US1922991A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

I R. s. THOMPSON ET AL 'Aug. 15', 1933.

TYPEWRITING ncnmn Filed Sept. 11-. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 lfiventors Russell 6'. Thompgan Cheste Orammne fizeir ATTORNEY Aug. 15, 1933. R. THOMPSON El AL TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 lvzveniors Passe? l GThomfison W Crumrine them ATTORNEY R. G. THOMPSON ET AL TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1930 w 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZWLY/GfiZOWS Russefl Tlwmpao rz a Cruwzrine their ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 15, 1933 v PATENT orricr.

1,922,991 'rYrEwnrrnvG momma.

Russell G. Thompson and Chester Crumrine, Rochester, N. Y., asslgnors to Electromatic Typewriters, Inc 'tion of-New York R ochester, N. Y., a Corpora- Application September 11, 1930 Serial No. -481,216

8 Claims, (01. 191 -160) This invention relates to improvements in typewriting machines, and particularly to devices for feeding the inking ribbons ,of such machines step by step from one spool toanother and for automatically reversing the direction of feed when the ribbon is entirely fed from one of the spools.

The principal object of the invention is to :pro-

vide a ribbon feeding mechanism for power operalso, provided .for automatically throwing the devices for feeding the ribbon in one direction out of operation and the devices for feeding it in the opposite direction into operation when the ribbon reaches the end of its feeding movement in one or the other direction.

Still another object of theinvention is to provide a ribbon feeding'mechanism in which the forcefor moving the ribbon is resiliently applied thereto, and the devicesfor reversing the direction of its feed are actuated positively though controlled by the ribbon itself so that no undue strains which might break or otherwise injure the ribbon are ever applied thereto.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement ,of parts that will appear from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying at the leftside of the machine,.the ratchet wheel. and devices cooperating therewith being removed,

drawings, the novel features being pointedout in the claims at the end of the specification.

i In the drawings:

Fig. 1' is a side elevation of a ribbon feedin -mechanism constructed according to one embodiment of the invention, the power devices and one of the key levers for operating the same being shown associated therewith; 1'

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ribbon devices the parts being shown in the position they occu py'Twiien the ribbon approaches the limit of its movement'tothe right; A

Fig. 3- is a similar view showing the positionof the parts when the ribbon reaches the limit of its movement to the right anddust before the feed the ribbon in the opposite direction; 7

Fig.4. is a similar view showing the position of the parts just after the pawl has moved into engagement with ther'atchet wheel to turn the sp l; i

Fig.-5 is a fragmentary view of the pawl and. ratchet device for turning. the spool, the pawl being'shown in its inoperative position; V Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the pawl in its operative retracted position; 1 Fig.7 is a view similarto Fig. 2 but showing the devices at the right side of the machine, at the time when the feeding devices at the right side of the machine are operative and those at the left side are inoperative;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the devices at the right side of the machine, the feedpawliis engaged with the ratchet to ing devices being operative;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the 7 devices at the right side of the machine, thefeeding devices being inoperative;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 showing the ratchetat the right side of the machine operatively engaged by its operating devices,

and a I Fig. 11 is a similar view showing theoperating devices in inoperative position.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts in all the views, 1 indicates'a key lever having a key 2 and pivoted on a fixed pivot rod 3 extending across the machine- "A'spring 4 is connected thereto and anchored on a fixed part of the machine for. resiliently maintaining the'ke'y lever in normal elevated position. A guide comb .5 is provided at the front of the keyboard, and is provided with slots in which the 'key levers are guided. Although only one key lever is shown herein, it will be understood that the usual number are or may be employed. I

In the drawings; a well known type'of power operated machine is illustrated, the power operating devices comprising a driven roller 6 with which a plurality of key selected cams 7 are downward toapoint adjacent the driven roller on which the cam is mounted. Each of the cams has a reentrant portion which is normally adjacent the face. of the driven roller but out of engagement therewith. When, however, the cam-is moved forwar from this position, it frictionaiiy engages the's ace offthe roller and isrotated thereby, which rotation swings the bell crank on its pivot to actuate a type bar or other device through mechanism presently to be described. A.

stop lever 10 is pivoted on the bell crank 8 and is provided with stops 8* and 8 movable in the path of stops on the cam to arrest it in normal inoperative position. The lever 10 has an ofiset lug 11 at its upper end which is engaged by the bifurcated end 12 of a downwardly projecting arm on the key lever 1. When the key lever is depressed, it swings the lever 10 to disengage the lug on the cam which is turned into engagement with the driven roller by the action of a spring-pressed lever 10.

The bell crank lever 8 has a forwardly extending arm to which is pivoted one end of a link 13, the other end of which is pivotally connected with one arm of a bell crank lever 14 also pivoted on the rod 3. The bell crank lever 14 has a rearwardly and upwardly projecting arm to which is pivoted one end of 'alink 15, the other end of which is pivoted to a lever 16 pivotally connected at 17 with a type bar 18 having types at its end adapted to impress a work sheet on a platen through the inking ribbon 19. A spring 20 connects the lever 16 with a fixed part and resiliently maintains the parts in the normal position shown in Fig. 1. The parts described above are of well known construction and form no part of the present invention except as they may enter into combination therewith.

Revolubly mounted on the sides of the machine are ribbon spools 21 and 22, between which the' inking ribbon 19 isarranged, and is guided on the arms 23 and 24 on the left and right sides of the machine respectively and through the usual ribbon vibrator,'not shown, arranged at the printing point, which moves the ribbon into the path of the types as they move into engagement with the platen. Each of the spools 21 and 22 is provided with a ratchet 25 or 26- respectively which are adapted to be operatively engaged-by the pawls 27 and 28. One of the pawls 27 or 28 is always in operative engagement with its ratchet, and is moved to an inoperative position when the other is moved into operative engagement with its ratchet. The pawls are operative to wind the ribbon in opposite directions so that when one of the pawls'is moved out of operative position and the other into operative position, the direction of feed of the ribbon is reversed. Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the pawl 27 engages its ratchet. to wind the ribbon on the spool 21 to,

feed the ribbon from right to left, the spool 22 free to rotate under the tension of the ribbon. Pivotally mounted on the pivot rod 3 is a lever having a rearwardly and downwardly extending arm 30, which arm has a laterally offset portion 31 at its end which lies in the path of a universal bar 32 pivoted on a fixed part at 33. Each of the levers 14' has a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm 34- which engages the universal bar 32 and actuates it to operate the lever 30 each time a lever 14 is operated. Said lever also .has an arm 35 extending upwardly from the pivot 3 and at its upper end is bent forwardly to form a finger 36 which has an open slot or guideway '37 which engages a laterally projecting fixed pm 38 which serves to limit the movements of the lever in opposite directions.

At its upper end, the arm 35 has a laterally projecting arm or finger 40, best seen in Figs. 5 and 6, on which the pawl 2'7 is loosely seated.

The pawl 27 may be constructed of any suitable material and when in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 resiliently engages the teeth of the ratchet 25. A spring 41 is connected to the forwardend of the pawl and swings it toward the ratchet and maintains it on the finger 40, and tends to resiliently swing the lever arm 35 and the pawl mounted thereon rearwardly to turn the spool and wind the ribbon thereon. Mounted on the outer end of the pin or stud 38 to swing thereon is a detent member 42 which extends rearwardly from the stud beneath the pawl 2'7, and at its rearward-end is bent upwardly to engage the ratchet in rear of the pawl.' The rear end of the spring 41 is connected to the detent 42 and tends to resiliently maintain it in engagement with the ratchet to prevent accidental rotation of the spool in a reverse direction. The detent 42 is provided with an upwardly extending lug or guide 43 on its outer edge which engages the pawl 27 and serves to maintain the pawl in alinement with the teeth of the ratchet. When a type bar 18 is actuated, the arm 35 is moved against the tension of the spring 41 forwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 or 3 to the Figs. 4 or 6 position, carrying the pawl 27 with it from the Fig. 1 to the Fig. 6 position, and when the arm 30 is released the arm 35 and the pawl are returned to the Fig. 1' position by the action of the spring '41 and turns the spool. The devices at the right side of the machine for turning the spool 22 to feed the ribbon in the reverse direction are shown in Figs. 7 to 11 of the drawings and are similar to those at the left side. Said devices comprise a lever having the arms 45 and 46 similar to the lever 30, 35, and also actuated by the universal bar 32 which extends across the machine. The upper end of the arm 46. has a laterally extending lug or finger 47on which the pawl 28 is loosely'seated.

The arm 46 also has a forwardly extending finger 48 having a guideway thereon which engages ,a .laterally projecting pin or stud 49 on a fixed part of the machine which limits the move-- front end of the pawl with the detent and resili ently maintains the detent in engagement with the ratchet, the pawl in engagement with the ratchet and positioned on the arm 47, and the arm 46 and pawl 28 carried thereby, in the nor mal position shown in Fig. 10. When the universal'bar is actuated, the arm 46 moves forwardly against the tension of the spring 51, moving the pawl 28 with it over a tooth of the ratchet, and when the universal bar releases the arm 45, the spring 51 moves the arm 46 rearwardly and with it the pawl 28 to turn the spool. The detent arm 50 is provided with an upwardly-projecting lug or guide 52 on its outer side for guiding the pawl and maintaining it alined with the ratchet. It will be noted that the springs 41 and 51 operate to move the pawls to windthe ribbon, so that the only tension placed on the rib-" bon at any time for feeding it is' that of the retained 'in an inoperative position out of en;

gagement with its ratchet .when the other is operative, so that the spool vfroirr'which the ribbon is fed is free to turn under the tension of the ribbon which is wound on the other spool by the action of its pawl and ratchet devices. Means are provided for automatically throwing the op-,

erativepawl out of engagement with its ratchet and releasing the inoperative pawl simultaneously to permit its spring to move it into engagement with its ratcliet to reverse the direction of movement of 'the ribbon when it has reached the limit of its movement in either direction.

To this end, at the left side the ribbon guide arm 23 is pivoted at 53 on a fixed part 54 of the frame of the machine. A spring 55 is connected with the arm 23 and extends downwardly and forwardly and is anchored on the fixedpart 54. This spring is operative to resiliently maintain the arm 23 in its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in engagement with a stop 56 projecting inwardly from a member or lever 57 also pivoted at 53 on the fixed part 54. A

' 7 spring 58 connects the lever 57 with thearm 23,

, stop 56 and is limited in its movement by the enwhich spring is tensioned when the arm is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 and tends to swing the lever 57 on its pivot, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The lever 57 is returned to the normal Fig. 2 position by thearm 23 which engages the The rear end of the lever 57 has a laterally projecting pin or stud 57 thereon which engages an inclined slot 59 formed in therear end of an actuator or lever 60 pivoted on a pin or stud 61 projecting laterally through an arcuate slot 62 in the fixed member 54. The pin 61 projects laterally over the pawl 27 and at its inner end is mounted in-an arm 63 fixed on a shaft 64 which extends across the machine and is pivoted in the fixed member 54 at its left end and in a fixed member 54 at the right side of the machine. At its forward end the lever 60 has an upwardly projecting surface forming a lug .or hook 65 adapted to engage the lug 40 on the arm 35 when the rear endof the lever swings downwardly. When the arm 23 swings under the tension of the ribbon from the Fig. 2 to the Fig. 3 position, the tension of the spring 58 swings the lever 57 r in a'direction to move the lever 60 to engage its lug 65 with the projection 40. If new the arm,

35 is actuated,its upper end with the lug 40 moves forwardly to the Fig. 4 positionand moves the lever 60 with it, and its pivot 61 swings upwardly in the slot 62 and releases the pawl and detent to be reengaged with the ratchet wheel under the action of ,the spring 41.

' the shaft in opposite directions.

At the right side of the machine, shown in Figs. 7 to 11, a cross-arrhfli) is fixed on the shaft .64 to rotate therewith. Projecting laterally from this am is a pair of pins '71 and 72 arranged at equal distances from the axis of the shaft so that they both follow an open arcuate slot 73 in the fixed member 54 when the shaft is rotated. Pivoted on the .outer end of the pin 71 and arranged on the outer side of the fixed member 54 is'an actuating member or lever 74 having at its forward end an upwardly inclined portion ter- At the same time, the v arm 63 in which the pivot 61 is fixed swings the minating in an upwardly projecting lug 75 adapt.- ed to engage the laterally projecting lug 47 on the upper end of the arm 46. At its rear end, the actuator 74 is bifurcated to form an open slot 76 which engages a laterally projectingheaded stud 77 on a lever 78 mounted on the pivot 79 on which the arm 24 is also pivoted. At its forward end the lever 78 has a stop arm or finger 80 projecting inwardly over the top of the fixed member 54 and in the path of the arm 24. A spring 81 connects the finger 80 with the arm 24 and tends to swing the lever 78 on its pivot when the arm 24 swings under the tension of the ribbon and against the action of a spring 55" which resiliently connects the arm 24 with the fixed part 54 and normally maintains the arm in engagement with the stop 80. The other pin 72 on the cross-arm 70 projects laterally through a clearance provided therefor in the actuator 74 and is arranged between the pawl 28 and its ratchet 26. When the shaft 64 is rotated from theposition shown in Figs. 8 and 10 "to the position shown. in Figs. li and 11, the pin 72 inoves to disengage the, pawl and detent fromoperative engagement with the ratchet and retains them in such position until moved in the reverse direction, when 'reengagement with the ratchet.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 10, with the pawl operatively engaging the ratchet, when the shaft 64 is turned by the devices at the other end of the machine to permit the pawl 27 to move into engagement with its ratchet, the pin 72 is swung downwardly and moves the pawl 28 and engages the guide 52 on the detent 50 and moves it and the pawl against the action of the spring 51 to the position shown in Fig. 11 out of engagement with the ratchet,

in which position it retains them. When the pawl and detent are in the position shown in Fig. 11, the spool 22 is free to rotate in a direction to pay off the ribbon as it is wound on the spool at the other side of the machine. When theribbon is entirely paid from the spool, it is tensioned by the continued feed or pull from the other side of the machine and swings the guide arm 24 rearwardly against the tension of its spring 55 away from the stop 80 and pulls the lever 78 through the spring 81 and turns it on its pivot, which operation swings the actuator 74 and engages it's lug 75 with the projection 47 on the arm' 46. When the arm 46 swings under the action of the universal bar, the lug 47 swings forwardly and moves the lever or actuator 74 bodily with it andturns the cross-head 70 on which it is pivoted, and with it the shaft 63, moving the pin 72 to permit the spring 51 to move the pawl and detent into reengagement ,with the arm 63 at the other side of the machine from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 5, and swings the pawl 27 and detent 42 out of engagement-with the ratchet 25 simultaneously with the movement of the pawl 28 and detent 50 into engagement with the ratche 26. As the shaft 64 turns in one direction or the other under the action of the actuator 60 or 74, the pivot of the acuator moves downwardly and disengages it from its engagement with the lug 40 or 47.

It sometimes happens that the fingers 40 or 47 are in the paths of the lugs 65 or 75 when the arm 23 or 24 is moved to tension the spring 58 or 81 and prevents the movement of the associated actuator 60 or 74. When the arm 35 or 46 is actuated, however, the finger 40 or 47 is moved totward the actuator and cams it against the tension of the spring 58 or 81 until the shoulder of the lug is reached, when said spring swings the actuator to move its lug into the path of the finger.

It will be noted that a ribbon mechanism thus constructed is positive in action, is not liable to get 'out of order and hence is capable of rapid actuation, and does .not place undue strain on the ribbon at any time. 1

Although only one embodiment of the invention is illustrated herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to'cover such changes or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon, key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind the ribbon thereon, a rock shaft extending between said ratchets, means on-said shaft adapted to operatively engage said pawls and retain one of them out of engagement with its ratchet while the other engages its ratchet, key controlled levers on which said pawls are mounted, and means actuated by the tension of the ribbon for operatively connecting said shaft with one of said key controlled levers for turning the shaft in one direc ion to release one pawl to engage its ratchet and to move the other pawl out of engagement with its ratchet to reverse the feeding direction of the ribbon and in the other direction to move the first pawl out of engagement with its ratchet and release the second pawl to reengage its ratchet.

2. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon, key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls movable into and out of operative engagement with said ratchets, key controlled levers on which said pawls are mounted, resilient means for moving said levers in one direction to move the pawls to turn the ratchets, key controlled means for moving the levers to retract the pawls over the teeth of the ratchets, a shaft arranged between said ratchets, means on one end of said shaft movable into engagement with-one of said pawls for disengaging it from its ratchet, means on the other end of said shaft for retaining the other pawl out of engagement with its ratchet but movable to permit it to reengage its ratchet when the shaft moves to disengage the first pawl from its ratchet, and means controlled by the tension of the ribbon for operatively connecting said shaft with one of said key controlled levers to be actuated thereby when the lever moves to retract the pawl."

3. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon, key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind the ribbon thereon, levers on which said pawls are mounted, springs adapted to move the pawls into engagement with the ratchets and swing the levers to turn the ratchets, key controlled means for moving the levers to retract the pawls over the teeth of the ratchets, a rock shaft, means on the rock shaft for retaining one or the other of said pawls out of engagement with its ratchet, ribbon controlled members, and means operatively connected with said ribbon controlled members and actuated by said levers for turning the shaft to move one pawl out of engagement with its ratchet and release the other to permit it to reengage its ratchet.

4. In a typewriting machine having type bars,

printing types thereon, key controlled means foractuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposide sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind the ribbon thereon, key controlled levers on which said pawls are mounted, detentspivoted on fixed parts and arranged beneath the pawls and engaging the ratchets to prevent accidental rotation thereof, a spring for retaining the detent resiliently engaged with the ratchet and moving the key controlled lever to turn the ratchet, a rock shaft arranged between the ratchets, means on said shaft for engaging one of the pawls and detents to move them out of engagement with the ratchet and releasing the other pawl and detent to permit them to move into engagement with their ratchet, and means controlled by the tension of the ribbon and actuated by said key controlled levers for rocking said shaft.

5. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon, key controlled, means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind the ribbon thereon, key controlled levers on which said pawls are mounted, springs for moving said levers to move the pawls to turn the ratchets, a revoluble shaft arranged between the ratchets, means on said shaft for retaining one of said pawls out of engagement with its ratchet while the other engages its ratchet, actuators pivoted on said shaft eccentrically thereto and movable to rotate the shaft to disengage one pawl from its ratchet and release the other pawl to reengage its ratchet, interengaging means on said actuators and said key controlled levers whereby the actuators are moved by the latter to turn the shaft, and ribbon controlled means for moving said actuators into engagement with the key controlled levers.

6. In a typewriting machine having type bars, printing types thereon, key controlled means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbon-is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn the spools to wind the ribbon thereon, key controlled levers on which said ,pawls are mounted, springs for moving said levers to move the pawls to turn the ratchets, a revoluble shaft arranged between the ratchets, means on said shaft for retaining one of said pawls out of engagement with its ratchet while the other engagesits ratchet, actuators pivoted on said shaft eccentrically thereto and movable to rotate the shaft to disengage one pawl from its ratchet and release the other pawl to reengage its ratchet, interengaging means on said actuators and said key controlled levers whereby the actuators are moved by the latter to turn the shaft, arms on which the ribprinting types thereon, key controlled means for A actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, spools on opposite sides of the type bars on which the ribbon is carried, ratchets on said spools, pawls adapted to cooperate with said ratchets to turn ratchet, actuators pivoted'on said shaft eccentrically thereto and movable to. rotate the shaft to disengage one pawl from its ratchet and release the other pawl to reengage its ratchet, in-

terengaging means on said actuators and said key controlled levers whereby the actuators are moved by the latter to turn'the shaft, arms for guiding said ribbon and movable thereby when the ribbon is tensioned, and levers resiliently connected with said arms for moving said actuators into engagement with the key controlled levers.

8. In a typewriting machine having typebars,

printing types thereon, power driven means for actuating the type bars, of an inking ribbon with which the type bars cooperate, a pair of spools on which the ribbon .is carried, pawl and ratchet devices associated with each of said spools, and means for rendering one of said pawl' and ratchet devices inoperative when the other is operative, said means comprising a rock shaft, a pair of actuators for turning said shaft in oppositedirections, and means controlled by the tension of the ribbon for connecting one or the other of said actuators with said power driven means for turning the shaft alternately in opposite directions;

RUSSELL G. THOMPSON.

CHESTER W. CRUMRINE.

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