US3127098A - N brewer - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1964 c. N. BREWER AUTOMATIC SEQUENTIAL LEADERING APPARATUS FOR TAPE PERFORATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1962 ATTORNEY-5 March 31, 1964 Filed D80. 6, 1962 C. N. BREWER AUTOMATIC SEQUENTIAL LEADERING APPARATUS FOR TAPE PERFORATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CLAIRE N. BREWER BY 9 I n/244021 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,127,098 AUTGMATIQ SEQUENTEAL LEADERING APPA- RATUS FGR TAPE PERFURATING MACEHNES Claire N. Brewer, Colorado Springs, Colo., asaignor to international Typographical Union of North America, Colorado Springs, Colo,

Filed Demo, 1962, Ser. No. 242,722

'3 Claims. (ill. 234=2i)) This invention relates broadly to theoperation of keyboards of machines which are used in the art of typecasting, typesetting and the transmission of messages and, more particularly, to machines which perforate tape which is used in the operation of typesetting or typecasting machines or the sending of messages, typewriting machines, electrotypesetters, Photon machines, machines for the automatic electrical control of typesetting or typecasting machines, Varitype machines, machines for typing matter from which printing plates are made, and the like. While the invention is useful in the operation of the keyboards of such machines, it will be particularly described in this application in connection with, and as applied to, auxiliary apparatus for operating a machine which perforates tape which is used to operate and control a typesetting or typecasting machine such as the Linotype, Intertype and Monotype machines.

It has, for many years, been the general practice in the printing art to cast and set type by the use of machines such as the Linotype. Such machines are equipped with a special keyboard usually having ninety keys, although sometimes a greater and sometimes a smaller number of keys are provided, and the operation of such machines must be performed by highly skilled personnel who are able to operate the special keyboard and perform other duties essential to the most efficient operation of these very complex machines.

It has heretofore been proposed to operate such typecasting machines by means of a perforated tape prepared on a machine having a keyboard which corresponds to the standard typewriter keyboard with the addition of certain keys for performing operations and producing characters which are necessary in printing but not in typewriting. Such machines are now available commercially, a typical one being known as the Teletypesetter. It has been found, however, that the over-all efiiciency and cost of typecasting with the use of such auxiliary tape perforating machines are less favorable than the efiiciency and cost of operation with the use of skilled Linotype operators who are particularly skilled in the operation of typecasting machines having the standard Linotype keyboard. The use of machines for perforating tape for the operation of typecasting machines has become widespread, however, and it will be apparent that further and very important advantages would be produced in the over-all efficiency and costs of a printing plant by the operation of such machines by skilled operators having knowledge of the entire typecasting, typesetting and printing operations and, particularly, being skilled in the use of the standard Linotype keyboard.

In my United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,679,902, 2,737,240 and 2,737,616 there is disclosed apparatus, including a keyboard having keys positioned and arranged substantially as in a standard Linotype machine keyboard, for association with a tape perforating machine such as the Teletypesetter, which apparatus, upon operation of its keys, will actuate the keys of the tape perforating machine to perforate tape in the normal manner of operation of the tape perforating machine. The apparatus provided by these patented inventions will be referred to hereafter in this specification as the auxiliary keyboard apparatus, and the tape perforating machine will sometimes be referred to as the TTS.

The present invention has to do with this auxiliary keyboard apparatus and, while it will be described in this specification in connection with a specific problem, namely the setting of type for telephone directory listings of name, address and number, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is of general utility and application in the typesetting and composing fields.

In the operation of such auxiliary keyboard apparatus to cause the associated tape perforating machine to make the tape perforations necessary to set a single line of a telephone directory listing, a great number of key operations must be performed. Thus, in order to produce the perforations necessary to set the following line:

Brewer Jean Mrs 824 Palm 297-3685 the following fifty-two operations of the keys of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus must be performed in ac cordance with known practice and in operating known apparatus:

Upper rail key Shift key Unshift key rewer keys (five key operations) Thin space key Shift key Unshift key can keys (three key operations) Thin space key Shift key M key Unshift key rs keys (two key operations) Spaceband Lower rail key 824- keys (three key operations) Shift key P key Unshift key aim keys (three key operations) Spaceband Upper rail key Em and en leader keys (six key operations) 297 keys (three key operations) Hyphen' key 3685 keys (four key operations) Return key Elevate key It will be apparent that the many operations which are required to produce the tape perforations necessary to set one line ofa telephone directory listing are time consuming and therefore costly and that it would be advantageous to reduce the number of such operations, and it has been the principal object of this invention to provide means for reducing the number of key operations required by such a listing, and this has been achieved by the means described in this specification.

It will be observed that the usual telephone number as now universally used consists of two groups, the first of which has three units, which may be two letters and one number, or three numbers, and a second group which has four units, which are always all numbers, the two groups being separated by a hyphen, such a complete number being illustrated by the number AD 2-2543 or its equivalent 2322543. In setting the type for a telephone directory listing of all numeral numbers, the column of numbers is justified at both the left and right sides. However, because of differences, from line to line, in the width of the name and address part of the listings, the distance between the end of such part and the first letter or numeral of the number listing varies from line to line. This has required the operator to compute for each line the number of leaders required between the name and address part and the number part, with consequent loss of time and added cost. In addition to this necessity to compute the number of leaders required for each line, it has also been necessary for the operator to keep careful count of the number of leaders which have been made, in order to stop the leadering operation at exactly the right place to leave room for the exact number of spaces required for the telephone number and, in addition, it has been necessary for the operator to make a separate key operation for each leader perforation. These requirements of the leadering operation have greatly increased the time required to complete the tape perforations necessary to set and cast a single line of a telephone directory listing, with consequent loss of time and increased cost.

It has therefore been the principal object of this invention to provide means for association with the auxiliary keyboard apparatus which are operative to produce automatically the tape perforations required for the leaders of each line of the telephone directory listing and, in addition, to produce the exact number of leader perforations required for each line, regardless of variation in the number of leaders from line to line.

It will be observed from the foregoing list of key operations necessary to produce a single line telephone directory listing that the same operations are always performed between the end of the address part of the listing and the beginning of the telephone number, it being remembered that the left edge of the telephone number listing must be justified. These operations, which are always the same, are the following:

Spaceband Upper rail key Em and en leader keys As these operations are always the same in perforating tape for any line of a telephone directory, and as the number of leader perforations varies from line to line, the invention provides means which are operative upon depression of the spaceband, after completion of the address perforations, to produce automatically the spaceband and upper rail key tape perforations and the proper number of leader perforations necessary to fill the line between the last tape perforation for the address and the first tape perforation for the telephone number listing.

FIG. 1, 1A of the drawings is a circuit diagram showing parts of an auxiliary apparatus for operating the keyboard of a tape-perforating machine, as provided by the invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the contact arm of the rotary switch which forms part of the invention.

In the drawings there is disclosed apparatus which is described and claimed in my aforesaid co-pending application (which is identified hereinafter) and which comprises a stepping relay A which is operative to produce successive tape perforations for setting some of the type required for a single line of a telephone directory listing or the like. It will be seen by reference to the table of necessary operations, which is set forth above, that the following sequences of key operations and tape perforations occur:

Spaceband Lower rail key spaceband Upper rail key The stepping relay A has twelve contacts which are ar- Reference Numeral Contact Contact label spaceband. SB Lower raiL. LR Neutral N 4 spaceband SB 5 Upper rail UR 6 Light. L

spaceband SB Lower rnil LR Neutral. N Spaceband SB Upper rail UR Light- L All of the spaceband contacts 1,, 4, 7 and 10 are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 14 to the open terminals of the windings of spaceband operating solenoid 16 and spaceband relay 18, the other terminals of which are connected to power. The armature of solenoid 16 is operatively associated with the spaceband lever 19 of the tape perforating machine, and the armature 20 of spaceband relay 18 is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 22, the second contact of which is connected by lead 24 to the winding of solenoid 26, the armature of which operates the contact arm 28 of the stepping relay A. The auxiliary apparatus which operates the keys of the tape perforating machine includes a spaceband key 30 which, when depressed, closes a normally open switch 32, one contact of which is grounded and the other contact of which is connected to the open terminal of the winding of solenoid 26.

The lower rail contacts 2, 8 are electrically connected together and are connected by lead to the open terminals of the windings of lower rail key operating solenoid 42 and lower rail relay 44. The armature of solenoid 42 is operatively associated with the lower rail key 43 of the tape perforating machine, and the armature 45 of relay 44 is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 46 the other contact of which is connected by lead 24 to the open terminal of contact arm operating relay 26.

The upper rail contacts 5, 11 of the stepping relay are electrically connected together and are connected by lead St) to the open terminals of the windings of upper rail key operating solenoid 52 and upper rail relay 54. The armature of solenoid 52 is operatively associated with the upper rail key 55 of the tape perforating machine, and the armature 57 of relay 54 is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 56, the other contact of which is connected by lead 24 to the open terminal of the contact arm operating solenoid 26.

Contacts 6 and 12 of the stepping relay are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 60 to one terminal of a lamp 62, the other terminal of which is connected to power.

Contacts 3 and 9 of the stepping relay are neutral contacts and are not connected in any circuit.

At the beginning of the operation of the tape perforating machine and the auxiliary keyboard apparatus in accordance with the sequence of operation for which the fixed contacts of the stepping relay A have been connected, as described, the rotatable contact arm 28 of the stepping relay is in engagement with lamp contact 12, this being its predetermined position at the start of the perforating cycle. In this position of the contact arm the lamp 62 is lit, showing that the next depression of the spaceband key 30 will produce the characteristic spaceband tape perforation.

Depression of the spaceband key will complete a circuit through switch 32 and the winding of solenoid 26, causing the contact arm 28 of the stepping relay to move into engagement with the fixed spaceband contact 1. This completes a circuit from the grounded contact arm 28,

7 a) through contact 1, lead 14 and the windings of solenoid 16 and relay 18. The armature of solenoid 16 will thereupon depress spaceband key 19 causing the characteristic spaceband tape perforation to be produced. Energization of relay 18 will cause the armature 29 thereof to close switch 22, thereby completing a circuit from the grounded armature and lead 24 through the winding of solenoid 26, causing the contact arm 23 of the stepping relay to move into engagement with fixed lower rail contact 2. This completes a circuit through the winding of the operating solenoid 42, of the auxiliary apparatus for operating the lower rail key 43 of the tape perforating machine and the winding of relay 44. The lower rail key is operated to produce the characteristic lower rail tape perforation and the relay 44 is also operated to close the switch 46 and complete a circuit through the winding of solenoid 26, thereby moving contact arm 28 into engagement with the fixed neutral contact 3 of the stepping relay. As this neutral contact is not connected in any circuit, no part of the apparatus is operated and the contact arm remains in engagement with this neutral contact until any subsequent operation of the spaceband key 30 of the auxiliary apparatus. On the next depression of this key the solenoid 26 will be energized to move contact arm 28 from neutral contact 3 into engagement with spaceband contact 4. A cycle of operation will be initiated causing operation of spaceband key 19 of the tape perforating machine and operation of relay 1% and solenoid 26 to move the contact arm from spaceband contact 4 to upper rail contact of the stepping relay. This, in turn, will cause the energization of solenoid 52 to operate the upper rail key 55 of the tape perforating machine, and the energization of relay 54, which will operate sole noid 26 causing the contact arm 28 to move from the upper rail contact 5 of the stepping relay into engagement With the light contact 6, causing the lamp to be lit.

It will be apparent that operation of the spaceband key will, through the operation of the stepping relay A and the connected parts of the described circuits, cause subsequent automatic operation of either the lower rail key 43 or the upper rail key 55 of the tape perforating machine, thereby simplifying the operation of the tape perforating machine and its auxiliary keyboard apparatus by reducing the number of manual operations required to make the necessary tape perforations in accordance with the schedule set forth above.

When the tape perforations necessary to produce the address part of the listing have been completed, the contact arm 2? of the stepping relay A will be at rest on either of the neutral contacts 3 or 9, awaiting depression of the spaceband 3-9 for automatic production of the spaceband and upper rail tape perforations, to be followed by the leader perforations which extend from the end of the address to the beginning of the telephone number.

The invention provides means for producing automatically, upon depression of the spaceband after the last tape perforation for the address part of the listing, the spaceband and upper rail tape perforations and then to produce a sufficient number of leader perforations to complete the space between the address part of the listing and the beginning of the telephone number. Such means comprise a selective rotary switch B comprising a plurality of normally open switches arranged in a circular series, twentyfour switches being shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention and being designated as '70 to 93, inclusive. The rotary switch also comprises a contact arm )4 which is rotatably mounted at its one end at the center of the circular series of switches and, at its outer end, engages successively the movable contacts of the switches as it is rotated in a clockwise direction by a motor 95, which may be a commercially available magnetic brake gear motor, and which drives the contact arm through a belt or gearing 97. It will be seen that as the contact arm moves in its normal rotation in a clockwise direction it will pass from its normal inoperative position in engagement with fixed contact hi5 successively over the movable contacts of switches "7&1 to 92, thereby successively closing and opening the switches.

All of the inner, movable contacts of these switches are connected together by lead 93 and are grounded at ltit).

lso, the movable contacts are in the same circular series having equal radius from the center of rotation of contact arm 94, except switch 93 which is spaced radially outwardly of the circular series of the other switches. The contact arm 94 has a first inclined surface 162 and a second inclined surface 194 which is at the outer end of the contact arm, while the inclined surface W2 is spaced inwardly therefrom. The surface 162 is adapted to engage all of the movable contact members of the switches 70 to 92 while the outer inclined surface 194 is positioned to engage only the movable contact of the radially outwardly displaced switch 93. The two inclined surfaces are offset with respect to each other, as shown in FIG. 2, so that the surface 1li4 will not engage the contacts 76 to 92, which are to be engaged only by surface 1%. The inner surface 162 is relatively long as well as being inclined, and because of this the switches 70 to 92 are held closed for a relatively long time as they are successively engaged by this inclined surface. The outer surface 1&4 is of relatively short length, and because of this the switch 93 is closed only instantaneously when the movable con tact thereof is engaged.

The keyboard of the TTS includes an En leader key 11%), a semi-colon key 112 and a comma key 114 which, upon depression, are operative to cause En, semi-colon, and comma tape perforations to be produced. In the usual typesetting and composing operation it is required only that there be a single magazine channel of En leader matrices, but for telephone directory listing it is necessary that there be additional En leader matrices available and this is accomplished by emptying the respective magazine channels of semi-colon and comma matrices and filling these with En leader matrices. However, this is not a necessary part of the invention and, if it is desired, only the En leader matrices in their usual magazine may be used.

In accordance with the invention described and claimed in the Letters Patent referred to above, operating solenoids 116, 118 and 120 are provided in operative relation, respectively, with the keys 110, 112, 114 of the TTS. Upon energization of any one of these solenoids the plunger thereof will be operated to depress the TTS key with which it is associated, thereby producing the En,

V semi-colon or comma tape perforation. As stated, in the production of telephone directories, with which the invention is particularly concerned, any one of these three tape perforations will cause an En leader matrix to be set and cast. One terminal of the winding of the operating solenoid 116 for the En leader key 11% is connected by lead to the fixed contacts of switches '72, 75, '78, 31, $4, 87 and 90 of the circular series of switches of the rotary switch B. One terminal of the winding of the operating solenoid 11$ for the semi-colon key 112 is connected by lead 132 to the fixed contacts of switches 71, '74, '77, 3t), 83, 86, 89 and 92 of the circular series of switches of the rotary switch B. One terminal of the winding of operating solenoid 12$ for the comma key 114 is connected by lead 134 to the fixed contacts of the switches '76, '73, '76, 79, 82, S5, 38 and 91 of the circular series of switches of the rotary switch B. The second terminal of each of the windings of the operating solenoids 115, 11%, 126 are connected by lead 14% to one fixed contact 142 of a single-pole, double-throw micro-switch 144 which is mounted on or adjacent to the counting scale 146 of the tape perforating machine and which is normally in engagement with the movable contact 148 of the switch which, in turn, is connected to a source of electrical energy. The second fixed contact 156 of the switch 144 is positioned upwardly of the counting scale (i.e. toward the end of the scale) from fixed contact 142 and the movable contact 148 is positioned between these fixed contacts and is provided with an extension which is engaged by the counting scale pointer 152 as it moves up the scale. This single-pole, double-throw switch may be adjusted along the counting scale, and in the construction and operation of the invention as it is being described in this specification it is so positioned that when the counting pointer 152 is eight spaces removed from the end of the scale it will engage the movable contact 148 and move it out of engagement with fixed contact 142- and into engagement with fixed contact 159 Which is connected by lead 154 to one terminal of the winding of the operating solenoid of the release latch mechanism 166* of relay C, which is now to be described.

Means are provided by the invention for controlling the operation of motor 96 thereby to operate the movable contact arm 94 of the selective rotary switch 13. Such means comprise the latching relay C which comprises relay coil 17d which, when energized, operates pivoted armature 172 to close two normally open switches 174, 11 5. One terminal of the operating coil of relay C is connected to power and the other terminal is connected to the upper rail contact 11 of the stepping relay A by lead 177. A pivoted latching arm 17% is constantly biased toward armature 172 by a spring 130 and, when the armature is moved to operative position closing switches 174, 176, the latching arm holds the armature in this position until it is pulled away from the armature by energization of release coil 16%. The terminals of motor 96 are connected to power through switch 176. One contact of the second switch 1'74 is connected by lead 190 to the outer, or fixed, contact of switch 93 of the selective rotary switch B, and the second contact of switch 174 is connected by lead 192 to the second terminal of the winding of the release coil 169 of relay C.

In accordance with the invention, the movement of the counting pointer 152 into engagement with the single pole 148 of switch 144 and the consequent engagement of contacts 148 and 156 causes energization of means by which depression of a letter key of the tape perforating machine keyboard causes a tape perforation to be produced representing a numeral which corresponds to any one of a selected group of letters. My co-pending application Serial No. 225,052, filed September 20, 1962, for Apparatus for Operating a Tape Perforating Machine Particularly for Setting Type for Telephone Directory Listings, discloses and claims this means for making letter to number transposition on depression of a letter key. Thus, if the conventional telephone number is AD 22543 and the equivalent all-numeral number is 232 2543, the invention of my co-pending application provides means which are operable upon depression of the A and D keys of the auxiliary apparatus to cause tape perforations for the numerals 2 and 3, respectively, to be made, thus relieving the operator of the necessity to make letter to number transposition. In the drawings forming part of this application there are shown the 2, A, B and C number and letter keys of the tape perforating machine, the corresponding keys of the auxiliary apparatus and a relay 2% which is operative, when energized, and with other means disclosed in the drawing and in my co-pending application, to cause the 2 key of the tape perforating machine to be operated upon depression of either the 2, A, B, or C keys of the auxiliary apparatus. The winding of the relay 2% is connected by leads 2l2 and 154 to the second fixed contact of the single-pole, double-throw switch 144 which is associated with the counting scale 146 and the counting pointer 152 of the tape perforating machine, so that when the pointer engages the movable pole 148 of switch 144 and moves into engagement with fixed contact 159 of the switch the winding of relay will be connected to power through leads 202 and 154- and switch members 150 and 3143, thereby energizing the means which cause the letter to number transposition.

P C Operation of the Invention Upon completion of the depression of the various keys of the auxiliary apparatus to complete all of the tape perforations of a single telephone listing through the end of the address, the contact arm 28 of the stepping relay A will be at either of the neutral contacts 3 or 2. At this time, depression of the spaceband 3% will cause a circuit to be completed from ground through switch 32, energizing solenoid id to cause further counter-clockwise movement of the contact arm 28, which will then move into engagement with spaceband contact 10 of the stepping relay. This will complete a circuit from ground through the contact arm and spaceband contact 10, lead 14 and the winding 16 of the operating solenoid for the spaceband 19, thereby depressing the spaceband to produce the characteristic spaceband tape perforation. Spaceband contact 1% is also connected to the winding of relay 20, i8 and this relay will therefore be energized, closing the switch controlled by the relay and energizing the operating solenoid 26 for the contact arm 28 of the stepping relay, causing the arm to move from spaceband contact It? to upper rail contact 11. Engagement with this contact completes a circuit through the winding of the operating solenoid for the upper rail key 55, operating that key to produce the characteristic upper rail tape perforation. At the same time, engagement of the contact arm 28 with upper rail contact 11 causes the relay 54 to be energized, closing the switch 56 operated thereby and energizing the operating solenoid 26 for the contact arm 28 of the stepping relay, moving the contact arm to the light contact 12 and thereby energizing the light 62.

Upon engagement of the upper rail contact 11 by the contact arm 23 a circuit is completed through the operating coil 17% of latching relay C, operating the armature 1.72 to close switches 174, 176. This energizes motor 96 which drives the contact arm 94 of rotary switch B in a clockwise direction. As the contact arm moves from its inoperative position at contact 93 into successive engagement with the movable contacts of switches '70, 71 and 72 the operating solenoids 120, 118 and 116 for the comma, semi-colon and En leader keys of the tape perforating machine are energized successively, depressing these keys to produce successive tape perforations characteristic of comma, semi-colon and En leader. As the comma and semi-colon magazines of the typecasting and setting machine have been filled with En leader matrices, each of these successive tape perforations will cause the Linotype (or other) machine to set and cast an En leader matrix.

A typical one of these circuits will be completed when contact arm 94 moves into engagement with the movable contact of switch 7%). When this occurs, the inner inclined surface N2 of the contact arm will engage the inner, movable contact of switch 70, moving the same outwardly into engagement with the fixed contact of the switch. As all of the inner contacts of switches 70 to 92, inclusive, are connected to ground at 1630, a circuit will be completed from ground through switch 70, lead 13 5 and the winding of operating solenoid 120 for the comma key 114 of the tape perforating machine, thereby operating that key. As the contact arm 94 moves over the movable contact of switches 70 to 22, inclusive, these switches will be closed and the keys 11.4, 112 and of the tape perforating machine will be successively operated. The surface 1&2 of the contact arm is sufficiently long so that each of switches 7% to 92, inclusive, is held closed for a sufficiently long time to permit operation of the operating solenoid for the associated key of the tape perforating machine.

V/hen the contact arm engages the movable contact of the end switch 3 the inclined surface 1% which is on the outer end of the contact arm engages the inner or movable contact member of the switch and completes a circuit from ground, through the switch, lead 1190, relay switch 174, and the release coil 160 of relay C, operating the latch 178 against the force of spring 180 to release the armature 172, thus opening switches 174 and 176. When these switches are opened the release coil 160 and the motor 96 are de-energized, the relay C remains deenergized and the contact arm 94 remains stationary at switch 93.

In operating a machine according to the invention, the distance between the end of the address part of the telephone directory listing and the beginning of the telephone number need not be known to the machine operator. As the contact arm 94 moves in a clockwise direction it will engage all of the movable contacts of switches 70 to 92, inclusive, and will close all of these switches. If twelve leaders are required to fill the space between the address and the telephone number, the closing of twelve switches, these being switches 70 to 81 inclusive, will close circuits to produce the characteristic tape perforations, resulting finally in the setting and casting of En leader matrices. When the contact arm has passed switch 31, however, the counting pointer 152 of the counting scale 146 will have moved into engagement with the single pole 148 of the double-throw switch 144, moving the same out of engagement with fixed contact 142 and into engagement with fixed contact 150. As stated before, the switch 144 is so positioned on the counting scale that it is operated to move from one contact to the other, as described, when the counter pointer 152 is eight spaces removed from the end of the scale, the eight spaces being determined by the eight units of the conventional telephone number. Movement of the pole 148 out of engagement with contact 142 disconnects the windings of the operating solenoids 116, 118 and 120 from the source of power, and movement of the pole 148 into engagement with fixed contact 150 connects the winding of relay 2% to power through leads 202, 15 4, contact 150 and pole 148, thereby energizing the relay and operating the means described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 225,052, now US. Patent No. 3,112,065, for producing the letter to number transposition. The contact arm 94 will continue to close switches 82 to 92 as it moves in a clockwise direction, but closing of these switches will not be ellective to operate the keys 110, 112 and 114 of the tape perforating machine as the operating solenoids 116, 118 and 120 for these keys have been disconnected from power by movement of pole 148 out of engagement with fixed contact 142.

While I have described and illustrated in this specification a number of embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the arts to which the invention relates that other embodiments, as well as modifications of those disclosed, may be made and practiced without departing in any way from the spirit or scope of the invention, for the limits of which reference must be made to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Auxiliary apparatus for successively operating a 11 2 leader key of the keyboard of a tape perforating machine to produce sucwssively a plurality of identical leader tape perforations for a single line of printing, comprising a solenoid operatively associated with the leader key to depress the same when the solenoid is energized, an electrical circuit including a source of power and the winding of the solenoid, a switch device having a plurality of normally open switches all of which are in the circuit and any one of which completes the circuit when closed, a contact arm movable with respect to said switches to close and then open each of them in succession to thereby successively energize and then de-energize the solenoid, means for moving the contact arm into closing engagement with all of the switches in succession, and means other than the switches for opening said circuit at a pre-determined number of printing units from the end of the line of printing for which the tape perforations are being made.

2. Auxiliary apparatus for successively operating a single key of the keyboard of a tape perforating machine to produce successively a plurality of identical tape perforations, comprising a solenoid operatively associated with said key to depress the same when the solenoid is energized, a circuit including the winding of said solenoid, a switch device having a plurality of normally open switches in said circuit, a contact arm movable with respect to said switches to successively close and then open each of them to successively energize and denergize the solenoid, means for operating said contact arm, a counting scale for said tape perforating machine, a counting pointer movable over said scale as each tape perforation is made, and means operable by said pointer at a predetermined place on said scale to open the circuit of the winding of said solenoid thereby to de-ener-gize the same and stop the production of identical tape perforations.

3. Auxiliary apparatus for producing a plurality of successive operations of a single key of the keyboard of a tape perforating machine to produce successively a plurality of identical tape perforations, comprising means associated with each key of the tape perforating machine to depress the same when operated, a control device, means operable upon operation of said control device for operating in a predetermined sequence, a pre-determined group of said key-depressing means not including said single key, means operable by said control device upon operating the last of the pre-determined group of said keydepressing means to operate the key-depressing means associated with said single key, and means for repeating the operation of said key-depressing means for said single key to produce a plurality of successive operations of said single key.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,734 Benham June 9, 1914 2,679,902 Brewer June 1, 1954 2,735,491 Frost Feb. 21, 1956 2,838,114 Goetz et al June 10, 1958

Claims (1)

1. AUXILIARY APPARATUS FOR SUCCESSIVELY OPERATING A LEADER KEY OF THE KEYBOARD OF A TAPE PERFORATING MACHINE TO PRODUCE SUCCESSIVELY A PLURALITY OF IDENTICAL LEADER TAPE PERFORATIONS FOR A SINGLE LINE OF PRINTING, COMPRISING A SOLENOID OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEADER KEY TO DEPRESS THE SAME WHEN THE SOLENOID IS ENERGIZED, AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT INCLUDING A SOURCE OF POWER AND THE WINDING OF THE SOLENOID, A SWITCH DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF NORMALLY OPEN SWITCHES ALL OF WHICH ARE IN THE CIRCUIT AND ANY ONE OF WHICH COMPLETES THE CIRCUIT WHEN CLOSED, A CONTACT ARM MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID SWITCHES TO CLOSE AND THEN OPEN EACH OF THEM IN SUCCESSION TO THEREBY SUCCESSIVELY ENERGIZE AND THEN DE-ENERGIZE THE SOLENOID, MEANS FOR MOVING THE CONTACT ARM INTO CLOSING ENGAGEMENT WITH ALL OF THE SWITCHES IN SUCCESSION, AND MEANS OTHER THAN THE SWITCHES FOR OPENING SAID CIRCUIT AT A PRE-DETERMINED NUMBER OF PRINTING UNITS FROM THE END OF THE LINE OF PRINTING FOR WHICH THE TAPE PERFORATIONS ARE BEING MADE.

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