US2248570A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

.Fufiy 8, 1941. HQFFMAN I 2,248,579

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JACOB IV. HOFFMAN I Patenteoi July 8, 1941 Pic :1

2 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting machinesand more particularly to the application to such machines of devices by which carbon sheets are interleaved with a number of superposed continuous work sheets or webs in fanfold, multistrip or other form.

One object of the invention is to produce a novel and improved construction by which a carbon sheet carrier for interleaving carbon sheets with the superposed sheets of a continuous work web may be applied to existing typewriting machines with a minimum expenditure of labor and time.

Other objects of the invention are to improve the construction of carbon sheet carriers for the above purpose, and associated devices for applying the same to typewriting machines of the Elliott-Fisher or flat platen type and to produce a construction by which such carriers may be quickly and easily applied to and removed from such machines.

Another object of the invention is to produce an improved and simplified construction by which carbon roll carriers for interleaving continuous sheets of carbon with the sheets of continuous work webs may 'be readily appliedto machines of the Elliott-Fisher type.

With the above objects in View applicant has produced a construction by which a carbon carrier having devices for interleaving carbon sheets with thesheets of a work web may be applied to existing typewriting machines without the use of tools and-without any change in the constructions of the typewriting machines. While the invention'is illustrated as applied to a machine of the Elliott-Fisher type, certain features thereof are not limited in their application to such machines, but may be applied to machines of otherytypes. It is, therefore, to be understood that, except as defined'in the claims, the invention is not limited'to any particular machine or type of machines.

The various features of the invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings illustrating a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating the platen and platen frame of a typewriting machine of the Elliott-Fisher type with the invention applied thereto and showing a carbon roll carriage applied to the platen frame with the carriage 'in r its'forward position with relation to said frame;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the carbon roll carriage in its rearward position;

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation, partly broken away, illustrating the carbon roll carriage and the bracket for supporting the carriage on the platen frame;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating the rear portion of the platen frame and the forward portion of the bracket for supporting a carbon roll carriage on said frame and showing the manner in which the bracket is applied to said frame;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partly inside elevation and partly in vertical section illustrating-the rear portion of the platen frame having a rear cross bar of different cross section from that shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and Sand the forward portion of a carbon roll carriage supporting bracket applied to said frame-and having fittings adapting the same to engage this form of cross bar; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the supporting bracket detached from the platen frame.

The invention is illustrated in this application as applied to a typewriting machine of the Elliott- Fisher type such as that illustrated and described in the patent to Foothorap, No. 1,904,127, dated April 18, 1933. The type bar and key mechanism, the letter space mechanism, the line space mechanism and other operating mechanisms of the machine may have the construction disclosed in said patent.

The platen frame of the typewriter is indicated as a whole at 2. This frame comprises parallel spaced side bars 4, a cross bar 6 connecting the side bars at the forward end of the frame, a cross bar 8 connecting the side bars between the ends thereof and a cross bar If) connecting the side bars at the rear ends of said bars. A flat platen I2 is mounted for vertical movement between the side bars of the platen frame and between the cross bars 6 and 8 in the manner disclosed in the patent to Foothora-p, No. 1,596,420, dated April 17, 1926.

The carbon carriage illustrated in the drawings of this application has substantially the same construction as the carbon roll carriage illustrated and described in the patent to Smith,

No. 1,979,292, dated November 6, 1934. The carriage includes a base plate l4 formed of sheet metal and having its edges turned down as at It to obtain stiffness of the base. Extending downwardly from the base plate adjacent opposite ends thereof are two pins [8 arranged to engage in slots in the carriage supporting bracket to locate the carriage with relation to the bracket. The base plate i4 is arranged to extend transversely of the longitudinal axis of the platen when the carriage is applied to the platen.

Mounted on the base plate I4 in transverse relation to said plate are two spaced retaining brackets 20. Thesebrackets are channel shaped in cross section, each having a body portion 2|, an inner side flange 22 and an outer side flange 24. These flanges are formed with outwardly turned margins which rest upon the base plate I4, and the brackets are secured to said plate by screws 25. The retaining brackets are each provided at their ends with upwardly turned supporting plates 28 having bearing recesses to receive the spindles 30 of the carbon rolls 3 l These plates are also perforated to form bearings for the rock shafts 32 of the diagonal carbon guides 34.

The carbon rolls are locked by means of locking dogs 35 of spring plate formation secured to the plates 28 and arranged to engage teeth on the flanges 36 on the carbon rolls. These dogs are respectively actuated to engage said teeth and lock the rolls by means of pivoted locking levers 31 adapted to be manually operated.

The carbon carriage is provided with a transverse guide rod 38 mounted in uprights 39 formed on extensions on the retainer brackets over which guide rod the work sheets is guided. Mounted on this rod and adjustable laterally thereon are guides 40 for engaging the side edges of the work sheets.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the bracket for supporting the carbon roll carriage, indicated as a whole at 42, comprises spaced side plates 44 arranged in substantially parallel relation and connected by cross rOds 46. This bracket is applied to the rear end portion of the platen frame. The side plates 44, at the forward end of the bracket (the right hand end, Fig. 7) are arranged to enter between the side bars 4 of the platen frame at the rear of said frame and these plates fit closely to the inner faces of the side bars 4. The drawings, with the exception of Figure 6, show the platen frame as provided with a rear cross bar Hl substantially rectangular in cross section. Each of the side plates 44 of the supporting bracket is formed with a hook 48 having a recess within the same constructed to receive the upper part of the rectangular cross bar Ii). Each of the side plates is also provided at its forward end with an out turned flange or lip 50 arranged to engage beneath the corresponding side bar 4 of the platen frame in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The hooks 48 are preferably located longitudinally of the bracket so that the center of gravity of the bracket lies considerably to the rear of said hooks.

With this construction the bracket may be quickly and easily applied to the platen frame in operating position. In applying the bracket to said frame, the bracket is positioned with the side plates 44 engaged between the side bars 4 of the platen frame and with the hooks 43 engaging over the cross bar In of said frame, the bracket being held at an angle as shown in Figure 5. The rear end of the bracket is then depressed, thereby bringing the forward ends of the side plates up between the side bars of the platen frame until the flanges 58 engage the under sides of said side bars. The bracket will then be held securely and firmly in position on the platen frame by the force of gravity on the rear portion of said bracket.

The carbon roll carriage is supported on the bracket so that said carriage may have a limited movement forwardly and rearwardly under certain conditions but is held by the carriage engaging devices on the bracket so that it can have substantially no angular movement. The carriage engaging devices are constructed and arranged so that one carriage may be removed from the machine and another carriage applied thereto without loss of time.

The construction for supporting and positioning the carriage upon the bracket comprises the platelike projections 62 extending outwardly from the respective side plates 44 and each having a slot 64 extending longitudinally of the bracket to receive one of the pins ill on the carriage. For supporting and guiding the carriage on the bracket, each of the side plates 44 is provided with an upwardly extending projection 66 arranged to engage the body portion of one of the retaining brackets 20 just inside the outer side flange 24 as shown in Figure 4. The side plates 44 are each further provided at the rear end thereof with an upwardly extending projection 69 arranged to engage the body portion of one of the retaining brackets 20 just outside the inner side flange 22 as shown in said figure. The carbon roll carriage is applied to the bracket merely by placing the carriage upon said bracket with the pins l3 engaging in the slots 64 and with the projections 66 and 58 respectively engaging inside and outside the flanges 24 and 22 on the retaining brackets. The retaining brackets will then rest upon the upper ends of the projections 66 and the flanges 68, to support the carriage and the carriage will be guided during its forward and rearward movements by the engagement of the pins IS in the slots 64 and by the engagement of the projections 66 and 68 with the flanges 24 and 22.

The bracket construction above described is particularly adapted to be applied to a platen frame having a rear cross bar ID of rectangular cross section, the recesses within the hooks 48 being shaped to fit over a rear cross bar of this cross section. In certain typewriting machines embodying a flat platen and platen frame of the type shown in this application, the rear cross bar is cylindrical in cross section. In order to enable the carbon roll carriage supporting bracket 42 to be applied to a platen frame having the rear cross bar of cylindrical cross section, the members 69 are provided. These members are adapted to be secured detachably to the respective side plates of the bracket by the side of each hooked portion 48 in the position shown in Figure 6, as by means of screws Ill, and are provided with hooks the recesses within which are shaped to fit over said cylindrical cross bar. With these adapter members 69 attached, the bracket is applied to the platen frame in the manner shown in Figure 6.

In the construction above described, the carbon roll carriage is mounted for limited forward and rearward movements upon the carriage supporting bracket 42, longitudinally of the platen frame and platen, and is held from angular movement in a plane parallel with the plane of the platen. Its forward and rearward movements are limited by the engagement of pins l8 with the ends of the slots 64.

In order to hold the carriage in its rearward position under certain conditions, stop fingers 18 are pivoted atiiil, respectively, on projections on the side plates of the supporting bracket, and when in their lowered positions, as shown in Figure 2, are arranged to engage the adjacent faces of the plates 28 on the retaining brackets to hold the carriage from forward movement. To enablethe carriage to move forwardly to its limiting position, the stop fingers '18 are swung upwardly into the position shown in Figures 1 and ihe movement of the fingers in each direction is limited by pins 82, one secured in each finger and arranged to engage the edges of the projection on which the finger is pivoted.

The machine is provided with a combined clamping device and knife detachably mounted on the forward cross bar 6 of the platen frame. The device comprises a clamping plate 84, the forward margin of which is formed with a knife edge 85. To the ends of the plate 85 are secured brackets 38 each provided with a recess 39 to receive the forward cross bar 8. Within the end of each recess adjacent the plate Ed is. attached a retaining plate 9 bent in a shape to overhang said cross bar. Each of the brackets is provided with a thumb screw 92 threaded into the lower portion of the bracket and arranged to engage the cross bar 6 to hold the clamping plate in position on the cross bar.

In setting up the machine for the typing of forms, with the present construction, the locking levers 31 are moved to unlocking position to unlock the carbon rolls, the stop fingers is are swung upwardly substantially into the positions shown in Figures 1 and 7 and the carbon carriage is moved forwardly to its limiting position. The forms 95 are drawn from the supply at the rear of the machine over the cross bar 38. The carbon sheets are drawn from the supply rolls about the diagonal guides 34 and are interleaved with the sheets of the forms and the combined forms and carbon sheets 96 are drawn forwardly over the platen and inserted beneath the clamping plate 86, the platen I2 then being held in lowered position by the depression of the usual pedal. The forms and carbon sheets are drawn forward together until the forward edge of the uppermost form is at a position opposite the forward edge of the clamping plate 8d and the pedal is then released, allowing the platen to move upwardly and clamp the forms and carbon sheets between the same and said plate. The forms and carbon sheets are then torn off across the forward or knife edge of the clamping plate. The carbon roll locking levers are then adjusted to lock the carbon rolls, the platen is lowered by the depres sion of the pedal, thereby unclamping the carbons and forms, and the carbon roll carriage is moved back to its rearward position, thereby drawing back the carbon sheets away from the forward margins of the forms which are about to be typed. The stop fingers 18 are then swung down into lowered position to hold the carbon roll carriage in its rearward position and the pedal is released, allowing the platen to move upwardly and again clamp the forms between the same and. the clamping plate.

The parts are now ready for the typing of the first set of forms. The drawing back of the carbon sheets away from the forward margins of the forms enables these margins to be grasped by the operator after the set of forms is typed and the forms drawn forward under the clamping plate 84 without drawing the carbon sheets therewith. After each set of forms is typed, the platen is depressed to unclamp the same, the forms are drawn forward by grasping the forward margins of the forms and pulling the same forward beneath the clamping plate until the edge of theneXt upper form is even with the forward edge of the plate. The platen is then released to clamp the forms and the typed forms are torn off along the forward edge of the clamping plate.

When the portions of the carbon sheets which are being employed for typing are worn so that it is desired to change the writing surface, this may be readily done. In this operation, the stop fingers 18 are swung upwardly into substantially the positions shown in Figures 1 and '7, the carbon roll carriage is moved forward into its limiting position and the locking levers 31 for the carbon rolls are moved into unlocln'ng positions. With the platen in depressed position, the forms and carbon sheets are then drawn forward over the platen until the desired amounts of the carbon sheets are drawn off the carbon rolls. The said locl 'ng levers are then moved into locking position and the forms are grasped without grasping the carbon sheets and are drawn forward inde pendently of the carbon sheets until the upper form following that which has been typed is even with the forward edge of the clamping plate. The platen is thereupon released to clamp the forms and carbon sheets and the typed forms are torn ofi along the forward edge of the plate 84. The platen is then depressed to release the forms and carbons, the carbon roll carriage is moved backward to its rearward position thereby drawing back the carbon sheets from between the forward margins of the forms which are in position for typing and the stop fingers 18 are swung downwardly into operating position. The platen is then released to clamp the forms. This places the parts in position for continuing the typing with new or unused portions of the carbon sheets in writing position between the forms.

When the use of the continuous carbon sheets is to be discontinued and it is therefore desired to remove the carbon carriage and associated parts from the machine, the carriage is disengaged from the bracket AZ by merely lifting the same from the bracket and the bracket is then disengaged from the platen frame by lifting the rear end thereof to disengage the forward ends of the side plates is from between the side bars 4 of the platen frame and the bracket is then moved upwardly and rearwardly to disengage the hooks 48 from the rear cross bar 10.

The bracket above-described for the application of the carbon roll carrier to the platen frame is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture. The parts of the bracket constitute a unitary structure and by a simple manipulation thereof, the bracket may be applied to and removed from the platen frame. When the said bracket is in place in the platen frame, the carbon roll carrier may be applied in operating position merely by placing the carrier frame over the bracket with the guides on the bracket in position to engage the contact portions of the carrier frame.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, but that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention and having specifically described a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with a typewriting machine of the flat platen type having a platen frame including a pair of spaced substantially parallel rails and cross bars connecting the rails; a supporting structure comprising spaced substantially parallel side plates and cross members connecting said side plates, means for attaching said structure to the rear end portion of the platen frame with the side plates substantially vertical and extending parallel with the rails so that said structure constitutes an extension of the platen frame, a unitary carbon roll truck removably mounted on said side plates for limited forward and rearward movement and held in place by gravity thereon and applicable to and removable from said side plates by manipulation of the truck, a manually adjustable stop device having an operative position to retain the truck in its rearmost position during a typing operation and an inoperative position in which the truck is released, said device being held in each of said positions when adjusted and released by the operator and means for limiting the forward movement of the truck, when released by said device, to a distance considerably less than the length of a form.

2. In combination with a typewriting machine of the flat platen type having a platen frame including a pair of parallel side rails and cross bars connecting the rails; a supporting bracket comprising side plates connected in spaced substantially parallel relation, means for attaching the bracket to the rear end portion of the platen frame with the side plates substantially vertical so that the bracket constitutes an extension of the platen frame, projections on said side plates extending upwardly therefrom, a unitary carbon roll truck removably mounted on the upper edges of said projections for limited forward and rearward movement and held in place by gravity and applicable to and removable from the bracket by manipulation of the truck, the side plates of the bracket having one or more forwardly and rearwardly extending slots and stop means comprising one or more pins on the truck for engaging in said slots, the engagement of the pins with said plates at the respective ends of the slots limiting the forward and rearward movement of the truck to a distance substantially less than the length of a form and a device to hold the truck in its rearmost position during a typing operation adjustable to allow the truck to move forward until limited by said stop means, said device maintaining each adjusted position when released by the operator.

JACOB N. HOFFMAN.

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