US2244115A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1941'. H. l... PITMAN TYPEWRITING MACHINE .Filed Nov; 5, 1958 3 Sheets-She'et l June 3, 1941. H. L. PITMAN TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed NOV. 5, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR HENRY L.. PITMAN Bf TTORNEY June 3, 1941- H. L. PITMAN TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1938 5 sheets-sheet 5 m3 wg wu MN TTORNEY Patented June 3, 194i UNITE STAT E.

Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York,

. N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Aapplication November 5, H338, Serial No. !239,045

(Ul. 19T-66) 14 Claims.

This invention relates to typevvriting machines, and more particularly to devices whereby the typing carriage upon reaching a line-end position is automatically caused to be returned to a line-start position. Such machine is generally exempliiied in Patent No. 1,238,908 to F. A. Hart, dated September 4, 1917, and Patent No. 1,679,741 to H. L. Pitman, dated August 7, 1928.

In certain kinds of Work it is required to change frequently, from a normal line-end position of the carriage to a different lineeend position. The typing of telephone toll bills is an example of such Work. The toll bill lists a subscribers calls for a given period and the data for each `call is typed on its individual line of the bill. The data for an ordinary call may consist of the place called and the toll charge. Thus, o-rdinary calls may be typed Within uniform line lengths covering merely a place-'called column and a toll charge column of the bill. As the iinal character is typed for the entry in the last of these columns in a line for an ordinary call, the carriage takes a final Step to what may be called the ordinary line-end position and the carriage thereby engages and actuates a carriage returnl starter or other suitable device to cause automatically the carriage to be returned to line-start position.

Other calls are notated with addition-al data such as a tax upon a toll charge exceeding a speciiiecl amount, and a code symbol. The bill form, therefore, includes, after the previously mentioned columns, a tax column and a code column.

It will be understood now that preparatory to extending the typing of a call line on the bill into. the tax and code columns, the automatic start of the return of the carriage from the ordinary line-end position must be prevented.

The object of the invention is to provide simple, efcient, time and labor saving means for preventing, in respect of typing extended lines, theautomatic start of returning the carriage from the ordinary line-end position.

The invention may include the following advantageous features. A particular 1ey operation may be instituted by the typist from the vicinity of Ithe typewriter vkeyboard preparatory to the carriage reaching the end'of an ordinary line andsuch key operation may determine that the carriage will not automatically be caused to be returned from the end of that line so: that .the line may be extended. Further, such key operation maydetermine that the carriage will automatically be caused to be returned at the ings in which:

Figure l represents a telephone toll bill.

Figure 2 is `a cross sectional side View of a typewriter employing the invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the mechanism for controlling the start of the carriage return.

Figure 4 is a perspective of means for guiding the toll bill around the platen.

Figure 5 is a front elevation showing the means, for controlling the start of the carriage return, in normal positions.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the Figure 5 means showing the latter conditioned for controlling the carriage return start in respect of an extended line of typing.

Figure 7 is a perspective showing details of the mechanism.

Transverse rows or banks of type keys. Hl, Figure 2, of the usual keyboard ii are mounted on key levers i2 having operative connections, not shown, to type bars i3 fulcrumed at lo. By means of said keys, said type bars are swingable upwardly and rearwardly to print against a tol] bill sheet i5 feedable around a platen l5. The platen is mounted in a carriage i7 that includes a frame having a front bar E5 having roller engagement at i9 with a front track 2B, the carriage frame also having lugs 2l engaging a rear track 22. The tracks 22 are supported by side frame-members 23 of the machine framework. Y

A spring motor 2d, escapement mechanism 25, and Ia carriage feed rack 26 cooperate to feed said carriage Vi, and its platen it, in letter feed direction at operations of the type bars i3 or the usual space key 2i.

The front bar l of the carriage has a tappet 30 to engage and depress a cam lever 3| when the carriage, in its advance, reaches a predeten mined line-end position, the depression of said cam lever in turn rocking a transverse bar 32 downwardly, said bar S2 having side arms 33 fulcrumed loosely upon a rock shaft 3d journaled in the frame side-1nembers 23. A spring 23,

Figure 6, normally upholds the bar 32 against a stop 29, Figure 3. Said bar 32 has an ear 35 connected by a link 35 to a lever 31 turnable about a pivot stud 38 on the framework. Said lever 31 has `a lateral tab 38 for lifting a trip link 49 out of latching connection with a keylever comb plate 4|. Said trip link 49 is pivotally connected at 43 to an arm 44 of a rock shaft i5 having suitable bearings, not shown, presented by the framework. Said rock shaft @l5 is connected by arm 46, link 41, and 'arm 48 to a rock shaft 49 also suitably journaled in the framework. Said lrock shaft 49 presents an arm 59 for engaging and shifting a carriage return pinion 5| along a shaft 52, suitably journaled in the framework, to clutch or unclutch said pinion with a clutch collar 53 on said shaft 52. Said shaft 52 has a reduction gear connection 54 to a shaft 55 extending from an electric motor 55 mounted upon the rear of the typewriter frame.

The rock shaft has an arm 51 to which is pivoted a pusher 58 extending rearwardly to control a switch 59 for starting and stopping said motor. y

When the carriage tappet 39, at a line-end position of the carriage, depresses the cam lever 3|, the transverse bar 32 and link 36 are correspondingly depressed, thereby rocking the lever 31 counter-clockwise of Figure 2 to lift and release the trip-link 49 from interlock with the comb plate 4|. It results that a spring 60 moves said trip link rearwardly, thereby rocking the shaft 45 counter-clockwise and the shaft 49 clockwise to shift the carriage return pinion 5| into clutch with the drive shaft collar 53. The counter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 45 also acts through the pusher 56 to cause the switch 59 to close to start the motor 56. The resulting rotation of the pinion 5| moves the carriage rig-htwardly or in return direction, as viewed from the front of the machine, said pinion meshing with a rack 3| on the carriage.

When the carriage in its power driven return movement reaches a predetermined point, the carriage tappet 39 encounters and depresses a dog 62 that is keyed to the cross shaft 34 thereby rocking said shaft 34 clockwise of Figures 2 and 3, to turn the shafts 45, 49 to shift the carriage return pinion 5| forwardly to unclutch it from the drive shaft collar 53. The carriagetappet-rocked shaft 34 has an arm 64 connected by a link 65 to an arm 56 of the rock shaft 45. The rotation of the shaft 45 that results in unclutching the pinion 5| from the drive shaft collar 53 also restores the trip-link 49 to latched position and also draws the pusher 5S forward to cause the switch 59 to open to stop the motor.

The trip-link 49 may also be released, to start a carriage return, by means of a manually operable carriage return key lever 61 pivoted at 68 to the framework, it being obvious that as said key is rocked counter-clockwise of Figure 2, it engages a by-pass pawl 69 on the forward end of the trip-link 49 and thereby lifts and releases said link 45 from the comb plate 4 I.

A carriage-return-limiting margin-stop body 1|, Figure 3, has a stop lug 12 that cooperates with a counter stop 13 on the carriage for finally arresting the carriage return movement after the carriage tappet 39 has served to depress the dog 62 to disconnect the carriage from the motor. Saidbody 1| is supported partly on the rock shaft 34, without binding the latter, and partly on a crc-ss rod 14 supported by the frame sidemembers 23 and held endwise as by collars 15,

Figure 3. Ordinarily, the margin stop 1|, 12, along with the dog 62, is adjustable laterally'to different stations and is located at any station by means of a pawl 16, and teeth 11 on said crossrod 14.

The mechanisms thus far described operate substantially as set forth in the aforesaid Pitman Patent No. 1,679,741 and I-Iart Patent No. 1,238,908, to which reference may be had for other details.

A work web 19 affords a succession of telephone-toll-bill forms I5 of the kind seen at Figure 1. Each form includes a Place called column, an Amt or toll-charge column, a Tax column and a Code column. The work web 19 may be located transversely of the carriage and platen and may be guided around the latter by means of a work Web chute 88, Figure 4, of the kind described in Patent No. 1,160,459, to J. A. B. Smith, dated November 16, 1915.

The first three typed lines a on the toll bill, Figure 1, exemplify ordinary calls, that is, calls for which the toll amount is less than 50c. ForV such ordinary call, no entry is typed in the Tax or Code columns of the bill and hence the cam lever 3| may be placed so that as the carriage takes the letter-feed step following the typing of the last digit of the amount, the carriage tappet 38 depresses said cam lever and thereby, as hereinbefore explained, automatically initiates or causes a return of the carriage by means of the motor mechanism.

The return limiting margin stop 1|, 12, along with the dog 62, may be placedV to terminate said return so that the carriage is left or settles at the letter space position corresponding to the place where the rst character is to be typed in the Place-called column of the bill. If desired, the margin stop 1|, 12 and dog 52 may be secured against lateral displacement from their determined position by collars 82 secured to the shaft 34 by set screws 83. The dog 62 and the rock shaft 34 may have a spline connection 84 so that the dog may rock said shaft 34 and yet be shiftable along the latter.

The toll amount for a call may be 50 or more and in that case a tax charge is imposed and is to be listed on the bill in the Tax column and a code symbol may also be listed in the Code column. The typing of the line on the bill for such call, therefore, extends into the Tax and Code columns of the bill as exemplified by the lines b, Figure 1. Therefore, in typing an extended or tax and code including line b, the automatic causing of a return of the carriage from the line-end position determined for the ordinary call line a must be prevented and for this purpose the following mechanism may be provided.

The cam lever 3| is pivoted upon a headed stud 86 in an arm or wall 81 extending leftwardly from a body block 88 supported by but not binding the rock shaft 34. A U-shaped clip 89 is suitably and rigidly fastened, as by riveting 85, Figure 2, to the back of the wall 81 and embraces the cross rod 14 to keep said block 88 from turning about said shaft 34.

A transverse bar 9| is fulcrurned at one end on a xed stud 92 spaced tothe left of the body block 88 and extends rightwardly beyond the latter to a pivotal connection 93 with a link 94 that extends downwardly to a pivotal connection 95 with an ear 96 on a key lever 91. Said keylever 91 may be fulcrumed at 90, like the type key levers I2, andeXtendsfOrWardIy ,91 `ing the last digit in the Amt column. The

` 2,244,115 through guide slot in the comb plate 4| to present a key 98 at the typewriter keyboard A spring 99 tends to keep the. key lever 91 and hence the link 94 and bar 9| in normal positions wherein the key lever stops against the upper endv of said slot |00. In the normal position of the bar 9|, a shoulder |0| thereof engages the left end of a cleat |03 suitably fastened, as by rivets, not shown, to the under side of the block 88. The cleat |03 presents an ear |04 to which is attached a spring |05 tensioned to urgethe unit comprising 3|, 88, 89, |03 leftwardly, said unit therefore tending to shift leftwardly.

. The fulcrum stud 92 for the shouldered bar 9| may be in a block |06 supported on but not binding the rock shaft 34. At its part` |01, the block |06 may be supported by the cross rod 14 and may be xed to the latter by set screws. |08. The block |06 also presents an anchor |09 for the spring |05.

With the key lever 91 and bar 9| in normal positions, Figures 3 and 5, the spring |05 keeps the block 88 in normal position with its cleat |03 against the shoulder. |0| of the bar 9|, and the latter prevents leftward shift o-f the block 88. Thus, the cam lever 3| is located laterally in a normal position, Figure 5, wherein it will be engaged and depressed by the Carriage tappet 30 to depress the transverse bar 32 and so cause automatically a power1 return of the carriage to line-start position when the carriage takes the letter feed step following the typing of the last digit in the Amt column of the billA I5.

If the amount is say fifty cents or more and therefore subject to a tax, the typist may, preparatory to extending the typing of a line into the Tax Yancl Code columns, prevent automatic causing of the return of the carriage from the VAmt column by depressing the key lever by means of its key, at any `time before-typkey 98 may be distinguished from the rother keyboard keys l0 by the character Taxf The bar 9| is, of course, depressed about its fulcrum 92. by depression of the key lever 91, and its shoulder |0| is. thereby depressed below the cleat |03 of the block 88. It results.immediately that the block 88, and its cam lever 3|., are shifted leftwardly, along .the rods 34, 14, by the force of the spring |05 and the leftward shift may be stopped by a secondary shoulder` ||0 of the depressed bar 9|, as in Figure 6.

In this leftwardly shifted position, the cam lever 3| is stationed for coacting with the carrage tappet 30 to cause automatically a return of the carriage at the time when the carriage takes the letter feeding step following the typing of the last character in the Code column` of the bill, said last character` representing the end of the extended line. For placing the secondary shoulder ||0 level with the cleat |03, the down-stroke of the key lever 91, and hence of the bar 9|, may be limited by a suitable key lever stop on the comb plate 4|. Hlt'will be obvious that upon loosening the set screws |08, the block l 0B, together with the shouldered bar 9|, may be adjustedlaterally. Such adjustability facilitates determining exactly the positioning of the shoulders |0I, ||0 relatively to the letter-space carriage positions or steps at which carriage tappet 30 is to actuate the cam lever 3| for starting a carriage, return froma normal-line-end or an eXtended-line-end. As is conventional, link 94 is suiliciently` loose at the pivot 95, and the connection is therefore suban anti-friction roller H9 for engageme 3 stantially flexible, to permit said link 94 to swing laterally about said pivot so that its upper end at the pivot 93 may move laterally to permit a material extent of lateral adjustment of shouldeed bar 9|.

The rightward or return movement of the carriage may serve automatically to restore or shift the unit 3|, 88, 89, |03 back to normal position. Therefore, the clip 99 includes a` lateral extension H3 to which is secured, by a screw and elongate slot adjustment device H4, a plate l5 adapted to be engaged by a pin H6 in the front bar i8 of the carriage. By means of the adjustment device H4, the plate H5 may be set so that said unit will have been restored or shifted rightwardly, by the pin I9, in the carriage return movement, to bring the left end of the cleat |03, say, ele of an inch tothe right of the bar shoulder |0| when the carriage counter-stop 13 stops against the stop lug 12. This permits the shouldereol or latch bar 9| to rise under the force of the key lever spring' 99 and its shoulder |01 to confront they cleat |03. It will be obvious that in the leftwardly shifted position of said unit, the bottom of the cleat |03 may abut a step ||1 of the latch bar 9| to maintain the latter in depressed position.

Itwill be understood that after banking or stopping in its return movement against the stop lug 12, the carriage may have the usual drop back movement of about a letter space due to the usual back lash of the escapement 25. At the end of such dropback movement, the carriage will be settled at the letter space or line start position corresponding to the first character space in the Place called column. By such drop back movement of the carriage, its pin 9 recedesfrom the plate H5 to permit the unit 3 l-l 03 to be released from the bar shoulder l0!! by depression of the key lever 91.

The wall 81 of the unit .3l- |93 may have a lug |18 to coact with the tappet 30 for positively limiting leftward movement of the carriage at either position of said unit. The dog 92 may have Lt with said. tappet 30. The cani lever 3| may have a nose |20 for engaging the bar 32 and said 4cam lever may be stopped against upward displacement by a pin l2 |-in the wall 31. The bar 32 may be similar to the usual toothed ybar employed at this location in Underwood machines.

t will be apparent, now, that for determining that the automatic start of the return of the carriage will not be effected from the ordinary line end, that is, from the Amt column, the typist merely depresses 'the key 98. Moreover, the depression of said key determines that return of the carriage will automatically be started from the end of the extended line, that is, from the Code column.v The key is easily depressible since it is conveniently placed at the typewriter keyboardll. Further, the condition for automatic start of the carriage return from the Amt column is automatically reestablished by the return movement of the carriage.

Variations may be resorted; to within the scc-pe of the invention and portions ofthe improvements may be used without others.

What is claimed is:

l. In a typing machine; a frame, an advanceable and returnable carriage thereon, an element on the frame,V another element on the carriage to encounter and engage said first element during the carriage advance, power mechanism responsive to the engagement of said elments to cause said carriage to be returned, means tending to effect a relative shift of said elements in the direction, substantially, of carriage movement, means normally effective to prevent said shift,

and means operable at will to disable said preventing means and thereby cause said shift, whereby said carriage is returnable by said power Vmechanism upon reaching different positions in nism; an element shiftable on the frame in the direction, substantially, of carriage movement, said element being engageable by the carriage to cause said mechanism to return said carriage, a manually operable key, and means serving automatically in response to an operation of said key to shift said element from a certain carriagereturn-start-determining position to another carriage-return-start-determining position, said element being engageable by the carriage in either position.

' 3. In a typing machine having a frame, a carriage thereon, and a carriage returning mechanism; an element shiftable on the frame in the direction, substantially, of carriage movement, said element being engageable by the carriage: to cause said mechanism to return said carriage, a manually operable key, means serving automatically in response to an operation of said key to shift said element from a certain carriage-returnstart-determining position to another carriagey return-start-determining position, said element being engageable by the carriage in either position, and means acting concomitantly with the return movement of said carriage to restore said element to the first carriage-return-start-determining position.

4. In a typing machine having a frame, a carriage thereon, and a carriage returning mechanism; a body shif'table on the frame in 'the direction, substantially, of carriage movement, an element carried by said body, said element being displaceable on the body by a tappet on said carriage, means responsive to displacement of said element to cause said mechanism to return said carriage, a manually operable key on the frame, and means serving automatically in response to an operation of said key to shift said body from a certain carriage-return-startdetermining position to another carriage-returnstart-determining position.

5. In a typing machine having types and a letter-feed carriage cooperative with said types; mechanism for returning the carriage from different line-end positions in respect of -a normallength line and an extended-length line, including a motor mechanism, an element on the carriage, another element engageable by said carriage element, means responsive to engagement of said elements to cause said motor mechanism to return said carriage, a spring tending to shift one of said elements, a latch device restraining said one element in a position determinative of one line end, a key operable to release said one element from said latch for resultant shift of said one element by said spring, and meansV limiting said shift to a position determinative of the other line end.

6. In a typing machine having types and a letter-feed carriage cooperative With said types; mechanism for returning the carriage from dif- Aferent line-end positions inrespect of a normar- .len'gthline and an extended-length line, including a motor mechanism, an element on the carriage, another element engageable by said carriage element, means responsive to engagement of said elements to cause said motor mechanism to return said carriage, a spring tending to shift one of said elements, a latch device restraining said one elementr in a position determinative of ,one line end,l a key operable to release said one element' from said latch for resultant shift of said one element by said spring, means limiting said shift to a position determinative of the other line. end, and means, acting concomitantly with a` return movement of the carriage, to restore 'automatically said one element to said latch.

7. .In a typing machine having a frame and a carriage movable laterally thereon in opposite directions; means for determining two alternative limits of carriage movement in one direction,

including, in combination, an element on the frame, an element -on the carriage engageable with the frame element substantially to limit the carriage movement in said direction, one of :said elements being shiftable, parallelly to the 'carriage movement, from one position to another ment andr correspondingv to said other position -to arrestY and maintain said shift independently of said detent,V said one element being shiftable -oppositely for restoration'to said detent.

8. In atyping machine having a frame and a carriagemovable thereon'in advance and return directions; the combination with power-carriage- ;return mechanism, of an element mounted on the frame for shifts in the direction of carriage movement, said element being engageable by the carriage when the latter comes to a carriage- .advance-limiting Zone, means responsive to the Vengagement of said element by the carriage to cause said return mechanism to return said carriage, a normally restrained power device releasable to shift said element from one position to another position in said Zone, and means 0perable at will before the carriagecomes to said Zone to release said power device for a resulting shift of said element.

9. In a typing machine having a frame and `a carriage movable thereon in advance and return directions; the combination with powercarriage-return mechanism, of an element mounted on the frame `for shifts in the direction .of carriage movement, said element being envgageable by the carriage when the latter comes to a carriage-advance-limiting zone, means responsive to the engagement of said element by the carriage to `cause said return mechanism to return said carriage, a normally restrained power device'releasablev to shift said element from one position to another position in said Zone, means operable at will-before the carriage comes to saidzone to release said power device for a resulting shift of said element, and means for restoring said element to said one position by the return movement of the carriage, said restoring lmeans being operative independently of said releasing means.

` 10. In a typing machine having a frameand a'carriagelaterally movable thereon in one direction to two alternative positions, a device mounted on the frame for shifts in the direction of carriage movement to dene one or the other of said positions, means tending to shift said device to one position, means restraining said device in the other position, a key operable for releasing said device from said restraining means for resulting shift to said one position, and means for restoring said device to said other position and to said restraining means by the carriage movement in the direction opposite to the firstnamed direction, said restoring means being operative independently of said releasing key.

11. In a typing machine having a frame and a carriage laterally movable thereon in opposite directions, a device adjustable on the frame, parallelly to the carriage movement, to two different positions, said carriage having means engageable with said device in either position substantially to limit the movement of the carriage in one direction, a key, means responding to operation of said key to shift said device in said one direction from one to the other of said positions, and means operative independently of said key and enabling the carriage in its movement opposite to said one direction to restore said device from said other position to said one position.

12. In a margin stop mechanism for a typing machine carriage; a margin stop supported for shifts in the opposite directions of carriage travel, means tending to shift said stop in one of said directions, stop restraining means operable to release said stop for a resultant shift by said shifting means, an abutment for limiting the shift of said stop, a support for said restraining means and abutment, and means mounting said support for adjustment in said directions for varying the stop-locating positions of said restraining means and abutment.

13. In a margin stop mechanism for a typing machine carriage; a margin stop supported for shifts in the opposite directions of carriage travel, means tending to shift said stop in one of said directions, and an arm pivoted to said support and having two abutments spaced apart in the direction of carriage travel, one abutment restraining said stop against movement by said shifting means, said arm being movable about its pivot to retract said one abutment and interpose the other abutment to permit and limit the shift of said margin stop by said shifting means.

14, In a margin stop mechanism for a typing machine carriage; a margin stop supported for shifts in the opposite directions of carriage travel, means tending to shift said stop in one of said directions, a support mounted for adjustment in said directions, an arm pivoted to said support and having two abutments spaced apart in the direction of carriage travel, one abutment restraining said stop against movement by said shifting means, said arm being movable about its pivot to retract said one abutment and interpose the other abutment to effect and limit the shift of said margin stop by said shifting means, a key stationary relatively to the adjustment of said support with said arm, and an operating connection from said key to said arm, said con nection being flexible to permit adjustment of said arm along with its said support.

HENRY L. PITMAN.

CERTI ICATE 0F CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,2hl|.,l15. June 5, 19M.. HENRY L. PITMAN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the pinted specification of the above "numbered patent requiring oorrlectionlas follows: Page 5, second column, line 9, lclaim l5, .after :"dr'ectons insert ,thel vwords, and comma --a support mounted foradjustm'ent in said directions,; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein-that the same may conform to the record of thevoase in the Patent Office.

Signed Vand sealed this 29th day of July', AA. D. 19ML I Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting; Commissioner of Patents.

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