US2855082A - Stenographic machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1958 l. KATz 2,855,082

l STENOGRAPHIC MACHINE Filed March ll, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGLl 25/ "ff l/ g "W Ill l l I l I l ,y u 5 n I r I I I i i I i l n I I i I i f 5 I i I IN VEN TOR.

Oct. 7, 1958 l. KATZ STENOGRAPHIC MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1957 FIG- 5 IN VEN TOR.

TS500/FE HHTZ FIG. 6

United States lPatent O rce STEN'OGRAPHIC MACHINE Isadore Katz, West Haven, Conn.

Application March 11, 1957, Serial No. 645,334 v 3 Claims. (Cl. 197-9) My invention relates to stenographic machines of the type which is used to phonetically record the spoken word.

The stenographic machines now commonly used have certain disadvantages which my invention aims to avoid. The disadvantage most conspicuous, also the most important from the standpoint of the speed of recording, is that there is an appreciable time delay from the touching of the keys to the actual printing of the letters. This is due to the fact that in the conventional stenographic machines the major part of the downstroke of the keys is used for the advancing of the paper strip and the actual printing occurs only at the end of the stroke. As this time delay is repeated every time one or more keys are depressed it represents a serious handicap for a stenographic machine in which the speed of the recording is obviously of prime consideration.

The advancing of the paper strip by the downward stroke of the keys has also the additional disadvantage that the letters and figures printed at the end of the stroke are not visible until the keys are again depressed to print the next line, This means that the operator can check the printed record of a phonetic code only when his mind is already `occupied with the recording of the next code.

In addition to the advancing of the paper strip the downward stroke of the keys is utilized in the conventional machines for the advancing of the inked ribbon and, in case of numerals, simultaneously the type bars have to be raised; as all these operations receive their motive power solely from the fingers of the operator, they are a source of considerable fatigue.

One of the important objects of my invention is to provide a stenographic machine in which the advancing of the paper strip, the advancing of the inked ribbon, and the raising of the type bars are performed by electrical power and which requires only a light touch of the keys for its operation, thereby enhancing greatly the ease of operation.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a stenographic machine which prints the letters instantly, without any time delay, at the touch of the keys, and utilizes the pause, naturally existing between spoken words and sentences, for advancing the paper strip and the inked ribbon, thereby increasing the speed of operation of the machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide a stenographic machine in which the printed record becomes visible immediately after the printing, thereby permitting the inspection of the record prior to the typing of the following line.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, wherein, for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred example of my invention,

Figure l is a sectional view of my stenographic machine,

2,855,082 Patented oct. 7, s

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the type bar raising and lowering mechanism,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the paper strip advancing mechanism,

Figure 4 is a plan View of the ribbon advancing mechanism,

Figure 5 is a plan view of my stenographic machine,

Figure 6 is a diagram of the electrical circuits employed in my stenographic machine.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the frame of my stenographic machine. Rotatably mounted on this frame is the platen 2, carrying the paper strip 3; the pressure roller 4 serves to create the necessary traction between the platen and the paper strip. The advancing of the paper strip is obtained by the rotation of the platen, which is accomplished by the mechanism shown in Fig. 3. This paper advancing mechanism, in the preferred form of my invention, consists of a ratchet drive 5', connected, by the lever 6, to the platen advancing spring 7 and the platen solenoid 8, in such a manner that when the solenoid 8 is energized, it will tension the spring 7, and when this solenoid is deenergized the tensioned spring '7 will turn the platen 2 by means of the ratchet drive 5, and thereby will advance the paper strip 3.

Disposed in front of the platen 2 is the inked ribbon 9, wound around the drums 1i and 11. The ribbon 9 is advanced by the rotation of the ratchet drive 12 by means of the ribbon advancing mechanism, illustrated in Fig. 4, which, in the preferred form of my invention, comprises the ribbon advancing spring 14, and the ribbon solenoid 15 operatively connected to the ratchet drive 12 by the lever 13 in such a manner that when the solenoid 15 is energized, it will tension the spring 14, and when this solenoid is deenergized, the tension spring 14 will rotate the drum 10 by means of the ratchet drive 12, thereby advancing the ribbon 9.

Disposed in front of the platen 2, with the ribbon 9 interposed, are the type bars 16, which are pivotally mounted on the movable shaft 17, which may be raised and lowered by the type bar raising and lowering mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The reason for the raising and the lowering of the type bars 16 is that each type bar is provided with two types to print either a letter or a numeral, depending on the position of the type bar with respect to the platen 2. In the preferred form shown in Fig. l the type bars 16 will print letters when they are in the lowered position, indicated by the full lines, and they will print numerals when the movable shaft "i7, together with the type bars 16, are raised by the arms 19 and the connected rocking shaft 18.

This rocking shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in the frame 1 of the machine and carries at one end the lever 20, `one end of which is linked to the type solenoid 21 and the other end to the return spring 22, shown in Fig. 2. When this solenoid 21 is energized, it will move the lever 20 into the dotted line position causing the connected rocking shaft 1S and arms 19 to raise the movable shaft 17 and the type bars L6 into the Lipper position, in which the type bars will print numerals. When the solenoid 21 is deenergized the spring 2?. will return the lever 20 and the connected parts together with the type bars into the letter printing position.

An important element in this arrangement is the switch 23, shown in Fig. 2, which is operatively connected to the rocking shaft 18 so as to close a circuit when the type bars are raised into the numeral printing position.

ribbon 9 interposed, thereby effecting the printing on the paper strip 3 either of a letter or a numeral, depending on the position of the type bar raising and lowering mechanism.

The spring 26 serves to swing the type bars back against the stop 27, when the type solenoids 24 are deenergized. The radial offsetting of the type solenoids and the springs 26 is necessary due to the very close spacing of the type bars 16. (See Fig.

Mounted on the frame 1 or the machine are the keys 23, each forming a box with a hinged top supported by a spi-ing, as shown in Fig. l, so that the top can be depressed by a light touch of the fingers. Attached to the top is a movable contact which, when the top of the key 28 is depressed, will be pressed against two stationary contacts secured to the base of the box, thereby functioning as a switch, closing simultaneously two circuits when the key is depressed. The schematic arrangement of this switch of the key 28 is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, in which the arrow represents the movable contact secured to the top of the key. Each stenographic machine has usually 24 keys, which in my invention are perfect duplicates for economical manufacturing and for easy replaceability. Mounted on the frame l in the rear of the keys is the numeral bar 29, which has also a hinged top and a switch containing a movable and two stationary contacts, schematically illustrated in Fig. 6, so arranged that in the normal or undepressed position of the numeral bar 29 the movable contact is pressed against one of the stationary contacts, and in the depressed position of the bar 29 the movable contact swings over to the other stationary contact, thereby functioning as a single pole double throw switch.

Fig. 6 shows a diagrammatic view of the electrical cir* cuits operatively interconnecting the various switches and solenoids of my stenographic machine.

As an auxiliary feature, there is a paper compartment 30 in the central part of the frame l. with a drawer like extension 31, shown in Figs. l and 5.

In Fig. 6 the numerals designate the following elements: 32 and 33 are the terminals of the electric Supply, 24 the type solenoids; 2S the keys, the arrows indicating the movable contacts; 29 the switch associated with the numeral bar, the full line representing the undepressed position of the numeral bar and the dotted line the depressed position; 21 and 23 the type bar raising solenoid and the associated switch, respectively, the full line representing the letter printing position of the type bar raising mechanism, and the dotted lines the numeral printing position of the mechanism, (see Fig. 2); 8 is the platen solenoid, shown in Fig. 3; and l5 is the ribbon solenoid, shown in Fig. 4. The diagram shows only four of the keys and the associated type solenoids as the same arrangement and connection is duplicated for the remaining keys and type solenoids.

The operation of my stenographic machine is as follows:

In stenotyping each phonetic code is printed in a separate line and is obtained by the simultaneous depressing of one or more keys. In case of numerals the numeral bar is depressed simultaneously with one or more keys.

Referring to Fig. 6, in my machine the printing of a letter code is accomplished as follows: The operator depresses the required keys closing the corresponding switches 28 so that the arrow in the diagram touches the two stationary contacts, thereby energizing the corresponding type solenoids 24 causing the printing of the corresponding letters; simultaneously the closed switches 28 will energize the platen solenoid S and the ribbon solenoid l5 causing the tensioning of the associated springs 7 and 14, respectively; as soon as the keys are released by the operator, solenoids 8 and 15 will be deenergized and the spring 7 will advance the paperstrip 3 and the spring 14 will advance the ribbon 9 without delay and without any effort from the operator. The

speed of this advancing can be regulated by the selection of the proper springs, and it may be much greater than can be obtained by the use of the lingers of the operator as the motive power.

When printing a numeral, the numeral bar 29 is dcpressed simultaneously with one or more keys 28, with the result that the solenoids 8, 15, and 21 will be instantly energized, the latter solenoid closing the switch 23, and thereby causing the instantaneous energization of the type solenoids 24 corresponding to the depressed keys.

The important features in the operation of my machine are: the instantaneous printing, the effortless operation of the keys, requiring only a light touch of the lingers, the visibility of the printed record immediately after the printing, and the electrical actuation of the paper and ribbon advancing and of the raising of the type bars.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is only an example of the same and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the following claims. Particularly, it is within the spirit of my invention to substitute solenoids of equivalent function for the springs used.

I claim:

l. A stenographic machine comprising, an electric supply; a rotatable platen carrying the paper strip; a ratchet drive connected to said platen; a platen spring connected to said ratchet drive and adapted to rotate said drive and the connected platen, and thereby advance said paper strip, when said spring is released from tension; a platen solenoid connected to said platen spring and adapted to tension said spring when said solenoid is energized and to release said spring when said solenoid is deenergized; an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to said paper strip carrying platen; a rotatable drum carrying said ribbon; a ratchet drive connected to said drum; a ribbon spring connected to said ratchet drive and drum, adapted to rotate said drum, and thereby advance said ribbon, when said ribbon spring is released from tension; a ribbon solenoid connected to said ribbon spring and adapted to tension said ribbon spring when said ribbon solenoid is energized and to release said spring when said ribbon solenoid is deenergized; a multiplicity of type bars each adapted to impress said platen with said inked ribbon interposed, said type bars having a letter position in which they print letters when impressing said platen, and a numeral position in which they print numerals when impressing said platen; type solenoids each operatively connected to one of said type bars and adapted to force the connected type bar to impress the platen, when energized; type springs each connected to one of said type bars and Aadapted to return the connected type bar from the platen when said type solenoid connected to the same type bar is deenergized; a multiplicity of keys, each containing an electric switch operatively connected to one of the said type solenoids and also to the said platen solenoid and said ribbon solenoid, said switch being adapted to elect the energization of the connected solenoids when the key is depressed; a type bar raising solenoid mechanically connected to said type bars and adapted to move said type bars from the letter position into the numeral position, when energized; a spring mechanically connected to said type bars and said type bar raising solenoid and being adapted to return said type bars into the letter position when said type bar raising solenoid is deenergized; and a numeral bar containing a switch electrically connected to said type bar raising solenoid and adapted to effect the energization of said type bar raising solenoid when said numeral bar is depressed.

2. The stenographic machine of claim l in which the switch contained in said numeral bar is adapted to nterrupt the energizing circuit of the said type solenoids when said numeral bar is depressed, and the type bar raising solenoid is operatively connected to a switch adapted to close the energizing circuit of said type solenoids when said type bars have moved into the numeral position, in order to prevent printing during the transfer of the type bars from the letter position into the numeral position.

3. A stenographic machine comprising, in combination with a paper strip carrying platen and an inked ribbon disposed adjacent to said platen; a platen advancing mechanism, including a platen solenoid and being adapted to advance said platen and paper Vstrip When the energizing current of said platen solenoid is interrupted; a ribbon advancing mechanism including a ribbon solenoid and being adapted to advance said ribbon when the energizing current of said ribbon solenoid is interrupted; a multiplicity of type bars, each mechanically connected to a type solenoid and being adapted to impress said platen, with the said inked ribbon and paper strip interposed, when said connected type solenoid is energized; a multiplicity of keys, each containing a switch electrically connected to one of said type solenoids and being adapted to energize the connected type solenoid and also the said platen solenoid and the said ribbon solenoid when said key is depressed, and to interrupt the energizing current of these solenoids when said key is released; and an electrical supply operatively connected to 10 said 'switches and solenoids.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 2,593,371 Watson Apr. l5, i932 FOREIGN PATENTS 120,826 Switzerland June 16, 1927

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