US3537564A - Memory backspace device for printing apparatus - Google Patents

Memory backspace device for printing apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US3537564A
US3537564A US683258A US3537564DA US3537564A US 3537564 A US3537564 A US 3537564A US 683258 A US683258 A US 683258A US 3537564D A US3537564D A US 3537564DA US 3537564 A US3537564 A US 3537564A
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Prior art keywords
lever
backspace
memory
latch
movement
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US683258A
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English (en)
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James M Huckabee
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International Business Machines Corp
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International Business Machines Corp
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J19/00—Character- or line-spacing mechanisms
    • B41J19/18—Character-spacing or back-spacing mechanisms; Carriage return or release devices therefor
    • B41J19/60—Auxiliary feed or adjustment devices
    • B41J19/62—Auxiliary feed or adjustment devices for back spacing

Definitions

  • the device includes means movable with a por- 54 MEMORY BACKSPACE DEVICE FOR PRINTING (1011 Of the typewriter that moves during each actuation of a APPARATUS key of the typewriter. After the movable means has been 4 Chims, 5 Drawing Figs. rnoved a selected amount, the movable meansis returned to I ts starting posmon. When the movable 1118311818 moved from [52] US. Cl. 197/9l its starting position.
  • atch is positioned to [51] 19/62 retain a backspace lever in a position for repeat operation [50] Field olSearch 197/84(Cur), when the backspace lever is moved to a position in which it 1 1 80 may be retained by the latch.
  • the latch is moved to a non- [56] Rem-anus citgd retaining position.
  • the device may provide backspacing UNITED STATES PATENTS for a previously typed character in a proportioned spacing 928,591 7/1909 Delvigne 197/91 typewriter or to the start of a previous word in any typewriter.
  • ATTORNEY MEMORY BACKSPACE DEVICE FOR PRINTING APPARATUS SPECIFICATION ln typewriters having proportional spacing of the characters whereby the width of each character is designed in accordance with its natural width, the spacing for each of the characters is not the same. For characters having a small natural width, the space of the type character is small in comparison with characters having a large natural width.
  • the typist when his desiredto backspace a character or a plurality of characters with a proportional spacing typewriter, the typist is required to know the number of units assigned to each character. For example, an i" would have a width of two units while an "1" would have a width of four units. Thus, if the typist wished to backspace in a proportional spacing typewriter, it is necessary to backspace two units when the character is an i and four units when m" is the character.
  • the present invention satisfactorily overcomes the foregoing problem whereby the device ofthe present invention does not require the typist to remember the number of units of width of each of the characters. Instead, the memory backspace device of the present invention merely requires the typist to depress the backspace lever to a second level position where it isheld by retaining means of the memory device until release after the required amount of backspacing has occurred.
  • the memory device of the present invention s'till permits the typist to backspace only a single unit of spacing whenever desired.
  • the memory device of the present invention not only eliminates the requirement for the typist to know the units of width of each of the characters of a proportional spacing typewriter but also allows the typist to still have single unit backspacing when desired.
  • the present invention is an improvement over the previously suggested memory backspace device utilizing the rotating pin wheel.
  • the memory device of the present invention is not only much simpler in construction-and, therefore, relatively inexpensive. but it also may be utilized to permit selectively backspacing only a single character or a word.
  • the pin prevents any additional backspacing beyond the pin.
  • the typist could not backspace to any position but is limited to that defined by the pin.
  • the present invention satisfactorily overcomes the foregoing problem since the typist can backspace any amount.
  • backspacing is not limited to the typed word as in the previously suggested rotating pin wheel memory backspace device.
  • means is provided to automatically erase the previously stored escapement information concerning the character or word in the memory device as soon as the next character is selected or when the space bar means is actuated. Furthermore, the present invention contemplates erasing the stored memory of escapement information concerning the character or word in response to various function operations of the typewriter such as tabulation or carriage return, for example.
  • An object of thisinvention is to provide a memory backspace device to regulate the amount of backspace of a printing apparatus in accordance with the width of the previously printed character or word.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a linear memory backspace device that permits normal single unit backspacing when, the backspace lever is moved to a first position and controlled automatic back spacing in accordance with the stored memory of the prior typed character or word when the backspace lever is moved to a second position.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a memory backspace device that is relatively inexpensive and may be easily added to a typewriter.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the memory backspace device of the present invention and taken from the rear ofa typewriter.
  • FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the backspace mechanism utilized with the device of the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of another portion of the backspace mechanism
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of another form of the memory backspace, device of the present invention and taken from the rear of a typewriter.
  • FIG. 5 is a schematicperspective view of a modification of a portion of the device of FIG. 1.
  • a movable member 10 of a typewriter In a typewriter having typebars for printing characters, the movable member I0 may be attached to the carriage bed, for example, which moves with the platen supporting the paper upon which printing occurs as the platen moves relative to a reference position at which each character is printed by its typebar.
  • the movable member 10 functions as a movable letter feeding part.
  • the memory backspace device of the present invention ineludes a memory bracket 11 having a memory lever 12 universally mounted thereon, and the memory lever I2 has a friction member 14 supported on one end thereof with a surface 15 of the friction member 14 engaging the bottom of the movable member I0.
  • the friction member 14 is preferably formed ofa suitable friction material such as asbestos filled rubber, for example, that will cause the memory lever 12 to follow the movement of the movable member 10 to the right until the memory lever 12 engages a stop 16 on the bracket 11 or to follow the movement ofthe member 10 to the left until the memory lever 12 engages a second stop I7 on the memory bracket 11.
  • the friction member 14 permits the movable member 10 to continue to move relative to the memory lever 12.
  • the memory bracket 11 which is fixedly secured to a fixed portion of the typewriter, has a flange 18 disposed parallel to main surface 19 of the memory bracket 11 and in spaced relation thereto.
  • a block 20 is pivotally mounted between the flange 18 and the main surface 19 by a pin 21.
  • the block 20 pivotally mounts the memory lever 12 thereon by a pin 22, which is disposed substantially perpendicular to the pin 21, whereby the memory lever 12 may pivot about the axis of the pin 22. Since the block 20 may pivot about the axis of the pin 21, the memory lever 12 is universally mounted on thebrackct ll.
  • the memory lever I2 is biased upwardly and to the left by a spring 23.
  • the movement to the left is in the direction of backspace movement.
  • the spring 23 has one end secured to a downwardly depending finger 24 on the memory bracket 11 and its other end secured to a horizontally upstanding finger 25 on the memory lever 12.
  • the spring 23 serves to continuously urge the surface 15 of the friction member 14 into engagement with the movable member 10. At the same time, the spring 23 continuously urges the lever 12 against the stop 17. The force of the spring 23 is overcome by the movement of the movable member 10 as the paper is moved relative to the reference position at which the characters are typed.
  • the typewriter has a backspace lever 26, which is pivotally mounted on a rod 27 fixed to the frame of the typewriter.
  • the front end of the backspace lever 26 extends through a slot 28 in a front guide comb 29, which is fixed to the typewriter.
  • the backspace lever 26 is continuously urged upwardly (as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3) about the rod 27 by a spring 30, which has one end connected to the front end of the backspace lever 26 and its other end connected to a projection 31 (see FIG. 3) on the front guide comb 29 with the projection 3i disposed vertically above the slot 28.
  • a plunger 32 is continuously urged against the bottom surface of the guide comb 29 by a spring 33, which has its lower end bearing on a projection 34 on the lower portion of the front guide comb 29.
  • the lower end of the slot 28 is open in the same manner as is shown for a slot 35 in the front guide comb 29.
  • the backspace lever 26 may move through the slot 28 and move the plunger 32 downwardly against the force of the spring 33 from a first level position to a second level position.
  • the upper end of the plunger 32 is U-shaped to cooperate with the front guide comb 29 to be moved only vertically.
  • the backspace lever 26 is connected through a cam assembly 37 (see FIG. 2), which is fulcrumed on a rod 38 that is fixedly secured to the typewriter, and an operating link 39 to a backspace mechanism.
  • a cam assembly 37 see FIG. 2
  • the backspace mechanism is preferably of the type shown and described in pages 99 to I03 oflBM Customer Engineering Instruction Manual for Standard Typewriter, Model C-l, Copyrighted I960.
  • the backspace mechanism would be ofthe type shown and described in pages 5
  • the backspace lever 26 is connected to a release lever 40 of the cam assembly 37 by a cam release link 41 and a cam release lever spring 42.
  • the cam assembly 37 has a single lobed cam 43 rotatably mounted thereon for cooperation with the power roll of the typewriter.
  • the single lobed cam 43 rotates 360 during each actuation thereof.
  • the cam release lever 40 has a primary forward lug and a nonrcpcat lug thereon for cooperation with a cum lug on the cam 43.
  • the backspace lever 26 is moved to its second level position whereby the plunger 32 is moved downwardly against the force of the spring 33, the nonrepcat lug of the release lever 40 is maintained out of the path of the cam lug to permit automatic repeat operation of the backspace mechanism.
  • This cooperation between the lugs on the cam release lever 40 and the lug on the cam 43 is particularly described on page 51 of the aforesaid IBM Model C-l Manual.
  • the initial downward movement of the backspace lever 26 results in the lever 26 nicrcly moving the plunger 32 downwardly but not sufficiently to overcome the force of the spring 33. This results in a first level position for the backspace lever 26 whereby a single actuation of the backspace mechanism of the typewriter occurs to backspace the carriage and the platen relative to the reference position at which the characters are printed. This backspace movement moves the movable member 10 to the left.
  • the typist In the present proportional spacing typewriters, the typist must know the number of units that each character occupies and backspace this number of units for each character when that character has been erased, for example, due to an error. This may be accomplished by single actuation of the backspace lever 26 or by the typist holding the backspace lever 26 in its second level position until the required number of backspace operations has occurred.
  • the memory backspace device of the present invention utilizes a latch 50 to retain the backspace lever 26 in its second level position until the required number of repeat backspace operations has occurred to move the carriage to the desired position. For example, if the memory backspace device of the present invention is utilized to produce a selected amount of backspacing in accordance with the width of the character previously typed, then the latch 50 would retain the backspace lever 26 in its second level position until the selected amount of backspacing has occurred. Similarly, if :1 word is the selected amount of backspacing desired, then the latch 50 would retain the lever 26 in its second level position until this amount of backspacing has occurred. It should be understood that the latch 50 cannot retain the lever 26 in its second level (repeat backspace operation) position until the lever 26 has been moved to its second level position by the typist.
  • the latch 50 which is pivotally mounted on a rod 50, is resiliently biased into engagement with the lever 26 by a spring 51.
  • the latch 50 abuts against the side of the lever 26 rather than latching over the top surface thereof in either the normal rest position of the lever 26 or the position of the lever 26 when single actuation is produced.
  • the latch 50 cannot affect the operation of the backspace lever 26 until the lever 26 is moved to its second level position whereby automatic repeat backspace operations may occur.
  • the latch 50 is connected through a cable or wire 52 to the finger 25 ofthe memory lever 12.
  • the cable 52 which has one end connected to the latch 50, is enclosed along its entire length by a sheath 53 (removed along most of the cable 52 for clarity purposes), which has a portion supported in a bracket 54 that is fixed to the typewriter frame and clamped to the bracket 54.
  • the other end of the cable 52 which is slidably supported in the sheath 53, is connected to the finger 25 of the memory lever 12 by a hook portion 55.
  • the portion 55 extends through an enlarged opening or elongated slot 57 in the finger 25 of the memory lever 12 and is ofa length to permit pivoting of the memory lever 12 about the pin 22 without affecting the position of the cable 52. Thus, only pivotal move-. ment of the lever 12 about the pin 21 is transmitted to the latch 50.
  • the pivotal movement of the lever 12 about the pin 22 is limited because of the engagement of the bottom of the lever 12 with the main surface 19 ofthe bracket 11 and engagement of the surface 15 of the frictional member 14 with the bottom of the movable member 10. This permits only a limited amount of pivotal movement of the memory lever 12 about the pin 22.
  • the latch 50 is shown in its nonretaining position in FIG. I due to the memory lever 12 engaging the stop 17. In this position of the memory lever 12, the cable or wire 52 holds the latch 50 away from the position in which it will retain the backspace lever 26 in its second level position when the lever 26 is moved to its second level position.
  • the memory lever 12 When used with a proportional spacing typewriter, the memory lever 12 may be moved with the movable member 10 for either the amount of movement of the member 10 to the right due to a single character being typed or a word being typed.
  • the selected amount of movement ofthe memory lever 12 by the movable member 10 before the memory lever 12 is removed from engagement therewith may be either the width of the character typed or the width of the word typed.
  • the selected amount of movement of the memory lever 12 would only be a word since single actuation of the backspace means for a conventional lever would produce the desired amount of backspacing for any single typed character.
  • the memory lever 12 In moving the memory lever 12 either the amount due to a single character being typed or a word being typed, the memory lever 12 is moved to one of a plurality of effective positions from its home position, which is the position when the memory lever 12 is engaging against the stop 17 and to which it is always returnedWhen the memory lever 12 is disengaged from the movable member 10, it returns to the home position. Therefore, the memory lever 12 reciprocates between the home position'and one of the effective positions, which represents either a character or word being typed, to which it is moved during movement of the movable member 10.
  • the memory lever 12 would be permitted to move with the movable member 10 until after completion of the word. Completion of the word has occurred when a spacebar lever is actuated.
  • the memory lever 12 is pivoted clockwise about the pin 22 and counterclockwise about the pin 21 to return the memory lever 1-2 to the position in which it abuts against the stop 17.
  • the spring 23 also aids in moving the memory lever 12 counterclockwise about the pin 21 so that the pivoting of the memory lever 12 about the pin 21 is both by the operating mechanism, which is responsive to the spacebar lever to exerta pulling force on the memory lever 12, and the spring 23.
  • The. operating mechanism for removing the surface 15 of the friction member 14 from engagement with the movable member 10 and returning the memory lever 12 into engagement with the stop 17 includes a cable or wire 58, which is enclosed within a sheath 59 (partially shown for clarity purposes) and slidably movable therein.
  • the sheath 59 is supported within a curved portion of a bracket 60, which is fixed to an upstanding portion 61 of the bracket 11, and clamped thereto.
  • the cable or wire 58 has one end connected to the memory finger 25 and its other end directly or indirectly connected to the spacebar mechanism of the typewriter. Thus, when the spacebar mechanism is actuated by the typist to indicate the end ofa word.
  • the cable or wire 58 pulls the finger 25 of the memory lever 12 upwardly and to the right due to the angle of force exerted by the cable 58 with respect to the finger 25 whereby the lever 12 pivots clockwise about the pin 22 and counterclockwise about the pin 21 to return the lever 12 to the position in which it engages against the stop 17.
  • the other end of the cable 58 is formed as a looped portion 61a cooperating with a bail 6119, which extends therethrough and is actuated when the spacebar mechanism is actuated by the typist.
  • the looped portion 61a of the cable 58 is selected so that the lever 12 may move from the stop 17 to the stop 16, but the movement of the bail 6112 causes return of the lever 12 into engagement with the stop 17.
  • the cable or wire 58 returns the memory lever 12 to the position in which it abuts against the stop 17.
  • the cable 52 pulls the latch 50 clockwise against the force of the spring 51 to dispose the latch 50in a nonretaining position.
  • the memory lever 12 would abut against the stop 16. Thus, the total pivotal movement of the memory lever 12 is limited to a predetermined amount.
  • the memory backspace device of the present invention is to be utilized on a proportional spacing typewriter, it might be preferable to move the memory lever 12 only the width of each typed character. Since the width of each of the characters would vary depending on the natural width of the character, this would result in a varying amount of movement ofthe memory lever 12 by the movable member 10 depending upon the natural width of the character being typed.
  • the cable 58 would be connected to a portion of the mechanism actuated during each actuation of a character key.
  • This arrangement insures that the memory lever 12 remains in a position in which the latch 50 abuts against the side of thc backspace lever 26 with the position of the memory lever 12 from the stop 17 being the number of units of space in accordance with the previously typed character until the next character is being selected.
  • the bail 61b When the lever 12 is to be advanced only the width of the typed character, the bail 61b would be the ribbon lift bail. Thus. the looped portion 61a of the cable 58 would allow the lever 12 to move from the stop 17 to the stop 16 without the cable 58 retarding movement thereof while the actuation of the bail 61b still results in the lever 12 being returned into engagement with the stop 17.
  • the memory lever 12 is moved away from engagement with the stop 17.
  • the lever l2 remains away from the stop 17 wherein the latch 50 is held against the side of the backspace lever 26 by the spring Sl until the ribbon lift begins to move during selection of the next character.
  • the cable 58 and the spring 23 move the memory lever 12 back to its position against the stop 17 whereby the cable 52 moves the latch 50 to its nonretaining position.
  • the movable member moves the width of the new character and carries the memory lever 12 therewith away from the stop 17.
  • the memory lever 12 also is returned into engagement with the stop 17 when various function operations ofthe typewriter occur. Thus, if a carriage return or tabulation occurs, for example. the memory lever 12 is returned into engagement with the stop 17 irrespective of whether the memory lever 12 has been moved the selected amount by the movable member 10. This results in removal of the stored memory in the memory lever 12.
  • the finger 25of the memory lever 12 has one end of a second cable 62 connected thereto.
  • the second cable 62 is enclosed within a sheath 63 (partially shown for clarity purposes), which is supported in another curved portion of the bracket 60 and clamped thereto.
  • the other end of the cable 62 which is slidably supported within the sheath 63, is connected to means responsive to the various function operations.
  • the cable or wire 62 could be connected to the carriage return or to the tabulation lever or be responsive to movement of either.
  • the other end of the cable 62 may be formed in a looped portion 62a cooperating with a bail 6212, which extends therethrough.
  • the bail 62b may be responsive to any of the various function operations of the typewriter by having the bail 62b span all of the cams producing the various function operations so that the bail 62b is responsive to any of the function operations.
  • the lever 12 is pivoted clockwise about the pin 22 to remove the surface of the friction member 14 from engagement with the movable member 10, and the lever 12 is pivoted counterclockwise aboutthe pin 21 to return the lever 12 into abutting engagement with the stop 17.
  • the previously stored character, word, or portion of the word in the memory lever 12 is removed.
  • the return of the memory lever 12 into engagement with the stop 17 by the cable 62 due to a function operation of the typewriter results in the latch 50 being moved to its nonretaining position by the cable 52. Accordingly, depression of the backspace lever 26 to its second level position would not result in the backspace lever 26 being retained in its second level position by the latch 50.
  • the memory lever 12 has the friction surface 15 ofthe friction member 14 in engagement with the movable member 10 to follow the movement thereof during backspace operations, it should be understood that the friction surface 15 has a coefficient of friction with the member 10 so that manual movcment of the member 10 to the left permits sliding of the member 10 relative to the friction surface 15 when the memory lever 12 abuts against the stop l7. Thus, the memory lever 12 does not retard movement ofthe movable member 10 and the connected platen.
  • the spring 23 normally urges the memory lever 12 to the position shown wherein the memory lever 12 abuts against the stop 17 and the friction surface l5 of the friction member 14 is held in contact with the movable member 10. in this position of the memory lever 12, the latch 50 is held in a nonretaining position by the cable 52 whereby movement of the backspace lever 26 to its second level position does not result in the backspace lever 26 being retained in its second level position by the latch 50.
  • the memory lever 12 moves with the movable member 10 for the distance that the movable member 10 moves to type the single character. Any movement of the memory lever 12 away from the position of FIG. 1 results in the spring 51 urging the latch 50 into engagement with the side of the backspace lever 26.
  • erasure of the character may be accomplished by rotating the platen to advance the paper vertically relatively to the reference position at which the character is typed. After the character has been erased and the paper returned to the position in which the character was printed at the reference position, it is now necessary to return the platen and the paper to the position at which printing of the erased character started. Accordingly, depression of the backspace lever 26 to its second level position results in the latch 50 retaining the backspace lever 26 in this position in which automatic repeat backspace operations occur until the memory lever 12 has been returned into engagement with the stop 17 by the movable member 10.
  • the latch 50 When the memory lever 12 is removed from engagement with the stop 17 by the movable member 10 to allow the latch 50 to be moved by the spring 51, it should be understood that the latch 50 will not retain the backspace lever 26 until the backspace lever 26 is moved to its second level position. That is, the backspace lever 26 may be depressed against the plunger 32 by the typist to a first level position in which single actuation ofthe backspace mechanism occurs.
  • the latch 50 permits single actuation of the backspace lever 26 even when the latch 50 is in engagement with the backspace lever 26 since the latch 50 cannot retain the backspace lever 26 until the lever 26 is moved to its second level position.
  • the cable 58 would be connected to be responsive to the spacebar means, which is utilized whenever a word is completed, rather than being responsive to the ribbon lift mechanism.
  • the memory lever 12 would be moved by the movable member 10 until the spacebar means is actuated. When this occurs, the memory device 12 will be returned to the position in which it abuts against the stop 17 whereby the latch 50 is held in its nonretaining position by the cable 52.
  • the backspace lever 26 may be moved to a first position in which it abuts against the plunger 32for single backspacing without the latch 50 retaining the-backspacing lever 26.
  • the latch 50 is disposed in engaging position with the side of the backspace lever 26 and will retain the backspace lever 26 whenever the backspace lever 26 is moved-to its second level position by overcoming the force of the spring 33 to depress the plunger 32 further downwardly.
  • the memory lever 12 is returned to its position against the stop 17 whenever the cable 62 is actuated. This results in the latch 50 being moved to its nonrctaining position.
  • FIG. 4 there is shown another embodiment of the backspace memory' device of the present invention in which a memory wheel 70 cooperates .with the movable member).
  • the memory wheel 70 has a friction surface formed thereon of a suitable friction material, which is preferably the same as the friction member'14.
  • the wheel 70 is fixedly mounted on a rotatably mounted shaft 71.
  • One end of the shaft 71 is rotatably supported in a bracket 72, which is fixedly secured to the frame of the typewriter.
  • the other end of the shaft 71 is rotatably supported by a bellcrank lever 73, which is pivotally mounted on a rod 74.
  • the rod 74 is fixedly secured to the frame of the typewriter.
  • a spring 75 which has one end secured to a fixed portion 76 of the frame of the typewriter and its other end secured to the bellcrank lever 73, continuously urges the memory wheel 70 into engagement with the movable member 10.
  • the memory wheel 70 follows the movement of the movable member 10 as long as the bellcrank lever 73 is held in the position of FIG. 4 by the spring 75.
  • a link 77 which is slidably supported by a bracket 77', is connected to thebellcrank lever 73, and movement of the link 77 to the right causes the bellcrank lever 73 to pivot counterclockwise against the force of the spring 75.
  • the spring 75 retains the memory wheel 70 in engagement with the movable member 10 whereby the memory wheel 70 rotates clockwise when the movable member 10 moves to the right and counterclockwise when the movable member 10 moves to the left.
  • the movement of the movable member 10 to the right occurs when the paper on which the type characters are printed is being advanced forwardly in a horizontal direction relative to the reference position at which the type characters are printed.
  • the movement to the left of the movable member 10 occurs when backspacing occurs.
  • the shaft 71 has a pulley 78 fixedly secured thereto for rotationtherewith. Thus, any rotation of the shaft 71 by the memory wheel 70 is transmitted to the pulley 78.
  • a tape 79 passes around the pulley 78 and also passes around an idler pulley 80, which is rotatably mounted on a rod 84 in a bracket 85, which also is fixed to the frame of the typewriter.
  • a tape spring 86 surrounds the tape 79 and has one end fixed to the bracket 83. The other end of the tape spring 86 bears against a bead 87 on the tape 79 with the bead 87 being larger than the opening 84. As the memory wheel 70 is rotated clockwise, the tape spring 86 is compressed by the bead 87 moving toward the bracket 83.
  • the tape 79 has a second bead 88 thereon for cooperation with a latch 89, which cooperates with the backspace lever 26 to retain the backspace lever 26 in its second level position when the latch 89 is in its retaining position and the backspace lever 26 is in its second level position.
  • the latch 89 is formed of resilient material so that it is spring biased into engagement with the backspace lever 26:
  • the latch 89 has an opening 90 therein through which the tape 79 passes. However, the size of the opening 90 prevents the bead 88 from passing therethrough. Accordingly. when the bead 88 engages the latch 89, the latch 89 has its resilient force overcome and is removed from its position against the side of the backspace lever 26.
  • clockwise rotation of the memory wheel 70 by the movable member 10 moves the bead 88 away from engagement with the latch 89 whereby the latch 89 abuts against the side of the backspace lever 26 for movement to its retaining position when the backspace lever 26 is moved to its second level position.
  • This clockwise rotation of the memory wheel 70 also results in the tape spring 86 being compressed by the bead 87. This occurs when characters are being typed.
  • FIG. 4 Theembodiment of FIG. 4 is shown for use with a proportional spacing typewriter in which the width of each character is designed in accordance with its natural width.
  • the memory backspace device of FIG. 4 contemplates the memory backspace device storing either a character or a word in accordance with the desire of the typist.
  • the link 77 may be moved to the right whenever an annular member 91 on the link 77 is engaged by an arm 92, which is pivotally mounted by a pin 92a on a bifurcated member 9211, or an arm 93, which is pivotally mounted by a pin 93a on a bifurcated member 93b, and moved to the right.
  • the arm 92 is responsive to the movements of the ribbon lift mechanism and extends through an opening in a pivotally mounted lever 94.
  • the lever 94 which has the link 77 passing through an elongated slot 95 therein, is shown in FIG. 4 in position to have a finger 96 on the arm 92 disposed for engagement with the annular member 91.
  • each movement of the ribbon lift mechanism results in the link 77 being moved to the right due to the arm 92 being moved to the right whereby the finger 96 pulls the annular member 9l therewith.
  • a resiliently biased latch 97 is disposed in a notch 98 in a top surface of the lever 94 in the position of FIG. 4. In this position, the lever 94 is retained by the latch 97 so as to insure that the finger 96 of the arm 92 engages the annular member 91.
  • the embodiment of'FlG. 4 permits the typist to determine whether the memory backspace device is effective for each character or for each word typed.
  • the lever 94 would be connected by suitable means to a mechanism disposed on the exterior of the typewriter for actuation by the typist.
  • the lever 94 has a rod 100a disposed in one end thereof and connected to a control lever 10017, which is exterior of the typewriter frame for actuation by the typist.
  • the control lever is pivotally supported on a rod [000. Accordingly, when the control lever 10Gb pivots about the axis of the rod 1000, the lever 94 also pivots about the axis of the rod 1000 to move longitudinally from the position of FIG. 4 to the left.
  • the typist would vertically move the paper relative to the reference or printing position by rotating the platen and erase the character. Then, the paper would again be properly aligned to permit printing of a character thereon. At this time, the typist would depress the backspace lever 26 to its second level position by overcoming the force of the spring 33. When the backspace lever 26 moves to its second level position, the latch 89 would retain the backspace lever 26 in this second level position until backspacing is completed for the particular width of the previously typed character.
  • Each actuation of the backspacing mechanism moves the movable member 10 to the left whereby the memory wheel 70 rotates counterclockwise and moves the head 88 closer to the latch 89.
  • the bead 88 engages the latch 89 to move the latch 89 to its nonretaining position and release the backspace lever 26.
  • the typist may type the correct character.
  • the lever 94 is moved so that the latch 97 is disposed in the notch 99.
  • the arm 93 has the I finger 100 of the-arm 93 whereby the memory wheel 70 is released from engagement with the movable member 10.
  • the compressed tape spring 86 then rotates the pulley 78 and the memory wheel 70 counterclockwise until the bead 87 engages the bracket 85.
  • the bead 88 has engaged the latch 87 to move it to its nonretaining position.
  • the memory wheel 70 is again rotated clockwise by the movable member 10 moving to the right to again remove the bead 88 from engagement with the latch 89. This permits the latch 89 to again return to the position in which it may retain the backspace lever 26 in its second level position when the lever 26 is moved to this position.
  • the paper is moved vertically by rotating thv platen to permit erasure of the entire work. Then, the paper is again returned to the position in which printing occurs.
  • depression of the backspace lever 26 to its second level position at this time results in the backspace lever 26 being retained by the latch 89 until there has been sufficient rearward horizontal movement of the paper on which the characters are printed relative to the reference position at which the characters are typed.
  • the head 88 has engaged the latch 89 to move it to its nonretaining position.
  • the backspace lever 26 is returned to its rest position by the spring 33.
  • the movable member 10 moves to the left. Due to this movement of the movable member 10 to the left, the memory wheel 70 rotates counterclockwise to eventually return the head 88 into engagement with the latch 89.
  • the link 77 may have a second annular member 101 thereon for cooperation with a finger 102 on an arm 103.
  • the link 77 is pulled to the right whereby the memory wheel 70 is released from engagement with the movable member 10.
  • the tape spring 86 returns the tape 79 to the position in which the bead 88 engages the latch 89 to return the latch 89 to its nonretaining position.
  • the arm 103 may be made responsive to any desired functional operation of the typewriter.
  • the arm 103 could be responsive to tabulation or carriage return, for example.
  • the connection to the arm 103 could be in such a manner that it could be responsive to either of these function operations if desired.
  • the memory wheel 70 When the bead 88 is in engagement with the latch 89, the memory wheel 70 is at its start or home position to which it always returns.
  • the memory wheel 70 is moved by the movable member 10 to one of a plurality of effective positions depending upon whether the memory wheel 70 is rotated a distance equal to the width ofa typed character or the width ofa typed word; thus, the memory wheel 70 is advanced to a plurality of effective positions from its home position.
  • the memory wheel 70 is returned to the home position when the memory wheel 70 is disengaged from' the movable member 10.
  • the memory wheel.70 reciprocates between its home position and one of the effective positions to which it bead 88 into engagement with the latch 89 and the bead87 into engagement with the bracket 85. This removes any stored memory in the device.
  • FIG. 1 has been described for controlling the amount of movement of the memory lever 12 in accordance with onlythe width of the typed character or a typed word depending on whether the cable 58 is connected only to the ribbon lift mechanism orthe spacebar means ofthe typewriter.
  • the cable 58 may he made responsive to either the ribbon mechanism or the 'spacebar means as described for the modification of FlG. 4.
  • suitable means would be employed to cooperate with the cable 58 to actuate it in response to either the ribbon lift mechanism or the spacebar means in accordance with means controlled by the typist.
  • FIG. 5 there is shown an arrangement for actuating the cable 58 in response to either the ribbon lift mechanism or the space bar means.
  • the cable 58 is connected to a link 110 with an annular member 111 on one end thereof.
  • the link 110 is pivotally connected to the cable 58 for movement by a control lever 112, which the typist controls, between a position in which the annular member 111 may be engaged by a finger 113 on an arm 114 and a position in which the annular member 111 may be engaged by a finger 115 on an arm 116.
  • the arm 114 is responsive to the movement of the ribbon lift mechanism.
  • each movement of the ribbon lift mechanism in the link 110 being moved to the right due to the arm 114 being moved to the right when the link 110 is disposed so that the finger 113 can engage the annular member 111 when the arm 114 moves to the right.
  • the arm 116 is connected to the space bar lever of the typewriter whereby each actuation of the space bar lever moves the arm 116 to the right.
  • the connecting link 110 is moved to the right whereby the cable 58 is pulled to return the memory lever 12 into engagement with the stop 17.
  • the lever 112 is connected to the link 110through a cable 117, which is slidably supported within a shaft] 18 that is fixed against movement.
  • a cable 117 which is slidably supported within a shaft] 18 that is fixed against movement.
  • the memory backspace device of the present invention has been described with respect to a typewriter in which a carriage has a platen movable therewith for carrying the paper for printing with the carriage and platen being movable relative to the printing position, it should be understood that the memory backspace device of the present invention could be utilized with a typewriter of the single element printing head type such as the typewriter shown and described in US. Pat. No. 2,9l9,002 to Palmer. 1n the aforestid Palmer patent, the
  • the movable member 10 would probably be connected to the carrier tape, which moves the carrier and is connected thereto. it is only necessary that the movable member 10 be responsive to the relative horizontal movement between the carrier and the reference or printing position at which the type characters are printed.
  • An advantage of this invention is that it is relatively inexpensive and may be easily attached to a typewriter. Another advantage of this invention is that it eliminates the complicated pin wheel memory device for backspacing. A further advantage of this invention is that it permits utilization of a single backspace key for both normal single unit backspacing and automatic backspacing under control of the memory backspace device.
  • a memory backspace devicefor a printing apparatus having means movable during each relative horizontal movement between a reference position at which a character may be printed and paper on which the characters are printed and backspace means to cause rearward relative horizontal movement between the reference position at which characters may be printed and the paper. on which the characters are printed during each actuation of the backspace means, said devicc comprising:
  • control means releasably connecting said control means to the movable means of the printing apparatus to move said control means from a home position in response to forward relative horizontal movement between the reference position at which characters may be printed and the paper on which the characters are printed and to return said control means to its home position when a selected amount of backspacing occurs to move said cooperating means to its nonretaining position during a backspace operation;
  • control means to return saidcontrol means to its home position when a predetermined operation of the printing apparatus occurs after a selected amount of forward relative horizontal movement occurs between the reference position at which characters may be printed and the paper on which the characters are printed.
  • control means is a reciprocatingmeans that reciprocates between its home position and the position to which it is advanced by the movable means ofthe printing apparatus.
  • said return means includes means responsive to each selection of a character, said return means returns said control means to its home position during each selection ofa character for printing whereby the selected amount of movement is the width of each selected character.
  • said return means includes means responsive to each actuation of forward spacing means of the printing appara us, said return means returns said control means to its home position during each actuation of forward spacing means of the printing apparatus whereby the selected amount of movement is each printed word.
  • the device including, means to determine the selected amount of movement; 5: id determining means including:
  • first means responsive to each selection of a character for printing and cooperating with said control means whereby the selected amount ot'movement is the width of the selected character
  • a memory backspace device for a printing apparatus having means movable during each relative horizontal movement between a reference position at which a character may be printed and paper on which the characters are printed and backspace means tocause rearward relative horizontal movement between the reference position at which characters may be printed and the paper on which the characters are printed during each actuation of the backspace means, said device comprising:
  • said return means includes means responsive to each selection of a character for printing whereby the selected amount of movement of said connected means is the width of each selected character.
  • said return means includes means responsive to each actuation of forward spacing means of the printing apparatus whereby the selected amount of movement of said connected means is each printed word.
  • the device according to claim 7 including additional means to return said connected means to its home position in response to any of a plurality of function operations of the printing apparatus irrespective of whether said connected means has been moved a selected amount.
  • the device according to claim 7 including. means to determine when actuation of said return means occurs; said determining means including:
  • first means responsive to each selection of a character for printing whereby the selected amount of movement of said connected means is the width of the selected character
  • third means to render only one of said first and second means operative and to render the other of said first and second means inoperative.
  • a memory backspace device for a printing apparatus having means movable during each relative horizontal movement between a reference position at which a character may be printed and paper on which the characters are printed and backspace means to cause rearward relative horizontal movement between the reference position at which characters may be printed and the paper on which the characters are printed during each actuation of the backspace means, the backspace means being movable to a first position in which single actuation of the backspace means occurs and a second position in which automatic repeat operation of the backspace means occurs, said device comprising:
  • reciprocating means movable from a home position
  • said responsive means having means to retain the backspace means in a position for the automatic repeat backspace operations only when the backspace means is moved to its automatic repeat operation position so that the backspace means can move to its first position for single actuation when said responsive means is in both its nonretaining and second positions.
  • said connecting means holding said latch in its nonretaining position when said reciprocating means is in its home position.
  • said return means includes means responsive to each selection of a character for printing whereby the selected amount of movement of said movable means is the width of each selected character.
  • said return means includes means responsive to each actuation of spacing means of the printing apparatus whereby the selected amount of movement of said movable means is each printed word.
  • the device according to claim 12 including means to determine when actuation of said return means occurs; said determining means including:
  • first means responsive to each selection of a character for printing whereby the selected amount of movement of said reciprocating means is the width of the selected character
  • third means to render only one of said first and second means operative and to render the other of said first and second means inoperative.
  • said reciprocating means comprises a universally pivotally mounted member
  • first resilient means urging said member into engagement with the movable means ofthe printing apparatus
  • said return means comprises:
  • first resilient means urging said member into engagement with the movablemeans of the printing apparatus
  • said return means comprises:
  • the device according to claim l2 including means to limit the amount of movement of said reciprocating means from its home position by the movablt means of the printing apparatus.
  • a memory backspace system wherein the improvement comprises;
  • backspace drive means for moving said letter feeding part in the backspace direction in response to depression of said backspace key
  • a memory backspace system wherein the improvement comprises:
  • control member releasably engageable with said letter feeding part; means supporting said control member for reciprocating m wement between a home position and a plurality of effe tive positions;
  • oper ttive means to disengage said control member from ongagement with said letter feeding part after said control member reaches one of said effective positions and a selected operation of the printing apparatus occurs to return said control member to its home position and then to engage said control member with said letter feeding part for movement by said letter feeding part to one of said effective positions;
  • backspace drive means for moving said-letter feeding part in the backspace direction in response to depression of said backspace key

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US (1) US3537564A (fr)
DE (1) DE1808451B1 (fr)
FR (1) FR1592169A (fr)
GB (1) GB1248444A (fr)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US928591A (en) * 1908-05-23 1909-07-20 Wyckoff Seamans & Benedict Type-writing machine.

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DE1808451B1 (de) 1969-10-23
GB1248444A (en) 1971-10-06

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