US2320038A - Carbon control for writing machines - Google Patents

Description

- May 25, 1943. 1 w. H.A`HOPE, .l 2,320,038

CARBON CONTROL WRITING MACHINES May25, 1943. I w.- H. HOPE, JR 2,320,038A

' C ARBON vcon'111o1. 1o11 WRITING MACHINES;

F1ed 'June 11, 1940 "-2 sheets-sheet 24 y I zorney.

Patented May 25, 1943 CARBON coNTaor. lgis Warrino William H. Hope, Jr., Hiewston, N. Y., assigner to Gilman Fanfold Corporation, Niagara Falls, N. Y., a corporation or Delaware Application .rune n, 1ero, serial No. 339,374

(ci. 19t-126) This invention relates to improvements in carbon or transfer sheet control for writing machines such as typewriters, and more particularly to an improved carbon or transfer sheet carrier adapted to support the transfer sheets in transfer relation with long continuous assemblies of record strips and to provide for shifting the transfer sheets along the record assembly towithout alteration of the structure thereof, and

that can be quickly and easily placed in operative position in continuous assemblies` of record strips without requiring the exercise of special skill.

A further object is to provide an improved transfer sheet control for machines of the class mentioned and embodying a novel transfer strip carrier supported in floating position by the record strips,l and adapted tobe automatically positioned as the strips are pulled forwardly so that the strips move freelyand without obstruction past the carbon sheets to bring fresh portions or sheet sets of the record strips into transfer relation.

Stillr another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved transfer sheet carrier of the type adapted to ride or be supported upon the continuous record strips, and having an improved positioning cam mounted thereon for positioning the carrier in operative position to provide for free passage of the record strips with reference to the carbon sheets.

Another object is to provide for carbon carriers oftlie class mentioned, an improved arrangement for supporting and mounting carbon sheet supporting blades having free ends so as to be the invention', and will be in part obvious as the description proceeds.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements,

and arrangement of parts, whichwill be exemvplied in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a. more complete disclosure of the nature, objects and advantages of the invention, reference is had to the following description of the i1- lustrative embodiment of the invention, and to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig.I 1 is a partially diagrammatic side elevation'of a typewriting machine of knownlconstruction and equipped with 'the improved carbon controlling means;

' Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the'carbon control means in a different position; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary partially diagrammatical plan showing the carbon carrier in operative position with reference to a record assembly, parts being broken away toshow the structure and arrangement more clearly;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the carbon carrier showing its position with reference to a continuous recordstrip assembly of the fanfold type;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the carbon sheet carrier; A

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the transfer strip carrier, parts being shown in elevation;

adapted particularly for use 'in connection with continuous strips of the fanfold type, wherein the long continuous strips are connected by longitudinal integral folds extending along the opposite longitudinal assembly margins.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the carbon sheet carrier taken at'the plane of the supporting pins for the carbon sheet supporting blades;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the carbon sheet carrier with the supporting blades removed, and,

Fig. 9 is adetail perspective view of one of the carbon sheet supporting blades.l

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the embodiment there shown, the

-improved carbon sheet control embodying the carbon sheet carrier indicated generally at I0 is A further object is to provide an improved supapplied to a typewriting machine Il of conventional construction, having supporting feet or pads l2 of rubber or other resilient material, and a key board of type operating keys I3 connectedv to operate the type bars in the usual known manner. A cylindrical rotary platen I4 'is mounted on the machine upon a supporting carriage mounted for movement transversely of the machine in a known manner for effecting letter spacing. Releaseable pressure rollers mounted in the usual manner to press the record l5 arestrips or strip assembly against the cylindrical writing surface of the platen I4.

As best shown in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, the carbon sheet carrier orunit I embodies a base or supporting plate I6 preferably of sheet metal and having attached at opposite ends thereof, terminal blocks I1 which may be of any appropriate material of sufficient strength, such, for example, as aluminum or other metal, compressed in. Fig. 1, and may have threaded attaching exthe longitudinal folds 3l.

tensions `extending through apertures in the ends of the base plate and threaded int-o apertures in the terminal blocks I1, thus holding the parts firmly in assembled relation. As shown, there are preferably two of the supporting pins at each end of the ba-se plate in alignment with the longitudinal path or course' of the record strips.

A spring retaining clip 2| is positioned adjacent' to each pair of supporting pins 20 and attached in position to the corresponding terminal block I1 for the purpose of engaging and retaining the c arbon sheet supporting blades in operative position.

There may be as many carbon sheet supporting blades 22 as desired for Isupporting the required number of carbon sheets. One of these blades is shown in detail in Fig. 9. Each blade includes a thin metallic bar, as shown, thin enough to have considerable flexibility, and has a-right angularly disposed terminal supporting part 23 preferably reinforced by an overlying metallic plate 24 attached in position by the sleeve bushings 25 providing bearings for receiving the supporting pins 2U. As shown, a bed plate 26, held in position by the pins 20, is preferably provided at each end of the supporting unit, upon which the attaching terminals 23 of the blades 22 rest.

The bearing sleeves 25 are of sufficient thickness to space the supporting blades 22 slightly from each other and from the bed plate 26.

One of the carbon sheets 21, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, is attached to each supporting blade 22 by means of metallic U-clips 28. 'I'he attaching end of each carbon sheet 21 is free of transfer material throughout the zone of attachment, and it is transversely creased and folded at the crease line to form a loop extending-over the supporting blade with .the crease line coincident with 'the forward edge of the blade. The U-clips are pressed in position over the loop yand blade, and fit with sufiicient closeness to bind the carbon sheet in supported position upon the blade. While three blades 22 are shown, any desired number may be used for supporting the required number of carbon sheets. The supporting blades -have free ends opposite to the mounting terminals 23 for use in connection with fanfoldedA record strip assemblies. The carbon sheets 21 may, if desired, be longer than a single sheet or form length, so that the forward ends thereof may be severed after the sheets have become partially depleted so as to bring fresh transfer areas into inscription position. As shown in Fig, 3 the 75 leading ends of the carbon sheets may be marginally notched as at 21a to provide a selective grip formation whereby the record strips can be gripped to the exclusion of the carbons when the' record strips are being pulled forwardly into new positions relatively to the carbons.

Although the improved carbon control may be utilized with assemblies of separate long continuous traveler record strips, it is especially 'adapted for the fanfolded type of record assembly 29, as shown, in which the supe'rposed record strips 33 are connected to each other along longitudinal fold lines 3|. 'I'he carbon sheet supporting blades 22 are thus positioned between adjacent record strips with their free ends adjacent to Each of the record strips 30 is preferably provided withtransverse weakened or perforated severance lines 32, dividing the strips into sets of relatively superposed record sheets; these may be provided with suitable blank forms for receiving the inscriptions. The fanfolded vrecord strip assembly is folded along transverse lines that may coincide with the severance lines 32 to form a convenient zigzag folded supply pack 33.

The back stop or supporting bracket for the carbon control mechanism includes a bracket plate 3l preferably of thin sheet metal, and -having a supporting lflange 35 adapted to rest upon the table top or support, and upon which the rear supporting pads I 2 of the typewriter rest Ain order to hold the bracket plate in position. It can thus be quickly and easily installed with typewriters of the general class shown. In order to additionally support and steady the bracket plate 'in position, the plate is bent intermediate its upper and lower extremities to form a supporting angle or rib 36 .that rests against the rear wall of the typewriter and also functions to stien and rigidify the bracket plate. l

A transversely extending strip guide bar 31 is attached to the upper extremity of the bracket plate 34, being of wood or compressed fiber board. or similar material, and being rounded and smooth upon its upper surface to form a guide for the strip assembly 29, and being of sufllcient length to extend beyond the opposite edges of the strip assembly. The strip guide bar 31 also functions as a stop for cooperating with the car-A bon sheet carrier I0. I

A strip guide 36 in the form of an upwardly convexed metallic plate is also attached to the carbon sheet carrier, extending rearwardly therefrom and functioning as Ia guide .to ease the strip assembly to and through the carrier unit when the latter ls in the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position the strip assembly is raised from the guide bar 31 and the guide 36 then comes into action to guide the strips and to prevent obstruction thereof, especially when the fold lines approach the carrier unit.

lWhen it is desired to interleave the vcarbon sheets of the carrier I0 in transfer position between the record strips of the fanfold assembly 29, the carrier may be placed upon the table in the position shown.in Fig. 3, and the strip assembly placed in position, over the carrier, as shown, with the back sides of the record strips upwardly. The lowermost supporting blade y22 with its carbon sheet clipped thereon and carbonized surface upwardly, is placed between the two lower strips and mounted upon the corresponding supporting pins 20. Similarly, another supporting blade 22` is mounted on the pins 2l at the opposite yend of the base plate I6, land positioned between the second and third record strips from the bottom. As many carbon sheets as required are placed in this manner in transfer position between the record strips.

When the carbon sheets are thus threaded in transfer relation with the record strips, the complete assembly is ledforwardly over the guide 3i and the writing platen I into writing position, as shown in Fig. 1. During the Writing on .the forms the carbon carrier lll remains in the pendant position beneath the guide bar 31 as shown. When the carbon sheets are in interleaved transfer relation with the record strips as described they are frictionally engaged `by therecord strips so as to be caused to move as a unit therewithwhen the platen is rotated for effecting line spacing or for feeding the record assembly for other purposes. Thus the complete assembly including the record strips and carbon sheets may be adjusted or fed as a unit either forwardly or rearwardly.in the writing machine. As writing proceeds, the line spacing moves Vthe complete assembly forwardly, including the carbon sheet carrier Il).4 Since the carbon carrier unit depends from the guide and support 3l, as shown in Fig. l, a rearward tension'will b e exerted upon the assembly of record strips and carbon sheets tending to pull it rearwardly. Any slack in the assembly occasioned by back feeding or by other causes will thus be instantly taken up by gravity. As shown, there will ordinarily be sufficient amplitude of the pendent position of the carrier l to take up any back feeding movement of the assembly for substantially the `distance of the length of the sets of record sheets, thus assisting in making corrections and erasures. Upon completion of the writing on a set of forms, the pressure rolls l5' are released and the assembly of record4 strips and carbony sheets is pulled from its writing position on the platen to entirely free it therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2. The .complete assembly, together with the carbonA sheet carrier I, is then pulled forwardly until the c am arms i@ engage the guide bar 3l, whereupon the carrier unit l0 is tilted forwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. The direction of pully on the strips Will be substantially along the straightened assembly above the typewriter and to the left, as shown in Fig. 2. This movement is caused by the engagement of the cams I3 with the guide bar 31, thus moving the carrier unit into the position shown in Fig. 2. so that the record strip assembly can be.. pulled forwardly and pass freely through the carrier unit without any obstruction. When the carrier unit is in this position, the forward end ofthe record strip assembly 29 is grasped beyond the forward ends of the carbons 21 atI the notches 21a. The record strips are then pulled forwardly through the carbon sheet carrier and past the carbon sheets Ato bring a new set of record forms into transfer relation `with the carbon sheets. During this vrelative movement of the record strip assembly, the hooked formation or lugs I9 of the carrier unit I0 remain in engagement with the guide ybar 3T to hold the unit against advancement. During this movement of the record strips, the guide plate 38 engages the record strip assembly to guide the latter to the supporting carrier unit. When an assembly fold line approaches the carrier unit any sharp bending of the assembly at the fold line that might obstruct its feeding movement is avoided by action of the guide plate 38. When the record strip assembly 29 has thus been moved forwardly to bring the inscribed record leaves thereof beyond the forward ends of the carbon sheets, these inscribed sheets may then be quickly and easily severed from the assembly along the weakened severance lines 32. The inscribed sheets can, of course, be severed before replacing the assembly again in writing position upon the platen I4, or the severance may be effected after the assembly has been replaced. When the as- .sembly is again replaced inl writing position upon the platen, the writing operation continues upon the next successive set of form sheets, the carbon sheet carrier i@ again assuming the pendant position beneath the guide bar 3l, as shown shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and'not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a carbon sheet carrier having a carbon sheet support positioned to support a carbon sheet attached thereto in transfer relation with an assembly including continuous record strips in inscription position in the apparatus, said carrier being in the form of a separate oating supporting unit, wholly supported in operative position by said assembly and carbon sheet, a stop bar, and a cam device on said supporting unit cooperating with said stop bar to exert camming action on said supporting unit to move it to position so as to provide for the free passag'eof the record strips relative to said unit, and with reference to the carbon sheet.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a carbon sheet carrier having a carbon sheet support positioned to support a carbon sheet attached thereto in transfer relation with an assembly including said carbon sheet and continuous record strips, said carrier being in the form of a separate floating supporting unit, supported in operative position by said assembly, means controlled by forward movement of said assembly for positioning said supf porting unit and retaining it in position so as to provide for the free passage of the record strips relatively thereto, and with reference to the carbon sheet, and a strip guide carried by said supporting unit for guiding the record strips thereto.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combi-nation, a carbon sheet carrier having a carbon sheet support positioned to support one or more carbon sheets attached thereto in transfer relation with an assembly of continuous record strips, said carrier being in the form of a separate floating supporting unit, wholly supported in operative position by said record strips and carbon sheet or sheets, a stop bar, a cam device on said supporting unit cooperating with said stop bar to exert camming action on said supporting unit to move it to position so as to provide for the free passage of the record strips relative t0 said unit, and with reference to the .carbon carbon sheet carrier having a carbon sheet sup port positioned to support a carbon sheet attached thereto in transfer relation with a record assembly including said carbon sheet and continuous record strips, said carrier being in the form of a separate floating supporting unit normally spaced rearwardly of the machine platen and gravitationally supported in pendant operative position by said record assembly, a supporting bracket including a plate having a base flange disposed to be held in position by a Writing machine and bent to form a supporting rib for supporting engagement with the machine, and a strip guide bar supported in elevated position above the level of said platen by said supporting bracket and over which the strips pass into writing position and below which said supporting unit gravitationally depends.

5. In a writing machine, in combination, a writing platen. a carbon sheet carrier having a carbon sheet support positioned to support an attached carbon sheet in transfer relation with a record assembly including continuous record strip's, said carrier being in the form of a separate floating supporting unit positioned wholly to the rearward of said platen and supported in pendant operative position by said record assembly and carbon sheet, a supporting bracket including a plate having a base flange disposed to be held in position by a writing machine and having a supporting rib for supporting engagement with the machine, a strip guide bar supported in elevated position by said supporting bracket and over which the strips pass into writing position and below which said supporting unit depends, and a cam device between said supporting unit and said guide bar cooperating when said supporting unit is moved forwardly to position and retain said unit so as to provide for the free passage of the record strips relatively thereto.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a carbon sheet carrier having carbon sheet supporting means positioned to support one or more carbon sheets in transfer relation with a record assembly including continuous record strips, said carrier being in the form of a separate floating supporting unit, gravitationally supported in pendant operative position by said record assembly and carbon sheet or sheets so as to effect rearward movement of the latter, a strip guide and stop bar, a plurality of forwardly projecting cam bars on said supporting unit cooperating with said guide and stop bar to exert lcamming action on said unit to position it for Cil free passage of the record strips relatively thereto, and a stop lug on said supporting unit cooperating with said stop bar to retain the unit in position during passage of the record strips.

7. A strip riding carbon sheet carrier including a base plate for supporting carbon sheets, and having cam arms carried thereby and projecting forwardly therefrom.

8` l strip riding carbon sheet carrier including a base plate for supporting carbon sheets, and having camarms carried thereby and projecting forwardly therefrom, and stop lugs respectively positioned adjacent to said ca m arms.

9. A strip riding carbon sheet carrier including a base plate having supporting means for supporting carbon sheets, and having cam arms projecting forwardly therefrom, and a strip guide on saidbase plate at the 'opposite side thereof from v said cam arms.

10. In a writing machine, in combination, a writing platen, a carbon sheet carrier having a carbon sheet support positioned to support an attached carbon sheet in transfer relation with a record assembly including said carbon sheet and `continuous record strips in inscription position on said platen, said carrier being in the form of a separate floating supporting unit, and a strip guide positioned rearwardly of said platen over which the assembly passes to the platen, said supporting unit being positioned rearwardly of said strip guide and lower than the latter so as to be supported by said assembly and to exert rearward pull thereon and to effect rearward movement thereof by gravity.

l1. In an apparatus of the character described,

in combination, a. carbon sheet carrier having a.

carbon sheet support positioned to support a carbon sheet attached thereto in transfer relation with continuous record strips with which said carbon sheet is assembled to form a record assembly in inscription position in thev apparatus,

Images