US2243956A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1941.

G. F. HANDLEY I TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1939' 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR @eor ATTORNE June 3, 1941- e. F. HANDLEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR aeorye Fl-land/ y BY mun r 4 m 1 6 ATTORiI EYS June 3, 1941. G. F. HANDLEY TYFEWRITING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 aeofge Y1. Hand/9y 642% 40- A ATTORNEYf June 3, 1941.

ca. F. HANDLEY 'TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed July 20 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 III III a q a FQVSRJTOR George Ff/and BY f wn lfl zx ATTORNEYS Patented June 3, 1941 TYPEWRITIN G MACHINE George F. Handley, Glendale, N. Y., assignor to Royal Typewriter Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 20, 1939, Serial No. 285,598

14 Claims. 101497-151) This invention relates to typewriting machines and more particularly to typewriter ribbon feeding mechanism. Mechanism embodying the invention may be employed advantageously for feeding of typewriter ribbons or strips of various 5.

kinds, but is especially adapted for carbon paper ribbon feed for typewriters used for preparing copy for photo-offset multiple reproduction.

Briefly stated the photo-offset reproduction process comprise the production of an original or negative as by typing, and the photographing of the negative on a thin sheet of zinc or aluminum known as the press plate. The press plate is mounted on one of three cylinders of an offset press, the other two cylinders beingxl5 respectively a middle cylinder covered with a rubber blanket and an impression cylinder. With every revolution of the press the press plate is moistened with water from water rollers, and

ink rollers pass over the plate, transferring inkv process, the quality of the finished product (18-133 pends primarily on the quality of the original typed copy. With the camera ready to catch and reproduce the finest flaw, good offset typewriter copy preparation necessitates clean, clearcut original type impressions, uniform in density r and with proper blackness for camera reproduction. Copy that is typed with a light or wornout ribbon will have a tendency to appear broken up in the finished product, while copy typed with a heavily inked ribbon will appear fuzzy orn filled out. Best results are obtained by presenting a fresh unused spot of pigmented or inked carbon ribbon for each type impression.

An object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for feeding carbon paper orv like ribbon over the printing line of the platen and at a predetermined rate with reference to platen letter-spacing travel and for tensioning and rolling up the ribbon while it is being fed beyond the printing line. ject the ribbon is fed at just the right rate with reference to machine operation so that an unused ribbon spot is presented for each type impression, thus assuring the production of clear original copies of uniform density. In the in-;

The production of clearfgs feeding and re-rolling equipment.

In attaining this ob-.

ter'est of economy the ribbon is guided, when used for the first time, in such manner that typing impressions will be made throughout a longitudinal ribbon zone of lessthan entire ribbon width so that the ribbon may subsequently be used again to present a different and unused longitudinal zone for typing. When the ribbon is thus to be used again it is important that it be rolled up firmly after it is moved past the printing point during its first run through the machine. Improved mechanism is provided for re-rolling or respooling ribbon discharged by the feeding means and for tensioning the ribbon during the action of the feeding equipment so that an evenly and firmly wound spool will be available to serve as a supply when it is desired to feed the ribbon through the machine again with an unused zone presented for type impressions.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism of the character stated arranged to feed the ribbon intermittently in step-by-step movements simultaneously with letter-spacing movements. of the typewriter carriage.

A further object is to provide ribbon mechanism of the character referred to in which the ribbon feeding means and the ribbon tensioning and re-rolling means areboth connected to the carriage driving means in a manner to assure perfectly timed ribbon feed and correct and substantially constant tensioning of the ribbon during re-rolling, irrespective of the effective diameter of the re-winding roll, as determined by the amount of ribbon which has been re-wound thereon A further object is to provide such mechanism including means for interrupting the drive to the A correlative object is to provide means for actuating the drive-interrupting means in response to movement of tabulator mechanism.

A further object is to provide a typewriter equipped with auxiliary ribbon feeding mecha- .nism in addition to the usual ribbon feeding mechanism, and with control means for selectively rendering one or the other of such feeding mechanisms operable. Other objects will become apparent from a reading of the folio-wing description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a typewriter equipped with mechanism embodying the invention, some conventional typewriter parts being omitted;

Figure 2 is an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure l and drawn on an enlarged scale, some parts being omitted and others being broken away;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view on an enlarged scale with some parts shown in cross section and looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Figure 2, parts being shown in the positions occupied when mechanism for feeding a carbon paper or like ribbon is active;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 3 but showing parts in position occupied when the carbon paper strip or ribbon feeding mechanism is inactive for permitting operation of the typewriter in the usual manner with the usual ink ribbon equipment;

Figure 5' is a vertical sectional View taken on the irregular line 55 of Figure 1 showing some parts in section and some in elevation;

Figure 6 is a distorted sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5, parts being shown in the positions occupied during feeding of carbon paper or like ribbon;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 6 and showing parts indifferent positions for rendering ribbon feeding mechanism inactive;

Figure 8 is an inverted detail sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation showing mechanism for con-. trolling ribbon feeding and re-rolling equipment;

Figure 10 is an isometric view showing a back .check pawl;

Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line ll--- of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line l2-I2 of Figure 2;

Figure 13 is a detail view showing a modification; and v Figure 14 is a section on the line I4M of Figure 1 drawn on an enlarged scale.

Mechanism constructed and adapted to operate'in accordance with the invention may be used in connection with typewriters of various kinds. For the purposes of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown as applied to a Royal standard typewriter including a main frame A and a carriage B mounted on the frame for the'usual letter-spacing and return movements by means of a ball race frame rail l and a companion carriage rail 2. A platen C is mounted on the carriage between carriage end plates 3-3 and is adapted to be rotated for line spacing by the usual line spacing lever 4. A spring-powered drum or barrel 5 supported by the frame is connected to the carriage in a known manner by a draw band 6, the drum 5 and band 6 cooperating to move the carriage in letter spacing direction under th control of escapement mechanism (not shown).

The typewriter is shown as being equipped with the usual ribbon spool cups DD. Figure 4 shows a conventional spool E wound with fabric or ink ribbon F. Spindles I and 8 are adapted to re-' ceive spools E for feeding the ribbon F when it is desired to operate the machine for ordinary typing purposes. The spindle I is adapted to be driven by a gear 9 on the lower end of the spindle cooperating with other gearing to be described. A horizontal shaft in, journaled at its left hand end in a frame mounted bracket II and similarly journaled at its right hand end, is provided with a bevel gear 12 which meshes with a bevel gear l3 on the spindle B. A gear [4 fixed on the left hand end of the shaft I0 meshes with an idler gear 15 journaled on the bracket H. A worm I6 is fixed to the forward end of a shaft l1 interposed in which is a universal joint i 8. To the rear of the universal joint a gear I9 is mounted to turn freely on the shaft I! and to mesh with a gear 20 on the drum 5. A pawl and ratchet device 2| is arranged to transmit drive from the gear 20 and the gear Hi to the shaft ll when the carriage is moved in letter spacing direction, rotating the worm l6 during all letter spacing movement of the carriage. Means are provided for shifting the forward end of the shaft IT and the worm IE to cause the latter to mesh selectively with either the gear 9 on the spindle l or with the idler gear l5 which drives the spindle 8 through the gear M, the shaft If], and the bevel gears I2 and [3, the selective drive of the spindles l and 8 providing for reversal of the ink ribbon feed in the usual manner. Means for controlling this selective operation includes an arm 22 fixed to a shaft 23 journaled on the bracket II, the arm supporting and journaling the hub of a ratchet wheel 24 fixed to the outer end of the shaft I! and adapted to cooperate in a known manner with a pawl (not shown) for preventing reverse rotation of the shaft ll during return movement of the carriage. A lever 25 also fixed to the shaft 23 is provided with a stud 25 which extends through an opening 21 in the front wall of the frame and provides for manual rocking of the lever 22 for raising the worm 16 into engagement with the gear 5 as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4, or for lowering the worm into engagement with the gear i5 as shown in full lines in Figure 4, the limits of rocking of the levers 22 and 25 being determined by engagement of the worm with the gears 9 and I5.

For disengaging the worm 16 from both the gears 9 and i5 to render both spindles 1 and 8 inoperative, the Worm It; is moved to an intermediate position as shown in Figure 3. For maintaining the worm in this position a centralizing cam lever 28' pivoted on the frame as at 29 is formed with inclined cam faces 38 and SI between which the stud 2B is positioned. A pin 32 on the centralizing lever 28 extends through an opening 32 in the front Wall of the frame to provide for manual manipulation of the lever 28 which is urged to the position shown in Figure 4 by means of a spring 33, movement of the lever under the urge of the spring being limited by engagement of the lever with a fixed stop 35. Depressing the centralizing lever, i. e., swinging it in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures ,3 and 4, will cause the cam face 3 to cam the stud 26 on the lever 25 to the left into the position shown in Figure 3, thus positioning the worm it in a neutral position, disengaged from both gears 9 and Hi. If the worm l6 should be in a position to the left of the position indicated in Figure 4 (with the worm I6 meshing with the gear 9), depressing the centralizing lever would cause the cam face 30 to cam the stud 26 toward the right so as to rock the levers 25 and 22 in a clockwise direction and move the worm I6 to neutral or centralized position.

The ink ribbon feeding mechanism and manual reversing control therefor as thus far described is of known form and is similar to that disclosed in the patent to Myers 1,084,656 of January '20, 1914. Ink ribbon reversing mechanism which may be used for automatically shifting the worm Hi from engagement with the gear 9 to engagement with the gear [-5 and vice versa is fully disclosed in the Myers patent.

In accordance with the present invention means is provided for locking the centralizing lever 28 in the position shown in Figure 3. In the form shown, this means includes a lever 35 pivoted on the main frame as at 36 and provided with a seat 3'! adapted to receive the pin 32 on the centralizing lever. A spring washer 38 mounted under the locking lever 35 holds it yieldably in any position to which it is moved manually. When the ink ribbon mechanism including the spindles l and 8 is functioning the locking lever 35 will be in the position shown in Figure 4 wherein it is free from engagement with the centralizing lever pin 32. When it is desired to render the spindles 1 and 8 idle the locking lever 35 is moved to the position shown in Figure 3, wherein the pin 32 is shown as received in the seat 31 and the centralizing lever is held down so as to hold the worm IS in a neutral position out of engagement with the gears 9 and I5. The cooperation of the mechanism for thus locking the worm 16 in neutral position with other mechanism embodying the invention will be explained hereinafter.

A supply spool generally designated 39 is mounted on a bracket 46 secured to the frame A by screws 6| and serves to hold a supply 42 of ribbon 63. The supply spool includes a hub 39 having a reduced lower end portion 39 extending through a bot-tom flange 39 and into an opening in the bracket 46. The hub 39 is threaded to receive a screw 39 which clamps the hub and the bottom flange 39 to the bracket 46. The ribbon supply 42 is wound on a wooden core 39 journaled loosely on the hub 39 and resting on the bottom flange 3-9 A removable top flange 39 held down on a shoulder 39" at the top of the hub 39 by means of a thumb nut 39 prevents accidental displacement of the core and ribbon supply. The ribbon 43 is led from the spool over a guide roller 44 journaled as at 45 on the bracket 46, through the usual ribbon vibrator G, over the printing line of the platen, and to ribbon-feeding and take-up mechanism generally designated H. Sufficient frictional resistance to the rotation of the spool is provided by the weight of the ribbon on the lower flange to cause the ribbon 43 to be fed under proper tension. Preferably the ribbon is so guided that only a zone between the longitudinal center line of the ribbon and one ribbon edge is moved over the printing point.

The feeding mechanism H is carried by an auxiliary frame structure adapted easily to be attached to standard or known typewriting Inachines. This frame structure includes a mechanism frame 46 secured to the main frame as at 47-41, and formed with a forwardly projecting extension 48 terminating in spaced brackets 49 and 56. A top cover plate 5| secured as at 52 to the mechanism frame 46 is provided with downwardly extending spaced brackets 53-|54 located close to the spring drum 5. Forwardly of the mechanism frame 46 is a plate 55 secured to the top of the frame A as at 56. A vertically extending leg 51 is secured to the plate 55 as at 5'8, and at its lower end is secured to the mechanism frame extension bracket40 as at 59. A post 5! extending between the main frame and the leg 51 braces the latter and the mechanism frame 46.

In accordance with afeature of the invention, the ribbon 43 is fed at a definite rate with reference to typewriter operation, and ribbon fed by and past the feeding means is rolled up while constantly under tension. The illustrative. embodiment of the feeding mechanism includes a feed roll 66 fixed to a shaft 6| journaled in the brackets 49 and 56 of the mechanism frame 46. A guide roller 62, supported on a bracket 63 secured to the top plate 55 as at 64, serves to twist the ribbon 43 after it leaves the printing point of the platen and to direct it downwardly into peripheral engagement with the feed roll 69. A pressure roll 65 is provided for preventing slipping of the feed roll 66 with respect to the ribbon. The pressure roll is journaled on an arm 66 pivoted as at 61 on the leg 51, a spring 66 interposed between an ear 69 on the arm 66 and a link 16 pivoted on the leg 51 as at H normally tending to urge the pressure roller 65 toward the feed roll 66. The relative positioning of the pivots II and 61 and the connection of the spring 68 to the ear 69 is such as to form a spring toggle connection whereby, when the arm 66 is swung in a counterclockwise direction until the ear 69 passes the line of centers of the pivots 6! and 1|,-the arm will be spring-urged further in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown. in dotted lines in Figure 2. Movement of the arm in this direction is limited by engagement of a heel 12 on the arm with the link 16.

After being discharged by the feeding mechanism, the ribbon passes to a take-up roll spool 13 which is free to turn on a shaft 74 journaled in themechanism frame'46. A spring clip knob 15, positioned on the outer end of the shaft 14, releasably retains a spool cover l6? on the shaft. In operation, the spool 73 is always rotated at such angular speed that the ribbon 43 between the spool 73 and feed roll 66 is maintained under tension so as to wind the ribbon firmly on the take-up roll for subsequent use.

Driving of the feed roll 66 in predetermined relation to operation of the typewriter is effected by connections between the feed roll and the carriage B. In the form shown, the feed roll is driven from the gear 26 on the spring barrel. A gear 16 meshing with the gear 26 is fixed to a shaft 11 journaled for rotation in the brackets 53 and 54 of the top plate 5|. A bevel gear 16 fixed to the shaft 1'! meshes with a bevel gear 19 secured to a shaft 86 journaled for rotation in the mechanism frame 46 and provided with a bevel gear 8| which meshes with a bevel gear 82 fixed to a shaft 83 journaled for rotation in a bracket.

84 secured as at 85 on the mechanism frame 46. A sleeve 86 is secured on the shaft 83 by a set screw 81 and is formed at its lower end with a disk 88 on which is mounted a spring pressed pawl 89 adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 96 on a shaft 9| coaxial with the shaft 63. The shaft 9| is journaled for rotation on the bracket 84 and extends up into the sleeve 86 where it is provided with a reduced end portion 9 received in a bore 83 in the lower end of the shaft 63. A bevel gear 92 fixed to the lower end of the shaft 9| meshes with a bevel gear 93 on the shaft 14. A bevel gear 94 fixed to the rear end of a shaft 95 journaled on the mechanism frame 46 and bracket 56 thereof, meshes with the bevel gear 93. A bevel gear 96 secured to the front end of the shaft 95 meshes with a bevel gear 97 secured to the feed roll shaft 6|. 6

In operation, when the carriage is moved to the left, i. e., in the letter spacing direction, the spring barrel 5 and associated shafts and gears between the spring barrel and feed roll shaft will be driven in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1 so as to drive the feed roll in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, thus drawing ribbon from the supply spool 39 and feeding it over the printing line of the platen. When the carriage is returned toward the right, the gears and shafts between the spring barrel 5 and the pawl and ratchet assembly 89-9Il will move in the direction opposite to the arrows in Figure 1 and the pawl will ride idly over the ratchet wheel 90 so that the feed roll will not be driven. The pawl and ratchet device, therefore, provides a one-way drive clutch for effecting operation of the feed roll 60 only during letter spacing movement of the carriage.

As previously stated, it is desirable to tension the ribbon 43 and to wind it firmly, so that when the re-wound ribbon roll is transferred to the supply spool 39 and re-used it will feed over the printing point smoothly and with uniform proper tension. Mechanism is provided for rotating the take-up spool "I3 in a manner constantly to tension the ribbon extending between the take-up spool and the feed roll, even though the effective diameter of the take-up roll increases in accordance with the amount of ribbon rolled on the take-up roll. This mechanism constantly tends to drive the take-up roll at an effective peripheral velocity greater than that of the feed roll. However, the mechanism includes a friction drive coupling which permits a slip action, causing the spool I3 to be driven at exactly the same effective peripheral velocity as the feed roll. The drive coupling comprises a friction clutch including a pressure plate 98 fixed as at 99 to the take-up spool 73, thereby forming in effect a part of the spool, a disk I99 fixed to the shaft 74 by means,

of a set screw IUI which secures the disk adjustably spaced from the pressure plate 98, and leaf springs I02Ill2 secured to the disk I and frictionally engaging the pressure plate 98.

In order to prevent reverse rotation of the take-up spool 13, the pressure plate 98 is formed at its periphery as a very fine-toothed ratchet Wheel I03 engageable by a fine-toothed pawl I64 pivotally mounted as at I85 on the leg 57 and urged into engagement with the ratchet I03 by means of a spring I06. Preferably, the take-up spool I3 comprises spaced disks IGlIIi8 and a, removable winding core I09 adapted to be connected to rotate with the disk I08 by means of a pin III]. The core fits over a hub Hi8 secured to the disk I88. A collar'l i held fast to the shaft I4 by a set screw 14 is formed with an annular groove I4 adapted to receive a pin 15 carried by a spring 75* secured to the knob I5. Preferably, the knob '15 is secured to the takeup roll disk IN, the arrangement being such that when the pin I5 is withdrawn from the groove 74 the knob I5 and disk I81 may be removed as a unit, after which the core E89 and ribbon wound thereon may easily be removed and transferred to the supply spool 39.

When the carriage is moved in letter spacing direction the feed roll 60 and the take-up roll I3 will be driven by the gearing previously described and the tendency will be to drive the two rolls at the same angular velocity. However, at the start of re-rolling the diameter of the core I09 of the take-up roll will be substantially twice the diameter of the feed roll 50 and.

locity is permitted by slipping of the friction springs I'82 on the pressure plate 93. Thus the ribbon 43 between the take-up rollv and the feed r011 will be maintained under tension and the two rolls will be rotated at the same effective 7 peripheral velocity irrespective of the amount of ribbon wound on the take-up roll.

In the modification shown in Figure 13 the core I09 of the take-up roll is of the'same diameter as the feed roll 60. Thus in order to maintain the ribbon extending between the two rolls under tension there must be a tendency to rotate the take-up roll at a greater angular velocity than the feed roll, and in this form the tendency for faster rotation of the take-up roll is provided by substituting gears 92, 93' and 94 for the gears 92, 93 and 94 previously described. The pitch diameters of the gears 92 and 94' are twice as great as the pitch diameter'of the gear 93 on the take-up roll shaft I4, so that the angular velocity of the disk I60 will be twice as reat as that of the feed roll 58. Thus there always will be a tendency for the effective peripheral velocity of the take-up roll to exceed that of the feed roll and the intervening ribbon will be maintained under tension.

Mechanism for interrupting the drive from the spring barrel 5 to the take-up roll and feed roll includes a collar III mounted to slide on the sleeve 86 and having a pawl-releasing extension I I2 in the shape of a portion of a cone. Normally, the collar III is in the elevated position shown in Figure 6. When it is desired to interrupt the drive the collar is moved downwardly to the position shown in Figure '7 so that its inner conical surface engages the tail H3 of the pawl 83 retracting the pawl nose from the ratchet wheel 96 and operatively disconnecting the sleeve 86 and shaft 83 from the ratchet wheel 90.

It is preferable that the interrupting of the drive be effected by the operation of a control element conveniently located near the front of the machine. To this end a bell crank lever II4 pivotally mounted as at II5 on the mechanism frame 46 has one of its arms IIG provided with a pin II! which extends into a circular groove H8 in the collar III. The other arm N9 of the lever I I4 is connected to a link I 20 which extends forwardly for connection toa ribbon feed control lever I2I fixed to a rock shaft I22 mounted in brackets I23 on the frame A. The lever I2I 'is formed with a cam follower I 24 adapted to cooperate with a. cam I 25 secured to a rock shaft I26 supported in a bracket I21 and provided with a manually operable handle I 28. Stops I29 and I39 on the cam are adapted to engage the follower I24 for limiting movement of the cam. A spring I30 interposed between the arm I!!! of the lever H4 and the frame 46 swings the lever II4 to raise the collar III when the cam I 25 is rocked clockwise from its Figure 9 position.

In operation, the parts normally will be in the positions shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8. with the collar III in the position shown in Figure 6, so-that the gear connections between the feed roll shaft and the take-up roll shaft and the spring barrel will be uninterrupted. When it is desired to disconnect the feeding and ribbon take-up mechanism from the carriage the rock shaft I26 and cam I25 is moved to the position shown in Figures 4, 9 and 11, thereby rocking the lever I2I forwardly, pulling on the link I20, and rocking the bell crank lever H4 to move its arm II 5 and the collar III downwardly to its Figm'e 9 position, thereby disconnecting the .pawl 89 from the ratchet wheel 96 and interrupting the connections between the feeding and take-up mechanism and the spring barrel.

The typewriter may be equipped with tabulating mechanism of a known kind, for example, such mechanism as is disclosed in the patent to Myers 2,007,611, granted July 9, 1935. When the carriage is moved through substantial distances during tabulating operations it is desirable to interrupt the drive to the feeding and take-up rolls in order to avoid unnecessary and wasteful feeding of the ribbon. In accordance with the invention, means are provided for interrupting the drive connections in response to movement of a tabulator key lever I3I fulcrumed on the main frame as at I32 and normally held up by a spring I33. The control lever I2I is cooperatively connected to the tabulating mechanism by means of a crank lever I34 secured on the shaft I22 and a link I35 connected to the lever I34 and having its lower end looped as at I36 for sliding lost-motion engagement with a shouldered stud I31 on the tabulating key lever I3I. The arrangement is such that when the tabulating key lever is depressed the stud I31 will move downwardly until it engages the lower end of the looped portion I 36 of the link I35, continued downward movement of the tabulating key lever pulling the link downwardly and rocking the lever I34, shaft I22, and lever I2I, thus interrupting the drive to the feeding and take-up rolls. The lost-motion sliding connection between the lower end of the link I35 and the tabulating key lever I3! permits the tabulating key lever to remain in its inactive position when the lever I2I is rocked by means of the cam I25.

To recapitulate the operation of the mechanism described above, it will be assumed that it is desired to use the auxiliary ribbon 43 and not to use the usual ink ribbon associated with the spindles I and 3. The lever 35 will be moved to the position shown inFigure 3 wherein it cooperates with the pin 32 to depress the centralizing cam lever 28 thus moving the worm I 3 to the neutral position in the manner previously described. The supply of ribbon 43 is then placed on the bracket M and the ribbon is trained over the printing line of the platen, the guide roller 62, partially around thefeed roll 33, and then is connected to the core 539 of the take-up spool I3. Positioning of the ribbon 43 around the feed roll 30 is facilitated by first shifting the pressure roller 65 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. After the ribbon has been connected to the take-up roll the pressure roller is returned to its active position. The handle I28 is moved to the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 so as to set the collar H i in the raised position shown in Figure 6, leaving the pawl 89 free to cooperate with'the ratchet wheel 93. Typing may then be proceeded with and the ribbon 43 will be fed at a predetermined rate with reference to letter spacing movement of the carriage. Although the efiective winding periphery of the take-up roll will increase as typing proceeds, the friction coupling in the drive to the take-up roll will permit the roll to rotate with an effective peripheral velocity the same as the constant peripheral velocity of the feed roll 33. Due to the tendency of the gearing to drive the take-up roll at a higher,

peripheral velocity than the feed roll, the ribbon between the take-up roll and the feed roll will be maintained constantly tensioned so as to assure winding of the ribbon firmly on the takeup roll core I39. Depression of the tabulator key lever I'3l will interrupt the drive to the feed roll and take-up roll through the connections I35, I34, I22, I2I, I20, H4 and III, thus preventing useless and wasteful feeding of ribbon during travel of the carriage in letter spacing direction not accompanied by the making of typing impressions. When the ribbon 43 has been unwound completely from the supply roll 39, the take-up roll core I39 with the ribbon wound thereon is removed from the take-up roll and inverted and positioned in the supply roll, the ribbon again being trained in front of the platen, over the guide roller 62 and the feed roll and then being secured to an empty core I09 on the take-up roll, the machine then being ready for further operation.

If it is desired to operate the machine as an ordinary typewriter, the ribbon 43 is removed from association with the platen and the usual ink ribbon F is trained in front of the platen. The handle I28 is then moved to the position shown in Figures 4, 9 and 11 which will cause the cam I25 to rock the lever I2I forwardly as viewed in Figures 2 and 9 soas to depress the collar I II and disengage the pawl 89 from the ratchet 90, thus disconnecting the ribbon feeding and take-up mechanism from the spring barrel 5. To render the usual ink ribbon feeding mechanism operative, the lever 35 is moved from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4, permitting the centralizing cam lever also to move to the position shown in Figure 4 under the urge of the spring 33 and thus permitting the lever 22 to be moved to bring the worm I6. into engagement with either the gear 9 on the spindle I or the idler gear I5 which is connected to the spindle 8.

The mechanism disclosed herein embodies the invention in a now preferred form,but it will be understood that'changes may be made in the construction and relative arrangement of the parts without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim: I

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame; a carriage and platen mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; meansmounting a ribbon supply on the machine; means for directing and feeding ribbon from the supply over the printing line of the platen including a feed roll peripherally engaged by the ribbon; a take-up roll positioned to receive and wind up ribbon fed by and past said feed roll; drive connections between the carriage, the feed roll, and the take-up roll, said drive connections including a ratchet wheel and a cooperating pawl; anda pawl-releasing element mounted to move axially with respect to the ratchet wheel and having a surface comprising a portion of a cone adapted when moved axially to engage the pawl and move it from operative association with the ratchet wheel. 7

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame; a carriage and platen mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; means mounting a ribbon supply on the machine;

means for directing and feeding ribbon from the supply over the printing line of the platen including a feed roll peripherally engaged by the ribbon; a take-up roll positioned to receive and wind up ribbon fed by and past said feed roll; drive connections between the carriage, the feed roll, and thetake-up roll, said drive connections including a ratchet wheel and a cooperating pawl; a pawl-releasing element mounted to move axially With respect to the ratchet wheel and having a surface comprising a portion of a cone adapted when moved axially to engage the pawl and move it from operative association with the ratchet wheel; and means for moving said pawl-releasing element including a lever provided with a cam follower, and a cam engaging said follower.

3; In a typewriting or like machine, the com bination of a main frame; a carriage and platen 'mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; means mounting a ribbon supply on the machine; means for directing and feeding ribbon from the supply over the printing line of the platen including a ribbon-advancing feed roll.

peripherally engaged by the ribbon; a take-up roll positioned to receive and wind up ribbon fed by and past said feed roll; and drive connections between the carriage, the feed roll, and the takeup rolLthe drive. connections between the carriage and take-up roll including a shaft rotatable with respect to the take-up roll, and spring means fixed to the shaft and frictionally connected to the takeuproll.

4. Ina typewriting machine, the combination of a mainframe; a carriage and platen mounted thereon for. letter-spacing and return movements;

up roll; and means for preventing reverse rotation of said. take-up roll comprising a ratchet thereon and a pawl cooperating with the ratchet.

5..In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame; a carriage and platen. mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements;

.means mounting a ribbon supply on the machine;

means for directing and feedingribbon from the supply over the printing line of the platen. including a feed roll peripherally engaged by the ribbon; a take-up roll positioned toreceive and windup ribbon fed by and past said feed. roll; and drive connections. between the carriage, the feed roll, and the take-up roll, the driveconnections between the carriage and take-up ro1lin. 'cluding a shaft rotatable with respect to the. takeup roll, a disk mounted on said shaft, friction drive-transmitting means interposed between and being operatively connected to the take-up roll and thedisk, and means-for securingsaid disk in adjusted position axially of the shaft for varying friction drive effect.

6-. Ina typewriting machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage and platen mounted thereon for. letter spacing and return movements; means-mounting a ribbon supply on the machine; means including a. feed roll for feeding ribbon from said supplyv over the printing line of, the platen; connections between the carriage and feed.

roll for normally operating the latter during movement of the carriagein letter-spacing clirecc tion; a device for interrupting the drive to said.

feedroll; a tabulator key lever; a ribbon feed control member; and operating connections between said drive-interrupting device, said ribbon feed control member, and said tabulator key lever for transmitting movement selectively frornthe ribbon feed control member and the tabulator key lever to the drive-interrupting device, said oper- 7 ating connections including a lost motionconnection effective to transmit motion from the tabulator key lever but ineffective to transmit motion thereto.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a frame; a carriage and platen mounted thereon for letter spacing and return movements; means mounting a ribbon supply on the machine; means including a feed roll for feeding ribbon from said supply over the printing line of the platen; gearing between the carriage and feed roll including a clutch comprising an element shiftable for selectively engaging and disengaging said clutch; a rock shaft on said frame; means connecting the rock shaft to said shiftable element; a manually operable control'member for rocking said shaft; a tabulator key lever mounted on the frame; a crank lever on said rock shaft; and a lost motion link connection between said two levers.

8. In a typewriting machine, a frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary drum for effecting carriage letter spacing movements; a gear rotatable with said drum during carriage letter-spacing movements; a first shaft operatively connected to said gear to be driven thereby; a second shaft gear-driven by said first shaft; a take-up roll journaled co-axially with said second shaft; a disc fixed to said second shaft; leaf spring means fixed to said disc and frictionally engaging said take-up roll for impositively driving the latter;

a third shaft gear driven by said first shaft; a ribbon feed roll driven positively bysaid third shaft; and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound upon said take-up roll.

9. In a typewriting machine, a frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary drum for effecting carriage letter-spacing movements; a gear rotatable with. said drum during carriage letterspacing movements; a first shaft operatively connected to said gear to be driven thereby; a

, second shaft gear-driven by said first shaft; a

take-up roll journaled co-axially with said second shaft; a disc on said second, shaft; leaf. spring means fixed to saiddisc and frictionally engaging said take-uproll for impositively driving the latter; means for securing said disc to said second shaftrin different positions. of adjustment with respect to proximity to said take-up roll; a third shaft gear-driven by said first shaft; a ribbon feed roll driven positively by said third shaft; and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound 'upon said take-up roll. I

10. In a typewriting machine, a frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary drum for effectingcarriage letter-spacing movements; a gear rotatable with said. drum during carriage letter-spacing movements; a first shaft operativelyconnectedv to said gear to be driven thereby; a second shaft. gear-driven by said first shaft; a take-up roll journaled co-aXially with said second shaft; a

said disc and frictionallyengaging said take-up roll for impositively driving the latter; a third shaft gear-driven by said first shaft; a ribbon feed roll driven positively by said third shaft; and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound upon said take-up roll.

11. In a typewriting machine, a main frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary power-operated drum journaled on said main frame adjacent the rear and one end thereof; connections between said drum and said carriage for effecting letterspacing drive of the carriage by rotation of the drum; a gear rotatable by said drum; and ribbon feeding equipment attachable to said main frame and comprising an auxiliary frame mounted on said main frame at the end of the latter adjacent said drum, a feed roll journaled on said auxiliary frame, a take-up roll journaled on said auxiliary frame, driving connections between said feed roll, said take-up roll, and said drum-rotatable gear, the connections between said take-up roll and said drum-rotatable gear including an impositive drive device, and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound upon said takeup roll.

12. In a typewriting machine, a main frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary power-operated drum journaled on said main frame adjacent the rear and one end thereof; connections between said drum and said carriage for effecting letter-spacing drive of the carriage by rotation of the drum; a gear rotatable by said drum; and ribbon feeding equipment attachable to said main frame and comprising an auxiliary frame mounted on said main frame at the end of the latter adjacent said drum, a feed roll journaled on said auxiliary frame, a take-up roll journaled on said auxiliary frame and disposed in a plane transverse to the direction of carriage travel, driving connections between said drum-rotatable gear, said feed roll, and said take-up roll for driving said feed roll in fixed ratio to carriage letter-spacing movement and for driving said take-up roll always at the same effective peripheral velocity as said feed roll, the connections between said take-up roll and said drum-rotatable gear including an impositive drive device, and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound upon said take-up roll.

13. In a typewriting machine, a main frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary power-operated drum journaled on said main frame adjacent the rear and one end thereof; connections between said drum and said carriage for effecting letterspacing drive of the carriage by rotation of the drum; a gear rotatable by said drum; and ribbon feeding equipment attachable to said main frame and comprising an auxiliary frame mounted on said main frame at the end of the latter adjacent said drum, a feed roll journaled on said auxiliary rame, a take-up roll journaled on said auxiliary frame and disposed in a plane transverse to the direction of carriage travel, driving connections between said drum-rotatable gear, said feed roll, and said take-up roll providing positive drive from said drum to said feed roll and providing irnpositive slip drive from said drum to said takeup roll, the connections between said take-up roll and said drum-rotatable gear including an impositive drive device, and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound upon said take-up roll.

14. In a typewriting machine, a main frame; a carriage mounted thereon for letter-spacing and return movements; a rotary power-operated drum journaled on said main frame adjacent the rear and one end thereof; connections between said drum and said carriage for effecting letterspacing drive of the carriage by rotation of the drum; a gear rotatable by said drum; and ribbon feeding equipment attachable to said main frame and comprising an auxiliary frame mounted on said main frame at the end of the latter adjacent said drum, a feed roll journaled on said auxiliary frame, a take-up roll journaled on said auxiliary frame, a shaft journaled on said auxiliary frame and extending parallel to the line of carriage movement from within the main frame beyond the end thereof at which said auxiliary frame is located, a gear connection between the inner end of said shaft and said drum-rotatable gear, a second shaft journaled on the auxiliary frame and extending transversely to the direction of carriage movement, a gear connection between said second shaft and the outer end of said first shaft, a feed roll and a take-up roll both journaled on said aum'liary frame to rotate about axes parallel to the direction of carriage travel, driving connections between said second shaft and said feed roll and said take-up. roll respectively, the connections between said take-up roll and said drumrotatable gear including an impositive drive device, and means for training ribbon over and in peripheral contact with said feed roll from whence to extend to and be wound upon said take-up roll.

GEORGE F. HANDLEY.

Images