US2374361A - Autographic register machine - Google Patents

Description

lplrll 24, 1945. H. w Ewl5 2,374,361

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER MACHINE Filed Feb. 4, 1944 Patented Apr. 24, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT YFF'ICE AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER MACHINE vHoward W. Lewis, Newton Lower lFalls, Mass.

Application February 4, |1944, Serial No. 521,099

c claims. lol. 282-) This invention relates to autographic registers of the general type adapted to handle a Vcontinuous series of record sheets in strip vor web form and has for its object the `improvement and Vsimplification vof the web feeding means for lsuch machines.

Y 'I'he typical vform lof manifold strips I'designed for use in the present machine is illustrated in United States patent to Wiswall 1,534,478, April 2l, 1925. As therein shown, a plurality of superposed strips of lrecord sheets are perforated at intervals throughout their length with a perforation at a corresponding place in each record 'sheet adapted to be engaged by suitable feeding means for ybeing advanced over the writing table of an autographic register.

Heretofore the means for `imparting a feed stroke to the superposed strips, viz., the advancing of a set Vof record sheets into writing position on the table, has involved 'the use of crank and gearing mechanism `or other relatively compu-- cated devices. In the present improvement, the feed stroke for the superposed v'strips is accomplished by extremely simple mechanism havingay minimum of moving parts and involving on lthe operators part merely 'a push with his lfingerA lengthwise of the table against an exposed operating peg. LAlso 'as will appear, the varrangement is such that the action ofthe operator in advancing the sheets for a feed stroke will serve to effect and maintain accurate registration of said sheets in their rsuperposed relation dining their travel over the table into writing position. y

Further improvements 'and advantages of the present invention ywill become apparent in 'the following more detailed description taken in connection 4with the accompanying drawing, which show a preferred embodiment Ythereof and 'in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the autographic register machine;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said machinefwith lcertain -parts broken away for -clearness Fig. 3 is Va longitudinal, sectional view along line 3--3A of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

more particularly in Fig. 3, vthe supply 16 of strips in manifold form may be contained within a compartment l at the forward end ofthe cabinet, from which the several superposed strips as indicated `at 8 are guided over a drum surface 9 and along the top of the table 2 to be finally deposited in folded form within a rear compartment ID -of 4said cabinet. At the A'rear vof the v'cabinet, one 'or more 'of the topmost strips `such as I'I may be 'separated into sheets in the usual manner.

It is customary in these machines 'to provide interleaved carbon' `sheets between the 'several record sheets at -the position where the strips vvlie upon the writing table. In the present embodi-` mentas shown in Fig. 2, 'there are one or more superposed carbon sheet ltie 'mem-bers, 'the topmost 'of which is indicated "at I2 mounted over suitable pins I3 at 'each 'forward side lof said writing table. Extending rearwardly from each tie member vsuch as I2, is a carbon sheet Ii and the rear end of said carbon sheet is indicated in dotted line at I5. It will be understood that additional :carbon tie members 'and sheets may lie below the one shown 'for 'being interleaved between 'the 'record sheets of 'the 'manifold vstrips in the usual manner.

The Writing position on the table '2 'is'at the place enclosed by the window opening Yll, 'and 'the means for imparting a feed stroke to said mani. fold strips to bring successive record Asheets thereof into said Writing position will now be described. 'Mounted within the cabinet lbelow the top thereof are a pair of rotatable belt pulleys 'IE and 'I'I each slightly 'flanged and adapted 'to support and Vguide 'thereon an endless .feed belt I8, said beltbeing preferably .in 'the form of a 'flat metal band extending from the front ,pulley 'I6 Fig. 4 is'an enlarged fragmentary Jdetailed side View of the web stripping means; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in plan -cf the same.

Referring more particularly-to the drawing, I indicates the usual cabinet or lhousing for the complete autographic register machine. At the top of said cabinet is a writing table or platform 2 which may have a removable 'cover member 3 slightly spaced above the same. lCover 3 is formed with a cutout portion or Window, the outlines of which are vinclicated at lIl, for exposing in writing position 5 on the table, vthe topmost sheet of the superposed manifold strips. VAs shown over the 'top of the table 2 and down o the rear end thereof onto said pulley 11. The band or belt I8 need only be frictionally engaged upon said pulleys and carries iixed thereto a plurality of .projecting push-pegs such as '|39 spaced apart equally on said belt `and adapted to register with and project through the spaced perforatons of the manifold strips B. The pulleys I6 and Il are preferably of equal size and the forward pulley l'6 as shown is mounted in the cabinet to guide the belt I8 from its top periphery in a straight vline over the table 2. The rearpulley il ismounted in the cabinet with its peripheral surface slightly below the top lof the table 2 lsojthat the belt 18 in traveling off 'the table to the periphery of 'said pulley Il takes a slightly downward rearward slant. The purpose of `this is lto help in disengaging the pegs of the belt "from the perforations in the manifold strips at the end of a feed stroke. For this purpose also the pegs i 9 are `slightly conical -in shap at 20, preferably in the same horizontal plane as said table 2, said extension having a removable cover member 2l slightly spaced above the same as shown in Fig. 1. This rearward extension 2li is formed with aslotted portion 22 indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5 which frames the upper peripheral portion of the pulley I1 as shown in Fig. 3. The cover member 2| of the rear extension 20 is formed at its forward end with an upturned lip 23 for guiding the straight line travelV of the manifold strips over the table and at the right hand forward corner of said member 2| as shown in Fig. 1 is formed a curled up portion 24 located directly over the rear end of the slot 22 which serves as a stop for the finger of the operator at the completion of the feed stroke as will be hereafter described. Slightly to the rear of said lip portion 23 and stop portion 24 of said cover member 2l is a knife edge portion 25 against which some or allof said strips such as llm'ay be tornto separate record sheets therefrom.

A leaf spring 26 serving as a hold back pawl for said feed belt is mounted on an inside partition 21 of said cabinet in a position to be successively engaged by the pegs on the said belt I8 and prevent any retrograde movement of said feed belt at the completion of a feed stroke. While I have shown a hold back device in its simplest form, it will be understood that other equally suitable devices may be employed.- AOccasionally it might be desired to move the strips purposely backward on the table by the feed belt and for this purpose a throw-out, device (not shown) forhthe pawl26 should be provided. 'v

The feed belt is preferably provided with a minimum of three pegs I9, I9a, and l9b, but a greater number may be used if desired, limited only bythe spacing of the holes in themanifold strips. In the embodiment shown, it will be understood that the lengthwise spacing of the holes inthe manifold strips is the full lengthof a feed stroke.

It is desired that a peg I9 shall emerge from Within the cabinet housingand be exposed for actuation by theoperators finger at the beginningof a feed stroke; in otherwords at the forward end of the writing table 2. Simultaneously the peg Isa in' advance should be at the rear end of a feed stroke as shown ready to' be submerged in said housing upon the next 'feed stroke actation' For this purpose thecenters of the pulleys vI6 and I'I are spaced apartthe length of said feed stroke and vertically in line with'the'beginning and endof said stroke respectively so that the pegs i9 andv I9a when brought tothe top center of the'corresponding pulley periphery will be in the'position desired. To take care of the proper length' of thevbelt for the distribution of three pegs thereon as shown, the pulleys'l and l1 are of a diameter each having a circumference whichA is equal to the distance of a feed stroke, namely, from the center to center of said pulleys.A

The operation of the feed mechanism is as follows: Assuming the parts in position as shown in Fig.l 3,'the operator for discharging a 'com pleted set of record sheets fromv the tablev 2 and bringing a fresh set of sheets into writing' position thereonjwill place his finger or thumb against the push-peg I9 and push the same rearwardly with 'a downward -pressure again'stthe table until the finger strikes the stop member 24, a'full stroke. The finger of the' operator in so pushing against the peg I9 will not only/push said peg forwardly against the perforated por- ,pushed by the operator.

tions of all the superposed strips to bring them into proper register, but also by a simultaneous downward pressure will serve to keep said strips down on the table and against the feed belt. In other words, there will be no possibility during this forward stroke, of the strips becoming disengaged from the push-pegs. Furthermore at the end of the stroke the nger in coming against the stop 24 will assist in pressing the peg down- .wardly beneath said stop so as to be stripped from engagement with the holes in the superposed webs. The stripping action of said webs from'the driving peg i9 will be assisted by the framing of the slot 22 of the extension table 20 which during the submergence of said belt down through the slot will maintain the superposed webs in their horizontal straight line position on the table andvrearward extension.

The construction heretofore described may be modified in various equivalent respects to give the same results. For example it may be desirable in some cases to position the feed belt at the left side of the writing table so as to have the right hand more free for writing. Furthermore, it is not essential that the feed belt actually run over the top o-f the writing table for engagement with the under side of the web. For instance, the feed belt may operate in a groove of the table, below the top surface thereof, the essential requirement being that it should be in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of the table throughout its length. Additional pegs and. perforations may be employed to give a partial feed stroke as well as a full stroke. Also, in addition tothe pegs which engage and feed the web other pegs or tabs may be fixed to the side of the belt for a push by the operator in imparting the feed stroke. However, in its most simplified form, the invention contemplates the use of the same pegs both for feeding the web and for being `'I'he means for stripping the web from the pegs may be accomplished by means guiding the web upwardly so as to be lifted off the pegs instead of guiding the belt and pegs downwardly as shown. The means for guiding the discharge of the web from thel writing table comprising the horizontal extension 20 ls merely one form for purposes of illustration and it should be understood that Various modifications thereof may be made to facilitate the guiding of the discharged web into the storage compartment i0 and provide for the separation Vof those portions of the web which are to be torn off. I do not attempt to show all the modications that may be made in the construction shown. 'f

1. In an autographic register in combination; a housing having a writing table thereon, means Ifor guiding over said writing table successive record sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, meansto impart a feed stroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said table and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom comprising an endless feed belt having a run located beneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table and push-pegs projecting from said Abelt in position for actuation by the operator's finger throughout the length of a feed stroke in causing travel of said belt from one end to the other of said writing table and a stop abutment at the discharge end of said writing4 table said abutment projecting upwardly therefrom as high as the top of the pegs adapted for engagement by the operators finger at the co1n-A pletion of a feed stroke.

2. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writing table thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successive record sheets in the form `of a continuous web, said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said table and for ischarging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of said Writing table, the lower run of said belt being located below said table and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with the perforations of said web and adapted to project through said perforatio-ns during the feed stroke on said web and guiding means for said belt to cause the push-pegs carried thereby to emerge from said housing into exposed position for actuation by theoperator at the start of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at the end of a feed stroke and means to prevent retrograde movement of said web at the completion of a feed stroke comprising a pawl positioned below the lower run of said feed belt engageable by the pegs on said belt.

3. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writing table thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successive record sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said table and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table, the lower run of said belt being located below said table and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with the perforations of said web and adapted to project through said perfo-rations during the feed stroke on said web and guiding means for said belt to cause the push-pegs carried thereby to emerge from said housing into eX- posed position for actuation by the operators finger at the start of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at the end of a feed stroke and a stop abutment at the discharge end of said writing table said abutment projecting upwardly therefrom as high as the top of the pegs adapted for engagement by the operators finger at the completion of a feed stroke.

4. In an autographic register in combination, a'

housing having a writing table thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successive record sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said table and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table, the lower run of said belt being located below said table and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with the perforations of said web and adapted to project through said perforations during the feed stroke on said web and guiding means for said belt to cause the push-pegs carried thereby to emerge from said housing into exposed position for actuation by the operators finger at the start of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at the end of a feed stroke and a stop abutment atthe discharge end of Said writing table said abutment projecting upwardly therefrom as high as the top of the pegs adapted for engagement by the operators finger at the completion of a feed stroke, and a knife edge at the rear of said stop abutment against which separate sheets may be torn from said web.

5. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writing table thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successive record sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to said Web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said table and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web, in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table, the lower run of said belt being located below said table and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with the perforations of said web and adapted to project through said perforations during the feed stroke on said web, guide pulleys for said belt one at each end of said table to cause the push-pegs carried by said belt to emerge from said housing for actuation by the operator at the beginning of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at the end of a feed stroke, `the guide pulley for said belt at the disl charge end of said table having its belt engaging periphery slightly below the level of said table so as to guide the feed belt in a downward rearward inclination as it leaves said table.

6. In an autographic register in combination, a housing having a writing table` thereon, means for guiding over said writing table successive record sheets in the form of a continuous web, said web being perforated at intervals lengthwise thereof with perforations at corresponding positions in each record sheet, means to impart a feed stroke to said web for bringing a fresh record sheet into writing position on said table and for discharging a completed record sheet therefrom, comprising an endless feed belt with its upper run located beneath said web in a substantially coinciding relation with the top of said writing table, the lower run of said belt being located below said table and within said housing, push-pegs carried by said belt in register with the perforations of said web and adapted to yproject through said perforations. during the feed stroke on said web, guide pulleys for said belt one at each end of said table to cause the push-pegs carried by said belt to emerge from said housing for actuation by the operator at the beginning of a feed stroke and to submerge into said housing at the end of a feed stroke, the guide pulley at the discharge end of Said table having its belt engaging periphery slightly below the level of said table so as to guide the feed belt in a downward rearward inclination .as it leaves said table, and an extension of said writing table arranged to guide said web in being discharged from said writing table, said extension being formed with a slotted opening through which the upper run of said belt submerges as it leaves said writing table.

HOWARD W. LEWIS.

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