US2535178A

US2535178A - Auxiliary keyboard

Info

Publication number: US2535178A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1950-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 1967-12-26

Description

Dec. 26, 1950 w. E. WALKER 2,535,178

AUXILIARY KEYBOARD Filed March 15, 1948 3maentor Wf/bur E. Wa/ke (Ittomegs Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUXILIARY KEYBOARD Wilbur'E; Walker, Wichita, Kans.

A'pplicationMarch 15, 1948'; Serial No. 14,885

51Glaims;

This invention relates-to -calculating machines particularly-of the-type having-a plurality of sets of calculating mechanisms for obtaining related tabulations and has for itsprincipal object to provide'a machine of this character with a single bank of keys for simultaneously setting" up the sets of? calculating mechanisms for operation thereby simplifyingthe operating procedure and increasing-the rapidity with which such machines can. be operated.

Further objects of' the invention are to provide anattaehment for presentcalculating machinesthat is readily applied merely by' placement overthe keyboard thereof; which is readily removed when it is desired to use the calculating machine in conventional manner; and which is retained in fixed position by; providing the at tachment with means for engaging existing parts on-the' case of the calculating machine.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention hereinafter'pointed out; I have provided improved. structure, the preferred formof which isiIluStrated-in' the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Fig. 1- is a perspective view of a calculatingm'achine equipped with an attachment embodying the-features of the presentinvention.

Fig; 2 is a cross section on the line 2'2. of Fig; 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview" or one of the" key bars of the attachment mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a partial side-el'evationalview of the attachment illustratingione set of key'bars;

Referring more in detail to; the drawings? 1 designates a calculating or tabul'ating, machine having a casing 2 for enclosinga plurality; of'calculating mechan sms (not shown) bywhi'ch: the result of "calculations are set up on dial mechanismof a-carriage 3" having' reciprocatorym'ove ment: on the casing incidental to operation of the" machine; the carriage being provided with left andrig'ht sets' of windows land 5 through which the dials are exposed. The" top of'the' casingis provided with an inclined=top orkeyboard having a. plurality: of banks of"

keys

6 and 1 for respectively'operating theleft andrightsetsof dials in'" the carriage. 3. Each bank of keys 'includesa pluralityofco-lumns and eachcolumn has ten keys:

Eachkey: has: shank 8 reciprocabl-e' through an" opening 9. in the inclined top'of'the" casing and is. provided with a finger touch-z knob H3. The knobs-in each column are usually designated with the'inumera lsz' 0.7 to 9' and there" may beany: mun-- berof' columnsiin each b'ank' depending-uponthe Capacity of: theeamachinei- The machine Hillsvoice of tabulated items, the individual calculation for each item is set up by pressing the proper keys in one bank to efieot a recording of the calculation on one set of the register dials and corresponding keys in the other bank are similarlyoperated to set up an accumulative total by another set of dials.

It is thus obvious that operation of the machine requires duplicate key manipulation in both banks of keys. For example, in obtaining an amount of a given quantity of articles at a given" price per article, the price (Inultiplicand) is set up by pressing the proper keys, for example, in the bank 5 and to obtain an accumulative total thecorresponding keys are also operated in the bank 'i. Then when the machine is again manipulated to obtain the calculations for the amount of the next item and the machine is operated, the amount of the first item is cleared and the amount for the second item is set up on that set of registering dials. Simultaneously, the amount of the second item is added to the amount registered by the other side of the dials so as toobtain an accumulative total which gives the total amount of invoice after all of the various items have been calculated.

As above pointed out, it is the purpose of the present invention to avoidv duplicate manipulation of the banks of keys by providing the machine with a supplementary keyboard or attachment having a single bank of keys for simultaneously operatingcorresp-onding keys in the banks of

keys

6 and 1.

In carrying out the invention, the attachment comprises a key supporting member l3 which includesa plate I4 having flanged nds l5 and I6- carried by the flanges l5 and IS in slightlyspaced relation with the tops of the touch knobs H] of 1 the key" banks 6 and I as best shown in Fig.2..

Since in ordinary calculation machines only three columns of keys are used in each bank, eachv set of keys therefore comprise three bar trans.- verse portions It! arranged in. face to face re1a.'-- tionso"thatdependinglegs 20 and 21 on respective ends register with the related keys in the key banks. The

legs

20 and 21 extend through

slotlike openings

22 and 23 in the supplemental plate I! so that the edges 24 and 24' thereof rest upon or are in close relation to th keys in their respective key banks. The key bars also include depending guide stems 25 that are preferably located midway between the leg portions 20 and. 2| and which are reciprocable in slot-like openings 26 in the plate I1. The openings 26 are out of registry with the keys of the key banks so that when the bars are depressed the guide stems will pass through the spaces between the keys.

In order to actuate the bars, each bar is provided with an upwardly extending shank 21 that reciprocates through slot-like openings 28 in the plate l3. The slot-like openings 28 are formed in laterally spaced rows corresponding with the spacing of the keys in the columns of the key banks so that the stems are located in three columns. Since the bars are located in face to face relation, the openings 28 for the shanks of each set of bars are offset substantially the thickness of the bars, and in order to transversely align the touch knobs 29 that are provided on the respective stems, the upper portions of the stems of the inner and outermost bars are offset as indicated at 38 and 35 (Fig. 4). With this arrangement the touch buttons align transversely in the same manner as the touch buttons for the key banks previously described. If desired, the offsets may be made in the fork or leg portions so that the stems will align transversely.

With the arrangement illustrated, the bars are supported upon related keys of the key banks so that when one bar is depressed the keys of the key banks are depressed therewith against action of the springs to set up the desired digits for the multiplicancl. When the machine is operated to actuate the dials, the keys of the key banks are released and the springs (not shown) raise the bars to their original position as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to prevent contact of the bar portion with the underside of the plate I 3 and thereby eliminate noise, the underside of the plate M is preferably provided with a resilient or sound deadening pad 32 that is suitably secured thereto and which acts to cushion the bars when they are returned to their idle position.

The support is carried on the key board in fixed relation with the keys of the key banks by providing ends of the flanges 15 and It with laterally directed

ears

33, 34, 35 and 36 which may be curved to engage the ends of transverse cleats or ribs 25'! and 38 that form parts of the calculating machine. The support for the supplemental key bank is thus retained from sliding movement in any direction of the keyboard yet it may be readily removed merely by lifting the attachment from engagement with the cleat or rib members of the casing.

When the attachment is to be applied, it is readily positioned by sliding the flanges l and 16 over the outer sides of the cleats and positioning the attachment laterally so that the ears 33-34 and 35-36 engage the ends of the cleats as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

In using the attachment it is applied as shown in Fig. 1 so that the legs on the key bars of the lefthand keys in the supplemental key bank register with the lefthand keys in the key banks 5 and 1 respectively and the legs on the key bars of the righthand keys register with the righthand keys of the key banks, while the legs. of

It is thus obvious that I have provided an attachment for calculating machines which reduces the number of key operations required in setting up a plurality of tabulations as when itemizing bills, invoices and the like where both amounts and total amounts are required.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An attachment for calculating machines having related banks of tabulating keys arranged in parallel columns with the columns in one bank corresponding to the columns in the other bank, said attachment comprising a unitary actuating means for simultaneously actuating the corresponding keys of each of the corresponding columns of keys and having portions adapted to engage said keys, and means for removably supporting said actuating means on said calculating machine.

2. In an attachment for a calculating machine having a keyboard including a plurality of banks of keys with individual keys in one bank corresponding to keys of the other bank and rib-like members at opposite sides of the keyboard, said attachment comprising supplemental keys having portions adapted to engage substantially simultaneously the corresponding keys, and supporting means for the supplemental keys and having portions adapted to seat upon the keyboard and adapted to slide over sides of said rib-like members to position said portions of the supplemental keys relatively to the related keys of the calculating machine.

3. An attachment for a calculating machine having related banks of tabulating keys with said keys arranged in parallel columns with the columns in one bank related to columns in the other bank, said attachment including a supporting frame having portions adapted for removable support on said calculatingmachine, and actuating means carried by the supporting means and adapted to interconnect corresponding keys in the related columns when the supporting frame is placed over said machine with said portions in contact with the keyboard.

4. An attachment for calculating machines having a keyboard including a plurality of laterally arranged banks of keys with individual keys in one bank corresponding with individual keys in the other bank, said attachment comprising spaced upper and lower plate members, key actuators for simultaneous actuating of the corresponding keys including bar portions arranged in sets within the space between said plates, said bar portions of each set arranged in side to side relation, key engaging means on ends of the bar portions and projecting substantially equal distances through slots in the lower plate member for engaging the related keys, stems on the bar portions and extending through slots in the upper plate, and finger touch knobs on the stems, means carrying the plate member and having portions adapted to rest removably on the keyboard for supporting the plate members on the keyboard with the key engaging portions in registry with said keys, said finger knobs for each set of keys being located in transverse alignment.

.5. An attachment for, calculating. machines having a keyboard including a plurality of laterally arranged banks of keys with individual keys in one bank corresponding with individual keys in the other bank, said attachment comprising spaced upper and lower plate members, key actuators for simultaneous actuation of the corresponding keys including bar portions arranged in sets within the space between said plates, said bar portions of each set arranged in side to side relation, key engaging means on ends of each bar portion and projecting through slots in the lower plate member for engaging respectively'a key in one bank and a corresponding key in the other bank, stems on the bar portions and extending through slots in the upper plate, finger touch knobs on the stems, means extending down-- wardly from the lower plate and having portions adapted to rest upon the keyboard for supporting the plate members on the keyboard with the key engaging portions in registry with said keys, said 20 6 finger knobs for each set of keys being located in transverse alignment, and cushioning means on the underside of the upper plate member for engagement by said bar portions.

WILBUR WALKER.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 823,219 Hensley June 12, 1906 957,221 Lamkin May 10, 1910 1,699,540 Magnus Jan. 22, 1929 2,045,021 Muller Jan. 23, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 688,221 France May 12, 1930