US2025956A - Computing machine - Google Patents

Description

W. T. SAGNER Dec. 31, 1935.

COMBINED TYPEWRITING-AND COMPUTING MACHINE 'Filed Jan. 28, 1935 Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED TYPEWRITING AND CODIPUTING MACHINE Application January 28, 1933, Serial No. 653,960 6 Claims. (Cl. 235-60) This invention is an improvement on that covered by U. S. patent to Hart No. 1,238,908, issued Sept. 4, 1917 and relates to a combined typewriting and bookkeeping machine, and more particularly to the automatic motor-trip device for causing the machine to cycle and run a key-set amount into the register.

In the Underwood bookkeeping machine, the typing of an amount in a computing column causes the amount to be set up or indexed, preparatory to accumulating the amount in a register. Upon the typing of the last of the digits, the typewriter-carriage will escape when the type-bar recoils from the platen. A tappet that is mounted on the moving carriage will, as the carriage escapes, at once rock a motor-tripping lever, to cycle the mechanism that runs the indexed amount into the register. This incidentally clears the indexing mechanism.

The operator may nowoperate a carriage-return key, to return the carriage preparatory to writing the next item on the sheet.

It has been found that an operator is apt at times to operate the carriage-return key prematurely. When this is done, it results that the carriage starts to return before the last operated type-bar has recoiled from the platen and re leased the escapement. In consequence, the carriage will fail to feed. Hence the tappet on the carriage will fail to operate the trip-lever, and therefore the carriage returns without the adding mechanism being cycled. In other words, the indexing mechanism will remain all set, but no amount has been run into the register.

The operator has no way of knowing that the machine has failed to cycle, and is apt to continue his work, typing the next number on the work sheet. This new typing, however, will operate the pin-indexing mechanism and thereby change the previously indexed but uncycled amount. When the machine comes to cycle, there is no way of telling what amount is run into the register. It is evident that the indexing of two separate numbers would cause more than one pin to be set upon each of one or more pin-bars.

The present invention eliminates the trouble referred to. A two-part tripping means is provided and is preferably in the form of a twopart dog-device placed upon the tripping lever, so that (even if the carriage is returned prematurely, or without the cycling mechanism being tripped) a second part of the novel two-part dogdevice will be engaged by the tappet on the returning carriage, and cause the machine to cycle. thereby making sure that the machine cycles and the amount is run into the register even if the carriage is returned too soon.

In the Underwood bookkeeping machine Patent No. 1,280,065 to Minton, the tappet on the carriage is shown tripping a dog to initiate the cycling.

The invention may be practised by providing in conjunction with said dog, a separate cycling dog to form with the first dog the two-part dogdevice, arranged with respect to the zone-tappet 10 so that the latter idly passes the separate dog in the forward-carriage movement but becomes effective to trip the separate dog for a machine cycle at the start of the carriage-return movement which follows the typing of the last figure in any zone.

The first cycling dog may be a cam-nose presented in the path of the carriage-tappets by the movable cycling member or tripping lever which is thus operative to cycle the machine, the camnose and tappets being arranged so that said member may be operated in one step of the carriage advance movement in order to provide for cross-computing.

The separate cycling dog may be an extra 2 cam-piece carried by said member, said extra cam-piece being arranged and spaced from the first cam-nose, so that, in any zone, it is idly bypassed by the zone-tappet before the latter in the forward carriage movement reaches the regu- 0 lar cam-nose position. In the return carriage movement, said extra cam-piece, however, when overridden by the zone-tappet, becomes elTective, in lieu of the first dog, to cycle the machine, should the carriage be returned prematurely in such wise as to prevent the carriage from taking the final letter-feeding step on which the first dog depended to come into play.

The invention thus provides for successive zonecycling during the advance of the carriage for cross-computing and also prevents the aforesaid omission of a machine cycle in fast operation of the machine.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the novel cycling dog arrangement on the cycling member.

Figure 2 is a cross-section view of the Underwood bookkeeping machine in which the invention is illu tratively embodied.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of the typewriter-carriage, escapement-devices, and

carriage-return mechanism, illustrating the operation of the novel cycling dogs.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the cycling lever, showing how the same may be operated in the carriage-return movement by means of the novel cycling dog arrangement.

Figure 5 is a top-plan view of the cycling member, showing details of construction.

Depression of any numeral-key I9, Figure 2, on key-lever *H fulcrumed at 2, swings the usual bell-crank l3 to swing type-bar I4 toward platen l5. When the type-bar I6 is about to print the usual heel |6 thereof moves a universal bar rearwardly to swing the usual dog-rocker I8 and interpose a fixed dog l9 thereon into the plane of an escapement-wheel 20 as seen in Figure 3. A stepping dog 2| seen in Figure 2 on the dog-rocker thereupon escapes. The escapementwheel 20 and co-opcrating dogs I9 and 2| control the letter-feed movements of a carriage 23 in which the platen I5 is journaled, the carriage being urged in letter-feeding direction by springmotor 26, having the usual draw-bandconnected t the carriage at 25. The carriage has the usual letter-feed rack 26 which meshes with a pinion 21 connected to the escapement-wheel 28.

The numeral-type keys ID are operated to print upon a work-sheet 38, on which several computing zones 3|, Figure 3, may be arranged. At each zone the amount is indexed in a computing base 32, having totalizing wheels 33 rotatable by denominational rack-bars 34 and carrying devices (not shown), each bar carrying arow of depressible digit-pins 35. By means of a pendent link 36, each numeral-key lever II, when operated, actuates a corresponding one of the usual group of pin-setting linkages '31 to set a corresponding digit-pin 35. The rack-bars 33 are normally in such position that the pins therein are offset rearwardly from pin-setting bars 38 of said pin-setting linkages 31, and are advanced seriatim to bring their pins under said bars 38 as the carriage 23 travels through a computing zone. For each zone, the carriage 23 carries a denomination-determining tappet 40 to operate a series of pivoted jacks 6| corresponding to the several rack-bars 33. Each jack 6| is part of a denomination-selecting train whiclr includes a push-rod 82 through which the jack operates the usual transposing linkage 43 to advance the rack-bar 36 sufiiciently against the force of its retracting spring 86 to bring the pins 35 under the pin-setting bars 38. The setting of the pins 35 projects their lower ends into the path of the usual reciprocatory cross-bar 66, normally in the position seen in Figure 2, and which is given a forward and return movement for cycling of the machine during which said bar advances the several rack-bars 36 to extents corresponding to the value of set pins 35. Said cross-bar 46 is part of a general operator 47 driven by a reciprocatory arm 48 connected by means of a clutch within a casing 49 to a driving motor 50, the clutch operating to so connect said arm 48 by upward retraction of a clutch-pin at the top of the casing.

Thetypewriter-carriage 23 is tabulated to a computing zone by means of the usual denominational tabulating mechanism which includes a series'of denominational stops 52, Figure 2, which are individually projectable by tabulating keys, not shown, into the path of zone-stops 53 settable along the usual notched bar 54 carried by the typewriter-carriage.

configuration of pins 35 presented by all the ure 5, spaced apart by a double shouldered collar 6|, Figure 5, which forms the lever-hub. The plate 60 includes a lever-arm 62 extending to the right of'the pivot 57, as seen in Figure 3. Both plates 59 and 60 form an arm 63, Figure 1, extending to the left side of the pivot 5'5, the plates being spaced apart at the end of said arm 63 by a double shouldered spacer 64.

For operation of the lever 55 by any one of the zone-tappets 53 in the forward movement of the carriage, the lever-arm 63, Figure 1, presents in the path of said tappets a cam-nose 66 pro-' jecting from between the plates 59 and 68 and pivoted upon a stud 61 extending through said plates. The piece forming the cam-nose 66 normally abuts the end of a screw 69 threaded into the spacer 64. By means of the screw 69 the cam-nose 66 may be adjusted so that the zonetappet co-operates therewith to swing the lever 55 in one letter-feeding step of the carriage. The lever 55 is so operated by the tappet 53 for initiating a machine cycle as the carriage takes the letter-feeding step which ensues upon the typing of the last figure of the amount in the computing zone.

The train of connections between the cycling lever 55 and the retractible clutch-pin 5| includes a link 1| extending downwardly from the lever-arm 62 to the usual lever 13 which has offset arms, as seen in Figure 2, and which is pivoted upon a rod 14 in the computing base 32. The inner arm of the lever 13 is connected to one end of the usual retractible latch-bar 15, the other end of which is supported to normally overlie an arm 16 of a lever 18, seen in Figure 2, and pivoted to the machine-frame at T1. The 4.- lever-arm 16 is urged upwardly by. a spring 19 which, when the latch-bar 15 is retracted, causes the lever I8 to be rocked so that an opposite arm 88 thereof, which overlies a projection 8| extending from a slide 82, may depress said slide and rock the usual lever 83 whereby the clutchpin 5| is retracted.

By the described train of connections, the machine is caused to be cycled as the last figure of a zone-amount is typed, the cycling operation causing the amount to be accumulated in the dials 33, and also causing by the usual means restoration of the pins 35 so that the indexing mechanism will be cleared for indexing a following item, said following item being set up in the same set of rack-bars 34 as was the preceding item. There is a zone-tappet 53 for every column or zone 3| on the work-sheet 38, the machine being cycled for every amount printed on said sheet. The pin-restoring means are diagrammatically indicated in Figure 2 and are of the kind fully described in Hanson Patent 1,279,- 863,'dated September 24, 1918. Said pin-restoring means include a plate 26 coextensive with the 0 drive-racks 34. The general operator 41 carries a pawl 39, which, through the medium of a shaft 29, momentarily raises the plate ,28 to restore any set pins 35 just before the general operator 6'! completes its return stroke.

The work-sheet 30, Figure 3, exemplifies a simple account in which cross-computing is done. At the first line, the amount 21.50 is typed in the last column to represent the initial balance, and is at the same time, as soon as the last digit is printed, caused to be accumulated in the wheels 33 by cycling the machine. The first item is the debit-item 7.20 which is typed, after a linespacing and carriage-return operation, in the second line, first column, pursuant to which the machine is automatically cycled by means of the forwardly-acting dog 66 to cause said debitamount to be subtractively entered into the register-wheels 33 which then show a balance of 28.70. The carriage now is advanced to bring the third or balance column into use to copy said balance and to incidentally set it up substractively in the register-bars 31. Upon typing of the last figure of the balance 28.70 in said third column, the machine is again cycled, causing the register-wheels to be cleared. Entry on said work-sheet of the next item at a future date is accompanied by copying, in the same line as the previous item, the balance of 28.70 in the fourth or last column, in order than said balance may be set up in the register-wheels preparatory to entering said next item on the next line and computing a new balance. It will be seen that the aforesaid sheet 30 represents one of the simplest forms of cross-computing, to illustrate one purpose of the invention, namely, that the machine shall be capable of cycling repeatedly during the forward movement of thecarriage, and that a cycle shall be initiated automatically as the carriage takes the usual letter-feeding step following the typing of the last figure of an amount. This cycling of the machine in immediate sequence to the typing of the last figure is desir able in order that the carriage need not take any further advance step preparatory to returning the carriage from any zone. Usually, in the above-described example, the carriage is returned after printing the balance in the third column and initiating a cycle for clearing the registerwheels. r I

At the end of the typing in any line on the work-sheet 30, a power-driven carriage-return mechanism which may be similar to the one shown in Patent No. 1,580,326, to H. L. Pitman, is brought into use. Said carriage-return mechanism includes a manually-operable lever 86, pivoted at 81, and having a key 88 adjacent the typewriter-keyboard, as seen in Figure 2. Said lever 86 is operative to raise the forward end of a link 85 and thereby 'release the latter which is normally caught over a holding plate 89.

The released link 85 is pulled rearwardly by a spring 90 to rock a shaft 9|, to which is fastened a downwardly-extending arm 92, to which the rear end of the link is pivoted. Another arm 93 fastened to the rock-shaft 9| is connected by a' link 94 to an arm 95 of rock-shaft 9B which has an arm 91 articulated, as seen in Figure 2, to a carriage-return pinion 98 which meshes with a rack 99 upon the typewriter-carriage 23, the pinion 98 being slidable in axial direction upon shaft I and having clutch-teeth IOI which may engage a clutch I02 fastened to said shaft I00 which is journaled in a bracket I03 of the machine-frame. The shaft I00 carries a pulley I04 connected by a belt I05 to the electric motor 50 (see Patent No. 1,238,908 to F. A. Hart). The motor is normally silent and is only energized when the machine has to be cycled or the carriage 23 is to be returned. A switch within casing I06 is closed by means of a link I08 extended iming the described carriage-return-initiating In fast operation of the machine, the operator may press the carriage-return key 88 in such 5 rapid sequence to release of the numeral-key I0, operated for typing the last figure of an amount, that the carriage-return movement is caused to start before the carriage has had time to take the letter-feed step on which initiation of 10 the required machine cycle depends. Figure 3 illustrates this condition by showing engagement of the carriage-return pinion 98 with the clutchmember I02, both being under rotation on account of pressing the carriage-return key before rebound of the type-bar I4 and consequently before the carriage has had time to escape for actuation of the regular cycling dog 66 by the zone-tappet 53 followingsuch rebound. This condition arises, as shown, for example, in Figure 3, when the carriage is to be returned after the typing of only a single amount in a line, as when several items are entered on successive lines before clearing the register-wheels, and it may result that the required machine cycle is omitted. Such omission not being readily noticeabl an error in computation may result.

For preventing such omission of the machine cycle, there is provided upon the cycling lever 55 a separate cycling dog which may be an extra cam-piece I01 projecting from between the leverplates 59 and 60 and pivoted upon a stud I09 extending crosswise of said plates. The cam-piece I01, in its normal position, abuts the side of the collar 61, as seen in Figure 1, and is yieldably held against said collar BI so that it may be by-passed by any one of the zone-tappets 53 in the forward movement of the carriage, the cam-piece I01 being thus inoperative for tripping the cycling lever 55 during such forward movement. The cam-piece 101 has an arm H0 to which is applied a spring 1 II anchored to the lever 55 at M2 for yieldably holding the cam-piece against said collar 61.

The extra cam-piece may be so spaced from the regular dog or cam-nose 66 that, as seen in Figure 3, it becomes operative to actuate the cycling lever 55 for initiating a machine cycle at the start of the carriage-return movement. Thus the machine will be properly cycled even though the zone-tappet 53 does not reach the regular cycling dog or cam-nose 66 on account of premature operation of the carriage-return key. But when the carriage-return key is properly operated so that the regular cycling dog 66 takes ef- 55 fect the reversely-acting dog I01 is idle in that it does not initiate a cycle.

Figure 4 illustrates the zone-tappet 53 overriding the extra cam-piece I01 and causing the cycling lever 55 to be operated for initiating a cycle by the return movement of the carriage. Figure 1 illustrates by dot-and-dash outline I01 how the extra cam-piece I01 may be idly bypassed by the zone-tappet 53 in the forward movement of the carriage. Where a tappet 53 has passed the cam-nose 66, the latter, on account of its free pivoting, may in the return movement of the carriage assume the dot-anddash position 86, Figure 4, against the cam-piece I01. This is no moment, however, since the stud 61 is so disposed relatively to the tip of the cam-nose 66 that with the cycling lever in normal position, said tip is still in the path of the zonestops in the position 66, and that consequently the cam-nose 66, freely pivoted, is caused to be restored to its normal position against the adiusting screw W by forward movement of the carridge.

It will be understood that in the forward carriage-movement a tappet 58 passes the cam-nose 63 either when there are used several of said tappets or, if only one tappet is used, when the carriage has normally escaped at the writing of the last figure of an amount.

'It will be understood that the invention is not limited to use in conjunction with a cam-nose 68 mounted as thus described so long as said reguiar cam-nose is operative or the machine is otherwise cycled in the forward carriage-movement:

The denomination-selecting tappets QB are raised to operative position during the travel of the carriage through a computing zone by the usual support lit, Figure 2, said support being withdrawn during a machine cycle. The carriage 23 travels on the usual rails tit and M5, supported in the typewriter-frame i it.

The usual spring i ll co-operates with the usual stopping means to yieldabiy hold the cycling le-= ver 55 in normal position, wherein the cam-nose 5t and the extra cam-piece it? are in the path of the zone-tappets 53.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral-type keys, a co-operative letter-feeding carriage, means in which an amount is set up at any carriage travel computing-zone by said keys and carriage preparatory to a cycling operation at said zone, and key-operated power-driven carriage-return mechanism, of carriage-controlled cycling mechanism inciudingtrlpping means having a two-.

part dog-device engageable with tappet-means at each computing-zone, the first part of said twopart dog-device being engaged with the tappetmeans as the carriage takes the letter-feeding step following operation of a numeral-key to type and set up the last figure in an amount for said zone, to thereby trip the cycling mechanism for clearing the set-up means preparatory to operation in the next zone, the second part of said two-part dog-device being idly by-passed by said tappet-means before the latter is engaged with the first part of said two-part dog-device, whereby said tappet-means and said second part, in lieu of said first part, of said two-part dog-device become effective to operate said tripping means during a carriage-return movement started by operation of the carriage-return mechanism-key in such rapid sequence to operating the last figure numeral-key that the carriagefails to take the usual letter-feeding step on which depended operation of said trippin means-by means of thefirst part of said two-part dogdevice.

2. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral-type keys, a step-by-step feeding carriage, powerdriven mechanism for returning said carriage, a starting key for said returning mechanism, and set-up means in which an amount is set up under the control of said keys and carriage preparatory to a cycling operation, of cycling mechanism automatically operated by said carriage at each of successive zones of the carriage travel to accumulate the amount for said zone in a set of register-wheels and clear said set-up means preparatory to setting up an amount for the next zone, said cycling mechanism including a plurality of carriage-tappets, one for each zone and adjustable therefor on the carriage, and a member presenting a two-part dog-device, said mem- 5 ber operable by any tappet and connected to trip said cycling mechanism, the first part of said two-part dog-device presented by said member being engaged by said tappet to trip the cycling mechanism as the carriage advances aft- 10 er the setting up of the last figure of an amount in a zone corresponding to said tappet, the second part of said two-part dog-device presented by said member being idly by-passed by said tappet before the latter engages the first part of i5 said two-part dog-device, whereby said tappet and said second part, in lieu of said first part, of said two-part dog-device become effective to actuate said member and trip said cycling mechanism during a return movement of the carriage from the zone should said return movement be started prematurely in such wise as to prevent the carriage from taking said step upon which the first part of said two-part dog-device depended to come into play.

3. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral-keys, a co-operative step-by-step feeding carriage, power-drive mechanism for returning said carriage,

a starting key for said returning mechanism, 9 a totalizer, indexing means whereby an amount is set up by means of said keys and carriage at different computing zones of the latter, and cycling mechanism operable to accumulate the indexed amount in said totalizer and clear the indexing mechanism, of carriage-controlled means for automatically tripping the cycling mechanism, said carriage-controlled means including a two-part dog-device and complementary means, said two-part dog-device and complementary means coacting by means of the carriage movement to trip the cycling mechanism, the first part of said two-part dog-device coacting with said complementary means to trip said cycling mechanism, as the carriage takes the g5 usual feeding step upon the setting up of the last figure of an amount in any zone, to thereby provide for cross-computing the amounts indexed in said zones, the second part of said two-part dog-device being idly by-passed rela- 5o tively to said complementary means before the carriage reaches the last denomination in a zone, whereby said second part becomes efiective, in lieu of said first part, to coact with said complementary means to trip said cycling mechanism during a return movement of the carriage from a zone should said return movement be started prematurely in such wise as to prevent the carmechanism including tappet-means and a cooperative unitary dog-device having two pawls pivoted thereon, said tappet-means and dog device being relatively adjustable in the direction of carriage travel, for a computing zone and cooperating by means of the carriage movement to 1 trip said cycling mechanism for said zone, one of said pawls being engageable with said tappetmeans to trip said cycling mechanism as the car riage advances in the usual letter step movement upon the setting up of the last figure of an amount, the other pawl being idly by-passed by said tappet-means before the carriage reaches the last denomination in the zone but co-operative with said tappet-means to trip said cycling mechanism during a return movement of the carriage from the zone should said return movement be prematurely started after the tappet has passed said second pawl but before said tappet has tripped said first pawl.

5. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral-type keys, a step-by-step feeding carriage, powerdriven mechanism for returning said carriage, a starting key for said returning mechanism, and set-up means in which an amount is set up under the control of said keys and carriage preparatory to a cycling operation, of cycling mechanism automatically operated by said carriage at each of successive zones of the carriage travel to accumulate the amount for said zone in a set of register-wheels and clear said set-up means preparatory to setting up an amount for the next zone, said cycling mechanism including a plurality of carriage-tappets, one for each zone and adjustable therefor on the carriage, and a lever carrying a first and second pawl thereon connected to trip said cycling mechanism and operable by any tappet, the first pawl being engaged by said tappet to trip the cycling mechanism as the carriage advances in the usual step after-the setting up of the last figure of an amount in a zone corresponding to said tappet, the second pawl being idly by-passed by said tappet before the latter engages the first pawl but co-operative with said second pawl to trip said cycling mechanism during a return movement of the carriage from the zone should said return movement be prematurely started after the tappet has passed said second pawl but before said tappet has tripped said first pawl.

6. In a combined typewriting and computing machine having a key-operated step-by-step feeding carriage, tappets thereon and set-up means in which an amount is set up under control of the keys and carriage preparatory to a cycling operation, for returning said carriage, and a starting key for said returning mechanism, cycling mechanism including a tripping train therefor, said tripping train having therein a single lever carrying a first and second pawl thereon engageable by said carriage-tappets, one tappet for each zone and adjustable therefor on the carriage, the first pawl being engaged by a tappet as the carriage advances in the usual step, after the setting up of the last figure of an amount in a zone corresponding to said tappet, to thereby trip the cycling mechanism for clearing the set-up means preparatory to setting up an amount for the next zone, said second pawl of said trippingtrain being idly by-passed by said tappets before the latter engages said first pawl, said tappet and said second pawl in lieu of said first pawl becoming efiective to start said cycling mechanism during a return movement of the carriage from the zone should said return movement be prematurely started after the second pawl has been passed by said tappet but before wid first pawl has been tripped by said tappet.

WALTER T. SAGNER.

power-driven mechanism

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