US2858924A

US2858924A - Toll biller control

Info

Publication number: US2858924A
Application number: US556515A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard J Young
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1955-12-30
Filing date: 1955-12-30
Publication date: 1958-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1975-11-04

Description

Nov. 4, 1958 R. J. YOUNG TOLL BILLER CONTRO L 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1955 INVHVTOR. RIC/HARD J. YOUNG fi %llh ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1958 R. J. YOUNG TOLL BILLER CONTROL Filed Dec. 30, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. RlCHARD J. ouus ATTORNEY Nov. 4, 1958 Filed Dec. 30, 1955 R. J. YOUNG TOLL BILLER CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG; 6

TOLL SERVICE AND TELEGRAMS PO i 0257 PLACE CALLED JUN H RHINEBECK 15 14 WAPP FALLS 20 I 6 MlLLBROOK 25 29 HYDE PARK 10 FIG. 7

INVENTOR. RICHARD J. YOUNG "limo- ATTORNEY United States Patent g TOLL BILLER CONTROL Richard J. Young, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 30, 1955, Serial No. 556,515 7 Claims. (Cl. 197-17) This invention relates to typewriters and more particularly to an improved toll billing typewriter.

In the preparation of toll bills for telephone and telegraph service, it has been found that a majority of the toll calls are in the ten, fifteen, twenty or twenty-five 'cent range. Furthermore, the toll amounts are all printed in a predetermined column which is usually located near the right hand margin of the toll bill form. It follows, therefore, that a great many operator finger strokes could 'be saved if a device could be provided for automatically tabulating the toll biller carriage into a position where the amount of the call is to be printed, and accordingly, it is a first object of this invention to provide an improved toll billing typewriter wherein the carriage is automatically tabulated into the predetermined amount column when the toll charge is keyed.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved toll biller typewriter wherein through the depression of an amount key, the carriage is automatically tabulated into a predetermined column and then the selected amount is printed in that column.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved toll billing typewriter wherein, through the depression of a single key, the carriage is automatically tabulated into a predetermined amount column, the amount of the toll call is printed in that column, and then the carriage is automatically returned to the left hand margin position.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved toll billing typewriter wherein an automatic carriage return operation takes place as a result of the printing of a preselected amount.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a mechanism for a typewriter wherein a print stroke is initiated as the result of an unlatching of the carriage tabulation mechanism.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved typewriter mechanism wherein a carriage return operation is initiated as a result of a type bar print stroke.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an improved storage medium for keyed information wherein a type bar dn've trip mechanism is cocked for operation.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of some of the mechanism of a typewriter toll biller.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a mechanism of the toll biller.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the latch mechanism in its latched position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a latch release mechanism and its point of unlatching.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the mechanism for initiating a type bar print stroke as a result of a tabulation operation.

Fig. 6 shows the position of the cam lever during a print stroke.

Fig. 7 is a drawing of a toll bill.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the latching mechanism during a restoringoperation.

Briefly, this invention relates toa typewriter toll biller mechanism wherein the depression of an amount key initiates a sequence of operations: first, a tabulation of a carriage to a predetermined column; then the printing of the amount keyed; and then a carriage return operation during which the mechanism is. re-cocked for another sequence of operations.

In conventional IBM typewriter operation, as described in copending application Serial No. 327,947, filed Decemher 26, 1952, now Patent No. 2,723,740 (and with reference to Fig. 2) when a numeral key lever 2 is rocked about its supporting fulcrum 4, a key lever nose 6 normally engages (but not in Fig. 2) a trip lever or latch 8 to rock the same about its pivot point 10 thereby driving a cam 12 into engagement with the power roll 14 to initiate a type bar pn'nt stroke. That is, when cam 12 engages the power roll, a cam lever 16, which supports the cam, is rocked counterclockwise about its pivot 18 to drive a type bar (not shown) into printing position. This type bar drive mechanism is well known in the art, and incidentally, the numeral type bars are arranged to print two decimal orders: e. g. 05 or 10 in one type bar print stroke.

In the instant mechanism, however, the key lever nose 6 (Fig. 2) is rocked into a notch 5 in front of a shoulder 7 on the trip latch 8i. e., the parts are cocked or conditionedto initiate a type bar print stroke which will take place at a later point in an operation cycle.

More specifically, the nose 6 for each amount key lever 2 is mounted on a slide 20 which in turn is slidably supported on the key lever 2. That is, the slide is provided with a'pair of

slots

22, 24 and the slide is mounted by means of a pair of

pins

26, 28 passing through the

slots

22, 24 respectively and into the key lever 2. This arrangement permits sliding movement of the slide 20 relative to and coaXially of the key lever 2. A spring 30 is interconnected between the slide 20 and the key lever 2 to hold the slide normally in a forward position wherein the nose 6 interfits with notch 5. The slide 20, as shown in Fig. 3, is further provided with a tabulation operating, or tab finger 32 and a notch 34, the latter being engageable with a nose 35 of a drive bail 36 which is pivotally supported on a fulcrum wire 38. The drive bail 36 is biased clockwise by the spring 40, but is normally latched in the Fig. 3 position by a bail latch 39. Drive bail 36 extends across all the amount keys to be engageable selectively with each one. The arrangement of parts is such that when any amount key lever 2 is depressed, a cam ming surface 42 on the slide 20 acts on the drive bail 36 to rock it, from its Fig. 8 position, first counterclockwise about fulcrum 38, stretching the spring 40 until the notch 34 reaches its Fig. 3 latch or cocked position, i. e. notch 34 engages the nose 35 of drive bail 36 thereby latching the amount key in an actuating position.

As the amount key lever is moved to its actuating position, the tab finger 32 rocks a bail 44 which extends transversely of the amount key levers and is pivotally supported at a fulcrum point 46. The bail 44 engages a hook 48 which in turn is secured to a tabulation or tab key lever 50 (Fig. 1). The clockwise rocking of the bail 44 pulls the tab key lever 50 to its operative position. The tab key lever 50 is provided with a conventional operating link 52 which acts on cam release lever 54 to release the tabulation or tab cam 56 into engagement with the power roll 14. The tab cam is supported in a tabulation or tab frame 58, which is pivotally supported about the fulcrum wire 60. Thetab frame 58 is connected via the link 62 to a bell crank 64, in turn secured to a shaft 66 equipped with'the second bell crank 68 connected via a link 70 to a tab bell crank 72. 'Thelatter is moved in the direction of the arrow when tab frame 58 is rocked through the engagement of cam 56 with'the power roll, and acts (Fig. l) to cock the tabulation or tab lever 74 for a tabulation operation as described in detail in United States Patent 1,935,436.' The tab lever remains in its cocked position until a counter stop (not shown) carried by the carriage engages a tab check lever (not shown) after the carriage has moved to a predetermined position, and then the tab lever 74 is restored to its rest position. The tab bell crank 72 is provided with an ear 76 (Fig. 1) so that the link 70 is held in its forward position and therefore tab frame 58 remains in its rocked position so long as the tab lever 74 is latched.

The tab cam frame 58 is further connected via a link 78 to a trigger 80. The latter (Figs. and 8) is pivotally supported by a pin 81 carried by drive bail 36. The trigger 80 which is biased to its Fig. 8 position by spring 83, is equipped with an unlatching ear 84, which is engageable with the nose of the bail latch 39. The bail latch 39, which holds drive bail 36 in its Fig. 1 rest position, is pivotally supported about the fulcrum wire 46 and is spring biased by a spring 88 into latching engagement with the drive bail 36. The rocking of the trigger 80 to its Fig. 5 position lifts the nose of the bail latch 39 to release the drive bail 36 for clockwise movement about its fulcrum wire 38 under the influence of its driving spring 40.

In order to rock the trigger 80 and unlatch drive bail 36, the link 78 is equipped with a pin 90 that rides in a slot 92including an offset 94-formed in the trigger 80. During a tabulation operation, when the tab frame 58 is rocked, link 78 pushes pin 90 in slot 92 until the pin drops into the offset 94, where it will remain until the cam frame 58 is restored to its rest position. As the tab cam frame 58 is restored to its rest position, the link pin 90, which had dropped into the offset 94, pulls the trigger 80 clockwise about its pivot point 81 to its Fig. 5 position thereby unlatching bail latch 39 from drive bail 36. When drive bail 36 is released, its drive spring 40 rocks it clockwise about fulcrum wire 38. latched to drive bail 36, the slide moves rearward within the limits of

slots

22, 24 and nose 6 engages trip latch 8 to rock the same about its pivot and drive cam 12 into engagement with the power roll thereby initiating an amount key print stroke.

The type bar print stroke, as heretofore mentioned, and as described in Patent No. 2,723,740, rocks the cam lever 16 counterclockwise about its fulcrum 18. The cam lever 16, in turn, is connected via a link 98, Fig. 2, to a bail 100 which is pivotally supported about pins 102. Therefore, bail 100 is rocked counterclockwise in response to an amount key print stroke. The bail 100, as viewed in Fig. 1, extends transversely of the amount key levers, and it is equipped with a hook 104 which is attached to a carriage return key lever 106. The carriage return key lever is connected via a link 108, Figs. 1 and 2, which acts on release lever 110 to release the carriage return cam 111 into engagement with the power roll 14. This operation, as well known in the art, causes the carriage return cam frame 112 to be rocked counterclockwise about the fulcrum wire 60 thereby pulling on link 114 to rock the plate 116 about a pivot 118 to engage the carriage return clutch 120 in a well known fashion.

The carriage return mechanism is equipped with a well known latching device 122 which acts through a link 124, a bell crank 126, a link 127 and a second bell crank 128 to lift escapement pawls out of the carriage rack as described in copending U. S. application Serial No. 469,9l5, filed November 19, 1954, Wittwer.

Since the slide is Carriage return cam frame 112 is connected via a link 130 to a bell crank 132, Figs. 1 and 2, which in turn is pivoted about fulcrum wire 38. The bell crank 132 has a bent over ear 134 engageable with the drive bail 36. Accordingly, when the carriage return cam frame 112 is rocked counterclockwise (during a carriage return operation) it pushes on link 130 to rock the bell crank 132 counterclockwise which, acting through ear 134, rocks the drive bail 36 counterclockwise about the fulcrum 38 to restore it to its Fig. 1 position and concurrently release slide 20 to permit key lever 2 to be restored. As the drive bail 36 is restored, the bail latch 39 will hook the drive bail 36 and hold it in its Fig. 1 position.

During the restoring operation of the drive bail 36, pin 90 of the link 78 which is still in offset 94 will cause trigger to be rocked to its Fig. 8 position whereupon pin will be disengaged from offset 94 and the parts will be restored to their Fig. 2 positions, and thus be ready for another sequence of operations when an amount key is operated.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to effect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement between a restposition and a cocked position, said key lever means having a part operable when in its cocked position to trigger said type bar drive mechanism, a spring driven movable carriage, a tabulation mechanism for releasing said carriage for spring driven movement, means responsive to the movement of said key lever means to its cocked position for operating said tabulation mechanism, and means responsive to the completion of a tabulation operation for operating said part of said key lever means and thereby triggering said type bar drive mechanism.

2. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to effect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement between a rest position and a cocked position, said key lever means having a part operable when in its cocked position to trigger said type bar drive mechanism, a spring driven movable carriage, a tabulation mechanism for releasing said carriage for spring driven movement, means responsive to the movement of said key lever means to its cocked position for operating said tabulation mechanism, means responsive to the completion of a tabulation operation for operating said part of said key lever means and thereby triggering said type bar drive mechanism, a carriage return mechanism for returning said carriage to its margin position, and means responsive to the' operation of said type bar drive mechanism for operating said carriage return mechanism.

3. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to effect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement between a rest position and a cocked position, said key lever means having a part operable when in its cocked position to trigger said type bar drive mechanism, a spring driven movable carriage, a tabulation mechanism for releasing said carriage for spring driven movement, means responsive to the movement of said key lever means to its cocked position for operating said tabulation mechanism, means responsive to the completion of a tabulation operation for operating said part of said key lever means and thereby triggering said type bar drive mechanism, a carriage return mechanism for returning said carriage to its margin position, means responsive to the operation of said type bar drive mechanism for operating said carriage return mechanism, and means responsive to the operation of said carriage return mechanism for restoring said parts for another sequence of operation.

4. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to effect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement between a rest position and a' latch position, means for latching said key lever means in said latch position, a typewriter power driven mechanism, means responsive to said key lever means being moved to its latch position for operating said power driven mechanism, and means responsive to the operation of said power driven mechanism for triggeringsaid type bar drive mechanism.

5. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to efiect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement 'between a rest position and a cocked position, said key lever means having a part operable when in its cocked position to trigger said type bar drive mechanism, a typewriter power driven mechanism, means responsive to said key lever means being moved to its cocked position for operating said power driven mechanism, and means responsive to the operation of said power driven mechanism for operating said part of said key lever means to trigger said type bar drive mechanism.

6. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to effect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement between a rest position and a latch position, means for latching said key lever means in said latch position, a typewriter power driven mechanism, means responsive to said key lever means being moved to its latch position for operating said power driven mechanism, means responsive to the operation of said power driven mechanism for triggering said type bar drive mechanism, a second typewriter power driven mechanism, and means responsive to the operation of said type bar drive mechanism for operating said second typewriter power driven mechanism.

7. An improved typewriter toll biller mechanism for initiating a sequence of operations comprising in combination a type bar drive mechanism operable when triggered to eifect a type bar print stroke, key lever means mounted for movement between a rest position and a cocked position, said key lever means having a part operable when in its cocked position to trigger said type bar drive mechanism, a typewriter power driven mechanism, and means responsive to the operation of said typewriter power driven mechanism for operating said part of said key lever means thereby triggering said type bar drive mechanism.

2,620,915 Sharpe Dec. 9, 1952