US2388351A - Signal controlled printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 6,1945. H. 1.. THOLSTRUP SIGNAL CONTROLLED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 22, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR /2f .4. 7/7045nez/P ATTORNEY 1945. H. LJTHOLSTRUP SIGNAL CONTROLLED PRINTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 22, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR H. L. Tflazjreu ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6,1945 I t SIGNAL CONTROLLED PRINTING APPARATUS Henry L. Tholstrup, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 22, 1944, Serial No. 569,288

7 Claims. (Cl. 197-74) This invention relates generally to signal contion may be embodied in a wide variety of differtrolled printing apparatus. ent kinds of signal controlled printing apparatus.

Oneexample of apparatus of the above type is Other objects of the invention will be pointed 's disclosed in my copnding application Serial No. out in the following description and claims and 492,896 filed June 30, 19 13, and includes. a typeillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which writer which is operated automatically'by signal disclose, by way of example, the principle of the um'rsp "STATES PATENT OFFICE impulses produced as a result of the sensing of code designations previously recorded in a record tape according to a predetermined code system.

This example alsosincludes a cyclically'operable tape reader which operates to sense successively the recorded code designationsin the tape and thereby to control the operation of the typewriter. In practice any desired message, such as a letter? which it is desired to transcribe, is'firstrecorded in the record tape as codedesignations reprsentinvention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the invention as. embodied in the reader-controlled typewriter disclosed in my copendi lg application, mentioned previously; I Rig. 2 is a view showing a strip of tape in which is recorded allot the required character and functional code designations of a typical code system ing, respectively, the different characters to be which may be usedtc con o the ppar tus of printed and the required functional operations of t e pr e d em od ment;

the typewriter. When a tape bearing such a mes- Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical secsage is fed through the reader, the message is tional view through the typewriter and showing transcribed on a copy sheet in the typewriter in the mechanisms for effecting case shifting;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary planjview showing the key levers and related parts which control the operation of the case shifting mechanism;

Fig. 4a is a fragmentary-vertical section taken the desired finished form.

/ The character key levers of the typewriter disclosed in said copending application control cor-' responding type bars and the latter carry both upper and lower. case type. For the purpose of controlling the selective printing, of upper and shift-release key and associated mechanism; and

lower case characters a shift code designation a Wiring ram s wing the V rio s in the tape operates the shift lever of the type v electrical c u r e c n 0866 S g d writer and the latter-adjusts the typewriter so hif r l se clierationsin response to the sensin that all character code designations inthe tape of special ode design ns his r o d p the following the shift code, will provide for printview a showing a ti y erta n parts ing upper case characters. Also, the sensing, of a shift-release code designation in the tape,re turns the typewriter to its normal or lower case condition so that the sensing of subsequent character code designations in the tape will result in the printing of the lower case characters.

An object of the present invention is to provide t r a signal controlled printing apparatus which in-" o Sage, Such s a letter. a e recorded on a cludes a new and improved means for effecting c d s p o tape. In Fig. 2, a P n f a automatically case shifting operation in response record t pe l 0 i s n and pun d in th tap tospecial code designations, are all of the code hole designations which rep- A further object is to provide a case shifting resent. respectively. he characters andthe flincmeans for signal controlled printing apparatus tio al operations of /the typewriter which is diswhich is relatively simple in construction and closed in Pl n in Fig. 1. As shown, the combiwhich is highly effective anddependable in operanat ona h le ode system is based 0 six code n I positions which are indicated at hot ends of According to one specific aspect of the present e p 0 y the reference numerals I to 6 ininvention, it inay be considered as belng' an imu v Each C n n s ed 11' provement over the ,means for controlling and effecting case shifting whichis embodied in the disclosure ofmy said copeliding application. It h lower [ed e of the tape It. has been Pl ced is noted, however, that in so far as certain of the t e pa t u a er, or e te nction broaderaspects are concerned, the present invencorresponding to th/gwde'designafion 111 h the invention, it will be helpful to consider first one practical example of a combinational hole each, field bearing the code designation and below on the line 4a-4a of Fig. 4, and illustrating the of the reader and illustrating how the sensing of Before considering in detail the construction code system by means of which any desired mesvertical column or recording field and opposite as the present invention is concerned the code designations may be punched in the tape by any suitable means such, for example, as by the typewriter controlled tape punch disclosed in my copending application Serial No, 492,895 filed June 30, 1943.

In Figs, 1, 3, 4, 4a, and of the accompanying drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a reader controlled typewriter like that shown in my aforementioned copending application Serial No. 492,896, of which this invention, according to a specific aspect thereof, may be considered as an improvement. In Fig. 1 the reference numeral |2 indicates a cyclically operable tape reader, the numeral l3 indicates a typ writer the operation of which is controlled automatically by tape reading operations of the reader l2, and the character RT indicates a cable connection between the reader and typewriter and containing the required circuit wire connections between electrical devices located in the two structures.

It is noted that, with the exception of the means provided herein for efiecting and controlling the operation of the case shifting mechanism, the construction and operation of the present apparatus is the same as that disclosed in my said copending application Serial No. 492,896. Consequently, in view of the complete and detailed disclosure of the elements of the apparatus in the latter application, it is considered superfluous to duplicate herein details of construction which are not essential to an understanding of the present'invention. Reference may be had to such latter application for structural details of the reader, typewriter, and control circuits and devices with which we are not directly concerned herein.

As shown in Fig. 1, the tape it] bearing adesired coded message is wound on a supply spool l4 supported by the reader l2. The tape is fed in steps, by means not shown, past a sensing or reading station I5. A storage spool I6 is provided for receiving the tape after it is read, the latter being rotated by any suitable mechanism (not shown) through a friction drive belt H.

The elements of the reader l2 which function to sense successively the code designations in the tape are indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 5. These elements include six sensing pins of the group SI to S6, inclusive, which correspond, respectively, to the previously mentioned six code positions to 6 inclusive in each recording field of the tape ID. The sensing pins are arranged in the same order as the code positions in Fig. 2 and in a single vertical plane extending at right angles to the direction of tape movement. The pins are located beneath the tape H! at the sensing station i5 of Fig. 1, and the tape is fed in steps, by means not shown, past the upper ends of the pins. The arrangement is such that at the beginning of each reading operation a record field in the tape is positioned at the sensing station with the upper ends of the pins aligned with their corresponding code positions in such record field. The pins are suitably guided for vertical movement, by means not shown, and the lower ends of the pins engage, respectively, the lower spring blades 2ll of pairs of sensing code contacts of the group Ci to C6 inclusive and which also correspond, respectively, to the six code positions to 6 inclusive.

The spring blades 20 are normally biased to move their related sensing pins upward and to close their related code contacts. Between sensing operations, the sensing pins S| to S6 are held down below the tape l0, and their related contacts Ci to C6 inclusive thus heldvopen, by a vane 21. The vane 2| is formed with an edge 22 fitting within aligned notches 23 formed in the pins SI to S6 inclusive, and the vane is rotatably supported intermediate its ends by a fulcrimi shaft 24 suitably mounted in frame elements (not shown) of the reader. A follower arm 25 depends from the vane 2| and is provided at its lower end with a roller 26 engaging a cam 21 fixed to the reader shaft 28. The roller 26 is held in engagement with the cam 21 by a suitabletension spring 29 attached to the vane 2|.

In Fig. 5, the reader elements are shown in the positions which they occupy at the beginning of a reading operation. The-reader shaft is constantly rotated in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow, by a reader motor which is not shown structural in Fig.5 but is indicated diagrammatically therein by the character RM. When the cam 21 moves clockwise from the position shown, the high point of such cam will move out of engagement with the roller 26. Because the spring 29 maintains the roller in contact with the cam, the vane 2| will then.

move clockwise and permit the lower spring blades 20 to move their related pins Si to S6 inclusive upward. In those code positions of the tape where code holes have been punched, therelated sensing pins will pass through such holes andthereby permit sufiicient vertical movement of such pins to provide for the closing of their related code contacts of the group CI to C6 in elusive. Where there is no code hole in a code position of the record field at the sensing station, the tape stops the upward movement of the related code pin and thereby prevents the closing of the related code contacts. Continued clockwis movement of the cam 21 will cause the roller 26 to be engaged again by the high point of the cam which will result in the vane 2| being moved counterclockwise and thereby moving all of the sensing pins back to the position shown and in thereby opening all of the code contacts. The high point of the cam 21 is of substantial length, as shown, so as to provide for spacing the tape by means not shown herein, to bring the next recording field to the sensing station l5 while the sensing pins are held out of the way and the code contacts held open.

As shown in Fig.- 5, the pairs of code contacts CI to C6 inclusive control, respectively, the energizing of translator relay magnets Ml to M6 inclusive. One contact point of each of the pairs or contacts CI to C6 inclusive is connected by a separate conductor 32 to a positive supply wire 33 and the other contact point of each of said pairs of code contacts is connected by a separate conductor 34 to the supply side of its related translator relay magnet. The return sides of the translator relay magnets are all connected by a conductor 35 to a negative supply wire 38. As will be readily appreciated, the supply wires 33 and 36 are connected, respectively, to the positive and negative sides of any suitable source (not shown) of direct current supply. Thus, the closing of each of the code contacts, by the passin of its related sensing pin through a code hole in the tape at the reading station, results in the energizing of its related translator relay magnet.

Therelay magnets Ml toMl inclusive are elements of a relay translator of conventional form indicated in its entirety in Fig. by the numeral 40. As, shown, each relaymagnet controls the transfer of one or morevrelated relay transfer contacts. The transfer contacts are each shown in their normal or upper position where the upper contact points are closed. As will be readily understood, when each of the relay magnets is energized it transfers its related contacts from such upper position to their lower or transferred position where their lower contact points are closed. Consequently, the sensing of the code designations in the tape in the manner explained above, results in selectively closing the related code contacts singly or in combination and thereby energizing their related translator relay magnets and in shifting the transfer contacts of the relays energized from their upper positions shown to their lower positions. As shown-in Fig. 5,the

relay transfer contacts are connected by suitable conductors in a conventional pyramid or cascade arrangement, and so'that the sensing of each code designation provides for the selective adiustmentof the transfer contacts to condition one circuit path through the elements of the relay translator which circuit path corresponds to simplicity all circuits are shown as being supplied with direct current.

Referring again to Fig.1, it is noted that tho typewriter II is a power operated typewriter of well known commercial form and comprises the usual carriage 50 supporting a platen ii for holding the 'copy sheet 52; a keyboard 53 includin the usual character and functional keys; and a plurality 'of'type bars 5! (only one type'bar being shown) supported within a type basket indicated 1 at 56 and, carrying both upper and lower case type 51 and 58, respectively. The. shift key islndicated at 59, the shift-lock key at 60, the shift .release key at 8! and theremaining character and functional keys by the reference numeral 62.

In Fig. 3 a portion 63 of the frame part of the type basket 56 which supportsthe type bars, is shown. The type basket ismovably mounted'in the frame of the machine for case shifting movement in a well known way and the basket normally occupies an elevated position which is shown. When in such elevated position lower case characters may be typed. The shift mechthe particular code designation sensed. As disclosed fully in my said copending application Serial'No. 492,896, each conditioned circuit path includes a solenoid operatlvely connected to that key lever of the typewriter which controls the printing of the character, or the effecting of the functional operation, corresponding to i the code designation which was sensed and which provided for the selective energization of the relay magnets to condition such circuit path.

As the present invention is concerned primarily.

which operate the character key devers of the typewriter have been omitted from the drawings anism for drawing the type basket downward to permit the typing of upper case characters is described in U. S. Patent No. 1,945,097 granted January30, i934, and is, partly shown in Fig. 3.

Secured, respectively,,to the .back of the type basket frame 63 and on opposite sides thereof, are

two brackets 64 (only one being shownin Fig.3)

Each bracket 64 is connected by alink 85 to the outer end of a lever arm 66. The lever arms 66 u are fixed respectively, on the ends of a transverse shaft 61 Journaled in the side framework (not shown) of the machine. vlPivoted on a stud I! at one side of the machineis. a lever. 69 having two pins 10 and H engageable by the short arms of a T'-shaped lever 12, the later being pivotally mounted zit-l3 on onearm ll of a three-armed lever 15. The lever 69 is connected by a link 16 to .the outer portions of one of the leverarms 66 and at points spaced from the connection ofsuch as they are considered unnecessary to an'understanding of the present invention. 'Ihecircuit wires at the outlet side of the translator gvlrhichi are to be connected, respectively, to these omitted typewriter solenoids are shown in Fig. 5 as broken off and they are indicated by the rfer-.

ence numeral 43.

After a code designation is sensed and the corresponding circuit path throughthe translator conditioned in the manner above explainedsuch circuit path is closed by the closing of contacts 44 by a cam 45 on the reader shaft 28. The con-v tacts connect the positive supply wire 33 to the input of the translator by means of conductors 46 and 41. The output circuit wires of the translator are connected through their related typewriter key operating solenoids with the negathe purposes of simplicity the wiring diagram in Fig. 5 is not the same as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 492,896. Certain control circuits and control devices which have no particular bearing on the present invention have been omitted. Also, in the interest of .tlve wire 36. At this. point'it is noted-that for arm and its link 65. The T-lever 12 has a stud l1 projecting into a slot formed in an arm-1B comprising anextension ofa shift key lever. 19. -The shiftlever 19 is pivotally supported by a rod.

carried by a stationary frame part BI, and a spring 82 connecting said lever 19 and frame part II biases said lever '19 to stay in its normal lower case position shown in Fig. 3. One farm 83 of lever 15 is'connected by a link to a cam unit 85 the. operation of which is controlled by movement of the shift key lever 19.

As explained fully in the aforementioned Patent No.1,945,(l97, the cam unit 85 comprises a bell crank 81 rotatably mounted on a rod 88 which is suitably supported from the frame of the typewriter by means not shown. The link It is con- .nected to one end of one arm 89 of the bell crank 81 anda cam Sliis rotatably mounted on a pin 9| carried by the lowerend of the other arm 92 of the bell crank 81. The cam is. arranged adjacent a power roller 93 which is suitably mounted in the end frame members of the typewriter by means not shown and is continually rotated by'the typewriter motor TM indicated (11-.

agrammatically in Fig. 5. The cam Ell has a pair of lugs 9| and 95 projecting laterally therefrom on opposite sides of its rotary support pin 9|, one or the other of such lugs being enga eable by a spring-pressed arm96'pivoted at 91 on the arm 92 of the bell crank and which tends to turn the cam 90 clockwise into engagement with the power roller. The cam also has a pair of laterally projecting stops 98 and 99 arrangedon opposite sides of and at diiferenti distances from the rotary support pin 9I and;,adapted to coact with a stop I provided on the lo er end of a lever IOI also pivoted at 91 on the arm 92. The upper end of the lever IOI is provided with a laterally projecting stud I02 which is engaged within a slot I03 in the lower'end of an arm I04 depending from shift key lever I9.

The type basket 56 is shifted downward to upper case position when the shift key lever I9 is depressed. The shift lever I9 may be depressed either manually by key 59 or 60 or automatically in response to a signal impulse from the translator, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. The type basket 56 is returned to its lower case position when the key lever I9 is released so that the latter may move upward under the force of its spring 82. It is therefore customary to hold the key lever 19 depressed while writing upper case characters.

In the illustrated embodiment, when the key lever I9 is depressed, the arm I04, through its slot I03, and the stud I02, rocks the lower end normal or unlocked position shown by a tension spring II4 connecting the arm H2 and the shift lever I9. An intumed flange IIS on the lever IIO engages the underside of the shift lever I9 when the shift-lock lever H0 is in its normal I position and thereby serves as a stop to determine such normal position. A detent or latch plate H6 is suitably attached by a screw to a stationary part III of the typewriter frame and coacts with the hook I I3 to hold or lock, through the lever I I0, the shift lever I9 down in its shifted position When the shift lever I9 is moved downward to and slightly beyond a point where the'cam 90 is operated to effect a case shifting operation in the manner previously explained, the shift-lock lever may be moved clockwise about its pivot pin III to engage the hook II3 with the latch plate II6. With the hook in this position and when the downward pressure on the shift lever is relieved, the spring '92 acting through the levers 19 and, I I0 will hold the hook in locking engagement with the latch plate H6. The locked position of arm I I2 is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As

' beyond the point where case shifting is effected I2 is elevated by the arm 18 to bring one ofthe I short arms of the T-lever to a position at the left of pin I0. With the shift key lever being depressed,'the cam 90 engages the power roller 93 and is turned thereby through one-half a revolution where its stop 90 engages the stop I00 on the arm IOI. During this movement of the cam, the bell crank 81 rocks counterclockwise and then clockwise and through the link 84 and arm 83 swings the arm I4 of lever I5 forward or to the right. This action moves the T-lever 12 forward and the latter due to the position it now occupies engages the pin I0 and swings the lever 69 clock- -wise about its pivot pin 6B. The'lever 69 through.

the link I6 m'oves'theilever arm 66 counterclockwise and through the-link 65 pulls the type basket- 56 downward to uppercase position. The parts come to rest while the key lever 19 is held in its depressed or shifted position. When the key lever '19 is released so that it moves upward due to the force of spring 82, the arm I04 thereof rocks the lever arm I M clockwise so that the stop I00 moves out of engagement with stop 98 and back into the path of lug 99. The spring pressed arm 96 again effects operative engagement of the cam 90 with power driven roller 93. Also, the arm I8 returns the T-lever I2 to the positionshown in Fig. 3. The cam 90 makes another half revolution, during which the T-lever I2 is again moved forward and so that it engages the pin II on the lever 69 and swings the ilatter counterclockwise about pin 68. The link I6 is thus moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 3, which rocks the lever arm 66 clockwise and through the links 65 shifts the type basket 56 upward to its normal or lower case position.

In order to hold the key lever I9 down in its shifted position a shift-lock key lever I I0 is provided. As shown in Fig. 3, the shift-lock key lever I I0 is pivotally connected by a pin I I I to the shift lever 19. The shift-lock key 60 is mounted on the lever H0. The lever IIO includes a downwardly extending arm I I 2 terminating in a locking hook II3, and the lever is urged toward its.

and then. moving the. shift lock key about it's pin I I I to its locking position, and then relieving the pressure so that the spring 02 will hold the hook in looking engagement with the plate.

When it is desired to effect manually the return of the shift lever from the just described plate I I6.

a downwardly extending projection I30 of shift locked position to its normal lower case position, the shift key 59 may be depressed and thereby moved further downward a slight distance so that the hook H3 is separated from the latch The spring II4 will then return the shift-lock lever to its normal or unlocked position. The manual pressure on the shift key 59 can then be released and the spring 82 will return the shift lever and type basket to normal lower case position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the shift lever I9 with the shift-lock lever pivoted thereto is arranged at the left-hand side of the machine.

A shift-release lever I20 with the shift-release key.

6| mounted thereon is arranged at the right-hand side of the machine. The shift key lever I9 may also be returned from its locked position by manually depressing the shift-release key BI. To this end, a bail lever I22 is provided which comprises a pair of end plates I23 andI24 connected by a bail rod I25 (see Figs. 3, 4, and 4a).v bail lever I22 is mounted for pivotal movement by studs I26 and I2I extending outwardly from the plates I23 and I24, and journaled, respectively, within opposite sides of the typewriter frame. A stud I28 extends inwardly from the end plate I23 and within a notch I29 formed in key lever I9. A second stud I3I extends inwardly from the end plate I24 and within a notch I32 formed in a depending extension I33 of shiftrelease lever I20 (see Fig. 4a).

When the shift-release lever I20 is moved down either manually by depressing key 6| or automatically in response to sensing a shift-release code designation as will appear hereinafter,

the extension I33 and stud I 3I rock the bail lever I22 clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4a, about its pivotal support and thereby move the stud I28 clockwise, which results in moving the shift lever 10 downward a short distance beyond its locked position and thereby freeing the hook II3 from plate H6. The spring II4 will then return the lever IIO to its unlocked position and, when the downward acting force on-the shift release lever I20 is released, the spring 82 will return the shift lever 19 and type basket 56 to normal lower case condition.

As shown'in Fig. 3, the shift solenoid H is fixed to a stationary support 'plate I40 and includes a vertically movable armature I4I connected by a coil spring I42 with the outer end of the shift lever I9. The shift-release solenoid 42 (see Figs. 4 and 4a) is supported in the same manner and its armature I43 is connected by a similar coil spring I44 with the shift release lever I20. When the solenoid M is energized it moves the shift lever I9 downward to a position where shifting of the type basket to upper case position is effected in the manner previously described. Actually, the solenoid 4I moves the shift lever a short distance beyond the point where the cam unit 81 is tripped to effect'case shifting, and

thereby provides for the locking of the shift lever as will presently appear. When the shift-release solenoid 42 is energized it moves the shift-release lever I20 downward and, through the stud I3I, plate I24, bail I25, plate I23, and stud I20, moves the shift lever 19 downward beyond the position occupied when held locked by the hook H3 and plate II6, so as to effect the releasing of hook I I3 from the latch plate I I6, in the manner pre-v viously described.

A shift-lock solenoid I50 is supported by the plate I40 directly beneath the shift-lock key lever H0. The armature I5I of the solenoid I50 is vertically movable and is connected by a pivot .pin I52 to the lower end of a link I53 the upper end of the latter being in turn pivotally connected by a pin I 54 to the lower end of the shiftlock arm II2. As will be seen from an examination of Fig. 3, when the shift-lock lever I I is in its normal unlocked position, the pivot pin I54 connecting the arm H2 and link I53, is disposed to the right of an imaginary line connecting the pivot support pin III of the shift-lock lever and the connecting pin I52 between the lower end of the link I53 and armature II. Thusfthe arm H2 and link I53 are in effect the two links of a toggle which is broken when the shift-lock lever occupies the unlocked position shown in Fig. 3.

When the solenoid M is energized and thereby moves the shift lever I9 downward to and beyond its shifted position as explained above, then the energizing of the shift-lock solenoid I50 and the resulting downward vertical movement of In accordance with the present invention,

means is provided for differentially energizing the solenoids M and I50 in response to the sen-- sing of a shift code designation in the tape I0, and in such a manner that the shift lever 19 is first moved downward to and beyond a point where case shifting is effected and, while in this position, the shift-lock lever H2 is moved from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to a locking position where the hook H3 is beneath the catch plate II6.

From an examination of Fig. 2, it will be noted that the shift code designation comprises code holes in code positions I, 2, 4, and 5. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be apparent that the sensing of code positions I, 2, 4, and 5 energizes translator magnets MI, M2, M4, and M5 which shift their respective relay transfer contacts to their lower or shifted position and thereby condition a circuit path which is traced as follows: from the positive supply wire 33; through the conductor 46; cam contacts 44; conductor 47; transfer contacts MI-I and M2--2, in shifted position; transfer contacts M3-4, in the position shown; transfer contacts M4--I and M5-I4, in shifted position; transfer contacts M628, in the position shown; wire I60: and through the shift solenoid 4| and the coil of a relay I6I, connected in parallel, to the riegative supply wire 36. Thus, upon the subsequent closing of a cam contacts 44 the just traced circuit is closed thereby and the shift solenoid M and coil of relay I6I are energized simultaneously. As explained above, the energizing of the shift solenoid will result in the shift lever 19 being drawn down to and beyond the point where case shifting is effected. The relay I6I, when energized, closes its contacts I62 and thereby connects the shift-lock solenoid I50 across the power source by a circuit traced as follows: from the supply wire 33, through a conductor I64, contacts I62 now closed, solenoid I50, to the negative supply wire 36. It is noted that the solenoid 4I and relay I6l are energized simultaneously by the signal impulse and that solenoid I50 is energized one step afterwards upon the closing of relay contacts I62. The energized shift-lock solenoid I50 moves the shift-lock lever IIO to it spreviously described locking position where the hook member I I3 is beneath the latch plate H6,

When the contacts 44 are opened by the cam 45 the signal impulse, transmitted through the translator to the shift solenoid M and relay I6I, terminates, thereby simultaneously deenergizing the shift solenoid M and the relay I6I. The relay I6I when deenergized opens its contacts I62 and the circuit through the solenoid I50. Thus, the solenoid I 50 is deenergized one step after the solenoid M. It is also noted that the relay I6I is a slow acting relay so that its contacts I62 open a substantial time interval after the solenoid M has become deenergized sufficiently to release its armature I 4I. As the shift-lock solenoid is held-energized this short time interval after the deenergizing of the shift solenoid, the hook member II3will be held thereby in its locking position beneath the plate II6. Consequently, as the solenoid I50 becomes deenergized, the spring 82 will move the shift lever 19 and shift-lock lever IIO upward and thereby effect the previously described locking engagement of the hook II3 and'the latch plate H6.

sibility of the hook striking the upper surface of the plate H6 in such a manner as would pre- 4 tioned, which circuit path also includes the shiftrelease solenoid 42; The conditioned circuit path is traced as follows: from positivewire 33; conductor 46; cam contacts 44; conductor 41; relay transfer contacts MII, M2-2, M3--4, M4-8, and M5-I6 in their shifted positions; transfer contacts MIi-32, as shown; wire I10; and shiftrelease solenoid 42 to the negative wire 36. As before, whenthe cam, contacts 44 close the just traced conditioned circuit path is established and shift-release solenoid 42 is energized thereby pulling the shift-release lever I20 downward The lever I20, through the stud I3I, plate I24, bail I25, plate I23, and stud I28 pulls the shift lever 19 downward and beyond it locked position in the manner previously described. This will result in releasing the hook H3 from the plate 6 and in the spring II4 moving the shift-lock lever I I about its pivot pin III to its unlocked position; and, when the release signal impulse terminates with the opening of the cam contacts 44, the shift-release solenoid 42 becomes deenergized and the spring 82 will return the shift lever I9 to its normal or lower case position which will result in the shifting of the type basket to normal lower case position, as was described in detail I hereinabove.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omis-g sions and substitutions and changes in the form 1 and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be madeby those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is: l

1. In signal controlled printing apparatus of the type wherein case shifting is effected by the movement of a shift lever against the force of a spring from a normal position to a second position and wherein said shift lever is held locked in said second position by a hook pivoted to said shift lever and engageable with a stationary latch member, the combination with said lever, hook, and latch member, of a first magnet operable when energized to move said shift lever to said second position; a second magnet operable when energized to move said hook from an unlobked position to a locking position where it operatively engages said latch member when said first magnet is deenergized; means providing a signal impulse; and electrical circuit means including said magnets and responsive to said signal impulse means for energizing said first magnet first and --then energizing said second magnet and for deenergizing said first magnet first and then deenergizing said second magnet.

2. In signal controlled printing apparatus of the type wherein case shifting is effected by the movement of a shift lever against the force of a spring from a normal position to a second position and wherein said shift lever is held locked in said second position by a hook pivoted to said shift lever and engageable with a stationary latch member, the combination with said lever, hook,

and latch member, of a first magnet operable when energized to move said shift lever to said second position; a second magnet operable when energized to move said hook from an unlocked position to a locking position where it operatively engages said latch member when said first magnet is deenergized; means providing a signal impulse; and electrical circuit means comprising a first circuit for transmitting said signal impulse and includin said first magnet and a relay having normally open contacts, and a secondcircuit connected across a power source and including said second magnet and said normally open relay contacts.

3. Signal controlled printing apparatus comprising a case shift lever movable from anormal case position to and beyond a shifted case position; a first spring urging said shift lever back to normal case position; a stationary latch member; a shift-lock arm pivoted to said shift lever and including a hook; a second spring urging said arm toward an unlocked position; the construction and arrangement of said shift lever, arm and latch member being such that with said lever beyond its said shifted position, said arm may be rocked to a locking position where, when said shift lever is then returned toward normal position, said hook engages said latch member and is held latched with respect thereto bysaid first spring; a first magnet connected to said shift lever and operable when energizedto move the latter to and beyond its said shifted position; a second magnet connected to said arm and operable when energized to move the latter to its nal impulse; and electrical circuit means including said first and second magnets and responsive to said signal impulse means for differentially energizing and then differentially deenergizing said first and second magnets so that said first magnet is energized before said second magnet is energized and is deenergized before said second magnet is deenergized.

4. Signal controlled printing apparatus comprising a case shift lever movable from a normal case position to and beyond a shifted case posi tion;, a first spring urging said shift lever back to normal case position; a stationary latch member; a shift-lock arm pivoted to said shift lever and including a hook; a second spring urging said arm toward an unlocked position; the construction and arrangement of said lever, arm and latch member being such that with said lever beyond its shifted position, said arm may be rocked to a locking position where, when said shift lever is then returned toward normal position, said hook engages said latch member and is held latched with respect thereto by said first spring; a first magnet connected to said shift lever and operable when energized to move the latter to and beyond said shifted position; a second magnet connected to said arm and operable when energized to move the latter to its said locking position; means providing for a signal imfirst magnet and then to energize said second tion; a first spring urging said shift leverback to normal case position; a stationary latch member; a shift-lock arm pivoted to said shift lever and including a hook; a secondspring urging said arm toward an unlocked position; the construction and arrangement of said lever, arm and latch member being such that with said lever beyond its shifted position, said arm may be rocked to a locking position where, when said means selectively providing for a shift signal impulse and for a shift;release signal impulse; electrical circuit mean ncluding said first and secnd magnets and iresponsive to said impulse pulse; and electrical circuit means comprising a first circuit for transmitting said signal impulse and including said first magnet and a relay having normally open contacts, and a second circuit connected across a power source and including said second magnet and said normally open relay contacts.

6.;1Siznal controlled printing apparatus comprising a case shift lever movable from a normal case position to andbeyond a shifted case' position; a first spring urging said shift lever back 3.0

to normal case position; a stationary latch member; a shift-Jock arm pivoted to said shift lever and including a hook; a second spring urging said arm toward an unlocked position; the construction and arrangement of said lever, arm and '1 latch member being such that with said lever beyond its shifted position, said arm may be rocked to a locking position where, when said shift lever is then returned toward normal position, said hook engages said latch member and 40 is held latched with respect thereto by said first?" spring; a ShlftrIBlGB-SE lever movable from a normal to a release position; means operatively connecting said shift-release lever and said shift lever so that movement of said shift-release lever to said release position moves said shift lever beyond its said shifted position; a first magnet connected to said shift lever and operable whenenergized to move the latter to and beyond its said second position; a second magnet connected to said arm and operable when energized to move the latter to its said locking position; .a third magnet connected to said shift-release lever and operable when energized to move said shift-release lever to its said release position; rimp ilse and second magnets so that said first magnet energized before said second magnet is energized and is deenergized before said second magnet is deenergized; and a second electrical circuit means including said thirdm'agnet and responsive to said impulse means providing a shift-release signal impulse, for energizing said third magnet.

"7. In signal controlled printing apparatus, a case shift lever movable downward from a normal case position to and beyond a predetermined shifted case position; a first spring urging said shift lever to return to said normal case position; a stationary catch plate below said shift lever; a shift-lock arm pivoted to said shift lever and extending downwardly therefrom and including a 'hook so formed that when said shift lever is beyond said' adjusted position said arm may be roq'ked from anunlocked position to a locked position where said hoolawill engage beneath said plate when said shift lever returns toward normal case position; a second spring urging said arm to, said unlocked position; a first magnet connected (to said shift lever and operable when nergized to move the latter downward and beyond 'said shifted position; a second magnet beneath said arm and including an armature movable downward when attracted; a link pivoted at one end to the upper end of said armature and extending upwardly therefrom and pivoted at its upper end to the lower end of said arm; said arm, link, and armature being so arranged that with said arm in unlocked position the pivot between said arm and link is at the side of a straight line joining the pivot between said arm and shift lever and the pivot between said link and armature, which is away from said catch plate, whereby when said second magnet is energized and its armature moves downward said hook is rocked toward said catch plate and into said locked position; means providing fora signal impulse; and electrical circuit means including said first and second. magnets and responsive to said signal impulse means for differentially energizing and decnergizing said first and second-magnets so that said first magnet is energized before said second magnet is energized and is deenergized before said second magnet is deenergized.

HENRY LJ'rHoLsTRUP.

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