US2534399A

US2534399A - Toy typewriter

Info

Publication number: US2534399A
Application number: US786903A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel I Berger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-11-19
Filing date: 1947-11-19
Publication date: 1950-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1967-12-19

Description

Dec. 19,1950 5, 1, BERGER 2,534,399

TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l A'ITORNEY5 Dec. 19, 1950 s, 1, BERGER 2,534,399

TOY TYPEWRITER Filed Nov. 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR SamaeZlBePgen 0W s y 4 421% ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 19, 1 950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY TYPEWRITER Samuel I. Berger, Newark,'N. J.

Application November 19, 1947, Serial No. 786,903

It is among the objects of my present invention to provide a toy typewriter which has all the advantages of that of my prior applications Serial No. 658,318, filed March 29, 19 26, and since issued as Patent No. 2,486,702, dated November 1, 1949, Serial No. 724,043, filed January 24, 1947, and since issued as Patent No. 2,458,137, dated January 4, 1949, and Serial No. 731,318, filed February 2'7, 1947, and my previous issued Patent No. 2,398,765, dated April 23, 1946, including the use substantially solely of sheet metal and rod stock to simulate the appearance of a genuine portable typewriter by a greatly simplified construction and which has the further advantage over said prior inventions of enhanced reliability in inking.v

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy typewriter according to the present invention, showing its general appearance with the simulated keyboard and associated structure in place thereon,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with the key lever depressed, showing the type wheel in typing position,

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view of the type head and inking mechanism taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the ink roller mount.

Since the construction in its general outline follows closely that of the applications and patent above identified, being substantially similar to the construction shown in application Serial No. 731,318, only so much of the construction has been shown as is needed to afford a clear understanding of the present improvements, and the general description will be correspondingly brief.

Referring now to the drawings, as shown in Fig. 1, the toy typewriter simulates the appearance of a modern portable typewriter presenting as it does a base I! supported obliquely as shown, by legs l1, and having a simulated standard keyboard l2 thereon. This keyboard may be directly. printed on the rectangular platform l3 or printed on a rectangular sheet metal plate which is affixed to the surface of the platform. A standard at the center of the base supports the operating mechanism of the device and a platen structure It is mounted on the base to the rear of the standard. Inasmuch as the platen structure I4 is substantially identical with 6 Claims. (Cl. 197-47) 2 that of my prior application Serial No. 731,318, it will not be further described.

A key lever is is pivoted on an axle 20, the latter being journalled in side walls 2| rising from the lateral edges of a rectangular bracket 22 affixed to the platform l3. Each of the arms 24 of the key lever I9 is pivoted to a link 25, the upper end of said link being pivoted by means of an axle 26 to the obliquely extending arms 39 of a substantially U-shaped sheet metal carriage 3| which supports a U-shaped bracket 33 depending therefrom. The end of each of said oblique arms 30 is pivoted as at 32 to upstanding ears 2? rising from the rear end of each side of the bracket 22.

A type wheel 35 having on its periphery the type heads comprising the sequence of letters and numerals, is provided, affixed to a substantially upright axle 36 journalled in

bearing openings

31 and 38 in bracket 33 and carriage 3|, respectively, and protruding therefrom, the axle in position of rest bein at substantially right angles to platform |3.

The type wheel 35 is adjustable to a selected setting by means of a rotatable cup shaped knob 45, preferably integral with rotatable dial 39 which bears the sequence of letters and numerals on its upper surface, and which is afiixed to the protruding end of axle 36 by set screw 4|. A pointer 41 struck out from carriage 3| and positioned so as to be near the periphery of said dial 39 indicates the selected setting thereof. A coil spring 43 surrounding said axle 36 between the type wheel and the carriage serves to take up any looseness and retain the axle in position between carriage 3| and bracket 33.

Ratchet means which includes a horizontal ratchet wheel 48 interposed between bracket 33 and type wheel 35 and affixed to axle 36 by a set screw 49 is preferably provided to step the type wheel around in effecting setting thereof by the turning of knob 45. As this mechanism has been fully described in my above identified applications and patent, it will not be more fully described herein.

The construction thus far described is not per se claimed herein as it is the subject of my prior patent and applications above identified.

According to the present invention, a substantially U-shaped bracket 50 is provided for applying ink to the type heads. The arms 5| and 52 of bracket 50 are pivotally mounted on substantially upright axle 35 so as to straddle the type wheel 35 with arm 52 extending beneath bracket 33 and arm 5| resting against the top of type wheel 35 and being held thereagainst by coil spring 43 so that the bracket acts as a crank in the manner hereinafter set forth.

- The vertical cross piece 53 of crank 50, which extends beyond the periphery of the type wheel, has a pair of tongues 54 struck out therefrom and at right angles thereto forming a slot 55 in the cross piece. The tongues carry a vertical rod 51 on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 58 to which an ink retaining absorbent roller 59, which is itself conventional, is afiixed. The roller is of such diameter that a portion of its periphery will extend through slot 56 and abut against the type heads on the periphery of the type wheel.

Arm 52 of the crank has an ear SI rigid therewith and extending laterally therefrom at one edge thereof. Pivotally connected to ear as at 62 is one end of a link 63. The other end of the link 63 is pivotally connected as at E54 to the upper end of an upstanding arm 65, the lower end of which is amxed to platform l3.

In the normal or idle position of the machine, the ink roller 59 is in engagement with the type wheel as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. When the type wheel 35 is rotated by knob 45 to select the desired letter to be printed, the ink roller will also rotate to cover with ink the type heads rolled thereover.

To imprint the selected letter on the paper, key lever I9 is depressed, thereby pivoting carriage 3| about its pivots 32 from idle position shown in Fig. 2 to operating position shown in Fig. 3.

During the course of the-movement of carriage 3| with axle 36 and crank 58 thereon, toward the platen, link 63, which does not move forward inasmuch as it is pivotally connected at one end to arm 65 rigid with the platform, will thereupon pull on ear 6| of arm 52 to which it is connected, thereby causing crank 55 to rotate about axle 35 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4 to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4.

As the crank 50 rotates on axle 36, roller 59 will ride over a portion of the periphery of type Wheel 35, thereby inking the type heads thereon. In the fully depressed position of key lever [9, when the selected type has contacted the paper, crank 58 will have been rotated by link 63 so that roller 59 thereon will completely have cleared the platen structure M, as best shown in Fig. 4. Thus there is no danger of the roller contacting the paper during the printing operation to cause smudging and blotting of the paper.

Upon release of the key lever IS, the weight of the carriage 3! will cause the latter to pivot to its idle position. During the course of such movement, link 63 will push on ear 62, thereby rotating crank 5a") in a clockwise direction on axle 36 so that roller '59 will return to its original position ready for the next letter to be imprinted.

To enclose the operating mechanism supported by side walls 21 of bracket 22, a substantially U-shaped cover piece 8'! is provided which is aflixed to the base of the bracket '22. Key lever i9 has a panel 88 unitary therewith and extending upwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When key lever i9 is at rest position, panel 89 will enclose the type wheel and its associated mechanism. Panel 89 has an inwardly turned lip 98- to which are aiii-xed rubber bumpers at which abut against a downwardly turned skirt 92 on the front of carriage 3| when the latter has pivoted to rest position under the influence of gravity after key lever l9 has been released.

Bumpers 9i and skirt 92 serve as a stop to properly position the carriage in rest position and prevent bracket 33, which depends from carriage 3!, from hitting cover 81 which is of relatively thin sheet metal, and possibly denting said cover and jamming the mechanism thereunder.

Thus by the construction herein described, a relatively inexpensive toy typewriter is provided which is simple to operate .and which functions without danger of jamming of the mechanism thereof and Without smudging of the imprinted letters or numerals.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 01 the United States is:

1. In a typewriting mechanism, the combination of a base, a platen structure mounted on said base at the rear thereof, a carriage pivoted on said base, a type wheel having a substantially upright axle bearing in said carriage, means pivotally mounted on said axle to ink said type wheel, said means comprising a substantially U- shaped crank, the arms of which straddle said type wheel, and an absorbent roller pivotally mounted on the cross piece of said crank and in engagement with the periphery of said type wheel, a dial afiixed to the upper end of said axle to rotate the latter and said type Wheel thereon, and a pointer rigid with said carriage and coacting with said dial to indicate the setting thereof.

2. The combination vset forth in claim 1, in which means are provided to pivot said crank on said axle, thereby moving said roller across a portion of the periphery of said type-wheel to ink the type heads thereon.

3. In a typewriter mechanism of the type comprising a base, a platen structure mounted on said base at the rear thereof, a carriage pivoted on said base, means to pivot said carriage, a substantially upright axle bearing in said carriage, a type wheel affixed on said axle and coacting with said platen as said carriage is pivoted, a dial affixed to the upper end of said axle to rotate the latter and the type wheel thereon, ratchet means coacting with said type wheel for retaining the latter in set position, and a pointer rigid with said carriage to indicate the setting of said type wheel; the combination therewith of means pivotally mounted on said axle to ink said type wheel as said carriage is pivoted and before said type wheel coacts with said platen, said means comprising a substantially U-shaped crank having a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said substantially upright axle, an ink absorbent roller mounted on the cross piece of said crank and in engagement with said type wheel, an ear extending laterally from the lower arm of said crank and a link pivotally connected to said ear and to the base of said typewriter whereby, when said carriage is pivoted, said crank will be pivoted about said axle by the action of said link to move said roller horizontall across said type wheel.

4. In a typewriter mechanism of the type comprising a base, a platen structure mounted on said base at the rear thereof, a bracket .affixed to said base, a carriage pivoted on said bracket, a substantially upright axle bearing in said carriage and having affixed thereon in coaxial relation therewith, a, ratchet wheel and a type wheel, said ratchet wheel retaining said type wheel in set position, means for rocking said carriag on said bracket from rest to typing position to move said type wheel into contact with said platen, said means comprising a key lever pivoted to said bracket and having a panel unitary therewith and extending upwardly therefrom to conceal said type Wheel and said ratchet wheel when said carriage is in rest position, and a link connecting said key lever to said carriage for pivoting the latter, said panel having an inwardly turned lip at the upper edge thereof which abuts against said carriage to limit the movement thereof as it pivots to rest position; the combination therewith of a substantially U- shaped crank having a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said substantially upright axle and straddling said type wheel, a pair of opposed tongues struck out from the cross piece of said crank and forming a slot therein in juxtaposition to the periphery of said type wheel, an ink absorbent roller rotatably mounted between said tongues, extending through said slot and in engagement with said type wheel, an ear extending laterally from the lower arm of said U-shaped crank, and a link pivotally connected to said ear and to the base of said typewriter, whereby when said carriage is pivoted, said crank will be pivoted about said axle by the action of said link to move said roller horizontall about said type wheel.

5. In a typewriting mechanism, the combination of a base, a platen mounted on said base, a bracket affixed to said base, a substantially U- rality of bumpers afiixed to said lip, said bumpers abutting against the downwardly turned skirt on said carriage to limit the movement of the latter as it pivots to rest position.

6. As an article of manufacture, a substantially U-shaped crank having a pair of arms, a pair of opposed tongues struck out from the cross piece of said crank and forming a slot therein, an ink absorbent roller rotatably mounted between said tongues and extending through the slot in said cross piece, and an ear extending laterally from the lower arm of said U-shaped crank.

SAMUEL I. BERGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 448,079 Robertson Mar. 10, 1891 1,119,777 Carroll Dec. 1, 1914 2,096,085 Boisselier Oct. 19, 1937