US2146821A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

F'eb. 14, 1939. w. F. HELMoND TYPEWRITING' MACHINE Filed April 16, 193e 2 Sheets-Sheet l l m5, NVENTOR= Feb. 14, 1939. w. F. HELMOND TYPEWRTING MACHINE Filed April 1.6, 1936 2 ySheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR |610. WMMM Patented Feb. 14, 1939 TYPEWRITING MACHINE William F. Helmond, West Hartford, Conn., as-

signor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, NfY., a corporation of Delaware Application April 16,

19 Claims.

This invention relates to tabulating mechanism, and more particularly to carriage or column stops in such mechanism.

On the carriage of a typing machine it has 5 been the practice to mount a column-tabulating rack or bar provided with notches corresponding to each letter-space, as numerically indicated on a scale usually mounted on the front of the machine, and to removably insert into these notches l stops which, when the machine is in use, upon actuation of tabulator-keys, engage counterstops, and therefore the carriage is stopped at the selected column or column-denominational positions.

Some machines are provided with a setting key and connecting mechanism which pushes a column-stop into operative position, and a second key and connecting mechanism which pushes the column-stop back into neutral or inoperative position.

As is known in the art, the denominational stops may also be decimal tabulator-stops. Some of the letter-spaces in an Underwood typewriter are of high pitch or are very narrow, being less than one-tenth of an inch in width.

To provide a rack having provision for each and every letter-space on the machine with a stop that is both removable and insertable at will, and further that is key-actuated for movement to either the operative position or to the inoperative position, presents the problems of providing a thin, strong, rigid, durable, and economically manufactured stop provided with a ,coacting detent-device that is positive, that is yieldable, and that has the requisite actuation longevity.

In my co-pendinag application Serial No. 592,- 454, filed February 12, 1932, (now Patent No. 2,053,079, dated September 1, 1936) I have disclosed an improved tabulating carriage-rack. In the present application I provide an improved column-stop that may be used with machines that are provided with key-controlled devices for setting a stop in the operative position on the carriage-rack, or for returning the stop to the inoperative position.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a tabulating column-stop-unit of two separatev 1936, Serial No. 74,637

or enhancing its manufacturing cost. Advantages gained by this improved stop-unit are many and distinctive: First, a single punch-press operation may be used on at steel to form a at metal plate, and it may be forthwith finished and hardened in the iinal form to provide a column-stop of the requisite strength; second, the yieldable detent-element may be stamped and formed of a flat piece of phosphor-bronze in a single operation in final form, and subsequently l0 plated with nickel and lcadmium to provide a relatively soft spring with a slippery metal surface, which results in an easy Setting or restoring of the stop-units; third, a saddle or cross-piece is provided on the at steel piece and a part of the spring is formed to co-operate with thecrosspiece or saddle, so that without pins, screws, or other similar fastening means, the detent-spring element and the flat metal stop-plate, when assembled in the rack, move into and out of operative position as a stop-unit; fourth, by provid-l ing a structure without pins, screws, or otherpositive fastening means, there is a distinct separation of the two elements of the stop-unit and some relative movement is possible in the length- Y wise direction, so that the detent-spring itself may ilex throughout its whole length, and there are no points or spots of weakness or stress, as Would develop from pins or similar fastening means; fifth, by positioning the detent-receivs ing recess centrally of the flat plate between the sides, rigid and strong side-edges are provided for articulating with the teeth of the rack and for strengthening the resistance of the plate of the stop-unit, as a whole, for engaging the counter-stops without liability of bending or yielding with a resultant variation of the column or column-denominational position on the worksheet; sixth, by providing a bent-up portion in the yieldable part of the detent-spring which lies in part in a recess in the stop-plate intermediate two limiting stops, there is a resilient tendency to push the stop-unit toward either the operative or the inoperative position, according to the position of the rack with reference to the stop; seventh, by having a bent-over part of the detentspring overlie the saddle or cross-piece in the stop-platafa positive stop is provided for engagement with the rack, thereby limiting positively the inward or upward movement of the `stop-unit to its inoperative position; and, eighth, any stop-unit or either part thereof is both quickly and facilely removed from the rack and also is easily and facilely settable in operative position "fil and removed to inoperative position by a keycontrolled mechanism.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is aside elevation, partly in section, showing an improved settable tabulator-column stop at the top left, and a decimal key-actuated counter-stop.

Figure 2 is an enlarged'sectional elevation of the settable tabulator-column stop as shown in Figure 1, a decimal counter-stop being in engagement therewith, the inoperative position of a carriage-mounted column-stop being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, parts sectioned and broken away, oi' a carriage-rack showing only two of the improved settable stops, one in its upper idle or non-engaging position, and the other in its lower operative or engaging position.

Figure 4 is a front elevation, parts sectioned and broken away, showing one of the carriagestops -in engagement with a denominational stop and a second column-stop in the lower operative or engaging position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view, showing the two -parts of an improved settable tabulator-stop broken away, one from the other.

Figure 6 is a perspective view, partly sectioned and broken away, showing a'key-operated setting device above a settable stop and a counter-posed stop-returning device beneath the same stop, in their relationship to the carriage and to the denominationalstops, the actuating keys being not shown.

Figure 7 is a front elevation, a part of the rack being broken away and the exposed column-stop being shown in section as it is being inserted into the rack in the direction of the arrow in the inital assembly before the rack is mounted on the carriage.

Figure 8 is an enlarged front elevation, partly in section, showing a stop-setting device in the act of setting `a stop in the direction of the arrow, the parts of -the setting device shown also moving in the directions of the arrows thereon.

Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 8, but of a modified form of reinforced stop.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the modied 'form of reinforced stop shown in Figure 9.

A typewriter I I includes a carriage I2, on which a platen I3 is rotatably mounted, and which reciprocates on a front rail I4 and a rear rail I5.V

A type-bar I6 is shown in'Figure 1in engagement with the platen I3.V A spring-drum I1 and its connecting tapeV I8, which is fastened to the carriage I2, moves the carriage from right to left. A denominational-stop key I9 is mounted on the forward end of a denominational-stop key-lever 20, which is pivotally mounted on a cross-rod 2l, and the rear end of the key-lever 20 rests on a cross-bar 22. A bracket-housing 23 contains denominational stops 24, the lower ends of which lie on the rear ends of the levers 2D. A transratchet escapement-wheel 32, which is mounted with a pinion 33. A usual carriage-rack 34 is supported on arms 35 depending from the carriage I2, and normally engages the pinion 33.

A bracket-arm 36 is fastened to the rear of the carriage I2, one at each end by mea'ns oi' screws 31. and each bracket-arm terminates at the rear in a vertical tongue 38 which, by means of screws or pins 39, supports the opposite extremities of a column-stop-rack 40. This rack is in the form of an inverted-U, and slots 4I are cut in the top thereof at letter-space intervals, leaving parallel top cross-pieces therebetween, and each slot 4I lies in the same vertical plane and is coextensive with a groove formed byang1eshaped vertical teeth 42 formed in the inside walls of the rack 40, one side of each tooth being in a transverse plane and opposed pairs of teeth engaging carriage column-stops 43, one of which is shown in detail in Figure 5, one part being brokenaway, and a modified form of column-stop is shown in Figures 9 and 10, the parts being assembled, but the lower portion of a body-portion 43a is reinforced by having greater thickness at the lower end.

Both forms ofv carriage-stop 43 have beveled side-edges 44, the angles formed by the sides of each edge being approximately forty-five degrees, or substantially the same as the angles formed by the sides of adjacent angled teeth 42 in the rack 40. It is clear, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, that each stop 43 is slidable upwardly or downwardly in the vertical notches formed between the teeth 42, and the coextensive transverse slot 4I in the top of the rack 40.

All of the column-stops 43 have central rectangular apertures 45 of the same-width as rectangular central vslots 45, which are separated from the apertures 45 by saddles or cross-pieces 41, which support and reinforce two verticallyextending sides 48 of the slots 46. The lower end of each stop-unit 4 3 has a bevel-face 49 on the lower right side-edge, and the upper ends of the denominational stops 24 have bevels 50 on the left side; the bevel-face 49 of each stop assures that, when the carriage I2 and its rack 40 are traveling from left to right, should the stop 43 engage any partially elevated denominational stop 24, the bevel-face 49 on the right wall en- 43 up, or the denominational stop 24 down-therebyeliminating interference, if any.

-, A phosphor-bronze iiat detenta-spring' 5I, which has been nickel and cadmium plated in order to make it' slippery, has a lower downward iiat extension 52, a substantially rectangular bent portion 53, connected with this extension 52, having its face towards the left. and being of the same size as the cross-piece or saddle 41 in the stop 43. The planes of the lower extremity and the'intermediate portion oi' the bend diverge upwardiy. At the upper end the Spring 5I terminates in a horizontal left extension 55, which engages a cross-piece-13, and intermediate this extension and the upper end of the rectangular bend 53 another bent portion or rigliangled hump 5d, having the hump toward the lei't, is formed in the spring iii to provide a right-angled bend with inclined sides, one up and one down, angle oi forty-nyc degrees from. the vertical plane. The dietance between the iioria'ontai extension 5%? and the bottom oi the adjacent angled side of the hump-portion and the distance between the top side of the Wa at? gular bent portion 53 and the bottom of the adjacent angled side of the hump-portion 54, in both cases, are less than the vertical thickness of the cross-piece 13, so that one side or the other of the right-angled hump-portion 54 is always exerting spring-tension in one direction or the other, upwards or downwards. A

An examination of the drawings shows that the spring is locked in the body-portion of the stop 43 in its assembled position by the extension 52,

which engages the right lower face of the stop 43,

but which does not extend to the bottom of thev stop 43, by the lower side of the rectangular bend 53 which engages the upper wall of the rectangular aperture 45, and bythe upper side of the rectangular bend 53 which engages the bottom of the rectangular slot 45. The stop is locked against downward movement with reference to the rack 40 by the horizontal left top extension 55 which,

in th'e lower or operating position of the stop 43 on the rack 40, engages th'e top of the adjacent cross-piece 13 of the rack 40. Referring tn Figures' 4,'8 and 9, it is clear that the at intermediate portion of the substantially rectangular bend 53 diverges upwardly and outwardly with reference to the plane formed by the fiat lower extension .52, so that the hump 54 and the end 55 tend to project to' the left out of the slot 45 and beyond the lleft side of a stop 43 into engaging position with a cross-piece 13 of the rack 40, the bottom the right, so that the hump 54 lies entirely within the recess 45, 4the horizontal upper end55 of the spring 5| being less in extent than the width of the slot 4|. After the stop-unit 43 has been moved upward in the direction of the arrow, to ex- 45 pose its upper end above the slot 4|, the tension of the spring 5| causes the horizontal part 55 and the hump 54 to move upward to the left to overlie the adjacent part of the top of the cross-piece 13 of the rack 40, or, in other words, to lie nor- 0 mally outside the body-portion of the top unit 43.

To form blanks for the spring 5|, lengths may `be cut from a strip of round edge steel made the exact width of the spring, and of suitable quality. The round edge will prevent cracks at the bend.' This will avoid establishing-a breaking point afterthe bent spring has been hardened or tempered. Such a steel spring 5| is preferable tothe phosphor-bronze.

As clearly shown in Figure 4, the' rectangular im flat face of the bend 53 must overliethe left sidewall of the cross-piece or saddle 41, and, inasmuch as the width of the slots 4| may be substantially the same'as thethickness of each stop-unit 43, the upper end of the rectangular bent portion 53 engages the bottom of the adjacent cross-piece 15 in the top of the rack 45; as shown, the stop unit i3 at the extreme left has been stopped against further .upward movement by the top of the rectangular bend 53. The stop-unit d3 next to theright has been moved down to its levi@- er1/nest position, in which the horizontal extension 55 engages thetop o cross-piece 'i5 of the racil: and forms a stop against further downward movement; in thisv position the ,upper side of each denominational stop 24, when operated by its corresponding key |9, engages the klower side of the column-stop 43 in a position on the carriage approximately one-half of a letter-space in advance of the letter-space of imprint, to which position the carriage travels, upon releasing the key I9, under the power of the spring |1, by reason of the take up of the motion of the limberdog 3| in the escapement 29, this carriage-position of imprint being shown in Figure 8.

It is shown in Figure 2 that the upper end of each denominational stop 24 including its top bevel-face is of less width than the width of the rack 40, and is so mounted with reference to the rack that when a denominational stop 24 is 'raised into operative or engaging position, it enters between the walls of the rack 40.

' As shown in Figure 8, in the case Iof the stop 43 at the extreme left, the lower angled face of the lhump 54 is yieldably engaging the top of, the

cross-piece 13 of the rack 40, so that there is in this position a tendency to lift the stop-unit 43 into such a position that the top face of the recvtangular bend 53 is stopped by and held in engagement with the bottom of the same cross-piece 13 of the top of the rack 40.

Asshown in Figure 4;. in the case of the second ,stop 43 from the left, the .upper angled face of the hump 54 is in yieldable engagement with the lower edge of the adjacent top cross-piece 13 of the rack 40, thereby yieldably holding the horlzontal extension 55 of the spring 5| in engagement with the top of the cross-piece 13.- It is `clear that the angled faces of the hump 54 in engagement with the cross-piece 13 tend to move the unit 43 downwardly when the upper angled surface is in engagement with the bottom of the cross-piece`13 and to move the unit 43 upwardly when the lower angled surface of the hump 54 is in engagement'with thetop of a cross-piece 13.

As shown in Figure 2, the width. of the spring is somewhat less than the width of the aperture 45 and of the rectangular slot 45, so that the spring 5| is free to adjust itself as a unit on the body-portion of the stop 43, the cadmium-plating of the spring 5| providing a slippery surface and facilitating this adjustment.

A key-operated mechanism for moving the column-stops 43 -into and out of settable position is disclosed in my said application Serial No. 592,454, now Patent 2,053,079, dated Sept. 1, V1936, and comprises the devices hereinafter disclosed.

A vertical' forwardly-extending tooth 56 engages any one of the column-stops 43 on the flat top, according to the adjusted position of the carriage I2, and is mounted on the left end of an arm 51, which is pivoted on a pin 58 mounted on the post 59. An actuating link 50 is pivoted near the left end of the arm 51, and has a -pivotal connection by means of a screw 6| with the left end of a lever 62, which is fulcrumed on a pivot-screw 63, the opposite end of the lever 52 being pivotallt7 connected by a screw 64 with an ear 65 of avertically reciprocating lever 56, which is checked against upward movement by a stop 61. .The up- Iward thrust of the lever 'might be so strong that the downward thrust of the tooth 5S on top of a column-stop 43 would be more than the ren sistance of 'the horizontal spring-extension 55 without thelsupplementai reinforcing stop 51;

To set any stop, it is obvious that lthe carriage ill may' be. released and moved to any desired printing point at which point the lever 55 is actuated by 'a key on the keyboard of the typewriter,

To restore a column-stop 43 to its upper idle or inoperative position, a vertically reciprocating lever 68 is provided at the left end of the row of denominational stops 24. On the left side of the top of this lever is secured a reinforcing block 69, which has a beveled top surface coex- Itensive with a left bevel on the top of the lever 68, the two surfaces together forming an inclined cam IU which, as the carriage I2 is moved from left to right, engages the beveled surfaces 49 of any downwardly-projecting stops 43, when the lever 68 has been lifted to its operatedposition by actuation of a key on the typewriter-keyboard, which is not shown herein.

On the right of the top of the lever 68 is a reinforcing plate 'H, the top surface of which is flat and coextensive with a lflat top surface 'l2 of the lever 68. To restore a depressed column-stop 43, as, for example, the second column-stop from the left, as shown in Figure 8, after the tongue 56 is lifted from the top of a column-stop 43 by releasing the pressure of the finger on an actuating key on the typewriter-keyboard, the key connected with the vertical lever 68 may be depressed and it will be lifted to engage the bottom of the column-stop 43 pushing it into the upper position.

When the column-stop 43 is being depressed the inclined side of the hump 54 engages the ad-. jacent cross-piece 13, and presses the spring back into the rectangular slot 46 formed in the upper part 'of each stop 43, and similarly when the column-stop 43 is being lifted or restored by the lever 68 upon actuation of an appropriate key on the keyboard of the typewriter, the upper angled side of hump -54 engages the lower side of the cross-piece 'I3 on the rack 40, and the hump 54 yields and moves to the right until it is within the rectangular slot 46, thereby permitting the column-stop 43 to move through the slot 4| between adjacent cross-pieces 13, to either operative or inoperative position, the pressure of the spring 5| assisting the movement of the column-stop 43, so that it is facilely operated with a very slight pressure on an actuating key.

As shown in Figures 4 and 8, the tops of each column-stop 24 are slightly flattened at theY top.

This improvement results in a considerable lowering of the cost of manufacture by permitting the formation of the body-portion 43 of each stop on a punch-press, and, when finished, no further manufacturing operation is necessary, because the phosphor-bronze spring is also formed at a single operation, and may be entirely sepor held at any one spot, which would create stresses and strains that would lessen the actuation life of the springs 5l, or the slidability of the stop-units 43.

Furthermore this construction permits the manufacturing of a very thin column-stop-unit 43, and permits a light and durable carriage-rack construction, even though a high pitch of letterspacing be used.

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

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stopracl; of the character described and having teeth opposed and directed toward each other, said stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated with opposite-toothed sidewalls of the rack, said stop-unit having a saddle formed therein, and also having a separate detent-spring having a part which engages said saddle to prevent la lengthwise movement of the spring on the stop-unit.

2. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stoprack of the character described and having teeth opposed and directed toward each other, said stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated with opposite-toothed side walls of the rack, said stopunit having asaddle recess, the spring includinga bent-over portion l to form a movement-limiting stop.

4. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stoprack of the character described and having teeth opposed and directed toward each other, said stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated with opposite-toothed sidewalls of the rack, said stop-unit having a crosspieee therein forming a saddle with recesses on two sides thereof, and also having a detent-spring having parts in said recesses and which includes a seat-portion to ride'upon the saddle.

5. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stoprack of the character described and having teeth opposed and directed toward each other, said stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated with opposite-toothed sidewalls of the rack, said stop-unit having a central recess formed therein, and also having a separate detent-spring in part normally situated in said recess and in part normally outside the recess beyond the side of the stop-unit, the spring including two bent-over portions which form movement-limiting stops for Contact with a part of the stop-rack.

6.v A tabulating mechanism including, in combination, a rack, said rack having transverse slots therein which are deiined by symmetrical opposed teeth in two side-walls of the rack and crosspieces between the side-walls, the remaining side being open, and a stop-unit insertible in said slots at the open side of the rack, comprising sideedges at which it may be articulated with the opposite-toothed side-walls of the rack, a saddleportion, and a separate independently movable ,detent-spring having a seat-portion, which rides upon said saddle, said seat-portion of the detentspring being engageable with a cross-piece to limit the movement of the stop-unit with reference to the rack.

'7. A tabulating mechanism including, in combination, a rack, said rack having transverse slots therein which are defined by symmetrical opposed teeth in two side-walls of the rack and cross-pieces between the side-walls, the remaining side being open, and a stop-unit insertible in said slots at the open side of the rack, comprising side-edges at which it may be articulated with the opposite-toothed side-walls of the rack, a plurality of shoulders thereon, and a separate independently movable detent-spring which engages said shoulders to check relative movement '[5 in opposite directions, said spring having two bent portions adapted selectively to engage a cross-piece of the rack, thereby limiting the movement of the stop-unit in either the operative or the inoperative position.

8. A tabulating mechanism including, in combination, a rack, said rack having transverse slots therein which are dened by symmetrical opposed teeth in two side-walls of the rack and cross-pieces between the side-walls, the remaining side being open, and a stop-unit insertible in said slots at the open side of the rack, comprising side-edges at which it may be articulated with the opposite-toothed side-walls of the rack, a saddle-portion, and a separate independently movable detent-spring having a seat-portion which rides upon said saddle-portion, said seatportion of the de tent-spring being engageable with a cross-piece to limit the movement of the stop-unit with reference to the rack, and also having a hump-portion which engages a cross-piece to 'hold the stop-unit yieldably at an operative or an inoperative position selectively.

9. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stoprack of the character described and having teeth opposed and directed toward each other, said stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated with opposite-toothed sidewalls of the rack, said stop-unit having a central recess formed therein,v and also having a separate detent-spring in part normally situated in said recess and in part normally outside the recess beyond the side of the stop-unit, the spring including two bent portions, which form movement-limiting stops for contact with parts of the stop-rack, and an intermediate spring-hump portion which tends to move the stop-unit either to operative or to inoperative position in engagement with a cross-piece of the rack.

10. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stoprack of the character described, said stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated with opposite-toothed side-walls of the rack, said stop-unit having a saddle formed thereon, and a recess formed therein, and also having a separate detent-spring in part normally situated in said recess and in part normally outside and beyond the side of the stop-unit, the spring including two bent-over portions, which form movement-limiting stops for contact with parts of the stop-rack, and a bent-up portion intermediate the two last-mentioned stops which tends to move the stop-unit either to operative or to inoperative position, one of the two bentover portions also overlying the saddle and thereby holding the spring for lengthwise movement in the stop-unit, said last-named bent-over portion projecting beyond the side of the stop-unit and thereby forming one of the movement-limiting stops for engagement with the rack.

11, In a tabulating mechanism, in combination.

` a rack having transverse slots defined by symmetrically opposed teeth in two side walls of the 1 rack and cross pieces between the side walls the remaining side being-open, and a stop-unit insertible in said slots at the open sider of the rack, comprising side edges at which it may be articulated with the opposite toothed-side-walls of the rack, a central cut-away portion, a central slot above and parallel with said central cutaway portion, a cross-piece or saddle-portion separating said central cut-away portion and said slot, and a spring of less width than said cutaway portion and said slot, having a lower extension terminating above the bottom of said stop, a substantially rectangularlybent portion adapted to t on said saddle-portion, a top horizontal end, and an intermediate right-angled hump, the horizontal end acting as` a stop to engage a rack cross-piece against downward movement of the stop, the side of the hump in one position tending to move the stop downwardly, the other side of vthe hump in another position tending to move the stop upwardly, and the rec- Langular portion overlying the saddle-portion engaging the rack cross-piece to form a positive stop against upward movement of thecolumnstop.

12. In a tabulating mechanism, in combination, a rack having transverse slots dened by symmetrically opposed teeth in two side walls oi` the rack and cross pieces between the side walls, the'remaining side being open, and a stopunit insertible in said slots at the open side of the rack, comprising side edges at which it may be articulated with the opposite toothed-sidewalls of the rack, a central cutaway portion, a central slot above and parallel with said central cut-away portion, a cross-piece or saddle-portion separating said central cut-away portion and said slot, a spring of less width than said cutaway portion and said slot, having a lower extension terminating above the bottom of said stop, a rectangularly bent portion adapted to fit on said saddle-portion, a top horizontal end, and an intermediate right-angled hump, the horizontal end acting as a stop to engage a rack crosspiece against downward movement of the stop, the side of the hump in one position tending to move the stop downwardly, the other side of the hump in another position tending to move the stop upwardly, and the rectangular portion overlying the saddle-portionengaging a rack-crosspiece to form a positive stop against upward movement of the column-stop, and a supplemental stop which during setting of the columnstop prevents downward yielding of the top horizontal end while acting as a limiting stop against downward movement of the column-stop.

of said apertures and providing limiting stops' external to the metal piece in two directions of movement of the column-stop, one stop limiting the movement of the column-stop in the operav tive position of said lcolumn-stop, and the other stop limiting the movement of the column-stop in the inoperative position of said `column-stop.

14. A settable column-stop for tabulating oomprising a at rigid metal piece having apertures therein and a detent-spring engaged with said hat metal piece and having parts thereof in said apertures, and parts forming limiting stops normally outside of one of said apertures but yieldably retractable into said aperture, and providing limiting stops external to the metal piece in two directions of movement of the column-stop.

15. A settable column-stop for tabulating comprising a flat rigid ,metal piece having apertures therein and a detent-spring engaged with said at metal piece and having parts thereof in said apertures, and a part in the form of a hump providing a yieldable locking/device in'ether the operative or the inoperative position of the column-stop normally outside of one of said aperatures but yieldably retractable into said aperture, and parts forming limiting stops normally g5 external to the metal piece in two directions of movement of the column-stop.

16. A settable column-stop for tabulating comprising a at metal piece rigid throughout and having a ilat top, a horizontal bottom-edge, beveled vertical side-edges, a central aperture, and a top central slot of the same width as the aperture forming two rigid upright sides, the aperture being separated from the slot by a crosspiece.

17. A metal spring fiat in cross-section for use as va tabulating stop-detent having a ilat lower downward extremity terminating at the top in a substantially rectangular bend, but the planes of the lower extremity and the intermediate portion of the bend diverging upwards, and an upward extension from the top of the 'rectangular bend terminating at the top in a rightangled bend substantially in the same direction as the rectangular bend, the portion of the spring between the rectangular bend and the top right-angled bend being in the form of a hump extending to the same side as the top end of the spring, said hump having an upwardly inclined side and a downwardly inclined side. n

18. A tabulating stop-unit for use with a stoprack oi' the character described and having teeth opposed and directed toward each other, said v stop-unit having side-edge portions at which it may be articulated `with opposite-toothed sidewalls of the rack, said stop-unit having a crosspiece therein forming a saddle with recesses on two sides thereof, and also having a. detent-spring which includes a. seat-portion to ride upon the saddle, the seat-portion of the detent-spring overlying the side vof the stop-unit and forming a limiting stop for the stop-unit, the stop-unit being thicker below the recesses.

19. A tabulating stop-assembly for use with an inverted-U-shaped stop-rackv having opposed grooves providing `slide-ways, said stop-assembly having a stop-member with side edges that ilt in the opposed grooves and having a spring-member as an independently movable part between the side edges of the stop-member, the springmember passing through an aperture in the stopmember and having portions positioned on opposite sides thereof and having a detent portion positioned in a slot in an upper part oi.' the stopmember, the upper end of the spring-member turning outwardly to limit downward movement of the stop-assembly when assembled with said stop-rack.

' WIILIAM F. HELMOND.

Images