US687260A - Counting device. - Google Patents

Description

No. 687,260. Patented Nov. 26, MM. s. A. PARKER.

COUNTING DEVICE.

(Application filed Sept. 27. 1900.)

(No Model.)

5 "wanton Sara 7402a??? l w/156A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SARAH ANNETTE PARKER, OF EALING, ENGLAND.

COUNTING DEVICE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,260, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed September 27, 1900. Serial No. 31,841. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH ANNETTE PAR- KER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 9 Eaton Rise, Ealing, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented Improvements in Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple device whereby the number of words wri tten by a type-writing machine is automatically registered upon suitable dials, so that the amount of work done can be seen at a glance or readily computed without the necessity for counting them after the work is done, as is at present the case.

According to this invention at the side of the type-Writer or at other suitable position a casing is arranged, fitted with concentric dials and pointers connected by proportional gearing, so that one will register each word as it is written and the other will register each hundred words. This counting mechanism is of any suitable character and is operated by the movements of the spacing-barof the type-writer, being connected thereto by levers or the like. As the spacing-bar is usually operated between each word, it therefore follows that unless the space-bar is operated more than once between words a record of the number of words written is obtained. WVhen it is desired to operate the spacing-bar more than once, a key is provided which can be pressed and which prevents the movement of the spacing-bar from further operating the counting mechanism. The mechanism can be connected to any other portion of the typewriter, if desired, and can of course be varied somewhat in detail. Means should be pro vided for moving the pointers back to zero when a fresh piece of work is started or for disconnecting the mechanism entirely when it is not desired to count the Words written. This counting mechanism can also be applied to linotype or other keyboard-operated machines, and in order that this invention may be more clearly described reference is had to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, on which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a word-counting device constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, having the lower portion of the casing a the link a is connected and at its other end is attached to the lever A, to which is pivotally connected the link 13. The other end of this link B is provided with a pin 1), which fits into the elongated slots 0, formed in the radius-bars 0, supported loosely on the main pivot cl. The pin 1) also carries the pawl E, provided with its spring e. It will thus be seen that each time the spacing-bar A is operated the pawl E will cause the ratchet-wheel E, which has one hundred teeth, to move one tooth. The space-bar A returns to its normal position after each operation, and the pawl E will therefore likewise return.

The pointer D is fixed upon the pivot d, which rotates with the ratchet-wheel F and indicates upon the outer circle of the dial G the number of words written, and as the ratchet-wheel F is provided with one hundred teeth each hundred words will cause one complete revolution of the pointer D. A pinion it, having ten teeth, is mounted upon the pivot (Z and gears with a spur-wheel h, having one hundred teeth upon the spindle '5, and upon this spindle 1' another spur-wheel j, having, say, fifty teeth, is mounted and arranged to gear witha spur-wheel 7o, having the same number of teeth. This spur-wheel 70 forms a sleeve upon the pivot d, and upon an extension the pointer 70 is fixed. It will thus be seen that the pointer 70' will move only one-tenth of a revolution for each circle described by the pointer D. The pointer 70' will thus indicate one hundred, two hundred, to nine hundred words, and the two dials together will thus count up to nine hundred and ninety-nine words.

It is found in practice that some means must be provided whereby when it is desired to operate the space-bar A more than once between words the counting mechanism shall not register such additional operations as words. A finger-key L is therefore provided, mounted on a bell-crank lever l, the other arm of which is connected to the link B bypin 1) moves to the other end of the slot 0 and the pawl E does not engage with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel F when next operated by the movements of the space-bar A. The spring m returns the key L to its position after each operation. A stop (not shown) is provided upon the end of the link 13, whereby the pawl E is prevented from being pressed too far over by its spring a when out of engagement with the ratchet-Wheel F,

It will thus be seen that a simple device is provided whereby the movements of the space-bar are automatically counted, except when put out of action by means of the special finger-key, and a record is thus obtained which is equivalent to a record of the number of wordswritten by the machine.

The dial mechanism can of course be altered as desired and may be varied as desired, as the actual counting mechanism does not form a part of this invention, but is only shown for completeness, the invention lying in the mechanism for operating the counting mechanism.

iVhat- I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a counting device for use with typewriting machines a'spaee-bar, a lever connected to the space-bar so as to be operated by it, loosely-fitted radius-levers having elongated slots at their outer ends, a pawl pivoted in said slots, an arm connected to the beforementioned lever at one end, and at its other end connected to the pivot of the pawl, a ratchet-wheel with which the pawl engages, counting mechanism operated therefrom, and means whereby the pawl can be brought out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel when desired substantially as described.

2. In a counting device for use with typewriting machines, a fitting (6 attached to the space-bar A, the pivoted lever A, a link a connecting the space-bar to the lever, a pivotshaft d, the link 13 connected to the lever A, the radius-bars O mounted on said pivot-shaft d and having elongated slots 0, the pawl E, the pivot Z) connected to the link B and car rying said pawl and projecting into said slots 0, a ratchet-Wheel F, the pinion h upon the pivot-shaft (Z, the spur-wheel 79 also upon said shaft, the pointers D and 7; carried respcctively by the said shaft (Z and wheel L, the shaft t, the spur-gears 7t and j on the sha'lftt and meshing with the pinion 7L and spurwhcel it, the bell-crank lever Z carrying the finger-piece L, and the link Z) connecting said bell-crank lever with the pivot Z), substantially as described.

Signed at London this 18th day of April, 1900.

SARAH ANNETTE PARKER...

NVitnesses:

EDITH A. PARKER, EMILY M ULLETT.

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