US2294784A

US2294784A - Feeding apparatus in typing or printing

Info

Publication number: US2294784A
Application number: US311646A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert J Keating; John E Keeting
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-12-29
Filing date: 1939-12-29
Publication date: 1942-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 1959-09-01

Description

, Sept. 1, 1942. J. KEATING EI'AL FEEDING A PPARATUS IN TYPING OR PRINTING Filed Dec. 29, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet l P 942. H. J. KEATING ET AL 2,294,784

FEEDING APPARATUS IN TYPING OR PRINTING Fiied Dec. 29, 1939 e Sheets-Sheet 2 AQs' [Jim 7 ATTORNEY.

'III/{'(IIIIIIIIII/I/I/IIIIIIII/IIII;

Sept. 1,1942.

H. J. KEATlN-G ETAL FEEDING APPARATUS IN TYPING OR PRINTING Filed Dec. 29, 1939 54 4 J 2218 jg 32 E 2 .36 .36 IT? I 2y I Q BY 12 gimp wag v I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

5 f 1 2%1NVENTON:

Sept. 1, 1942.

H. J. KEATING ET AL FEEDING APPARATUS IN TYPING OR PRIN'IING s Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 29, 1939 INVENTORS:

ATTO EY.

Sept. 1, 1942. H. J. KEATING ET AL A FEEDING APPARATUS IN TYPING OR, PRINTING 6 Sheets-Sheet. 5 Y

INVENTORS:

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 1, 1942. H. J. KEATING ETAL FEEDING APPARATUS IN TYPING OR PRINTING Filed Dec. 29, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS.

I ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEEDING APPARATUS IN TYPING OR PRINTING Herbert J. Keating, Brooklyn, N. Y., and John E. Keeting, Bloomfield, N. J.

Application December 29, 1939, Serial No. 311,646

20 Claims. (Cl. 197-130) erating the typewriter or other machine, and

which may be juxtaposed or connected to, or actually incorporated in the organic structure of said typewriter or other machine as a permanent and inherent portion thereof.

The main object of the invention is particularly to provide means for operating a typewriter, adding or printing machine with an entirely new and high degree of eificiency, when addressing envelopes and cards or making short entries or calculations, etc. on envelopes, folders, cards or sheets, and for other purposes, so that an unwonted speed and convenience in such operations is attained.

Another object is to increase production of typed and printedmatter of the types indicated as produced upon a typewriter, adding or printing machine in order to reduce the cost of such work and save both time and labor.

A further object is to provide a device of the mentioned character which is simple and sturdy in construction, and yet extremely efi'ective in operation while having such an ideal and practical theory of design as to be durable and capable of withstanding long, hard use by relatively unskilled operators.

It is also an object of our invention to furnish a device for the present purposes which is conveniently adjusted for operation and as easily shifted out of action so as to allow regular and uphampered use of the machine to which it is attached or of which it forms a part.

It is a further object to have the device herein adapted for receiving a stack of envelopes, cards, etc., of different widths or lengths merely by adjusting guides on the device accordingly, while also having a take-up plate, and particularly a special stop at the working end of the stack allowing a single card or envelope to be initially released preparatory to feeding the same to the platen of the machine intended to type or print on the same.

Yet another object is to have the device provided with means for initially releasing a single envelope, card, etc., from the stack by depressing a release lever with a finger of one handwhile catching with the same hand a previously typed or printed envelope or card, etc., ejected from the platen, and for independently but simultaneously operatinga manual lever by the other-hand for feeding said initially released single envelope or card, etc., to immediate typing position upon said platen of the associated typing or printing instrumentalities.

Finally, it should be brought out that it is a particularly useful object of our invention to have a gear mounted upon the platen or roller shaft of the typewriter, etc., in a position to mesh with a gear drive mechanism upon the feeding apparatus in cooperation with the margin stops of the typewriter so that said gears will initially mesh in a predetermined position of the carriage preparatory to feeding an envelope, card or sheet, etc., into typing position on the typewriter.

Other objects and the numerous advantages inherent in the construction and nature of the invention and accruing from its sphere of use will appear more fully in detail as this specification proceeds.

In order to facilitate a more thorough comprehension of our invention and its most advantageous forms of construction and operation, the same is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which,

A ing shown in working operative position.

Fig. 1A shows the same in working inoperative or idle position.

Fig. 1B shows a detail of the feeding apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a side view indicating in dot and dash lines altered positions of certain operating parts and also a typewriter in operative association with the apparatus. 7

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a slidable sup.- port for a gear bent in shape to fit and partly envelope the typewriter frame and having an intermediate portion l6 thereof intended to drive the platen of the typewriter. v 4

Fig. 5 is a section of the parts of Fig. 4 as taken on line 5-5 in said view. 7

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the whole apparatus as taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of a one way slip clutch applied to a main shaft and an auxiliary feed shaft of the apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a special swinging frame of the apparatus embodying certain of the desirable features of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a non-limiting modification illustrating the invention as combined with and forming an organic portion of a typewriter, the typewriter representing alternatively, an adding machine or ribbon printing machine.

Fig. is a fragmentary View of modified detail of the platen gear drive.

Finally, Fig. 10A is a similar view of another modification of the platen gear drive.

Throughout the views, the same references indicate the same or like parts.

In large business ofiices where it is periodically or perhaps continually necessary to address envelopes, cards, etc., or make pay and tax entries on pay envelopes, or record data on cards, single sheets of paper or folders, and perform other like operations in repeated series, it is quite a problem to produce a large output of the matter to be typed or printed in this manner, and experience has shown that such work entails unavoidable expense and loss of time, because it requires efficient operators and is even then laborious and fatiguing. The number of machines tied up, the number of operators required and the oflice space thus occupied are all serious factors which must be considered, and all the disadvantages enumerated have apparently been unavoidable, as heretofore nothing effective has been proposed to remedy the situation.

However, it is now proposed herein to attack the problem from a new angle, so that all such operations will henceforth be carried out according to a new concept of inserting, feeding and ejecting a card, sheet or envelope, etc., into, through and from a typewriter, adding or ribbon printing machine.

Hence, with the foregoing and other objects in View, and also in order to remove all the mentioned disadvantages at one sweep, the invention comprises the novel and highly useful and effective construction and principles of operation as will now be explained.

In the practice of our invention, a stationary frame, generally indicated at I, forms the foundation of the structure and consists of a pair of spaced opposite

side frame members

2, 3, connected together at the front and at the rear by smaller frame members or plates 4 and 5, respectively, which are preferably secured to projections 6, B and 1, 1 on side frame 2 and equivalent projections on side frame 3, while a cross bar 8 at the lower part of the front is also secured to both side frames for a purpose presently to appear. The frame I as a whole is intended to be clamped to the rear of a typewriter so as to be rigid with the frame thereof, and for this purpose, a hook 9 is held loosely captive to the crossbar 8 by means of a loose bolt III or the like resting in an aperture in a plate II secured to bar 8. A cam lever I2 is pivoted at I3 to the hook 9 so that when said hook is caught under the lower edge of a typewriter frame, lowering of the lever I2 by hand will cause the cam end I4 to wedge against plate II and cause the clamp to draw the whole frame I'toward the typewriter. In order to determine a fixed relation between said frame I and the typewriter, a stop bar I5 is secured to the two side frames and is intended to abut against the rear of the typewriter frame, while holding the typewriter spaced 'a sufficient distance from the apparatus of the invention to allow for a clearance for the margin stop mechanism of the typewriter, and locates the typewriter properly with respect to the present apparatus. The frame thus connected can of course not buck or shift during use. It would also be feasible to screw or bolt the frame to the desk or table upon which it is mounted, but in any event, the typewriter I1 will preferably be located in the close fixed position to the frame I as indicated in light outline in Fig. 3.

Upon the frame I is mounted a pair of mutually similar rocker brackets I8, I9 which are 'swingable upon pivot shafts 2D and 2I at their ends extending into

bosses

22, 22, etc., of the

side frame

2 and 3, the latter serving as supports therefor. The mentioned brackets have upwardly directed

arms

23, 23, 24, 24, which are pivotally connected by the studs or

shafts

25, 25, 25, 2'6, to side

cheeks

21, 21, 28, 28, of a swinging, upper frame generally indicated at 29 and mainly comprising a pair of substantial transverse bars 30, 3i, rigidly carrying said cheeks upon their outer ends and having a pair of parallel side bars 50, 50 connecting the ends of said shafts on both sides, while two

parallel guide rods

32, 32 are fixed upon the checks to stiffen the resulting frame so that it will form a rigid unit free from twist which will swing on the brackets from a forward working operative position shown in Fig. 3, to a rear idle or working inoperative position shown in Fig. 1A, in which the typewriter is free and unobstructed and ready for any ordinary typing of letters and large sheets as though the present apparatus were entirely absent.

Due to the fact that the mentioned rear idle position of the upper swingable frame simply serves to leave the typewriter clear for independent use, said rear position is, of course not very particular. On the other hand, the forward working operative position is important and must be tolerably accurate, as will shortly appear. In order to determine the forward working position as well as a rear working inoperative position for said swingable frame and thus limit the amplitude of movement possible to the same, a pair of transverse bars '33, 34 are provided with rounded ends which are pivoted -in the lower inner sides of swingable brackets I8 and I9 below the pivot or fulcrum shafts 20 and 2I thereof. To these transverse bars are secured the upper ends of two pairs of rods 35, 36 which are threaded at their lower ends and immediately above the latter pass through a second pair of

transverse bars

31 and 38 beneath which the rods have nuts 39, 39 forming stops against said last mentioned transverse bars. In order to allow for slight swinging movement of the rods 35, 36, these last bars 31, 38have round ends pivoted in the side frames '2 and 3.

It is obvious that the brackets I18 and I9 actually form levers which fulcrum about their shafts 20, 2I, with the upper arms supporting the frame '29 and the lower ends. controlled by the

bars

33, 34, rods 35, 36 and particularly the location of the nuts 39, 39 on the rods and their engagement against

bars

31, 38, which will .determine just to 'what point the brackets I8, I9 and frame 29 may swing to the desired forward working operative position of said frame as shown in Fig. 1. This position can therefore be adjusted to suit by adjusting the nuts 39, 39 :so as to allow a longer or shorter swing of the brackets, but the rearward working inoperative position of the frame 29 as shown in Fig. 1A will merely be a haphazard resulting position in which adjustment is not necessary as no work is done in that disposition of the apparatus.

As the purpose of the invention is to selectively feed a single envelope, card or sheet of paper directly into typing position on the platen of a typewriter, the facilities for storing a stack of such envelopes, cards or sheets, and the special mechanism for feeding the same as stated will now be more particularly considered, inasmuch as the foundation structure of the apparatus has already been described.

The

cheeks

21, 21 and 28, 28 of the

bars

39 and 3|, respectively, may well be integral therewith, and carry the supporting

guide rods

32, 32, already mentioned, these rods having at their lower or forward ends

small stops

40, 48 best seen in Fig. 1 in broken lines and in plan View in Fig. 2, the same being sufficiently high to prevent the lower edge of the first envelope or card from sliding off the guide rods. Between said rods is fixed an intermediate take-up supporting rod; 4| held in place by a rear bracket 42 fixed on cross bar 3| and a front plate 43 secured to a transverse bar 44 which is in turn secured at its ends to the

cheeks

21, 21. Upon the rod 4| is slidably mounted a bracket 45 having a take-up plate 48 secured thereto and adapted to follow up a stack of'envelopes or cards, etc., generally indicated at 41. The take-up plate has a pair of

auxiliary guides

48, 48 secured thereto and adapted to slide on

rods

32, 32 in order to maintain the guideplate in efiicient operating position through the entire range of travel of said plate along the rods.

In order to ensure that the take-up plate will exert a desired predetermined gentle pressure upon the stack and constantly urge the same forward toward the operating end, a spring reel 49 is rotatably mounted below rod 4| between the side bars 58 secured at the ends thereof to the two cheeks 27., 21, 28, 28 of the frame 29, a band being secured and partly wound up on said reel at one end and having the other end passed over a roller 52 rotatably mounted between a pair of lugs 53 on plate 43, after which said end of the band runs beneath rod 8| and is secured to the bottom of take-up plate bracket 45. Supporting said reel is a bracket 53 forming a'bearing for a spring shaft 54 to which is fixed a spring (not shown) within the reel and a ratchet 55 exteriorly of the side of said reel, while a pawl 56 is pivoted in said bracket 53 so as to engage with the teeth of the ratchet and prevent unwinding of the spring. The latter is wound to the desired tension by a crank 57 fixed on the shaft 54, the inner end of the spring being secured to the shaft and the outer end to the reel in known manner, so that it will tend to rotate the reel by its tendency to unwind and thereby wind up and thus take up all slack in band 5|, thereby resiliently drawing the take-up plate in a forward direction from any point along the rods 3|, 32, 32.

At the front or operating end of frame 29 a pair of one-way feed rolls 58, 58 are secured spaced apart on a spindle 59 rotatably mounted in a pair of

bearings

68, 68 which may be of any approved type, even ball bearings, if desired, and the same form side portions of a bracket or frame 6| adjustably mounted upon a pair of spaced head supports it, 79 preferably forming rigid projections or lugs on a front feed mechanism frame or head generally indicated at 62. Upon the same spindle is mounted a freewheel return device'or one-way clutch 63 which may be of conventional type or any known type to which a pinion 64 is secured which meshes with a gear segment 65 operated by a finger trip lever 88. This segment and. lever member has a spring barrel 81 associated therewith, containing a return spring (not shown) tending to restore the lever after having been depressed, the lever and its barrel being mounted on a pivot shaft 68 between a pair of

lugs

59, 69 projecting rigidly inward from a transverse front portion of the bracket 6|. The head or front frame 62 has side extensions ll II which connect with and are secured rigidly to the

cheeks

21, 21 of the upper swingable frame 29.

If the lever 66 is depressed from the position shown in full lines to that indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1, the segment 65 will naturally rise and rotate the pinion 64 and through the clutch, also the spindle 59, and feed rolls 55, with the result that the foremost envelope or card 12 will be frictionally pushed down sufficiently to initially feed or warp the lower edge thereof ofi the small stops 49, 38 of

guide rods

32, 32 into a released position preparatory to feeding the envelope or card to the typewriter. In a position spaced below the feed rolls, a shaft 13 is mounted in bearings l4, M on the swingable frame, and provided with rotatable shedding or stripping rolls l5, 75 which are located at the foot of or below the incline formed by the

guide rods

32, 32 for the envelope stack, and adjacent to the small stops :19, 48 on said rods, so that as the envelopes reach the lower or front end of said rods, their engagement against the small fixed stops 48, 48 will be sufficiently insecure to allow ready release of the first envelope or card by operation of the feed rolls against the same upon depressing the lever 65 as already outlined. However, when the lever is allowed to return to original position, the clutch 53 allows the feed rolls to remain stationary.

Upon the last mentioned shaft H3 or intended two further rolls I6, 16 outside each of the guide rods 32, 32 (Fig. 1A) in order to prevent fouling or tearing any envelope on the small stops, and these last rolls are intended to take part in the regular high speed feeding of each envelope or card after release of' the latter from said stops the shedding or stripping

rolls

15, 15 serves to shed or strip any envelope that tends to follow the first which is actually being fed toward the platen while virtually forming an obstacle thereto during the feeding of said first envelope, the further rolls "5, 16 being sometimes found useful in cooperating with but tending to press the envelope initially against the feeding belts. It is to be noted that these rolls l5, I5, 16, 18 are merely idler rolls and are not directly operated by any lever but are operated by friction between the envelope being fed down between feed rolls 58, 58 and the

feed belts

85, 85. In other words, the card or envelope is warped by the feed rolls by depressing the finger piece 68 shown in Fig. 2, and the depression of the lever involved actuates

rollers

58, 58. As these rollers are mounted between centers on the shaft already referred to, and have the one way friction clutch, they serve to start the card or envelope in its downward movement and exert sufiicient pressure to snap the card over the hooks upset on the supporting and guiding

rods

32, 32. At the extreme sides of the front frame 62 area pair of pendent 'lugs H, 11 having bearing l8, 18 for a rotatably mounted roller shaft 19 provided with a pair of spaced rollers 89, 89 fixed thereon. In a position above each of said rollers is mounted an upper roller 8| rotatable on a stud or bolt 82 fixed on each Of the two

supports

10, 10, while a flexible and preferably resilient feed belt 83 of rubber material is passed over each pair .of

rollers

80, 8| so as to operate against the :respectively adjacent roll 16 on spindle I3 and against an additional roll 84 mounted for free rotation beneath each roll I6. The effect is that a card or envelope once started from. the stack will be caught between the two

belts

83, 83 and th rolls 16, I6, 84, 84, and if the roller shaft is caused to revolve so that the belts travel down against said envelope, the envelope or card will pass rapidly down between the belts on one side is included as well as drive means for the typewriter platen, as will now be considered.

Preferably on the right side of the apparatus, a manual lever 86 is pivotally mounted for limited arcuate movement about a bolt or stud 81 fixed on the right rear cheek 28 of the upper swingable frame and extends forward substantially alongside the keyboard of the associated typewriter and is capped upon the forward end with a hand rest or plate 88, a guide or retainer member 89 fast upon side frame 2 preventing injurious sidewise displacement or bending of the lever. Upon the inner side of this lever is fixed a dog 99 with a roller 9| rotatably mounted at its rear end for rolling engagement against a driving cam arm 92 pivoted at 93 in a post 94 secured at the upper end to th front frame 62 and held rigid with respect to the upper swingable frame by means of a reinforcing strip 95 secured at 96 to said post and at its rear end 9! to the rear right cheek 28. To the upper end of the cam arm is connected the .end ofxa flexible driving band 98 of a reel 99 mounted upon a one-way free-wheel device or clutch 100 as shown in detail in Fig. '7, said clutch having an inner clutch member IIM, fixed on roller-sha'fit I9 and a plurality of roller or ball bearings I02, I02, etc. which are effective to rigidly connect the two clutch members when the {band 98 ;is

drawn rearwardly by the cam arm, but -W-i115911- low the band to be wound up again on the reel by operation of aspring I03 (Fig. :5) with simultaneous return of the cam arm and manual lever to original positions shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 1A, and in dot and dash lines in Fig. .3 .60

from the positions shown in full lines in said Fig. 3, while allowing the rubber feed belts, 83, 83 to remain stationary during .said return move.- ment.

" Upon the right side of the heador front frame 62 is an adjustable bracket I04 (Figs. 2 4 and 5) which can be adjusted outwardly along the lateral portion I05 of frame 62 and fixed in any desired position on the same by aknu-rled screw I06. This bracket has a bearin block I05! for the right end of roller shaft 19 uponwhich is slidably mounted a gear I08 having the interior teeth I09, I09 serving as keys located in the keyways III], III! in said shaft to ensure positi-ve rotation of the gear with this shaft. Mesh- I5 belts 83, .83 .in :the frame above.

ing with .said gear 108 is a second gear III rotatable .on a stud or screw II2 fixed in block I01 in a position which will overhang the platen IIJof the typewriter I1 (Fig, 3). For the present purpose, the platen shaft I I4 has a gear .115 fixed thereon with which the overhanging gear I is adapted to mesh during operation. Normally, a foot II6 rests upon the desk or table supporting th typewriter and the device associated therewith and'supports the right end of thehead 62 carrying the gears in a slightly raised position in which the gear III clears the platen gear II5, this foot being articulated to a pendent link III in post 94 which is articulated in turn at its upper end II8 to the lower end or short arm -I I9 by a pin or bolt I20, with the result that in idle upright position of the cam lever-92 shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, the link Ill and lower short arm II9 of the lever act as a toggle forcing the foot to .its lowest possible position.

While the bearing block has been shown as forming part .of an adjustable bracket, the same can well be rigid and/0r integral with the head 52, while gear 108 may be fixed on the roller shaft by a pin or key or any other means or be integral with said shaft.

When the operating lever 86 is depressed toward the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 from that indicated in dot and dash lines, the cam lever 92 will be forced back into its full line position, so that its lower arm II9 will raise link :III and thereby lift foot IIB off the desk and allow the upper swingable frame, especially at the front right side thereof to lower sufficiently to cause gear III thereof to mesh with platen gear I I5. This meshing occurs almost immediately upon beginning the manipulation of the operating lever 86, so that the rotation .of the roller shaft I9 is transmitted from gear I08, to gear III and by the latter to the platen gear H5 so asto rotate the platen and thus cause the same to receive the first envelope or card 12 as it is fed downward from the roller Thus, the belts are set in operation a already outlined simultaneously with .the rotation of the platen so that the'envelope is at once shifted to a good typing position.

When the envelope or card, etc., has been typed and is to be replaced by another from the stack, the feeding mechanism of the head 62, above the platen will again come into play, and when it is borne in mind that the operating gear vIII remains in one position while the typewriter carriage travels longitudinally with respect to the axis of its platen during the typing, it is obvious that the ear on the platen shaft must be brought to register beneath said operating gear. This is accomplished by setting one of themargi-n stops of the typewriter in proper position so that when the carriage on said ma- .chineisreturned to starting position both mentioned gears will register and will mesh when the head isslightly lowered, as already described. .Of course, a wide faced gear could replace the operating gear III ,so that it could mesh with the platen .gear at almost any point and in almost any attained position of the carriage, but an ordinary, width or face sufiices if the margin ,stopis first set for the carriage to bring the gears into register. On the other hand, a mar- .gin stop :can be set to cooperat with the tabulator keyof th typewriter to stop the carriage in aposition in which the gear III will register with the platen gear, or the hand lever 86 could well be provided with a projection or trip which would depress the tabulator key or otherwise independently operate a release for the carriage through links and levers.

Hence, in the present case, the obvious first step is to return the typewriter carriage to starting position or predetermined margin stop position and then the left hand is raised to a position in which the thumb and the index and middle fingers are ready to catch the typed card or envelope as it will be ejected from the platen, While the last two fingers of the sam hand are used momentarily to depress the release lever 66 in order initially to release the next card or envelope from the stack. At this moment, pressing down upon the manual operating lever 86 with the right hand will cause the feed belts and typewriter platen to operate, with the immediate result that the first card or envelope is ejected into the left hand from the platen and the second card or envelope just released is promptly fed into proper typing position on said platen. After typing the desired subject matter on the card or envelope, theejection and replacement thereof occurs by again carrying out the cycle of operation just described above. The manual operating lever can conveniently be limited in upward movement by an adjustable stop I22, while in the downward direction the lever may be limited by its contact with the curved or bent cam lever 92 and abutment of the latter against a stop I23 on frame 2, or by any other suitable means.

It has already been stated that the

guide rods

32, 32 form part of the structure of the upper swingable frame 29, but due to the presence of the small trip stops 4!], 40 at their forward ends, these stops require to be set rather accurately with respect to rollers I6 and feed belts 83, and hence, each rod is fixed to a block I34 beneath the forward portion thereof and a block I35 beneath the rear portion. Projecting rearwardly from each cheek 2'! of the upper frame is a stud I36 upon which the block I34 mounted, while a screw threaded stud I31 projects rearwardly from each of the rear cheeks 28 and extends through the respective rear block I35. Adjustment is obtained by means of the nuts I38, I39, and the same are locked tight against the front and rear faces of the block when the rod above is adjusted to desired position.

As cards, envelopes and sheets of various sizes are intended to be accommodated, a pair of adjustable rails I46, I40 are provided, each having a forward pendent lug I4I with an inwardly directed stud I42 which fits slidably into a horizontal hole I43 in crossbar 30 (Fig. 2), and a rear lug I44 bifurcated at the bottom so as to straddle one of the spaced reduced portions or grooves I45, I45 in each of the two side studs I46, I46 projecting rigidly from

cheeks

28, 28. If short envelopes are mounted on the

rods

32, 32, as shown indicated in full lines in Fig. 3 and in clot and dash lines in Fig. 6 at 41, but when long envelopes indicated at M1 in said Fig. 6 are to be used, the rails are slid apart and set in the outer grooves I45 on studs I46, I46. While on the subject of the stack or supply of the cards or envelopes, it should be clear that an upright stack or column can also be used, feeding the cards, etc., from the bottom or the top, if desired. 7

According to the described new procedure, it

is -slidably r will be appreciated that addressing of a large number of envelopes or typing data or calculations on cards, sheets, folders, etc., will be quite rapid and convenient, as fatigue of the fingers caused by adjustment of the roller or other facilities of the typewriter as such is absolutely eliminated and the fingers left to do the typing and perform other light functions only, such as depressing the initial release lever and the typewriter tabulator key, while the heavy work is all concentrated into the one simple operation of depressing the manual lever by the whole right hand or palm. It is also evident that th operations involved in the mechanism and typewriter are all predetermined so that no great care or thought on the part of an operator is necessary and mere momentary and relatively light muscular effort will suffice, with the desirable result that all the attention may be devoted to the typing operation alone.

If desired, the lever 32 with its band 98 and wind up reel 99 etc., may be replaced by other equivalent constructions which will occur to those skilled in the art, so long a the one-way clutch device is included in the operation. Furthermore, the foot II6, as well as link II? and lower arm .I I9 of the lever 92 can be dispensed with and the head for the mechanism slightly modified as indicated in Fig. 10, at I24. Instead of the whole head, or at least the right side .dropping from the idle position indicated in dot and dash in Fig. 3 to the operative position shown in full lines, the head I24 will remain rigidly'in place and a bracket I25 pivoted on a stud I26 on lug I21 andcarrying the drive gear I33 and operating gear I II, is swingable about said stud is normally held with its arm I28 in raised position by engagement of the end I29 of operating lever I36 against arm I3I of said bracket as shown in full lines, while a tension spring I32 connected to arm I28 of the bracket and the lug I2I tends to swing said bracket and said gears counterclockwise as shown in broken lines when the operating lever I30 during operation moves in the direction of the arrow as shown in dot and dash lines, thus allowing gear III to drop into mesh with th platen shaft gear (not shown in Fig. 10). The drive gear I33 is in this case not directly mounted upon the roller shaft but is connected thereto by appropriate transmission or gearing (not shown). Fig, 10A shows a somewhat similar modification, in which th front frame I53 has a lug I59, while upon the roller shaft I9 is swingably mounted a bracket I69 having an extension I6I upon which the operating gear II I is rotatably mounted in mesh with drive gear I 63. Upon the bracket I66 the portion I62 which is eccentric with respect to the roller shaft is a tension spring I63 connected also to lug I59 of the front frame tending to rotate bracket we with gear III counterclockwis so as to mesh gear III with platen gear H5. A second lug I64 serves as an abutment for a compression spring I65 which acts against another eccentric projection I66 upon the swingable bracket I66 to swing the same in th same direction, but if the effect i stronger than necessary with both springs, either one may be omitted altogether.

Normally, the operating cam lever I33, like that of Fig. 10, in idle position rests aaginst eccentric portion I62 of the swingable bracket with suificient force to swing the bracket clockwise against its spring or springs so that part I66 is stopped against lug I59 with operating gear out of contact with th platen gear HE.

A very practical modification of our invention is shown in Fig. 9 in which the frame I49 of the apparatus is permanently combined with that of a typewriter to form a single unit, so that the typing instrumentalities and high-speed feeding facilities are permanently associated in one apparatus which will serve admirably for ordinary typing on business and legal type stationery when the swingable frame generally indicated at I5!) is swung back into idle position and immediately adapted for production basis addressing or typing of cards and envelopes as set forth for the previously described form of the invention. The manual lever I5I is retained in proximity to the frame I49 by the retainer I52, while the operating lever I53 is operated by a roller I54 on manual lever I5I, and pivoted at I55 in a block I56 which is slidable in the parallel gibs or guides I51, I51 to allow the lower pivoted end of said operating lever to withdraw to a rearward position when the frame I50 as a whole is swung back to idle or inoperative position. In general, this form of the invention operates in similar fashion to that of the first form already described.

Manifestly, several variations may be resorted to and parts may be modified or used without others, within the general scope and spirit of our 1 invention and the appended claims.

Having now fully described our invention and certain uses thereof, we claim:

1. Feeding apparatus for association with a typing machine having a rotatable platen capable of letter spacing travel and for selectively feeding a sheet of paper from a stack of sheets to a typing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of support means for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, means located in a stationary position spaced above the path of the letter spacing travel of the platen for initially releasing a sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, and further means mounted above the platen and capable of being lowered into a position effective to drive said platen while feeding said sheet to and around the platen to initial typing position, said further means being normally dissociated from the platen during operation of the typing machine.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from the stock includes movable gripping roller means for gripping and positively continuing the movement of said sheet, and rockable gear means for operating a gear rigid with the platen temporarily and exclusively during the mentioned movement while the last means positively continues the said movement.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from the stack, includes movable gripping roller means for gripping and positively continuing the movement of said envelope or the like toward the platen, rockable gear means for engaging a gear associated with said platen exclusively during said movement in order to rotate the platen and cause the same to receive said sheet and bring the same to typing position, a supporting foot extending downward from the apparatus having the lower end normally spaced up from the table or the 75 like supporting said apparatus when in idle position, and means for projecting said foot down into contact with said table or the like during said movement of the sheet and the rotation of the platen and thereby causing said foot to support the portion of the apparatus to which said foot is connected and maintain the same in proper relative position with respect to the gear on the platen for effective rotation of the latter.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet and feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen, includes rotatable means mounted upon the feeding apparatus and rotatable about an axis substantially parallel with the platen, sheet engaging means associated with said rotatable means so as to be caused to move and feed the sheet upon rotation of said rotatable means, rotatable idling feed roll means engaging against said rotatable means and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released sheet and feed the same to the platen, and a manually operable control member upon the apparatus capable upon 'd'epression thereof of causing said rotatable means to be rotated exclusively in the feeding direction which causes said sheet engaging means to feed the sheet in the proper direction past the idling feed roll means toward said platen, and also drive means operable upon depression of said control member for rotating the platen to cause the same to receive the sheet from said sheet engaging means and feed said sheet about the platen into typing position thereon.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support means for the stack and the means for initially releasing a sheet from said stack include a plurality of elongated parallel supporting members mounted upon the upper portion of the apparatus for supporting a series of sheets in a row having one end thereof adjacent to the front of said apparatus toward the typing or ribbon printing facilities with the front ends of said supporting members having stops for temporarily holding the first sheet in the row displaceably upon the supporting members, at least one rotatable shedding or stripping roller disposed adjacent to each of said stops in a position causing the shedding or stripper rollers adjacent to both stops to be effective together to receive and move said first sheet off said stops upon occurrence of movement of said sheet toward the rollers, at least one friction roller rotatably mounted upon the front of said apparatus in direct contact with the surface of said first sheet and having a pinion rotatable therewith, a, one-way clutch, and a depressible release lever rockably mounted upon said front of the apparatus having a gear segment meshing with said pinion and connected to said release lever by means of said one-way clutch, so that depression of the release lever will rotate said friction roller in one direction through said clutch and gear segment and pinion to rotate said friction roller and thereby initially release said first sheet toward the shedding or stripper rollers.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, having means controlled at will for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet and feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen, including a rotatable drive shaft mounted upon the feeding apparatus in general parallelism to the platen and carrying at least one feed roll thereon, a second shaft rotatably mounted on said apparatus substantially parallel with said drive shaft and also carrying rigidly at least one feed roll registering with the one or more feed rolls on the drive shaft, an endless feed belt mounted upon and connecting each pair of registering rolls on said shafts so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of said second shaft by means of the one or more feed belts upon the registering rolls, rotatable idling rolls registering with and engaging against said one or more feed belts and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released sheet, and to feed the same to the platen, a manually operable control member upon the apparatus capable upon depression thereof of causing said drive shaft to be rotated exclusively in the one feeding direction which moves the one or more belts in the proper direction for feeding said sheet past said idling rolls toward said platen, and means operable upon depression of said manually operable control member for rotating said platen to cause the same to receive the sheet from said feed belt or belts and feed said sheet about the platen into a typing position thereon.

'7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for operating the platen include a rotatable gear shaft supported on the upper portion of the apparatus, an operating gear upon said gear shaft adapted to register with a gear on the typewriter platen in one stop position of said platen, a one-way clutch connected to said gear shaft and capable of transmitting rotation thereto in one given direction, a rotatable reel connected to said clutch and having a flexible band thereon with a portion thereof capable of being drawn away from the reel proper "so as to rotate said clutch and thereby rotate the operating gear in said given direction, a return spring tending to return and withdraw said portion of said band toward said reel while the operating gear remains stationary, a manually operable control member mounted upon said apparatus, operating means connected to said portion of said band and operable upon depression of said control member to shift said portion of said band to a limited extent away from said reel and thereby rotate said clutch and operating gear in said given direction, and means also operable upon depression of said control member for temporarily causing the operating gear to approach and mesh with the gear on the platen upon depression of said manually operable control member so as to transmit rotation to said gear on the platen and thereby cause rotation of said platen.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet, and feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen, includes a rotatable drive shaft mounted upon the feeding apparatus in general parallelism to the platen and carrying at least one feed roll thereon, a second shaft rotatably mounted on said apparatus substantially parallel withsaid drive shaft and also carrying rigidly at least one feed roll registering with the one or more feed rolls on the drive shaft, an endless feed belt mounted upon and connecting each pair of registering rolls on said shafts so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of said second shaft by means of the one or more feed belts upon the registering rolls, rotatable idling rolls registering with and engaging against said one or more feed belts and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released envelope, etc., and to feed the same to the platen, a manually operable control member upon the apparatus capable upon depression thereof of causing said drive shaft to be rotated exclusively in the one feeding direction which moves the one or more belts in the proper direction for feeding said sheet past said idling rolls toward said platen, and wherein the means for operating the platen temporarily include a rotatable gear shaft supported on the upper portion of the apparatus, an operating gear upon said gear shaft adapted to register with a gear on the typewriter platen in one stop position of said platen, operating means for rotating the operating gear upon depression of the control member, and means also operable upon depression of said control member for temporarily causing the operating gear to approach and mesh with the gear on the platen upon depression of said manually operable control member so as to transmit rotation to said gear on the platen and thereby cause rotation of said platen.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for initially releasing a single sheet from the stack include a manually operable means upon said apparatus having facilities associated therewith for initially releasing a single sheet from said stack upon operation of said manually operable means, while the means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet, and feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen, includes a rotatable drive shaft mounted upon the feeding apparatus in general parallelism to the platen and carrying at least one feed roll thereon, a second shaft rotatably mounted on said apparatus substantially parallel with said drive shaft and also carrying rigidly at least one feed roll registering with the one or more feed rolls on the drive shaft, an endless feed belt mounted upon and connecting each pair of registering rolls on said shafts so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of said second shaft by means of the one or more feed belts upon the registering rolls, rotatably idling rolls registering with and engaging against said one or more feed belts and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released sheet, and to feed the same to the platen, a manually operable control member upon the apparatus capable upon depression thereof of causing said drive shaft to be rotated exclusively in the one feeding direction which moves the one or more belts in the proper direction for feeding said sheet past said idling rolls toward said platen, and wherein the means for operating the platen temporarily include a rotatable gear shaft supported on the upper portion of the apparatus, an operating gear upon said gear shaft adapted to register with a gear on the. platen of the typewriter in one stop position of said platen, operating means for rotating the operating gear upon depression of the control member, and means also operable upon depression of said control member for temporarily causing the operating gear to approach and mesh with the gear on the platen upon depression of said manually operable control member so as to transmit rotation to said gear on the platen and thereby cause rotation of said platen.

' 10. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary supporting frame, a, shiftable upper frame mounted upon and exclusively supported upon said stationary frame, means limiting the shifting of said upper frame to a rear idle position upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, means on said shiftableframe for initially releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen and for operating said platen temporarily to bring said sheet fully into a typing position upon said platen, at will.

11. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary supporting frame, a shiftable upper frame mounted upon and exclusively supported upon said stationary frame, means limiting the shifting of said upper frame to a rear idle position upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon, toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack including a plurality of elongated parallel supporting members mounted upon the upper portion of the apparatus for supporting a series of envelopes in'a row having one end adjacent to the front of said apparatus toward the typing facilities, and a release lever located at said front of said apparatus and having facilities associated therewith for initially releasing a single'sheet from said row upon depression of said release lever, there being follow up means upon said upper frame for applying pressure to one end of the stack in order to urge the row of sheets toward the feeding end, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen and for operating said platen temporarily to bring said sheet fully into a typing position upon said platen, at will.

12. Feeding apparatus adapted to be associated with a machine having a, frame with a rotatable platen and typing or ribbon printing facilities, and serving to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said feeding apparatus comprising a stationary supporting frame adapted to be fixed in position adjacent to said frame of said machine, a shiftable upper frame mounted upon and exclusively supported upon said stationary frame, means limiting the shifting of said upper frame to a rear idle position upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, means on said shiftable frame for initially releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen and for operating said platen temporarily to bring said sheet fully into a typing position upon said platen, at will.

13. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities-having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary supporting frame, a plurality of swingable supporting members pivotally mounted upon said supporting frame, a shiftable frame pivoted to said swingable members so as to be swingable thereon upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, means on said shiftable frame for initially'releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen and for operating said platen temporarily to bring said sheet fully into a typing position upon said platen, t will, there being means for limiting the swinging of the shiftable frame to a predetermined accurate operative position in the forward 1direction and to a rearward inoperative'idle posi- 14, Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary supporting frame, a plurality of swingable brackets pivotally mounted upon said supporting frame, a shiftable frame pivoted to said brackets so as to be swingable thereon upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, stop members connected to the stationary supporting frame for limiting the swinging of the shiftable frame to a predetermined accurate operative position in the forward direction and to a rearward inoperative idle position, means on said shiftable frame for initially releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen and for operating said platen temporarily to bring said sheet fully into a typing position upon said platen, at will.

15. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary supporting frame, a shiftable upper frame mounted upon and exclusively supported upon said stationary frame, means limiting the shifting of said upper frame to a rear idle position upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet i'nto engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, a head or front feeding portion upon the shiftable frame, means upon saidhead for initially releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen including a rotatable drive shaft mounted on said head in general parallelism to the platen and carrying at least one feed roll thereon, a second shaft rotatably mounted on the head substantially parallel with said drive shaft and also carrying thereon at least one feed roll registering with the one or more feed rolls on the drive shaft, an endless feed belt mounted upon and connecting each pair of registering rolls on said shafts so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of said second shaft by means of the one or more feed belts upon the registering rolls, rotatably idling rolls registering with and engaging against said one or more feed belts and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released sheet, and to feed the same to the platen, a manually operable control member upon the apparatus capable upon depression thereof of causing said drive shaft to be rotated exclusively in the one feeding direction which moves the one or'more belts in the proper direction for feeding said sheet past said idling rolls toward said platen, and means upon said head for rotating said platen to cause the same to receive the sheet from the feed belt or belts and feed said sheet about the platen to a typing position thereon, and manually operable control means for causing rotation of said shafts.

16. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary supporting frame, a shiftable upper frame mounted upon and exclusively supported upon said stationary frame, means limiting the shifting of said upper frame to a rear idle position upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, a head or front feeding portion upon the shiftable frame, means for operating the platen temporarily to bring a sheet initially released from the stack fully into typing position on said platen including a rotatable gear shaft mounted on said head, an operating gear upon said gear shaft adapted toregister with a gear on the platen in one stop position of said platen, the platen having a conventional step by step letter spacing movement, a manually operable control member mounted upon said feeding apparatus, operating means supported upon said head for rotating said operating gear upon depression of the control member, and means for temporarily causing the operating gear to approach and mesh with the gear on the platen so as to transmit rotation to said gear on the platen and thereby cause rotation of said platen. I

17. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of a stationary suporting frame, a, shiftable upper frame mounted upon and exclusively supported upon said stationary frame, means limiting the shifting of said upper frame to a rear idle position upon said stationary frame ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen and to an effective forward contact operative position thereon toward the typing instrumentalities for effectively bringing an ini tially released sheet into engagement with the platen, support means on said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, a head or front feeding portion upon the shiftable frame, means upon said head for initially releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack at will, preparatory to feeding the same'to said platen, and further means for continuing the movement of the initially released sheet from said stack and also feeding the same into engagement with and about the platen including a rotatable drive shaft mounted on said head in general parallelism to the platen and carrying at least one feed roll thereon, a second shaft rotatably mounted on the head substantially parallel with said drive shaft and also carrying thereon at least one feed roll registering with the one or more feed rolls on the drive shaft, an endless feed belt mounted upon and connecting each pair of registering rolls on said shafts so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of said second shaft by means of the one or more feed belts upon the registering rolls, rotatably idling rolls registering with and engaging a ainst said one or more feed belts and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released sheet, and to feed the same to the platen, a manually operable control member upon the apparatus capable upon depression thereof of causing said drive shaft to be rotated exclusively in the one feeding direction which moves the one or more belts in the proper direction for feeding said sheet past said idling rolls toward said platen, and means upon said head for rotating said platen to cause the same to receive the sheet, from the feed belt or belts and feed said sheet, about the platen to a typing position thereon, the platen having a conventional step by step letter spacing movement, and manually operable control means for causing rotation of said shafts, comprising a rotatable gear shaft mounted on said head, an operating gear upon said gear shaft adapted to register with a gear on the platen in one stop position of said platen, a manually operable control member mounted upon said feeding apparatus, operating means supported upon said head for rotating said operating gear upon depression of the control member, and means for temporarily causing the operating gear to approach and mesh with the gear on the platen upon depression of said manually operable control member so as to transmit rotation to said gear on the platen and thereby cause rotation of said platen.

18. Feeding apparatus for association with typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities having a rotatable platen, in order to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to a typing or printing position upon said platen, said apparatus comprising the combination of support means for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, means for initially releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack, at will, preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, a rotatable drive shaft mounted upon the feeding apparatus in general parallelism to the platen and carrying at least one feed roll secured thereon, a second shaft rotatably mounted on said apparatus substantially parallel with said drive shaft and also carrying rigidly at least one feed roll registering with the one or more feed rolls on the drive shaft, an endless feed belt mounted upon and connecting each pair of registering rolls on said shafts so that rotation of the drive shaft will cause rotation of said second shaft by means of the one or more feed belts upon the registering rolls, rotatable idling rolls registering with and engaging against said one or more feed belts and cooperating therewith to receive the initially released sheet, and a manually operable lever pivoted upon the apparatus and having a mechanical contact portion intermediate the ends thereof, a reel having a band upon the same, a cam lever pivotally supported upon said apparatus with a camming portion intermediate the ends abutted by said mechanical contact portion of the manually operable lever and with the end of said cam lever connected to a portion upon said band so as to draw said portion from the reel upon depression of the manual lever and consequent movement of said cam lever, a return spring connected to said reel and tending to return said portion upon said band toward said reel, a one-way clutch connecting said reel with the drive shaft so as to transmit rotation thereto from said reel in one given direction and allowing said shaft to remain stationary during return rotation of said reel and return of the band, cam lever and manual lever to original position, at least one feed roll secured on said drive shaft, a second rotatable feed roll rotatably mounted on the apparatus in register with but spaced from the first feed roll,

to feed the same to the platen,

a feed belt upon said feed rolls, a rotatable idling roll engaging against said feed belt and cooperating with the same to receive the initially'released sheet, and to feed the same to the platen, said platen having a conventional step by step letter spacing movement, an operating gear rotated by saiddrive shaft, a gear upon the platen in one stop position of said platen, and means causing at least said operating gear to move toward and mesh with said gear on the platen upon depression of the manually operable lever.

19. A feeding apparatus according to claim 18, including a supporting lever pivoted on said apparatus and having a supporting foot connected to one end adapted normally to rest upon the surface supporting the entire apparatus in order to maintain a portion of the same raised and the operating gear out of mesh with the gear on the platen, and means connecting another portion of said supporting lever to the cam lever so that upon operation of said cam lever, the same will partly rotate said supporting lever about the pivotal mounting thereof and thereby raise said foot sufliciently to allow said portion of the apparatus to lower and thereby bring the operating gear into mesh with the gear on the platen.

20. Combined feeding and typing or ribbon printing apparatus including a stationary frame having typing or ribbon printing instrumentalities and a rotatable platen in combination with means to selectively feed a single sheet from a stack thereof to typing or ribbon printing position on said platen, including a shiftable frame mounted upon said stationary frame and shiftable thereon from a rear idle position ineffective to bring an initially released sheet into engagement with the platen, to a forward contact position toward said typing instrumentalities effective to bring an initially released envelope, card or the like into engagement with the platen, support means upon said shiftable frame for supporting a plurality of sheets in a stack, means on the shiftable frame for releasing a single sheet from one end of said stack preparatory to feeding the same to said platen, further means upon said shiftable frame for continuing the travel of the initially released sheet from said stack and feeding the same directly to the platen, means for operating the platen at least temporarily to bring said sheet into engagement with, and feed the same about, said platen into a typing or ribbon printing position, and manually operable control means on said apparatus for causing the release and subsequent feeding of the sheet to and about the platen.

HERBERT J. KEATING. JOHN E. KEE' I'ING.