US2846044A - Strip feeding device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1958 P. e. STIMSQN ET AL 2,846,044

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE Filed Dec. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS PERCY 6 ST/MSO/V JOH/V 7. DAVIDSON mm m MSON ET AL P. G. ST!

Aug. 5, 1958 STRIP FEEDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1955 INVENTORS a ST/MSOA/ JOHN T DAV/050A Aug. 5, 1958 P. G. STIMSON ET AL 2,846,044

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE I Filed Dec. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS PERCY G. ST/MSO/V JOHN Z' DAV/050M BYBW m i P. G. STIMSON ETAL STRIP FEEDING DEVICE Aug. 5, 1958 2,846,044

Filed Dec. 14, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS PERCY G; ST/MSON JOHN 7. DAVIDSON rmmm United States Patent STRIP FEEDING DEVICE Percy G. Stimson and John T. Davidson, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The Standard Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 14, 1955, Serial No. 553,048 13 Claims. (Cl. 197-126) This invention relates to typewriting and like machines operable upon a record strip comprising series connected record forms, and more particularly to such a machine in which the platen roll bodily is shiftable from a typing to a non-typing position for a purpose useful in the operation of the machine. Machines of this type, commonly known as lift platen machines, are generally used in connection with the use of cut, sheet transfer material interleaved with superposed continuous record strips.

In such use of cut transfer material, sheets of such material are anchored at one of their ends to a carrier located to the rear of the machine and movable toward and from the machine in advancing and retracting movements. In the inscribing of a form, the carbon or transfer sheet material advances unitarily with the record strips in the line by line movement of a record form over the platen roll. After inscription of one form, and prior to the start of inscribing the next succeeding form, the platen roll is bodily lifted from its normal typing position in a manner to free the interleaved carbon sheets for retracting motion. The described carrier then is moved in a retracting direction and the carbon sheets are withdrawn relative to the record strips to an operative interleaved position with respect to the next succeeding set of forms. Return of the platen roll to its normal position restores the parts for the inscribing of such next succeeding form, with the transfer material advancing with the inscribed form, as before.

The object of the invention is to simplify the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of strip feeding devices, whereby such devices may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efl'icient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications, and be unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to combine the operations of shifting the platen roll and of retracting the carbon carrier under common control.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the eject lever of the machine, by which the record strip is advanced in a sweep feed action from the last inscribed line of one record form to the first writing line of the next succeeding form, as a control in the adjustment of the carbon sheet material as above described.

A further object of the invention is to achieve a substantially automatic retraction of the carbon sheet material in timed relation with advance of the strip material and the lifting of the platen roll.

Still another object of the invention is to accomplish in a single stroke of the eject lever the sweep feeding of the record strip material, the lifting of the platen for retraction of the carbon material, and retraction of the carbon material.

A still further object of the invention is to combine in a novel and effective manner, and under a single control, sweep feeding or line finding mechanism in a typewriting or like machine with mechanical means for retracting cut carbon sheet material for successive use of the same carbon material by successive sets of forms.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip feeding device possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein mentioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a carriage and associated mechanism, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, of a typewriting machine, the machine proper being shown in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation of the carriage assembly, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in front elevation of one end of the carriage assembly;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with some parts omitted, showing the platen roll latched in its normal typing position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 2 and 4, showing the parts as they appear after the eject lever has been moved to sweep feed the record strip material and just prior to its movement to lift the platen;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the parts as they appear with the platen roll in lifted position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of an eject lever in accordance with a modified concept of the construction thereof in which the lever is made of two relatively movable parts;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing one part of the lever adjusted relatively to the other;

Fig. 9 is a detail view in side elevation, -with some parts broken away, of the carbon sheet shifter mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a view in cross section taken substantially long the line 10-10 of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram showing an arrangement of switches for controlling the motor which drives the carbon shifting mechanism.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, a typewriting machine in accordance with the illustrated embodiments of the invention comprises a frame 15 supporting a transversely movable carriage assembly 16, a principal part of which is a platen roll 17. At the rear of the typewriter is a stand or rack 18 over which superposed strips 19 of record material are advanced to the typewriter from a supply pack 21. Mounted on the rack or stand 18 for reciprocating motion toward and from the rear of the typewriter is a carbon carrier 22 made up of superposed spaced apart plate elements 23, to individual ones of which are attached sheets of carbon or transfer material 20 interleaved between the record strips.

The record strips 19 extend through the carbon carrier 22, separated by the plates 23, and the record strip assembly comprising the record strips and carbon sheets extends forwardly to the carriage 16 where the leading end thereof passes under and around the. platen 17. The carbon material is bound to the record strips by its passage about the platen 17 sothat there is a unitary advance of the interleaved transfer material with advance of the record strip material until inscription of a set of 3. forms is completed. Thereupon apparatus in accordance with the instant invention comes into play to elevate the platen, enabling the transfer material to be retracted, as by means of the push arm 24 attached to the carrier 22 or by automatic means later to be described.

The platen roll 17 is journaled in a pair of swinging arms 25, of which there is one at each end of the platen roll. The swinging arms are pivoted to short links 26 which are in turn pivotally connected to brackets 27. constituting extensions of side plates 28 of the carriage 16. The side plates are joined together by an underlying channel member 29. To guide the platen in its swinging movement, slotted members 31 are fastened to the side plates 28 and have formed therein arcuate slots 32 each receiving a stud 33 on a respective arm 25. Referring to Fig. 3, the platen 17 includes a shaft 34 which is secured to one of the arms by means of a sleeve 35. An extension 36 of the shaft 34 extends through and beyond the sleeve and has a knob 37 thereon comprising a part of the variable mechanism by which the platen may be initially rotated independently of the line spacing mechanism to bring the first writing line on the leading form of a record strip assembly into position at the writing line. The line space mechanism includes a ratchet 38 on the platen shaft extension 36 intermittently operated by a pawl (not shown) in a conventional manner to advance the platen in a rotary sense a selected distance corresponding to the spacing of a selected number of the teeth on the ratchet 38.

Rotation of the platen 17 effects through conventional mechanisms a corresponding advance of the record strip assembly over the surface of the platen. Successive lines of a printed form thus are presented at the Writing line in response to the line spacing operations. In the present instance, the feeding mechanism is a positive pin feed achieved through marginal perforations 39 in the record strips 19 by rotary feeding devices 41 which are mounted upon or form an integral part of the platen 17 and carry projecting pins 42 capable of entering in and withdrawing from registering perforations 39 in superposed record forms. The carbon sheet material 20, as indicated in Fig. l, is made relatively narrow in order not to interfere with the action of the feeding pins in entering and withdrawing from the perforations in the margins of the record strips.

It is also proposed to rotate the platen and thereby to advance the record strip material by a sweep feed principle of operation in which the record strip material is advanced in a single continuous motion, after the last entry has been made on one set of forms, to bring the first writing line of the next succeed-ing set of forms to writing position. This is accomplished by means including a sweep feed or eject lever 43 having a handle 44 at one end thereof for manual manipulation. The other end of the lever 43 is pivotally connected to a stub shaft 45 projecting laterally from a plate 46 arranged in parallel nearby relation to one of the arms 25 and stationarily secured thereto by means including the stud 33 and other studs 47 and 48. A spring 49 is attached to the lever 43 between its ends and is anchored to the plate 46 in a manner to hold the lever 43 normally in the position shown in Fig. 2. Also intermediate its ends the lever 43 mounts a pawl 51 urged by a spring 52 into engagement with the periphery of a disc or drive plate 53 also rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 45 and formed with circumferentially spaced apart projecting abutments or teeth 54. In side by side relation to the drive plate 53, and suitably secured thereto, is a gear 55 meshing with and driving another gear 56 rotatably mounted on another stub shaft 57 set in the side of the plate 46. Rotating with the gear 56 is a gear 58 meshing with and driving a gear 59 on the platen shaft extension 36.

In the normal or home position of the lever 43, the pawl 51 is held out of engagement with the drive plate 53 by virtue of a projection 61 on the side of the plate 46 about which the pawl rocks as the lever 43 is returned to home position by the spring 49. Immediately upon advance of the lever 43, which is effected by a rearwardly pushing motion by the operator from the position shown in Fig. 1, the pawl 51 reengages the surface of the plate 53 and at an earlier or later point in the movement of the lever, depending upon the number of line spacing operations that have taken place, the pawl 51 engages a tooth 54 on the plate 53. Continued motion of the lever 43 accordingly results in rotation of the drive plate 53 and therethrough rotation of the platen and advance of the record strip material. This motion continues until the tooth engaged by the pawl limits against a stop 62. The latter is in the form of an arm pivotally connected at its one end to a stud 63 on the plate 46 and having a noselike formation at its other end which overlies the drive plate 53. A spring 64 urges the stop arm 62 downwardly in position to be engaged by a tooth 54 on the plate 53. Also on the arm 62 is a dependent lug portion 65 engageable by a cam 66 secured to the side of the drive plate 53 for rotary motion therewith. As indicated in Fig. 2, the parts are so positioned that a high point on the cam 66 normally engages the lug portion 65 to hold the stop arm 62 elevated out of the path of the teeth on the drive plate 53. Early in the motion of the lever 43 away from home position, however, the high part of cam 66 passes from beneath the lug 65, allowing spring 64 to move the stop arm downward in position to be engaged by and to limit the advancing motion of the approaching tooth 54. Return of the lever 43 to home position will, of course, restore the parts to the normal position shown, releasing the drive plate for a subsequent operation.

It will be understood that the parts are constructed and arranged for a predetermined total advance of the record strip material. Thus, the material may move differing distances upon actuation of the lever 43 depending upon the number of entries made upon the record form in writing position. The extent of permitted motion, however, always is only that necessary to bring the first writing line of the next succeeding form into imprinting position at the platen. Through the use of diiferent gear ratios, the permitted motion of the lever 43 may, of course, be caused to produce different extents of advance of the record strip material.

Lifting or elevation of the platen roll for adjustment of the carbon sheets is effected through a lever 67 pivotally mounted at its one end on a stud 68 extending from the side of one of the arms 25. The other end of the lever 67 is formed as a finger piece 69 for direct lifting of the platen. The principal means for lifting the platen is, however, the eject lever 43, as will hereinafter more clearly appear. Set in the side of the lever 67 is a stud 71. The stud 71 engages the underside of one arm 72 of a three arm bell crank lever 73. Another arm 74 thereof is formed as a latch and normally engages under an out-turned car 75 on a latch plate 76 stationarily mounted on one of the carriage end plates 28. The third arm 77 of the lever 73 is formed as an abutment engageable by a latch arm 78 on a lever 79 pivotally mounted on the side of the arm 25. Another arm 81 of the lever 79 extends in parallel adjacent relation to the latch arm 74 of the lever 73 and normally overlies a stud 82 thereon in a manner to hold the latch arm 78 out of cooperative relation with the abutment arm 77 of the lever 73. A spring 83 urges the latch lever 79 downward or in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 4, and another spring 84 urges the lever 73 in a similar direction. As a result, the arm 72 constantly engages stud 71 and arm 74 is engaged under the stationary ear 75. By virtue of the latter engagement, the platen roll is thus normally latched in its lowered or normal position.

By lifting up on the lever 67, however, the bell crank lever 73 may be caused, through the stud 71, to rock in a counterclockwise direction to free the arm 74 from the latch plate 76. Continued lifting motion of the lever 67 causes thelatch arm 74 of the lever 73 to limit against the stud 48 extending between the arm 25 and the plate 46. Additional motion of the lever 67 relatively to the plate 46 and arm 25 thus is prevented and a continued lifting force applied to the lever is effective to raise the assembly comprising the arms 25, the platen roll and the plate 46 and parts mounted thereon. The latch lever 79 is released by the counterclockwise movement of the bell crank lever 73 whereby the arm 78 thereof is permitted to descend to a position in front of the abutment arm 77 of the lever 73. The bell crank lever 73 thus is held in a disengaged position relatively to the latch plate 76. Release of the latch lever 79 is accomplished during the return motion of the platen assembly to its normal position, the lower arm 81 of the lever being permitted to engage the turned over portion 75 of the latch plate 76 to raise the arm 78 out of engagement with the abutment arm 77. This construction obviates the need for tensioning the springs 84 when lowering the platen.

In further accordance with the instant concept of the invention, there is mounted on the stud 68 another lever 85 having a finger portion 86 extending in underlying relation to the stud 71 on the lever 67 and having an upstanding arm 87 in parallel relation to the eject lever 43. On the outer free end of the arm 87 is mounted a laterally projecting eccentrically adjustable sleeve 88 which is engaged by the lever 43 at about the same time in the travel of the lever that a tooth 54 on the drive plate 53 reaches contact with the stop arm 62. Thus, as the lever 43 reaches its normal limit of movement in which it has completed a sweep feed operation, it engages the eccentric sleeve 88 on the lever 85. If the operator now continues to push the lever 43 toward the rear of the machine the applied force is resolved into a rocking and lifting motion of the arms 25 and of the platen 17 carried therebetween. Movement of the parts from the position substantially as shown in Fig. 5 to the position substantially as shown in Fig. 6 is effected. Return motion of the eject lever results initially in a lowering of the platen assembly and finally in a restoring of the lever and associated parts to the position as shown in Fig. 2.

Sweep feeding of the record strip material and elevation of the platen assembly for adjustment of the carbon thus are accomplished in one substantially continuous actuating stroke of the eject lever 43. With the platen assembly so raised, the carbon adjustment may, as before described, be manually adjusted or retracted through the arm 24.

In accordance with a further concept of the instant invention, automatic means are provided for retracting the carbon, the operation of which is a function of an added movement of the eject lever. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, an eject lever 89 is provided which corresponds in its location and function to the lever 43 but which is of a two-part construction. It comprises two lever arms 91 and 92 in side by side relation, both rotatably mounted on a common stud 93 corresponding to the stub shaft 45 in the first considered form of the lever and its mounting. The lever arm 91 has a handle 94 at its upper end and has an elongated opening 95 at its lower end through which the stub shaft 93 passes. The lever arm 92 has a slot 96 in its upper end and a finger-like projection 97 spaced from the slot. The lever arm 91 has a projection 98 thereon engageable in the slot 96, there being a spring 99 tensioned between the parts tending to maintain the position shown in Fig. 7 wherein the projection 98 is seated in the slot 96. The parts are, in this position, locked together for motion as a unit and the lever 89 becomes in effect a single part operable like the lever 43 to operate a drive plate 101 for sweep feeding and to lift the platen.

The lever arm 91 may be moved in a longitudinal sense relatively to the lever arm 92 to dislodge the projection 98 from the slot 96 whereupon the lever arm strip material to the next set of forms into writing position, then a continued unitary advance of the lever to lift the platen and finally a combined lifting and advancing motion of the handle 94 resulting in actuation of the switch 104. A part of the latter motion may comprise a rocking movement of the lever arm 92 in a clockwise direction, as viewed, under the influence of spring 99. The effect, however, is that of relative motion of the lever arm 91 in the same direction and as a part of the same actuating stroke by which the sweep feed and platen lift functions have been obtained.

Actuation of the switch 104 is used to close an electrical circuit through a motor 105 which is attached by a bracket 106 to a frame structure 107 mounted on a rack or stand 108 and interconnecting longitudinally extending side rails 109. In operation, the motor 105 rotates a shaft 111 which through a gear train 112 and a one-way clutch 113 has a driving connection with a spool 114 on which is wound a metallic tape 115. The tape 115 has an outer free end attached to a carbon carrier 116 which through rollers 117 has a sliding mounting 011 the rails 109 and is still further mounted for lateral movement with the typewriter carriage 16 through rollers 118 riding rails 119 on the rack or stand 108.

In response to advance of the record strip material over the platen, the carbon carrier 116 is pulled forwardly or to the left as viewed in Fig. 9. This motion unwinds the metallic tape 115 from the spool 114 and withdraws an actuating finger 121 from engaged position with a normally closed microswitch 122. As shown in Fig. 11, the switches 104 and 122 are arranged in series relation in an electrical circuit with the motor 105. When the eject lever 89 is in a retracted or home position, the switch 104, which is a normally open switch, remains open so that the circuit through the motor 105 is open. The switch 122 also is held open at this time by the actuating finger 121 which is mounted on and rides with the carbon carrier 116. As the carbon carrier advances, the finger 121 moves away from the switch 122, allowing it to close but since the switch 104 remains open, no energizing of the motor 105 results. The motor 105 remains inactive as the eject lever is operated further to advance the carbon carrier and to lift the platen. When, however, in this succession of operations, the handle 94 of the eject lever is lifted to displace the projection 98 from the slot 96, the ensuing relative motion between the lever arms 91 and 92 results in closing of the switch 104 and a consequent closing of a circuit through the motor 105, since the switch 122 still is closed at this time. In response to rotation of the motor shaft 111, the spool 114 is rotated to rewind the metal tape 115 thereon and, in so doing, to retract the carbon carrier 116. The retracting motion continues until the finger 121 reengages and actuates the switch 122, opening this switch and therefore discontinuing operation of the motor. Arrival of the finger 121 in switch actuating position thus signals the arrival of the carbon carrier in fully retracted position, and defines such position. It will be understood that in this position of the parts the carbon sheets 20 will have been properly and accurately readjusted ,with respect to the next succeeding set of forms, and the operator may now release the lever 89 for lowering of the platen and restoring of all the parts to normal. An adjustable stop may be provided on the frame 107 to positively define a limit of return movement for the carrier 116.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the inven-- tion into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications Within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, We claim:

1. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen mounted on said carriage for relative rotary and bodily rocking motions, and eject means including a hand operated lever operable in a part of its movement to rotate said platen and in another part of its movement subsequent to the first said part to bodily rock said platen.

2. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, spaced apart arms pivotally mounted on said carriage, a platen carried by and supported between said arms for relative rotary motion, an eject lever mounted on said carriage for pivotal movement in to and fro strokes, a connection between said lever and said platen for rotating said platen in response to motion of said lever in one direction, means for limiting rotation of said platen by said lever, said lever being movable beyond such point of limitation in said same direction, and means operable by said lever in so moving for rocking said spaced apart arms.

3; In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen supported on said carriage for relative rotary and bodily shifting motions, an ejector lever supported by said carriage for motion in actuating and return strokes, means utilizing a part of the actuating stroke of said lever to rotate said platen, and means utilizing another and subsequent part of said actuating stroke to bodily lift said platen.

4. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said lever is effective in an initial part of its actuating stroke to rotate said platen and is effective in response to continued motion beyond said initial part to lift said platen.

5. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen supported thereby for relative rotary and bodily lifting motions, means for guiding record strip material about said platen, said material comprising superposed strips of series connected detachable record forms and interposed strips of carbon, said strip material advancing over said platen in response to rotation of the platen, an eject lever operable to rotate said platen in sweep feed fashion to advance from one record form to the next succeeding form, and means operable by said eject lever as a part of the same stroke by which said platen is rotated for lifting said platen to facilitate adjustment of said carbon.

6. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 5, characterized by other means operable by said lever for adjusting said carbon.

7. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen supported thereby for relative rotary and bodily lifting motions, means for guiding record strip material about said platen, said material comprising superposed strips of series connected detachable record forms and interleaved sheet transfer material, movable anchor means for said transfer material, said record strip material and said anchor means advancing in unison in response to rotation of said platen, said anchor means being retractable to retract the transfer material relative to the record forms for reuse, an eject lever pivotally mounted on said carriage and having an actuating stroke, and means operable by said eject lever during said actuating stroke for successively rotating said platen to bring a next succeeding record form into Writing position, lifting said platen and retracting said anchor means.

8. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen supported thereby for relative rotary and bodily lifting motion, means for advancing record strip material over said platen in response to rotation thereof, said material including interleaved sheets of transfer material, anchor means for said transfer material advancing in unison with advance of the record strip material and retractable for reuse of the transfer material, an eject lever, means for effecting a sweep advance of the record strip material upon operation of said lever, and means operable by said eject lever for retracting said anchor means.

9. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 8, characterized by other means operable by said eject lever for lifting said platen, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that said lever is operable first to rotate said platen, then to lift said platen and finally to retract said anchor means.

10. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen supported by said carriage for relative rotary and bodily lifting motions, means for lifting said platen, means for rotating said platen, and a lever pivotally mounted on said carriage movable from a starting position to an intermediate position to operate said rotating means and movable through and beyond said intermediate position to operate said lifting means.

11. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, a platen in said carriage, pivotal arms in said carriage carrying said platen, a relatively stationary plate mounted on one of said arms, an eject lever pivotally mounted on said plate, and movable through actuating and return strokes, means for rotating said platen on the actuating stroke of said lever, a stop on said plate limiting relative movement of said lever on said actuating stroke, and other lever means engageable by said eject lever concomitantly with engagement of said stop resolving additional thrust on said eject lever in the direction of the actuating stroke into a force to lift said arms and thereby said platen.

12. In a typewriting or like machine, a carriage, platen supported in said carriage for relative lifting motion for adjustment of carbon material relatively to the platen, an anchor for carbon material spaced rearwardly of said carriage and movable toward and from said platen in advancing and retracting motions, a hand operated eject lever on said carriage connected to said platen for sweep rotation thereof, means responsive to operation of said lever for retracting said anchor, and other means operable by said lever in a timed relation with the operation of said retracting means for lifting said platen.

13. A typewriting or like machine according to claim 12, characterized in that said lever is of two part construction, one of said parts being movable relatively to the other to operate said retracting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,425,293 Smith Aug. 8, 1922 2,275,782 Mann Mar. 10, 1942 2,626,695 Schroder Jan. 27, 1953

Images