US1196110A - Line-spacing mechanism por type-writing machines - Google Patents

Description

E. B. HESS.. LINE SPACING MCHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.13, I916- Patented Aug. 29, 1916 3 SHEETS-SHEET I INVENTOVR WITNESSES E. B. HESS. LINE SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I3, [916.

Patented Aug. .29, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

"mil!!!" BY i ATTORNEY E. B. LINE SPACING MECHANISM WRITING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILE 3. 1916.

1,196,1 10. Patented 29,1916.

3 SH HEET INVENTOR A TTOR/VE Y UNITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. HES S, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ROYAL TYPEWRITER COMPANY, INC., 013 NEW YORK, N.- Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINE-SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 29,1916.

Application filed April 13, 1916. Serial No. 90,867.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD B. Hnss, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Spacing Mechanism for Type-VVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention'relates to the line spacing mechanism of typewriting machines and particularly to mechanism of the kind constructed to turn the platen step by step, by means of pawl and ratchet devices, uniform distances to produce uniformly spaced lines of print and which is associated with means for disengaging the platen from its ratchet mechanism whereby the platen may be turned and adjusted a definite extent for what is called minutefractional spacing between the usual lines for the purpose of mechanism returns to its normal position.

It is also of great importance that after a release and after a fractional adjustment has been effected and the release mechanism is allowed to return to its normal position that it should do so without turning the platen any appreciable distance in such manner as to disturb the carefully made adjustment which is often produced for the purpose of effecting printing on paper so ruled that accurate adjustment by the ordinary ratchet mechanism cannot be accomplished.

According to my invention the platen is provided with mechanism for line spacing which may be of any well known or suitable kind and in connection with the usual ratchet wheel thereof I employ a locking device of novel construction, one member of which is fixed to, or rigidly connected with, the

ratchet wheel and is free to turn therewithon the platen shaft when released from the platen, while the other locking member is arranged to turn with the platen, is slidably mounted on the platen end and is adapted to engage the first-mentioned member of the locking means in such manner that when the ratchet wheel is actuated the platen will be correspondingly turned. That member of the locking means which is secured to the ratchet wheel is preferably cup-shaped and is provided with an annular series of fine teeth or ridges on the inside of its rim while the companion locking member, which is connected to turn with the platen, is preferably in the form of a circular plate or disk having laterally projecting flanges formed M with serrations or fine teeth or ridges adapted to engage the annular series of ridges on the cup-shaped member of the locking means. The locking disk normally engages the cup-shaped member being 50 held by springs housed in the adjacent end of the platen. The locking device may be opened by means of a rod operated by a push button and extending through a channel or bore in the platen shaft and engaging the disk or plate.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a detail view in front elevation, and with 30 parts broken away, of a typewriter platen with my improved line spacing mechanism applied, showing how the platen is locked to the ratchet mechanism; Fig. 2 shows an end elevation of the end plate or head at one end, 5

of the platen; Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the disk member of the locking device and it also shows its relation with the outer boss of the end plate and the platen shaft which are shown in section; Fig. 4t shows a sideoo elevation of one end of the platen shaft Fig. 5, an end view thereof; Fig. 6 shows a side elevation of one end of the platen with myimprovements plied, such improved line spacing mechanism being mainly shown in section; Fig. 7 is a detail view on an enlarged scale illustrating how the locking members engage each other. Fig. 8, an enlarged detail view in section, showing the form of the teeth or ridges employed in the locking mechanism; Fig. 9, a side elevationof line spacing mechanism and detent mechanism. in connection with which my improved fractional spacing mechanism may be used.

The platen A may be made in the usual way as by covering a wooden hollow core a with a sheathing ofrubber or other suitable material a and is secured to the platen shaft C by locking screw Y in the usual way and the platen shaft, and consequently the platen, always revolve or turn together. The end of the platen shown; and to which my improvements are applied, is closed by an end plate or head B having an inwardly extending hollow boss I) and an outwardly extending hollow boss 6, through which extends theplate n shaft C., The plate or head B is secured in position on the end of the platen by screws 6 extending through screw holes 6 and such head is provided with holes (Z (Fig. 2) through which extend pins D which slide therein and are headed on their inner ends and are free to move in recesses 03 formed in the body of the platen and which recesses also house springs d which are held in proper alinement by reduced extensions X 6f the pins D and serve to press thepins outward. The platen shaft is formed with a longitudinal channel or bore a connecting with a longitudinal slot 0' extending from the outer end of the shaft inward to the head B. The spring-pressed 7 pins D are secured at their outer ends to a locking member E which surrounds the boss 6 and is free to slide thereon. Said locking member is here shown in the form of a circular plate or disk and it is provided with a tongue 6 which enters the slot 0. The disk E may be formed with a single continuous flange or rim, or as shown formed with one or more, preferably three, outwardly extending flanges e which preferably incl ne slightly inward toward the axls of the disk and on the outside of these flanges are formed fine teeth or ridges, as indicated at 6 The other locking member F is preferably in the form of a cup, surrounding the boss 2) and also surrounding the locking member E. Said cup-shaped member F is loose on the laten shaft, 2'. 6., it does not turn therewit unless held by the locking member E which does at all times turn with the platen, as before stated. On the inside of the rim of the member F there is an annular series of horizontally disposed fine teeth or ridges f which are adapted to interlock with the teeth 6 of the member E. When so graduatedlyengaged the two members are locked and turn together. Formed on, a part .of, or firmly attached to the member F is the line-spacing ratchet wheel G which may be operated by any suitable mechanism in the usual way. The mechanism is suitably supported by means of to, or forming attached a rod L which contacts with the;

tongue e of the locking member E. The rod may be moved endwise in the platen shaft C to the extent indicated, its inward move- .ment being limited by the contact of the hub i with the end of the shaft C and its outward movement being limited by the contact of the screw Z -with the inner end wall of the groove Z2. I and f on the locking members are necessarily made of minute divisions so that a very fine adjustment may be obtained and these teeth or ridges are preferably of the form shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 7 and 8. By reference to Fig. 7 it will be seen that the teeth or ridges in the locking members are engaged by a graduated action inasmuch as the flanges e are slightly inclined so that when the member E approaches the member F the teeth or bers are freely and gradually engaged with each other and are then firmly locked. This is an important feature of my invention. It enables me to use fine teeth or ridges so that very fine adjustments may be obtained and yet the teeth or ridges when engaged are so firmly looked that any false movement or slipping of the parts is entirely avoided.

My improvements, as before stated, may be used in connection with any suitable linespacing mechanisni. In Fig. 9 I have shown mechanism of this kind of the form more fully illustrated and described and claimed in my application for Patent No. 863,264 filed Sept. 24, 1914. Briefly stated this mechanism comprises a lever M actuating a push pawl N engaging the ratchet wheel G before referred to, a shield 0 partially sur- The teeth or ridges e ridges on thelockingmemrounding the ratchet wheel for determining the number of teeth exposed to the action of the pawl. The mechanism shown also comprises a lever P moved in one direction by a spring 7) and carrying a spring R equipped with a roller pawl or dog Q which acts as a detent and also as a means for turning the wheel backward when desired. The spring t attached to the lever P normally holds the pawl g in engagement with the ratchet wheel but said pawl may be withdrawn from the ratchet by means of a cam S actuated by an operating lever T. If desired the exponent device, its lever P and spring 79 may be omitted when the 'spring holding block Z, carried by the lower end of the lever P, may be secured to the carriage end plate. It will thus be understood that my latter may be operated by the line spacing ber E from the member F. At this time the devices in the usual way. But when it. is desired to adjust between the lines or to print at some particular part of a sheet to which the line spacing mechanism is not adapted to adjust the push button K is moved inward in the manner indicated in Fig. 6 so as to disengage the locking memplaten is not operatively connected with the ratchet wheel and the platen may, by means of the hand wheel I, be turned in either direction to any extent permitted by the minute graduations e on the flanges e coacting with the fine teeth or ridges f on the inside of the member F. As soon as pressure is removed from the push button the member E moves into engagement with the member F and the platen is firmly locked in position and the printing at the adjusted line of print may be effected and this may be done without disturbing to any appreciable extent the adjustment becausethe teeth or ridges on the locking members are very fine and these fine teeth or ridges are made to securely interlock with each other by reason of the fact that as indicated in Fig. 7 they gradually engage each other without materially disturbing the platen ad- 'ustments and yet such engagement is easily accomplished and when perfected is most secure.

The ridges or fine teeth on both members of the locking device are of considerable length as compared with their width and the longitudinal edges of the ridges on one member are inclined relatively to the longitudinal edges of the ridges on the other member so that when one member is moved toward the other the ridges on one member gradually enter the grooves between the ridges on the other member and the two sets of ridges' finally become firmly engaged with each other. By this construction I am able to use a. very large number of extremely narrow or fine ridges and grooves and thus obtain an exceedingly fine adjustment and am able to cause the membersto readily engage without danger of their slipping past each other.

I claim:

1. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, in combination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel and locking members forconnecting the ratchet wheel with the platen having fine interlocking ridges which have their longitudinal or peripheral edges inclined relatively to each other.

2 Platen release mechanism for typewritm machines comprising, in combination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel and locking members for connecting the ratchet wheel with the platen having interlocking fine ridges which have their longitudinal edges inclined relatively to each other and have their engaging or contacting portions of the same width.

3. Platen release mechanism for typewritmg machines comprising, in combination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel and locking devices for connecting the ratchet wheel. with the platen shaft consisting of two members one of which is connected to rotate with the platen and the other with the ratchet wheel both of said members being provided with interlocking ridges the longitudinal edges of the ridges on one member being inclined relatively to the longitudinal edges of the ridges on the other member, the contacting or engaging portions of the ridges on one member being of the same width as the corresponding parts on the other member.

4;. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, in combination with the platen and its shaft, a cupshaped locking member connected to rotate with the ratchet wheel and havingon the inside of its rim a circular series of diminu-' tive ridges, a flanged locking member-connected to move with the platen and having ridges on said flange engaging the ridges on the cup-shaped member, the longitudinal or peripheral edges of which are set at an angle to the longitudinal edges of the ridges on the cup-shaped member. 5. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, in combination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel loose on the platen shaft and locking members for connecting the platen with the ratchet wheel, one of which members is formed with fine ridges the longitudinal edges of which are parallel with the axis of the platen and the other of which members is formed with fine ridges the longitudinal edges of which are set at an angle to the longitudinal edges of the ridges on the first mentioned locking member, said ridges in both members being of the same width where they engage or contact with each other.

6. Platen release mechanism for typewriting machines comprising, in combination with the platen and its shaft, a ratchet wheel loose on the platen shaft, a locking member connected with the ratchet wheel to rotate therewith and which is provided with interlocking ridges, a locking member connected to rotate with the platen and hav-. ing ridges adapted to engage the ridges on the other locking member, spring pressed In testimony whereof, I have hereunto pins -housed in the platen and tending to subscribed my name.

hold the locking members in. engagement with. each other and a push rod mounted EDWARD B; HESS. 5 to slide centrally in the platen shaft and Witnesses: 1 directly engaging one oftsaid members for F. C. GREEN,

separating it from the other member. Y GEORGE F. HANDLEY.

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