US2136671A - Business machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 15, 1938. r. M/BUTLER BUSINESS MACHINE Filed June 14, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Thomas MBUT ATTORNEYS I T. M. BUTLER BUSINESS MACHINE Nov. 15, 1938.

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I INVENTOR BY Thomas NBuf/er ATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1938. T. M. BUTLER BUSINESS MACHINE Filed June 14, 1937 4 shgets-sheet 3 NR m5 8 mm 1 HI Q Q & 3 m8 H i fl mwa t L Mi n E 1 Nov. 15, 1938 1 'r. M. BUTLER BuSmEss MACHINE Filed June 14, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Ihomas MBuTler ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1 1938 PATENT OFFICE BUSINESS MACHINE Thomas M. Butler, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Burroughs Adding Machine Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June 14, 1937, Serial No. 148,084

51 Claims.

This invention pertains to a continuous or manifold billing mechanism for use with typewriters and calculating machines for making a large number of copies, usually bills, the forms for which may be supplied in continuous strips or webs, either from rolls or folded webs.

One of the main problems in continuous multi ple billing is to make a sufiiciently large number of copies in such a manner that each typed set of forms can be easily detached from the webs of which it forms a part and in such a manner that the relative'positions of the carbonsand webs may be quickly and. easily changed in order that the next set of forms, or section of the webs, may be used. Many different devices have been produced for accomplishing this result, but most, if not all of them, require too many manual operations that slow up the work.

One of the main purposes of this invention is to provide a continuous billing mechanism that is almost entirely automatic, so-that the work required of the operator is reduced to a minimum and speed of operation is increased. I

Another object is to provide a continuous billing mechanism in which many of the parts are,

power operated so that the operator is relieved of the work of actuating the mechanism.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following description of one embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a continuous billing mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention and applied to a typewriter. The mechanism is illustrated in what may be termed a starting position, that is, where typing and printing operations are to begin on a new set of forms;

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of the forward portion of the mechanism illustrating'the parts in position after typing operations have been completed upon a set of forms and after the forms have been freed and retracted from the platen;

Fig. 3 is a right side elevation of a portion of the mechanism, and illustrates the form carrier latched in retracted or rearward position and the forms pulled forward by the operator;

Fig. 4 is a right side elevation similar to Fig. 2, and illustrates the forms pulled forward and held in lower position by the tear-oif bail and the mechanisms in position to permit detachment of the typed forms;

Fig. 5 is a right side elevation of a portion of themechanism, illustrating the parts in position after the typed forms have been-detached and or webs.

\ tracted position.

In, order that the construction may be more easily understood as it is described, a brief outline of the mode of operation will be given.

Outline of operation In order to simplify the drawings, only three webs or web plies have been illustrated. This will provide a set of forms comprising an original and two carbons, it being understood that sheets of carbon will be interleaved between the first and second, and between the second and third, plies It will also be understood that more webs and carbons can be, and frequently are, used. The webs are supported at the rear of the machine and fed upwardly and over certain portions of the continuous billing mechanism to the platen of the machine.

Figure 1 shows the webs and carbons in position for the operator to start typing. In this position, said webs and carbons are held about the platen with their forward ends above the printing line, and with their forward portions held in substantially vertical position by a front set of auxiliary pressure rolls that engage them above the printing line of the platen. The webs and carbons extend rearwardly from the platen over a'movable carrier to which the rear ends of the carbons are attached and which is urged rearward away from the platen. This carrier places sufllcient tension on the carbons and webs to hold them in proper position but yields to feeding movements of the platen to permit line spacing. The carrier supports the webs and carbons'in a plane above the level of the platen, the front ends 40 of the webs and carbons being bent downward to pass about said platen...

After typing has been completed upon a set of forms, that is, upon a section of the webs, thepaper carriage is returned to the right of the machine as viewed from the front. In the illustrated machine this is accomplished by power, and operations are initiated by depression of a special key'which not only causes the return ofthe paper carriage but also 1 causes numerous parts of the'mechanism to be automatically operated in order to release the webs and carbons as well as the platen. The webs and carbons are then automatically retracted by power and the carrier is latched in its retracted position.

i then in a. substantially horizontal plane, where the platen.

the operator may easily grasp their forward ends. In grasping the forward ends of the webs, the operator also grasps a web-measuring gauge and pulls it forward with the webs until the gauge is arrested by a limit stop. During this pulling of the webs, the carrier is held in its retracted position and the carbons are thus held against forward movement with the webs, with the result that the relative position of the webs and carbons is changed by forward movement of the webs. As the gauge moves forward with the webs, and near the limit of its movement, it

causes a holding device to automatically grip the webs and carbons so as to hold them in proper relative position when they are subsequently engaged by certain devices that bend the forward portions of the webs and carbons downwardly as will presently appear.

After the webs have been pulled forward the proper distance, the operator releases the gauge which thereupon returns automatically to inactive position. As it returns it causes a tear-off bail automatically to move to an active position at approximately the line of perforations across the webs, and it also causes the paper feeding means automatically to grip the webs, said tearofi bail and a portion of said feeding means acting to bend the forward portion of the webs and carbons downwardly to direct them toward As this occurs the web holding device, that held the webs and carbons in registration, is released automatically. The operator can then detach the section .of the webs, or the set of forms, that has just been typed, this operation occurring while the forms are held downwardly. He then rotates the platen and feeds the webs forward to prdper line space position for the beginning of a new set of typing operations. v

General construction The invention has been illustrated in the form of an attachment applied to a Burroughs electric carriage return typewriter. This machine employs an electric motor I (Fig. 1) to return a paper carriage 2, the return being initiated by depression of a carriage return key 3 as described in detail in British Patent No. 428,384. When' zthe return keycis .momentarily depressed the motor returns the carriage to its fully returned 1 position. -Whensaid key is held depressed the motor returns the key to a paragraph position. In both cases the platen is automatically line spaced by the power of the motor, as an incident torthe return of the carriage. If the carriage I return key is depressed while the carriage is in.

its returned position, the motor acts to line space the platen, the number of line spaces depending upon the setting of the line space -mechanism and the number of times the key is depressed. Type impressions are, of course, made by type levers 4 that strike the ink ribbon 5 and make impressions on the work along the printing line of the platen P, the paper carriage being letter spaced for that purpose. The platen P is mounted on the paper carriage so that it can be shifted up and down to change itscase position. This is also done by power, the operation being initiated by depression of a case shift key 6. The typewriter and its various operating parts have been illustrated in a general way only.

The main portion of the continuous billing mechanism travels with the paper carriage during letter space, tabulating, and return movements thereof. It includes side pieces, or rails, l attached at their. forward ends to the paper carriage (Fig. 2) and to a shaft II carried by brackets l2 (Fig. 1) fixed to each side of the carriage frame. The side pieces ID are joined intermediate their ends by a V-shaped brace l3 (Fig. 1) which carries a roller l4 that travelsupon a track l5 supported by brackets I6 attached to the typewriter frame. Rails I!) are also joined at their rear ends by a cross member I1 which supports side paper guides l8 and an extensible end bail l9 that may be extended rearwardly to insure that the webs clear the rear of the entire mechanism.

The side pieces or rails l0 and the members joining them form a frame or unit which travels with the paper carriage and which may be detached if desired.

Carrier The machine has a carrier which is movable toward and from the platen on the frame above described. In the embodiment of the invention shown this carrier not only supports the sheets of carbon but it also supports the webs between which the carbons are interleaved.

The carrier includes a lower plate 20 (Figs. 3 and 5) which extends across its entire width and which is provided with four grooved rollers 2| (Fig. 1) that engage the inside edges of the rails III to thereby support the carrier for movement toward and from the platen. The carrier is moved toward the platen by the feeding movement that is given to the webs and carbons, the latter being attached to the carrier so that the carrier moves with them. The carrier is moved rearwardly by power which, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, is supplied by a spring contained in a drum 22, which will be referred to hereinafter as a spring drum. This spring is tensioned as the carrier is pulled forward by the feeding movement given to the webs and carbons, and since, in the machine illustrated, the platen is line spaced by power from an electric motor it will be evident that the power for retracting the carrier is supplied by the motor through the medium of the spring.

The spring drum is preferably mounted on an adjustable stop member (I22 Figs. 1 and 3 which will be described later) and a cord 24 is wound around said drum and attached to the lower plate 20 of the carrier. The adjustable member upon which the drum is mounted is a member that also limits the retracting movement of the carrier, as will presently appear, and this mounting is used because it insures that, when the adjustable member is moved to vary the distance to which the carrier shall beretractedthe tension on the carrier exerted by the spring will remain the same.

Detachably mounted on the lower plate 20 of the carrier is an'upper plate 25 which carries certain devices for supporting the webs and carbons to be presently described. The upper plate carries tapered studs '26 (Fig. 5) which project through openings in the lower plate and which are slotted to receive spring-urged detents 21 that yieldingly hold the upper plate 25 to the lower plate 20 but permit ready detachment. This de- 7 ing device having a lower pressure roll 28 mounted in stationary bearings carried by said plate.

An upper pressure roll 29 of said holding device is mounted in movable bearings, said roll being spring pressed toward the lower roll by the springs 30 (Fig. 1). These pressure rolls serve to hold the webs at the rear of the machine to prevent them from sagging and to also prevent them from moving out of position on the carrier when the latter is retracted and suddenly stopped. When the webs are first fed into the machine the upper roll 29 may be manually moved to inactive position so that the webs may be inserted. The rear web holding device grips the webs sufficiently to obtain the results above mentioned but moves with the carrier and does not interfere with line space movements of the webs andcarbons as hereinafter described.

lihe upper plate 25 also supports the blades to which the carbons are attached. For this purpose said plate is provided with upwardly extending pins 3| at each side uponwhich L-shaped carbon-holding arms or blades 32 (Fig. 1) are mounted. The carbons are attached to these L- shaped blades by spring clips 33.

This construction and mounting enables the carbons to be inserted and supported from either side of the web as is necessary when so-called fanfold forms are used whose webs are joined along their side edges and is also usefulwith the so-called superfold forms, which are folded only along lateral lines.

Another advantage of the construction is that it promotes rapid and easy original assembly of the webs and carbons. The webs are pulled through the rear pressure rolls, which temporarily hold the webs in positiomwhile the L shaped carbon blades, to each of which a carbon sheet I is attached, can be; inserted between the webs and dropped over the pins 3 I, the insertion being an easy matter, no matter whether the webs are joined at the side edges as in the so-called fanfold" forms or otherwise.

Automatic controls reaches its returned position the machine and the webs and carbons are in readiness for the operator toperform the next operations, and no time is lost in manually manipulating various levers or keys. I v

As previously explained, the paper carriage is returned by the motor upon depression of the carriage return key 3. However, it is not desired that the continuous billing mechanism be automatically operated every time the carriage returns because many of its return movements are simply for the purpose of starting a new line of typing, and not for starting a new set of forms. In order that the automatic conditioning of the continuous billing mechanism can be made during a selected carriage return, a special key 40 (Fig. 1) is provided which overlaps the carriage return key 3. When this special key is depressed,

it not only causes the depression of the carriage return key 3, and thus an automatic return of the carriage, but it also renders certain automatic carriage controls active.

The key 4|! is mounted on one end of a lever 4| pivoted at 42 to a plate 43 fastened to the right end frame of the machine. The rear end of this lever is connected to a link 44 (Fig. 1) which has a pin and slot connection (Fig. 2) to one arm 01 a bell crank 45 pivoted on a stud 46 carried by a bracket 41 fixed to the stationary bracket Hi. The bell crank 45 is urged counterclockwise by a spring 46*- and its upwardly extending arm has a lateral lug 48 forming a latch for engaging over either a lower shoulder 49 or an upper shoulder 50 on an arm 5| fixed to a shaft 52 journaled in the bracket 41. Fixed to the shaft 52 is a cam 53 which, when in active position, automatically governs the conditioning of certain portions of the continuous billing mechanism. Said cam 53, the shaft 52, and the arm 5| are urged counterclockwise by a spring 54, but are held in one, of two positions by the latch, 58. When the cam '53 is in the dot-dash position of Fig. 2, it is inactive, and, at that time, the latch 45 engages over the upper shoulder 50 of the arm 5| to hold said cam in inactive position. However, when the special key 4|] is depressed, the bell crank 45 is rocked clockwise a slight distance which allows the arm 5| and cam 53 to be moved to the full line or active position of Fig. 2, where they are held. by the latch 48 which then engages the lower shoulder 49. I

The cam 53 has an inclined cam edge 53 (Fig. 1) which is in a plane substantially parallel with the travel of the carriage. When the cam is in inactive position, and, as the paper carriage is beingreturned to the right, said cam edge engages a roller stud 56 (Fig. 2) .carried by a cross bail 51 supported on the ends of two bell crank levers 58 pivoted on the shaft 59 on the paper carriage, there being a bell crank lever. at each side of the carriage. The rocking of these two bell cranks during the return of the carriage automatically conditions certain portions of the continuous billing mechanism as will be later described.

The roller stud 55 and the bell cranks 58 are temporarily latched in the position to which they are moved, so that, as they move beyond the cam 53, and out of engagement therewith, dur-- ing the return of the carriage, they will not drop back to their lower positions. However, prior to the movement of the carriage in letter spacing and tabulating direction, said bell cranks and stud are dropped back to their lower position.

It will be appreciated that cam '53 should not act automatically to condition the machine during the movement of the carriage to the left, that is, in letter space direction, nor should it act during every return movement of the carriage. Means is, therefore, provided to automatically move said cam to inactive position as the paper carriage moves to the left during typing operations. For this purpose, the cam 53 is provided with an extension 53 having a cam surface inclined rearwardly from the main body of the Conditioning by power During the return of the carriage, the automatic controlling elements just described are operated. When operated, certain portions of the continuous billing mechanism are automatically conditioned. Since the carriage is returned by the motor it will be evident that the portions of the continuous billing mechanism that are conditioned, are conditioned by the power of the motor. This power conditioning is preferably governed by the carriage in the manner described herein.

Quite a number of different portions of the machine are automatically conditioned and such portions will be described in order; to-wit, (1) the automatic movement of a tear-off bail to inactive position; (2) the automatic conditioning of the paper feeding means including a set of main and a set of auxiliary feed rolls to free the webs and carbons; (3) the automatic freeing of the platen to permit it to rotate; (4) the automatic casting off of the auxiliary set of front pressure rolls; (5) the automatic retraction of the carrier; and (6) the automatic conditioning of a latching means for the carrier in order that the latter may be held in retracted position.

1. Tear-017' bail retraction.--The tear-oft ball is carried by two angular arms 6|, of which there is one at each side of the carriage, said arms being journaled on a shaft .62 support ed on the platen frame. Fixed to the shaft 62 is a lever 83 having an extension provided with a lateral lug 84 (Figs. 2 and 4) underlying right hand arm 6|. Also fixed to shaft 62 is a crank connected by a link 58 to one arm of the bell crank 58.

The tear-ofi bail 60 occupies its lower operative position shown in Fig. 4, toward which it is urged by gravity and by a torsion spring 81 (Fig. 1). When in this position, it will be evident that, if the bell cranks 58 are rocked'counterclockwise, the link 66 and crank 65 will cause shaft 62 to be rocked clockwise, whereupon the lug 64 will lift the arm 6| to raise the tear-off bail 68 to the inactive position shown in Fig. 2.

The tear-off bail is latched in both its lower and upper positions by a latch 10 pivoted on a shaft H and urged clockwise by a spring 12.

In the lower position of the tear-off bail (Fig. 4), a lower notch 13 in the latch Ill engages over. a stud 14 on the right arm 8| that supports the tear-oif bail. This latch mustqbe released in order that the tear-off bail may be automatically moved as above-described and, for this purpose, the lever 83 has a cam nose 15 positioned under a stud 16 on said latch as shown in Fig. 4. When the bell cranks 58 are automatically rocked during the return of the car- 64 on the extension of lever 63 is a slight distance below the edge of the arm 6| as shown in Fig. 4. Accordingly, the first movement of lever 83 releases the arms 6|, which are thereupon picked up by the lug 64 and moved upwardly. During this movement cam nose 15 passes the stud l6 and the stud 14 moves along the edge of the latch III to hold it in released position until the tear-off bail reaches an inactive position where the stud 14 is opposite an upper notch 13A in the latch 10. When this occurs, the latch 18 snaps to the position shown in Fig. 2 to hold the tear-oil bail in its upper or inactive position.

From the above, it will be clear that, as an incident to a selected return of the paper carrlage, the tear-off bail is automatically unlatched, is automatically moved to inactive position, and is then automatically latched in this position.

In order that the tear-off bail may be raised manually when desired, the lever 63 has a finger piece 11 by means of which it may be moved rearwardly. Manual movement of lever 63 will release the latch for the tear-01f bail and move said bail to inactive position. The latch 18 is also provided with a finger piece 18, by means of which it may be released manually when desired.

2. Feeding mama-Means is provided for feeding the webs and carbons across the printing line of the platen, said feeding means includ ing a main set of feed rolls that engage the platen, an auxiliary set of feed rolls for purposes that will presently appear, and a line spacing means for the platen.

The main feed rolls (Fig. 4) are the feed rolls used on the Burroughs typewriter, their mounting and arrangement being described in detail in Bower Patent No. 2,005,450. These feed rolls are urged toward the platen but may be retracted or lowered by turning a half round shaft 8l. The shaft 8| has a gear 82 fixed to it which gear meshes with a sector 83 pivoted on a shaft 84. This sector is a part of the feed roll release lever 85 (Fig.. 2) by means of which the feed rolls may be cast off manually if desired. Fixed to the shaft 62 (Fig. 2) is a crank 86, to the lower end of which is connected-a link or lever 81 having a slot 88 engaging over a stud 89 on the release lever 85.

When the bell crank levers 58 are automatically rocked counterclockwise by power during the selected return of the carriage, the link 81 is thrust forward (left on Fig. 2), which rocks the release lever 85 counterclockwise and moves the feed rolls 80 away from the platen.

These feed rolls tend to return toward the platen but are temporarily latched in position by the latch 10 which holds the arms Si in the upper position shown in Fig. 2. It will be recalled that this latch holds said arms in said position because the upper notch 13A engages over the stud 14. This stud I4 is also in the path of the nose 15 on'thelever 63 and, while said lever can move back slightly, it cannot move back far enough to have any substantial efiect on the position of thefeed rolls which remain in retracted position.

Auxiliary feed rolls are located to the rear of the platen and are'driven thereby, in consequence of which they form a part of. the feeding means that feeds the webs and carbons across the printing line. Positioned at the rear of the platen is an inclined table 90 over which the iliary feed rolls 9| which are mounted on a shaft 92 journaled in brackets on said table, said rolls extending through suitable openings in the table so as to be able to contact the webs. Fixed to each end of the shaft 92 is a gear 93 (Figs. 2 and 4), the left one of which meshes with another gear 94 (Fig. 2), that, in turn, meshes with a gear 95 that meshes with a gear 96 fixed to the platen shaft. Thus, the lower auxiliary rolls 9I are rotated whenever the platen is rotated. Since the platen is usually line spaced by power in the machine illustrated, the auxiliary feed rolls are also driven by power.

A companion set of auxiliary feed rolls 9| (Fig. l) is mountedon a shaft 91 carried by the arms BI. This shaft has a gear 98 on its right end only which, when the arms 6| are lowered to the position of Fig. 4, meshes with the gear 93 on the right hand end of the shaft 92 which, as just explained, is always rotatedwith the platen.

Accordingly, when the arms 6I are in their lowered position, the two sets of feed rolls grip the webs and carbons and both sets are rotated with the platen. Said rolls assist in feeding the webs and carbons forward about the platen and across the printing line.

The auxiliary feed rolls arelatched in operative position by the latch I that holds the arms BI in their lowered position. However, when-the bell cranks 58 are rocked, said latch is released and the arms 6I are raised to the position of Fig. 2, where they are latched in inactive position. This movement of the arms BI ,moves the upper. feed rolls 9| away from the lower rolls and thus disables the rolls for any effective action on the webs.

The auxiliary feed rolls can, of'course, be released manually by means of the finger piece 11 on the lever 63 which can be used to raise the arms 6|.

From the above it will be seen that, as an incident to a selected return of thecarriage, the paper feeding means including the main rolls 80 and auxiliary rolls 9I--96 are automatically moved by power to a position to free the webs and carbons, and that such paper feeding means is latched in its moved position. v

3. Freeing the platen.Although the paper feeding means is automatically conditioned to release the web and carbons, it is possible that the assembled papers would not always slip easily relative to the platen, and in order that there may be no retarding effect on the web and carbons, the platen is automatically freed so that it may rotate freely as the webs and carbons are retracted.

The platen isline spaced by means of a pawl I 00 engaging a ratchet wheel IOI, said platen being normally and yieldingly retained in line spaced position by a detent I05 carrying a stud I06 which engages ratchet wheel IOI. When the half round shaft 8| is automatically rocked-by the movement of the release lever 85 through the medium of link 81, as above explained, a lever I03 forming one arm of a yoke, at which detent I05 is also anarm, is rocked counterclockwise. Said yoke and arms are urged clockwise in Fig. 2 by a spring I04 which engages the detent I05 of this yoke. Pawl I00 is disabled upon carriage return to permit reverse rotation of the platen as shown and described in the Bower application Serial No. 668,347 filed April 28, 1933,

which matured as Patent No. 2,104,007. Jan. 4,

4. Auxiliary front pressure roZls.-In'order to assist in holding the webs and carbons in vertical position in front of the platen, a front web holding device is provided which is in the form of a set of front auxiliary pressure rolls.

These rolls IIO (Fig. 1) are carried by a bail III supported by arms II2 (Figs. 1 and 2) pivoted at II3. Fixed to the shaft H3 is a crank II4 (Fig. 2) carrying a stud H5 adapted tobe engaged by the abutment end I I 6 of thelinkll'l and to be moved to retracted position as shown in Fig. 2. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 4, abutment IIB has been withdrawn with the auxiliary pressure rolls remaining retracted but, if said rolls were moved into active position, the stud 5 would immediately return to a position in front of the abutment end IIB of the latch being urged clockwise by the spring I I8 but being releasable by a thumb piece II9.

5. Refraction of carrier.-During the line space movements of the webs and carbons, caused by power as above explained, the carrier is moved forward and the power of the motor is stored in the spring drum 22. During the selected return of the carriage, the various partsof the machine are automatically conditioned as above explained so that the web and carbons may move freely, whereupon the carrier is automatically retracted by the power stored in the spring.

The position to which the carrier is returned is determined by the engagement of a downwardly turned lug I20 (Fig. '3) on the lower plate 20 of the carrier against a rubber bumper I2I (Figs. 1 and 3) carried by a member I22 slidably supported on a rail I23 and adjustably secured thereto by a thumb screw I24. This member I 22 is the adjustable member that carries the spring drum 22- previously described. The rail I23 is supported between and is parallel to the rails I0 as shown in Fig. 1.

The rubber bumper I 2I is adjusted so that there is sufiicient rearward movement of the carrier to permit the forward edges of the webs to clear the platen, whereupon they straighten out so that the front edge of the webs is directly below a finger piece I25 on a movable gauge bar This enables an operator to easily grasp both the webs and the gauge to pull them forward for purposes presently to be described.

6. Latch for carrier.-As explained, the cartioning the latch to lock the carrier as an in-' cident to the return of the paper carriage. The slidable member I22 that supports the rubber bumper I2I that limits the rearward movement of the carrier is provided with a downwardly extending arm I30 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6) on which a latch member I3I is mounted for verheld by the carrier.

tical sliding movement by pin and slot connections.' This sliding latch is urged to a lowered position by a spring I32 and it carries a laterally projecting stud I33 (Fig. 6) positioned to be engaged by a link I34 when the latter is raised. This link is pivotally connected at its rear end (Figs. 3 and to a short link I35 and is likewise pivoted near its forward end (Fig. 2) to another short link I36. It will be apparent that, if the link I34 is moved rearwardly, it will also move upwardly. The front end of the link I34 has a hooked end I3I positioned in the path of the ball 51. As said bail is raised by the cam 53 that engages the roller stud 56, it raises the link I34 and swings it on its pivotal supporting links. v This, in turn, raises the latch I3I to active position where the forward hookedend of said latch is engageable with a spring held pawl I38 (Fig. 6) pivoted at I39 to a bracket I40 depending downwardly from the lower plate 20 of the carrier. Pawl I38 is urged clockwise (Fig. 6) by a'spring I which permits the pawl to ride upwardly over the nose of sliding latch I3I as the carrier travels rear wardly.

Thus, when the bail 51 and the bell cranks 58 are rocked by power as an incident to the return of the paper carriage the link I34 is automatically moved upward to render the latch I3I active so that, upon the automatic retraction of the carrier, the latter will be latched in its retracted position. From the several foregoing sections of the description, it will be apparent that quite a number of different parts of the machine are automatically conditioned by power in order that the desired results may be obtained, but it will be understood that under certain conditions one or more of these parts might be omitted. For example, the machine might be used without a set of front auxiliary pressure rolls. Or the tearoff bail might conceivably be omitted, where the webs are well perforated.

Relative shifting of webs and carbons Up to this point, the operator has merely depressed the special key 40, whereupon all the operations have taken place automatically. The

web and carbons have been retracted; they are clear of the platen; their forward ends are in a horizontal position immediately under the finger piece I25 of the web gauge I26; and the carrier is latched in retracted position.

The relative position of the webs and carbons is changed to bring a new set of forms forward by pulling the webs forward while the carbons are The operator grasps the forward ends of the webs and the web gauge finger piece I25, and pulls both forward until the forward movement of the gauge is arrested by a limit stop. The carbons are not included in the operator's grip because their forward ends lie slightly to the rear of the forward ends of the webs. This is due to the fact that, when the webs and carbons were first positioned in the machine, the webs were positioned so that their leading ends were beyond the leading ends of the carbons by about or more.

The web gauge I26 is slidably mounted withinthe right side piece or rail III (Fig. 5) which,

for this purpose, is flanged over at the top and carries an anti-friction roller I50 (Fig. 5) at its lower forward end. The gauge is urged rearwardly by a spring I5I (Figs. 3 and 5).

. bons.

prising the set offorms. The rear end of the gauge is formed with an in-turned lug I52 (Fig. 3) which engages an adjustable stop I53 secured to a bar I54 by a thumb screw I55. The bar I54 extends parallel to the side pieces I0 and is supported for limited horizontal movement by pins I56 (Fig. 3) which extend downwardly from the right side rail I0 and engage slots in each end of the bar. The bar is urged rearwardly by a spring I51.

The gauge I26 is thus provided with a limit stop that is not only adjustable but also slightly yieldable, the latter being for the purpose of automatically causing an intermed ate web holding device to engage the web and carbons to the rear of the tear-off bail and the auxiliary feed rolls. 4

The forward end of bar I54 is bent upwardly at I66 (Fig. 3) where it engages the lower arm of a bell crank I6I pivoted to arm 6| at I62 adjacent shaft 62. Said bell crank I6I is urged counterclockwise about its pivot by a tension spring I63 attached at one end to arm 6| and at the other end to the bell crank.

When the web gauge I26 is pulled forward, and as it reaches its forward limit, it engages stop I53, moves bar I54 slightly, and rocks bell-crank I6I so that the upper arm of said crank moves out of the path of a stud I64 carried by the right arm of a pair of arms I65, said arms being pivoted at I66 (Fig. 3) to each of the bail arms 6|, respectively, adjacent theini forward ends. Arms I65 carry a web engaging means in the form of a rod I61 which extends across the width of the webs.

Accordingly, as the gauge I26 and the webs reach the limit of their forward movement, crank IEI moves out of engagement with stud I64 and the intermediate web holding device drops into engagement with the webs by gravity aided by a torsion spring I68 (Fig. 3) to hold them against shifting during the descent of the tear-off bail and the auxiliary feed rolls heretofore described.

Upon descent of the tear-0ft bail and the auxiliary feed rolls, the left arm I65 of the'holding device engages shaft N (Fig. 1) which arrests further movement of said arm and thus causes the web holding device to move out of engagement with said web as the arms 6i continue their descent (Fig. 4). This occurs after the webs and carbons have been bent downward sufficiently so that they will not shift and after said bail and the auxiliary feed rolls have gripped the webs sufficiently to hold themin position.

To summarize briefly, as the webs, together with the web gauge, are pulled forward, an intermediate web holding device is automatically moved to position to hold the webs in position for the next automatic operation which is the bending down of the front portions of the'webs and car- After such bending has occurred to an extent that it is safe to release the webs and carbons, the holding device is rendered inactive.

Automatic reconditioning for typing operations After the operator'pullsthe webs and gauge forward to the limit of movement of the gauge, he simply releases the gauge, whereupon it moves back to position and not only automatically conditions the mechanism to enable a section of the web to be torn off but automatically reconditions the machine so that typing operations may be performed by simply tearing off the typed section and moving the webs of the new set to the proper line space position.

As the gauge 126 moves rearwardly under the urge of its spring, a stud I10 projecting laterally from said gauge (Fig. 3) engages a laterallyprojecting lug I'll on a pass-by pawl I12 pivoted on the latch 10. This rocks the latch Ill counterclockwise away from the stud 14 on arm 6|. The pass-by pawl I12 also has a second and lower laterally projecting lug I13 positioned to be engaged by said stud I10 when the platen is in upper case position. Thus, with the platen in either upper or lower case position, when the gauge I26 is released, it automatically releases the latch 10.

Release of the latch 10 releases the arms 6| from their upper position and allows them to move downward, said'arms carrying the tear-off bail 60 with them. In other words, upon release of the gauge I26, the tear-01f bail is automatically moved to active position.

The web feeding means is also restored to effective condition by the release ofsaid gauge. As the arms 6| move downwardly, the auxiliary feed rolls 9H move with them, and as the latter-move to the position of Fig. 4, the webs and carbons are gripped between said rolls and the'other set of auxiliary feed rolls 9|. At the same time the driving gear 98 for the rolls 9| a is engaged with the gear 93 and the auxiliary feed roll mechanism is put in active condition. When the arms 6| move downwardly as just explained, the stud 141 moves away from the projection 15 on the lever 63 so that the latter may return to the position of Fig. 4. As it does so, the arm 8'! is pulled rear- "carbons downwardly, said webs and carbons being held in registration by the web holding device [Bl-I61. After the webs and carbons have been bent downwardly to a position where it is safe to release them, the holding device including the rod I61 is automatically disengaged from the webs and carbons to free the latter for future line space movements.

Since the auxiliary and main feed rolls operate as a unit in feeding the webs and carbons past the printing line of the platen, it will be apparent that the above operations have put the webs and carbons back under the control of the web feeding means so that said webs and carbons may be fed to line space position as soon as the old web section has been torn off. The release of the gauge I26 has thus automatically moved the web and carbons to proper position and automatically reconditioned the web feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons for typing operations.

The tearoff position of the tear-off bail is immediately to the rear of the platen and at an angle that permits the operator to pull upwardly and sidewise on the ends of the webs to tear them off along their lines of perforation. The tear-off operation occurs after the webs have been bent downwardly and regripped by the web feeding means. The tear-off bail remains in tear-off position during typing, there being sufiicient clearance to permit the webs and carbons to move past it freely.

The front auxiliary pressure rolls H0 are not restored to active position in the embodiment of the invention shown. Instead, the abutment end H6 of the arm 81 moves away from the stud H5, that is, from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 4, leaving the auxiliary pressure rolls latched by the latch lll. This is done because it is more convenient for the operator to first move the webs and carbons to the proper line space position and then came the front pressure rolls I ID to engage said webs and carbons above the printing line. It will be apparent, however, that if the latch I I1 is omitted the front pressure rolls III] will be automatically returned to active position when the arm 81 is moved as heretofore explained.

The release of the web gaugev I26 also automatically disables the latch for the carrier. As explained, said gauge releases the latch Ill where.- upon the arm 6| moves downward to release the lever 63. This allows said lever 63 to move counterclockwise and the bell cranks 58 are restored in a clockwise direction to normal. This releases the hooked end I31 of link I34 which thereupon moves downwardly and allows the latch Hi to move downward into inactive position. Accordingly, the carrier is freed for forward movement in line space operations.

. When the various diiferent parts above described, that is, the arms 6i, tear-01f bail, web feeding means, etc., reach their active and effective positions as just explained, they are latched in such position by the latch 10 whose lower notch 13 re-engages the stud M on the arm Bl. The upper edge of this notch 13 is camshaped and the action of spring l2 on latch 'lll tends to force the parts to their final proper position.

From the foregoing it will be seen that after the operator has pulled the webs forward, he merely has-to release the webgauge, whereupon the tear-off bail will be automatically moved to active position; the web feeding means will again grip the web andcarbons; the line spacing mechanism will be rendered active; the intermediate web holding device will be rendered inactive;

and the carrier will be unlatched. All that the Rsume' of operation In order to promote a better understanding of the invention, another brief summary of the operation will be given.

Assume that a bill has been typed and that the paper carriage is in its left-hand position as viewed by the operator. He depresses the key 40 whereupon the paper carriage automatically returns to the right and, as an incident to this return, the tear-off bail is automatically moved to inactive position; the web feeding means, in-- cluding the main and auxiliary feed rolls is released; the,front auxiliary pressure rolls are cast off; the carrier is retracted by power; and the latch for said carrier is automatically rendered active. As the carrier moves rearwardly, it pulls the webs and carbons with it and the latter are positioned so that the front edges of the.webs maybe easily grasped along with the web gauge I26.

The operator then grasps the webs. and the gauge, pulls them forward to the limit of movement of the gauge, and then releases the gauge. As the gauge reaches the limit of its forward movement, an intermediate web holding device is automatically conditioned to engage the webs and carbons to the rear of the tear-off bail and auxiliary feed rolls. The operator then releases the webs and gauge. As the gauge moves back to normal after being released, the tear-off bail is automatically moved to active position; the web feeding means, including the main and auxiliary feed rolls and the line spacing mechanism, is automatically reconditioned; the latch for the carrier is disabled so as to free said carrier; the intermediate web holding device is disabled; and the automatic controls that are governed by the carriage are returned to their lower position.

The operator then tears off the section of web that has been typed and rotates the platen to bring the next web section, or set of forms, to proper line space position. Typing operations may then be performed and, as the carriage moves in letter space direction, the carriage controls are automatically moved to inactive position where they are latched so that, upon the return of the carriage to the right for the next line of typing, by the usual carriage return key, the controls will not operate the continuous billingmechanism. Such mechanism is not operated until the operator depresses the special key 40 to select the return during which he desires said mechanism to be operated.

It will be apparent that the illustrated form of the invention discloses merely one embodiment thereof and that many changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, and power means operable to return said carriage and, as an incident to a selected return, to condition said machine to free said webs and carbons to movement and to cause said carrier to be moved away from said platen to a retracted position.

2. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, and power means governed by said paper carriage for conditioning said machine to free said webs and carbons for movement and for causing said carrier to be automatically moved away from said platen to a retracted position.

3. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, means tending to move said carrier in one direction, a latch for said latter means, power means governed by said paper carriage for conditioning said machine to free said webs and carbons for movement and for'releasing said carrier to be automatically moved away from said platen to a retracted position.

4. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper. carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, and means governed by said carriage during a selected return thereof for automatically freeing said webs and carbons for movement and for causing said carrier to be automatically moved to a retracted position.

5. A continuous multiple billing machine 'of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier movable'toward and from said platen, means governed by said paper carriage during its return for causing said carrier to be automatically moved away from said platen, said carriage-governed means being normally inactive, and means for causing said carriagegoverned means to be rendered active during a selected return of said paper carriage to thereby I cause said carrier .to be automatically retracted upon said selected return.

6. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of saidplaten in one direction, and power means operable to return said carriage and, as an incident to a selected return, automatically to retract said webs and carbons in a direction opposite to said feeding movement.

'7. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen in one direction, means for supporting said webs and carbons to the rear of said platen, and power means governed by said carriageifor automatically retracting said webs and carbons in a direction opposite to said feeding movement.

8. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality'of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen in one direction, and means governed by said carriage upon a selected return thereof for automatically retracting said webs and carbons in the opposite direction.

. 9. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, paper feeding means for gripping a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons and for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen in one direction, means for retracting said webs and erned by said paper carriage upon its return for carbons in the opposite direction, means govconditioning said paper feeding means to cause said web and carbons to be automatically retracted, said carriage governed means being normally inactive, and means for causing said carriage governed means to be rendered active upon a selected return of said paper carriage to thereby cause said web and carbons to be retractedduring a selected return.

10. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one. direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, said platen being normally rotatable in line-space direction, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen, means normally resisting rearward rotation of said platen, and power means operable to return said ward rotation and to cause said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted to a position free of said platen.

..11 A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen provided with a printing line, said platen being normally rotatable in line-space direction, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said platen, means normally resisting rearward rotation of said platen, and power means governed by said paper carriage for automatically freeingsaid platen for rearward rotation-and for causing said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted to a position free of said platen.

12. A continuous multiple'billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen normally rotatable in line-space direction, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous turn thereof for automatically freeing said platen for rearward rotation and for causing said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted to a position free of said platen. .13. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the-machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons across the printing line of said-platen, means normally preventing rearward rotation of said platen, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, and power means operable to return said paper carriage and, as an incident to a selected return, automatically to free said platen for rearward rotation, automatically to free said webs and carbons from said feeding means, and for causing said carrier to be automatically moved to a retracted position.

14. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons past'th I printing line of said platen, a front auxiliary web-holding device for engaging said webs and carbons above the printing line of said platen, and means governed by said carriage upon a selected return thereof, for causing said web-holding device to be moved to inactive position.

15. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described havlnga paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, said webs and carbons being supported to the rear of said platen in a plane above the level of the platen whereby the webs and carbons are bent downwardly to. pass about said platen, feeding means cooperating with said platen to feed said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, and power .means operable to return said carriage and,'as an incident to a selected return,

to change the relative position of said feeding means and platen to enable said webs andcarbons to move to a horizontal position where the front ends of said webs may be readily grasped by an operator.

16. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for supporting said webs and carbons at the rear of said platen in a plane above the level of said platen so that said webs and carbons are bent downwardly to pass about said platen, feeding means cooperating with said platen to feed said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, and power means governed bysaid paper carriage for automatically changing the relative position of said feeding means and platen to en able said webs and carbons to move to a horizontal position where the front ends of the webs may be readily grasped by an operator. 7

1'7. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, said webs and carbons being sup ported to the rear of said platen in a plane above the level of said platen whereby the webs and carbons must be bent down to pass about said platen, feeding means cooperating with said platen to feed said webs and carbons past the printing line of said platen, and means governed \bysaid paper carriage upon a selected return thereof for changing the relative position of said feeding means and platen to enable said webs and carbons to move to a horizontal position where the front ends of said webs may be easily grasped by an operator.

l8.'A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described provided with a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, a carrier for said webs and carbons, a tear-off bail, means for causing said feeding means to release said webs and carbons, for causing said webs and carbons to be retracted, for moving said tearoff bail to inactive position, and for automatically holding said carbons retracted, whereby the webs may be grasped and pulled forward relative to said carbons, and means governed by the manipulation of a single member for automatically 7|;

causing said tear-off bail to be moved to active position, for automatically causing said feeding means to grip said webs and carbons for feeding movement, and for automatically releasing said carbons from their retracted position whereby the typed section of the webs may be torn oif and the feeding means used to move said webs and carbons to a new line space position for typing.

19. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described provided with-a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, means governed by the manipulation of a single member for' automatically causing said feeding means to release said webs and carbons, for caus cally holding said carbons in retracted position, whereby the webs may be grasped and pulled forward relative to said carbons, a tear-off bail, and means governed by the manipulation of a single member for automatically causing said tear-off bail to be moved to active position, for automatically causing said feeding means to grip said webs and carbons for feeding movement and for automatically releasing said carbons from their retracted position, whereby the typed section of the webs may be torn off and the feeding means used to move'said webs and carbons to a new line space position for typing.

20, A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described provided with a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, a carrier for said webs and carbons movable toward and from said platen, means governed by the manipulation of a single member for automatically causing said feeding means to release said webs and cartons, for'causing said carrier to be automatically moved to a retracted position, and for automatically causing said carrier to be latched in its retracted position whereby said webs and carbons are moved to a position to enable the webs to be easily grasped andpulled forward relative to said carbons,a tear-off bail,

and means govemedby the manipulation of a single member for causing said tear-off bail to be automatically moved to active position, for automatically causing said feeding means to grip said I 'webs and carbons for feeding movement, and for automatically releasing said carrier, whereby the v typed section of said webs may be torn off and the feeding means used to move said webs and carbons to anew line space position for typing.

21. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described provided with a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a pinrality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, means said gage during its return to normal for causing gage may b grasped and pulled forward relative to the carbons and the gage released for return to normaLa tear-oil. bail, and means governed by off and the feeding means used to move said webs and carbons to a new line space position for typing.

22. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line. feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous web's interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, power means operable to return said carriage and, as an incident to a selected return, automatically to cause said feeding means to release said webs and carbons, to cause said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted free of said platen, and automatically to cause said carbons to be held in retracted position, 'whereby the webs may be grasped and pulled forward relative to said carbons, a tear-oil bail, and means governed by the manipulation of a single member for automatically causing said tear-off bail to be moved to active position, for automatically causing said the class described having a carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning the carriage in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, swab-measuring gage that is normally urged to inactive position but movable to web-measuring position, means conditionable by the operator to cause a selected return of said carriage automatically to cause said feeding means to release said webs and carbons, to cause said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted free of said platen to a position where their front ends are adjacent said gage, and to cause said carbons to be automatically held in retracted position, whereby the webs and said gage may be grasped and pulled forwardly relative to said carbons and the gage released for return tovinactive position, a tear-off bail, and means governed by said gage during its return for automatically causing said tear-off bail to be 'moved to active position, for automatically causing said feeding means to grip said webs and carbons for feeding movement, and for automatically releasing said carbons from their retracted position whereby the typed section of the webs may be torn off and the feeding means used to move said webs and carbons to a new line space position for typing. I 24. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a carriage normally movable stepy-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen having a-printing line, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, said platen being normally held against backward rotation, agage that is urged to inactive position but movable to web-measuring position, a carrier for supporting said webs and carbons to the rear of said platen in a plane above the level of said platen whereby the front portions of said web and carbons are bent downwardly to pass about said platen, power means operable to return said carriage and, as an incident to a selected return, automatically to cause said feeding means to re? lease said webs and carbons, automatically to release said platen for backward rotation, to cause said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted free of said platen so that their front ends may be moved to a horizontal position adajcent said gage, and automatically tolatch said carrier in retracted position, whereby the web-s and gage may be grasped by the operator and pulled for ward and the gage released, a tear-off bail, and means governed by said gage during its return to normal after being released for automatically causing said tear-off bail to be moved to active position, automatically to cause said feeding means to grip said webs andcarbons for feeding movement, and automatically to release said carrier, whereby the typed section of the webs may be torn off and the feeding means used to move said webs and carbons to a new line space position for typing.

2 5. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen having a printing line, said platen being normally held against backward rotation, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with till carbons past the printing line of said platen, a gage that is urged to inactive position but movable to web-measuring position, a front auxiliary web-holding device for engaging said web above the printing line of said platen, a carrier for said webs and carbons for supporting them to the rear of said platen in a plane above the level of said platen. so that the webs and carbons are bent downwardly to pass about said platen, means conditionable by said operator for causing said paper carriage, upon its return, automatically to cause said feeding means to release said webs and carbons, automatically to free said platen for backward rotation to cause said webs and carbons to be automatically retracted to a position adjacent said gage, and to cause said carrier to be automaticallylatched in retracted position, whereby the webs and said gage may be grasped, pulled forward, and the gage released, a tear-off bail, and means governed by said gage during its return to inactive position for automatically causing said tear-off bail to be moved to active position, for automatically causing said feeding means to grip said webs and carbons for feeding movement, and for automatically releasing said carrier from its retracted position, whereby the type section of the webs may be torn off and the feeding means used to move said Webs and carbons to a new line space position for typing, and means operatlng automatidirection, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a tearof! bail for said webs occupying an active posi-. I

tion during typing operations, and power means operable to return said carriage and, as. an incident to a selected return, to move said tearoff bail to inactive. position.

27. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, a tear-off bail for said webs occupying an active position during typing operations, and power means gov-,

erned by said carriage for automatically moving 29. A continuous multiple billing machine of the 'clase described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, means for moving said carrier away from said platen to a retracted position, a normally disabled latching means for latching said carrier in its retracted position, and power means operable to return said carriage and,'as an incident to a selected return, to automatically enable said latching means.

30. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier movable towardand from said platen, means for moving said carrier away from said platen'to a retracted position, a normally disabled latching means for latching said carrier in its retracted position, and means operated as an incident to a selected return of said carriage for automatically enabling said latching means.

31. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier movable toward and from said p1aten,.said carrier being normally free for movement, means for moving carrier away from said platen to a retracted position, and means governed by said paper carriage for automatically holding said carrier against forward movement after said carrjer has been moved to a retracted position.

32. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable step-by-step across the machine in one direction, means for returning said carriage in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier movable toward and from said platen, said carrier being normally free for movement, power means for moving said carrier away from said platen to a retracted ing said power means to retract said carrier and for conditioning said latching means to hold said carrier in its retracted position.

33. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a paper carriage normally movable ste'p-by-step across the machine in one direction and returnable in the opposite direction, a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for supporting said webs and carbons to the rear of said platen in a plane above the level 1 of said platen whereby the forward portions of said webs and carbons are bent downwardly to pass about the platen, a pair of sets of auxiliary feed rolls for gripping the portions of said webs and carbons that are bent downwardly, one set of said feed rolls being movable upwardly away from the other, and means operable to return said carriage and, as an incident to a selected return, to retract said webs and carbons free of said platen and to move saidmovable set of feed rolls upwardly to free the front ends of said webs and carbons for movement to vertical position.

34. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen, feeding means for feeding a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons past the printing line of said platen, said webs and carbons being supported to the rear of the platen in a plane above the level of said platen and being bent down at their forward portions to pass about said platen,

means for causing said webs and carbons to be of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a

front auxiliary web-holding device for engaging said webs above the printing line of said platen,

and power means operable to return said car-.

riage and as an incident to a selected return, to move said auxiliary web-holding device to inactive position.

I 36. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a traveling paper carriage, a platen for receiving a plurality of con tinuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, a front auxiliary web-holding device for engaging said webs and carbons above the printing line of said platen, and power means governed by said carriage for causing said auxiliary web-holding device to be moved to inactive position.

37. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for enabling the relative positionof the webs and carbons to be changed, a tearofl bail normally occupying an inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web-measuring gage movable from an inactive to a web-measurins position and vice versa, and means governed by said gage as it is returned to inactive position for causing said tear-off bail to move to tear-oi! position. v

38. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for enabling the relative position of the webs andcarbons to be changed, a tearoff bail latched in inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web gage movable from an inactive to a web-measuring position and vice versa, and means operated by said gage as it is returned to inactive positionfor releasing the tear-ofl. bail latch to thereby enable the tear-off bail to move to tear-off position.

39. A continuous multiple billing machine of class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for enabling the relative position of the webs and carbons to be changed, a tear-oi! bail normallyoccupying an inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web gage urged to an inactive position but movable to a web-measuring position from which it may be released for automatic return to normal, and means governed by said gage during its automatic return to inactive position for causing said tear-off bail automatically to move to tear-oil? position.

40. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for enabling the relative position of the webs and carbons to be changed, a tear-oi! bail movable. from inactive to active position, means for latching said ball in inactive position while the relative position of said webs and car.- bons is being changed, a web-measuring gage urged to an inactive position but movable to a web-measuring position from which it may be released for automatic return to normal, and means governed by said gage for releasing said tear-off bail latch to permit said tear-ofl? bail automatically to move to tear-ofi position.

41. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, paper-feeding means for feeding said webs and carbonsacross the printing line of said platen, means for enabling the relative position of said webs and carbons to be changed, said paper-feeding means being held in inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons, is being changed, a web-measuring gage movable from an inactive to a web-measuring position and vice-versa, and means governed by said gage as it is returned to inactive position for automatically causing said feeding means to grip said webs and carbons.

v .42. A continuous multiple billing machine of the. class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons-across the printing line of said platen, means for enabling the relative position of said webs and carbons to be changed, said web-feeding means being urged to active position but being latched in inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web-measuring gage urged to an inactive position but movable to a web-measuring position. and means operated automatically I6 by said gage when released to move from webmeasuring to inactive position for releasing said paper-feeding means to enable the latter to move to feeding position. Y

43. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feed rolls movable toward and from said platen for feeding said webs and. carbons across the printing line of said platen, means for enabling the relative position of said webs and carbons to be changed, means for moving said feed rolls away from said platen, means forlatching said feed rolls in, retracted position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web-measuring gage urged to inactive position but movable to a web-measuring position, and means operated automatically by said gage for releasing said feed roll latch to enable the rolls to move to feeding position.

44. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen,

a tear-01f bail for said web, means for enabling the relative position of said webs and carbons to be changed, said feeding means and tear-off bail being held in inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web-measuring gage movable from an inactive to a web-measuring position and vice versa, and means governed by said gage during its return to inactive position for automatically causing said tear-off bail and said paper-feeding means to be moved to active position. I

45. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen,

, diately adjacent said platen.

,web -measuring position and vice versa,

means for enabling the relative position of'said webs and carbons to be changed, said feeding means including auxiliary feed rolls, some of which are held in inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a web-measuring gage movable from an inactive to a web-measuring position and vice versa, and means governed by said gage during its return from web-measuring to inactive position for automatically causing said auxiliary feed rolls to grip said webs and carbons and move them to a position immediately adjacent said platen.

46. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platenfor receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, means for enabling the relative position of said webs and carbons to be changed, said feeding means including auxiliary feed rolls,

means for latching said auxiliary feed rolls in open position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being changed, a webmeasuring gage movable from an inactive to a and means governed by said gage for automatically releasing said auxiliary feed roll latch to permit said auxiliary feed rolls to grip said webs andcarbons and to move them to a position immeil. A continuous multiple billing machine having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier for said webs and carbons movable toward and from said platen, a latching means for holding said carrier in a retracted position away from said platen, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across theprinting line of said platen, means for freeing said webs and carbons to permit the webs to be pulled forward relative to the carbons while said carrier is held against movement, a web-measuring gage movable to and from a web-measuring position, and, means governed by said gage for releasing said carrier.

48. A continuous multiple billing machine having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier for said webs and carbons movable toward and from said platen, a latching means for holding said carrier in a retracted position away from, said platen, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, means for freeing said webs and carbons to permit the webs to be pulled forward relative to the carbons while said carrier is held against movement, a web-measuring gage movable to and from a web-measuring position, and means governed by the return of said gage to inactive position for releasing said carrier.

49. A continuous multiple billing machine having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier for said webs and carbons, said carrier being movable away fom said platen to a retracted position where it is latched, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, means forreleasing said webs and carbons to enable the webs to be pulled forward relative to the carbons while said carrier is latched, a web-measuring gage urged to inactive position but adapted to be pulled forward with said webs and released, and means operated by said gage during its movement to inactive position after being released for releasing said carrier latch whereby the carrier is freed for linespaclng movement.

50. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receiving a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, a carrier for said webs and carbons, said carrier being movable away from said platen to a retracted position where it is latched, feeding means for feeding said webs and carbons across the printing line of said platen, means for releasing said webs and carbons to enable the webs to be pulled forward relative to the carbons while said carrier is latched, a sliding web-measuring gage urged to inactive position but adapted to be pulled forward with said webs and released, and an adjustable stop for limiting the forward movement of said gage to indicate the proper movement of said forms.

51. A continuous multiple billing machine of the class described having a platen for receivin a plurality of continuous webs interleaved with carbons, means for enabling the relative position of the webs and carbons to be changed, a tearoif ball movable from inactive to active position and normally occupying an inactive position while the relative position of said webs and carbons is being'changed, and means for latching said bail'in'either inactive or active position.

' THOMAS BUTLER.

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