US2030411A - Carriage driving and hammer returning mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1936. F. SPALOSS ,4

CARRIAGE DRIVING AND HAMMER RETURNING MECHANISM- Filed July 7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO/P Frank Spa/05s ATTORNEY Feb. 11, 1936.

F. SPALOSS CARRIAGE DRIVING AND HAMMER RETURNING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eiled July 7, 1931 Feb. 11, 1936. sp Loss 2,030,411

CARRIAGE DRIVING AND HAMMER RETURNING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1931, 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 F. SPALoss 2,030,411

CARRIAGE DRIVING AND HAMMER RETURNING MECHANISM Feb. 11, 1936.

Filed July '7, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR F/fl/M Spa/05$. BY 2 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARRIAGE DRIVING AND HAMIHER RETURNING MECHANISM Application July 7, 1931, Serial No. 549,210

9 Claims. (01. 197-49) This invention relates to typewriting machines and more particularly to improved power means for driving the carriage and for restoring the printing hammer against the action of its actuating spring.

An object of the invention is to provide a device, for the above stated purpose, with a minimum of parts so that it may be manufactured economically and operated efiiciently.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power means the strength of which does not vary but is always the same at each operation thereof.

In carrying out the invention the power device comprises a spring connected by suitable means with the carriage and the printing hammer to assist in driving the carriage and to return the hammer after each printing operation.

It is a feature of the invention to energize the spring at each letterspace movement of the carriage to have the action of the spring always the same on the carriage and also to maintain at a minimum the power of the spring so as not to overburden the carriage escapement mechanism with which the power means is associated.

The storing of the energy in the spring is effected by means under the control of the key levers so that its operation is effected at each actuation of any one of the key levers. Said means includes an electro-magnet or solenoid connected through a reciprocatory device with said spring.

In the present form of the invention the reciprocatory device includes a lever, to which is connected the spring, and upon which is pivotally supported a pawl which co-operates with a ratchet wheel connected with the escapement wheel to assist in driving the latter in a positive direction, said escapement wheel being connected in the usual manner through a dog carrying lever with the printing hammer.

Another feature of the invention relates to carriage release mechanism which is simple and compact in construction and is readily accessible.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings which form part of the specification,

Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional top plan view of the ma.- chine, some of the parts being broken away and others being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the machine, parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a diagram of the electric circuit;

transversely of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear view showing the solenoid operating to cook or set the power means;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the parts carried by the escapement shaft;

Fig. 6 is an operating view showing the carriage release pawl disengaged;

Fig. 7 is a rear view of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the pinion sleeve showing its connection with the escapement shaft.

Similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The invention is shown applied to a Vartyper writing machine which includes a main frame 20 to which is secured a track 2| upon which a carriage 22 is mounted to travel back and forth The carriage is provided with a bar 23 which co-operates with the track 2| through anti-friction rollers or balls 24 to guide said carriage. The carriage is further guided by a bar 25 at its upper end co-operating with a roller 21 mounted on the main frame 20.

The carriage is urged in a letter feed direction by a carriage propelling means or spring drum (Figs. 2 and 3) rotatably supported by a shaft 3i on the main frame 20; the spring drum being connected to the carriage by a strap or draw band. 32. Letter feed movements of the carriage are effected by escapement mechanism, indicated generally by the numeral 33, which is actuated at each operation of the key levers 34.

The escapement mechanism includes a sleeve slidably supported on a shaft 36 supported in a rear cross-bar 31 of the main frame and a lug 38 of said frame. The sleeve 35 has secured thereto three pinions 39, 40 and 4! of different diameters to effect variable spacing of the carriage in a manner described in the application of Frank H. Trego, Serial No. 361,899, filed May 10, 1929. Any one of the pinions may be engaged by a rack 42 carried by two arms 43 pivotally supported on studs 44 on carriage ends 45. The sleeve 35 has a key 46 (Figs. 5 and 8) secured thereto which engages in a groove 41 of the shaft 36 to rotate the shaft 36.

An escapement wheel 48 is rotatively supported on the escapement shaft 36 and has secured thereto a ratchet wheel 49 by screws 50. The ratchet wheel 49 is engaged by a pawl 5| pivoted by a screw 52 on an arm 53 secured to a hub 54 the latter being fastened to the shaft 36 by a pin 55. Thus by this connection the escapement wheel is connected to be rotated by the carriage through the medium of the shaft 36 in a letter space direction. Said escapement wheel is normally held against rotation by a loose dog 56 pivoted by a stud 51 on a lever 58 and urged towards the escapement wheel by a spring 56a. The lever 58 is pivoted on the escapement shaft 36, and is urged downward by the escapement wheel t ugh the pawl 56, the downward movement of the lever 58 being limited by a stop 59 of a fixed bracket 68 secured to the rear bar 31 of the machine frame. While the carriage is being returned the pawl 5I rides freely over the teeth of the ratchet 49 against the action of a spring 6I connected between an ear 62 of the pawl 5| and a pin 63 on the arm 53. A spring pressed pawl 64 (Fig. 3) prevents backward rotation of the escapement wheel.

To actuate the escapement mechanism 33 and thus feed the carriage at each printingoperation, the key-levers 34 when actuated about fulcrums 65, engage a universal bar 66 of a frame 61 to swing the latter about a fulcrum 68. An arm 69 of the frame 61, when the latter is actuated, swings downwardly to actuate a dog rocker 18, about a pivot 18a, through the medium of a set screw 'II on the arm 69 and engaging a tail 12 of the dog rocker to carry a fixed dog I3 .into engagement with the teeth of the escapement wheel 48.

The dog rocker I8 is provided with an arm I4 having a slot I5 into which extends a pin I6 from the loose dog 56, whereby the loose dog is swung out of engagement of the escapement wheel; the dog carrying lever 58 being connected to a print in'g hammer 11 by means of a stud I8 to be actuated thereby during a printing operation of said hammer which is actuated in a manner hereinafter described. As the pin I6 travels upwardly out of the slot 15 the dog 56 is guided into the path of the next succeeding tooth of the escapement wheel under the influence ofthe spring 56a, the upward movement of the pawl being limited by a stop I9. Subsequently the dog rocker I8 is brought back to normal upon the return of the arm 69 to disengage the dog I3 from the escapement wheel, whereupon the escapement parts and the printing hammer 28 are restored to normal through the action of the escapement wheel 48 on the loose dog 56.

The printing instrumentalities include a type carrier or shuttle 88 having types 8| with which a head 82 of the hammer 'II co-operates to print against an interposed work sheet 83, the work sheet being fed up and down by suitable feed rollers 84 and 85 supported on'the carriage 22. The type shuttle 88 is curved to conform with a cylindrical anvil 86 by which it is carried through the medium of a thin flange 8] extending through a slot 88 in said anvil.

To actuate the type shuttle 88 the flange 81 has connected thereto a lever 89 secured to a sleeve 98 to rotate about the shaft 9|; the sleeve 98 being supported on a bar 92, of 'the main frame, on which it is maintained by a screw 93 engaging a flange 94 at the lower end of the 'said sleeve.

The shuttle actuating lever 89 may be actuated, from a central position, in opposite directions by either of two arms 95, about the axis of the shaft 9|, said arms being actuated, one at a time, in a manner hereinafter described to carry the s..- lected type of the shuttle 88 to the printing point, the types being accurately positioned by means of indexing pins 96 operable by thekey levers 34 to project their upper ends into the path of the shuttle lever 89 to arrest the'latter. Subsequently the hammer is actuated by a spring 96 under the control of the escapement mechanism, said hammer being secured to a shaft 91 supported by pivot screws 98 on the main frame 28.

Each of the arms may operate the shuttle actuating lever 89 through the medium of a resiliently supported slide 98 which may be like that disclosed in the application of Frank H. Trego, Serial No. 412,651, filed December 19, 1929, to facilitate a movement of said arms after the lever 89 has been arrested. Each arm forms part of a frame 91, each frame being supported to swing about a pivot 99a. on a fixed bracket 99. Each frame 91 also includes a bar I88 extending towards the middle of the machine and over the key lever 34 at one side of the middle of the machine, so that if any one of the key levers is operated the associated one of the frames 95 is actuated thereby against the action of a return spring I8I. The upper end of the arm 95 is thus swung rearwardly to actuate the lever 89 and shuttle 88 to select the type as above described.

After the type shuttle is arrested in its operated position the release of the printing hammer is effected from the escapement wheel by the actuation of the dog rocker 18 as previously described. It is then actuated by the spring 96 connected thereto.

The letter spacing of the carriage may be changed in accordance with the various sizes of the types of different shuttles which may be used in the machine, by shifting the sleeve 35 axially on the shaft to cause any one of the pinions 39, 48 or H to co-operate with the rack 42. To set the sleeve or pinion element 35 there may be provided suitable selecting mechanism which may be like that'disclosed in the application of Frank H. Trego, Serial No. 361,899, now Patent No. 1,918,299, July 18, 1933, which mechanism includes a lever I82 (Fig. 2) pivoted by a stud I83 on the machine frame and having two pins I84 engaging in a groove I85 of the sleeve 35.

Novel means is provided whereby the rack 42 may be left in engagement with the active pinion when the release of the carriage is effected. To this end a thrust rod or plunger I86 (Figs. 1 and 5) is slidably supported on the hub 54 at the end of the escapement shaft 36. The inner end of said plunger is provided with an annular cam I8! to engage an inclined portion I88 on the ear 62 of the pawl 5| so that when the'plunger I86 is pushed inwardly from the normal position in Fig.

' 5 to the position in Fig. 6 it moves the pawl about the pivot 52, in any position which it may occupy about the axis of the escapement shaft, to disengage said pawl from the ratchet as in Figs. 6 and '7 where the ear 62 rides on a dwell I8'I of the cam I81. Thus it will be understood that the carriage may be released without disengaging the rack which would otherwise disturb the margin or vertical alignment of the typing.

The carriage releasing mechanism connected to actuate the plunger I86 may be like that disclosed in the application of Frank H. Trego, Serial No. 384,603, filed Aug. 9, 1929. Said mechanism includes two carriage release levers I I8 supported at opposite ends of the carriage by a shaft I I I supported in the carriage ends 45.

Each release lever III) is actuable in a clockwise direction about the shaft I I I (Fig. 1) against the action of a'return spring (not shown). The lower end of each release lever has a slot II2 (Fig. 1) into which projects a pin II3 from an arm II4 pivotally supported on a hub II5 of the rack supporting arms 43. The arms II4 have secured thereto a bar II6, extending lengthwise of the carriage, Said bar H6 is swung in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) upon the actuation of either release lever H and engages the end of an arm II1 secured to a shaft H8. The arm H1 is located near the middle of the machine so that it may always be engaged by the bar H6 in any position of the carriage. The shaft H8 is supported by a bracket H9 and has another arm I20 secured thereto, the free end of said arm I20 being connected to said plunger I06 to actuate the latter. A spr ing I2I is coiled about the shaft IILand acts on the arm II1 to return it to normal.

The dog carrying lever 58 is provided with a hub I22 (Fig. extending into a cavity I23 in the escapement wheel 48 to provide a compact arrangement of the parts. It is desirable that the escapement wheel have a broad bearing on the escapement shaft so it is provided with a hub I24 and to further keep the mechanism as compact as possible the hub 54 of the pawl carrying arm 53 is provided with a cavity into which the hub of the escapement wheel extends.

It should be understood that by mounting the release element I06, pawl 5I, ratchet 49 and escapement wheel 48 on that portion of the escapement shaft extending outside of the machine frame, or in other words behind the bar 31 thereof, the parts are readily assembled and are accessible for the purpose of repair, the heretofore necessity of removing the typewriter carriage being thus eliminated.

' The novel means which assists in returning the printing hammer includes a spring I25 (Fig. 3) one end of which is connected to an adjustable screw I26 on a bracket I21 secured to the rear bar 31 of the machine frame by screws I28. The other end of the spring is connected to a lever I29 pivoted by a stud I30 on said bracket I21, the spring tending to rock the lever I29 in a clockwise direction to rotate the ratchet 49 and the escapement wheel 48 secured thereto in the same direction through the medium of a pawl I3I supported on the shoulder of a headed stud or screw I32, the pawl I3I being held in contact with the ratchet 49 by a spring I33.

It will be understood that whenever the lever I29 is actuated in counterclockwise direction, (Fig. 3) the pawl I3I is cocked as in Fig. 4 against the action of the actuating spring, said pawl snapping over one of the teeth ofthe ratchet 49. Thus the spring I25 is energized at each actuation of the lever I29 in a counter clockwise direction which occurs at each letter space movement of the carriage after the printing operation and is caused by means hereinafter described, under the control of the key levers 34. After the reciprocatory means including the lever I29, pawl I3I and spring I25, has been cooked it is released and rotates the escapement wheel to restore the print-,

ing hammer 11, against .the action of its spring 96, through the medium of the dog 56 and the dog supporting lever 58.

To actuate the lever I29 and thus increase the strength of the spring I25 there is provided an electro-magnet or solenoid I35 held on the rear bar 31 of the machine frame by straps I36, said straps being secured by screws I31 and I38. Said solenoid when energized, as hereinafter described, sucks in a plunger I39 to draw on a link I40 pivotally connected thereto by a pin MI. The other end of the link I40 is connected to the lower end of the lever I29, by a shouldered screw I42, to actuate the lever I29 in a clockwise direction when the solenoid is energized.

block I65 by a screw I61.

To limit the movement of the plunger I39 and its connected parts when actuated by solenoid I35 (Fig. 4) the lever I29 has bent oif therefrom a lip I43 to engage a stop I44 secured to the bar 31 of the main frame, said stop having also a lip I45 with a piece I46 of leather or rubber thereon to be engaged by the lip I43 of the lever I29. To increase the efiiciency of the solenoid it has inserted in one end thereof a core I41 secured to a bracket I48 supported on the strap I36, the core having a screw portion I49, extending freely through said bracket, and upon which is threaded one or more nuts I50 to hold the plug on said bracket.

The operation of the solenoid is eifected by a normally open switch I55 (Fig. 3) which may be closed at the proper time by any one of the key levers 34 to cause an electric current to flow from a source of supply I56 (Fig. 3a) through conductor I51, main switch I58, conductor I59, solenoid I35, conductor I60, switch I55, conductor I6I to ground I62. When the actuation of the solenoid is thus effected the escapement actuating mechanism including the pawl I3I is cocked thereby as above described.

The switch I55 includes a fixed contact I63 to which is connected the conductor I6 I, said contact being resiliently supported by a flat spring I64 on a. block I65 of insulating material secured to bottom of the bar 31 of the main frame, by screws I66, the contact spring I64 being secured to the The switch further includes a movable contact I68 to which is secured the conductor I60. The contact I68'is secured to a block I69 of insulating material fastened to a metal arm I pivoted by a pin "I on the block I65. A spring I12, interposed between the block I65 and the arm I10, normally holds the switch I55 open, the pivoted element of said switch, comprising the parts I69 and I10, being arrested by the head I13 of a set screw I14 threaded into the block I69 and held in its adjusted position by a nut I15, said head engaging a finger I16 secured to the arm 69 of the universal for frame 61.

To close the switch I55 the finger I16 presses downwardly on the screw I13, whenever the universal frame 61 is operated by the keylevers 34 as above described, to swing the pivoted switch element downwardly against the action of the spring I12, to cause the contact I68 to engage the contact I63 and thus close the switch I55 whereupon the solenoid I35 operates to cook the pawl I3I against the action of the spring I25 as previously described.

It will be understood that as long as the key lever is depressed the solenoid remains energized and consequently the pawl I3I is held cocked until after the printing operation. Immediately upon the return of the key lever the switch I55 is opened by the spring I12 whereupon the spring I25 becomes active to drive the carriage through the medium of the pawl I3I and ratchet 49, and also to return the hammer 11 against the action of its spring 96.

Briefly the operation of the device is as follows: Upon the depression of any one of the .key levers 34 the rear end swings upwardly to actuate the universal bar frame 61, about the pivots 68, to move the rear end thereof downwardly to actuate the escapement through the medium of the dog rocker 10 which releases the loose dog 56 from the escapement wheel 48. The spring 96 then becomes effective to actuate the hammer 11, which is connected to the frame 58 by the pin 18, to printing position.

During the latter part of the actuation of the universal frame 61 the arm I16 thereon closes the switch I55 to effect the operation of the solenoid I35 which through the link I40 and lever I29 stretches the spring to energize it, the parts being arrested by the stop I46 with which the lever I29 engages.

The switch I68 is then opened by the spring I12 during the early part of the return stroke of the operated key lever whereupon the spring I25 becomes eifective through the lever I29, pawl I9I and ratchet 49 to rotate the escapement wheel 49 and return the frame 58 through the loose dog 56 after the latter has reengaged the escapement wheel. Since the frame 58 is connected with the hammer I1 the latter is returned to normal, by said frame, against the action of the hammer operating spring 96.

Thus the spring I25 of this device, which assists the spring drum 30 in feeding the carriage and returning the hammer 'I'I,is energized at each letter space movement of the carriage or at each actuation of any one of the key levers.

While certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that changes in the form, arrangement, proportions, sizes and details thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:--

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, carriage propelling means, escapement mechariism for the carriage, said escapement mechanism including a shaft, an escapement wheel on said shaft, a ratchet wheel on said escapement wheel, a pawl on said shaft to engage said ratchet to form a one way driving connection between the shaft and the escapement wheel; a second pawl to engage said ratchet to assist in feeding the carriage, means including a spring to drive the second pawl, key le vers, and means under the control of the key levers to energize the spring at the actuation of any one of the key levers.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of printing instrumentalities including two elements, key-levers, means operable by the keylevers to effect the operation of one of the printing elements against the other to print on an interposed work sheet, means to return the operable printing element to normal, the returning means including a ratchet wheel, means connecting the ratchet wheel with the operable element, a lever, means to pivotally support said lever at the side of said wheel, a pawl supported at the upper end of said lever and extending over said ratchet wheel and operable by said lever to engage said wheel to actuate it, a spring connected to said lever to actuate the latter, an electric device located at the opposite side of the ratchet wheel, and a link extending under said ratchet wheel and connecting the electric device to said lever so that the latter maybe actuated by said electric device to energize said spring.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of printing instrumentalities including two elements, means to actuate one of said elements to print against the other element, a main frame, a carriage to travel onsaid main frame, escapement mechanism including a shaft supported on said main frame, means connecting said shaft to be rotated by said carriage, means to propel said carriage, an escapement wheel rotatably supported on said shaftra ratchet wheel secured to said escapement wheel, means operable by the escapement wheel to restore the actuable printing element to normal, a pawl carried by said shaft to cooperate with said ratchet to form a one way driving connection between the carriage and the escapement wheel, and auxiliary means acting on said ratchet wheel to assist in rotating the escapement wheel to restore the actuable printing element.

4. In a? typewriting machine, the combination of printing instrumentalities including two elements, means to actuate one of said elements to print against the other element, a main frame,

a carriage to travel on said main frame, escapement mechanism including an escapement wheel, a ratchet secured to the escapement wheel, means including a pawl connected to and operable by said carriage, said pawl cooperating with said ratchet to form a one way driving connection between the carriage and said escapement wheel, means connecting the escapement wheel with the actuable printing element to return the latter to normal, and means to engage said ratchet to actuate the escapement wheel in effecting the return of the actuable printing element.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of printing instrumentalities including two elements, means to actuate one of said elements to print against the other element, a main frame, a carriage to travel on said main frame, escapement mechanism including an escapement wheel, a ratchet secured to the escapement wheel, means including a pawl connected to and operable by said carriage, said pawl cooperating with said ratchet to form a one way driving connection between the carriage and said escapement wheel, means connecting the escapement wheel with the actuable printing element to return the latter to normal, driving means including an element to engage said ratchet to effect the return of the actuable printing element, key levers, and means operable by said key levers to effect the energization of said driving means at each actuation of a key lever.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of printing instrumentalities including two elements, means to actuate one of said elements to print against the other element, a main frame, a carriage to travel on said main frame,escapement mechanism including an escapement wheel, a ratchet secured to the escapement wheel, means including a pawl connected to and operable by said carriage. said pawl cooperating with said ratchet to form a one way driving connection between the carriage and said escapement wheel, means connecting the escapement wheel with the actuable printing element to return the latter to normaL'driving means including an element to engage said ratchet to effect the return of the actuable printing element, key levers, an electrically operable device, a normally open switch connected in circuit with said device, and means operable by any one of said key levers to close said switch to render said device effective to effect the energization of the driving means.

'7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, key levers, a printing hammer under the control of said key levers, said escapement including a shaft, an escapement wheel on said shaft, a loose dog, a supporting lever for the loose dog, said dog cooperating with said escapement wheel, the supporting lever being connected with said hammer, a ratchet secured to the escapement wheel, and a pawl on said shaft to engage said ratchet to form a one Way driving connection between the escapement wheel and said shaft, means including an actuating pawl engaging said ratchet to rotate the escapement wheel and thus actuate the pawl carrying arm to return the hammer, and means operable by the key levers at each actuation of any one of them to effect the cocking of said actuating pawl.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, escapement mechanism therefor, said escapement mechanism including a ratchet, key levers, a printing hammer under the control of said key levers, said escapement including an escapement wheel, a loose dog, and a supporting lever for the loose dog, means connecting the supporting lever of said escapement with said hammer, a lever of the first order, means including a pawl operable by the lever of the first order to actuate the escapement wheel through said ratchet, a spring attached to one end of said lever to return the hammer, power means connected to the other end of said lever of the first order and means operable by the key levers to effect the cooking of said lever of the first order against the action of its spring by said power means at each actuation of any one of the key levers.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, key levers, means operable by said key levers to efiect the feed of the carriage, said means including a rack on said carriage, a shaft, a pinion to engage said rack and connected to rotate with said shaft, an escapement wheel rotatably supported on said shaft, a ratchet connecting with said wheel, a pawl on said shaft to actuate the ratchet and to form therewith a one way driving connection between said shaft and said wheel, means including an actuating pawl to engage said ratchet, a spring to operate said actuating pawl to feed the carriage, and means operable 'by the key lever's to effect the restoration of said pawl to normal against the action of said spring.

FRANK SPALOSS.

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