US858650A - Combined calculating and type-writing machine. - Google Patents

Description

I 0 E. GREEN. GOMBINED CALCULATING AND TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3.0,1906.

3 SEEETfl-SEEET' l.

, PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

wi/tvwoow 93313 I No. 858,650. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

G, E GREEN.

GOMBINED GALGULATINGIAND TYPE WRITENG- MAGHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG.30,1906.

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. PATENTED JULY 2,-1907.

U. E. GREEN.

APPLIOATION FILED AUQ. 30. 906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

a Greg '7 amvemlioz @Hozum COMBINED CALCULATING AND TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

N r M, C J v Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARROl la E. GREEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSTGNOR TO ELLIOTT-FISHER COMPANYfOF NEW YORK, N; Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COMBINED CALCULATING- AND TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

To all whom it, may concern:

operate printing and adding mechanisms, or printing mechanism alone.

It may be stated, by way of premise, that the present invention relates especially to mechanism for prevent:

ing immediately adjacent keys from being simultaneously operated. A number of ways in which-this maybe done have been proposed heretoforo,'but they have generally contemplated locking means arranged to prevent simultaneous depression of'any two keys in the bank, and acting upon the depression of any single key to lock all of the other keys against depression until the operated key has been completely retracted after the completion of its operating movement. In most keyoperated machines, however, the primary consideration is speed of operation, and therefore it has been ordinarily considered undesirable to guard against simultaneous depression of two keys by the employment of means which would materially retard the operation of the machine by preventing the depression of any key during the retraction of the key last.op erated.

i Ina large class of key-operated machines, as for instance, typewriters, the simultaneous partial depression of adjacent keys is immaterial, since upon noting the error, the operator may permit the keys to return to normal position before a character has been erroneously printed. In machines like the one under consideration, however, wherein the keys operate not only the Writing mechanism, but the adding mechanism as Well,

the partial simultaneous depression of adjacent keys does constitute a material error, because the adding mechanism is operated by the erroneous actuation, ,and

are depressed to operate the typewriting mechanism alone, but which will effectually prevent the simultaneous depression of adjacent keys when vthe latter serve as operating means for the adding mechanism.

Another obj set of the invention is to provide the machine with key-locking means which: while preventing simultaneous depression of any two adjacent .keys, will permit the operation of any key in the bank during the retraction of the key previously operated, except the 'keys which are immediately adjacent to the latter, so

that, unless said last named keys are the ones to be next operated, the speed of operation of the machine will not be decreased by the presence of the key-locking means. To the accomplishment of these objects, and others subordinate thereto, the preferred embodiments of the invention reside in those constructions and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and succinctly defined in,the appended claims.

In said drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of so much of an Elliott-Fisher billing and adding machine as is necessary for the purposes of this disclosure. Fig. 2 is a detail front elevation of the carriage cover, the key-operated links, and the cooperating locking mechanism. Fig. 3 is asectional view of one of the locking members-and its mounting. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the links and its mounting and an associated locking cam. Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the locking members. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view through the upper. end of one of the links, the lever from which it is suspended and the associated locking cam. Fig. 7 isaview similar to Fig. 2, but show ing a somewhat different embodiment of the invention. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation illustrating the mounting of the locking members shown in Fig. '7 and the relation thereof to the links. Fig. 9 is a detail elevation of a portion of the supporting bar for the locking members. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of one of the locking members shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a portion of the carriage cover used in connection with that form of the invention illustrated in the figures last prec ding.

While the invention in its broader aspects comprehends key-locking means capable of jbeing applied to any type of key-operated mechanism in which the simultaneous depression of adjacent keys is undesirable, the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes the key-locking means applied to the. Elliott-Fisher billing andaddingmachine of commerce. This machine embraces a fiat platen typewriter particularly adapted for tabulating and billing work, and an adding mechanism operated by the numeral keys of the typewriter to add the numbers recorded by the typewriter. The operating connections of the adding mechanism are adapted to be connected to or disconnected from the numeral keys so that the latter may operate both the recording and adding mechanisms, or the recording mechanism alone.

Briefly stated, the typewriter here shown embodies a machine frame 1 mounted to travel longitudinally of a fiat platen 1 for line spacing, and a carriage 2 which travels transversely of the platen on the frame 1 for letter spacing. Supported by and moving with the car i tion intermediate of its ends with the lever 12.

irla-ge is the downwardly acting recording mechanism including type bars 3 operatively connected to the numeral keys 4 by intermediate operating connections which need not be described. The carriage 2 is equipped with suitable feeding mechanism (not fully shown) controlled by the typewriter keys and arranged to advance the carriage one letter space during the re-.

traction of the key operated.

Supported in rear of the carriage 2'by the frame 1 is an adding device or register 5 in which is mounted aseries of number wheels 6 and certain other mechanism, with which the present invention is not directly concorned, the function of the wheels being to accumulate values which are automatically transferred to the wheel of next higher order-when the capacityof any-. given wheel is reached, as is usual in adding devices. 7 Supported by and moving with the carriage 2 to engagesuc cessive number wheels, is a master wheel 7 fixed to a master wheel shaft 8 operated from the numeral keys t through a series of operating connections extending between the keys and the shaft 8 and each designed to impart to the master wheel 7 rotary movement correspond ing in extent to the value of its operating key. For the purpose of this disclosure one only of suchoperating the operating direction and to move back idly over the ratchet as the driving arm is retracted. The driving arm is geared to a lever 12 of the third class, fulcrumed at its front end in a suitable bracket fixed to the coverplate 13 of the carriage 2. l r I The lever 12 is operated to swing its driving arm by a lever 14 of the second class, fulcrumed at its rear end to the cover-plate 13 and having a loose pivotal connec- At the front end of each lever 14 is suspended a'link 15 extended downwardly through a slot 16 in the covcr plate of the carriage and provided below said cover-plate with a projection 17 engaging a notched pin 18 projectin g'from the stem 19 .of the adjacent numeral key 4. Each link 15 is provided with a longitudinal slot 20 opening through its lower end and having its closed upper end located at a point above the plate 13. Within the slots 20 of the several links is disposed a guide bar 21 constituting an element of a swinging yoke 22 connected to a total key 23 by means of which the yoke may be swung for the purpose of shifting the links 15 laterally to disengage them from the key stems, or to eng e said parts, as the case may be. The retractile movement of the links 15 is limited by a stop bar 24 located above and extendcdacross the front ends of the levers 14, as shown in Fig. 1, and suitably supported from thecar riage.

The machine as thus far described is the ordinary Elliott-Fisher machine now on the market, and it will be understood that in opcration'the depression of a numeral key 4 throws down a type arm to print a numeral and simultaneously moves the connected link 15 downwardly and thus through the intermediate lever con-' nections causes the master wheel 7 to rotate for the purpose of adding the value of the printed digit to the amount already accumulated upon the register 5.

In accordance with my invention the stop bar 24 is utilized as a support for a series of swinging locking members or arms 25 each of which is located between a pair of the links 15 and is swung from a screw stud 2G screwed into the bar 24, see Fig. 3; Each locking member 25 has an angular lower end 26 to which is pivoted a locking plunger 27 disposed in position to enter the upper end of the slot 20 of the adjacent link 15 to the left, when the member 25 is swung in opposition to the retracting spring 28 connected at its opposite ends to the bar 24 and the member 25, as shown in Fig. 2. Normally, however, the. plunger 27 is held back in an inoperative position, as shown at the right hand end of Fig. 2. In this position of the locking device the major portion of the arm 25 assumes an inclined position and extends in the downward path of movcmentof a locking cam 29 secured to the upper end of the adjacent link preferably retained by the pintle 30 which connects the link with its lever 14. As best shown at the right hand vend of Fig. 2, the outer end of the locking plunger 27 is disposed immediately adjacent to the side of a link and to the cover oi the carriage, and the normal location of the upper end of the slot 20 in the link is such that while the plunger may enter the upper end of the slot and thus lock the link against depression, slight downward movement of the link will present the upper end of the slot 20 out of coincidence with the plunger and thus prevent the locking arm from moving until the link is again elevated to bring the slot and plunger into coincidence.

It follows from the described relation of the locking device and the links at opposite sidesthereof, that one link can only operate while the locking device is innormal position and that the other link cannot operate without throwing the device out of normal position. Therefore it is impossible to operate twokeysat the same time, because when downward pressure is exerted upon the two links the slight initial movement of the one to the left oi the locking device will present the slot in said link out of coincidence with the plunger 27- before.

said device can urge said plunger into the slot.. The

plunger will therefore come against the side of the link to the left, and as the locking device will thus be prevented irom further swinging movement, the link to the right will be locked against further depression after an almost inappreciable movement thereof. 11 one of the keys is depressed its initial movement effects the 'lockingoi the adjacent keys at opposite sides thereof.

This is by reason of the fact that the depression of the link connected to said key (see link marked :1: in Fig. 2) will operate the locking device to the left to cause it to engage and lock the link to the left while the slot in the operated link is'inoved out of coincidencewith the lock ing device to the right. This prevents the locking desponding movement Oithe hfliihggdririgie engaged thereby, it follows that the links at opposite sides of the. one operated will be. locked by the initial downward movement of the latter. As soon as the operated link returnslto normal position the links at opposite sides thereof will become unlocked because the locking device to the left will be retracted by its spring to withdraw the locking plunger thereof from the link to the left, while the slot in the operated link will be brought into coincidence with the plunger of the locking device to the right, thus permitting said locking device to swing as the link to the right is operated. It should be noted, however, that the key locking means does not affect any keys except the ones immediately adjacent to the key operated. Therefore, any other key may be depressed while-the key last operated is rising, and thespeed of operation is not retarded by the key locking means, unless the key to be next operated happens to be one of the two keys locked, and in that event, the key maybe depressed as soon as the key last operated returns to normal position.

In Figs. 7 to linclusive, is shown 'a specifically difierent embodiment of the invention, theprincipal dis-' tinctions residing in the omission of the separate locking cams 29 and in forming the locking end of each locking device as an integral part of the locking arm instead of employing pivoted locking p ungers, as in the construction previously described. In this embodiment the locking arms 25 are of angular form, as in the other embodiment, but are oppositely disposed. That is to say, the lower ends of these arms 25 extend to the right and terminate immediately ad iacent to the side face of a link, the lower extremity of the arm being provided with'a depending guide lug 25 extended into a guide slot 25 formed in the cover and extended laterally from the slot- 25 provided for the accommodation of theadjacent link. Instead of utilizing a separate cam 29, the angular portion or elbow of the arm 25 is extended under one ofthe cam-shaped shoulders 29 formed by the lower edge of the forked or bifurcated upper end 29' of the adjacent link to the left. In order to secure a somewhat abrupt working face opposite the cam 29, the arm 25 is provided with a notch, as indicated at 25. In this embodiment of the invention the arrangement of the arm retracting springs 28 is also-modified. The bar 24 is provided with annular spring sockets 28 concentric with the screw studs 26 and in these sockets torsion springs 28 are located and secured at their opposite ends to the bar 24 and to theadjacent arms 25, see Figs. 8 and 9. By this arrangement the retracting springs are completely housed within the bar instead of being exposedas in the form of the invention previously de scribed. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 7 of the drawings, the operation of the latter form of the invention is piecisely like that of the first form described, the structural variations having been effected for facility of manufacture by reducing the number of working parts and simplifying the manner of mounting the same in the interest of economy and durability.

It is thought that from the foregoing, the construction and operation of the invention will be clearly comprehended, but while the constructions herein shown and described are thought at this time to be preferable, I reserve the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structures as may come fairly within the scope of the protection prayed.

-key to prevent the movement of the locking device from its normal position during continued. movement ot said second key.

2. In a key-operated machine, the combinationjwith a series 01' keys and a series of key-operated members having locking faces intermediate of their ends, of a swinging locking device locatel between each pair of, members and cooperating with the locking faces thereof,

said locking devices being movable upon the initial movement of one member to-engage and lock .the other memberand to.hold the-samelocked. during continued mpvementof the member operated.

3. In a key-operated machine, the combinatioii with a series of keys and a series of parallel key-operated members having locking faces located intermediate of the ends thereof, a locking device between each pair of members and having its lower portion in cooperative relation with the locking faces thereof, said locking device being'pivoted 'at its upper end and being operated by the initial move said other key.

5. in a key-operated mechanism, the combination with a series of keys, of locking means normally disposed in cooperative relation with the keys, and means whereby the locking mechanism will be rendered inoperative.

G. In a key-operated mechanism, the combination with a series of keys, of locking mechanism movable into or out of'coiiperative relation with the keys arranged in one position to prevent the simultaneous depression of two keys.

7. In a combined typewriting and adding machine, the combination with writing mechanism, adding mechanism, and operating keys adapted to operate one or both of said mechanisms, as desired, of locking means eifective to preventrhe simultaneous depression of adjacent keys when the a tter are arranged to operate both the writing and addirii'mechanisms and ineffective when the keys are arranged to operate one only of said mechanisms.

8. In a combined typewriting and adding machine, the combination with writing mechanism and a computing device, of a series of keys, a series of operatingconnec tions between the keys and the computing device, means for preventing the simultaneous operation of adjacent operating connections, and means for disconnecting the operating connections from the keys.

9. The combination with a computing device, of operating keys therefor, operating connections between the keys and the computing device including a series of slotted members, and key-operated locking devices arranged to engage said slotted members.

10. The combination with an adding device, of a series of operating keys therefor, operating connections between the keys and the computing device, said connections including a series of members movable into and out of engagement with the keys and also independently movable with the keys, and means associated with said members and arranged to prevent the simultaneous operation of adjacent members by the keys. I

1]. in a key-operated machine, the combination with a series of keys, and a series of parallel key-operated members, of a locking device located between each pair of members and cooperating with said members at points intermediate of the ends thereof to permit the operation of either member and to prevent the simultaneous opera- [in-- of both members. Y

1;. In a key-opcrzited machine, the combination with a series of keys, of a series of slotted members operated by the keys, and key-operated locking devices coiiperating with said slottedmembers to prevent simultaneous operation of adjacent keys.

13. In a'keyoperated machine, th'e combination witha key/0t a member operated thereby and having an openlocking device into the opening of said member to lock the key first named.

15. In a key-operated machine, the combination with a key, of a member operated thereby and having an opening,-

a locking device normally disposed in interfering relation with said key, a second key, a second member operated by' the second key and having an opening normally arranged opposite the locking device, a third key, and a second locking device normally in interfering relation therewith and disposed opposite the opening in the first named member, whcrebythe depression of the first key will cause the first locking device to be'r'noved into engagement with the opening in the second member, and will cause the opening in the iirst member to be moved out of coincidence with the second locking device to prevent the latter from moving out of interfering relation with the third key.

16. In a key-operated machine, the combination with two keys, of a member operated by one of the keys and having an opening, and a locking device in interfering relation with one key and movable thereby into the openingin the member operated by the other key, whereby the operation of one key will move the locking device into the opening in the member operated by the other key, or,

whereby the operation of the last namcd key will prevent the movement of the locking member out of normal posi- Lion by presenting the opening in the key-operated member out of coincidence with the locking device, and whereby the simultaneous depression of the two keys will be pre' ssspeo stop face, a locking device located between ,the'adjaceni: side faces of the members and normally in interfering, relation with the stop face of one member a :1 arranged to be moved by said member into interfei relation with the stop face of the other member, said las named member serving; when moved from its normal position tolock the locking device in the normal position thereof, whereby the depression of one key will operate the l device while the operation of the other key will incr .o'ck said device against movement. p

18. in a key-operated machine, the combination with two keys and two keycperated members each provided with a locking facc,-and a locking device pivoted at its vof the ends of the latter.

llhln a key-operated machine, the combination with two keys, and two key-operated members, of a,locking device of angular form pivoted at its upper cndand having its lower end movable into engagement with one oi" the members by the coiiperation of the other member with the angular or elbow portion of the locking device.

'20. In a key-operated machine, the combination with a series of keys and a series of key-operated members llilT ing openings, of a supporting bar, and aseries of angular locking devices pivoted at their upper ends ,to said lHll, each of said devices being disposed to be moved by one member to engage the opening in an adjacent member.

21. In a key-operated machine, the combination with a pair of keys and a pair of keyoperated members, of a locking, devicepivotcd at one end and movable by one memher to engage the freeencl of said device with the other member, and guiding means for the free end of the locking device. 7 v

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing asmy own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses I CARROLL E. GREEN.

Witnesses:

D. E. RUGGLES, .I. 'l. JEMISON.

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