US1297037A - Combined type-writing and computing machine. - Google Patents

Description

EI THOMAS.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE IZ, I914.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

3 SHF TSSHEET WITNESSES mm J N I E v m M Q/ I NEW 6 w mw I v a 'ATTOR E. THOMAS.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLlCATION FILED JUNE I2. I914.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 1M. ,ENT m ATTONEY.

E. THOMAS.

COMBINED TYPE WRHING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1 914.

w m @E R W? W a Z N WwE mm. m 1 3m x STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD THOMES, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO'

UNDERWOOD GOMPUTINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, vN. Y., A GORPOR'A- TION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMar. 11, 1919 Application filed-June 12, 1914. Serial No. 844,834.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I EDWARD THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residin in New York city, in the county of New ork and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Type-Vvriting and Computing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to computing machines, and is herein shown as applied to a combined typewriting and computing machine of the Underwood I-lanson type, in which the numeral keys of the typewriter set up numbers or digits temporarily in computation members, and the numbers thus set up are later carried into a gang of computing wheels.

In such machines it is of great advantage to have the typewriting mechanism operate with as little interference from the computing mechanism as possible. This in effect gives the machine a wider range of work, by rendering the operationof the machine for many purposes less tiring to the typist, and therefore indirectly reduces the probability of error in doing work.

Such combined typewriting machines as are described above, in common with others of variouskinds, are usually provided with means for preventing the simultaneous depression of two numeral keysof the typewriter; this provision being advantageous because it insures that the proper digit shall be completely inserted in the right computation member. One of the reasons why such a provision is emphatically necessary in a combined typewriting and computing machine, is due tothe fact that the typewriter carriage may not travel fast enough to select the proper computation member, thereby possibly causing the selected digit to be set up in the wrong computation member. That such a result ispossible, willbe obvious to anyone who is a close'observer of typewritten matter. time to time, it'will be noted that two letters partially overlap, this being due to the fact that one letter was printed before the typewriter carriage has finished its feedingafter the printing of the other letter.

If such condition is possible inprinting,

In such matter, from p it is obvious'that in many types of computbers. By preventing the'depression of one numeral key until any: previously depressed key has completely returned, thispossibility of overlapping is avoided, because thetime taken .to return the key gives the carriage ample time to feed and select the next computation member.

'A typist in ordinary typewriter work, however, frequently depresses a second key before the first depressed key has completely returned, and sometimesa rapidtypist will have a-third key somewhat depressed by the time a second operated key has just printed, and before a first operated key has actually returned to its normal position. would be unable to have more than one key thus depressed in amachine provided with the usual key-preventing dogs, and" thus the efficiency of working the machine is somewhat reduced. This reduced efliciency is aggravated by the fact that the t ypi'st is conscious that the speed must be cut down to avoid interference with such dogs.

The Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine is usually provided with such key-preventing dogs for preventing the simultaneous depression of two numeral keys. According to my invention, said dogs may be normally free to swing far enough to allow the depression of two, three or even more keys simultaneously if desired. In the adding zone however, according to my invention, devices are automatically brought into play which limit the throw of said dogs, with the result that only a single numeral key can be de pressed at a given time.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of an Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computingmachine, showing my invention as applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a guide plate forming part of the same.

A typist Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from the rear, showing my invention together with a few cooperating parts.

Fig. 4 is a front view of part of Fig. 3, showing a key depressed and thereby locking the preventing dogs together.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a key locked against depression by the comma lock.

Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of some of the connections between the computation member selecting devices, and the dogs forming part of my invention.

. Fig. 7 is a view of the same when the dogs and comma lock are in effective position, and

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the computation member selecting devices.

,In the usual Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine, numeral keys 1 and alphabet keys 2 depress key levers 3 to cause bell cranks 4 to swing type-bars 5 upwardly and rearwardly to print on a work sheet on the platen 6, said platen forming part of a traveling carriage 7. As each type-bar approaches the platen, by means of a heel 8, it operates a universal bar 9 to cause the usual letter-feeding dogs 10 and 11 to feed the carriage, said carriage being constantly under the tension of the usual spring barrel 12. The dogs 10 and 11 control the carriage in the usual manner by an escampment wheel 13 connected to a pinion 14, said pinion meshing with a rack 15, connected to said carriage. The typewriting machine preferably includes the usual platen shifting devices, and other connections not shown inthe present broad disclosure of my invention. Some of these devices are shown in the applications of Frederick A. Hart, Serial No. 466,836,

filed December 10, 1908, (now Patent No. 1,270,411, dated June 25, 1918) and Osmond V5 Olmsted, Serial No. 691,828, filed April 19, 1912, (now Patent No. 1,224,314, dated May 1, 1917) and include connections for making the denomination selecting dog ineffective.

The typwriter carriage 7 may be positioned by the usual tabulating keys 16 op erating counter-stops 17. By connections not material to the present invention, the carriage is released in the ordinary manner by said tabulating keys, and is arrested at any desired column by a column stop 18.

' This column stop is utilized in the manner pins 20, which, when the computation members are in effective position, are adapted to be set up by pin-setting bars 21, operated by the usual connections from the numeral keys 1, with the result, that as the numeral keys are operated, various pins 20 are depressed to represent the digits printed by the numeral keys.

There are a series of the computing members 19, there being one for each decimal place in which a digit is to be written, and after all the digits forming the number have been written, the digits are carried into the usual computing wheels 22 by the computation members 19.

For this purpose, the mechanism is provided with the usual general operator including a handle 23, which handle when pulled forward through the usual connections not material to the present invention, draws forward a cross bar 24, said cross bar engaging the lower ends of any depressed pins 20, thereby driving the computation members 19, each to an extent depending on the location of the depressed pins. As the computation members move forward, the racks 25 on the forward ends thereof, turn the computing wheels 22 by pinions 26. The computing mechanism is returned to its normal position to set up the next number by the usual means not shown herein.

For selecting the proper computation members, the column stop 18 is provided with a. denomination selecting dog 27, which, as the typewriter carriage feeds along, engages, one after another, a series of vertical denomination selecting rods 28, said rods being so arranged that at each letter-space of the carriage, the dogs 27 depresses one of said rods and thereby rocks its bell crank 28 at the lower end of its rod, thus moving forward to a small extent the computation member 19 which bears against the lower end of said bell crank.

Then the computation member is thus moved forward, its pins 20 all stand under the pin-setting linkages 21, with the result that when any numeral key is depressed, the pendant 29 of that numeral key will descend and strike an elbow 30 on its rock shaft 31, so that said rock shaft will thrust down the pin-setting linkage 21 which is connected thereto. Suitable connections for doing this are disclosed in the patent to Hanson 1 0. 905,421, and in the aforesaid application No. 691,828.

As best seen in Fig. 8, the vertical rods 28 are so shaped that they form a transposing device, with the result that when the typewriter carriage, in moving along, striker-s the right-hand one of said rods, it moves forwardly the left-hand computation bar 19. The next to the right-hand rod moves the next to the left-hand computation bar, as is illustrated in Fig. 8, and so on for the other bars and rods.

In said Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine, there is usually provided a series of key-preventing dogs for preventing the simultaneous depression of two keys. Said dogs are shown in the co-pending application of Frederick A. Hart, No. 466,836, filed December 10, 1908. The structure for making these dogs effective includes a second set of pendants 32, of which there is one attached to each numeral key, said pendants each descending between two pendent dogs 33, said dogs all being pivoted on the front plate 34 of the casing which supports the rock shafts 31. These dogs have a limited throw, said throw being limited by stops 35 in the plate 34, and the relation of the size of the dogs and stopsis such that (when certain other dogs 36 are in their effective position) said pendent dogs have between the whole array of them, an amount of lost motion just sufficient to allow one of the pendents 32 to descend, such a pendant being shown in this position in Fig. 4. These dogs, then, when the connections are positioned as in Fig. 4, prevent the simultaneous depression of any two keys.

According to my invention, the pendant dogs are ineffective to prevent the simultaneous depression of two keys except when I the denomination dog is effective, and never except in the computing zone. To bring about this result, the device is provided, as stated above, with two fixed end stops 35. Said end stops, however, are placed at such a distance from the adjacent pendant dogs 32 to allow enough lost motion among said dogs to permit several keys to be simultaneously depressed. In the adding zone, however, auxiliary dogs 36 are moved into position to take up part of this lost motion, and said auxiliary dogs are of such a width, that when they are in their effective position, only one key can be depressed at any given time, this condition of affairs being shown in Fig. 4.

These auxiliary dogs 36, as best seen in Fig. 3, are formed aspart of the sleeves 38, journaled on a rock shaft 37, said shaft forming part of a comma locking device hereinafter described. These sleeves are connected together by a tie-rod 39, said rod comprising an arm 40, by whichthe sleeves and arms are operated, and this arm is controlled from the denomination selecting rods 28.

The connections for doing this, include a link 41 which extends rearwardly from the arm 40 and is pivoted to an arm 42 fast on a rock shaft 43, which rock shaft is operated by the denomination selecting bars 28 by means of a universal bar 44 fast on said rock shaft, said universal bar extending across the front faces of all the bell-crank levers 28". When therefore, any denomination selecting rod 28 is depressed to swing the depending arm of its bell-crank lever 28 to select a computation member 19, it at the same time, will rock the universal bar 44, thereby swinging the arms 36 to the effective position seen in Figs. 4 and 5, thus permitting the pendant dogs 32 only sufficient throw to allow one key to be. depressed at a time. Outside of the computing zone, the arms 36 are drawn to ineffective position by a spring 57, thus allowing several numeral keys 1 to be simultaneously depressed. The result is that, out of the computing zone, the numeral keys can be operated with any desired degree of rapidity.

Owing to the fact that if three adjacent numeral keys are depressed at the same time, the pendants 32, or two of them might be thrown somewhat to one side by the collision of the intervening pendant dogs 33, said pendants 32 may be attached with a slight degree of looseness to the numeral keys 9. The guide plate 45, which has slots to guide the pin-setting pendants 29 and the pendants 32, is provided with somewhat enlarged openings 45 for the pendants 32, so as to permit any slight necessary swinging thereof.

The Underwood-Hanson machine as de scribed above, also usually includes a comma-lock for preventing the depression of a numeral key at a punctuation point in the type of machine disclosed herein. Said comma lock comprises a dog 47 which is normally held in ineffective position by means of a spring 48, but which at any punctuation point in the computing zone, is raised to effective position (see F ig. 5), where it closes up the spaces between the pendant dogs 33, and prevents the depression of any numeral key.

This comma-locking dog is operated by the denomination selecting rods 28, certain of said rods being connected to operate said dog. For this purpose, the rods 28, which are to make the comma-locking effective, operate bell cranks 49 which have dependent arms 50 somewhat shorter than the pendant arms of the bell cranks 28 Each of these pendant arms 50 has a forwardly extending lug 51 thereon, which, when the denomination-selecting bar 28 is depressed, is moved forward to strike a universal bar 52 extending across the fronts of the pendent arms of the bell crank levers 28 and 49. Said universal bar 52 is beyond the range of movement of the levers 28*, but is operated by the lugs 51 of any of the levers 49. When this universal bar is rocked forward, it swings around its shaft 53 to cause an up standing arm 54 to pull rearwardly a link 55, and said link, when thus pulled rearwardly, rocks the shaft 37 on which the con'nna-locking dog 47 is mounted, by means of a rock arm 56, with the result that the connna-locking dog 47 holds all the numeral keys against depression through the pendant dogs 32.

Since the universal bar 44 of the auxiliary dogs 36 is in position to be operated whenever any one of the bars 28 is depressed, it will be seen that the auxiliary dogs 36 are always effective whenever the comma-locking dog 47 is effective. Said auxiliary dogs are, however, normally held in ineffective position out of the computing zone by a spring 57, which draws on the link 39.

While I have described only two auxiliary arms 36, extra arms can be inserted at other points as may prove necessary in some types of machines, but in such cases, it will be usually found necessary to make said additional auxiliary arms 36 limber, or mounted to swing, to allow the lost motion between the key-preventing dogs to be properly distributed.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a computing machine including numeral keys and a traveling carriage, the combination with dogs, of keys adapted to engage said dogs whenever depressed, means associated with said dogs for blocking them to prevent simultaneous depression of the keys, while leaving each key free for opera-- tion singly, and means dependent on the travel of said carriage, for determining whether said blocking means shall be effec tive or not.

'2. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with printing keys and computing devices associated therewith, of blocking devices for said keys, means for making said blocking devices effective at times, and ineffective at others, and a comma lock effective through said blocking devices and said means and adapted thereby to be effective at such times as the blocking devices are effective.

3. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and preventing dogs for said keys, of normally ineffective means for limiting the throw of said dogs, a traveling carriage for determining in what column computing is to be done, and means operated by the carriage to make the means for limiting said dogs effective to prevent simultaneous depression of said keys, while leaving each key free for operation singly.

4. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and dogs for block ing the action of said keys, of fixed stops normally ineffective to limit the throw of said dogs, a traveling carriage for determining Where computing is to be done, and means moved by said carriage to cooperate with said fixed stops to limit the throw of said dogs to block the simultaneous depression of said keys, while leaving each key free for operation singly.

5. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and pendants on said keys, of dogs cooperating with said pendants to revent the simultaneous operation of said keys, while leaving each key free for operation singly, a traveling carriage, and means under the control of said carriage for determining when said dogs shall swing freely and when they shall be effective as blocking means.

6. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of denomination members moved by said carriage freely swinging dogs for preventing the simultaneous depression of two keys while leaving each key free for operation singly, a universal bar operated by said denomination members, and devices forlimiting the throw of said dogs under the control of said universal bar.

7. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of denomination members moved by said carriage, freely swinging dogs for preventing the simultaneous depression of two keys, a universal bar operated by said denomination members, devices for limiting the throw of said dogs under the control of said universal bar, a second universal bar operated by certain of said denomination members, and a comma lock operated by said second universal bar and efiective through said swinging dogs.

8. In a computing machine, the combination with a comma lock comprising a shaft and a locking lug connected to said shaft, of key-locking dogs normally ineffective, and sleeves on said shaft having lugs thereon for making said dogs effective independently of said comma lock.

9. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of a series of pendant pivoted dogs always cooperating with said keys, and means moved by said carriage at a definite point in its travel to limit the throw of said dogs to cause said dogs to block the simultaneous depression of said keys, while leaving each key free for operation singly.

10. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of'a series of swinging dogs spaced to provide a limited amount of total lost motion, members connected to said keys to take up part of said lost motion, and a connection from said carriage adapted to take up sufficient of said lost motion to prevent the depression of one key when another key is depressed.

11. In a combined typewriting and con1- pu-ting machine, the combination with numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of keylocking dogs adapted to be swung idly by said keys, and means controlled by said carriage to determine Whether said dogs shall operate idly or effectively, to prevent simul taneous depression of two keys, wvhile leaving each key free for operation singly.

12. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of keystroke-preventing dogs adapted to beiswung idly by said keys, means controlled by said carriage to determine whether said dogs shall operate idly or effectively, and a comma look also operative through said dogs controlled by said carriage.

13. In a computing machine, the combination with a traveling carriage and a series of denominational members, of keys, normally ineffective dogs for preventing the simultaneous operation of two keys, while leaving each key free for operation singly, and a bar universal to said denominational members for making said dogs effective.

14. In a computing machine, the combination with a traveling carriage and a series of denominational members, of keys, normally ineffective dogs for preventing the simultaneous operation of two keys, while leaving each key free for operation singly, a bar universal to all of said denominational members for making said dogs effective, a comma lock to cooperate with said dogs for preventing the operation of any of said keys, and a separate bar for said comma lock operated by only a portion of said denominational members.

15. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and dogs for preventing their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby said dogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said device ineffective, a comma look also cooperating with said dogs, and a separate spring holding said comma lock ineffective.

16. In a computing machine, the combina tion with numeral keys and dogs for preventing their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby said dogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said device ineflective, a comma lockalso cooperating with said dogs, a separate spring holding said comma lock ineffective, a traveling carriage, a series of denominational members under the control of said carriage, and a universal bar operable by said denominational members and controlling the device whereby the dogs are made effective or ineffective.

l7.- In a computingv machine, the combina-' tion with numeral keys and normally ineffective dogs for preventing their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby said dogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said device ineffective, a comma lock also cooperating with said dogs, a separate spring holding said comma lock ineffective, denominational members, a bar universal to said denominational members controlling the device for making the dogs effective or ineffective, and a bar universal to certain of said members only for controlling said comma lock.

18. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a traveling carriage and a series of denominational members, of printing alphabet and numeral keys, normally inefi'ective dogs for preventing the simultaneous operation of numeral keys only while leaving each key free for operation singly, numeral-key-set devices associated with said members, and a bar universal to said denominational members for making said dogs effective.

19. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with a traveling carriage and a series of denominational members, of printing alphabet and numeral keys, normally ineffective dogs for preventing the simultaneous operation of numeral keys only, while leaving each key free for operation singly, numeral-key-set devices associated with said members, a bar universal to said denominational members for making said dogs effective, a comma lock to cooperate with said dogs for preventing the operation of any of said numeral keys, and a separate bar for said comma lock on which only a portion of said denominational members are effective.

20. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and dogs for pre venting their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby said dogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said device ineffective, a comma lock also cooperating with said dogs, a separate spring holding said comma lock ineffective, and a traveling carriage for making said device and lock effective.

21. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and normally ineffective locking dogs for preventing their simultaneous operation, of pendants always connected to said keys and engaging said dogs at key depressions, a device whereby said dogs may be made effective to lock the keys. a spring normally holding said de vice ineffective, a traveling carriage for making said device effective, a series of denominational members under the control of said carriage, a universal bar operable by said denominational members and controlling the device whereby the dogs are made effective or ineffective, guiding devices for the keys as they are depressed, and. guiding devices for said pendants permitting lateral movement of said pendants, to permit simultaneous depression of keys when the locking device is inefi'ective.

22. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and locking dogs "for preventing their simultaneous operation, of pendants always connected to said keys and engaging said dogs at key depressions, a device whereby said dogs may be made effective to lock the keys, a spring normally holding said device ineffective, denominational members, a bar universal to said denominational members controlling the device for making the dogs effective or ineflective, a )in bar for each denominational member, key-set pins on each bar, pin-setting pendants connected to said keys, guiding means for said setting pendants, and guiding means for said first pendants permitting lateral movements thereof, to permit simultaneous depression of keys when the locking device is inefiective.

EDWARD THOMAS. Witnesses W. O. WESTPHAL, JULIUS DUCKSTINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

Images