US2653695A - Erasure-debris collecting device on typewriters and like machines - Google Patents

Description

p 1953 w. ETTMULLER 2,653,695

ERASURE-DEBRIS COLLECTING msvxcza on TYPEWRITERS AND LIKE MACHINES FiIedAug. 2a, 1951 INVENTORY Wqll'er [rim/"115R 'AHov-mu Patented Sept. 29, 1953 ERASURE-DEBRIS COLLECTING DEVICE ON TYPEWBITERS AND LIKE MACHINES Walter Ettmiiller, Zurich, Switzerland Application August 28, 1951, Serial N 0. 244,062 In Switzerland August 30, 1950 3 Claims.

In'my copending application Ser. No. 58,905, filed on November 8, 1948, now Patent No. 2,583,259, issued January 22, 1952, I have disclosed an erasure-debris collecting device on type writers and like machines, which is swingably mounted on the carriage to be moved into and. out of the range of the platen and extends in the latters direction. The device is formed with a debris collecting trough from which extend two arms angularly disposedwith respect to each other. One of the said arms serves as an apron lying against the platen when in the operative position for collecting debris, and against the carriage when swung to the non-operative position.

Such erasure-debis collecting device is further improved, as disclosed by my present invention, in that its collecting trough or gutter is situated in an exterior trough. The collecting trough may be closed or opened for access by rotating the two troughs relatively to each other.

The exterior trough suitably is fixed to the collecting trough or gutter and provided with a leg adapted. to facilitate the delivery of debris to the gutter when the device is in the operative position.

One form of the improved device, as applied to a typewriter, is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the carriage, the device being in its operative position,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section, on a larger scale, through the device, platen and paper-feed means,

Fig. 3 is a similar cross-section in which, however, the device is in the non-operative position, and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3 on a larger scale, to explain the mounting of the device on the carriage.

In the drawing, the numeral I designates the carriage, 2 the platen mounted in the latter, and 3 the inclined sheet-feeding and guiding apron. The platen 2 is manually rotatable by means of the lateral knobs 4.

Two brackets 5 are rigidly secured to the two narrow sides of the carriage I, and each comprises a depending leg 6 which is provided with counterstops 6a and 6b and with an open-ended slot I. Two housings thus are provided for receiving an apron 8 which comprises a longitudinal gutter 9. The center line of the gutter 9 coincides with the axis of rotation of the apron 8, which axis is parallel to the platen 2. The apron 8 generally is of the same length as the platen, but that portion of its longitudinal free edge which is parallel to the platen 2, is somewhat shorter.

An outside trough I4 which is of a shape similar to that of the gutter 9 on the apron 8, and of the same length, is clampedly and rotatablyengaged with the gutter 9 and has a leg I5 extending throughout the length thereof. A collar II through a stud I6 fixed thereto is secured to each lateral end of the gutter 9, and through a pivot pin I8 fixed thereto is loosely inserted in the slot "I on the leg 6 of each bracket 5. The apron 8 and the outside trough I4 thus are rotatably and detachably mounted in the two brackets 5.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the apron 8 is shown in the operative position, being disposed within the range of the platen 2 and bearing, through its free longitudinal edge, on the paper sheet A which is engaged with the surface of the platen 2. Such operative position of the apron 8 is selected so that the latter will not be in the range of a line of writing on the sheet A when the typewriter is in action. When erasing, the sheet A is so adjusted by means of the platen, that the point of erasure is situated above the apron 8. The retainer I I which holds the sheet A in contact with the platen 2 and comprises two sheet-engaging rollers I2, then is swung back into its inactive position (Figs. 1 and 2).

The debris produced on erasing thus is caught by the apron 8 on which it may be swept by hand into the gutter 9. The apron 8, 9 then is swung away from the platen into the position shownin Fig. 3, in which its free longitudinal edge bears on the front bar I3 of the carriage I. The retainer I I then is swung back into its sheet-engaging position (Fig. 3). The paper sheet A and the platen 2 then are re-adjusted into their appropriate positions on the carriage for the purpose of resuming the typewriting operation.

On swinging the apron 8, 9 from the inoperative to the operative position, the exterior trough I4 is carried along by friction. The trough I4 during such movement, however, moves through a smaller angle in that a stop l4a afiixed thereto abuts against counterstop 6a fixed to the bracket leg 6. On swinging the apron 8, 9 back to its inoperative position, the trough I4 again is carried along thereby over said smaller angle of displacement until stop I4a abuts counterstop 6b, when the trough I4 is in its position of rest (Fig. 3) in which access to the gutter 9 is blocked by the trough I4.

For the purpose of emptying the gutter 9 from time to time, the apron 8 is swung to its vertical position and lifted out of its housing-slots 1 in the two brackets 5.

At least one of the two collars H which close ofi the gutter 8 at the endfaces thereof and which are provided with bearing pins, is removable. By removing such collar, the gutter 9 is opened at the respective end, and the accumulated erasuredebris may be readily discharged therefrom. In the non-operative position of the apron 8, in which it stands clear of the platen 2, it does in no way impede the operators vision.

If desired, the said stop means may be dispensed with. In such case, the outside trough has to be manually rotated with respect to the apron 8 for the purpose of rendering the gutter 9 accessible. Such manual rotation, in the example described, may be effected by means of the leg l of the trough H.

The erasure-debris collecting device is not restricted in its application to typewriters, but also may be provided on writing-and-calculating machines for example.

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

1. In combination with a typewriter or like machine having a carriage and a platen, an erasuredebris collecting device swingably mounted on the carriage and extending in the direction of the platen; the said device comprising an apron of which the front end is formed as gutter and the rear end lies against the platen when in the operative position for collecting debris and against the carriage front bar when swung to the non-operative position, the said gutter being of substantially semi-circular cross-section of which the centerline is coaxial with the axis of swing, and an outside trough clampedly and rotatably mounted on the outside of said gutter for the purpose of closing the latter in its non-operative position and of opening the gutter in the said operative position.

2. An erasure-debris collecting device as set out in claim 1, in which the outside trough has a leg adapted to facilitate the run of debris into the gutter when the apron is in its operative position.

3. In an erasure-debris collecting device as set out in claim 2, stop means adapted to limit the rotary movement of the outside trough so that the gutter is automatically rendered accessible for the debris on swinging the apron from its non-operative position to its operative position.

WALTER E'I'I'MUILER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 862,621 Egger Aug. 6, 1907 1,544,064 McNeal June 30, 1925 2,583,259 Ettmiiller Jan. 22, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 186,693 Germany June 28, 1907

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