US2070042A - Typewriter attachment for handling continuous duplicate record sheets - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 9, 1937. R. J. COPELAND 2,070,042 TYPEWRITER ATTACHMENT FOR HANDLING CONTINUOUS DUPLICATE RECORD SHEETS Filed NOV. 2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 9, 1937. COPELAND 2,070,042

TYPEWRITER ATTACHMENT FOR HANDLING CONTINUOUS DUPLICATE RECORD SHEETS Filed Nov. 2, 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I rn/enior'. Roerf [Cafe/ana Feb. 9, 1937. COPELAND 2,070,042

TYPEWRITER ATTACHMENT FOR HANDLING CONTINUOUS DUPLICATE RECORD SHEETS Filed Nov. 2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I11 42 n (for: Roer-t JCa ae/anJ.

Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT orrica TYPE-WRITER ATTACHMENT FOR HAN- DLIN G CONTINUOUS DUPLICATE REC- RD SHEETS The principal objects of the invention are to facilitate the handling of continuous duplicate record. sheets in a typewriter so that the operation of the typewriter will not be impeded in any of its movements and so that the operator may readily interpose other work without having to remove or dismantle thecontinuous record sheet-holding device.

A further andimportant object is to provide a device which may be mounted adjacent to the typewriter and which will hold the continuous duplicate sheets in accurate alignment without inconvenience and loss of time of the operator and which will enable the operator to readily adjust the carbon sheets.

The principal features of the invention consist in the novel arrangement of a guide plate, for directing the continuous form record sheets to the typewriter platen, upon roller members which carry the weight of the guide member in a pivotal support which permits the free vertical movement of the typewriter carriage, and in the novel construction and arrangement of a rigid frame adjacent to the typewriter supporting suspended means for shifting the relative positions of the record and carbon sheets.

A further and important feature of the invention consists in the novel construction of the form sheet guiding means whereby the sheets are retained in their relative registering positions.

Other features of importance will appear in the detailed description which follows.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my improved'device arranged in the operating position connected with a typewriter.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic elevational view on a reduced scale illustrating the relative positions of the several members constituting the invention, the record sheets being in the position required to commence typing thereon.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the positions of the parts when the record sheets have been drawn through the typewriter in changing the relative positions of the record sheets and carbon sheets.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 2 and 3 illustrating a slightly modified form of guide member.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the multiple carbon copy member used with the device.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the clip for holding the ends of the record sheets in effecting the sliding of the sheets to change their position relative to the carbon device.

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective detail of a portion of the multiple form guide member.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional detail of the adjustable support for the upright frame member. Figure 9 is a cross sectional view through the adjustable frame support shown in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a plan detail of the base portion of the frame support.

Figure 11 is an enlarged diagrammatic longitudinal sectional view through the sheet guide showing the form sheets and carbon sheets in position thereon.

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic elevation similar to Figure 4 showing a modification of the means for holding the folded form sheets.

Figure 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the clip members forming the pivotal connection between the typewriter carriage and the guide plate.

Figure 14 is a perspective detail of a modified form of guide plate.

Referring to the drawings, the typewriter l is illustrated in outline and the carriage 2 is mounted to reciprocate thereon. Clip members 3 are rigidly secured to the ends of the sloping paper guide plate 4 of the carriage and these extend in an angularly upward and backward direction and have the spring clip ends pivotally engaging a rod 5 which is secured in the ends of the guide plate 6 which extends backwardly and upwardly from the top of the plate 4.

Each of the clip members preferably comprise a solid block portion as indicated at 3 (Figure 13) which is shown slotted at the bottom to re ceive the typewriter guide plate 4 and clamping screws 3 may be provided to rigidly secure each block in place.

Strips 3" of spring metal are secured to one side of the blocks and form therewith spring clamps, the blocks and springs presenting adjacent surface which converge toward notches 3' formed. in the blocks to facilitate entry of the ends of the pivot rod 5 into the notches.

Arranged back of the typewriter and rigidly secured to the desk is a member i which forms the base for an upright frame formed of a pair of bars 8.

A flat vertical bar 9 is secured to the base member I midway of its length and .is formed with a horizontal portion in which forms a support for a plate or basket support I I for carrying a pack of the folded form paper sheets. A bar I! is arranged transversely of horizontal portion 80 of the bar 9 and is adjustably secured by a thumb screw it which is slidable in a slot H in the member I 0.

A pair of posts I I are mounted on .the bar l2,

one at each end, and are preferably formed with law-shaped upper ends in which are mounted the narrow rollers Ii preferably formed of fibre and with rounded peripheries. The bar I2 is adjusted so that the rollers l6 engage the underside of the guide plate 4 approximately at the balance point intermediate of' its length so that there will be practicallyno weight resting'upon the typewriter carriage and as the carriage moves up and down in its shift operation, the plate pivots in the clips 3 and also pivots'on the roller support and the plate may also slidably adjust itself on the rounded peripheries of the rollers to avoid binding during up and down movements of the carriage. The rollers are spaced apart at the ends of the bar a suflicient distance so that either one or both of said rollers are supporting the plate in its course of travel following the longitudinal movement of the typewriter carriage.

The outer end of the plate is provided with slots I! close to the outer edge and abar ll, extending across the end of the plate, is provided with downturned ends ll provided with hooked extremities 20 to fit into the slots II.

A spring rod 2| is secured to the underside of the plate to engage the notched ends of the bar is extending through the slots to lock the bar in position. r

A narrow metal strip 22 is secured by hinge joints 23 centrally of the length of the bar Ill and extends over the top of the guide plate being bent to conform to the curvature thereof and having its free end extending past the end of the guide plate to overlap the guide plate 4 on the typewriter carriage and to extend well down hehind the platen to guide the paper strip passing thereover closely in under the platen.

A weight 24 in the form of a metal block is secured to the free-end of the bar 22 and it is preferably provided with a roller 25 which extends through the top'and bottom sides, so that a roller contact will engage the paper.

The downturned ends IQ of the bar ll provide a very positive guide for the side edges of the "form strip as it is drawn from the pack supported on the plate.

' out buckling.

' threaded between them. The bar 20 with its" with the guide plate by the overlying bar 22.

resting with constant pressure in extensive surface contact with the paper forms so that when the platen is reversed orturned backward, the paper will feed backwardly under the bar 22 with- As shown particularly in Figure 5, a bar 2. is provided with headed studs 21 at the ends. 'Ihese studs extend through holes 28. cut in the backing sheet of .the multiple carbon sheet device illustratedin Figures 5 and II. This multiple carbon device is formed of a sheet of paper 28 of greater width than the record sheet. and has suitably mounted thereon a plurality of carbon sheets I0 so arranged that the record sheets may be stud ends provides a positive stop for the carbon sheet device when the paper feeds in through the typewriter machine under the platen said bar engaging the platen and holding the carbon sheets from furthermovement, while the duplicate form sheets are pulled through the same in a manner hereinafter described.

wardly and have closely arranged parallelly spaced vertical portions 82 which are rigidly connected at their upper ends to a cross bar I! which is here shown of angled formation to impart suiiicient rigidity.

A pair of grooved central guide rollers 24 Joined by a plate II are arranged upon the bar 38 centrally between the vertical portions-of the rods 8 and another, pair of outer guide rollers 2i, coupled by suitable spacing plates 21 are mounted at the outer end of the bar 32, slots being cut in the angle of the bar to permit the ends of the pins of the guide rollers I! to be secured therein at either end of the bar. A cord or chain a ll is threaded through each of the pairs of rollers 34 and 36 so that the ends thereof hang downwardly. the outer end being provided with a handle I. to be grasped by the operator. Thus by shifting the guide rollers it to either one end or the other of the bar 34, the handled end of the cord may be placed convenient to the grasp of either a left or right-handed operator. The other depending end is provided with a spring clip 40 adapted to grip the ends of the duplicate forms.- The clip illustrated in detail in Figure 6 is provided with a broad plate 4| fitted with pins 42 to extend through the regular perforations in the form sheets to thus hold the form sheets securely in alignment. When the sheets are not perforated a plain clip is used.

A plate 48 is supported between the upright parallel ends 32 of the bars 8 and has mounted thereon a spring clip 44 which may be'used' for holding notes or memoranda in front of the opera or.

In the operation of this device the pack 44 of, folded form sheets is placed upon the plate II. The free ends are threaded through the multiple carbon device described and are laid over'the guide plate 8, the upper holding guide bar ll having been removed.

After the paper has been drawn into position and inserted into the typewriter, the bar III is placed in position with the weighted longitudinal member 22 resting thereover and the clip 4| is placed in position with the pins 42 engaging the perforations and as the typing 'proceeds the multiple carbon device follows over the guide plate with the multiple form, and the bar 26 engages the platen. The operator then releasu the pressure on the platen and pulls the handle end of the chain or cable depending from the bar 82. thereby drawing the forms upwardly and sliding them through the multiple carbon device. A suitable stop on the chain here shown as a detachable clip member 38' is adapted to be arranged so that when the forms are drawn Just the required distance to place the carbon in position for the next form to be yped. the clip 82' engaging between the guide rollers I4 will arrest further movement. It will be noted'that the handle 39 which is preferably weighted will serve as a counterbalance to draw the advance end of the t p d sheets clear of the platen during typing.

It will be understood of course that when the platen pressure against the sheets is released they will slide easily around the typewriter platen. The pressure is again restored after the sheets have been drawn through and the operator tears off the typed sheets and replaces the clip 40 on the next succeeding sheets and turns the platen backward, thus feeding the sheets including the interleaved carbon sheets back to a position ready for starting.

As the form sheets are turned backwards by the reversing of the movement of the platen they are forced upwardly under the roller end of the weighted bar 22 and they are held close to the surface of the guide plate by the contact pressure of the said bar 22.

In the form or the invention illustrated in Fig ures 4 and 12 the plate 46 for guiding the form strip to the typewriter platen is formed with a deep depression 41 intermediate of its length which forms a pocket into which the form sheets may fold under the pressure exerted by the reverse movement of the platen. If this type of guide plate is'used the overlying bar22 may be dispensed with, but a guide bar l8 will be maintained to hold the sheets in proper alignment.

When the type of guide plate shown in Figures 4 and 12 is used the rollers 48 for supporting said plate are mounted on the bracket ends of an upright extension 49. The plate is thus free to tilt in a longitudinal direction pivoted on the supporting rollers, relieving the platen from the support of said plate.

In the form of guide plate illustrated in Figure 14, the cross bar It! is dispensedwith and the plate 50 is provided with lugs to guide the sheets.

A flat coil spring 52 is housed in a casing 53 supported at the outer end of the plate 50 and extending therebelow and the end of this spring connects to a bar 54 corresponding with the bar 26 and provided with studs at the ends to hold the carbon sheet device.

The frictional engagement of the form sheets with the carbon sheets under the pressure of the tension devices of the typewriter platen will draw the carbon sheets through the platen in the typing operation and uncoil the spring 52. Upon the release of the platen tension devices the backward pull of the spring 52 will draw the carbon sheets back to their original position so that the operator may then tear ofi the typed sheets and proceed at once with the typing of a further set. This spring strip maintains a sufficient tension to hold the form sheets and carbons snugly against the plate 50 and when the platen is reversed the spring automaticallyrecoils and holds the sheets from buckling or becoming dis-arranged.

In the form shown in Figure 12 the form sheet packs are supported in angularly disposed holders 55 arranged immediately behind the base structure and beneath the depression 41 of the guide plate 46. This arrangement will conserve in the space occupied when the typewriter machine is arranged upon a fiat desk or table.

A typ writer apparatus such as described may be utilized with any standard typewriter as no change is required in the typewriter machine. The small light clip members 3 are secured at the edges of the guide plate 4 of the machine and the supplementary guide plate is pivotally connected therewith, but mounted independently of the typewriter on the roller pivot supports described. This supplementary guide plate being mounted on its roller supports in a balanced arrangement does not interfere with the manipulation of the typewriter carriage and it feeds the paper strips to the typewriter carriage without requiring any attention on the part of the operator.

The manipulation of the carbon sheet device between the "form sheetsis extremely simple and the operator very readily acquires the method of using the elevated means for pulling the form. sheets through the carbon holder.

It will be appreciated that with a carbon device as shown the backing sheet 29 extends free of the carbon sheets secured thereto and forms a pocket 29', (see Figure 11) into which a single loose letterhead or invoice sheet-X may be inserted so that the desired copies in continuous form may be obtained with the use of a lithographed sheet or a sheet free of end perforations. If desired, extra copies may be made by inserting extra sheets of paper and carbons. This arrange! ment is extremely desirable and has hitherto not been possible on the present known types of billing machines or typewriter attachments.

Further, when it is desired to use the typewriter for ordinary purposes the billing attachment may be disconnected by merely slipping the rods 5 out of engagement with the clips 3 and the plate 6 may be moved back over the bar ill or rested upon the holder I I entirely out of the way.

Thedevice is neat and compact and can be furnished at extremely low cost but its combination with the typewriter very greatly enhances the'operating value of the machine.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. In a typewriter attachment for the handling of continuous duplicate form sheets the combination with the typewriter carriage, of means for guiding said duplicate form sheets to the typewriter carriage pivotally connected thereto, said guiding -means presenting a smooth under surface extending from side to side, and means contacting directly with the smooth under surface of said guide means for pivotally supporting said guiding means intermediate of its length to move freely in the operation of the typewriter carriage.

2. In a typewriter attachment for the handling of continuous duplicateform sheets the combination with the typewriter carriage, ,of a light sheet metal guide plate for guiding said duplicate form sheets to the typewriter carriage pivotally connected thereto and presenting a smooth contact surface on the underside extending from side to side, and a roller support mounted in a fixed position below said guide plate and engaging said smooth under contact surface intermediate of the length of said guide plate and supporting said plate to travel freely with the longitudinal movement of the typewriter and to pivot thereon in a direction lengthwise thereof to follow the vertical movement of the typewriter carriage.

3. A typewriter attachment as claimed in claim 2 in which the roller support for pivotally supporting the guiding plate comprises a pair of rollers mounted to rotate in the direction of travel of the typewriter carriage and arranged in transverse alignment to support the guide plate individually or collectively, said guide plate being successively engageable with one or both of said rollers during its transverse travel to be continuously supported thereby.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which said roller support comprises a bar adjustably mounted back of the typewriter, a post mounted on each end of said bar, and a roller journalled on each of said posts, said posts supporting said roll- .riage, said clips each comprising a solid block portion having means for clamping same to a part of the typewriter carriage, each block portion having a spring member forming with said block a spring clamp, a notch formed between the block and spring, means for guiding the duplicate form sheets to the typewriter having pivot extensions insertable in and removable from said notches by flexing said spring. members, and means for pivotally supporting said guiding means intermediate of its length while permitting said guide to move freely with the typewriter carriage.

6. A deviceas claimed in claim 5 in which the said blocks and spring members present adjacent surfaces converging toward said notches to facilitate entry of the pivoticonnections of said guide member.

7 In a typewriter attachment for the handling of continuous duplicate form sheets the combination with the typewriter carriage and means pivotally connected thereto for guiding the duplicate form sheets to said carriage, of a frame rigidly mounted clear of the carriage extending above said typewriter, and laterally shiftable means suspended from said frame adapted to engage said form sheets and to draw same upwardly and through said carriage to a deflned position.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 in which the frame is provided with a central guide; and a flexible cord dependent therefrom extends outwardly and downwardly and is provided with means for gripping the form sheets. Said cord and the gripping means carried thereby being freely pendant from said guide to swing in unison with the form sheets as they are displaced in the movements of the carriage.

9. A device as claimed in claim 7 in which the frame is provided with a fixed central pull cord guide and a guide removably mountable on the frame in either a left or right hand spaced relation to the central guide to support the outward end of the flexible pull cord to the left or right respectively of the central guide for the convenient grasp of either alleft or right handed operator. a

10. In a typewriter attachment for the handling of continuous duplicate form sheets, the combination with the typewriter carriage, of a plate extending rearwardly from the typewriter carriage, means carried by said plate for guiding the duplicate form sheets to the carriage, and means automatically movable to exert a constant pressure on the form sheets to hold the same close to said guide plate in moving toward or from the carriage to prevent buckling and the dis-arrangement of the register of said form sheets.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10in which the automatically movable means comprises albar extending longitudinally of said guide plate and resting in extensive surface pressure contact on the form sheets to retain the same from buckling.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10 having a bar extending transversely thereof at its outward end and forming a guide for said sheets, said automatically movable means comprising a bar hinged at one end to said cross bar and extending forwardly toward the typewriter and resting on the form sheets in extensive surface contact. said latter bar being weighted to and exerting a constant flattening pressureon the form sheets to prevent buckling. s

13. In a typewriter attachment for handling duplicating sheets, the combination with the typewriter carriage having a guide. plate, of a thin sheet metal guide plate for said sheets, means pivotally connecting said guide plates in edge to edge relation. said second mentioned guide plate extending, upwardly and support members engaging the under surface of said sheet metal guide plate, and a holding plate pivotally attached to the outer end of said sheet metal guide plate and extending beyondthe pivotally connected end edge and overlapping the said guide plate of the csrrisgesndserving to hold the sheets in close conformity with said respective guide plates.

14. In a typewriter attachment for handling duplicating sheets, the combination with the typewriter carriage. of a guide member for said sheets,

V means pivotally connecting said guide member to the carriage, and roller contacts engageable with the under side of said guide member, said roller contacts being adjustable toward or away from the pivotal connection of said guide member and carriage to effect a substantial balancing of the weight of the guide member on the roller contacts and thereby relieve the carriage of additional weight, and means for locking said roller contacts in adjusted position. 7

I 15. In a typewriter attachment for handling duplicating sheets, the combination with the typewriter carriage, of a guidemember for said sheets means pivotally connecting one end of the guide member with the carriage, said guide member having a deep pocket formation adapted to accommodate the sheets when they are backed up by reversal of the typewriter platen, and roller support means contacting the underside of said pocketed guide member at a point spaced from.

its pivotal connection with the carriage.

16. In a typewriter attachment for handling duplicating sheets, the combination with the typewriter carriage, of a guide member for said sheets operating in unison with the typewriter carriage, a pair of upstanding bars rigidly supported clear of the typewriter carriage, said bars being bowed outwardly to permit the transverse travel of the guide member from an extreme left hand position to the extreme right hand position, the upper,

portions of said bars being spacedmore closely together, lateral extensions from the upper ends of said bars, a guide element centrally disposed between the upper ends of. said bars, a flexible cord or chain extending through said guide ele-. ment and hanging loosely. therefrom, a clip member carried by the lower end of said hanging cord or chain for gripping the advance ends of the record sheets, a weighted handle member securedto the other end of said cord or chain, and means for selectively supporting the handled end of said cord or chain from either the left or right hand end extremities of said lateral extensions to suit either left or right handed operators.

17. In a typewriter attachment for handling duplicating sheets, the combination with the typewriter carriage, of a guide plate for said sheets connected with the carriage having spaced slots therein at the outer end, a guide bar formed with laterally turned guide lugs to enter said slots. means for detachably locking said guide lugs in the slots whereby the bar may be readily removed to facilitate placing of the duplicating sheets in position, and a holding plate hinged to said bar and resting on the sheets above the guide plate to prevent buckling and being removable with said guide bar.

a 18. A device as claimed in claim 16 in which a base is provided for mounting rearwardlyof the typewriter, said base having upright extensions bored vertically to adjustably and removably receive the lower ends of said bowed bars, and means for locking said bars in their adjusted relation to said upright extensions.

19. In a typewriter attachment, the combination with the typewriter carriage, of guide means for continuous record sheets detachably connectfor other work.

ed with the carriage, a base member for mounting on the desk rearwardly oi the typewriter,

upright bars rigidly and detachably secured to said base member and extending well above the carriage and clear thereof, flexible means suspended i'rom the top .of said bars and manually operable to draw upwardly on the typed sheets, adjustable means for limiting the operation of said flexible means, and means detachably mounted on said base member for supporting a supply of theduplicating sheets, said guide member, bars and sheet-supporting means being quickly demountable to clear the typewriter and desk ROBERT J. COPELAND.

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