US2854951A - Copyholder attachment for typewriter - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1958 Filed July 14, 1954 0. J. GOULD 2,854,951

COPYHOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY&M%N V EN YTOR.

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1958 o. J. GOULD COPYHQLDER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITER 3 Sheets-SheetB Filed July 14, 1954 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent O C(I PiHOL-DER ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITER I Oscar I. Gould, Cincinnati, Ohio Application July 14, M54, Serial No. 443,305 Claims. (Cl. 120-32) This invention relates to a device for facilitating the copying of written material and is particularly directed to a device adapted to be attached to a typewriter for supporting the sheet being copied.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 310,331 which was filed September 18, 1952, now abandoned.

Various devices have previously been proposed for holding a sheet of written material while it is being copied on a typewriter. In general these devices are either too bulky and complex, or too inconvenient, or too unreliable in operation to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem of supporting material being copied.

The present invention is predicated upon the concept of mounting a compact, lightweight, copyholder directly on the bail bar of a typewriter. The copyholder is adapted to support a sheet being copied, hereafter referred to as the copy sheet, in such a manner that the line to be typed is positioned directly in front of the typist.

The present copyholder is adapted for either automatic or manual operation. When the copyholder is adjusted for automatic operation the copy sheet is advanced through the copyholder in amounts equal to the advancements of the paper being typed over the platen. As a result, for every line on the sheet being typed, the corresponding line to be copied is always positioned in the copyholder where it can be most readily observed by the typist. When adjusted for manual operation, the copy sheet is advanced independently of the movement of the sheet being typed over the typewriter platen and any line of the copy sheet may be brought into view without disturbing the sheet being typed.

More particularly, a copyholder constructed in accordance with this invention includes a pair of end brackets which are mounted upon the bail bar of a typewriter.

Each of the end brackets is provided with a floating bearing and means for adjusting the position of the bearing relative to the bail bar. A copy roll is fitted over a shaft journaled in the two floating bearings and is disposed for frictional engagement with the two bail rollers, which in turn normally engage the typewriter platen. The copy roll is thus driven at the same surface speed as the platen.

The copy sheet is passed between the bail rolls and copy roll, around the copy roll, and then extends rearwardly. Preferably some means are provided for holding the copy sheet against the forward surface of the copy roll so that the sheet presents a smooth, wrinkle free, surface. In operation, the copy paper is inserted in the copyholder, so that the first'line to be copied rests on the forward edge of the copy'roll. After this line has been copied, the typewriter platen is turned in the usual manner, and the copy sheet is advanced by the same amount asthe sheet being typed; that is, if the latter sheet is advanced a single space, the copy sheet will move a single space, and if the sheet is fed double space, the copy sheet will advance a double space each time the platen is stepped ahead.

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Hence, the typist may operate the typewriter in the usual manner and the sheet which she is copying will automatically be positioned so that each line to be copied is brought into view as needed.

One of the principal advantages of the present invention is the reliability of the copyholder operation. The device is rigidly mounted upon the bail roll, and cannot be Vibrated or displaced by the severe jarring which accompanies shifting of the carriage back and forth. The copyholder advances the copy sheet evenly without skewing or bunching, and when set for automatic operation, always in amounts equal to the advances of the copy sheet over the platen. As a result the proper line is always brought into registry with the copy roll each time the platen is stepped forward and the operator need not take time to straighten out the copy sheet after it has been moved a few lines. This reliable operation is largely due to the securing of the copyholder directly to the bail bar so that the copyholder does not slip, slide or bounce relative to the bail rollers while the typewriter is in operation.

One of the principal objectives of the present invention is to provide a copyholder, which in addition to be reliable in operation, does not interfere with the normal operation of the typewriter. Obtaining a frictional drive from the platen through the bail rolls to the copy roll, which will always advance the copy sheet precisely the correct amount, requires a relatively sensitive adjustment of the pressure between these rolls. Otherwise, the copy roll will either slip, in which case the copy sheet will not be advanced sufiiciently to bring the line to be copied in proper registry with the roll, or if too much pressure is applied, the bail rolls will be retarded causing bunching of the sheet being typed as well as irregular advancement of the copy paper.

This objective has been achieved firstby providing a copyholder attachment which is of extremely lightweight so that a minimum dead load is applied to the bail rollers; and secondly, by providing adjustable floating bearings for the copy roll by means of which the relative spacing of the bail rolls and copy roll can readily be varied to secure the optimum amount of frictional engagement. The floating bearings can be shifted by merely turning two screws, so that after periods of long usage, the typist can compensate for wear or other changing conditions to maintain the copyholder in perfect operating condition at all times.

Another advantage of the present invention, is that the copyholder can be installed on any typewriter having a conventional bail roll assembly. Whether the copyholder is mounted on a portable, a standard typewriter, or on a machine having an extra long carriage, the same component parts are employed, except that the length of the copy roll shaft may have to be increased to fit extremely wide carriages. Furthermore, the construction of the copyholder and the manner in which it is attached to the bail bar facilitates the copying of sheets which are of substantially the same width as the maximum width sheet which can be accommodated by the carriage.

Other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a typewriter platen and a bail bar having a copyholder device of the present invention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the modified embodiment of the copyholder.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of a third embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of an additional modification of the copyholder.

Figure 10 is a perspective view showing an adidtional modified form of the copy holder device mounted in place upon the bail bar of a typewriter, the typewriter being shown fragmentarily only.

Figure 11 is an end elevational view of the copyholder device shown in Figure 10.

Figure 1 shows a preferred form of copyholder, to- 'gether with the parts of a typewriter with which it cooperates. As there shown, the copyholder includes two end brackets 10-10 which fit over the bail bar 11 of a typewriter and carry a copy roll 12, over which the sheet being copied is'passed. "Copy roll '12 normally resides in frictional engagement with bail rolls '13'13 and is ro tated in accordance with the movements of typewriter platen1'4,the' movements of the platen being frictionally transmitted to the copy roll through the bail rolls.

More particularly, end brackets 1010 are constructed of -any suitable lightweight material, such as plastic, aluminum, or brass, and are provided with a lower transverse opening-15, (Figure 3) through which bail bar 11 is fitted. The end brackets may be mounted in any suitable position along the bail bar and are locked in place by means of set screws 16 which are threaded through the end brackets and bear against the bail bar. Each end bracket 10 is provided with a floating bearing block 17 for iournalling shaft 18 upon-which is mounted copy roll 12 Each of the bearing blocks is supported for reciprocating movement within slideway 20 of its associated end bracket, side surfaces 21--21 of the slideway restraining the plug for movement longitudinally of the bracket. A spring 22 is fitted in recess 23 of the block and in a similar recess 24 of the bracket. This spring is normally compressed by the block, and is effective to urge it outwardly against set screw 26 which is threaded in the outer end of the bracket.

Suitable thrust bearings 27--27 are provided on shaft 18 for preventing longitudinal displacement of the shaft. Copy roller 12 may be mounted upon shaft 18 in any suitable manner, for example by press fitting and, is preferably constructed of a material having a relatively high coefficient of friction such as rubber, a fiber impregnated composition, or the like. A-knob 28 is mounted on one end of copy roll shaft 18 for hand operation of the copyholder, in a manner to be explained more fully below. Two spring, paper-holding clips 3030 are also mounted on bail bar 11. These clips are constructed of a resilient material, and include a loop 31 having a surface 32 in engagement with the straight edge of the bail bar for preventing rotating movement of the clip about the bar. Each of the clips carries a stay roller 33 rotatably mounted on pin 34. The stay rollers are lightly urged against the copy roll, and function to hold the sheet of copy paper firmly against that roll, thereby causing the sheet to present a smooth surface, the printing on which is readily visible.

In operation, copy paper 35 is inserted under the copy roll 12, between that roll and the bail rolls 13. The copy sheet is then passed around roll 12 and is allowed to extend freely behind the roll, just as the sheet being typed extends beyond the platen. The copy paper is held firmly against the front face of roll 12 by means stay rolls 33 carried by the spring clips. The first line to be copied can be brought into position on the forward portion of the copy roll, where it is readily visible, in one of two ways. If desired, the sheet being typed 36 can be inserted in the typewriter in the normal manner, and the 4 bail bar lowered to its operative position by means of conventional brackets 37. In this position the bail rolls 13 frictionally engage sheet 36, and are thereby rotated along with the typewriter platen when it is turned manually or by means of the spacing lever. To bring the desired line on the copy sheet into registry with the forward edge of roll 12, the platen is turned, driving bail rolls 13 and the copy roll; this is continued until the copy sheet has advanced the desired amount. Thereafter, as the paper is typed, the copy sheet is advanced an amount equal to the advance of paper over platen 14, and the line to be copied is always disposed along the copy roll when the corresponding space on the sheet being typed is in registry with the platen.

Alternatively, if the copyholder is to be operated manually, the bail bar is shifted to its forward, stable position out of engagement with the platen. The copy sheet is inserted between the bail rolls and the copy roll, and is passed over the copy roll in the same manner as before. However, for manual operation, knob 28 is turned to rotate the copy roll and advance the copy sheet until the desired line is in registry with the forward portion of roll 12. Manual operation is essential where the spacing of the copy sheet, and the sheet being typed, are not identical; for example, where triple-spaced material is be ng condensed into a double-spaced sheet. Manual operation is also required where there is a substantial d sparity in the Width of the copy sheet and the sheet being typed, so that a line on the copy sheet is not equivalent to a line on the sheet being typed. I

A slight modification of this embodlment is shown 1n Figure 8. As there shown, end brackets 10 are mounted upon bail bar 11, and are locked in place by means of set screws 16 just as in the preferred embodiment. In this modification, however, the spring clips 30 are omitted and their function is performed by trough segments 40. The trough segments 40 are generally U-shaped, and are mounted upon end brackets 10 in any suitable manner. The troughs generally surround the lower portlon of the copy roll, outwardly from the bail rolls, and are provided with a turned edge 41 to receive the copy paper 35 as it is fed into the trough before passing between the bail rolls and copy roll. The trough also includes an upper edge 42 which is effective to exert a slight pressure on the paper after it has passed over the front portion of the copy roller. The trough is thus eifectlve to channel the copy sheet around the copy roller, and to hold it against that roller to assure a smooth surface for easy reading.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of my invention which is substantially s1m1lar to the preferred embodiment, except that the two spring clips 30 and stay rollers 33 are omitted. Their funct on, of holding the copy sheet against the copy roller, is performed is this embodiment by an auxiliary roller 45. The auxiliary roller 45 is mounted upon a shaft 46 which extends parallel to the copyholder shaft 18, and is disposed behind that shaft. Shaft 46 is journaled in U-shaped extensions 47 of end brackets 4848. Extensions 47 include a longitudinal bearing slot 50 parallel to the longitudmal slideway 51 in which bearing block 52 is mounted.

The auxiliary roller rests freely in the slot, the only force it exerts against the copy roller being due to the weight of the auxiliary roller. Two collars 53-53 are mounted on shaft 46 just inwardly from end brackets 48 to prevent sideways movement of the shaft. A catch 54 is pivotally mounted as at 55 adjacent the lower edge of each of the end members 48. Catch 54 is configurated to include a straight edge 56 disposed for alignment with the edge of the slots when the catch is closed, and a curved lip 57 which extends over the top edge of the slot to prevent the escape of shaft 46 when the catch is closed. If it is desired to remove the auxiliary roller, catches 54 are turned to their open portion, indicated at 58 allowing shaft 46 to be lifted from the slot.

The end brackets 48 are also provided with. guidestrips upon the copy roll.

60 extending parallel to the copy roller 12 along the line rearwardly thereof and substantially beneath the auxiliary roll. Guide strips 60 function to support copy sheet 35 before it passes between the copy roll 12 and hail rollers 13. The guide strips 60 may either be fastened integrally with end members 48 or alternatively may be bolted to the lower edge thereof as by bolts 61. In this embodiment the copy sheet 35 first passes over guide strip 60, then between the copy roll 12 and hail rollers 14, around the copy roll and then passes rearwardly between copy roll 12 and auxiliary roll 45. The remainder of the copy holding device, and its manner of operation, are identical with the preferred embodiment.

A still further modification of the copyholding device is shown in Figure 9. As there shown, the end brackets 65 are mounted upon the bail bar 11 as in the preferred embodiment, and carry copy roll shaft 18 in floating journal blocks 66. These blocks are spring-urged upwardly against the lower edge of set screws 26 as in the preferred embodiment. An auxiliary roller 67, mounted upon shaft 68, is also carried by the end brackets for keeping the copy paper taut against roller 12. In this modification, the end brackets are provided with a front arm 70 and a rear arm 71, which together with the side walls 72 and 73 of the main bracket form slots 74 and 75. Shaft 68, carrying the auxiliary roller, can be inserted in either of these slots, and will rest slightly against the copy roll. If desired, catches such as those shown in Figures 5 to 7 may be provided to prevent the auxiliary roller from being accidentally lifted out of the slot. One of the advantages of supporting the auxiliary roller in the forward slot 74, is that it obscures the printed material lying on the upper edge of the copy roll, so that only the line being actually copied is visible to the typist. This tends to reduce errors which might occur from the typists eyes jumping from one line to the other, if more than one line were exposed The manner of operation of this embodiment is identical with that of the embodiments previously described.

The modified form of the copyholder device illustrated in Figures and 11 is designed to be removably attached to the bail bar of a typewriter. Referring to Figure 10, a typewriter, which is shown fragmentarily only, is designated 76. The typewriter shown is intended to be representative only, inasmuch as the copyholder illustrated is adapted to be mounted upon any typewriter having a conventional bail bar. In this figure the typewriter platen roll is indicated at 77, the bail bar is indicated at 78, and the bail rolls indicated at 79-79. The copyholder is mounted upon the bail bar by means of a pair of end brackets designated 80-80.

Each end bracket includes a first arm 81 which is adapted to be engaged upon the bail bar in clamping relationship. The first arm is configurated to provide a seat 82 which is adapted to embrace the bail bar. The arm is slotted as at 83 inwardly of seat 82 and is configurated outwardly of seat 82 to provide a throat 84. The arm also is threaded at a place inwardly of seat 82 in order to receive a clamping screw 85. The screw 85 traverses the arm in a direction at right angles to the slot 83 and may be tightened and loosened to clamp and unclamp the first arm onto the bail bar. The end of the first arm opposite to the throat 84 has a pin 86 therein which journals a second arm 87 of the bracket. The second arm is normally urged in a clockwise direction as illustrated in Figure 11 by means of a safety-pin spring 88, which spring is looped around pin 86 with one arm thereof engaged in bracket arm -81 and the second arm thereof engaged under bracket arm 87.

The copy roll in the modified form is indicated at 90. This roll is mounted upon a shaft 91, the opposite ends of which are journalled in the respective, pivoted or second arms 87 of the two end brackets 80-30. Just as in the other forms of the invention knobs 92-92 may be provided for hand manipulation of the copy roll. At the respective front and back sides of the copy roll 90 snapon stay rods 93 and 94 are provided to guide the copy sheet which is designated 95. The respective opposite ends of each stay rod are journalled in notches 96-96 which are cut into the upper faces of the respective arms 87 of the end brackets. The stay rods are disposed parallel to the copy roll and are spaced therefrom so as to maintain the copy sheet at the rear of the copy roll above the typing sheet, and so as to present the copy sheet at the front thereon in position for easy reading. Both of the stay rods at each end thereof are removably held in the notches 96 by means of a pair of leaf springs 97-97. Each leaf spring is riveted to the top of the arm 87 of an end bracket and has its opposite ends shaped to receive and clamp the stay rods in the notches 96 in snap-fit relation.

The copyholder device of the modification just described operates in substantially the identical way to the ones illustrated in Figures 1-9. The copy sheet is inserted underneath of the copy roll at the rear, passes between the copy roll and the bail rolls 79-79, and threads upwardly between the copy roll and the stay rod 93 which is at the front of the device. As will be seen in Figure 10, the stay rod at the front of the device is positioned so as to provide a guide for the line of type on the sheet being copied.

The present copyholder attachment, in its preferred or modified forms, can be installed on any typewriter having a conventional bail assembly. The only change which might be required is the use of a longer copy roll shaft on typewriters having an exceptionally long carriage. No other changes are necessary in the remaining elements of the device, whether it is to be installed on a standard typewriter, a portable typewriter, or one having a special length carriage. When installing the copyholder on any typewriter, the end brackets are generally locked in place on the bail bar a short distance inwardly from the ends of the platen, so that the copyholder device is adapted to support copy sheets of substantially the same width as the widest paper which the carriage can accommodate.

Furthermore, the entire weight of the copyholder assembly is relatively small, and does not affect the normal operation of the typewriter. Since the copyholder is entirely supported by the bail bar, its light weight is essential; any excessive weight upon the bail bar increases the frictional engagement of the bail rollers with the sheet being typed, retarding the normal advancement of that sheet, causing it to bunch up. This results in uneven spacing of the typewritten lines and even skewing of the lines upon the sheet.

The rigid mounting of the copyholder upon the bail bar prevents any relative movement of the copyholder and carriage assembly. As a result, there is a steady, reliable friction drive from the platen through the bail rolls to the copy roll. This assures even advancement of the copy paper in an amount equal to the advancement of the sheet being typed over the platen. This even advancement occurs despite the normal vibrations of the typewriter carriage, and the jarring accompanying the shifting of the carriage back and forth.

The mounting of the copy roll within the end brackets by means of floating bearings facilitates the correct relative positioning the of the copy roll relative to bail rolls, so that sufficient frictional engagement is obtained between these two rolls without causing excessive drag or retardation of the bail rolls, resulting in bunching of the carriage roll paper and sticking or uneven advancement of the copy paper.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A copyholder attachment for a typewriter having a rotatable paper carrying platen, a bail bar, 'bail rollers mounted upon said bail bar, said bail rollers normally being in engagement with the paper carried by said platen, said copyholder comprising a pair of end brackets, each of said end brackets being mounted upon said bail bar, a shaft, :1 copy roll mounted upon said shaft, bearings for journalingsaid shaft, said end brackets being configurated toiform aislideway for "slidably receiving saidibearings, a springxmounted within said slidewayzfor urgingrsaid bearingsout-wardly from-;said-bail bar, screw;means for-adjustably restrainingithe outward movement of said-bearings-whereby thetrelative position of the copyroll andbail rolls maybe selectively v-aried.

2. A-copyholder:attachmentafor a-typewriter having a rotatable paper carrying platen, a bail :ban'bail rollers mounted upon said bail bar, :sa-id :bail :rol-lers normally "being-in engagement with;paper'carried by said platen, said copyholder comprisingta pair of end brackets,-.each :of ;said zendbrackets being mounted upon said bail :bar, means:for:holdingssaidcbrackets in place upon said bail bar, a shaft, a copy roll mounted upon said shaft.

said copy:rollzbeing'ofisubstantiallydhe same size as said bail roll, saidibearingstbeing:slidably:mounted.in-said end brackets:for'movement toward andaawayzfrom said bail bar, Jmeans associated with said :brackets :for adjustably resisting i the movement *of :said ibearings away from "said bail bar.

3. A ;copyh'older aatttachment for :a typewriter :having axrotatabletpaper carrying platenga baillbar, ihail rollers mounted upon-said 'bailibar, said'bail rollers normally being in engagement with the paper carried by saidrplaten, saidrcopyholdertcomprisinga pair of end brackets, each of saidzendbrackets :beingmo-unted upon said'bail bar, a shaft, a copy roll mounted upon said shaft, bearings for journaling-saids'shaft; said end brackets being configurated to form a slideway fonslidably receivingsaid bearings, a spring m011ntdiWlthl11 S3id slideway for urging said bearings=outwardlyfrom 'said bail bar, means carried' by said end brackets for adjustablyrestraining the outward movement of said bearings whereby the relative position of the copy roll and bail rollsmay be selectively varied.

*4. A eopyholder attachment for a typewriter having a rotatable paper carrying platen, a bail bar, bail rollers mounted .upon said .bail bar, said bail rollers normally being.in;engagement'withithepaper carried by said .platen, saidacopyholder comprising a ;pair of end brackets, each of tsa-id'end brackets being mounted upon-said baihbar, a shaft, a copy .roll mounted upon'said shaft, bearings for journalingzsaidzshaft, said end brackets being configurated to form a-slideway for:.slidably receiving said bearings, a springimounted-within-said slideway fonurging said bearings outwardly'from the-said bail bar, means-carried by said endbraeketstfor adjustably restraining'theoutward movement of said bearings whereby-the relative :position of the copy roll and bail rolls maybe selectively varied, and means mounted on saidbracketsfor-urging the copy paper againstisaidrcopy roll.

5. A copyholder attachment for a typewriter having a rotatable paper carrying L-platen, a bail bar, bail rollers mounted upon said bail 'bar, said 'bail rollers normally being'in engagement with-thepaperscarr'ied by said-platen, said copyholder:comprisingza pair of end brackets, means for releasablytclampingsaid'rendrbrackets to said :bail'bar adjacent: to the respective oppositeends thereof, a sha'ft, a copy roll mounted upon said shaft, said copytroll being cf substantially the same diameter as the bail rollers, means for journalling the respective opposite ends :ofsaid shaft in the respective end brackets with said'shaft disposed parallel'to said bail bar, and means carriedc'by said brackets for positioning sai'dvcopy roll relative 'to said bail rollers,'said last named means'resisting movement of said copy roll away from said-bail-rollers.

ReferencesCited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,009,455 Utsch Nov. 121, 19.11 1,227,436 Hendrix May 22, 1917 1,285,242 .Krueger Nov. 19,1918 2,442,811 Hoover June 8, ,1948

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