US2313418A - Special character and amount printing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 9, 1943. H. E. BROWN 2,313,418

SPECIAL CHARACTER AND AMOUNT PRINTING MECHANISM Filed June 26, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR v x gerberffifimm2 ATTQRN EYS Margh 9, 1943. H, E.- BROWN 2,313,418

SPECIAL CHARACTER AND AMOUNT PRINTING MECHANISM Filed June 26, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 c a? 1/0 m BY Dam, M

ATTORNEYS Brown I I March 9, 1943. H. E. BROWN 2,313,418

SPECIAL CHARACTER AND AMOUNT PRINTING MECHANISM Filed Juhe 26, 1941 s Sheets-'Sheet'3 (moss nsbucw NET mm: cuscx FORTY FIVE DOLLARS AND 00 cms wws oov BANK CHECK PAY 'ro- John Do'e :$5.50

. BANK cmscx PAY moa. Smith 100.00

A Her/aerf E. Bmwn ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 9, 1943 UNETED STATES SPECIAL CHARACTER AND AMOUNT PRINTING MECHANISM Application June 26, 1941, Serial No. 399,808

9 Claims. (Cl. 101-93) This invention relates to a calculating machine and is particularly concerned with a safeguard printing means therefor, whereby the machine, when printing amounts on certain papers or documents, particularly checks or other negotiable instruments, may also print, to the left of and adjacent to the amount, one or more characters or symbols to hinder or prevent subsequent alteration of the printed amount by the adding of numerals to the left of the originally printed amount.

In some prior calculating machines having, for each numeral order of the machine, a type carrier carrying all of the type for the respective numerical order, each type carrier in orders above a certain numerical order, such as the units of dollars order, has been provided with an extra safeguard printing character type in a position adjacent to the type. and means have been provided for so controlling the positions of those type carriers which, during the operation of the machine, have not been moved to positions for printing digits other than 0, that the safeguard character type are positioned at the printing line in orders above the highest order of the amount to be printed, whereas the 0 type are positioned at the printing line in lower orders in which the type carriers are not positioned for printing digits other than 0. As the type carriers are connected with the differential actuator members by which the amounts printed are entered into or taken from the calculating or registering mechanism of the machine, such special control of the type carriers for the selection of the 9 and safeguard character type for printing inorders where digits from 1 to 9 are not printed-has required that the connection between the type carriers and the differential .actuator members be so constructed as to permit of relative movement between the type carriers and the differential actuator members and to permit of the shifting of the type carriers between their 0 printing and safeguard character printing positions without moving the corresponding diiferential actuator members. In machines in which such relative movement between the differential actuator members and the type carriers has not been required also for other purposes, such as for effecting tens-transfers in the registering or calculating mechanism, the provision for such relative movement between the type carriers and the differential actuator members has been an undesirable complication of the machine construction. The present invention proposes to provide for safeplied to other types of machines.

guard printing in calculating machines without requiring the provision of the extra safeguard printing characters on each of a substantial number of the type carriers of the machine, and also proposes to provide safeguard printing without requiring provisions to permit of relative movement between the type carriers and the differential actuator members and without special control of the regular type carriers carrying the digit type for the several numerical orders of the machine.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved safeguard printing means for calculat ing machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safeguard printing means for calculating machines employing a safeguard printing type member operated and controlled to print in all safeguard printing operations of the machine immediately to the'left amounts with varying numbers of numerical orders.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved safeguard printing means for calculating machines in which, for the purpose of permitting the printing of the safeguard characters in line with the amount, use is made of the case-shift movement of the platen instead of special movement and control of the type carriers of the various .numerical orders of the machine.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification and drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention and in which: i

Figure 1 is a left-side elevation of a machine with the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a right-side elevation of a detail of the mechanism shown in Fig. .1; v i

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, from the upper left rear corner of the machine, showing aportion of the printing mechanism and illustrating-the application of the invention thereto;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, from the upper lef front corner of the machine, of a portion of th mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate, by way of example, samples of work performed by the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.

The invention is shown applied to a machine of the well-known Burroughs-Moon-Hopkins' type, the general features of which are disclosed in Hopkins Patent No. 1,336,904. It is to be understood, however, that the invention mayalso be ap-;

General features The illustrated machine is a typewriting and ten-key calculating machine having a typewriter keyboard, the type keys 20 of which operate typewriter type actions, parts of which are indicated by reference numeral 2|, to cause the typewriter type to strike against a platen P supported on a traveling paper carriage C. Themachine also has a calculating keyboard indicated generally by the reference numeral 25, comprising ten numeral keys and the required calculating function control keys by which the calculating mechanism of the machine may be conditioned to perform the necessary calculating operations with'the amounts entered therein by means of the numeral keys. The calculating mechanism includes a series of differential actuator racks 3B cooperating with registering mechanisms 35. The forwardly extending portions of the differential actuator racks 30 form typetbars '3l in which the calculating machine type are carried the stems 32 of the individual type33 being vertically 'movably supported in the type carriers 3| so that the type-positioned along the printing line may be struck against the platen P-bya line-of printing hammers 34, oneof which is .shownrin Fig. ;1.

The calculating mechanism of the machine is operated from a-main drive-shaft 40 which may be operated -manually by means of a hand crank (not shown) but is preferably'operated by means of;an electric mote-r4! through a clutch mechanism 142 controlled-b-y-a motor'bar-43 as well as by certain of the function control keys above mentioned. The ,drivenshaft '45 of the clutch-has fixed thereon a crankAB-to-whichis connected one end of a link Alconnectedat its other end to a crank 4B:0n'the;shaft All. Upondepression of the motor bar 43 or one of the function-control keys above mentionedthemotorll -is caused'to give the calculating mechanismone or more cycles of operation, ineach of whichthe main shaft .49 is rocked first clockwise -from,its Fig. 1 position and then lines at A in Fig. 4, to the position indicated in dot-dash lines at B in Fig. 4, accordingly as it is desired to print from either one or the other of two types carried by each of a plurality of typewriter type-levers. When the platen is in its normal position A of Fig. 4, the printing line is in line with theline of types on the type carriers 3| in their normal positions. When the platen is in the forward shifted position B of Fig. 4, the printing line is forwardly of the line of "0 types on the type bars 3! in their normal positions.

The-platen shaft (Fig. 3) is journaled in the :platen Tframe side plates 5i (Figures 1 and 3).

which areconnected together in laterally spaced relation-by suitable cross members, one of which is indicated by52 in Fig. 3. The forwardly pro- I jecting ends of the platen frame side plates 5| rest turned-counterclockwise toits-Fig. lposition. The

drivemechanism, includingthe clutch 42, may be of theconstructiondisclosed indetail in Hopkins Patent 1,025,698.

During an amount or total printing operation of the machine thedifferential actuator racks are moved forwardly, that is, to the right in Fig. 1, during theclockwise movement of the shaft 40, as viewed from Fig. 1, to positions where those type in the type carriers 31 which correspond to the amount or total to be printed are positioned in vertical alignment with the printing line of the platen P, after which the hammers 4 are driven against the stems 132 of the typeat the printing line to drive such vtype against the'platen P, and, at a given point in the return of the shaft counterclockwise toits Fig. 1 position, the actuator racks '33 and type carriers 3| are returned rearwardly to their normal positions. The 0 type at the printin line in orders higher than the highest order to be printed are not struck against the record material by their hammers 4, as the machine includes G-print eliminating means such as that-disclosed in Hopkins Patent No. 1,336,904,and described particularly on pages 18 and 19 thereof. In; the normal position of the parts the 0 type 33 of the type carriers are positioned along the printing line of the platen P.

The typewriter mechanism of the machine comprises a-plat-en shifting means by which the platen P may be shifted forwardly from its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and .3, indicated in dot-dash :on roller studs 59x supported on the inner sides of the side plates 53 of the traveling carriage frame and the cross member 52 (Fig. 3) of the platen frame is pivotally suspended by links '54 from a cross-shaft 55 of the traveling carriage frame. I a I The shifting of the platen from its rearward amount printing position A of Fig. 4 to its forward typewriting position 33 is effected by depression of a shift 'key fifi, the'key lever (ii of which is pivotallysupported at its rearward end in the machine frame and connec'ted intermediate its ends to the lower end of a link'li2, which is connected at its upper end (Fig. 3) to the forwardend of a lever 63 secured to a shaft 5:1, to which there is also secured a lever 65 which projects into an opening formed in a lever 65 intermediate the ends-of the latter. Ihe lever 66 is pivoted at its left end as viewed from the front of the machine on a stud 61 carried by the machine frame, and carries at its right end asviewed from the front of the machine (its upper left end as viewed in Fig. 3) a roller 138 which bears against the rear side of the cross member 52 of the platen frame. Ihe platen frame is normally urged to its rearward position by the usual spring means 69, but upon depression-of the shiftkey 69 the link 62 is drawn dovmwardlyand rocks the lever 63, the shaft 64 and the lever 65 and lever 55 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 to shift the platen to the forward position B of Fig. 4. The parts may be held in this position by the usual shift-key latch until the latter is released upon completion of thetyping'and the platen is returned rearwardly by the usual spring, above mentioned, to the rearward position A of Fig. 4.

Theplaten occupies its normal rearward positionA of Fig. 4 during the printing of amounts by the calculating machine printing mechanism. If safeguard characters are to be printed to the left of the amount printed by the calculating machine printing mechanism, the safeguard character type is automatically moved to a position immediately in frontof the 0 type of one or-more of the type carriers 3 I located immediate- 1y to the left of the highest order of the amount printed, the platen is automatically shifted forwardly from position A to position B of Fig. 4, whereupon the safeguard character type is struck against the platen, after which the parts are restored to normal.

Safeguard printing means The safeguard character printing means are operated from the shaft to during the return stroke of the latter (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) after the printing hammers 34 have been fired near the end :of the forward stroke of the shaft 40 (clockwise in Fig. 1), but prior to the return of the differential actuator racks 30 and type carriers 3| rearwardly in the cycle of operation in which the amount is printed.

An arm I (Figs. 1 and 2) secured on the shaft 40 carries a shaft II which, during the forward stroke of the machine cycle, moves counterclockwise from the full-line position to the dot-dash line position of Fig. 2 and, during the return stroke of the cycle, returns to the full-line position. A pass-by pawl. I2 pivoted on a stud I3 on a link 14 carries on its forwardly projecting end a stud I5 connected by a spring I6 to a stud H which is carried by the link I4 and projects through a slot in the pass-by pawl I2. The passby pawl is thus urgedcounterclockwise in Fig. 2 (clockwise in Fig. 1) to the position shown in Fig. 2 where the shoulder 18 of the pawl I2 is in the path of the shaft II. During the forward stroke of the machine cycle with the pawl I2 in the position of Fig. 2, the shaft 'II cams the pawl I2 clockwise against the tension of the spring I6, but at the beginning of the return stroke the shaft 'II engages the shoulder I8 and drives the pawl I2 and thus also the link I4 rearwardly, or to the left in Figs. 1 and 3. Near its rearward end the link 14 is guided on a fixed stud 80 (Fig. 1) and is connected to one end of a spring 8! which urges the link I4 forwardly.

The forward end of the link 14 is connected to the lower arm of a lever 82 pivoted on a stud 83 carried by a fixed member of the machine. The upper end of the lever 82 is slotted to receive a stud 84 on one arm of a crank 85 pivoted on a stud 86 carried by the main longitudinal portion of an irregularly shaped slide 81. A spring 88 connected to a stud on the crank 85 and to a stud on the slide 81 urges the crank 85 clockwise to its normal position of Fig. 3. The main longitudinal portion of the slide 81 is provided with studs 89, 90 and 9|, by which it is slidably supported in slots in a supporting member 92 secured to a stationary portion of the machine at 93. A spring 90a connected between member 92 tends to urge the slide 81 forwardly though the spring 8| is of sufiicient strength that normally, acting through the link I4, lever 82 and crank 85, it is capable of holding the slide 81 in its normal rearward position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. The portion of the screw stud 9I which bears in the slot in the member 92 is eccentric with respect to the portion of said stud engaging in the slide 81 so that the front portion ofthe slide 81 may be adjusted vertically by r0- tating the stud 9!.

The forward end of the slide comprise a front transverse portion 81a joined through a longitudinal portion 81b to a rear transverse portion 810 which is joined to the main longitudinal portion of the slide. The forward arm of the crank 85 carries a roller 95 positioned above and in engagement with a roller stud 96 carried by a lever B! pivoted on a stud 98 carried by the forward transverse portion of the slide 81. The spring 88 is of sufficient strength to hold the roller stud 98 in the normal position shown in Fig. 3 against the tension of a spring 99 which is connected to studs on the lever 9'! and the front transverse portion 81a of the slide 81 to urge the lever 97 clockwise as viewed in Fig, 3. A slot in the lever 91 receives a stud I00 carried by one arm of a crank IOI pivoted on a stud I02 carried bythe front transverse portion 81a on the slide 81. The other arm of the crank IOI is slotted to receive a stud I03 projecting through aslot I03a formed in the ,portion 81a of the slide 81 and secured in a slide I04 which is slidably mounted on the portion 81a. by' means of the stud I03 and a stud I05 also secured in said slide I04 and extending through another slot in the portion 81a.

The left end of the slot I03a. as viewed from thefront of the machine (right end as seen in Fig. 3) forms a limit fixing the normal position of the slide I04 and of the lever 91 and stud 96.

At its right-hand end as viewed from the front of the machine the slide I04 has a guide I06 in which the stem I01 of the safeguard character type member I08 is vertically slidably received. A stud I09 secured in the stem I0! of the safeguard character type member I08 projects through a slot in the side of the guide I06 and into a slot in the end of one arm of a crank IIO pivoted on a stud III secured in the slide I04.

The crank I I 0 is urged clockwise as viewed in Fig. 4 by a spring I I2 so as normally to hold the type member I08 in its lower position.

The slide 81 and parts carried thereby operate as follows: When the link I4 is pulled rearwardly at the beginning of the return stroke of the machine cycle, the lever 82 is rocked clockwise in Figs. 1 and 3 and moves the stud 84 forwardly. During the initial portion of this forward movement of the stud 84 the spring 88 holds the crank against counterclockwise movement and, aided by the spring 90a, causes the slide 87 to move forwardly until the slide 81 reaches the limit of the forward movement permitted by its stud and slot connections with the member 92. During this movement of the slide 81 the special character type member I08 is moved to the position shown in dot-dash lines at I080. in Fig. 3 where its rear edge is slightly forward of the front edges of the 0 types of those type carriers which are in their normal 0 positions.

Continued rearward movement of the link I4 and clockwise movement of the lever 82 then. causes the crank 85 to be rocked counterclockwise in Fig. 3, thus raising the roller stud 95. The

I spring 99 causes the lever 91 to rock clockwise in Fig. 3 and the stud 98 tofollow the stud 95 in contact therewith. The lever 9'! acting on the has been moved forwardly of its 0 printing position in the amount printing operation. This movement shifts the safeguard printing type member from the position indicated at l08a in Fig. 3 to a position such as that shown in Fig. 4

and indicated in dot-dash lines at I08b in Fig. 3, Where the safeguard'printin'g characters are immediately to the left (as viewed from the front of the machine) of the highest order of the amount printed.

In the event that only the cents and/or dimes orders type bars 3! have been moved forwardly'of their 0 printing positions to print an amount less than one dollar, the safeguard printing type member I08 is prevented from moving all the way over to a position adjacent the dimes type :slot in the front transverse portion8'I'a of the slide 81. Though neither the units of dollars type bar 3I nor any higher order type bars 3| are moved forwardly of their printing positions, a 0 is caused to be printed in the units of dollars order at the same time that printing is effected in the two next lower orders by the usual means which, in machines of the illustrated kind, cause printing to be effected in the cents, dimes and units of dollars orders in every total-taking and/ or amount printing operation of the machine even when the total or the amount is less than one dollar. Of course, this well-known mechanism and the length of the slot limiting the movement of the stud I03 and type member I08 to the right, viewing the machine from the front, may be modified as desired so as to permit the printing of ciphers in orders in which other numerals are not printed in any desired minimum number of the lowest numerical orders of the machine.

The rearward movement of the link I4 and clockwise movement of the lever 82 also effects the automatic shifting of the platen from the amount printing position A of Fig. 4 to the typing position B, where the printing line of the platen is forwardly of the forward ends of the type bars 3I which are in their normal 0 positions and immediately above the printing position of the safeguard printing type member I08. For this purpose the lever 82 has a forward arm II5 projecting above one arm of the lever II6 pivoted intermediate its ends at I I! to a fixed member of the machine and having a second arm engaging; under the rear end of a lever I I8 which is pivoted intermediate its ends at I I9 to a fixed member of the machine. The forward arm of the lever H8 is connected to one member I of a linkage comprising a second member I2I having stud and slot connections with the member I20 and also connected to the member I20 through a spring I22 which normally yieldingly holds the linkage I2I, I22 in a contracted condition. The upper end of the link member I2I has a stud and slot connection with the lever 63 so that during the initial portion of the rearward movement of the link I4 and clockwise movement of the lever 82, the lever H6 is rocked counterclockwise and the lever IE8 is rocked clockwise and, through the yielding linkage I20-I22, rocks the lever 63, shaft 64, and levers 65 and 66 clockwise to shift the platen to the forward typing position B of Fig. 4.

After the platen has reached the forward position and the safeguard printing character type member I 08 has reached its printing position immediately to the left of the highest order of the amount printed and in front of the next higher order bar or bars 3I the safeguard printing type member I68 is driven against the platen by a hammer I25 also actuated by the rearward movement of the link M and clockwise movement of the lever 82. For this purpose the forward end of the lever H8 has a lateral lug I26 projecting above a pawl I2! pivoted on a stud I28 on a stationary portion of the machine and having an eccentric stud I 29 which is normally held in contact with the forward end of a lever I 30, alsopivoted on the stud I28, by a spring I3I connected between the stud I29 and the stud on the lever I30. The rearward end of the lever I30 carries a stud I32 which engages in the rearward slotted end of a lever I33 pivoted on a stud I34 carried by a fixed portion of the machine. The forward end of the lever I33 is connected through a link I35 with the hammer I25 which is pivoted on a stud I36 secured in a fixed portion 75 of the machine. When the lever H8 is rocked clockwise in Fig. 3 by the rearward movement of the link I4 and clockwise movement of the lever 82, the lug I26 engages and depresses the forward end of the pawl I21 which, through the spring I 3| rocks the lever I30 and thereby the lever I33 clockwise to pull the link I35 downwardly and swing the printing hammer I25 against the lower end of the stem I0I of the printing type member I08 to drive the latter against the platen. The hammer I25 is of sufficient length to strike the stem I01 of the safeguard printing type member I08 in any of the positions along the printing line to which the type member I08 may be moved. It will be seen that, regardless of the number of numerical orders above a chosen minimum number of numerical orders in any amount printed by the calculating mechanism in any safeguard printing operation, the special safeguarding printing type member is always moved from its normal position in Fig. 3 to the appropriate position in vertical alignment with the printing line of the platen, which has been shifted forwardly after the printing of the amount, so that the safeguard characters will be printed immediately to the left of the amount which was printed before the forward shifting of the platen.

Thus, during the forward stroke of the machine cycle while the shaft II swings clockwise, the type bars 3| are advanced to positions corresponding to an amount to be printed and, while the platen is in its normal rearward position, the amount is printed, and then, during the return stroke of the machine cycle and while the shaft II swings counterclockwise, the link I4 is moved rearwardly and lever 82 is swung clockwise to shift the platen forwardly and shift the safeguard printing type member forwardly and then laterally to a position in lateral alignment with and immediately to the left of the highest order of the amount printed after which, during further rearward movement of the link I4 and clockwise movement of the lever 82 and while the linkage I20-I22 expands against the tension of spring I22, the hammer I25 is operated to strike the type I00 against the platen and imprint the safeguard character or characters on the paper.

The Various parts involved are so proportioned that printing of the safeguard characters is effected prior to the time that the indexed type bars 3| being restored are moved from their 1 to their 0 position and while the slide I04 and type member I08 are held in the correct lateral position by the highest order type bar 3| which was moved forwardly of its 0 position for printing the amount.

After the hammer I25 has driven the type member I08 against the platen, the continuing return movement of the shaft II (clockwise in Fig. 2) carries said stud away from behind the shoulder I8 of the pawl I2, whereupon the spring 8'I returns the link M forwardly and the lever 82 counterclockwise to the normal position of Fig. 1.

In the return forward movement of the link I0 and counterclockwise movement of the lever 82, the printing hammer I25 and levers I33-I30 are restored to normal by gravity aided by a spring I 31 connected to the stud I32. The platen and platen frame, levers 66 and B5, shaft 54, lever 63 and linkage I20, I2I and levers II 8 and H6 are restored to normal by the previously mentioned spring, which urges the platen frame to its rearward position. During the initial portion of the counterclockwise return movement of the lever 82, the crank 85 is rocked clockwise in Fig. 3 to depress the roller stud 96 and rock the lever 91 counterclockwise and the crank IIII clockwise to restore the slide I04 to its normal position on the portion 81a of the slide 81 and return the safeguard printing type member to the position indicated at I08a in Fig. 3. During this movement of the parts B5, 91, IIII and I04, the springs 88 and 90a cause the slide 81 to be held in its forward position, but when the stud 96 is stopped by engagement with the upper edge of the portion 810 and slide 81, the further counterclockwise movement of the lever 82 and rearward movement of the stud 84 cause the slide 81 to be returned rearwardly against the tension of the spring 90a to the normal position of Fig. 3.

It will be noted that the safeguard character type I83 in its normal position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 is not only out of the path of. forward movement of the highest order type bar 3| but is also rearward of the line of the forward ends of the type bars 3I so that it will not interfere with the operation of the typewriter type levers, some of which must swing to a position across the front ends of the type bars 3| to the typewriter impression position as indicated at T in Fig. 4.

A pawl I38 (Fig. 2) is pivoted on a stud I38a fixed in the pawl I2 and normally urged by a spring I39 clockwise to the position of Fig. 2 where it is stopped by engagement of a lateral lug on said pawl I38 against the pawl I2. During the counterclockwise (Fig. 2) forward stroke of movement of the shaft II, the latter acting on the lower inclined edge of the pawl I38 merely causes the pawl I2 to rock about its pivot against the tension of the spring IE but when the shaft II passes off of the shoulder I8 of the pawl I2 during the return stroke of said shaft II, the spring I39 permits the pawl I38 to rock on its pivot I38a but the resistance of the spring slows up the return of the link I4 to normal so that the parts actuated by the link I4 are not restored too rapidly and subjected to undesirable shock when arrested in normal position.

Automatic control of safeguard printing 1 The operation of the safeguard character printing mechanism may be controlled so that the printing of safeguard characters to the left of amounts printed by the calculating machine printing mechanism will occur only in selected cycles of operation of the calculating mechanism. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings the operation of the safeguard printing mechanism is controlled automatically from the traveling paper carriage so as to occur only in cycles of operation performed while the carriage is in selected columnar positions. For this purpose, the stud I5 on the pass-by pawl I2 engages in a slot in the lower end of a link I40 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is connected at its upper end to the rear end of a lever I4I pivoted at I42 on a stationary portion of the machine frame. A spring I43 connected at its upper end to the rear end of the lever VII and at its lower end to the machine frame urges the lever I4I counterclockwise and the link I40 downwardly to the normal position shown in Fig. 1 where the shoulder I8 of the pass-by pawl I2 is raised above the path of the Stud 1 I. In other words, the spring I43 normally holds the pass-by pawl I2 in an inactive pos1- tion such that the safeguard printing mechanism will not be operated during a cycle of operation of they calculating mechanism. The forward end of the lever I4I has a stud and slot connection with one arm of a lever I 44 pivoted on a stationary portion of the machine frame. The other arm of the lever I44 carries a roller I45 which, in selected columnar positions of the carriage, is cammed upwardly by a cam plate I46 carried on the traveling carriage frame. Thus, in a selected columnar position or positions of the paper carriage, the roller I45 and thereby the link I 40 are elevated to permit the spring I6 to rock the pass-by pawl to the active position of Fig. 2 where the shoulder I8 of the pawl will be engaged by the stud II during the return stroke of the cycle of the calculating mechanism, whereby the printing of safeguard characters to the left of the amount is effected in a manner already described.

Examples of work Figs. 5 and 6 show, by way of example only, two examples of work which may be performed on the illustrated machine.- In Fig. 5, J represents a section of a journal sheet or strip which is passed around the platen P. Also, in Fig. 5, I represents a document such as a bank check or other negotiable instrument on which a value is to be written and protected against raising by the printing of safeguard printing characters. Tabulation of the paper carriage during operation of the calculating mechanism may be controlled automatically by tabulating mechanism as illustrated in the Thieme Patent No. 1,259,929 or 1,027,225, and the return movement of'the carriage may be effected by a carriage return mechanism such as that disclosed in the Thieme Patent No. 1,120,862. The value of the check or other instrument may be calculated by the machine from items entered into the calculating mechanism thereof, and the desired data involved in the calculation may be printed in one or more columns on the journal strip J. After the amount of the instrument has been entered into the machine or determined by calculating operations performed by the machine on items entered therein and the required data printed in one or more column on the journal strip J, the paper carriage moves automatically under the control of the above tabulating mechanism to a text printing position on the check or instrument and the operator may operate the type keys 20 to type the required text, such as the the value of the instrument, in words. After the typing of the text, the carriage is tabulated to position the appropriate space on the instrument for printing therein the value in figures, represented in Fig. 5 by 45.00. In the example illustrated in Fig. 5, this may be effected by a total-taking operation of the machine during which the type bars 3I for the units dollars and tens of dollars orders of the machine are indexed to their 5 and 4 printing positions, respectively, whereas. the dimes and cents orders type bars as well as the hundreds of dollars and higher order type bars 3| remain in their normal 0 positions. From Fig. 3 it will also be seen that the illustrated machine has a fractional cent type bar-3U. After the type bars are appropriately indexed, the printing hammers 34 are operated to print the amount 45.00 in the space on the left side of the check I in Fig.5 as the shaft 40 nears the end of its clockwise move ment in Fig. 1 or counterclockwise movement in Fig. 2. In this position of the paper carriage the roller M is elevated by the cam plate I46 so that, as the shaft 40 commences its return movement counterclockwise in Fig. 1 or clockwise in Fig. 2, the stud 'H engages the shoulder 73 of the pawl 12 and drives the link 14 rearwardly with the result that the platen is moved forwardly and the safeguard character type member Hi8 is positioned against the left side of the ten of dollars order type bar 31 and in front of the 0 type on the next higher order type bars 3| of the machine, after which hammer I25 is operated to print the characters on the same line as and immediately to the left of the figures 45.00 which were just previously printed on the check, after which the paper carriage may be returned across the machine by the carriage return mechanism above mentioned. To facilitate the insertion of the check forms or other instruments in printing position on the platen of the machine, the paper feeding and holding equipment of the paper carriage may be of the kind disclosed in Muller Patent 1,774,287.

Instead of using individual check forms as illustrated in Fig. 5, strips of check forms as illustrated in Fig. 6 may be employed. The test printed by the typewriting mechanism may obviously be of any desired character such, for example, as the names of payees as illustrated in Fig. 6. Likewise, the data entered on the continuous journal strip may be of any character or the journal strip can, of course, be omitted altogether.

While the preferred form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove is admirably suited for the purpose indicated, it will be obvious that the invention is capable of various modifications with the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, plural order amount differential mechanism, a platen, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount differential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, said platen having a normal position where its printing line is positioned opposite the endtype on said type carriers and said printing mechanism also comprising means actuated by said driving means in a machine cycle and while said platen is in its normal position to press a ainst said platen the type positioned at said printing line on type carriers of orders corresponding to the orders of the amount printed, thecombination of a special character type member mounted for movement parallel to said printing line from a normal position laterally of the highest order type carrier transversely of said type carriers and adjacent the end type of type carriers of orders higher than the highest order of an amount printed, means for shifting said platen to a position where its printing line is beyond said end type, means operated by said driving means to operate said platen shifting means to shift said platen from said normal to said shifted position and means operated by said driving means to move said special character type member transversely of said type carriers from its normal position to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions and to return said special character type member to normal, and means operated by said driving means to effect printing impression from said special character type while positioned adjacent said type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed and while said platen is in said shifted position.

2. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, plural order amount differential mechanism, a platen, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount difierential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, the combination of a special character type member, supporting means for said type member normally positioning said type member laterally of said type carriers and beside the highest order type carrier, means operated by said driving means to move said special character type member supporting means to shift said type member first along the side of said highest order type carrier to a point beyond the end thereof when the latter has not been moved to amount printing position and then transversely of said type carriers across the ends of those for orders higher than the highest order of the amount printed to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions, and thereafter to return said special character type member to normal, and means operated by said driving means to effect printing impression from said special character type while the latter is positioned adjacent said type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed.

3. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, plural order amount differential mechanism, a shiftable platen, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount differential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, the combination of a special character type member, means for shifting said platen from a normal position where its printing line is opposite the end type on said type carriers to a shifted position where its printing line is beyond said end type, supporting means for said type member normally positioning said type member laterally of said type carriers and beside the highest order-type carrier, means operated by said driving means to operate said platen shifting means to shift said platen from said normal to said shifted position and to move said special character type member supporting-means toshift said type member first along theside of said highest order type carrier to a point beyond the end thereof when the latter has not been moved to amount printing position and then transversely of said type carriers across the ends of those for orders higher than the highest order of the amount printed to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier'for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions, and thereafter to return said platen shifting means and said special character type member supporting means to normal, and means operated by said driving means to effect printing impression from said special character type while the latter is positioned adjacent said type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed and said platen is in said shifted position.

4. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, plural order amount differential mechanism, a shiftable platen, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount differential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, said platen having a normal position where its printing line is opposite the end type on said type carriers and said printing mechanism also comprising means actuated by said driving means in a machine cycle and while said platen is in its normal position to press against said platen the type positioned at said printing line on type carriers of orders corresponding to the orders -of the amount to be printed, the combination of a special character type member, means for shifting said platen to a position where its printing line is beyond said end type, supporting means for said type member normally positioning said type member laterally of said type carriers and besides the highest order type carrier, means operated by said driving means in said machine cycle and after the printing of said amount to operate s'aid platen shifting means to shift'said platen from said normal to said shifted position and to move said special character type member supporting means to shift said type member first along the side of said highest order type carrier to a point beyond the end thereof when the latter has not been moved to amount printing positionand then transversely of said type carriers across the ends of those for orders higher than the highest order of the amount printed to a position laterally adj acent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions, and thereafter to return said platen shifting means and said special character type member supporting means to normal, and means operated by said driving means to eifect printing impression from said special character type while the latter is positioned adjacent said type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed and said platen is in said shifted position.

5. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, a traveling paper carriage, a platen on said carriage, plural order amount differential mechanism, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount differential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, the combination of a special character type member mounted for movement parallel erally of the highest order type carrier trans versely of said type carriers and adjacent the end type carriers of orders higher than the highest order of an amount printed, operating means to move said special character type member transversely of said type carriers from its normal position to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions and thereafter move said type member against said platen and then return it to normal, and means controlled by said carriage to cause said operating means to be actuated by said driving means in a machine cycle.

6. In a calculatin machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, a traveling paper carriage, a platen on said carriage, plural order amount differential mechanism, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount diiierential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, the combination of a special character type member, supporting means for said type member normally positioning said type member laterally of said type carriers and beside the highest order type carrier, operating means to move said special character type member supporting means to shift said type member first along the side of said highest order type carrier to a point beyond the end thereof when the latter has not been moved to amount printing position, then transversely of said type carriers across the ends of those for orders higher than the highest order of the amount printed to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed While the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions, and thereafter to return said special character type member to normal, means operable by said operating means to effect printing impression from said special character type While the latter is positioned adjacent said type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed, and means controlled by said carriage to cause said operating means to be actuated by said driving means in a machine cycle.

'I. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, a traveling paper carriage, a platen shiftably mounted on said carriage, plural order amount diiferential mechanism, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line 'of digit types thereon and movable from norwhere its printing line is opposite the end type I on said type carriers to a shifted position where its printing line is beyond said end type, supporting means for said type member normally positioning said type member laterally of said type carriers and beside the highest order type carrier, means to press said type member against to said printing line from a normal position lat- M said platen, operating means to operate said platen shifting means to shift said platen from said normal to said shifted position, to move said special character type member supporting means to shift said type member first along the side of said highest order type carrier to a point beyond the end thereof when the latter has not been moved to amount printing position and then transversely of said type carriers across the ends of those for orders higher than the highest order of the amount printed to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions, then operate said type pressing means prior to return to normal of the type carrier for the highest order of the printed amount, and thereafter to return said platen shifting means and said special character type member to normal, and means controlled by said carriage to cause said operating means to be actuated by said driving means in a machine cycle.

8. In a calculating machine having means for driving it through cycles of operation, a traveling paper carriage, a platen shiftably mounted on said carriage, plural order amount differential mechanism, and a plural order printing mechanism operable by said driving means in a machine cycle and comprising for each of said orders a type carrier having a longitudinal line of digit types thereon and movable from normal positions longitudinally and under control of said amount differential means to position different ones of said types at a printing line on said platen for amount printing, said platen having a normal position on said carriage where its printing line is opposite the end type on said type carriers and said printing mechanism also comprising means actuated by said driving means in a machine cycle and while said platen is in its normal position to press against said platen the type positioned at said printing line on type carriers of orders corresponding to the orders of the amount to be printed, the combination of a special character type member, means for shifting said platen to a position where its printing line is beyond said end type, supporting means for said type member normally positioning said type member laterally of said type carriers and beside the highest order type carrier, operating means to operate said platen shifting means to shift said platen from said normal to said shifted position and to move said special character type member supporting means to shift said type member first along the side of said highest order type carrier to a point beyond the end thereof when the latter has not been moved to amount printing position and then transversely of said type carriers across the ends of those for orders higher than the highest order of the amount printed to a position laterally adjacent the type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed while the type carriers for the orders of the amount printed are out of their normal positions, and thereafter to return said platen shifting means and said special character type member supporting means to normal, means operated by said operating means to effect printing impression from said special character type while the latter is positioned adjacent said type carrier for the highest order of the amount printed and said platen is in said shifted position, and means controlled by said carriage to cause said operating means to be operated by said driving means after the printing of the amount in an amount printing machine cycle.

9. In a machine of the class specified, a printing mechanism comprising a series of type carriers arranged side by side, each having a series of type extending transversely of a printing line on one side thereof and terminating short of said printing line and each being movable lengthwise of said series of type, a type member, supporting means on which said type member is supported for movement parallel to said printing line, said supporting means being shiftable in a direction transverse to said printing line and parallel to said type carriers, means for moving said type member parallel to said printing line from one side of said series of type carriers toward the other side thereof, means controlling said type member moving means to position said type member normally at one side of said series of type carriers and normally holding said support? ing means in a position to position said type member beside the type carrier at said one side of said series and away from said printing line, and means for operating said controlling and holding means to shift said supporting means to position said type member at said printing line, then cause said type member moving means to move said type member along said printing line toward the other side of said series of type carriers to a position adjacent the nearest type carrier positioned to place one of its type on said printing line and then cause said type member moving means to return said type member along said printing line to said one side of said series of type carriers, and then to return said supporting means to normal to return said type 1imlember to normal position out of said printing HERBERT E. BROWN.

Images