWIN BYQfiM HIS ATT RNEY Nov. 3, 1936. R. E. BAYLDVIVIIN 2,059,198

PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR STATISTICAL MACHINES Filed Jul s, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l a r-! Q g g 1 G gi Q Q I a 3 O a I II II I: INVENTOR g RICHARDEVEREST BALDWIN %%W HIS ATT RNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER FEEDING MECHANISM FOR STATISTICAL MACHINES Richard Everest Baldwin,

Thornton Heath, England, assignor to The Accounting and Tabulating Corporation oi don, England Great Britain Limited, Lon- 11 Claims.

This invention relates to paper feeding mechanism for statistical machines, tabulating machines, or calculating machines.

According to the present invention paper feeding mechanism for a machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism comprises in combination means for rotating the platen a constant amount independently of the line spacing mech anism to eject a sheet, auxiliary paper feeding 10 means for feeding paper to the platen and means for operating said auxiliary feeding means simultaneously with the mechanism for rotating the platen to eject a sheet. By this means during the listing of items on one sheet, the following sheet may be placed in readiness in the auxiliary feeding means, so that when the first sheet is ejected the following sheet is simultaneously fed into printing position in the platen. This may-occur immediately after the printing operation of the last line of the outgoing sheet. In this way no time is lost between the completion of the listing operation on one sheet and the commencement of the listing operation on the next sheet.

Preferably, means is provided for releasing the auxiliary paper feeding means after it has fed a sheet and for causing the auxiliary means to grip the sheet just prior to a feeding operation.

For example, the auxiliary feeding means may comprise pairs of feed rolls and means for separating the first pair of feed rolls after a feeding operation, so that a new sheet may be inserted between them and for bringing the' feed rolls together to grip the paper just before the commencement of a feeding operation.

The mechanism for actuating the auxiliary feeding means simultaneously with the paper ejecting means may be connected to a source of power by actuation of a manually operable control member, such as, a key.

In cases, however, where the machine is adapted to print a total automatically, or by operation of a hand control, after listing a series of items, or printing a single item, the auxiliary feeding means and the paper ejecting means may be operated from the total taking or item printing mechanism, so as to operate whenever a total or item is printed.

The sheets on which the machine is intended to print are usually provided with headings, and accordingly each sheet must be inserted in the machine in such a position that the first line 01 print will appear immediately below the heading.

In order that this setting of the paper may be carried out by the operator when inserting a new sheet, the auxiliary feeding means may be provided with an indicator, past which the sheet may be fed until the lower edge of the heading is opposite the indicator, thereby showing that the sheet is in the correct position. For example, the 5 machine may have a table situated above the platen, and at a convenient angle for placing the sheet, and reading it. The sheet may be held by the operator against a margin stop on one side, and pushed towards the top of the table, under a guide at each side. A gap may be cut in each guide, the lower edge of which serves as an indicator to which the lower edge of the heading must be set.

This feature of the invention may also be used in cases where it is desired to print a further item on a sheet already containing a series of items, for example, a ledger sheet. In such a case the sheet will be fed in until the last line of figures thereon appears at the lower edge of the indicator.

The invention may be applied to any machine adapted to add and print items on sheets of paper, but is particularly intended for use with record card controlled tabulating machines, wherein the items represented by the holes in the cards 'are analyzed and transmitted both to type members which print them and to accumulators which accumulate a total of the items.

In the accompanying drawings one construction according to the invention as applied to a record card controlled tabulating machine is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

The tabulating machine is 01' the kind described in United States Patent No. 1,245,502 to James Powers and is provided with total taking mechanism of the kind described in U. S. Patent No. 1,661,684 to A. Thomas.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the mechanism in side elevation, 40

Fig. 2 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale of the upper part of the mechanism, and

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the driving mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the control mechanism shown in the disabling position.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the control mechanism shown in the position to permit sheet ejection on each cycle of the machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the mechanism for operating the selective paper guide member with the parts in an initial position.

Fig. 7 discloses the same mechanism as Fig. 6 with the paper guide in its alternate position.

Fig. 8 discloses the same mechanism as Fig. 6 u

and shows the parts in position preparatory to returning the guide to the original position.

Fig. 9 discloses the same mechanism as Fig. 8 and shows the parts in position after returning the guide to the original position.

Fig. 10 is a detailed vertical view of Fig. 6 partially in cross section disclosing the guide member.

Fig. 11 is a detailed vertical view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 12 discloses the mechanism interconnecting the control lever with the no card stop mechanism for stopping the machine after each cycle of the paper feed.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings the platen I, which is provided with a line spacing mechanism of usual form (not shown) and is also provided with driving mechanism which rotates the platen independently of the line spacing mechanism in order to eject a sheet.

To this end a toothed segment 2 is freely mounted on a shaft I in the tabulator (preferably the shaft IA described in United States Patent No. 1,245,502) Secured to this shaft 3 is an arm 4 carrying a hook I engaging over a pin 8 projecting from .the segment 2. A spring I is attached to the segment at I and to the machine frame at 0, this spring tending to turn the segment in a clockwise direction in Fig. 1.

The shaft 2 rocks at each cycle of the tabulator and on its counter-clockwise stroke takes the segment 2 with it through the agency of the hook i, the latter being returned on the clockwise stroke of the shaft 3 by means of the spring 1.

The teeth of the segment 2 engage with a gear wheel l0 co-axially secured to which is a ratchet wheel ll held in engagement with a second ratchet wheel l2 by means of a spring washer i3 (Fig. 3).

Co-axially secured to the ratchet wheel 12 is a gear wheel I which drives the platen spindle I through a further gear wheel It.

By means of this mechanism when the segment 2 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, the platen is rotated by a predetermined amount through the ratchets II and I2 and the associated gear wheels. On the clockwise stroke of the segment 2 the ratchets slip and the platen remains stationary.

The above described mechanism effects rotation of the platen to elect a sheet on which items have already been printed, the extent of rotation imparted to the platen being always the same and sufficient to eject the sheet whatever the number of items which have been printed on it.

In addition auxiliary sheet feeding means is provided to feed the next sheet into printing position on the platen simultaneously with the ejection of the preceding sheet.

This auxiliary feeding mechanism comprises three pairs of feed rolls II, II, i8, and 2|, 22 which are driven through gearing from the segment 2.

These three pairs of feed rolls are disposed along a guide or track for the sheets leading from a feed table 22 to the platen I. The feed table 22 is located in front of the entrance to the first pair of feed rolls II, II from which the sheets pass between guides 2|, 2! to the second pair of feed rolls i9, 20. From these latter feed rolls the sheets pass between further guides to the third pair of feed rolls 2|, 22 whence they travel to the platen I.

The guides through which the sheets pass from the second pair of feed rolls I9, 20 to the third pair 2|, 22 may be similar to the guides 24, 25

or they may be constructed as shown in Fig. 2 and hereinafter described.

The feed rolls l1, l8, ll, 20, 2 I, and 22 are driven from the segment 2 through gear wheel l4 and further gear wheels 21, 28, and 29.

In order that the operator may easily insert a new sheet, means is provided for maintaining the first pair of feed rolls I1, I! spaced apart from one another when they are not rotating.

To this end the upper roll i'l (Fig. 2) is carried on a spindle 3| rotatable in bearings at each end in a link similar to 22, pivoted to the machine frame on a cross shaft 33. The free end of the link 32 shown is pivoted at 34 to one lever 35 of a toggle of which the other lever 36 is pivoted to the first at 31 and is secured to a shaft 28 to which is also secured an arm 38. Pivoted to the arm 39 at 40 is a long link 4| connected at its lower end 42 (Fig: 1) to atriangular plate 42 pivoted to the machine frame at H.

The lower end 43a of the plate 43 projects into the path of a pin 45 and an L-shaped bracket 46 secured to the segment 2. As the segment 2 reaches the end of its clockwise stroke, the bracket 46 strikes the end 43a of the plate U and rocks it in a counter-clockwise direction, thereby pulling the link 4| downwardly and permitting a spring to lower the feed rollil into engagement with the roll I8.

The segment 2 then returns in the counterclockwise direction during which it rotates the platen l and feed rolls l1, l8, I9, 20, 2|, and 22 through the gears Iii, ll, 21, 28, 29, and the ratchets ii and I2 to eject one sheet from the platen and to feed the following sheet into the platen.

At the end of the counter-clockwise stroke of the segment 2 the pin ll strikes the end 4311 of the plate 43 and rocks it in a clockwise direction thereby pushing the link ll upwardly and separating the feed rolls IT, IS to enable a new sheet to be inserted.

If desired the second pair of feed rolls i9, 20 may be made to separate in like manner, and are shown in Fig. 2 constructed so to operate.

As shown in 'Fig. 2 the roll I! is mounted on a spindle 41 Journaled at each end in an arm I, pivoted on a cross shaft 49. The arm 48 is pivotally secured at 50 to a lever Iii of a toggle of which the other lever 52 is pivoted to the first at 53 and is secured to the shaft 38 so that the toggle 5|, 52 is operated simultaneously with the toggle 35, 36 from the segment 2 through the triangular plate l3 and long link II. By this means the rolls ll, l8 and I9, 20 are made to open and close simultaneously.

The sheets on which the machine is intended to print are usually provided with headings, and accordingly each sheet must be inserted in the feeding mechanism in such a position that the first line of print will appear immediately below the heading.

In order to ensure correct placing of the sheet thereon the feed table 22 is provided with a marginal stop 54 and each of the guides 24, of which there is a plurality, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a slot or window 55.

If the sheet has had no previous items printed thereon it is pushed up the feed table by hand until the lower edge of the heading is visible through the windows 55. On the other hand, if the sheet already contains items it is placed on the feed table so that the last line of printing is visible through the windows ll.

The position of these windows with respect to the platen is such that at the end of a feeding stroke the sheet will be in a position such that the printing line is immediately below the line which was visible through the windows 55 when the sheet was on the feed table 23.

The operation of the mechanism will now be described.

Assuming that the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 1 and that there is no sheet in the platen, the shaft 3 rocks at each cycle of the tabulator and when this shaft rocks anti-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1 the segment 2 is also positively moved anti-clockwise by means of the hook 5 and pin 6. This movement of the segment 2 rotates the platen through the gear wheel l0, ratchets l2 and I3 and gear wheels l4 and IS. The feed rolls I1, l8, I9, 20, 2|, and 22 are also rotated through the gears 21, 28, and 29 driven from the gear I 5. Towards the end of the anti-clockwise movement of the segment the pin 45 thereon strikes the end 43a of the plate 43 and rocks it in a clockwise direction thereby opening the feed rolls ll, l8, and i9, 20 through the agency of the link 4| and toggles 35, 36, and 5!, 52.

The shaft 3 then rocks in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) and the segment 2 follows this movement under the action of the spring 1. During this movement of the segment 2 the platen i remains stationary since the ratchets II and I2 slip. Also the feed rolls ll, l8 and i9, 20 remain separated.

While the segment is thus moving in a clockwise direction the operator pushes a sheet up the feed table 23 between the feed rolls i1, I8, now open, to the desired position as determined by the line of printappearing through the windows 55.

Towards the end of the clockwise movement of the segment 2 the bracket 45 thereon strikes the end 43a of the plate 43 and rocks it in an anticlockwise direction, thereby bringing the feed rolls IT, l8 and I 9, 20 together, with the sheet between them.

During the next anti-clockwise movement of the segment 2 the platen l and auxiliary feed rolls "-22 are actuated and feed the sheet into printing position in the platen.

The feed rolls 2i and 22 are so positioned that the head of the paper is in the printing position on the platen before the end of the sheet leaves the feed rolls. A guide 90a is provided which insures that the paper will be conducted directly from the feed rolls to the platen.

The segment 2 then again rocks in a clockwise direction during which time the printing operation is effected on the sheet which is in the platen by means of the normal printing mechanism of the tabulator (not shown).

While this printing operation is taking place the operator places the next sheet in position between the feed rolls. and during the next anticlockwise stroke of the segment 2 the sheet which was in the platen is ejected and simultaneously the following sheet, already placed in position in the feed rolls, is fed into printing position in the platen.

In the foregoing description the segment 2 rocks at each cycle of the tabulator so that a sheet is ejected and a new sheet fed in at each cycle. With this arrangement only one item is printed on each sheet and although in some cases only one item is required to be printed it is also necessary to provide means whereby a sheet is retained on the platen during the printing of a number of items and if desired their total.

To this end a stop arm 60 is provided which can be set so as to engage a pin 5| on the segment 2 when the latter reaches the end of its anti-clockwise stroke.

This stop arm 50 is notched and is pivoted at B2 to a bracket 63 secured to the machine frame and has a downward extension 84 carrying a pin 65 engaging in a notch 56 formed on an arm 61 pivoted at 68 to the lower end of a lever 69 pivoted at 10 to an arm H secured to a shaft 12 in the machine which is stationary during adding cycles of the machine, but rocks on a total cycle. (This shaft 12 is known as the front total shaft of the tabulator).

Pivoted at 13 to a bracket 14 is a manually operable control lever 15 having an upward arm 16 pivoted to the lever 69 by a pin 11. This pin 11 is free to slide in a slot 18 in the upward arm 16 of the control lever and the lever 69 is also free to move longitudinally by reason of the slot 69a in its upper end. The pin 11 can engage with one or the other of three notches 19 in the upper edge of the bracket 14 whereby the control lever I5 is held in the position to which it has been set.

In Fig. 1 the parts are shown in the position which they occupy when the control lever 15 is set to cause operation of the feed mechanism on total cycles only and the front total shaft has rocked to remove the stop arm 60 from the path of the pin 6| on the segment 2.

In order to make the auxiliary feed rolls operate in the manner described above at each cycle of the tabulator whereby a sheet is ejected and a new one fed in each time an item is printed the control lever 15 is operated to its lowest position as shown in Figure 5. At this time the total shaft 12 is stationary and thereforethe upper end of the arm 16 of the lever 15 pulls the lever 69 in an anti-clockwise direction about the pivot I0 whereby the notched arm 61 is moved over to the right in Figure 1, and in so doing rotates arm 60 anti-clockwise thereby removing it from the path of pin 6 I. If at the time that the operator moves the lever 15 to the item printing position the segment 2 was held by arm 8|] (disabled position) the movement of notched arm 61 to the right will cause it to ride up over the pin 65 thereby stretching a spring 80 connected at one end to the pin 65 and at the other end to a pin 8! on the notched arm 61. The parts are held in this position by the pin 11 engaging in the right-hand notch 19. The length of the arm 60 is such that it holds the segment 2 not in its extreme position. but slightly away from it so that with the parts in the position just described when the shaft again rocks in an anti-clockwise direction, the hook 5 towards the end of the stroke will pull the segment 2 to the extreme limit of travel, thereby relieving the arm 60 of the load due to the spring I. The spring 80 then rocks the lower end 64 of the arm 60 in an anti-clockwise direction, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, whereby the arm 60 is removed from the path of the pin 6!. A stop 82 attached to the bracket 63 limits this movement of the extension 64 of the arm 80. The arm 60 is now entirely out of the path of the pin 5| so that at each cycle of the machine the segment 2 can rock and thereby eject a sheet on every cycle of the tabulator.

If it is desired to make the sheet feeding mechanism operate only on a total cycle, the lever 15 is moved to the middle position as shown in Fig. 1.

After the first adding cycle the stop 60 remains in engagement with the pin 6| since by that its lower end pulls the notched arm 01 over to the right in Fig. 1 whereby the stop is removed from the path of the pin II as described above.

It is to be understood that the normal paper feed mechanism is operative during the printing.

of the items preceding the total cycle which will cause the present device to eject the sheet. This is permitted by the ratchet drive mechanism II and I2.

In order to put the feeding mechanism entirely out of operation the control lever ll is moved upwardly to the position shown. in Fig. 4. This motion pushes the notched arm 01 over to the left whereby the stop arm 00 is moved into the path of the pin 0i and remains there. After the first cycle the segment 2 is held at its extreme counterclockwise position.

In the case of the mechanism described above reference was made to guides .24 and 20 between which the sheets pass from the feed rolls I'I, I0 to the feed rolls I0, 20 and it was stated that similar guides could be provided to conduct sheets from the feed rolls I9, 20 to the third pair of feed rolls 2i, 22. In such a case, however, the total length of the path from the feed rolls l1, l0 to the platen must be equal to approximately twice the length of a sheet.

According to a further. feature of the invention means may be provided for causing sheets to overlap in the guides, that is to say when one sheet is in the platen, the next one can be inserted in the feed rolls to such an extent as to lie underneath or on top of part of the sheet already in the platen whereby the length of path between the first pair of feed rolls and the platen can be materially reduced.

To this end alternative paths are provided for conveying the sheet from the feed rolls I0, 20 to the feed rolls 2I, 22. These paths are formed by providing a. central guide (Fig. 2) and two outer guides 80 and 01. At the upper end 00 of the central guide 00 is pivoted a flap 00, the position of which determines the path of the sheet. Adjacent the third pair of feed rolls 2|, 22, the two paths formed by these guides converge into a single path 90 so that only one sheet at a time enters the platen. The flap 8! is operated by an arm BI secured to the toggle actuating shaft 20 already described. To this arm 9| is pivoted at 92 a link 02 having two abutments 04 and 05 at its free end. The link 02 passes between two long pins 08 and 01 projecting from lever 08a pivoted at 90 to the frame 20 and are connected at their outer ends by a plate 80 (Figs. 4 and 9) The assembly comprising the lever 00a, pins 00, 01 and plate 90 is pulled in an anti-clockwise direction by a spring I00 connected at one end to a pin' I004 on the lever 00a and at the other end to a pin I00b on the frame.

With the parts in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when the shaft 00 rocks in a clockwise direction, the link 00 is pushed upwardly and its free and between the abutments l4 and 05 engages with a pin IOI on a triangular plate I02, pivoted at I00 to the frame 20. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 6. Further upward movement of the link 02 turns the plate I" in clockwise direction about its pivot I 03 Into th position of Fig. 7. During 6100b?!" ment of the plate I 02 the pin IOI therein chil -8 the abutment 04 and turns the link 02 counterclockwise thereby bringing the other abutment clear of a second pin I05 on the plate I 02 (Fig. 7 position), the purpose of which will be described ater.

As the link 92 turns thus counter-clockwise. it causes rotation of the lever Its about pivot 00 against the action of spring I00. The plate I02 is connected by a spring I04 to the flap 00. when the plate I02 is rocked by the upward movementof link 00 over from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the other side of the pivot 00 of the flap, (Fig. 7 position) the latter rocks over to its other position (shown in Fig. 'I) under the action of the spring I04 whereby the next sheet will be guided to pass between the guides 05 and When the shaft 00 rocks in a counter-clockwise direction the link 90 is pulled downwardly and as soon as the abutment 94 has moved clear of the pin IOI the spring I00 acting on the lever 00a returns the link 8! to its mid position. The link 02 and assembly 96, 91, 90, 90a are now in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 while the plate g2 and flap 08 remain in the position shown in On the next clockwise movement of the s 28 the link 02 is pushed upwardly, but since fl plate I02 is in the Fig.7 position the end of the link 90 between the abutments 94 and 05 engages with the pin I05 in the plate I02 (Fig. 8 position) and rocks the latter in a counter-clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 9. During movement of the plate I02 from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that of Fig. 9 the pin I05 engases with the abutment 00 and turns the link 93 aside in a clockwise direction thereby bringing the abutment 94 clear of the pin IIII.

In spite of the provision of two guides to permit the overlapping of sheets fed into the machine, it is obvious that, when the feeding mechanism is set to operate on each cycle the operator would have difilculty keeping pace with the machine to insert a new sheet unless the machine is automatically stopped after a single item has been printed and the sheet ejected.

In order to permit the operator time to insert a new sheet means may be provided for stopping the machine automatically after each cycle when the lever I5 is set in its lowermost or single cycle position as shown in Fig. 5. After the machine has stopped and the sheet inserted it may be restarted at will by the operation of a starting button.

In normal operation the tabulator is sto after all the cards have passed by the 101103;: well known mechanism disclosed and described in the U. S. patent to A. Thomas 1,938,228. A pin descends on each card in turn during the sensing operation. If there is no card in the pin box this pin IIO (Fig. 12) descends lower than if a card were there and, as it does so, pushes downward one end of a hooked lever I I I, whereby the hook H2 is raised clear of the end of a bell crank II3 having a hook III formed thereon. The bell crank I I2 is pivoted on plate I20 which is secured to an eccentric strap arm iii. The bell crank H3 is held in upright position on plate I30 by a spring I32 and a pin III in the bell crank which bears against the plate I20. In this position the hook Ill is adapted to engage a projection III on a push rod' 1. Rotation of eccentric II! causes the hook Ill to cooperate with projection I I8 drawing the push rod I I! to the right whereby a clutch (not shown) transmitting the drive of the tabulator is disengaged, thereby stopping the tabulator.

In order that this mechanism may be used to stop the machine at each cycle when the control lever II is set to cause operation of the said feeding mechanism on each cycle, the control lever I5 controls the hooked lever III through a linkage comprising links H8, H9, I20 and I2I so that when the control lever I5 is moved the link I2I follows due to the spring I22.

The spring I22 tends to rotate the plate II9 counterclockwise about its pivot thereby forcing links I20 and I2I upward and drawing link I I8 to the right. When lever I5 is positioned in either its uppermost or midposition the links I20 and I2I follow. As the link H8 is drawn to the right the plate I34 which is freely pivoted on both the link and hook lever Iii is rotated counterclockwise about its pivot in lever iII rotating the lever counterclockwise thereby lowering lug I I2 into the path of the latch on bell crank H3. -When the arm I3I with the plate I38 is moved to the right, the bell crank H3 is held at its upper edge by lug H2 and is rotated clockwise raising hook II4 out of the path of lug i I64 If, however, the lever 15 is positioned in the lowermost or single cycle position the links I20 and I2I are forced down moving link IIU to the left thereby bringing the lug I35 on plate I34 into engagement with the lever III rotating it in a clockwise direction to raise the lug I I2 out of the path of the bell crank H3. When the arm I3! is then drawn tothe right by cam Hi the hook II4 engages the lug H6 and moves the rod II! to the right stopping the machine. The machine may then be restarted at will by the operation of the start key.

In order that the tabulator may be available for all its ordinary functions, the sheet feeding mechanism according to the invention is preferably constructed in the formof a detachable unit. To this end the frame or casing 26 of the sheet feeding mechanism is provided with a pin I25 on each side near the top and at the back, there being also two slots l26 cut in the lower end of casing 26. The mechanism is attached to the tabulator by lowering the two pins I25 in the slots out in bracket IZI secured to the main frame of the tabulator, the sheet feeding unit being then swung about these pins until the slots I 26 in the casing 26 of the sheet feeding mechanism engage and pass over corresponding screwthreaded studs I28 mounted in the tabulator frame. The unit is then secured by means of nuts I23 screwed on to these studs.

The feed table 23 above referred to is provided with a marginal stop 54 and preferably this stop 54 is adjustable laterally. To this end the stop may be in the form of a bar and provided with two pins which enter slots in the feed table.

In order to enable the stop bar to be readily removed, one of the pins which it carries is provided with an elongated head parallel with the bar. The other pin is screw threaded and provided with a nut. To remove the bar the nut is unscrewed and removed and the bar swung round about the other pin until the elongated head registers with an inclined slot. The bar is then lifted clear and can be placed in another slot if desired.

It is to be understood that the drawings disclose only one embodiment of the device which may be varied widely without departing from the original conception.

What I claim is:-

i. In sheet feeding mechanism for a statistical machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism therefor, the combination of means for rotating the platen to a constant extent independently of the line spacing mechanism to eject a sheet from the platen. auxiliary sheet feeding means having sheet gripping members disposed to feed a sheet to the platen, means for operating said auxiliary sheet feeding means simultaneously with the means for rotating the platen independently of the line spacing mechanism, means for releasing said sheet gripping means after a feeding operation to permit insertion of a new sheet and means for causing said auxiliary feeding c'riieans to grip the sheet prior to a feeding opera- 2. In sheet feeding mechanism for a statistical machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism therefor, the combination of means for rtating the platen to a constant extent independently of the line spacing mechanism to eject a sheet from the platen, auxiliary feed rolls disposed to feed a sheet to the platen, means for rotating said auxiliary feed rolls simultaneously with the rotation of the platen to eject a sheet, means for opening said auxiliary feed rolls at the end of a feeding operation to permit the insertion of a new sheet therebetween, and means for moving said auxiliary feed rolls into engagement prior to a feeding operation.

3. In sheet feeding mechanism for a statistical machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism therefor, the combination of auxiliary feed rolls disposed to feed a sheet to the platen, a rocking driving member, a connection between said driving member and the platen and the auxiliary feed rolls, operative in one direction of movement of said driving member only, whereby the platen is rotated to a constant extent independently of the line spacing mechanism to eject one sheet during each movement of said driving member in one direction and the auxiliary feed rolls are simultaneously rotated to feed the following sheet to the platen, means for opening and closing said auxiliary feed rolls, a projection on said rocking driving member adapted to engage said opening and closing means at the end of each operative stroke of the driving member to effect opening of the auxiliary feed rolls and a second projection on the driving member adapted to engage the opening and closing means at the end of the idle stroke of the driving member to effect closing of the auxiliary feed rolls.

4. Sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 3 wherein the auxiliary feed roll opening and closing means comprises arms pivoted to the machine frame and carrying one feed roll of a pair, a toggle having the outer end of one of its levers pivoted to one of said arms and the outer end of its other lever pivoted to the machine frame, a transmission arm pivoted to the machine frame with its free end disposed in the path of the projections on the rocking driving member, and a link connecting the transmimion arm to one of the toggle levers.

5. The combination with sheet feeding mechanismaccordingtoclaimlofguidesservingtodirectthesheets fromthe auxiliaryfeedingmeans to the platen, said guides having a gap formed therein in a position distant from the platen by anamountequaltothefeedeifectedbythe auxiliary feeding means less one line space, whereby by inserting a partially filled sheet in the auxiliary feeding means until the last line of print on said sheet appears through the gap in the guides, the auxiliary feeding means feeds the sheet to a position in which the next printing operation is effected immediately below the last line of print previously appearing on the sheet. 6. In a calculating machine having a platen. line spacing mechanism therefor, and printing mechanism, the combination of means for rotating the platen to a constant extent independently of the line spacing mechanism to elect a sheet from the platen. auxiliary sheet feeding means disposed to feed a sheet to the platen means for operating said auxiliary sheet feeding means simultaneously with the means for rotating the platen independently of the line spacing mechanism, and means settable manually to render the sheet feeding mechanism operative at each cycle of the calculating machine, or at a total printing cycle only or to render the mechanism inoperative.

7. In sheet feeding mechanism for a statistical machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism therefor the combination of means for rotating the platen to a constant extent independently of the line spacing mechanism to elect a sheet from the platen, auxiliary sheet feeding means disposed to feed a sheet to the platen, means for operating said auxiliary sheet feeding means simultaneously with the means for rotating the platen independently of the line spacing mechanism, and means causing the sheets to pass through the auxiliary feeding means to the platen along one or other of two paths alternately so that one sheet may be overlapped by the following sheet while in the auxiliary feeding means whereby the length of the feed path is reduced.

8. Sheet feeding mechanism according to claim 2 including means causing the sheets to pass through the auxiliary feeding means to the platen along one or other of two paths alternately so that one sheet may be overlapped by the following sheet while in the auxiliary feeding means whereby the length of the feed path is reduced. 9. In sheet feeding mechanism for a statistical machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism therefor, the combination of auxiliary sheet feeding means disposed to feed a sheet to the platen. an arcuate rocking driving member, and a connection between said driving member and the platen and the auxiliary sheet feeding means, operative in one direction of movement of said driving member only, a'printing mechanism including a stop member for said driving member, actuating means displaceable to move said stop member into the path of said driving member to prevent movement thereof, a manual control, an operative connection between said control member and said actuating means and a connection between the total printing mechanism and said actuating means, all so arranged that setting said manual control member in one position moves the stop into engagement with said driving member, while setting the manual control member into asecond position removes said stop member from engagement with said driving member, and setting the control member to a third positionmoves the stop into engagement with said driving member and places said stop under the control of the total printing mechanism to eil'ect removal thereof on a total printlng cycle only.

10. In sheet feeding mechanism for a statistical machine having a platen and line spacing mechanism therefor, the combination of auxiliary sheet feeding means disposed to feed a sheet to the platen, an arcuate rocking driving member, and a connection between said driving member and the platen and the auxiliary sheet feeding means, a guide channel for said sheets diverging into two channels within the auxiliary feeding mechanism and converging again into a single channel prior to approaching the platen, a shutter dispersed at the point of divergence of the channel and an operative connection between said shutter and said driving member arranged to operate the shutter to close one channel and open the other alternately during the idle stroke of said driving member substantially as described.

11. In a calculating machine having a platen, line spacing mechanism therefor, and printing mechanism, the combination of means for rotating the platen to a constant extent independently oi the line spacing mechanism to eject a sheet from the platen, auxiliary sheet feeding means disposed to feed a sheet to the platen, a manually operated settable means, means for operating said auxiliary sheet feeding means simultaneously with the means for rotating the platen independently of said line spacing mechanism, and means under control of said settable means for stopping the machine at the end of each cycle to permit the introduction of a new sheet.

' RICHARD EVEREST BALDWIN.

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