US1829931A - Typewriting machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 3, 1931. E. B. HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 4, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY zzzwwzzajza,

INVENQTOR mm, (Mag/1- ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1931. E. B. HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 4, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1931. E. B. HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 4, 1930 Patented Nov. 3, 1931 I UNITED TA-res EDWARD B. HESS, F ORLANDO, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR3'IO RDYAL' TYPEWRITER COMPANY,

PATENT "O 11m, 01? NEW YORK, N. Y.; A coRnoRnTIoN on NEW YORK TYPEWRITING MACHINE Application filed March 4, 1930. ,v Serial No. 433,064.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in typewriting machines generally, although more particularly to a carriage centralizing device therefor.

Portable typewriting machines are generally mounted in carrying cases or cabinets which include a base to which the machine is attached, and a removable cover. These cases are built as small as possible and therefore shift lock release key, thereby positioning thecarriage in proper position to permit the A its lower position. When it is desired to applythe cover, it is necessary to centralize thecarriage relative to the main frame, and, 'if the carriage is 111 upper case position, it 1s necessary to lower the same by operating the ready application of the cover. In the centralizing operation, if the carriage is positioned too far to the right or left relative to the main frame, to the extent of several letter spaces, it is practically impossible to apply the cover, and it then becomes necessary for the operator to move the carriage until its exact center .position'is obtained.

oftentimes the operator, after centralizing the carriage and placing the cover overthe machine, finds that the cover will not engage the base owing to the carriage being in its upper position. It is then necessary for the operator to remove the cover, lower the car riage, and then reposition the cover.

In portable machines, practlcehas demon strated that jars and shocks incident to transportation are very detrimental to the escapement owing to the'carriage being connected.

Among the several objects of my invention are to provide a device which may be manually moved into the path of movement of the carriage to effect a stoppage'of the carriage in an exact centralizing position and which may be manually moved out of said path of movement; to provide such a device which may be retained against accidental displace ment in either its effective or ineffective position; to provide such a device which when,

moved toits effective or centralizing position will function to release the carriage escapement rack and hold the same released while simultaneously locking the carriage againsttrav'el movement in either direction to provide a direct connection between said device and the shift lock key whereby the latter will be released automatically upon movement of the former in one direction, and

to provide such a connection which will permit the operation of the shift key without im parting movement to the centralizing device.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portable typewriting machine embodying my invention, the shift frame being shown locked in its upper position and the centralizing device being shown in its ineffective position,

Figure 2 is a similar View, but showingthe centralizing device 'in'its operative position, the shift lever released, and the shift framein its lower position.

, Figure 3 is altop plan view thereof, p Figure 4 is a detail side elevation showing means for yieldably retaining the centralizing device in its ineffective position, I

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing another form of my invention, and

' Figure 6 is a detail top plan view thereof, and

-Figure 7 is a detail section.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave'il lustrated my invention as being applied to a Royal portable machine,such as is shown and described in the patent to Myers, 1,559,123, Oct. 27, 1925, and therefore only such parts ofjsaidmachine are shown in the accompanying drawings as will be necessary to sulficiently illustrate the application of my invention. i

' In the said drawings I have shown a main frame A in which is mounted for vertical movements a shift frame B on which is mounted for letter space movementsaqcarriage G having a platen 5. Type bars -D are mounted on a segment on the mainframe in the usual manner for cooperation with the platen 5. The'carriage C is supportedon the shift frame B, through the medium ofupper and lower pairsof rails 6-6 and 7'7, the former being fixed to the'carriage and the i shift lever 9 and functions to normally urge i the upper position, the rear pressure exerted latter being fixed to the shift frame. Antifriction balls 8 are disposed between associated upper and lower rails.

A shift key lever 9 is provided at its front end with a key 10 and is operatively connected to the shift frame B as disclosed in the Myers patent referred to above. This shift key lever is pivoted as at 11 to a bracket 12 secured to the main frame. The shift key lever 9 is provided with an extension 13 which projects upwardly above the pivot 11 and is connected at its upper end to a link 14 which is connected to the shift frame B.

A shift lock key 15 has a stem provided with a short forward extension pivoted at 16 to the front portion of the shift key lever 9. The key 15 is provided with alip 17 which is adapted to engage the underside of the shift lever 9. A spring 18 is connected at one end to the shift lock key and at its other end to the the shift lock key 15 in a forward direction. The shift lock key is provided with a dwell or seat 19 which is adapted to engage a pin 20 fixed to an arm 21 extending forwardly from the main frame A. Thus when it is desired to raise the shift frame to its upper position, and retain it in said position, the operator urges the shift lock key 15 downwardly and rearwardly. When the shift frame reaches on the shift lock key 15 will cause the dwell or seat 19 to be positioned under-the pin 20, and'upon release of said key 15 by the operator the shift frame will be locked in its upper position. It will be. understood that the friction between the seat 19 and the pin 20 is greater than the tension of the spring 18 and consequently the shift lock key 15 will remain in its locked position until released.

The machine includes the usual spring 1110- tor 22 and an escapement mechanism which includes the usual pinion 23 and feed rack 24. The feed rack 24 is pivotally mounted at its ends as at 25 to the carriage ends and rigidly connected with the opposite ends of the feed rack 24 are carriage release arms or levers 26 and 27, the former being located at the lefthand end of the carriage and the latter being located at the right hand end thereof. It will be understood that the feed rack 2a is normally held in cooperative engagement with the escapement pinion 23 through the medium of a spring (not shown).

As previously stated, my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with portable machines and usually these machines are mounted in carrying cases, each case including a base 28 and a cover 29. The machine is fixedly secured to the base 28 by any suitable means and the cover 29 is adapted to be positioned over the machine and detachably and removably connected to said base. Inasmuch as the case is of a size sufficient only to receive the machine, it is necessary to centralize the carriage C with respect to the side walls of the main frame, and also necessary to have the shift frame in its lower position.

It is also desirable to release the carriage escapement and lock the carriage against travelmovement in either direction when the carriage is in its centralized position and at the same time maintaining the escapement in its released condition.

In order to positively center the carriage relative to the main frame preparatory to positioning the cover 29 on the base 28, I have provided a manually operable central izing device or stop 30 which consists of a hell crank lever as shown in Figures 1 to 4. This lever is pivoted at its angle as at 31 to the left hand side plate of the main frame in front of the carriage C, and includes a stop arm 32 and an operating arm 33. IVhen the centralizing device 30 is in its ineffective position, as shown in Figure 1, the stop arm 32 is disposed in front of the carriage whereas when the device is in effective position it is disposed in the path of travel of the carriage as shown in Figure 2. Stop pins 34 and 35 on the side plate of the main frame A cooperate with the stop arm 32 and operating arm 33 to limit the effective and ineffective positions of the device. It will be observed that the device is operable manually to each position. IVhen the device is in effective position, the stop arm 32 will be disposed in a position to be engaged by the left hand end of the front carriage rail 6 and thereby centralize the carriage relative to the main frame.

In Figure 4, I have illustrated a modified form wherein the deviceis yieldably held in its ineffective position by a spring 30a which is connected at one end to the operating arm 33 and at its other end to the side plate of the main frame A.

' A link 36 is pivotally connected at its rear end 'as at 37 to the operating arm 33 of the centralizing stop 30, and at its other end to the shift lock key 15 at a point below the pivot 16 thereof, the latter connection comprising a pin 38 fixed to the key 15 and a loop 39 formed in the link 36. \V hen it is desired to centralize the carriage, the operator first moves the carriage to the right and then swings the centralizing stop 30 rearwardlv until the stop arm 32 is positioned in the path of movement of the carriage when the latter is moved to the left upon release of the escapement mechanism. The operator releases the escapement mechanism by shifting either of'the carriage release levers 26 or 27, preferably the latter. The operator maintains the escapement mechanism in its released position until the carriage has moved to the left and has engaged the stop arm 32. In the form shown in Figures 1 and 2 the centralizing device 30 will remain in its effective position until withdrawnby the operator. If the Figure 4 construction is employed, the spring 30a will function to automatically return the centralizing device 30 to its'ineifective position as soon as released by the operator.

If the shift frame is locked in its upper position by the shift lock key 15, as shown in Figure 1, the rearward swinging movement of the centralizing device 30 will through the link 36. swingthe key 15 on. its pivot and thereby release the shift key lever 9 and permit the shift frame to move to its lower position. By reason of the loose connection between the link 36 and the key 15, the shift key lever 9 may be operated without imparting any movement to the centralizing device 30 regardless of whether the device is in its effective or ineffective position.

In the form illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, I have provided a centralizing device which when moved to its efiective position will not only release the escapement mechanism but will also look the carriage against travel movement in either direction. To this end, I-have provided a centralizing device 40 in the form of a bell crank lever which is pivoted as at 41 to the side plate of the main frame at a point directly below the carriage.

This lever includes a stop arm 42 and an operating arm 43, the latter being movable Iment in either direction.

to the upper and lower stop pins 44 and 45 which limit the effective and ineffective positions of the device. The stop arm 42 eX-- tends upwardly from the pivot 41 and terminates in a rearwardly extending linger 46' which is adapted to be positioned between the lower end of the left hand carriage release lever 26 and an oflset and upwardly extending stop lug 47 fixed to the lower end of said carriage release lever 26. Thus after the carriage has been moved to its centralizing position, the stop device 40 will be swung to the full line position shown in Figure 5. This swinging movement will cause the arm 42 to cam the lower end of the carriage release lever 26 and thereby release the escapement mechanism by swinging the rack 24 away from the escapement pinion 23. At

rearwardly between the lower edge of the carriage release lever 26 and the upstanding lug 47 carried thereby and consequently the carriage will be locked against travel move- It is desirable to retain the stop device 40 in either of its eX- treme positions of adjustment and for this purpose I have provided the operating arm 43 with a projection 48 which is adapted to engage spaced depressions 49 formed in the adjacent side plate of the main frame and thereby frictionally retain said device 40 in either of its extreme positions of adjustment. In this form, I have also connected the stop Idevice 40 with the shift lock key 15 by a link 50 which is similar in construction and operates in the same manner as the link 36 described in connection with the constructions shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Vvlien the carriage is in its lower position and it is desired to center the carriage preparatory to enclosing the machine, the centralizing or stop device is swung rearwardly to engage and swing the release lever 26 to release the rack 24 from the escapement pinion 23, and to position the finger 46 thereof between the lower end of the carriage release lever 26 and the upstanding lug carried thereby to retain the carriage against endwise movement, the centralizing lever being retained in its operative position by the proj ection 48 carried thereby and engaging the upper depression 49. When the carriage is in its upper position and the centralizing lever is moved rearwardly, the above described operations occur, and in addition the shift lock key 15 is released to permit the carriage to move to its lower position where it will be locked against upward movement until the shift lever is again depressed.

I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shift frame, of a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, a manually operative carriage centralizing device movable into the path of movement of the carriage, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to the centralizing device and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former in one direction.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shift frame, of a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, a manually operative carriage centralizing device movable into the path of movement of the carriage, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to the centralizing device and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement ofv the former in one direction, the connection between the link and the shift lock being a loose connection to permit movement of the shift lever without moving the centralizing device.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame having a stop, of a shift frame mounted thereon for vertical movements, a carriage mounted on the shift frame for letter space movements, a shift lever fulcrumed on the main frame for cooperation with the shift frame, a shift lock pivoted on the shift lever for cooperation with the stop on the main frame to lock the shift frame in its upper position, a manually operative carriage centralizing device movable into the path of the carriage, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to the centralizing device and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former in one direction, the connecting means between the centralizing device and the shift lock including a loose connection for permitting movement of the shift lever without moving the centralizing device, the connection between the link and the shift lock comprising a pin fixed to the shift lock and a loop carried by the link for cooperation with the pin.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage element, a segment element, one of said elements being movable from lower position to upper position, means including a shift lever for moving the movable element from lower position to upper position, means cooperating with the shift lever for locking the movable element in its upper position, a carriage centralizing device movable into the path of movement of the carriage, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to the centralizing device and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former in one direction.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a carriage element, a segment element, one of said elements being movable from lower position to upper position, means including a shift lever for moving the movable elcment from lower position to upper position, means cooperating with the shift lever for locking the movable element in its upper position, a carriage centralizing device movable into the path of movement of the carriage, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to the centralizing device and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former in one direction, the connection between the link and the shift lock being a loose connection to permit movement of the shift lever without moving the centralizing device.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combina tion with a main frame, of a shift frame, a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, a manually operable centralizing lever pivoted to the main frame to swing rearwardly and forwardly into and out of the path of movement of the carriage, and a link directly and pivetally connected at its ends to said centralizing lever and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a shift frame, a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, a manually operable centralizing lever pivoted to the main frame to swing rearwardly and forwardly into and out of the path of movement of the carriage, means for normally retaining said lever in its forward ineffective position, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to said centralizing lever and to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a main frame, of a shift frame, a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, a shift lever, a shift lock cooperating with the lever to lock the frame in its upper position, a manually operable centralizing lever pivoted to the main frame to swing rearwardly and forwardly into and out of the path of movement of the carriage, stops on the main frame to limit the forward and backward movements of the centralizing lever, a spring connecting the centralizing lever and main frame for normally retaining said centralizing lever in its forward ineffective position, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to said centralizing lever andv to the shift lock respectively for releasing the latter upon movement of the former.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shift frame, of a carriage mounted thereon for letter space movements, an escapement mechanism for controlling said carriage movements including an escapement pinion, a pivoteo rack mounted on the carriage and movable into and out of engagement with the pinion, a manually operable centralizing lever fulcrumed on the main frame to swing rearwardly and forwardly into and out of the path of movement of the carriage and to engage the rack and release the same from the pinion during rearward movement of the centralizing lever, and a link directly and pivotally connected at its ends to the centralizing lever and the shift lock for releasing the latter upon rearward movement of the former.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDIVARD B. HESS.

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