US2771242A

US2771242A - von yvaldbergen

Info

Publication number: US2771242A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1956-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-20

Description

Nov. 20, 1956 L. T. E. VON WALDBERGEN 2,771,242

TYPEWRITER NUMBER-PRINTING APPARATUS CONTROLLED BY A CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 5o 00 Q0 Nov. 20, 1956 L. 1-. a. VON WALDBERGEN ,7

TYPEWRITER NUMBER-PRINTING APPARATUs CONTROLLED BY A CALCULATING MACHIN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19, 1952 Lu en f 77% 5/6 W If Mia/fen J LEM Zed 1956 T. E. VON WALDBERGEN 2,771,242

. TYPEWRITER NUMBER-PRINTING APPARATUS CONTROLLED BY A CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent TYPEWRITER NUMBER-PRINTIN G APPARATUS CONTROLLED BY A CALCULATING MACHINE Leo Trnka Elder von Waldbergen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Application September 19, 1952, Serial No. 310,487

Claims priority, application Germany September 25, 1951 Claims. (Cl. 235-6012) The invention relates to typewriter number-printing apparatus controlled by calculating machines located outside the typewriters.

Prior art is known according to which a carriage displaceable in the frame of the calculating machine is equipped with sensing members and displaced in such a manner along the counting mechanism by a suitable release mechanism in accordance with the occurring decimalplace value that the sensing members are brought successively and in correct sequence in relation to all of the members which are moved by the digit drums of the counting mechanism of the calculating machine, into the relative positions which are necessary for the sensing operation.

In the practical construction, these known devices require a calculating machine which is specially constructed and the manufacture of which is, on account of the sensing device of the sensing carriage complicated and consequently very liable to disturbance and expensive.

Consequently, according to the invention, the type racks are, during a short interval of time which may be before or after the printing of the number on the checking strip of the calculating machine, retained in their positions in relation to one another and represent the keyed-in number or of the calculated total, and this relative position is transferred to the corresponding digitwriter of the digit-writing mechanism of the typewriter, the arrangement of the device being such that the typewriter carriage, which is tabulated to the highest decimal place of the number to be printed or to the highest possible place of the total to be written, opens the current path for the digit representing pulses received from the counting mechanism of the calculating machine and, consequently, produces for the typewriter, the electromagnetic operation of the keys.

The essential difference of the invention from the known devices is, accordingly, that all denominational orders of a number registered are simultaneously transmitted to the typewriter and printed order after order by means of the standard carriage-stepping movements. This simple but surprising solution permits construction of transferring elements which, while dispensing with special drives by motor and the like, may be fitted into mass-produced typewriters and calculating machines without alterations of their frames, housings and gearing elements.

The construction and method of operation of the invention will now be explained with reference to the embodiments represented in Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is an isometric view illustrating an arresting arrangement for the handle of a calculating machine;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an arrangement in which the present invention is applied;

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view including a diagram of electric connections illustrating an embodiment of the control device according to the present invention for interrupting temporarily the circuit of electromagnetic means for actuating key levers;

Fig. 3a is a front view of the showing in Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, illustrating a modified embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

In order to fix the type racks in their position which reproduces the individual items or the calculated total, it is only necessary to keep the crank handle 45 (see Fig. 1) in the position shown in front by means of a stop lever 46. This lever 46, which is acted upon by a spring 65, can, after the transmission of the adjusted number has been effected, be actuated to release the crank handle 45 either by manually depressing on the plate 4 or by electromagnetic means 5, 64 energised by a controlling impulse which is advantageously derived from the typewriter. Obviously, in a similar manner, a corresponding electromagnetically controlled clutch device may be provided when using motor-driven calculating machines.

The method of operation of the new device according to the invention is as follows:

Every individual type rack, which occupies a position embodying the adjusted digit value and is retained in this position as described in the last preceding paragraph, represents, by means of a contact sliding on a contact plate, a conductive connection between the corresponding key-operating coil and the place-value contacts which are advantageously rigidly arranged on the rearside of the frame of the typewriter and are associated with the individual columns of the account sheet. The whole group lies at the same time on the coils and the place-value contacts. The carriage, on passing the place-value contacts, connects successively by a sliding contact the circuits of the place-value contacts through a bus bar with the second coil feed wire in the direction of decreasing decimal places, and closes successively the circuits for the digitkey operating coils and effects the writing of the place value on the account sheet.

The type rack 8 (see Fig. 2) produces, for example, by means of the transmission member 9 and the contact 10 sliding on the series of contacts 11, which leads to the ten key-operating coils, a connection of the coil (in this case the four coil) to the place-value contacts on the back of the machine through the wire 12. The wire 12 is connected to all contacts corresponding to the tenth decimal order. If four columns L-IV are to be printed, four contacts are provided, one for each column which will be referred to as I to IV hereinafter.

If, now, the carriage 7 introduces into the tenths place value of the tabulated entry column, i. e. ,4 II, the current can flow from one pole of the source of current, through the bus bar 13, the sliding contact 14 of the carriage 7, the place-value contact II, the wire 12 to the contact four of the series of contacts 11, to the operating coil four of the series of contacts 11, and thence, through a control device S to be described hereinafter, to the other pole of the source of current.

However, with the elements hereinbefore described the device has no certainty of operation, since the step advanced by the carriage is very short and, consequently also the contact-advancing step on the place-value con tacts behind the carriage is correspondingly rapid, i. e. more rapid than the time that is necessary to bring a tyne lever to perform its stroke and then to bring it back to its initial position. Consequently, special precautions must be taken in order that the type lever does not collide with the next one and be struck by the Whole force of the magnet.

Figs. 3 and 4 show control devices, according to the invention, for solving this problem. The control device S of 2 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows a modified control device which may be used in the construction of Fig, 2 instead of control device S. Beneath each digit key (see Fig. 3) of the typewriter there is mounted, in the fixed frame 16, an electro-magnetic means including a magnet coil (in this case four) which can receive repeatedly direct-current or alternating-current impulses or normal voltage and attract energetically within itself a magnet core 17 which, in turn, is hingedly connected with the digit key 15 through a slotted tie bar 13 constituting an operating member. The slotting of this tie bar renders it possible also to operate the digit keys independently of the magnet device. At the top end of the core 17 there is a cross bar 19 which can slide up and down in a guiding slot 20 in the frame 16.

in the frame 16, which may be made of insulating material for the purpose of obviating the use of a special insulation of the various contacts fixed thereto, the two prongs 2i and 22 are rotatably mounted at 23. The width of the gap between the prongs can be adjusted by means of the screw which is guided in the slot 2d. By means of a spring 26, the bearing clearance at 23 can be adjusted in such a manner that the

member

21, 22 as a whole, although it rotates easily about pivot 23 as the result of an impact by bar 19, but stops as soon as the impact effect ceases.

Stops

33a, 33b are secured by arm PM- to the frame of the machine and limit angular movement of lever 15 and displacement of bar 19.

Members

21, 22 and 19 constitute a lost motion device.

i f, as already described (Fig. 2), the tabulated carriage 7 closes, with its sliding contact 14, the prepared current path first for the digits at the highest decimal place, the coil (in this case four) of the device S shown in Fig. 2 pulls the core 17 downwards and the latter presses on the prong element 22 by means of the cross bar 19, the

fork

21, 22 rotates about 23 and raises the blocking contact 213 which is connected from 23 with the next contact 29 through the wire 32, by means of a movable connecting contact member 27, so that a blocking contact 25 is released by contact 28 In this way, the circuit which energises the four coil is broken during the period shortly before the striking of the type until shortly before it drops back into its initial position.

Thereby the result is obtained that the type lever is not actuated by the full magnetic force of the coil 4 to move the type against the platen, but by kinetic energy applied to the movable parts by the electromagnetic core member 17. However, the kinetic energy must be sufficient to overcome the resistance of the spring 30.

The force of the impact may be adjusted by suitably adjusting the angular position of the prong 22 with respect to the member 27. In the event that the impact is too Weak, which may be caused by a too early interruption of a circuit, the prong 22 must be adjusted by turning the same in clockwise direction about the pin 23 relative to the operating member 27. The transverse bar 19 consequently engages the prong 22 somewhat later and interrupts the circuit of the electromagnetic actuating means shortly before the type hits the platen. In the event that the impact of the type is too strong, the prong 22 is adjusted in counterclockwise direction. The time between interruption of the circuit and engage ment between the type and the platen is thereby extended, and consequently the force of the impact is smaller.

Since, according to the invention, all the blocking contact points 28/29 to 28/29 are connected in series, the current path leading from any other coil, through a bus bar 31 and the series of contacts 28/29 to the source of current, remains broken, after a key has been moved, until the type lever has again taken up its initial position.

The current of the energized four coil flows from the source of current, through the series-connected contacts 28/22, the bus bar 31, the four coil, the four contact (see Fig. 2) of the series of contacts 11, the wire 12, the place-value contact II, that is the contact corresponding to the tenth decimal order in a column II of a typed sheet, the sliding contact 14 on the carriage, and the bus bar 13, to the source of current.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, a connecting bar 72 is hinged to the core 71 of the magnet coil 70. The coil 70 corresponds to the coil 4 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The purpose of coil 70 is to effect printing of the value transferred from the calculating machine to the typewriter. For the sake of clarity, the mechanism for transferring the motion of core 71 to the key levers of the typewriter is not illustrated in Fig. 4 It will be understood that the key lever is connected to the arm 73" in the same manner as the key lever is connected to the core 17 in the arrangement of Fig. 3. The connecting bar 72 is connected with one arm 73 of a bell-crank lever 73 which is rotatably mounted at 74, whilst the free arm 73 of the bell-crank lever bears a projection 2'5 which strikes the upper or lower prongs element 76' or 76" of member 76.

The Width of opening between the prongs can be adjusted by screws 78 which are guided in slots 77. A friction member 79 having a recess 8%, and adjustable in relation to the prong with which it forms a bell-crank lever, rotates against a friction roller 81 which lies in a frame 84 that is supported by the adjustable spring 82 and is rotatably mounted at 83. This frame 84, whose angular displacement is limited by a set screw 85, carries, at the top, a bridging rail 86, which, in the position shown, bridges the two contacts 87/88 that break the energising circuit. A groove, which fits the periphery of the friction roller 81. in the recess 80, keeps the roller in the position of rest and stops the friction member 79 in the normal position and, in this way, secures a faultless spark-free passage of current at 86, 87, 88. The amount of friction between the roller 81 and the friction member 79 is controlled by adjustable springs 84, in conjunction with the angle of movement of the frame 84, which angle is adjustable by the screw 85. Thereby the response of the key-operating coil can be made to conform to the different forces of impact which increase from the edges of the bank of keys to the centre.

The same subject matter of the invention can also be modified in such a manner that the place-value contacts can be comprised only once in a place-value contact member, arranged on the rear part of the frame of the machine and tapped off by a plurality of sliding-contact carriers which are longitudinally displaceable and fixable on the paper carriage like tabulator stops and each of which is associated with an entry column.

In addition to the considerable advantage, obtained in this Way, of a. free choice of entry column and the saving of wire material and soldering positions, there is the possibility of a number of simplifications in the control of the machine combination, the employment of which with an appropriate constructional adaptation is also possible in the case of the device hereinbefore described. Thus, for example, the adjustment of the digit contacts in the calculating machine and the tapping off of the place-value contacts on the typewriter when under current is, according to the invention, prevented by coupling the crank handle or the motor drive of the calculating mechanism with a contact-switch arrangement which supplies the working current to the device only when all the current paths have been prepared. Through a third or fourth place-value contact after the decimal point, which is to be provided on the said stationary placevalue contact member, the contact switch arrangement switches off the current, after the entry has been completed, by causing the crank or the motor coupling to return to its initial position. Furthermore, the minus connection of the calculating machine for any desired columns can be automatically adjusted by providing for the stationary place-value contact member, in addition, two rails extend parallel to the place-values and the bridging of which etfects the minus connection by means of a second sliding contact on the movable sliding-contact carrier. In this case, the arrangement is such that the minus-key coil of the typewriter is, similarly to the operation of the adjusted digits, controlled by sign-type rack of the calculating machine, in which case, as long as this rack occupies its normal position, the minus place value is connected for blank-key operation by a further contact which is then closed.

Finally, the invention provides the equipment of the contact-plate for digit and place values, arranged in the calculating machine, next to the digit-contact rows, with contact rails which extend parallel to the rows of digit contacts respectively and are connected with the respective place-value contacts on the typewriter, slide springs arranged beneath the type racks effecting the Digit-contact place-value rail bridging.

This form of contact plate obviates the use of flexible wires which are liable to disturbance and very greatly facilitates its fitting into mass-produced calculating machines, since it can be fitted simply into base plate of the calculating machine beneath the type racks.

The construction, circuit' diagram and mode of operationof the device according to the invention are represented diagrammatically in Fig. 5.

The following place value contacts Thousands=T Hundreds=H Tens=Z Units E Decimal Point=L (blank key) Tenths=i Hundredths= Minus:-

Switch off=A are inserted in the place-value contact member 35, which is fixed behind the frame of the typewriter above the tabulator-meter box, together with the bus bar 13 and, above it, the minus rail 36 with the contact rail 37. Over these contacts there move successively the

slidingcontact carriers

40, 41 and 42 which are displaceably arranged on the paper carriage 7 and fixable therein by screws 38, for example, and which all have bridging sliding contacts 14 for tapping off the place-values.

The sliding-contact carrier 42 has, in addition, a bridging contact 44 for the minus connection; it can thus serve, for example for a debit column of the account sheet with the effect that all the amounts written in this column are subtracted in the calculating mechanism when the machine is switched in.

When the crank handle 45 of the calculating machine is pulled into the position shown after the keying-in of the corresponding amount, the stop lever 46 keeps it in its position. At the same time, the main switch 47/48 in the calculating machine closes a circuit from the source of current in the typewriter through the main switch 47/48 in the calculating machine to the bus bar 13 on the frame of the calculator. As soon as the

slide contact carriers

41 or 40 have made through the bridging slide contact 14 a connection to the respective place value contact T, H, Z, E, L, for instance through the conductor 12 the current passes to the associated contact bar 50 in the calculating machine.

On the extension 9 of a rack bar 8, not shown in Fig. for the sake of clarity, are mounted insulated slide contacts 10, which connect the respective contact bar 50, for instance 50 with the number contacts 49, for instance 494 when the rack bar of the calculating machine corresponding to the decimal order is set to the digit value 4. The rack bars are shiftable in the direction of the contact bar 50, and the slide contacts of the rack bars must be wide enough so that they are capable of connecting the contact bars 50, for instance 50 with the respective number contacts for instance 494 The current then passes from the contact bar 50 through the number contact 49-4 to the key lever actuating coil 69 which corresponds to the coil 4 in Fig. 3 and to the coil 70 in Fig. 4, and passes from there in the manner described in detail with reference to Fig. 3, through the closed row of contacts 28 29 to the other terminal of the source of contact.

The source of current may be arranged in the calculating machine instead of the typewriter, and may be a battery or a transformer connected to a higher voltage which is reduced in the transformer to the lower voltage required for operation of the electromagnetic means. All elements of the calculating machine are shown in Fig. 5 within the dash-and-dot line B.

The sliding contact carrier, for instance 41, is tabulatoractuated so that the sliding contact engages the place value contacts, which are the contacts corresponding to the decimal order, starting from the highest decimal order and moving toward the lowest decimal order, for instance the hundredth decimal order.

When the sliding contact 14 comes to the place value L=decimal point, the energising circuit for the blankkey operating coil L is closed through the wires 51. When the sliding contact 14 comes to the third place after the decimal point, then, since the slidingcontact carrier attends to an addition column, the blank key is again operated instead of the minus connection described in the next paragraph, since the current path passes from the rail 50, through the contact 52, which bridges the sign-type rack 54 when in its initial position, the wire 53 and again through the blank-key operating coil L.

If the sliding-contact carrier that runs on to the placevalue contact member has a minus sliding contact 44, a current path passes from the contact rail 36 to the minus rail 37 through the wire 55 and to the pair of contacts 56/57, which is connected with the contact segment 58 in such a manner that it is closed only when the first digit has been keyed into the calculating machine; the coil 59 is thus energised and attracts the core 60 which reverses the sign-type rack 54 to minus and, at the same time, opens the pair of contacts 61/62, whereupon the coil 59 is again de-energised. The sign type rack bar 54 remains in the minus position and places the minus contact 66 onto the rail 50, so that the current flows from rail 50 to contact 66, and through wire 67 into the minus key operating coil 68 when the sliding contact 14 arrives at the minus position directly following the place of the second decimal order on the right of the decimal point. After the computing operation has been finished, the sign type rack bar 54 is returned in a known manner together with the other type racks to the initial position which is effected by the return movement of the hand crank 45 of the calculating machine. The sign-type 54 remains at minus until the next calculating operation and then places the minus contact 66 on the rail 50, i. e., when the sliding contact 14 arrives at the placevalue the current flows from the rail 50 to the contact 66, the wire 67 and into the minus-key operating coil 68.

Switching-off is effected after each column, when the sliding-contact carrier goes into the place value A, the energising circuit for the coil 64 being then closed through the wire 63, the stop lever 46 releases the crank handle 45 in opposition to the action of the spring 65. and the pair of contacts 47/48 switches the current off from the controlling paths.

What we claim is:

1. In a device of the type described, in combination, a set of key elements; a circuit including a source of current; a set of electromagnetic operating means connected in parallel in said circuit, each electromagnetic operating means including a movable operating member movable between a normal position and an actuating position and connected to one of said key elements for actuating the same; electric actuating means in said circuit for selectively energizing said electromagnetic operatingmeans; a set of blocking contact means connected in series in said circuit, each blocking contact means including a movable blocking contact member; a lost motion device mechanically connecting each movale blocking contact member to one of said operating members so that each movable blocking contact member interrupts said circuit directly after the associated operating member leaves its normal position to move to said actuating position, and closes said circuit shortly before said operating member returns to its normal position whereby simultaneous actuation of another key element is prevented.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lost motion device includes a first member secured to one of said movable blocking contact members and having two spaced prongs defining a gap; and a second member secured to one of said movable operating members and being located in said gap.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 2 and including means for adjusting the position of said spaced prongs for varying the width of said gap.

4. Actuating mechanism for a typewriter including a movable carriage and a set of key elements, said actuating mechanism comprising, in combination, a circuit including a source of current; a set of electromagnetic operating means connected in parallel in said circuit, each electromagnetic operating means including a movable operating member connected to one of said key elements for actuating the same; a plurality of contact sets, each contact set connected in said circuit in series with one of said electromagnetic operating means, at ieast some of said contact sets being associated with denominational orders and including a shiftable contact for selecting a digit of the respective denominational order, said shiftable contact being adapted to be moved by the register means of a calculating machine; a set of fixed contacts located adjacent the typewriter carriage; a movable contact adapted to be secured to the typewriter carriage and cooperating with said fixed contacts for successively engaging the same during movement of the typewriter carriage, said set of fixed contacts and said movable contact being connected in said circuit; a set of blocking contact means connected in series in said circuit, each blocking contact means including a movable blocking contact member mechanically connected to one of said operating members and interrupting said circuit when the corresponding movable operating member is actuated.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4 and including a plurality of sets of fixed contacts, and a plurality of movable contacts each movable contact associated with one of said sets of fixed contacts for successive printing in a plurality of columns; and wherein said circuit comprises a first rail and a second rail; a movable contact bridge connected to said carriage for movement therewith andcooperating with said first and second rails; and means effecting switching of a calculating machine from adding position into subtracting position and electrically connected by said circuit to said rails to be actuated by said contact bridge in aposition of the carriage corresponding to a column in which values are subtracted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,519,054 Reynolds Dec. 9, 1924 1,899,936 Beaver Mar. 7, 1933 1,942,106 Kottmann Jan. 2, 1934 1,998,355 Boutet Apr. 16, 1935 2,084,445 Kottmann June 22, 1937 2,155,991 Kurowski Apr. 25, 1939 2,278,118 Pitman Mar. 31, 1942 2,493,709 Wittenmeyer Jan. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 160,746 Austria Jan. 10, 1942