US2265088A - Word counting mechanism for typewriters - Google Patents

Description

. Dec. 2, l94l. JQE. TUCKER ,IORD GOUIITIIG CHAIIISI FOR TYPEIRI'I'ERS vuX:

4 shoets sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1939 Inventor Dec. 2, 1941. J. E. TUCKER 2,255,038

wonn cotm'rma macmunsu ron nrmnms Filed July 12, 19:59 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 $6, 7 Inventor v fflfac/rer Dec. 2, 1941. J. E. TUCKER 2,265,083

'QRD COUNTING IECHAIISI FOR TYPHIRITBRS 7 Filed July 12, 1939 4Shets-Sheet 3 n 62 0 K, -n; 4;, i; 6'0 7 9 67 8Q I 6.9

A tiomeys Inventor Dec. 2, 1941. J. E. TUCKER WORD COUNTING MECHANICS" FOR TYPEVIRITERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 12, 1939 m n 0; r 0 vN. a u" I u H 1 n 7 n RN. u H

A tiomeys Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WORD COUNTING DIECHANISM FOR I TYPEWRITEBS' Junius a. Tucker, Buffalo, N. r.

Application July 12, 1939, Serial No. 284,064

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to typewriters and more particularly to counting mechanism for counting each word as a typewriter or other typographic keyboard is being operated.

An object of the present invention is to provide means of this character adapted to correctly count each written word, and embodies the provision of a counting mechanism operated by the same members of a typewriter that are used in typing so that each actuation of these parts will result in the counting of individual words, and also to provide a'mechanism whereby each word occurring at the end of a written line may be counted without resorting to the use of the space bar for this purpose, and without any attention of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this character in which the counting mechanism is controlled by the typing members, together with the space bar, so that a false counting cannot be made on the counting mechanism merely by operating the space bar, but in which an operation of the type bars as well as the space bar and other members used in typing, is necessary to complete the counting of the words.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the counting control mechanism shown in operative position relative to the space bar, type bars and other features of a typewriter.

Figures 2 to 9 inclusive represent perspective views of certain of the parts employed in carrying out the invention.

Figure 10 is a front elevational view of the counter.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on a line ll-ll of Figure 10, and illustrating the pawl and ratchet operating mechanism for one side of the first counter disk.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view through the counter casing showing an opposite side of the counter disks for recording the successive digits.

Figure 13 is a front elevational view of one of the disks, and

Figure 14 is a fragmentary plan view showing how any type bar operates the counting mechanism and how the platen roller operating lever is also utilized as an operating element for the mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 in Figure 1 shows a portion of a typewriter frame in dotted lines and to which is suitably mounted the counter casing 6 having the operating lever 1 projecting forwardly therefrom and connected by a link 8 to a lever 9 pivoted intermediate its ends as at I. The link 8 is connected to the rear end of the lever 9, the front end of which underlies the downturned end of an arm ll having its opposite end secured to the space bar l2 of the machine.

The forward end of the lever 9 extends downward as shown at 13 and is provided with a pair of vertically spaced pins I4 between which one end l5 of a bell crank lever is positioned, the bell crank lever being pivotally supported intermediate its ends as at It and has its other end I! extending vertically in the path of the down-- wardly turned end ill of a drag link l9 which extends toward the rear of the machine and has its rear end upwardly and rearwardly inclined as shown at 20 and pivotally connected near one end of a laterally positioned flat bar 2| which has its ends movably pivoted as at 22 to the side frames of the machine. The bar 2| is engaged bya lateral lug 23 intermediate the ends of a lever 23' pivoted as at 24 to the carriage frame of the platen, one end of the lever 23 being offset to the left-hand end of the bar as at 23", and extends upwardly and has its upper end pivotally attached to a link 25. The link 25 extends forwardly and has its forward end secured to the combined platen, operating and carriage return lever 26 by a connecting member 21.

One of the type bars is indicated at 28 and the hyphen bar is shown at 29. A lug 30 projects downwardly from the hyphen bar to which is pivotally attached the rear end of an arm 3| which extends forwardly and has a slotted opening 32 formed in its front end provided with a downwardly extending notch 32 at the front end of the slot and within which a pin 33 is inserted, the pin projecting laterally from the rear end of a catch 34 pivotally mounted intermediate itsends as at 35 for engagement in a notch 36 formed in an arcuate member 31 pivoted at one end as at 38 .to the frame and having a leaf spring 39 engaging its opposite end to yieldably urge the notch 3b out of engagement with the ad acent end of the catch 34.

A pin 40 projecting laterally from one end, of a rocker arm 4| is adapted to engage under the drag link l9 as well as enter the notch 36, the rocker arm being pivotally mounted intermediateits ends as at 2 and has its opposite end inclined upwardly for engagement by the lower edge of the hyphen bar 28.

The arm 3| immediately rearwardly of the angular slot 32 is provided with a laterally projecting pin 43 engaged in a slot 44 of the forward end of the slotted arm 45 which has its rear end secured to a transversely extending plate 46' which is pivoted at its rear edge as at 46 to the pivotally connecting alternately reciprocating bar 49 to the front edge of a transversely extending relatively broad bar 49 having trunnions 66 proheating from its front end edges for piv'otally mounting said front edge in the typewriter frame, the rear edge of the bar resting on the front edge of the plate 46 and engaged by lugs 6I formed on the under side of the type bars 29.

The front end of the alternating reciprocating bar 49 is formed with a tapered head 62 movably supported on a roller 63 and adapted to ride under the downwardly extending end I3 of the pivoted v lever 9.

In the operation of the counter actuating mechanism described above, when the space bar I2 is depressed the arm II rocks the lever 9 in a manner to move the link 8 and counteroperating lever I upwardly. This movement of the lever 9 also rocks the bell crank lever I6 to move the upwardly extending end I! thereof inwardly away from the hook I9 of the drag link I9.. The count-' ing machine is now set and when any of the type the counter again to be actuated by the first letter of the next word, or of any numeral, as by the de-'" pressing of the type bar.

When the end of the typewritten line is reached the space bar ordinarily is not depressed and accordingly it becomes necessary to move the counter operating lever 1 into a counting position by other means, otherwise the last word of a line and the first word of the next line would be counted as one. Accordingly, as the platen-operating lever 26 is actuated to return the platen carriage to the right hand side of the machine, the drag link I9 is then actuated, which moves the hook I8 thereof rearwardly against the upturned end, II of the bell crank lever I6, thus causing a downward movement of the front end of the lever 9, in the same manner as that accomplished through the operation of the space bar I2. 1

When a word is divided and the last portion of the word is carried to the beginning of the next typewritten line, a hyphen is used at the end of 'the preceding line and upon the actuation of the hyphen key, the hyphen bar 29 will operate the rod 3| which, by reason of the pin and slot connection 32 and 33, will prevent any effect of the movement of'the reciprocating bar 48, for at the same time the hook-I8 of the drag link I9, through the medium of the rocker arm 4I and pin 40, has been lifted to a position too high to engage the bell crank lever I6 and is held in this position by the pin 40 slipping into the notch 36 of the arouate member 31. This lifting of the drag link I9 prevents the counter from being reset by the movement of the platen operating lever 26 and therefore prevents the hyphenated word from being counted twice. However, the hook I8 of the drag link I9 will again be lowered by the first letter subsequently depressed by any type bar operating on the bar 49 causing a rocking movement thereof and actuating the pin 43 carried by the rod 3| and rocks the catch 34 by reason of its connection with the slot 32, resulting in a swinging movement of the arcuate member 31 to rei .arcuate member 31 above the notch 36, so that when the curved end of the catch 34 moves downwardly on the rounded or cam edge of the arcuate member 91, said member 31 will be rocked forwardly; bearing against the spring 39, which action releases the pin 49, and as the drag rod I9 is resting on the pin 40 it will be pushed downwardly by the rod, thus causing the opposite end of the rocker arm 4I to move against the hyphen bar 29. When this bar is struck, the motion of the members is reversed through the power of the hyphen bar 29 and spring 39, thus locking the pin 49 in the notch 36.

The counting mechanism is shown in detail in Figures 10 to 13 inclusive, and includes the casing 64 having the groups of window openings 66 formed therein. r

'A plurality of counter disks 66 are freely mounted in the casing on a shaft 61, each of the disks having a ratchet 66 fixed to one'side thereof,

and the lever 1 projects inwardly through a slotted opening 69 in the casing and is pivoted at its inner end as at 69. A dog 6I is secured to the lever for engaging the teeth of the ratchet 66 for successive movement of the teeth upon a depressing action of the lever I. A leaf spring 62 yieldably holds dog 6| in its engaged position termined movement of the disk 66 thus causing a limited movement of the adjacent disk.

I Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a counting mechanism for typewriting machines employing a keyboard including a pivoted carriage return and line spacing lever, a counter mechanism having a two-stage counting movement, initial counter actuating means operatively connected to the carriage return and line spacing lever of the machine, hyphen bar actuated means operable to render the carriage return and line spacing lever operating means ineffective upon the actuation of the hyphen bar of the machine, and independent operating means for completing the counting operation.

2. In a counting mechanism for typewriting machines employing a. keyboard including a space bar, a counter mechanism having a two-stage movement to complete a counting operation, a pivoted counter actuating lever operable upon opposite movements to complete a counting operation, means for moving the lever in one direction, a transversely extending pivoted plate un- JUNIUS E. TUCKER.

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