US2329278A

US2329278A - Printing telegraph apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2329278A
Application number: US398100A
Authority: US
Inventors: James W Long; George L Roberts
Original assignee: Western Union Telegraph Co
Current assignee: Western Union Telegraph Co
Priority date: 1941-06-14
Filing date: 1941-06-14
Publication date: 1943-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1960-09-14

Description

Sept 14, 1943- J. w. LONG Erm.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPRA'US 2 sheets-sheet i Filed June 14, 1941 v INVEN-roRs J. w. 1.o NG

G. I. ROBERTS BY z ATTORNEY v septw 14, 1943;

J. w. LONG Err AL PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Filed Junev 14, 1.941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. W. LONG G. 1. ROBERTS E* fr 27M ATTORNEY V Patented Sept. 14, 1943 PRINTING TELEGRAPH APPARATUS James W. Long, Plainfield, and George I. Roberts, Maywood, N. J., assignors to The Western Union Telegraph Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 14, 1941, Serial No. 398,100

14 Claims.

This invention relates primarily to printing telegraph apparatus and more particularly to an improved and novel typewheel shifting arrangement for use primarily on and in conjunction with a telegraph printer such as that disclosed in a copending application of J. W. Long and G. I. Roberts, led September 13, 1938, Serial No. 229.672, now Patent No. 2,281,775, granted May 5, 1942. Although the invention is shown in the drawings and hereinafter described as being employed on the above mentioned printer, it will be obvious that the principles thereof may be applied to various other printers.

The above mentioned application discloses a telegraph page printer employing a typewheel in the printing unit. The axis of the typewheel is disposed in a substantially vertical position and has four circumferential rows of type elements thereon. The typewheel moves back and forth relative to the recording paper to effect letter spacing and return thereof for a new line of print and, in addition, is moved axially to place any one of the four rows of type elements thereon in printing position. The present invention relates to the axial movement of the typewheel whereby any one of the plurality of circumferential rows is selectively positioned in a printing position opposite the recording platen.

In view of the above, it is one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a typewheel elevating or axially shifting mechanism of improved design embodying fewer parts requiring less maintenance and adjustments, easier to manufacture, quieter in operation, and capable of high speed operation.

The typewheel of the above mentioned printer is axially shifted to bring any one of the four circumferential rows opposite the printing platen under the control of shift and unshift signals in conjunction with one of the impulses of each character code group. The shift and unshift signals determine from which of two circumferential rows on the typewheel following characters will be selected while the following character code groups select one of these two rows and a particular character thereon. the typewheel from one of its extreme positions to the other requires a considerable amount of work and where such an operation is performed in a single movement a considerable load is imposed upon the operating mechanism and in connection with the above it is another object of the invention to provide means whereby the axial shifting of the typewheel from one extreme posi- To shift y tion to the other is effected in steps and not in a single operation.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more apparent when taken in conjunction with the following detailed description thereof and the accompanying drawings, in the latter of which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the telegraph printer disclosed in the above mentioned Long et al. application with the present invention embodied thereon;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the elcments of the present invention and the manner in which they cooperate with certain of the elements of the above mentioned printer;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing principally the-typewheel and the elevating mechanism therefor;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view showing a part of the control mechanism employed in controlling the elevation of the typewheel; and

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing a part of the function operating mechanism of the printer.

The above mentioned printer is controlled by start-stop or simplex type of signals and as well known in the art, such signals comprise a start impulse of uniform line condition followed by a definite number, usually ve, of character or code impulses' in various permutations which are in turn followed by a rest impulse. When five code impulses of either one line condition or another are employed, thirty-two possible combinations are available and in order to increase the number of available characters that may be recorded, case grouping of the signals is resorted to. The case determining signals, sometimes called shift and unshift signals, condition the printer so that depending upon which of the shift signals'has been transmitted, either one or the other of two different characters will be recorded in response to the same character group. In this way the number of available characters may be increased or almost doubled.

Referring to Fig. 1 the printing unit comprises a typewheel II having four circumferential rows of type elements thereon. The typewheel is seing platen I3 as guided on rods I5 and I6. -The movement of the carriage I4 to the right in a letterV spacing direction is effected by racks I1 engaging pawls (not shown) on the carriage. The disengagement of the pawls with the racks I1 allows a spring drum I8 to return the carriage for the beginning of'a new line of print. Printing from the typewheel II after it has been selectively positioned both axially and rotatively is effected by rocking the same so as to force an inking ribbon I9 against the recording paper or blank 2I. A complete description of the typewheel and its associated elements is given in the above mentioned copending application and reference may be had thereto for a complete and detailed description of the whole printer.

On the receipt of a code group of impulses, a set of selectors (not shown) equal in number to the number of intelligence impulses in a code group, are selectively positioned into one or the other of two positions and thereafter the setting of the selectors is transferred to a set of transfer bars 22, Fig. 2. The transfer bars 22 are guided for movement in the direction of their length on a. stud 23 and other guiding means not shown, and assume either one or the other of two positions in accordance with the setting transferred thereto from the selectors. The transfer bars 22 through depending arms 24 control a stop unit device (not shownlwhich determines the rotative position of the typewheel. In addition to the above the transfer bars 22 by means of notches such as 26 arranged on both the upper and lower sides thereof control various of the printer functions such as shift-and unshift, line feed and carriage return. Associated with the transfer bars 22 in operative relation with the notches 26 are a series of pivot levers such as 21, 28 and 29 which cooperate with the notches in such a manner that for predetermined settings of the transfer bars 22 the pivot levers are permitted to enter a row of aligned notches or to be selectively operated. The pivot levers 21, 28 and 29 are pivotally mounted at their rear ends on a pivot rod 3| and the levers 28 and 29 have springs such as 32 which tend to force the same into the notches.v

Associated with the left hand end of the pivot levers 28 and 29 are individual slide bar s 33 and 34. Springs such as 36 tend to slide the slide bars 33 and 34 toward the right and hold the right hand ends thereof in abutting engagement with the left hand ends of associated pivot levers. The slide bars 33 and 34 are suitably guided for longitudinal movement in guides not shown. When one of the pivot levers 28 or 29 is allowed to enter a row of aligned notches in the transfer bars 22, the left hand end is moved downward and out of blocking engagement with the right hand end of the associated slide bar whereupon the slide bar is free to move a predetermined distance to the right under the action of its attached spring 36. The movement of the slide bar from its normal left hand position to a` selected right hand position determines whether or not certain of the printer functions will be performed on or during associated cycles of operation. The manner in which the slide bars 33 and 34 control the performance of certain of the printer functions will be described in the following paragraph.

Located in the printeris a constantly rotating shaft 31 and arranged to be clutched to the shaft for one revolution at a time in conjunction with the receipt of each code group of impulses is a f sleeve 38. Located on the sleeve 38 and adapted to rotate therewith are a series of cams among which are included an elevating cam 39, a sliding bar operating cam 48, Fig. 4, and a oating lever operating cam 4I, Fig. 5. In operative relation with the periphery of the sliding bar operating cam 48, Fig. 4, is a cam follower 42, located on the upper end of an upwardly extending arm of a bell crank 43. The bell crank 43 is pivotally mounted on a pin 44 supported in a bracket 46 attached to the base plate 41 of the printer. The

r ments to cause the sliding bar 6I 69 move together.

leftwardly extending arm 48 of the bell crank 43 carries therein an inverted screw 43. the head of which is in operative relation'with a roller 5I carried in the rightwardly extending arm 52 of a bell crank 53, Fig. 2. The bell crank 53 is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 54 extending horizontally from a bracket member 56 and has an upwardly extending arm 51 positioned in the rear of a roller 58 located on a pin 58 in .a sliding bar 6I. g

The sliding bar 6I `isiguided for longitudinal movement in blocks such as either endv which are supported in the upper part of the bracket 'membe'rggi A spring-.Slis attached tothe sliding bar Btjbymeans of aln 64 and has the other end anchored on a pinf66 extending from vthe bracket 56. The spring 63 tends to slide the sliding bar 6I toward the rear of the printer but is only permitted to do so at predetermined times.

The sliding bar operating cam 40 is shown in its normal rest position in Fig. 4 and shortly after the sleeve 38 starts to rotate, the follower 42` is allowed to enter the notch in the cam whereupon if the sliding bar 6I is not blocked by other meanathe spring 63 is allowed to move the same an amount limited by the depth of the notch in the cam 48 toward the rear of the printer. The bell cranks 43 and 53 thus control the movement of the sliding bar at the beginning of its movement and near the end of a revolution of the cam 40 it operates the bell cranks 53 and 43 and the above described eleto move forward back into'its normal position.

Secured to the rear end of the sliding bar 6I is an upwardly projecting member 61 which has a rightwardly extending finger 68. The finger 68 cooperates with the right hand end of a lever 69 pivoted at its left hand end on 1I A link 12 is pivotally attached to the center of the'lever`69 and to the forward end of the pivot lever 21 so that the pivot lever 21 and lever A spring 13 attached to the lever 69 tends to pivot the same in a downward direction and holds the pivot lever 21 in engagement with the transfer bars 22. It will be noted that the pivot lever 21 has a recessed portion or notch 10 therein extending over the first four of the transfer bars 22 and accordingly its pivoting is controlled solely by the rearmost one of the transfer bars. 'I'hus with the rearmost transfer bar 22 in one position, the pivot lever 21 is held in its elevated position Whereas with the same transfer bar in its oppositeposition, the pivot lever 21 enters the notch in the bar and pivots in a downward direction. Thus only the rearmost one of the transfer bars 22 controls the pivoting of the pivot lever 21.

When the pivot lever 21 is held in its upper position, the link 12 attached thereto pivots the lever 68 to place the free end thereof in the path of thefinger 68 on the member 61 at the right hand end of the sliding bar 8|.

62 located adjacent a pivot pin' There is little clearance between the finger 68 and the end of the lever 69 and therefore with the lever in the path of the finger 68, the spring 63 attached to the sliding bar is capable of moving the same as controlled by the cam 40 only a slight distance before it is blocked by the lever 69. However, when the pivot lever'21 enters the notch in the rearmost transfer bar 22, the lever 69 is plvoted downward to remove the end from the path of movement of the finger 68 and hence with the lever 69 in this position, the movement of the sliding bar 6| is not blocked and it is therefore allowedA to slide to the rear an amount determined by the depth of the notch in the cam 40. Thus, depending upon the position of the rearmost transfer bar 22, the sliding bar 6| is allowed to move to the rear only a small amount or an appreciable amount. The two positions of the sliding bar 6| determines in a manner hereinafter described whether printing will be effected from one or the other of two circumferential rows of type elements on the typewheel Figs. 1 and 3.

The functions of the printer are controlled by a set of socalled floating levers, one of which, the shift control floating member 16, is shown in full in Fig. 2, whereas only a fragmentary part of the right hand ends of the other floating levers 11 are shown. The right hand ends of the floating levers 16 and 11 are pivotally carried on a pivot pin 18 secured in the upper end of a yoke member 19. Secured to the yoke 19 is an operating rod 8| which has attached to its lower end a U- shaped member 82. The U-shaped member 82 carries a pivot pin 83 by means of which the member 82 is pivotally connected to the right hand end of a lever 84, Fig. 5. The lever 84 is pivotally supported on a screw 86 at its left hand end and carries adjacent the center a cam follower 81. The cam follower 81 is in operative relation with the cam 4| on the sleeve 38 and is held in engagement therewith by a spring 88 attached to the lever 84.

The cam 4I is shown in its normal rest position in Fig. 5 and during each revolution of the cam sleeve 38 the cam 4| causes the lever 84 to pivot in a clockwise direction after which the spring 88 pivots it back to its normal position in a counter-clockwise direction. The operation of the lever 84 is timed with respect to the operation of the sliding bar 6| as controlled by the sliding bar operating cam 40 so as to occur later in the cycle.

The shift control floating lever 16 is the only one that enters into the control of the mechanism including the present invention and in order to simplify the drawings only this oating member is shown in full. The left hand end of the floating lever 16 rests on a stop 15 and has pivotally attached thereto and ldepending therefrom a link 89, the lower end of which is pivotally attached to the free end of a clam-ping arm 9| clamped to the rear end Iof a pivot rod 92. The pivot rod 92 is suitably supported in brackets (not shown) and has clamped thereto for pivoting movement therewith adjacent the forwardr end a depending arm 93 and a rightwardly extending arm 94.

Attached to the lower end of the arm 93 by means of a shoulder screw 96 is a rightwardly extending lever 91. Secured to the right hand end of the lever 91 is a hooked member`98. A bracket 99fwith a vertical slot |0| therein guides the hooked member 98. A spring |02 attached to the lever 91 and anchored in a bracket |03 tends to move ther lever 91 toward the right and pivot lthe rod 92 in a counter-clockwise direction as limited by the engagement of the floating lever 16 with the stop 15. A second spring |04 attached to the lever 91 and also anchored in the bracket |03 tends to elevate the right hand end of the lever 91 and hooked member 98 to hold the latter vagainst the bottom of the slot 0| in the bracket 99.

The rightwardly extending arm 94 attached to the rod 92 has on the right hand end thereof a shoe |06. The shoe |06 is located above and in vertical alignment with a roller |01 pivotally carrled on the end of a leftwardly extending arm |08 of a lever |09. The lever |09 is pivotally mounted adjacent its center on a shoulder screw carried in the end of the leftwardly and vupwardly extending arm ||2 of the bracket |03. The end of the right hand arm 3 of the lever |09 extends over the upper end of a latch lever ||4. The latch ||4 is pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw ||6 carried in a bracket ||1 secured to the bracket |03. A spring ||8 attached to the latch I4 normally tends to pivot the same in a counterclockwise direction and normally holds the latch ||4 against an adjustable limiting stop |19. The latch |4 is disposed in a substantially vertical position and the depending arm |2| thereof is in operative relation with the hooked portion |22 on the hooked member 98.

Located on the arm I3 of the lever |09 is a shoulder screw |23 upon which is pivoted at its right hand end an elevator lever |24. Adjacent the center of the elevator lever |24 is a stud |26 which carries a roller cam follower |21 in operative alignment with the elevator cam 39. The left hand end of the elevator lever has a depending member |28 attached thereto. Attached to the member |28 is a flexible ribbon |29 adapted to wind about a spring drum |3|. 'I'he spring drum |3| is pivotally mounted on a shoulder screw |32 and, by virtue of the spring contained therein, tends to rotate the drum |3| in a counterclockwise direction to wind the ribbonA |29 thereabout and thus elevate the elevator lever |24. Thespring drum |3| tending to elevatethe lever |24-holds the cam follower |21 in engagement with the periphery of the elevator cam 39 and, if the lever |24 is not prevented from pivoting by means hereinafter described, the same is allowed to rise as controlled by the cam 39. Some time later in the cycle of the cam 39 the high part thereof engages the follower |21 to depress the lever |24 and move the same back into its normal position. Thus, during each operating `cycle of the printer, the elevator lever tends to rise an amount limited by the depth of the notch in the cam 39, after which it is depressed back into its normal -position. The above operation of the elevator lever |24 occurs in timed relation to the operations of the other mechanisms.

Extending horizontally from adjacent the center of the member |28 at the left hand end of the elevator lever |24 is a stud |33 which carries on its forward end a roller |34. The roller |34 is positioned ybeneath a bracket member |36 attached to the back of an elevator bar |31, Figs. 1 and3. yThe elevator bar |31 is disposed in a horizontal position and pivotally attached thereto are two similar arms |38. The other ends of the arms |38 are pivotally supported on shoulder screws |39 in a bracket |4I secured to the base 41. Thus, as the elevator bar |31 moves in a manner hereinafter set forth, it at all times remains horizontal. A spring |40, Fig. 2, is attached to the bracket member |86 vand to an tions, the spring |42 returns the elevator bar |31 back to its normal position.

The lower end of the typewheel shaft i2 is posltioned a slight distance above the upper surface of the elevator bar |31 and elevation of the said bar engages vthe typewheel' shaft to elevate the same therewith. The typewheel shaft I2 is carried on the carriage I4 in such a manner that it is capable of being moved axially while at the same time maintaining the correct angular Arelation with the stop unit (not shown). After the typewheel shaft is elevated in accordance with the amount of movement of the elevator bar |31, it is latched in its elevated position by latching means (not shown) and some time thereafter rocked to effect the printing operation. Some time after the printing operation in timed relation to the various other operations, the typewheel shaft is unlatched and permitted to drop to the extent limited by the elevator bar |31. Thus, the elevator bar |31 is effective to elevate the typewheel shaft I2 and the typewheel I| to piace any one of the four rows of type elements thereon in printing position. The manner in which the elevator bar I 31 is controlled to elevate the typewheel into any one of its plurality of positions will be set forth in following paragraphs.

Located adjacent the center of the shift control floating lever 16 are two depending fingers |42 and |43, with the finger |43 being Slightly longer than the finger |42. The fingers |42 and |43 are located directly above associated slide bars 33 and 34, respectively. The slide bar 33 has an upwardly extending finger |44 and the slide bar 34 an upwardly extending finger |46. With the slide bars 33 and 34 in their normal position, as held by the ends of associated pivot members 28 and 29, respectively, the fingers |44 and |46 are out of' alignment with associated fingers |42 and |43 on 'the floating lever 16. The movement of the slide bar 34 from its normal forward position to its selected position by the selective operation of an associated pivot lever 29 places the finger |46 beneath the associated finger |43. Similarly, the movement of the slide bar 33 to a selected position places the finger |44 beneath the associated finger |42 on the fioating lever 16.

As hereinbefore described, the right hand ends of the floating levers 16 and 11 move in a downward direction during each cycle of operation. of the printer and normally pivot idly about their left hand ends. The floating levers control the functions of the printer, and when a particular function is to be performed, a slide bar is se-` detail, the other functions being selectively performed in much the same manner.

With the elevator lever |24 in the position as shown in Fig. 2, the printer is conditioned in its so-called unshift position and in such a position is capable of printing letters. In this position the free end of the arm ||3 of the lever |09 rests upon the upper end of the latch ||4. With the printer in its unshift position, the conditioning thereof to its shift position is controlled by the slide bar 33. The selection of the slide bar 33 places the finger |44 thereon beneath the finger I 42 on the shift control fioating lever 16.

and when the right hand ends of the floating levers are subsequently moved in a downward direction, the finger |42 engages' the finger |44. An appreciable amount of movement in the right hand ends of the floating lever 16 is required before the finger |42 thereon engages the nger |44, and up to this time the floating lever pivots idly about its left hand end. When the finger |42 engages the finger |44, the end of the finger 42 serves as a pivot point to cause the elevation of the left hand end of the floating lever 16 and its attached link 89. This upward movement of the link 89 conditions the printer to print figures in a manner hereinafter pointed out.

In a similar manner the selection of the slide bar 34 places the finger |46 beneath the finger |43 on the floating lever 16 to cause the floating lever to pivot about the end of the finger |43 and thereby elevate the left hand end. The

finger |43 is somewhat longer than the finger |42, and with the fingers |44 and |46 of substantially equal length the finger 43 will engage the finger |46 with less movement of the right hand end of the floating lever 16 than the movement required to engage the finger |42 with the finger |44. Consequently, the selection of the slide bar 34 causes greater elevation of the left hand end of the floating lever 16 and attached link 89 than the selection of the slide bar 33. The fact that the slide bar 34 is nearer the right hand end of the floating lever 16 which moves a' predetermined amount during each cycle than the slide bar 33 also is effective to cause greater eleva` tion of the left hand end of the shift control floating lever 16 onthe selection of the slide bar 34. Thus, depending upon the selection of either the so-called "iigures slide bar 33 or the letters slide bar 34, the link 89 is elevated either a first or a second amount. The manner in which the elevation of the link 89 these two amounts controis-the printer to record either letters or figures f will be described hereinafter.

and accordingly, as the camV 39 rotates to allow the elevator lever |24 to rise, the amount of movement thereof is determined by the clearance between the notch |48 and the bracket I5 I. The amount of rising of the elevatorl'ever |24 of this condition is relatively small and is not sufficient to engage the elevator bar |31 with the bottom of the typewheel shaftI I2. Consequently, the typewheel I will remain in its lowermost position' with the upper'row of type elements thereon in4 printing relation with the platen I3.

When it is desired to select a character from the second row oi' type elements from the top of the typewheel, one of the selecting impulses of each of such code groups is of such a character that the associated or rearmost one of the transfer bars 22 is positioned to permit the pivot lever 21 to assume its lower position. As herelnbefore described, with the pivot lever 21 in this position the end of the lever 89 is moved out of blocking relation with the nnger 68 of the sliding bar 8| and, consequently, when the sliding bar subsequently slides to the rear, it is not blocked and is allowed to slide to the rear an amount determined by the depth of the notch in the slid- 'ing bar operating cam 40. vWhen the sliding barl 8| is moved to its rearmost position, the notches |48 and |49 in the member |41 are out of operative relation with the horizontal position of the bracket I| and, therefore, do not interfere with the elevation of the elevator bar |31. Thus, when the notch in the cam 39 engages the roller |21 on the elevator bar |24, the spring drum |3| is permitted to elevate the llever |24 and the elevator bar |31 the full amount determined by the depth of the notch in the cam 39. 'I'he various links and levers are so proportioned that this amount of elevation of the elevator lever |24 places the second peripheral row` of type elements from the top on the typewheel in printing relation to the platen I3, the typewheel being latched in its elevated position to permit the return of the elevating mechanism to its normal position prior to the printing operation. Thus, with the printer in its unshift or letters position, the character of a predetermined one of the intelligence impulses determines whether or not printing will be effective from either the first or second peripheral rows of elements from the top on the typewheel With the printer in its unshift or letters position as shown in Fig. 2, the selection of the figures slide bar 33 conditions the printer to its shift position. As hereinbefore described, the selection of the slide bar 33 causes a first predetermined amount of pivoting of the shift control floating lever 16 or the, elevation of the left hand end and the attached link 89 a first predetermined amount. The elevation of the link 99 through the arm 9| causes the rod 92 to pivot in a clockwise direction. The arm 93 pivoting with the rod 92 causes the lever 91 and hooked member 98 to move toward the left. The movement of the hooked member 98 to the left causes the hook |22 thereon to engage the lower end of the arm- I2| of the latch ||4 to pivot the same in a clockwise direction against the action of its attached spring IIB. 'Ihis pivoting of the latch ||4 withdraws the upper end thereof out from beneath the end of the arm ||3 of the lever |09, whereupon the lever |09 is free to pivot in a clockwise direction about the shoulder screw I. An adjustable eccentric stop |52 on the bracket |03 determines the amount of pivoting of the lever |09 in a clockwise direction while the force for pivoting the lever |09 is derived from the spring drum |3| tending to pivot the elevator' lever |24 in a clockwise direction with the roller |21 thereon engaging the cam 39 serving as a pivot. Thus, when the lever |09 pivots from the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the` end of the arm ||3 rests on the upper end of the latch ||4, into engagement with the adjustable stop |52, the elevator lever |24 is permitted toy pivot a predetermined amount in a clockwise direction.

This pivoting of the elevator lever |24 causes the elevator bar |31 to rise an amount substantially equal to that of two consecutive rows of type on the typewheel and accordingly when the elevator lever |24 is thus pivoted, the typewheel shaft I2 is elevated an amount sufficient to place the third lrow of type elements from the top in printing relation with the platen I3. The member |41 does not interfere with the elevation of the elevator bar |31 on the above pivoting of the elevator lever |24 as a shift combination is such that upon the selection of the shift slide bar 33 the sliding bar 6| will be in its rearmost position where the notch |48 is out of operative il'elation with the horizontal portion of the bracket During the movement of the member 98 to the left, as above described, a sloping surface |53 thereon engaging the bottom of the bifurcation |0| cams the hooked member 98 downward to disengage the hooked portion |22 thereon from the lower end of the arm |2| shortly after the upper end of the latch ||4 has moved out from beneath the free end of the arm |3. On the disengagement of the hook |22 from the lower end of the arm |2I, the latch ||4 is pivoted back into its normal position `against the member ||9 by the spring |8. The movement of the hooked member 98 to the leftduring a shift cycle of operation. stops soon after the hook |22 is disengaged from the arm |2| after which the return of the floating levers to their normal position effects the return of the hooked member 98 to its normal position inoperating relation with the latch I4.

The nature of the shift code combination is such that during the receipt thereof the sliding bar 6| is moved to the rear and, accordingly, as the cam 39 revolves in the associated cycle, the elevator bar |24 is permitted to pivot an amount sufilcient to place the lowermost row of type elements in printing relation with the platen |3. However, printing is blocked during a shift function and, as the cam 39 rotates to its normal position, the elevator lever |24 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction to permit the elevator bar |31 to be lowered an amount sufficient to place the third row of type elements from the top in the printing plane. Thus, following the shift code group, the third row of type elements from the top is placed in printing relation with the printing platen. With the printer in its shift position, the character of one of the impulses of each succeeding group controls the sliding bar 6| to determine whether or not the elevator lever |24 pivots only a slight amount or the amount permitted by the depth of the natch in the cam 39; With the sliding bar 6| in its forward position, the notch |49 engages the bracket |5| to prevent any appreciable pivoting of the elevator lever |24 whereas with the sliding bar 6| in its rearmost position the lever |24 is permitted to pivot to the full amount of the notch in the cam 39. Thus, on the receipt of a shift or gures code group, the pivot point or shoulder screw |23 of the elevator lever |24 is shifted from its upper normal position to its lower position as determined by the adjustment of thevstop |52, and this changing of the elevator lever` pivot point places the third row from the top of the type elements in the printing plane.

The printer is returned to its unshift position from the shift position by the selection of the letters shift slide bar 34 which, as above described, causes the pivoting of the shift control floating lever 16 and the elevation of the link 89 a second predetermined amount, which second predetermined amount is considerably greater than that effected during the shift cycle of operation. During the clockwise pivoting of the lever |09 in the above described shift cycle of operation, the roller |01 on the left hand end of the arm |00 is elevated and brought closer to the shoe at the right hand end of the arm 94 on the rod 92.v Accordlngly, when the link 99 is elevated the second predetermined amount in response to the unshift signal, the rod 92 is rotated clockwise to cause the shoe |06 on thearm 94 to engage the roller |01 and pivot the lever |09 in a counterclockwise direction. This pivoting of the lever |09 is sufficient to elevate the free end of the arm ||3 above the upper end of the latch ||4 and, as the rod` 92returns to its normal position, the arm I I3 is permitted to rest on the top of the latch. Although the latch ||4 is operated in the same cycle of operation, it will have returnedto its normal position in time toengage the end of the arm ||3. This pivoting of the lever |09 in a counterclockwise direction' elevates the shoulder screw |23 at the right hand end of the elevator bar |24, and during such movement the roller |21 on the lever |24 serving'as a pivot causes said lever to pivot in a counterclockwise direction to effect lowering of the typewheel an amount sufficient to place the uppermost row of type elements in the printing plane. Thus, the printer is positioned in its unshift position and the movement from one shift position to the other consists primarily of shifting the location of the normal pivot point or shoulder screw |23 of the elevator lever |24. 'I'his shifting of the location of the pivot point of the lever |24 is determined by the v amount of pivoting of a common shift control floating lever 16, one amount of pivoting of the lever 16 being effective to shift the location of the pivot point of the elevator lever |24 from a first to a second position, while the second amount of pivoting of the lever 16 shifts the location of the pivot point of the lever |24 from the second to its first position. The various ope-rations of the printer occur in timed relation with respect to one another and effect their associated functions without interference, the timing thereof being fully described in the above mentioned copending application.

It-is obvious, of course, that various modifications of the invention other than the embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein may be made without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that'only such limitations be placed thereon as are disclosed by they prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph receiver, an axially movable typewheel with a plurality of circumferential rows of type elements thereon, said typewheel normally having either a flrst'or a second predetermined row of type elements in a printing plane, a cyclically operable function control lever normally pivotable about a predetermined point, a selector means, means controlled by lsaid selector means for selecting other pivot points for said function control lever, means controlled by said function control lever in pivoting about a first selected pivot point for placing the first predetermined `row of said type elements in the printing plane, and means controlled by said function control lever in pivoting about a second selected pivot point for placing a second predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane.

2. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled .in response to received code groups of impulses,

an axially movable typewheel having a plurality of more than two circumferential rows of type elements thereon, said typewheel being axially4 movable to place the rows of type elements thereon in a printing plane, a cyclically operable a first code'group of impulses for'selecting a first selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said typewheel to place a first predetermined row of said type elements` in the printing plane, means controlled by said selector mechanism in response to a second code group of impulses for selecting a second selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said typewheel to place a second predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane, and means controlled by said selector mechanism by a part of following code groups of impulses with the first of said predetermined rows of type elements in the printing plane for placing a third predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane.

3. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled in response to received code groups of impulses, an 'axially movable typewheel having a plurality of more than two circumferential rows of type elements thereon, said typewheel being axially" movable to place said rows of elements one at a time in a 'printing plane, a cyclically operable function control lever normally pivotable about a predetermined point, -a selector means, means controlled by said selector means in response to a first code group of impulses for selecting a first selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said typewheel to place a first predetermined row of said type elements in the printing plane, means controlled by said selector mechanism in response to a second code group of impulses for selecting a second selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said typewheel to place a second predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane. and means controlled'by said selector mechanism by a part of following 'code groups of impulses with the second of said predetermined rows of type elements in the printing plane for placing a fourth predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane.

4. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled in response to received code groups of impulses, an axially movable typewheel having a plurality of more than two circumferential rows of type elements thereon, said typewheel being movable to place said rows of elements one at a time in a printing plane, a cyclically operable function control lever normally pivotable about a predetermined point, a selector means, means controlled by said selector means in response to a first code group of impulses for selecting a first selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said typewheel to place a first predetermined row of said type elements in the 'printing plane, means controlled by said selector mechanism in response to a second code group same operates 4to cause the axial movement of vsaid typewheel to place a-second predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane, and means including said selector mechanism as controlled by following code groups of impulses with said first row of type elements in the printing plane for placing e. type element from said first predetermined row or from a third predetermined row in printing position.

5. In a telegraph receiver selectively controlled in response to received code groups of impulses, an axially movable typewheel shaft, a typewheel fixed to said shaft and having a, plurality of more than two circumferential rows of type elements thereon, said typewheel shaft being axially movable to place said rows of type elements one at a time in a printing plane, a cyclically operable function control lever normally pivotable about a. predetermined point, a selector means. means controlled by said selector means in response to a first code group of impulses for selecting a rst selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said yshaft to place a first predetermined row of saidtype elements in the printing plane, means controlled by said selector mechanism in response to a second code group of vimpulses for selecting a second selected pivot point for said function control lever whereby the same operates to cause the axial movement of said shaft to place a second predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane, and means including said selector mechanism as controlled by following code groups of impulses with said second row of type elements in the printing plane for axially moving said shaft to place a type element from said second predetermined row or from a fourth predetermined row in printing position.

6. In a printing telegraph machine, a typewheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a plurality of peripheral rows of type elements thereon' in a printing plane, a cyclically operable cam, a pivotable lever operable by said cam for controlling the axial shifting of said typewheel a predetermined distance, selector means, and means including said selector means for shifting the location of the pivot of said pivotable lever for controlling the axial shifting of said typewheel a second predetermined distance.

'7. In a printing telegraph machine, a type wheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a-plurality of peripheral rows of type elements thereon in a printingplane, a cyclically operable cam, a pivotable lever operable by said cam for controlling the axial shifting of said typewheel a predetermined distance, selector means, means including said selector means for shifting the location of the pivot of said pivotable lever for controlling the axial shifting of said typewheel a second predetermined distance, and means including the pivoting of said lever by said cam and the shifting of the location of the pivot point thereof for axially shifting said typewheel t place any one of the peripheral rows of type elements thereon in the printing plane.

8. In a printing `telegraph machine, a typewheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a plurality of peripheral rows of type elements thereon in a printing plane, a typewheel shifting mechanism including a cyclically operable cam and a pivotable lever, said cam being effective to pivot said lever to control said typewheel shifting mechanism to shift said typewheel, a first predetermined amount, and other means for operating said pivotable lever to control said type- Wheel shifting mechanism to shift said typewheel a second predetermined amount.

9. In a printing telegraph machine, a typewheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a plurality of peripheral rows of type elements thereon in a printing plane, a typewheel shifting mechanism including an operating member, a first and a second operating means for said member, said first and second operating means being adapted to operate said member to control said typewheel shifting mechanism to shift said typewheel distances of one and two increments respectively, and means including both said first and second operating means for controlling said typewheel shifting mechanism to shift said typewheel a distance of three increments.

l0. In a printing telegraph machineLa typewheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a plurality of peripheral rows of type elements thereon in printing position, an operating member, a selectively controlled means for selecting first and second degrees of operation of said member, means for operating said member the degree determined by said selectively controlled means, means .controlled by said member when operated said first degree for placing predetermined of said rows of type elements in printing position, and means controlled by said member when oper.- ated said second degree for placing others of said rows of type elements in printing position.

11. In a printing telegraph machine, a typewheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a plurality of peripheral rows of type elements thereon in printing position, an operating member, a first selectively controlled means for selecting first and second degrees of operation of said member, means for operating said member the degree determined by said selectively controlled means, 'means controlled by said member when operated said first degree for placing a first predetermined one of said rows of type elements in printing position, means controlled by said member when operated said second degree for placing a second predetermined one of said rows of type elements in printing position, a second selectively controlled means, and means including said second selectively controlled means and dependent upon the degree of movement of said operating member for placing third and fourth rows of type elements in printing position.

12. In a telegraph receiver, an axially movable typewheel with a plurality of circumferential rows of type elements thereon, a cyclically operable function control lever normally pivoting a first predetermined amount, selectively controlled means for causing the pivoting of said lever second and third predetermined amounts, means controlled by said lever in pivoting said second predetermined amount for axially moving said typewheel to place predetermined of said rows of type elements in the printing plane, and means controlled by said lever in pivoting said third predetermined amount for axially moving said typewheel to place the others of said rows of type elements in the printing plane.

13. In a telegraph receiver, an axially movable typewheel with a plurality of .circumferential rows of type elements thereon, a cyclically operable function control lever normally movable in a. first path of movement, selectively controlled means for causing the movement of said'lever in second and third paths of movement, means controlled by said lever when moving in said second path of movement for axially moving said v typewheel to place a ilrst predetermined row of type elements in the printing plane, and means controlled by said lever when moving in said third path of movement for axially moving said typewheel to place a second predetermined row oi type elements in the printing plane.

14. In a printing telegraph machine, a typewheel axially movable to place any one at a time of a plurality oi peripheral rows oi' type elements thereon in a printing plane, a cyclically operable 10 v pivoting member, selectively controlled means 'for changing the pivot point of said member from .a normal to either one of the other of two select- 5 peripheral rows oi' type elements thereon in the printing plane, and means controlled bysald member with the pivot point thereof at the other one of said selected points for controlling the axial movement of said typewheel to place the other of said peripheral rows of type elements in the printing plane.

JAMES W. LONG. GEORGE I. ROBERTS.