US1760641A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1930.

G.(i GCHFKE TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 192a WITNESS E5 ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1930 UNITED STATES G-EORGE G. GOING, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO REMINGTON TYPE- PATENT OFFICE WRITER COMPANY, OF ILION, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF'NEW YORK TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application filed February 9, 1928. Serial No. 253,076.

My invention relates to type actuating mechanism, and its main object is to provide type bar actuating mechanism which is practically noiseless in operation and is particularly adapted to small writing machines of the sort commonly called portable typewriters. More specifically, an object of the invention is to improve the construction dis-- typewriting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a agmentary operating view showing in side elevation a typp bar and part of the actuating devices as t ey appear in i printing position.

Figs. 3 and 4 are tain of the parts.

As appears from Fig. 1, the machine embodying the present form of my invention employs a set of type bars 1 pivoted in an arc of a circle and I adapted for front strike writing, said type bars turning about fixed centers and preferably being mounted on an arcuate pivot wire 2 which is. secured to a type bar support or segment 3 of any suitable construction. The type bars are disposed in guide slots 4 which are cut radially in the segmentat its lower side, said segment inclining upward and rearward towards the platen 5 which is diagrammatically illustrated. Said platen is mounted on a suitable carriage adapted to travel back and forth transversely of the machine to afi'ord letter spacing moveperspective views of cerments, the platen being also adapted to be rotated on its axis for line spacing and other purposes. No letter spacing or line spacing devices are shown herein but any suitable devices may be employed for carrying out these functions. Each type bar carries a type block 6 which is preferably provided with two types, a lower case'type 7 and an upper case type 8. Normally the lower case types are eifective to print, but the upper case types 5 may be rendered operative at will by a relative shift between the platen and type bars effected in any knownmanner. The type bars are inclined normally upward and forward from their pivots 2 and are so related to the co printing point on the upper front quarter of the platen that when actuated to print said type bars are swung upward, rearward, and then downward to co-act with the platen. As

is well understood, the type bars at and near the middle of the system are substantially straight throughout their lengths while the. outer type bars are bent near their type ends' to varying extents in order to bring their ing point on the platen.

The actuating devices for the type bar comprise a set of keys and suitable operating connections between the keys and the type bars.

As shown, such connections comprise links 10 one for each type bar, each link being connected at its forward end at 11 to the associate type bar, the rear end of the link being connected at 12 to a sub-lever 13 which is pivotally connected at 14 and cooperates with a transversely extending bar 17 arranged below the sub-levers and 'key levers and mounted on the frame ofthejnia- 8 levers 13 preferably in the manner more fully disclosed in my prior application Sr. No. 232,582, filed November '11, 1927. During printing operations the sub-levers 13 are adapted through their bearing faces 16, to

ride on and over the horizontal faces of the bar 17, the construction providing a yielding connection between the key.and key lever of each type action on the one hand-and the type bar on the other hand.

types in proper relationship with the print- 70 to a key lever 15.-f-The so under portion of each sub-lever is provi d'e'gdl with a curved bearing face 16 which rests; on

The key levers 15 are arranged in substantial parallelism fore and m of their downward movements.

aft ofthe machine, and at their rear ends are formed with circular holes 19 which cooperate with a fulcrum rod 20 flattened at opposite sides so that when partly turned it permits disconnection from the key levers through cut-outs 21. therein. The fulcrum rod 20 is suitably supported at its ends on ears 22 depending from a frame bar 23. The key levers 15 extend forward and may be guided near their front ends in a stationary slotted plate or comb 24, the forward end portions of the key levers terminating in stems 15 to the tops of which are secured key caps or keys .25. The key levers are of varying lengths and their stems are of varying heights, enabling the keys 25 to be disposed in banks or rows at different elevations, there being four banks in the present instance constituting the key board of the machine. The guide plate 24 may be provided with seats or supports 27 and 28 which respectively accommodate stop devices 29 and 30 extending transversely of the set of key levers and above and below the same. Said stop devices may be of any suitable construction and composition, and are so disposed that the stop 29 is engaged by the forward end portions of the key levers when they are in normal position while the stop 30 is adapted to arrest the key levers at the ends Preferably the movement or stroke of the key levers is restricted so that they are arrested by the stop 30 before the associate type bars reach the printing point. However, a stop to limit the downward movement of the key levers may be dispensed with so far as some aspects of my present invention are concerned.

When a key 25 is suitably depressed its associate key lever 15 will be actuated, the movement continuing until said key lever is arrested by the stop 30, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The depression of the keylever will operate the associate sub-lever 13 which pivoting variably during its movement on the support 17 will press or push the associate link 10 forward, said link in turn'actuating its type bar to swing it about the pivot 2 from normalposition towards the platen. Restoring springs 31 are provided, one for each type action,;each spring being hooked through a hole- 32 m the associate sub-lever 13. The rear ends of the set of springs are anchored to an angular plate 33 fixed to the frame plate 23. Preferably each type bar is adapted near the end of the stroke, to contact with and operate on a spring-pressed universal bar 58 which is connected to and effective to actuate the letter feeding or escapement mechanism, said universal bar being arcuate in shape and arrangedin a curved depression in the segdisposed and are parallel with each other, the

them are bent or twisted back of their fu1- crums so as to bring the upper end portions of said sub-levers substantially into the planes of the type bars to which they are connected. To compensate for the varying lengths of the rear arms of the sub-levers, their forwardly-extending horizontally-disposed arms also vary in length so that the extents of movements communicated to the type bars by their keys are substantially equal. While I-have shown and described key levers and connections therefrom to the type bars of the general construction and arrangement disclosed in my said prior application Sr. No. 232,582, and while I prefer this construction and arrangement to any other at present known to me, it will be understood that for the purpose of the present invention such construction and arrangement may be varied and altered in any suitable way without departing from the main purpose of the in- 4 prior construction there are three types on each type bar, necessitating a double shift, wnereas in the present construction there are but two types on a bar and only a single caseshift is employed. This of course requires an increase in the number of type bars and a consequent compacting or condensing of the type bars and their operating mechanism in order to get them within the required space.

Where, as in the present instance, a full set of type bars are employed, ,by reason of condensing of the type actions there is increased liability of interfering or clashing of the bars at or near their normal positions due in large measure to the tendency of the type bars to rebound from normal position after operation. One of the purposes of the present invention is to avoid the'interferences or clashings of the type bars by preventing or minimizing rebound, this being accomplished by a novel disposition and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter appear.

Each type bar is provided with its own individual controlling and governing means which is separate from and independent of J arealways inthe sameunvarying relationship with each other, and if as is preferred the change of case is effected by shifting the platen as shownby the dotted line in Fig. 1, the segment 3 and the segment 34 will both be suitably secured to astationary or non-shiftable part of the frame of the machine. The segment 34 is formed at its rear side with a series of radial kerfs or slots 35 each accom- -modating a hanger or bracket member 36 which is shown detached in Fig. 3. Each hanger is shaped generally like the letter Y, being provided with oppositely extending branches 37 and 38 and a stem portion 39. The stem portions of the brackets are seated or accommodated each in one .of the slots 35 and so that the under side of the root portion of the branch 37 may rest or seat on the upper curved surface of the segment 34. A curved washer plate 40 covers'the rear openings of the slots 35 and abuts against the rear edge of-the stems 39. The washer plate is secured in place by headed screws 41, and the construction is such that when the screws are tightened their reaction through the washer on the stems 39 effectively clamps the hangers 36 in fixedrelationship with the segment 34. Mounted on each hanger 36 are the controlling or governing means or devices for one of the type bars, said means comprising a two-part link 42 pivotally connected at one end at 43 to the associate type bar about midway of its length. While a unitary link may be used I prefer to employ for constructional reasons a pair of such links ineach instance, the pair being arranged inparallelism and connected at opposite faces of the type bar by the pivot pin or rivet 43. The'opposite ends of the links 42 are pivotally connected by a pin or rivet 44 to a single link member 45 and embrace loosely the opposite face thereof. Said link member 45 'is pivotally connected at 46 with the arm 37 of the bracket 36. Preferably as ap ars from Fig. 3 the bracket arm is curve or slotted as shown at 47, the link 45 being seated loosely in this slot, the pivot ing throug the link 45. Said link has anextension 45 to which is pivotally connected at 48 the stem portion 49 of a weighted mem her which further comprises an enlarged end or weight proper 50 angularly disposed to 1 position to at 1 ,-results the stem. Preferably the stem is slotted to loosely embrace the extension 45*, the pivot pin 48 bridging the slot in the stem. v trolling means for each type bar further includes a link which preferably comprises two parallel members or elements 51 as will be best seen from Fig. 4. The members 51 are heldor spaced apart at their lower ends by a shouldered stud or cross pin 52, and at their upper endsby a pivot pin 53 which passes through the member 49, 50 at the angular junction of the stem and the weight, and serves pivotally to connect the weight-memher with the two-part link 51. Said link is pivotally connected at 54with the arm or branch 38 of thebracket 36. The two-part The conover the parts 49, 45 and 42 of the connecting means or devices during the operation of the type bar. Preferably the pin or stud 52 is adapted tocontact with a stop face 55 on the branch 38 when the arts are in operated position' (Fig. 3). The end portion of said branch is also formed with a seat or depression 56 which accommodates a rest or stop 57 r of fibre, felt or other suitable material against which the backof parts are in normal posit1on.

,In normal positionthe parts of the controlling devices are nested and interseated as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. When one of the type bars is actuated by its associate key 25 the type bar will be swung rapidly about its pivot towards the printing point with an accelerated movement, and the parts are so constructed that when the key lever is arrested by the stop 30 as shown in Fig. 1 the type bar will then be in the vicinity of the printing point or approximately in the dotted line position designated as 1*, Fig. 1. During the swing ormovement of thetype bar tothis mechanism will be extended, this controlling mechanism comprising in effect two pairs of toggles,

42 and 45, andthe other pair constituted by the members 49 and 51. When the type bar has reached the dotted line position-1 these two pairs of toggles willbe nearly straight, and the completion of thetype bar movement, that is. the movement of the type bar from the the printing position indicated in asubstantial straightening of the two sets of toggles. It will be apparent that the movement of the type bar from the 1 to the 1 position will be independent of the key lever which remains motionless in v contact with the stop 30 during the said type pin 46 bridging the slot and pass- -b ar movement, this movement being due to the type bars own momentum andto'the action of the weight member 49,50 which thus expends the energy acquired and stored in it previously by the operation of the key lever.

position the controlling.

one pair constituted by the members the type bar rests when by dotted lines It will be seen that under the operation oft h pllao key lever said member will be swung from its normal full line position in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position designated as 50 (Fig. 2) and during the further movement of the type bar the energy stored in the wei ht 50 will, during movement from the 50 to t e printing position designated as 50 inFig. 2, be efiective substantially to control the type bar, resulting in a slowing down of the type bar so that its contactive engagement with the plat-'- en is substantially without noise. The parts are 'so arranged and disposed that the movement of the type bar under impulse of its printing key will be an accelerated one, this initial accelerated movement being participated in by the weight 50. As the weighted member is thus moved energy is stored therein so that when the key lever is arrested said weighted member will constitute a further actuating device for the .type.bar. As the weighted member continues its swinging movement, the links 42, will be extended so that the toggle constituted thereby will be nearly or substantially straight at the moment of printing contact and the leverage of the weighted member on'this toggle is further augmented by the extension into substantial parallelism of the linkage 49 and 51, these constituting ineffect a second toggle. The printing ited by the extension 0 the links 42 and '45 bringing the pivotal'points 43, 44 and 46 into substantial alignment and the corresponding substantial alignment of the points .58, 48 and 54 will prevent overthrowfof the links 42 and 45. The stops 52 and 55 will operate to arrest the links 49 and 51 should the points 53, 48 and 54 be brought into full alignment, the construction being such that the stop devices will act to prevent undue movement or overthrow of the actuating member or weight 49, and undue movement of the connected toggles or linkages. The construction is such that the weighted part 49, 50 constitutes an actuating element for the type bar and exerts l/ pressure on the type bar to cause it to print effectively in spite of its practically noiseless contactive engagement with the platen. The parts will be restored t6 normal position by the restoring springs. I

While the linkage construction in itself does not difier substantially from that disclosed in my aforesaid Patent 1,471,153 the two sets of linkages 42 and 45 and 51 and 49 are so related to each other and to the type bar, which itself acts as a link that important advantages are obtained over the prior construction. One of these advantages will be most readily seen from considering the actionof the weighted member 49, 50 during the return movement of the parts. In this view the link 42 and that part of the type bar be tween the points 43 and 2 while in appearance somewhat resemblinga toggle, do not in fact constitutea toggle. When the parts are in stroke of the type bar is silently limbers will be gradually straightened and will reach a straight'line position just prior to arr val at normal position as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.' At this moment the weighted member 50 will be in the dotted line position designated as 50, Fig. 1. Thereafter during the completion of the return movement, the link 42 and the lower part of the type bar will be broken in the opposite direction, resulting in a lifting of the weight 50 against the force of gravity from the dotted line position 50 to the normal or full line position in Fig. 1. That is to say, such members pass to and then beyond the straight line position in which latter position the members are arrested. This lifting of the weight and the consequent absorption of energy will slow down the type bar and cause it so to contact with its arresting means 57 as to minimize the rebounding tendency, thus reducing liability of clashing with a subsequently actuated type bar or type bars should such bar in the basket to the first actuated type bar.

There is a further important advantage inv the novel arrangement and .isposition of the parts and that is that at the initial movement of the type bar under impulse of its printing key the connected weight 50 will first move oppositely or from the vfull line position to v the dotted or 50 position in Fig. 1. In other words, the weight will have the force of gravity to assist in starting it, thereby reducing the power necessary to be applied'initially to the printing key.

It will be observedthat by my presentinvention there is provided in combination, a platen, a key lever, a pivoted type bar, operative connectionsbetweenthe key lever and the type bar, an actuating element or weight, and a linkage connecting it with the type bar whereby said element will be caused to move in a direction opposed to the force of gravity; that said actuating element provides means to store energy during the first stage of the type bar stroke and to expend such energy thereafter to insure the completion of the proper printing stroke of the type bar, the type bar slowing down so as to strike the platen lightly and tobe pressed hard enough to cause an effective printing operation; that the actuating element is associated with means aifording movement opposite from the type bar at one stage of the type, bar oper-. ation; that thereafter during the operation said element moves in a direction corresponding with that of the type bar; and that while the type bar moves continuously in one di-' rection the actuating element or weight is adapted to move- 1n opposite directions,

changing its course of movement during the type bar stroke.

Various changes may be made without departing from my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a platen, a key lever, a. pivoted type bar, operative connections between said key lever and said type bar to effect initial movement of the type bar towards initial depression of the key lever and to permit continued movement of the type bar independently of the key lever, and means separate from but operatively connected with the type bar to acquire and store energy upon said initial movement of said type bar and to expend such energy thereafter to complete the printing stroke of said type bar, said means comprising a weight which is assisted in its initial movement by the force of gravity.

' 3. The combination of a platen, a key lever, a type bar, a printingkey, connections between the printin key and the type bar, a

separate weighte actuating element, and means including a toggle connecting said weighted element with the type bar and effective to permit movement of said weighted element under the force of gravity at one stage of the printing movement of the type bar. f

I 4. The combination of a platen, a printing key lever, a type bar, operative connections between said key lever and said type bar, a weighted actuating element, and operative connections between said weighted element and said type bar including a toggle, said"' connections aflording movements of said type bar and of said weighted actuating element in opposite directions relatively one to the other.

5. The combination of a platen, a prmting key lever, a type bar, operative connections between said key lever and said type bar, a separate weighted actuating element, and

. operative connections between said weighted element and said type bar including a toggle, said connections causin movements of said type bar and of said welghted actuating element in opposite directions relatively one to the other during theinitial stage of the type bar stroke. a n

- 6. The combination of a platen,'-a printing key lever, a, e bar, operative connections for the type bar comprising weighted actuating element, and operative connections between said weighted element and said type bar, said connections causing movements of said type bar and ofsaid actuating element in opposite directions relatively one to the other during both the initial stage of the key lever depression and also during the final stage of the return movement of the type bar.

7. The combinationof a platen, a key lever, a type bar, operative connections between said key lever and said type bar to effect initial movement of the type bar towards the platen, a weighted actuating element separate and'distinct from the typebar and operative connections between said weighted element and said type bar eifective to afford an initial movement of said weighted element away from the platen, said intermediate connections-including a toggle.

8. In a front strike typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a key lever, a type bar, operative connections between said key lever and said type bar to effect initial movement of the type bar in an upward di rection, a weighted actuating element separate from and movable relatively to the type bar, 'andoperative connections between saidweighted element and said type bar elfective to afford an initial downward movement of said weighted element from its position of rest.

9. The combination of a platen, a pivoted type bar, key-operated actuating means for the type bar, and separate controlling means a wei ht and a link, said link and said type bar eing arranged to constitute a toggle which breaks in opposite dlrections at different stages of the type bar stroke.

a type link and said type bar being arranged to con- 10. The combination-of a platen, a type bar, key operated actuating means for the type bar, and separate controlling means for the type bar comprising a weight and a link,

said link and said type bar being arranged to constitute a toggle which is normally broken and which is adapted to straighten at an in-' termediate sta e of the type bar stroke.

11. The com ination of a platen, a pivoted type bar,"key operated actuating means for the type bar, and controlling means for the ar comprising a weight and a link, said stitute a toggle which is normally broken and which is adapted to straighten at an intermediate stage of the type bar stroke and thereafter to break in the opposite direction whereby said weight is causedto move in opposite directions while the type bar is moving continuouslyin one direction.

12. The combination of a platen, a type bar, key operated actuating means for the type bar, a link connected to the t pe bar between its ends and constituting t erewith a between said vey lever and said ,type bar, a' normally broken toggle which straightens at an intermediate stage of the type bar stroke, weighted member also being exerted to break a weight, an arm or link having a fixed pivot the toggle from a substantially straight line and to which both said first named link and position after an imprint has been effected.

said weight are pivotally connected, and an additional link having a fixedvpivot at one end and being pivotally connected at its opposite end to said weight.

13. The combinat on of a platen, a type 7 bar, key operated actuating means for the type bar, a link having one end connected to the type bar, a weight, a link having a fixed pivot and to which both said first named link and said weight are pivotally connected, an

additional link having a fixed pivot at one' end and being pivotally connected at its opposite end to said weight, and stop devices 00- operating with said last recited link to prevent overthrow of said weight, the construction and arrangements of said parts being such that the force of gravity of said weight assists the initial movement of the-type bar from its position of rest.

14. The combination of a platen, a type bar, key operated actuating means for the type bar, a link connected to the type bar about midway between its ends and consti- Signed at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, this 7th day of February, A. D. 1928.

GEORGE G. GOING.

tuting therewith a normally broken toggle which straightens at an intermediate stage of, the type bar stroke, a weight, a link having a fixed pivot and to which both said first named link and said weight are pivotally connected and an additional link having a fixed pivot at one end being pivotally connected to said weight at its opposite end, a stop carried by said last recited link, and a stationary stop, said stops cooperating to prevent overthrow of said weight.

15. The combination with a type bar, and controlling means for causing said type to be applied with a pressure imprint in substantially a noiseless manner, said controlling means including a weighted member effective on the type bar and the force of gravity of which is exerted to aid in moving the type bar from its normal position and also is exerted to return the type bar from printing position after an imprint has been efiected.

16. The combination with a type bar, and controlling means for causing said type to be applied with a pressure imprint in substantlally a noiseless manner, said controlling means including a toggle, and a weighted member efiective on said toggle and the force of gravity of which is exerted to straighten the toggle when the parts are in normal position. Y

17. The combination with a-type bar, and controllingmeans for causing said type to be applied with apressure imprint insubstantially a noiseless manner, said controlling means including a toggle, and a weighted member effective on said toggle and the I

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