US3887057A

US3887057A - Housing for electrically operated typewriters and similar machines

Info

Publication number: US3887057A
Application number: US390394A
Authority: US
Inventors: Horst Stahl; Guenther Vorbach; Erich Brunnthaler; Wolfgang Hezel; Wolfgang Flath
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 1972-08-30
Filing date: 1973-08-22
Publication date: 1975-06-03
Anticipated expiration: 1992-06-03
Also published as: AU5824673A; GB1414085A; DE2242569A1; NL7311824A; BE804224A; IT993035B; JPS5047714A; CS179428B2; FR2198413A5

Abstract

A housing for electrically operated typewriters and similar machines, such as Telex machines, is composed of a plurality of individual parts, i.e., front, back, side and top wall members assembled together and secured to a top frame which has a separable coupling device by which the assembly is secured to a supporting base having means for receiving and securing the coupling device and complete a cabinet for the machine enclosed within the housing. Soundproofing of the housing is provided for.

Description

United States Patent 11 1 Stahl et a]. June 3, 1975 [5 HOUSING FOR ELECTRICALLY 1,584,735 5/1926 Corcoran 197/186 B O R TYPEWRITERS AND SIMILAR 1,890,564 12/1932 Dowd 197/186 B MACHINES 2,023,713 12/1935 Summerlee et al. 197/186 R 3,021,187 2/1962 Mitchell 312/263 [75] Inventors: Horst Stahl, Weidach; Guenther 8 63 Reed 81 312/203 X Vorbach, Schwindegg Upper 3,337,983 8/1967 Ebstein 312/263 x BarViria; Erich Brunnthaler; Wolfgang Hezel, both of I w lf t h W lf Hath, Pnmary Examiner-Robert Bagwdl Munich all Of Germany Attorney, Agent, or F1rml-l1l1, Gross, Slmpson, Van Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson [73] Asslgneec Siemens Aktlengesellschaft, Berlin & Munich, Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 22, 1973 [57} ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 390,394

A housing for electrically operated typewriters and similar machines, such as Telex machines, is com- BO] Forelgn Apphcatmn Pnonty Data posed of a plurality of individual parts, i.e., front, Aug. 30, 1972 Germany 2242569 back, Side and top wall members assembled together and secured to a top frame which has a separable cou- 5 197/186 pling device by which the assembly is secured to a J pp ti g b h i g means f eiving and secur- [58] held of searchm" 197/186 186 B; 312/208 ing the coupling device and complete a cabinet for the 312/263 machine enclosed within the housing. soundproofing t I References Cited of he housing 1s provided for UNITED STATES PATENTS 14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1,535,055 4/1925 Stickney 197/186 B HOUSING FOR ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TYPEWRITERS AND SIMILAR MACHINES This invention relates to a housing or cabinet for electrically operated typewriters and similar machines, such as Telex machines, and is more particularly concerned with such a housing constructed of individual wall parts assembled together to provide a machineenclosing cabinet.

Conventionally, cabinet housings for machines of the character indicated consist basically of a one part housing shell which encloses the machine. Such housing shell is secured to the base plate which supports the machine, such, for example, as by bolting or screwing the same in position to provide a stable assembly. From a production standpoint, such a one piece shell design of the housing is quite expensive, in particular because the forms and dies which are required for production are very complicated.

It has heretofore been suggested, for example in German Gebr auchsmuster No. 6,923,250, a housing, in particular for electronic table calculators, might be constructed of cabinet components which are held to the base plate of the machine and constructed in such a way that the base plate has knock-out spindles by which the individually removable housing parts are joined together in a grouped relation around the base plate to complete the housing unit, the individual housing parts being attached in such a way that they can be dismantled. Although a housing thus constructed does have advantages from a production standpoint, those advantages are adversely affected due to lack of stability of the housing and an impairment of the desired requirements for such a housing such as to enable servicing of the housed machine. If any of the individual components of the machine are to be checked or exchanged, it is required by the prior arrangement to disassemble the cabinet housing parts individually and then to replace the individual parts after completion of overhauling of the machine.

It is an important object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages, defciencies, ineficiencies, shortcomings and problems in prior structures and to attain important improvements, advantages and results by the provision of a housing which can be easily produced and provides a more favorable access to the apparatus assemblies within the housing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved housing for electrically operated typewriters and similar machines and which meets the problem of ready access to the enclosed machine and components thereof in a simple, easy and eficient manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved housing of the character indicated in which individual elements of the housing are assembled with one another in a manner to facilitate handling as a unit for attachment to and removal from a machinesupporting base.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for connecting the front, rear. and side walls of a separable housing with a base plate.

A further object of the invention is to'provide a new and improved means for improving the form-stability of a housing composed .of an assembly of multiple parts;

It is also an object of the invention to providea new.

and improved cabinet housing of the character indiconjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts embodied in the disclosure, and in which:

FIG. 1 depicts in a perspective view a housing embodying features of the invention, such as may, by way of example, be adapted to serve as a cabinet for enclosing a Telex machine.

FIG. 2 is a simplified exploded detail view of the housing showing most, but not all, of the components included in the completed cabinet.

I FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevational detail view taken generally along the line III-III of FIG. I.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view taken substantially along the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view taken substantially in the plane of the line V- -V of FIG. 4.

Having reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the form and construction of a cabinet or housing especially suitable for enclosing electrically operated typewriters and similar machines, such as Telex machines is shown, the specific configuration of the housing being particularly adapted for a Telex machine. To this end, the housing comprises a base plate I on which the machine, not shown, is mounted. The housing shell includes a front wall 2 provided especially for Telex machine purposes having a keyboard opening 3 at one side of which is a receptacle opening 4 for waste from the usual perforated tape used in such a machine while at the opposite side is a tape reading device enclosure 5. Other openings are provided in the wall 2 as necessary for its specific adaptation to the enclosed machine. In addition, the housing has two side wall parts 6, a back wall 7 and a top wall 8 in the form of a top access opening closure cover. In addition, the cabinet may be provided with a hingedly mounted cover C for protectively closing the front of the housing in the keyboard area, that is to li across the front of the front wall 2 when the machine is not in use. .The cover C is shown only in FIG. 1 and is omitted from the remaining figures because it is not an essential element of the inventive features of the present application. While the base plat 1 may be formed as a lightweight metal casting or from a rigid high impact strength plastic material, the

wall members

2, 6, 7 at least, and also the top wall closure 8 if desired may be made from an easily shaped relatively soft, but form sustaining plastic material having low resonance characteristics contributing to vibration and sound damping.

For ease in manufacture, the front wall member, a side wall member 6, the rear wall member 7, and the top closure wall member 8 are all made as individual, separate components, but constructed and arranged so that they can be mounted in assembly with each other on a top frame comprising an angular generally ringshaped member 9. In addition, connecting and reenforcing bars 10 are provided for stabilizing the connection of the side wall member 6 with the front wall member 2 and the rear wall member 7 along the lower portion of the housing shell assembly.

Pivotal attachment of the top wall cover member 8 enabling opening and closing thereof is effected by means of a pair of butt hinges 11 having one hinge plate secured to the rear portion of the cover 8 and the remaining plate secured as by means of screws lla to upper edge flange structure 7a of the back wall member 7 and which flange structure engages supportingly on the frame member 9 to which the flange structure is fixedly secured by means of the screws lla. In its closed position, the cover 8 is held by spring latches 8a engaging with suitable keepers 8b (FIG. 3), from which the latches are adapted to be released by pressing them inwardly against spring bias. in its raised, open position, the cover 8 is adapted to be held by means of a pair of depending curved brace bar members 12, one at each side, pivoted at upper ends to the rear portion of the cover member 8 and depending therefrom through respective slots 13 in the frame member 9. Adjacent their lower ends, the brace bars 12 have latching notches 320 which are engagable with the frame member 9 in the raised position of the cover. To release the brace bars l2 from their latching relationship to the frame member 9, the latch members 8a are actuated in opposition to their spring bias to operate respective trip rods 12b suitably coupled with the upper end portions of the brace members I2.

For rigidity and form-stability, the frame member 9 is preferably constructed from suitable metal and may be produced by die casting. It is constructed and arranged to receive the upper end portions of the front wall member 2, the side wall members 6, and the rear wall member 7 in efficient assembly therewith. Suitable upper edge inturned flange portions on the front wall member 2 and the side wall member 6 engage upon respective front and side bar portions of the frame member 9, a depending attachment flange 90 along the front of the frame member being secured to the upper portion of the front wall member 2 as by means of screws to A (FIG. 3). At its respective opposite sides, the frame member 9 is provided with depending flange portlon's 9b to which the upper portions of the side housing members 6 are secured as by means of screws 6a (FIG. 1).

Attachment of the stabilizing bars across the inside of the lower portions of the side wall housing panel members 6 and to the side portions of the front wall member 2 and the rear wall member 7 is effected as by means of screws 100 (FIG. 3).

To guide the lower ends of the

housing members

2, 6 and 7 into position with respect to the base plate 1 and to stablize the connection with the base plate, means are provided such as vertically extending spaced parallel guide ways 14 on the lower end of the front plate and the lower end of the rear plate and which are receptive of rubber encased studs 15 carried by the front and rear marginal portions, respectively. of the base plate. While the side panel member 6 may also be provided with similar guide ways and the base plate 1 provided with studs therefore, the arrangement shown wherein the base plate has upwardly projecting stud means la and the lower edges of the panels 6 have corresponding guide recesses 6b receiving the studs la serves substantially the same purpose.

By having the housing shell assembled as a unit on the top frame member 9, the entire housing shell can be handled as a unit and lifted into position onto the base plate 1 over the machine supported on the base plate, and the shell can be removed from the base plate when access to the apparatus within the housing is desired as for servicing. To facilitate this, means are provided for supporting the frame 9 on the base plate 1 and detachably securing it in place. In a desirable form, the supporting and attaching means comprise respective upstanding postlike attachment element 16 which are, as shown preferably of generally U-shape structure and anchored by means of screws 16a to the base plate 1 adjacent to each side so as to underlie the side bars of the frame member 9. To guide the frame 9 into position upon the securing post 16, generally bell mouth downwardly opening semi-sockets 17. are provided on the side bars of the frame 9 and are adapted to register with the upper end portions of the posts 16 by downward placement movement of the housing shell. In the assembled relationship, securing means in the form of a coupling screw 17a engaging a coupling nut 16b car ried by the upper end of the post 16 in each instance is accessible from above when the cover 8 is open. Desirably sound, vibration damping means in the form of a rubber grommet 18 are provided in the coupling between the

members

16 and 17. Through this arrangement, mounting of the housing shell unit which has been fixedly assembled with the supporting frame 9 is easily and quickly effected by moving the housing shell downwardly aligned with the base plate 1, with proper orientation assured by reception of the upper end of the attachment posts 16 within the corresponding sockets l7, and registration of the vertical guide grooves 14 with the projecting lugs 15 and the registration of projections la in the recesses 6b. After such assembly has been effected, the housing shell is secured in place with respect to the base 1 by means of the screws 17a, ac cess to which is freely gained by opening the cover 8.

Means are provided for soundproofing the cabinet, in addition to soundproofing and vibration damping attained by reason of the relatively non-resonant character of the housing shell wall members and the rubber coupling devices which have been described. To this end, various seams of joints between parts of the cabinet including the housing shell and the basd 1 are desirably lined with suitable strips 19 of damping material such as foam or sponge elastomer. In addition, inner surfaces of the various wall panels are desirably covered with sound absorbing material such as sheets, mats or panels 20 of a preferably open cell foam elastomer or its equivalent.

Another feature contributing to form-stability in the housing shell comprises press fit joint connections between the front wall member 2 and the side wall members 6 as well as between the rear wall member 7 and the side wall members 6. This is an especially desirable feature where these wall members are made from suitable plastic material. For this purpose, the side wall panels 6 are provided at each side edge with a vertically extending inwardly projecting narrow coupling flange 21 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 5) which is provided with an inwardly opening vertically extending coupling groove 210 within which is received a respective complementary vertically extending narrow coupling flange 22 projecting outwardly on the integral side panels of each of the front wall member 2 and side wall member 7. In order to provide a tight friction joint, while allowing for reasonable tolerance variables between the walls of the flanges 21 defining the grooves 21a and the engaging surfaces of the flanges 22, frictional take up means are provided on the flanges 21 within the grooves 210, desirable in the form of shallow, narrow integral friction ribs 23 extending inwardly on thewall surfaces of the flange 21 within the groove 21a, in each instance. and with the ribs 23 alternating at substantially spaced intervals with one another on the respective opposite parallel surfaces within the groove 21a. The planes along the crests of the friction ribs 23 are slightly closer to one another than the thickness of the flange 22 received within the groove socket 21a. As a result. pressing of the flanges 22 into the socket grooves 21a effects a firm frictional gripping of the flanges 22 by the friction ribs 23, aided by the inherent resiliency of not only the parallel sections of the grooved flanges 21 but also of the flanges 22. Thereby a firm, rattle free, positive, easily assembled joint connection between the front, rear and side wall panels of the housing is effected.

It will be understood that variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a housing for apparatus which may require servicing, such as electrically operated typewriters and similar machines of which telex machines are an example:

base means for supporting thereon apparatus to be housed;

a housing shell comprising upright wall members including a front wall member, a rear wall member, and two opposite side wall members;

a generally ring-shaped frame member;

means securing upper end portions of all of said wall members to said frame member;

supporting post means extending upwardly from opposite sides of said base means; and

coupling means carried by said frame member for engaging in separable supporting relation with said post means to permit lifting of the housing shell away from the base means to expose apparatus supported by the base means.

2. in a housing according to claim 1, reinforcing and connecting bar members below said frame ring, and means securing the bar members to contiguous ones of said wall members.

3. In a housing according to claim 1, cushioning means between said coupling means and said post means.

4. A housing structure according to claim 1, said coupling means including downwardly opening guide socket structures within which the post means are received by projecting upwardly into the socket structures.

5. in a housing according to claim 1, means on the lower portions of certain of said wall members and on said base means for guiding the housing shell into aligned stable assembly with the base means.

6. in a housing according to claim 1, a top closure cover member, and means hingedly securing the cover member to said frame ring.

7. in a housing according to claim I, certain of said wall members having vertical grooves therein, and

other of said wall members having vertical complementary tongue flanges thereon, said tongue flanges being assembled in said grooves by transverse assembly of the tongues in the grooves to effect joint connections between the flanges, and means effecting frictional binding of the tongue flanges in the grooves.

8. In a housing according to claim 7, said means for effecting frictional binding comprising friction ribs within said grooves extending in the direction of insertion of the tongue flanges into the grooves.

9. in a housing according to claim 1, said frame member comprising a metal frame ring, and said wall members comprising panels formed from relatively soft plastic material.

10. in a housing for apparatus which may require servicing, such as electrically operated typewriters and similar machines of which telex machines are an example:

base means for supporting thereon apparatus to be housed;

a housing shell open at its bottom and rising to atop at a substantial height above said base means;

said housing shell comprising a front wall member, a

rear wall member, and two opposite side wall members;

a mounting frame located adjacent to the top of the shell;

means attaching the wall members in housing shell assembly to said frame; and upstanding supports on opposite sides of said base means to which said frame is releasabl'y mounted for thereby supporting the housing shell in apparatus enclosing relation over said base means;

release of the frame from said supports permitting lifting of the frame and the housing shell from the base means to expose apparatus supported by the base means.

1]. in a housing according to claim 10, all of said side wall members comprising relatively soft plastic panels, and stabilizing bars secured to and between said panels below said frame.

12. In a housing according to claim I0, said upstanding supports comprising respective posts located at opposite sides of the base means adjacent to side wall members, said frame having downwardly opening sockets within which upper ends of the posts are engaged, and means releasably securing the upper ends of the posts in the sockets.

13. in a housing according to claim 1., said base means comprising a plate member, stud means on edge portions of said base plate, and guide structure on the lower portions of said wall members cooperating with said stud means to stabilize connection of the wall members with the base plate.

14. In a housing according to claim 10, said side wall members and said front and rear wall members having respective contiguous edges, said edges being interconnected by respective spring tongue and groove connections.

I l t l

Claims

1. In a housing for apparatus which may require servicing, such as electrically operated typewriters and similar machines of which telex machines are an example: base means for supporting thereon apparatus to be housed; a housing shell comprising upright wall members including a front wall member, a rear wall member, and two opposite side wall members; a generally ring-shaped frame member; means securing upper end portions of all of said wall members to said frame member; supporting post means extending upwardly from opposite sides of said base means; and coupling means carried by said frame member for engaging in separable supporting relation with said post means to permit lifting of the housing shell away from the base means to expose apparatus supported by the base means.

7. In a housing according to claim 1, certain of said wall members having vertical grooves therein, and other of said wall members having vertical complementary tongue flanges thereon, said tongue flanges being assembled in said grooves by transverse assembly of the tongues in the grooves to effect joint connections between the flanges, and means effecting frictional binding of the tongue flanges in the grooves.

10. In a housing for apparatus which may require servicing, such as electrically operated typewriters and similar machines of which telex machines are an example: base means for supporting thereon apparatus to be housed; a housing shell open at its bottom and rising to a top at a substantial height above said base means; said housing shell comprising a front wall member, a rear wall member, and two opposite side wall members; a mounting frame located adjacent to the top of the shell; means attaching the wall members in housing shell assembly to said frame; and upstanding supports on opposite sides of said base means to which said frame is releasably mounted for thereby supporting the housing shell in apparatus enclosing relation over said base means; release of the frame from said supports permitting lifting of the frame and the housing shell from the base means to expose apparatus supported by the base means.

11. In a housing according to claim 10, all of said side wall members comprising relatively soft plastic panels, and stabilizing bars secured to and between said panels below said frame.

12. In a housing according to claim 10, said upstanding supports comprising respective posts located at opposite sides of the base means adjacent to side wall members, said frame having downwardly opening sockets within which upper ends of the posts are engaged, and means releasably securing the upper ends of the posts in the sockets.

13. In a housing according to claim 10, said base means comprising a plate member, stud means on edge portions of said base plate, and guide structure on the lower portions of said wall members cooperating with said stud means to stabilize connection of the wall members with the base plate.