US2251099A - Symbol printing mechanism for accounting machines - Google Patents

Description

July 29; 1941. w. A. ANDERSON 2,251,099

SYMBOL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 29, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTOR WA]. A. ANDERSON BY (W ATTORNEY FIG.7

July 29, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON 2,251,099 I SYMBOL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 29, 1959 5 Sheebs-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORNEY July 29, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON SYMBOL PRINTING MEQHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 29, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON BY' [67 ATTORNEY July 29, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON SYMBOL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 29, 1939.. 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON BY K TT 'RNEY July 29, 1941. w. A. ANDERSON SYMBOL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed June 29, 19 39 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTQRNEY Patented July 29, 1941 SYlWBOL PRINTING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING llIACHINES Walter A. Anderson, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a. corporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1939, Serial No. 281,775

1 Claim. (01. 235-60) his invention relates to accounting machines, and more particularly to symbol printing mechanism therein. The present structure is shown applied to a machine of the type disclosed in United States Patents Nos. 1,198,487, 1,583,102, 1,934,747, 1,946,565 and 1,965,611.

In machines of this type, it is customary to print distinctive symbols designating the character of the operation performed. Heretofore, several independent linkages have been required to accomplish the selection of the symbols designating the particular machine operations,

It is an object of the present invention to provide a compact, simple and efiective means, comprised of a minimum number of parts, for controlling the selection and printing of the appropriate symbol of a group, in accordance with the character of the machine operation being performed.

With this and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claim, and a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an accounting machine embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic View of the keyboard,

Figure 3 is a right side elevation of the symbol printing mechanism in normal position,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but with the parts shown in position to print a debit total symbol,

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4, but with the parts shown in position to print a subtract symbol,

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5, but with the parts shown in position to print a credit total symbol, and

Figure 7 is a detail view of the upper portion of the symbol type bar.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Machines of the character disclosed herein have a keyboard 1 (Figure 1) and a traveling paper carriage 2, provided with a roller platen 3, around which paper sheets are passed for receiving impressions from printing type 4. The machine may be driven by an electric motor 5 or by a crank (not shown).

The present mechanism is provided with a total key 6 (Figures 2, 3 and 4), a sub-total key 1 (Figures 2 and 3) and a subtract key 8 (Figures 2 and 5). When a debit or credit sub-total, debit or credit total, or subtraction operation is performed, it is desired that some indication be printed on the paper beside the printed numbers to properly designate their character and make them distinguishable one from the other. To effect this, the machine is provided with a type bar ll (Figure '7), that is mounted for vertical reciprocation, and which carries type l2, 13, I4 and 15 to indicate these different operations.

The details of construction and operation of type bar H are similar to the symbol type bar 420 in Patent No, 1,946,505. For the purposes of the present disclosure, it is sufficient to remember that the type bar is pulled upwardly by spring tension at the beginning of an operation, and is lowered to its normal position, shown in Figure 3, at the end of an operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION INDEX OF ToPIcs Printing the debit sub-total symbol,

. Printing the debit total symbol.

. Printing the subtract symbol.

. Printing the credit total symbol.

. Printing the credit sub-total symbol.

1. Printing the sub-total symbol During ordinary listing operations of the machine, and during operations with sub-total key I depressed, the type bar I I rises until a shoulder IS on its lower end engages a surface I! on a lever I8, pivoted at 2| on a lever 22, in turn pivoted at 20, This rise is sufficient to place type I2 in alignment with the printing line of platen 3.

To impel the type against the work sheet, a hammer mechanism similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 1,946,505 is provided. Briefly, the hammer mechanism for the symbol type includes a hammer '23 pivoted on a rod 24 and impelled toward the type by a spring 25. When the hammer is released by the customary hammer catch 26, it is free to strike the type, unless a latch 21, pivoted on a rod 28, is lowered so that a surface 3| thereof is in the path of a stud 32, secured to hammer 23, in which event hammer 23 is restrained irom effecting an impression during that operation. Movement of latch 21 is effected by a spring 33, under control of rearward and forward movement of a rod 3 1. In the present mechanism it is desirable to have latch 2'! allow printing of the sub-total symbol during sub-total operations and to prevent the printing of the subtotal symbol during accumulating operations.

Referring to Figure 3, a stud 35 on the stem of the sub-total key 1 lies above the horizontal arm of a bell crank 36, pivoted at 3?. A slide 38 is connected to bell crank 36 and is guided for forward and rearward movement in the machine. The rear end of slide 38, through the tension of a. spring li, bears against a stud 42 secured to a frame pivoted at 44. When the sub-total key is depressed, slide 33 is moved forward in the machine to a position where it does not prevent forward movement of frame 53. This construction is fully disclosed in Patent No. 1,934,747.

Although slide 33 may be moved forwardly from stud 42, frame 53 will swing forward under the tension of a spring 45, inferior to spring 41, only in the event that a blank cycle has just been taken and no amount keys have been indexed prior to the depression of the sub-total key. This mechanism for enforcing a blank cycle before taking a total and so moving frame 43 is fully disclosed in Patent No. 1,583,102.

A lever 48 is pivoted at 4'1, and has its upper end turned over at 28 to cooperate with a recess 5| in latch 21. By this construction, when a blank cycle has just been taken and the subtotal key is depressed, lever 45 is moved to the position shown in Figure 4, where its upper end lies within recess 51 to hold latch 21 in its upper ineffective position. When held in this position, hammer 23 may fire at the appropriate time to print the sub-total symbol.

During accumulating operations, however, since the sub-total key 7 is not depressed, lever 55 remains in the position shown in Figure 3, with its upper end out of recess 5!. Hence, as rod 34 is moved away from latch 27, the latch is free to rock counter-clockwise about pivot 28 to place surface 3! in the path of stud 32, and prevent the printing of the sub-total symbol opposite the listed item. A notch 52 is provided in the forward edge of type bar I i to permit such counter-clockwise movement of latch 27 when the type bar is raised to sub-total symbol position.

2. Printing the debit total symboZ The total key 6 is used to condition the machine for total operations, and is also used to condition t fect a non-add operation, it is desirable to prevent the printing of this symbol.

When total key 5 is depressed to the position shown in Figure 4, a plate 53, secured to the key and having an offset flange 54 lying above an arm 55 pivoted on a rod 55, rocks the arm against the tension of a spring 51, connected to an arm 58, pivoted at 5| to arm 55. The lower end of arm 53 is pivoted at 62 to the upper end of lever I 8 above the pivot 21, and the movement just described pivots lever it slightly counter-clockwise about pivot 2i, as shown in Figure 4.

This swinging movement of lever 18 is just sufficient to place a surface 63 on lever l8 in the path of shoulder it. Now, upon operation of the machine, type bar I] rises to its position shown in Figure 4, where the total symbol lies in printing position. As shown in Figure 3, flange 54 also overlies the horizontal arm of bell crank 36, so that depression of key 6 also rocks the bell crank to move slide 38 forward the same as when sub-total key 1' is depressed.

As before stated, a blank cycle is always taken before the printing of a total. Consequently, when key 6 is depressed for total taking, the upper end of lever 46 engages notch 5|, holding latch 27 in its upper ineffective position. However, when total key 6 is depressed to effect a nonadd operation, since an amount is at that time indexed on the keyboard, lever 46 and frame 43 remain in the position shown in Figure 3, where lever 46 cannot prevent the movement of latch 21 to its effective position. The printing of the debit total symbol during this operation is therei'ore prevented.

It might be noted that notch 52 in type bar H is of sufficient length to permit counter-clockwise movement of latch 21 when the type bar rises to present the debit total symbol IS in alignment with the printing line of the platen.

3. Printing the subtract symbol During accumulating operations involving subtraction, it is desirable to have an appropriate minus symbol printed beside the amount. Referring to Figure 5, the stem of subtraction key 23 carries a plate 54 having a pin 55 overlying a forwardly extending arm of a lever B! pivoted on a stud 613. A spring H, connected between plate 84 and the machine frame, normally tensions key 8 upwardly, and a spring l8, connected between a depending arm of lever 67 and the machine frame, normally tensions the lever clockwise about stud 68 so that arm 65 rests against pin 55. A slide 12 is pivoted at its forward end on a stud '13 on the depending arm of lever 67, and has a slot 14 adjacent its rear end embracing a pin fixed in a downwardly extending arm of lever 22. A spring 76, connected between slide 72 and lever 22, normally tensions the pin against the rear end of the slot.

When an amount is to be subtracted, depression of key 8 rocks lever 67, which in turn thrusts slide 12 rearwardly, moving the rear end of slot 74 away from pin 75 and tensioning lever 22 upwardly, as shown in Figure 5. As fully disclosed in Patent No. 1,965,611, this conditions the totalizer for a subtraction cycle, during which, lever 22 swings counter-clockwise about pivot 20 under the tension of spring 76. This amount of movement of lever 22 is just sufficient to pivot lever [B clockwise about pivot 52 to place a surface 11 on lever I8 in the path of shoulder I5. Now, upon operation of the machine, type bar i l rises to its position shown in Figure 5, where the subtract symbol lies in printing position.

During a subtracting operation, since an amount is indexed on the keyboard, lever 46 remains inineffective position with its upper end out of recess 5!, but, it will be noted, with reference to Figure 5, that the distance of upward movement of type bar I i, in this operation, is sufficient to bring notch 52 above the plane of the lower end of latch 21, so that a pin in the lower end of the latch rests against the forward edge of type bar H, and thereby holds the latch in its upper, ineffective position. Hence, hammer 23 is free to fire and print the subtract symbol.

4. Printing the credit total symbol Frequently, in the course of machine operations, the totalizer becomes overdrafted so that the total to be printed is of a negative or credit character. In such instances it is desirable to have a CR symbol printed beside such a total to distinguish it from a debit total.

This machine is equipped with mechanism similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 1,934,747, to automatically condition the machine, during a blank cycle, for the taking of a negative total during the next cycle. Briefly, this mechanism includes a ball 18 (Figure 6) carrying an arm 8!, operable when the totalizer is overdrafted to strike a square lug 82 fixed on slide 12 and move the slide to the rear during the blank cycle preceding the total cycle. Parts 18, 8| and 82 correspond to parts I051, I062 and I061, disclosed in Patent No. 1,934,747.

When the slide 12 is so moved, spring 16 is tensioned, ready to pull lever 22 counter-clockwise about pivot 20, in identically the same manner as described above in connection with the printing of a subtract symbol. However, this being a total operation, before cycling the machine to take the total, total key 6 is depressed, and this results in the pivoting of lever l8 counterclockwise about pivot 2| to the position shown in Figure 4.

Now, upon operation of the machine to take the total, as lever 22 swings counter-clockwise about pivot 20 under tension of spring 16, lever I8 is swung further counter-clockwise about pivot 62. This swinging movement of lever I8 is sufficient to withdraw surface 11 from the path of shoulder [6, allowing type bar I I to rise until the shoulder strikes the lower edge of lever 22, as shown in Figure 6.

In this position, the CR symbol is in printing position, and since the upper end of lever 46 engages the recess 5! of latch 21, hammer 23 is free to fire and print the symbol.

Upon the completion of each symbol printing operation, the parts are, of course, restored to normal position in readiness for the next operation.

5. Printing the credit sub-total symbol In printing a credit sub-total symbol, the machine operates in the same manner as explained in connection with the printing of a debit subtotal symbol, except that the parts 18, 8!, 82 and I2 operate as just described in connection with the printing of a credit total, to move lever l8 two steps. This allows the type bar to rise the same extent as during a subtraction operation, placing the subtract symbol type 14 at the printing point.

To distinguish credit sub-totals from subtracted items, the customary two-colored ribbon is used, one color being used for the printing of both added and subtracted items, and the other color being used to print all totals and sub-totals. The means for controlling shifting of the ribbon for printing in one color or the other may be similar to that disclosed in Patent No. 1,198,487.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a simple and effective means to select and print the appropriate symbol of a group, and that by utilizing a compound movement for the lever that controls the rise of the symbol printing type bar, have considerably reduced the number of parts in the structure with resultant economy in manufacture.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended toconfine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is:

In a machine of the class described having a difierentially adjustable symbol printing type bar carrying a series of type, the combination of means operating in accordance with the character of the machine operation being performed, for determining the position to which the type bar is to be adjusted, said means comprising a lever having a series of stop shoulders for cooperation with said type bar and being connected at one point to certain machine function control mechanism, and being connected at another point to certain other machine function control mechanism, said first control mechanism being operable to shift the lever to one predetermined position, said second control mechanism being operable to shift the lever to a second predetermined position, and said first and second control mechanisms being jointly operable to shift said lever to a third predetermined position.

WALTER. A. ANDERSON.

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