US2879878A - Form guide apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March3l, 1959 0. G. ISAACS, JR

FORM GUIDE APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR.

OAKLEY G. ISAACS JR.

wiiiiii Will;

Filed Sept. 20;,- 1957 WM A. 71

AGENT Fiied Sept. 20, .1957

March 31 1959 o. G. ISAACS, JR 2,879,878 FORM GUIDE APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR.

OAKLEY s. ISAACS JR.

Judah 2? 0 1:

AGE NT 0; G2'1sAAcs, JR

FORM GUIDE APPARATUS March 31,- 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 20, 1957 INVENTOR. OAKLEY G. ISAACS JR.

P. AGENT Mam}! 1959 o. GJs AAcs, JR 2,879,878

FORM GUIDE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1957 4'Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. OAKLEY G. ISAACS JR.

AGENT United States Patent Office 2,879,878 Patented Mar. 31, 1959 FORM GUIDE APPARATUS Oakley G. Isaacs, Jr., Washington, D. C., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 20, 1957, Serial No. 685,326

8 Claims. (Cl. 197-128) This invention relates to improvements in form guide constructions for business machines and the like machines.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of form guide apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a form guide mechanism which extends across the full width of a platen of an accounting machine and wherein the form guide will assume the same position each time the platen is in its print position. When, however, the platen is moved to its open or non-print position, the form guide may, at the option of the operator, be made to assume one of twodifferent positions;

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description referring to the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a general front elevational view of the invention embodied in the carriage of a business machine;

Fig. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the form guide apparatus removed from the carriage shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the form guide apparatus with the platen shown in its most forward or print position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the form guide apparatus similar to that shown in Fig. 3 with the platen in its print position and with cam means which determine the position of the form guide means when the platen is in its open, or retracted, position set in a different position from that shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view of the form guide apparatus in which the platen has been moved to its retracted or non-print position and in which camming mechanism has been set in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view of the form' guide apparatus in which the platen has been moved to its retracted, or non-print, position and in which camrning mechanism has been set in a predetermined condition as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The carriage 10 shown in Fig. 1 may be similar to that shown in Patent Number 2,629,549 to T. M. Butler, dated February 24, 1953, which may be driven in either the tabulating or the return direction, that is, rightwardly or leftwardly by means described in detail in the above-mentioned patent.

The carriage includes right and left carriage frame end plates 11 and 12 respectively, which are suitably braced and tied together to maintain said plates in rigid spaced relationship. A roller platen 13 is mounted on a shaft 14 which is journalled in bushings 15 spun into two cam plates 16. Each cam plate 16 (Fig. 3) is pivoted on a screw 17 which passes through an car on the plate, and is passed through the adjacent one of two platen frame end plates 18. By means of studs 19 the cam plates 16 may be accurately positioned with respect to the platen frame end plates.

The platen frame end plates 18 are secured to collars 20 (Fig. 1) pinned on a shaft 21 which is journalled in bushings spun into the carriage end plates 11 and 12. The

platen frame end plates 18 are so tied together and braced that said end plates are retained in rigid spaced relationship to constitute a platen frame 22.

The platen frame may be rocked clockwise about the axis of shaft 21 to move the platen 13 rearwardly from its normal printing position shown in Fig. 3 to its nonprinting position, shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The latter positions facilitate the insertion of the paper relative to the platen into the machine. The platen frame may likewise be returned counter clockwise to position the platen to its normal printing position. For this purpose a bail member 23, extending substantially the full width of the carriage, as seen in Fig. 1, is supported by arms 24 to swing forwardly and rearwardly beneath the carriage. The arms in turn are fixed to a platen frame rocking shaft 25 journalled near its ends in bushings 26 spun in carriage end plates 11 and 12.

Arms 27, 27a, secured at their lower forward ends to shaft 25, have in their upper rear ends longitudinally elongated solts each embracing a roller stud 28 secured in the lower forward end of a respective one of two arms 29. Each arm 29 is secured on a hub pinned on the outer end of a respective one of two shafts 30 each journalled in a bushing 31 secured in the respective carriage end plates 11 and 12. Each of two cam arms 32 is secured on a hub pinned on the inner end of a respective one of the shafts 30 and each has a cam slot embracing a roller 33 rotatable on a stud secured in the rear portion of the adjacent one of the platen frame end plates 18. The cam slot in each cam arm 32 has an upper rear and lower front dwell portion concentric with the shaft 30, the lower front dwell portion being at the greater radius from the axisof the shaft 30, and an inclined portion connecting the two dwell portions.

When the bail 23 is swung forwardly, the cam arms 32 are swung downwardly pulling the rollers 33 and platen frame rearwardly about the shaft 21 to retract the platen 13 rearwardly from its printing position. When the bail 23 is returned rearwardly, the platen frame and platen are returned forwardly to printing position.

To facilitate and guide the insertion of paper into the carriage, as will be explained in detail hereinafter (Figs. 1 and 2), an inwardly extending stud 34 is secured in each of the carriage end plates 11 and 12. Each stud rotatably supports a hub or sleeve 35 on the inner end of which an arm 36 is secured. Each arm 36 rotatably supports a headed shouldered screw 37 threaded into the respective end of a torque shaft 38 extending the full length and a little beyond the ends of the platen 13. A stud 39 extends inwardly from the end of each arm 36 for a purpose which will presently be described. The ends of the aforementioned shaft 38 also pass through arms 40, umbrellashaped cam members 41, and bellcranks 42, 42a, all of which are thus supported for pivotal movement about the axis of shaft 38.

Calling attention to Fig. 2 in particular, it is further seen that torque shaft 38 has a bushing 43 pinned near each end thereof which prevents axial movement of the aforementioned members 36, 40, 41, 42 and 42a. Bellcranks 42, 42a are brazed or otherwise affixed to said bushings, so that movement of bellcrank 42 will, through said torque shaft, produce a like movement of cran'k42a. Arms 36, 40, and members 41, however, move relative to shaft 38. Member 40 includes a projecting toe portion carrying a roller 44 rotatable on a stud secured in the toe portion. The roller engages a cam surface of the previously mentioned cam plates 16 afiixed to platen frame end plates 18. A spring 45 affixed at each of its ends to arms 36 and 40 respectively urges the rollers into engagement with the cam surfaces of the plates 16 and causes the arms to move relatively to each other in scissor-like fashion as the platen is rocked back and forth between print and non-print positions as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5 respectively. The heel portions of members slightly removed from rollers 44 are apertured to receive axiallly aligned stub like shaft portions 46. These shaft portions extend outwardly from enlarged boss portions 47 affixed to right and left hand brackets 48, 49, to and between which are mounted a form guide 50. Split washers'51 are engaged in grooves on each shaft' and lock the form gu'ideto arms 40 against axial rnovement.

" "It should be observed that the form guide 50 is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the arms 40, and further that the a rms may be moved bodily by virtue of the aforementioned scissor like action of arms 36 and 40, as the platen is moved between print and non-print positions (compare Fig. 3' with Fig. '5, for example). i

' Arm'36, as previously described, carries an inwardly extending stud 39, and each arm correspondingly carries a stud 52. The aforementioned umbrella-shaped member 41 includes a pair of elongated arcuate slots spaced from each other which embrace studs 39 and 52.' The handle, or lower extending portion of the umbrella-shaped member, has mounted thereon an inwardly extending stud 53 which is embraced in an elongated slot of bracket 49 and is constrained to ride therein by means of split washer 54.

A disc-like cam 55 is pivotally mounted on umbrellashaped member 41 by an elongated stud 56 received in anaperture of the member located between the previously mentioned arcuate slots. One arm of the aforementioned bell- cranks 42, 42a, has mounted on its extremity a stud 57 which is received in an elongated slot in cam 55 and which extends radially from stud 56. A generally V-shaped torsion spring 58, including arms 59 and 60, is suitably secured by its arms respectively to studs 56 and'57. The combined action of manually operable bellcranks 42, 42a, and spring 58, is such that cam 55 can be pivoted by virtue of stud 56 relative to umbrella-shaped member 41 to assume and retain the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In order to change the position of cam 55 fromthat shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4 the arms 59 and 60, of the spring 58, are first squeezed together by the rotative movement of bellcrank 42 until the dead center position is reached, thereafter the spring assists by applying a torque to the bellcrank 42 in its direction of rotation.

Calling particular attention to Fig. 3 it is observed that the edge of cam 55 is so shaped that in the position shown, the stud 52 of member 40 is locked in the lower extremity of its corresponding slot in member 41; whereas movement of stud 39 is unobstructed in its corresponding arcuate slot. Conversely, referring to Fig. 4, with the bellcrank 42 rotated counterclockwise and the cam 55 rotated clockwise, it is seen that the cam 55 now locks stud 39 of arm 36 in the extremity of its corresponding slot and that stud 52 of arm 40 is unobstructed with respect to movement in its corresponding slot. It should be again emphasized that Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the platen in its printposition as distinguished from its retracted, or non-print, positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

The geometry inherent in the shape and relatedness of arms 36, 40, and umbrella-shaped member 41, is such that rotation of form guide 50 relative to arm 40 upon which it is pivoted, can either be permitted, or conversely restrained at the option of the operator. If it is desired that the form guide be restrained against rotation relative to arm 40 upon movement of the platen between its print and non-print positions, then umbrella-shaped member 41 is locked against rotation relative to arm 40. It is observed that arm 40 and member 41 share a com rnon pivot about the axis of shaft 38. Consequently, if stud :52 is locked against movement in its corerspond igg arcuate slot in member 41 by the cam 55 being positioned as shown in Fig. 3, then the stud 53 on the extension of member 41 cannot move with respect to arm 40 by virtue of sharing the same pivot on shaft 38. Thus when the platen is rocked from its print position, shown in Fig. 3, to its non-print retracted position shown in Fig. 5, the roller 44 rolls down the cam surface on plate 16 and the inclination of form guide 50 relative to arm 40 remains unchanged. However it is observed that arm 36 has rotated counterclockwise from its original position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 5.

Calling attention now to Figs. 4 and 6, if it is desired that the form guide 50 rotate relative to arm 40 when the platen and frame are rocked clockwise from a print position shown in Fig. 4 to a non-print position shown in Fig. 6, or vice versa, then the cam 55 is positioned to prevent movement of the stud 39 in its corresponding arcuate slot in umbrella-shaped member 41. Since arm 36 and member-4 1 "sh'ar'e the same pivot by virtue of shaft"3'8,ar m 36 and "member 41 are restrained against relative rotative movement. As the platen is rocked, stud 53 now moves with respect to arm 48 as the aforementioned scissor-like movement is imparted to arms 36 and 40. Stud 53 afiixed to member 41 consequently biases form guide 50 through slotted brackets 48 and 49 causing the same to rotate about its pivot on arm 40.

It is thus seen that the form guide assumes the same position each time the platen is in its print position and upon movement of the platen to its retracted or non-print position the form guide may at the option of the operator be made to assume one of two different positions. When the form guide 50 is locked to member 40 by the apparatus described, the form guide is bodily moved by the rocking action of the platen. When, however, the form guide is locked to the alternate scissor-like arm 36 a bodily movement plus a relative movement (i.e. rotation of form guide 50 relative to arm 40) is imparted to the form guide.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in form and details of the apparatus 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 claims which follow.

' What is claimed is:

1. In form guide apparatus for a business machine including a carriage, a platen, a frame carrying said platen and mounted for pivotal movement relative to said'carriage, means for pivoting said frame from a print position to a non-print position, form guide means, scissor means supporting said form guide means for relative pivotal movement with respect to said carriage and said frame, cam means connecting said scissor means and said form guide means, and means co-acting with said cam means in one position thereof to lock said form guide means and said scissor means against relative motion and in a second position thereof to permit relative movement between said form guide and said scissor means.

2. In form guide apparatus for a business machine including a carriage, a platen, a frame carrying said platen and mounted for pivotal movement in said carriage, means for pivoting said frame in said carriage between a print position and a non-print position, form guide means, first means supporting said form guide means for pivotal movement and having a slidable connection with said frame, second means supporting said first means and having a pivotal connection with the said carriage, cam means interconnecting said formguide means and said first and second means, said cam means being shiftable to a first position thereof to permit rela 75, tive movement between said form guide means and said first supporting means upon rotation of said platen frame from its print position to its non-print position, and shiftable to a second position to lock said form guide means and said first supporting means against relative movement upon rotation of said platen frame from its print position to its non-print position, and manual means for shifting said cam means between said first and second positions.

3. In form guide apparatus for business machines and the like, a platen, a frame carrying said platen, a carriage supporting said platen and frame for pivotal movement between print and non-print positions, form guide means, first arm means supporting the latter for pivotal movement, second arm means having a pivotal connection with said first arm means and having another pivotal connection with said carriage, and cam means interconnecting said first and second arm means and said form guide means, said cam means being movable to one position thereof to lock said form guide means against pivotal movement with respect to said first arm means upon movement of said frame from a print to a non-print position and movable to a second position thereof to permit relative movement between said form guide means and said first arm means upon movement of said frame from a print to a non-print position.

4. In form guide apparatus for business and the like machines, a platen, a frame carrying said platen, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement, means for pivotally moving said platen and frame between print and non-print positions, form guide means, first and second arm means supporting said form guide means, pin slot means interconnecting said first and second arm means and said form guide means, said first and second arm means and said pin slot means having a common pivotal connection and said second arm means being pivotally connected to said means for supporting said frame, said first arm means having a sliding connection with said frame and rotatable with respect to said second arm means upon pivotal movement of said frame, and manual means co-acting with said pin slot means and shiftable to one position thereof to lock said first arm means and said pin slot means against relative movement upon the aforementioned pivotal movement of said frame whereby said form guide means is restrained against pivotal movement with respect to said first arm means.

5. In form guide apparatus for business and the like machines, a platen, a frame carrying said platen, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement, means for pivotally moving said frame between print and non-print positions, form guide means, first arm means pivotally supporting said form guide means, second arm means pivotally connected to said means for supporting said frame, pin slot means having a common pivotal connection with said first and second arm means and interconnecting said first and second arm means and said form guide means, said first arm means having a sliding connection with said frame and rotatable with respect to said second arm means upon pivotal movement of said frame, and manual means coacting with said pin slot means and shiftable to a predetermined position thereof to lock said second arm means and said pin slot means against relative movement upon the aforementioned pivotal movement of said frame whereby said form guide means is bodily moved and pivotally rotated with respect to said first arm means.

6. In form guide apparatus for business and the like machines, a platen, a frame carrying said platen, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement, means for pivotally moving said frame between print and nonprint positions, form guide means having a slot therein, first arm means pivotally supporting said form guide means and having a roller engaging said frame at one end thereof and having a stud projecting from its other end, second arm means having a stud projecting from one end thereof and being pivotally mounted on said frame at its other end, cam means having a pair of arcuate slots receiving said studs projecting from said first and second arm means and having an elongated portion with a stud projecting into the slot of said form guide means, said first and second arm means and said cam means having a common pivotal mounting, and means carried by said cam means andsettable in one relative position thereto to lock said first arm means and said cam means against relative movement upon rotation of said frame between its print and non-print position to thereby restrain said form guide means against rotation relative to said first arm means and settable in another position thereof to lock said second arm means and said cam means against relative movement upon rotation of said frame whereby said form guide means is biased by said cam means to rotate upon its pivot on said first arm means. A

7. In form guide apparatus for business machines and the like, a platen, a frame carrying said platen, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement, means for pivotally moving said frame relative to the supporting means, form guide means, first, second and third members having a common pivotal connection, said first member pivotally supporting said form guide means and having a sliding connection with said frame, said second member having a pivotal connection with the means for supporting said frame, said third member interconnecting said first and second members and said form guide means, and means mounted on said third member and shiftable to one position thereof to lock said first and third members against relative rotation on said common pivotal connection whereby said form guide means is restrained against rotation relative to said first member upon the aforementioned rotation of said frame between its print and non-print positions, and shiftable to a second position thereof to lock said second and third members against relative rotation on said common pivotal connection whereby said third member pivotally moves said form guide means relative to said first member upon such movement of said frame between print and non-print positions.

8. In form guide apparatus for business machines and the like, a platen, a frame carrying said platen, and including a cam surface thereon, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement, means for pivotally moving said frame relative to the supporting means between print and non-print positions, form guide means, first, second and third members having a common pivotal connection, said first member pivotally supporting said form guide means and having a roller engaging the cam surface on said frame, said second member having a pivotal connection with the means for supporting said frame, said third member interconnecting said first and second members and said form guide means, spring means affixed to said first and second members to urge said roller into contact with said cam surface, and means mounted on said third member and shiftable to one position thereof to lock said first and third members against relative rotation on said common pivotal connection whereby said form guide means is restrained against rotation relative to said first member upon the aforementioned rotation of said frame between its print and non-print positions and shiftable to a second position thereof to lock said second and third members against relative rotation on said common pivotal connection whereby said third member pivotally moves said form guide means relative to said first member upon such movement of said frame between print and non-print'positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,627,333 Butler Feb. 3, 1953

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