US3124646A - Manual unshift mechanism for - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1964 w. H. BAUMGARTNER ETAL 3,124,646

MANUAL UNSHIFT MECHANISM FOR TELETYPEWRITERS Filed June 29, 1961 WILLIAM H. BAUMGARTNER ALEXANDER -DRusclmTz United States Patent O 3,124,646 MANUAL UNSHiFi MECHANISM FOR TELETYEEWRITERS William H. Baumgartner and Alexander Druschitz, Chicago, lli., assignors to Teietype Corporation, Skokie,

Ill., a corporation of Delawane Filed June 29, 1961, Ser. No. 120,773 6 Claims. (Cl. 173-25) This invention relates to a manual unshift mechanism for telegraph recording machines and particularly to a manually controllable unshift mechanism for the selector mechanism for printing telegraph machines.

When receiving printing telegraph signals, a signal may not be received properly, due to signal fadeout, static or noise bursts, particularly when the printing telegraph unit is operating under adverse conditions. If the received signal has been distorted during the transmission of one of the characters of a word, the message will usually be intelligible due to the redundancy in a printed word or line. However, where the signal distortion takes place during the transmission of a case shift signal, viz, gures to letters, the message will not be intelligible as the incoming signals will operate the teleprinter to print the numerals and signs of the figures case rather than the characters in letters case. While receiving an incoming message an operator may often correctly conclude that the cause of receipt of the unintelligible message is due to a lost case shift signal, but the operator of prior art machines could not manually cause case shifting in the receiving telegraph printing mechanism while it was receiving incoming signals.

An object of the invention is to provide a manually operable means to shift a receiving recording mechanism from one state to another state during the receipt of a message.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manually operable means to shift the printing mechanism of a printing telegraph machine from a figures to a letters position during the time a message is being received.

Another object of the invention is to permutatively release the code bars of a teleprinter to positions corresponding to the letters shift permutation code upon operation of a manual button provided on the cover of the printing telegraph machine.

The invention features a push button assembly carried by the removable cover for activating a push rod to y release selector bars into a permutative relationship representative of a letters character.

The invention features an unshift bail operable by a manual push rod to restore the pull bars of a selector mechanism with a consequent release of all of the selector bars.

The invention consists of a manual push button on a teletypewriter cover or enclosure operable to push a rod connected to an unshift bail to pivot a reset bail member into engagement with the pull bar levers of a selector assembly causing the release of the selector bars from their latched spacing position to their unlatched marking position. Release of all the selector bars to a marking position by the depression of the push button initiates on the next cycle of the printer the shifting of the printing mechanism from a figures position to a letters or unshift position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be had from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cut-away sectional View illustrating the selector mechanism and manual unshift mechanism in accordance with the invention, and

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FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the selector mechanism and manual unshift mechanism.

The manual unshift mechanism according to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawing is adapted to operate in conjunction with the printing telegraph apparatus disclosed in copending application of Mr. R. W. Nordin, Serial No. 734,907, filed May 13, 1958, and the disclosure of the aforementioned application is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully reproduced herein. For convenience of reference attention is directed to FIG. 4 of the copending application and to the use of the same numerals and identifying names in this specification to designate all of the common subject matter existing between these applications.

A detailed review of the operation of the selector mechanism is not necessary in View of the detailed disclosure of the structure and operation of the selector mechanism in the above-identied application. It will suice for present purposes to generally describe the operation of the selector mechanism to understand its cooperation with the associated manual unshift mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of this invention.

As generally understood in the art, marking impulses coming in over line 83 energize the selector magnet 15 causing the attraction of armature 19 to pole piece 23, and receipt of a spacing impulse over line 83 de-energizes the selector magnet 15 to release its attraction on armature 19, permitting counterclockwise rotation of the armature 19 by the spring 21 connected to the armature 19. Attached to the armature 19 is a dependent member 24 having a laterally extending cross bar 84 for cooperation with a pair of shoulder extremities carried Von a marking lever 25 and a spacing lever 26. The marking and spacing levers 25 and 26, as their names indicate, sense whether the armature 19 and dependent member 24 are in a clockwise marking position or a counterclockwise spacing position. When the armature 19 and dependent member 24 are in the clockwise marking position, shown in the drawing, cross bar S4 is also in its clockwise position and the shoulder of spacing lever 26 rests on cross bar S4, preventing its clockwise rotation about pivot shaft 37 under the influence of attached spring 87 as a cam notch (not shown) is presented to its cam follower on lever 26. When armature 19 and dependent member 24 are in a counterclockwise position, cross bar 84 is positioned under the shoulder of marking lever 2S, blocking its clockwise rotation by attached spring S7 as the flutter cam (not shown) presents a notch to its cam follower on lever 25. Marking lever 25 has a depending portion 29 cooperating with extensions 31 on the selector levers 32-36. Each of the selector levers 32-36 is pivotally mounted on shaft 37 and biased in a clockwise direction by its spring S7 which forces the cam follower portion 86 of each of the levers 32-36 to ride on its associated cam 61-65. The cams 6165 are of similar cam contour but are angularly displaced on a shaft 58 so that the cam notches 91 therein are disposed in a helically arranged series whereby co-action with the cam follower portion S of the selector levers T12-36 occurs in sequential manner as the series of cams 61-65 rotates in synchronism with the speed of the code impulses coming in over the line 83.

Each of the selector levers 32-36 has an arcuate depending arm 38 terminating in a hook-shaped end 88 for hooking a hook-shaped end 89 on a pull bar 39, there being five pull bars, one for each of the selector levers 32-36.

Pull bars 39 are mounted for both slidable and rotatable movement by reason of their having slots (not shown) engaging a shaft 41. A comb 42 guides the upwardly extending extremities of the pull bars 39, and springs 43 attached to a laterally directed portion 44 bias the pull bars 39 downwardly and counterclockwise to their unactuated position. The laterally directed portion 44 of the pull bar 39 cooperates with the latch arm 45'to rotate the latch arm 45 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot rod 46 against the influence of the spring 54 which engages and biases the latch arm 45 clockwise about pivot rod 46. Each latch arm 4S is adapted to cooperate in a latching relationship with a shoulder 48 on an associated selector bar of a series of selector bars 49-1 to 491-5. The selector bars 49-1 t0 49-5 are provided with obliquely directed slots 59 which Aengage rod 51 and direct the movement of the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 upwardly and leftwardly when the selector bars 49-1 to lh-5 have been unlatched by their respective latch arms45. The selector bars lll-1 to 49-5, having been permutatively positioned, control the printing mechanism and machine functions, such as the shift and unshift operations. As is the usual practice, the release of all the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 permitting all to move leftwardly, causes ensuing unshift operation.

Also, pivotally mounted on the rod 41 is the reset bail member 93 which has an extension (not shown) for cooperating with a reset cam (not shown) carried on shaft 5,8, the function Vofthe reset bail member d3 being to disengage the hooked-pull bars 39 from levers 38 and to allow these pull bars 39 to be returned by springs 43 to their normal unactuated positions.

To the above-identied elements of the selector mechanism 14 shown in copending application, Serial No. 734,907, has been added an unshift bail 1 pivotally supported on shaft 41 and having a bent portion 3 extending into engagement with reset bail member 93. A laterally extending arm 2 of the unshift bail 1 is articulately `connected with a horizontally directed foot of the push rod 4, gilded for rectilinear motion within a bracket 12 :and biased upwardly by a concentric spring 13 supported in the bracket 12, the spring 13 pushing upwardly on a tab member 1S of the push rod 4 to retain the push rod 44 and reset bail 1 in their nonactuated positions.

A push button assembly 5 is provided on the cover 6 'to force the push rod 4 downwardly to rotate the un- :shift bail 1 clockwise. The push button assembly 5 has :a keytop 7 secured to arrod 8 and a collar 9 xed to rod 8 against which a spring 1d pushes in an upwardly direc- '.tion. The keytop 7 is normally biased upwardly to the position shown in FIG. l and upon depression of the keyitop 7 a pusher block 11 secured to rod 8 is moved down- `wa'rdly to engage and thrust the push rod 4 downwardily which, in turn, through its articulate connection with 111e unshift bail 1 pivots the unshift bail 1 and reset bail :member 93. The pusher block 11 is purposely not con- :nected to the pusher rod 4 to allow the removal of the cover 6 and push button assembly 5 away from the posi- :tion shown in the drawing to permit easy access to the :selector mechanism 14 without iirst disconnecting the push :rod 4 and push button assembly 5, as would be neces- ;sary if they were directly connected.

In the operation of the selector mechanism 14 just defscribed, the signal impulses are received over line 83 to :operate the selector magnet 1S in timed relationship. VMarking pulses coming in over the line 83 move the yarmature 19 and dependent member 24 clockwise to position cross bar 84 under the shoulder of the spacing llever 26 and permit marking lever 25 to move downwardly when a notch in the associated flutter cam (not shown) presents itself to the cam follower portion of the marking lever 25. Clockwise movement of the marking lever 25 moves its depending portion 29 out of locking engagement with extensions 31 carried by each of the selector levers 32-36 thereby permitting the cam portion 85 of the chosen selector lever to fall into the cam notch 91 on the timewise associated cam of the series of cams 61-65. Thus, when this cam follower 86 falls into the notch 91 of one of the cams 61-65, depending arcuate arm 38 of the selector lever rotates clockwise in response to its spring 87 to permit hook-shaped end 89 of the associated pull bar 39 to move forward and hook its hook-shaped end 89 over hook-shaped end 83. Then, when the cam follower portion 86 of the chosen selector lever cooperates with the cam lobe 92, the selector lever 32 will be actuated counterclockwise, and since the hook-shaped end S8 is now engaging the hook-shaped end 89, the pull bar 39 will bewpulled upwardly. Pursuant to the movement of the pull bar 39 upwardly, the laterally directed portion 44 trips the associated latch 45 out of engagement with the associated shoulder 4S of the associated selector bar of the series of selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 permitting this selector bar to move upwardly and leftwardly. Similarly, for each of the five selective impulses coming in over 'line 83tha't are of a marking nature, the pull bars 39 will be pulled upwardly by their associated selector levers 32-3'6 Ito trip the latches 45 holding the selector bars in their downward and rightward position. If, however, a spacing impulse is being received over line 83 at the time .that a cam notch 91 is being presented to the cam followers 86 of the selector levers Sii-36, the cross bar 84 will be blocking the shoulder of the marking lever 25 and holding the marking lever 25 and its depending arm 2? in blocking relationship with the selector levers 32-36 preventing the clockwise rotation of the selector lever 'associated timewise with this spacing impulse. Therefore, the depending Varm 38 ofthe selector lever of the series of the selector levers S2-36 will not be moved downwardly to allow its associated pull bar to snap its hook- 'shap'ed end 89 over a hook-'shaped end. 83 on the depending arm 33. Manifestlythen, the pull bar 39 will continueto hold its lassociated trip latch and selector bar in their normal unactuated positions.

At the beginning of each cycle wherein the selector levers 327-36 are to be selectively allowed to operate their r Yassociated pull bars 39, it is necessary to first restore those pull bars3i9 which were in hooking relationship with the lmarking selectorA levers 32-36 in the preceding cycle. Accordingly, at the start of each cycle, reset bail member 93 is pivoted clockwise by a cam (not shown) and this rotates lthe hook-shaped ends 89 of pull bars 39 away from the hook-shaped ends 88 of the selector levers 32-36 to the position shown in the drawing. Concomitantly with the rotation of the pull bars 39 by the reset bail member 93 depending `portions 44 of the pull bars 39 might trip their associated latches 45 Vwhich could result in the release ofthe selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 except for the fact that they are held in position by a reset bail (not shown) during this period.

When an operator observes the printer functioning to print an unintelligible series of numerals and signs capable of being selected only during the positioning of the printing mechanism in the figures position, and the operator desires to check for possible loss of a letters shift signal by returning the printing mechanism to a letters position so that the incoming message codes will print lower case or letters characters to form an intelligible message, the operator will depress the key 7 of the push button assembly 5 to engage pusher block 11l with the push rod 4 and force the rod 8 and now engaged push rod 4 downwardly to rotate the unshift bail 1 by means of the articulate connection between the push rod 4 and laterally extending arm 2 of the unshift bail 1. Bent portion 3 of the unshift bail 1 that engages the pull lever reset bail 93 will pivot the reset bail 93 and consequently the pull bar levers 39 clockwise about the shafty41, and the laterally directed portions 44 on the pull bar levers 39 will trip the latch arms 45 out of engagement with the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5. The selector reset bail (not shown) having been in position to hold the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 against release only for a very short period during the normal reset operation of the pull levers 39, will not function to block release of the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 during this manual unshift operation due to the extended period of time that the manual unshift key will be depressed by the operator. Release of all the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 by the manual unshift mechanism results in the .hun

operation of the shift mechanism (not shown) to shift the printing mechanism from a iigures to a letters position as though the permutation code signals of all marking nature had been received and resulted in the release of all the selector bars 49-1 to 49-5 by the operation of the selector mechanism 14.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification it will be understood that invention is not iimited to the specific embodiment described but is capable of modification and rearrangement and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph printing machine having a printing mechanism shiftable to either of two different states, a selector mechanism responsive to sequential signals forming permutational code combinations, selector bars selectively operable by said selector mechanism to control the printing mechanism, and a manually operable means operable means operable simultaneously with said selector mechanism to permutatively release all of said selector bars to shift said printing mechanism from one to another of its states irrespective of the permutative code combination being responded to by said selector mechanism.

2. In a telegraph machine responsive to permutational combinations of telegraph signals or the like, an electromagnet selectively energizable by said telegraph signals, a selector cam assembly controlled by said electromagnet, selector levers movable by said selector cam assembly, pull bars operable by said selector levers, selector bar latches movable to unlatching state by said pull bars, biased selector bars released by said selector bar latches, a pull bar reset bail for restoring said pull bars and said selector bar latches, and manually operable means operable concurrently with the operation of said selector cam assembly and operable to rotate said pull bar reset bail to release said selector bar latches and selector bars thereby changing the permutational selection of said selection bars from that corresponding to the signals being responded to by said electromagnet to that corresponding to a case shift permutational combination of signals.

3. In an apparatus responsive to electrical information codes, a permutative code responsive means, lever means permutatively selected for operational movement by said permutative code responsive means, latch means operable by said lever means, releasable selector bars held in a latched position by said latch means, and a manually operable means to operate said lever means independently ofsaid code responsive means and simultaneously with operation of said code responsive means to permutatively release certain additional ones of said latch means and thereby said selector bars thereby altering theselection of the selector bars from that corresponding to the information code being responded to by said permutation code responsive means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said manually operable means includes a reset bail normally operable to reset said lever means and said latches, a rockable member operable to rotate said reset bail, and a means for rocking said rockable member to rotate said reset bail to permutatively release said latch means and selector bars.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means engaging said rockable member includes a push rod and a separable push button to actuate said push rod upon depression of said push button.

6. In a printing telegraph apparatus having a printing mechanism shiftable between an upper case position and a lower case position, a selector mechanism responsive to incoming sequential signals forming permutational code combinations, selector bars selectively operable by said selector mechanism to control the operation and positioning of said printing mechanism, additional means for selectively operating said selector bars to alter the selection of said selector bars by said selector mechanism to another selection resulting in the shifting of the printing mechanism to one of said states, and a manually operable means for actuating said additional means to selectively set said selector bars while said selector mechanism is responding to said sequential signals.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,930,252 Reynolds Oct. 10, 1933 2,066,786 Lemmon Jan. 5, 1937 2,231,215 Noxon Feb. 11, 1941 2,684,745 Blodgett July 27, 1954

Claims (1)

1. IN A TELEGRAPH PRINTING MACHINE HAVING A PRINTING MECHANISM SHIFTABLE TO EITHER OF TWO DIFFERENT STATES, A SELECTOR MECHANISM RESPONSIVE TO SEQUENTIAL SIGNALS FORMING PERMUTATIONAL CODE COMBINATIONS, SELECTOR BARS SELECTIVELY OPERABLE BY SAID SELECTOR MECHANISM TO CONTROL THE PRINTING MECHANISM, AND A MANUALLY OPERABLE MEANS OPERABLE MEANS OPERABLE SIMULTANEOULSLY WITH SAID SELECTOR MECHANISM TO PERMUTATIVELY RELEASE ALL OF SAID SELECTOR BARS TO SHIFT SAID PRINTING MECHANISM FROM ONE TO ANOTHER OF ITS STATES IRRESPECTIVE OF THE PERMUTATIVE CODE COMBINATION BEING RESPONDED TO BY SAID SELECTOR MECHANISM.

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