US3194379A - Ribbon feed mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1965 l.. szELuGA 3,194,379

RIBBON FEED MEGHANISM Filed April 5, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS July 13, 1965 L. szELUGA RIBBON FEED MECHANISM 4 Sheets-SheetI 2 Filed April 5, 1963 oww ATTORNEYS July 1 3, 1965 SZELUGA RIBBON FEED MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 5, 1965` FIG. 2

INVENTOR LUDWICK SZELUGA amm v/m BY ATTORNEYS July 13, 1965 L. szELUGA RIBBON FEED MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 5, 1965 INVENTOR LUDWICK SZELUGA 014404, Va-4A (wf-zs im@ ATTORNEYS United States Patent O $594,379 RIEBGN FEED MECHANISM Ludwick Szelnga, Wrapping, Conn., assigner to Royal Moldes Corporation, New York, NPY., a corporation of New York Eiled Apr. S, 1963, Ser. N 271,001 8 Claims. (Cl. 1197-151) This invention relates to an improved ribbon feed mechanism for a power operated typewriter and more particuluriy to a selectively operable fabric or carbon ribbon feed mechanism capable of automatic reversal during fabric ribbon feed.

To increase their versatility modern electric typewriters are capable or" using fabric or carbon ribbon and are proprovided with feed mechanisms therefor. lt has been roposed (see US. Patents 1,722,937, 2,616,547 and 3,038,582) to power' the fabric ribbon feed and/ or the ribbon feed reverse mechanism from the power roll rather that the carriage drive spring barrel, but these proposals do not provide for selective fabric or carbon ribbon feed driven from a common source of power other than the spring barrel or a type bar linkage.

lt is accordingly among the objects of this invention to provide a simple and reliable fabric or carbon feed mechanism that is selectively operable to be driven from a Vcommon drive shaft powered by the typewriter power roll to feed fabric or carbon ribbon and to operate the fabric ribbon reversing mechanism. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

. In accordance with my invention the mechanism includes a universal bar that is operative in response to depression of any alpha-numerical key lever to trigger a roll cam into engagement with the power roll. As the cam is driven it rocks a lever on which it is mounted to engage a wrap spring clutch between the lever and a drive shaft whereby such shaft is intermittently driven by successive triggering of the roll cam. This drive shaft is, in turn, selectively connectable with the fabric ribbon spool spindies and a carbon ribbon feed mechanism whereby either fabric or carbon ribbon is optionally employable. Conventional fabric ribbon reversing mechanism is employed but is operated by the roll cam lever rather than in the conventional manner.

In the drawing wherein I have shown a preferred emrnodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

FlGURE l is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the mechanism (the fabric ribbon feed and reversing portions) looking from the inside of the typewriter toward the left hand side thereof and taken along the line l-l of FGURE 2;

FIGURE 1A. is an enlarged elevation showing another fragment of the mechanism (the common drive for fabric or carbon ribbon feed) viewed in the same direction as the fragment of FIGURE l, the common line X-X in FIGURES l and 1A indicating the center line of common portions of the two fragments;

FIGURE 2 is a reduced fragmentary front elevation of the mechanism;

FGURE 3 is a reduced exploded isometric view of portions of the mechanism shown in FIGURES l and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a portion of the machanism shown in FIGURE 2.

Ribbon drive mechanism i Referring first to FIGURE 1A, the drive mechanism for the fabric and carbon feed is generally indicated at lll and comprises ay number of elements which, for the most part, are mounted on a bracket generally indicated at ll having an outer side plate lla adapted to be secured to ice the side frame F of the typewriter in any suitable manner. The bracket also includes an inner side plate lib and a back plate llc, the several plates preferably being integral and so disposed that the bracket is U-shaped in horizontal section. A drive shaft l2 is rotatably mounted in plates lia and lib and is constrained to counterclockwise movement only in a manner and for a purpose described below. A U-shaped drive lever generally indicated at 13 (see also FIGURE 3) comprises sides 13a and 13b integrally connectcd by a top bar flic, the lever being rockably mounted on shaft l2, which extends through sides 13a and 13b thereof, and being biased clockwise by a spring ld conected at one end to an ear i3d on the lever and a lug ltd on bracket il. A wrapped spring drive clutch l5 is wound around shaft l2, has one end ld connected to a pin lle on lever side i317), and is so coiled as to engage shaft l?. and drive it counterclockwise when lever 13 is rocked counterclockwise during its drive stroke and as to disengage upon clockwise rocking of the lever on its return stroke. To preclude clockwise rotation of shaft 12 during' the return stroke of the lever, a no-back wrapped spring clutch lo is wound on shaft i2, has one end 16a fastened to a pin 1li' fastened to bracket side 11b and is so coiled as to prevent such clockwise rotation of shaft l2. it may now be seen that as drive lever l is oscillated (as will be described) drive shaft l?. is intermittently driven but counterclockwise only.

A drive pin lil is mounted on the end of lever side i315 and is embraced by the bifurcated end fila of one arm 19h yof a bell crank l pivotally mounted on a stud shaft 2d carried by the machine frame. The other arrn lQc of bell crank i9 has a roll carn 2l eccentrically mounted thereon as by a pin Z2, the cam carrying a stud 21a which anchors one end of a return spring 23 whose other end is fastened to a lug la? comprising an integral portion of bell crank 19. Cam 2i is located adjacent a power roll 2.4, rotatably mounted and driven in conventional manner, and is adapted to engage the power roll when the mechanism is triggered by depression of an alpha-numerical key as will now be described.

Aciialion ribbon drive mechanism Still referring to FGURES 1A and 3, the free end of bracket side lib carries a pin 25 on which a trigger generaily indicated at 26 is rockably mounted. The trigger includes an actuating bar 2da and a hooked trip arm 26h adapted to hold and release a pin 27 mounted through the end of lever side 13a, a spring Zd being interconnected to bar 26a and bracket lug Md to bias the trigger counterclockwise to its holding position shown in FIGURE 1A. A conventional universal bar 253 is pivotally connected to bracket side 1lb and is adapted to be rocked clockwise by a typical key sub-lever (comprising an element of one of several type bar operating power units which may resemble that shown in said Patent 2,616,547), upon depression of the key (not shown) associated with the sublever, against trigger bar 26a to rock trigger 2e clockwise. When the trigger is so rocked its hook arm 26b releases pin 2'7 permitting spring i4 to rock lever 13 clockwise forcing pin 18 upwardly to rock bell crank i9 clockwise thus to engage roll cam il with power roll 2d. Because of the eccentricity of cam 21 its engagement with the power roll results in bell crank 19 being driven counterclockwise. ln practice when the cam 2l has rotated about l5() degrees, the bell crank has been given its maximum counterclockwise movement. It should be noted that the degree rotation of the cam is illustrative only, the degree of rotation thereof depending on the design of the cam and other geometrical considerations of no relevance here.

As bell crank t9 rocks counterclockwise, its bifurcated end 19a drives lever drive pin i8 downwardly thus rocking lever 13 counterclockwise to rotate shaft l2 counterclockwise as described above.' After the bell crank reaches its maximum downward swing, spring 14 acting. 2

throughlever 13 and pin 1S returns the bell crank to its` normal, i.e. inactive FIGURE lA position. also be noted that in the meantime, universal bar 29 has returned to its rest position and spring 2S has rehooked trigger arm 26b over pin 27.

It'will now Yappear that repeated release operation of trigger 26 by successive key depressions results in intermittent counterclockwise actuation of drive shaft 12,it` now being noted that this shaft is a power output shaft Fabric ribbon feed mechanism As shown in FIGURE 2, drive shaft 12 carriesy a spur geart) which meshes with a gear 31 mounted on a pin 32 j for both rotational and axial movement relative thereto, the pin being secured to the machine side frame F and carrying an expansion spring 33 between the hub of gear 31 and a washer 34 on the end ofthe pin. The spring 1 It should yieldably biases gear 31 to the left to mesh :with gear 30 but permits out-of-mesh movementof gear 31 to the right for a purpose to be described.

The fabric ribbon feed mechanismassembly is generally indicated at 49 (FIGURE 2) most of the elements there.

of being mounted on a bracket generally indicated at.41 (FIGURE 2). This bracket includes a main mounting plate .41a by which the entire assembly 49 is suitably secured to machine frame` F. The bracket includes upper and lower horizontal mounting plates 41b and 41e which n rotatably support a fabricribbon spool spindle `42, plate `41b also providing a support for a ribbon spoolrcut 43 adapted to receive a fabric ribbon spool 44. Y This, spool may be similar to that shown in U.S. Patent 2,880,841,` and accordingly includes a reversing cam 44a that moves.

to the dotted line position (FIGURE 1) vwhen the ribbon is substantially unwound from the spool 44 to effect reverse ribbon feed as will be described below. The -upper end of spindle42 is drivingly received in the core of spool 44 and its lower end has a bevel gear 45 attached-thereto.

A tab 41d (FIGURE 2) extends downwardly from plate 41e and rotatably supports one end 46a of a cross shaftv with-a bevel gear 51 secured to .the lower end of rib-k bon spool spindle 52 journalled in bracket 47.' Thisl spindle is similar to spindle 42 .and its upper end is received in a ribbon spool 53 similiar to spool 44 and accordingly being provided with a reversing cam 53a. Cross shaft 46 also carries a collar 54 between` which and tab;41d an expansion spring 55 is disposed, this spring yieldably. biasing the cross shaft to the right as viewed in FIGURE 1v 2'to cause bevel gears 50 and 51 tomesh.

It may now'be seenthatwhen drive shaft 12 is driven:

as described above, vits gear 30 drives gear 31 to drive pinion 48 and accordingly cross shaft 46. Depending upon which .of the sets of bevel gears 45 and 49 or 50 and 51 are in mesh spindle 42 or 52 is driven thus to .feed

ribbon from spool 44 or 53., the driven spool being the take-up spool and the idling spool being the supply spool.`

Fabric ribbon reversing rneclzanismV The .mechanism for automatically reversing Y-the di- Vrection of fabric ribbon feed is actuated vby the pin 27 (FIGURES AlA and 3) on lever side 13a, the location of the driving connection between this pin and the reverS-' ing mechanism being indicated by the line X-.-X in FIG- URI-ES l andlAr, Bracket 41g is also integral'with side plate 41fandis coplanar with upperV flange 41e'. A reversing lever, generally in. dicated at 60, is pivotallymounted onri'langefi-le and is biased.counterclockwiseby a;spring oliconnected be tween the. leverand flange 41er This. lever, at its upper end, includes an arcuate laterally projecting camX 60a.. which lies` inthe path of travel of the-foot144b on revers# ing cam 44a so as to be engaged thereby -when the ribbon on spool 44 is `suflc'iently unwoundftherefromto release cam 44a and permit ittorock intoY the dotted lineV position shown in'FIGUREl For a-moredetailedldescrip-v `tion of this structure and its operation reference is made to said U.S. Patent 3,038,582. When lever60 is so Vengaged itisrOcked: clockwise (FIGUREI) against the'bias of the return spring v61. Y Y i Lever. 6l) (see also FIGURE .3) includes a lug 60h to .which is riveted a downwardly extending resilient'legvv 62 adapted to yieldingly bear 'against-'a lobe .63aformed on an actuator generally indicated Yat 63. This actuatorV includes'a hook63b and ay Vstop `63e ,and also includesA an` arm 63d which is pivotally connected as Yby a pin 65"(FIG- URE l) to the upper end 66a of a bell crank lever 66 in turn pivotally. mounted onV lower iange 411g bya pin 67.'.

A spring 64.interconnects bell crank 66 andibracket wall 41f to..yieldingly bias the bell crankv .counterclockwise,

such movementbeing limited by agstop 66bnon the bell crank engaging' bracket Ipl'atellc. Bell crank 66 includes a lug-66o which {anchorsfoneend .off a spring the other y end of which is kconnecteditoactuator stop 63C' thus to yieldably biasthe actuator 63"counterclockwiseito the .eX-

tent of the engagement of its stop 63e' againstlthe edge .off bell .crank166s A cam. 69 is integrally formed onthe lower end ofthe. bell crank and includes a cam surface 69H7` v (FIGURE 3) which fis adapted to. .engage ,thehub:48d

of pinionv 48 when v.the bell crankl isrocked` clockwise in a manner to be described. :,When the-pinionhub is so engaged pinion 48 and-accordinglyfcross'shaft 46vare 1 Y shifted to the left (FIGURE 2) against the push of spring; Y 55` causing bevel gears 49 .and 45 to mesh'and bevels 50@V and 51 tounme'sh, thus reversing thev ribbon spool drive;

as described in detail in .said U.S.Pat`ent 3,038,582.

In order toY hold the; several gears in thisi'position shaft 46 has a collar 70 fastened thereto lagainst which a detent arm71 .is adapted to rest when the parts fare ,intheir FIGURE 2 position. This arm comprisesathe' lowerend of a link72 pivotally` mountedion the machine frame as4 at 73, the upper, end of vthis link carryingV a .cam .74,- similar. in construction and operationV to cam 60a, which coactsV with reversing cam 53a1on spool. .515..` Thus whenshaft1 46. is shifted to theleft (FIGURE 2). asdescribedabove i. to reverse the. ribbon feed, collar .70 shifts with thelshaft to the VVleft of farm 71'which, from'the bias of a spring;I 72a, swings toward andagainst--shaft 46 4; adjacentrfthe: right hand side of'collar 27040 hold the shaft. and bevel; l-

gears-in their; shifted (reverse feed) position(Y In view of the foregoingV it may now f be. -seen thatil fabric ribbon .reversalfresults as follows. n With the partsA in theiry solid line positions V(FIGURES'l and 2) ribbon;` is being `unwound vfrorn'spool 44 and ,isi beingY taken 1up on spool 53.` When suicient ribbon has been taken off spool 44-to release reversing cam ,44a (FIGURE'). iti.

drops' to its broken -line position-Where. it, willV intercept cambrzand-.infso doing*V rock` leven 601lclockwise to its Y broken line positionycausing resilient.l arm 16210 press. 4 against4 actuator lobe 63a to vrock z 1c tuatorj61' clockwise. Y This positions actuator: hoolrtlbI in the vpath of travel. of!

pin l27 on leversidela' so that onthe downward stroke of lever 13 by virtue o foperatio'n of drive shaftlZ as described above vpin 27 travelsdownwardly fromits FIG- URE '1 broken linel positionfto engageV hook 63Vbandthus (FIGURE V51') 'includes .av ange 41e lyingin a plane paralleltto plate 41kt to which 1` itis integrally. joined by a side plate 411. A. lower ange t to swing cam 69 against pinion hub fida causing shaft 46 to shift to the left (FIGURE 2). This results in meshing of bevels 45 and 49 and unrneshing of bevels 50 and Sli thus to reverse the ribbon take-up action from spool 53 to spool 44. When the ribbon is substantially unwound from spool 53, its cam lever 53a forces arm 71 away from shaft 46 and clear of collar 70 so that spring 55 is enabled to shift shaft 46 thus to re-engage bevels 50 and 51 and disengage bevels 45 and 49 so that the ribbon feed is again reversed, i.e. spool 44 again becomes the take-up spool.

Carbon ribbon feed mechanism This mechanism does not include any ribbon reversing means as carbon ribbon is used but once and is then discarded. Common drive shaft 12, as noted above, also operates the carbon ribbon mechanism. With reference to FIGURES 2 and 4, the left hand end of shaft 12 has a carbon ribbon feed roll 80 secured thereto. The shaft end also carries a pulley 81, a friction disc 82 being disposed between this pulley and bracket plate 41. An expansion spring 83 is coiled around shaft 12 between roll 80 and pulley 81 to force the pulley against the friction disc for a purpose to be described.

A pressure roll 84 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 85 secured to an arm S6 (FIGURE 1A) pivotally mounted on the machine frame in any suitable manner. Arm 86 includes a leg 85a to which one end of a spring 87 is fastened, the other spring end being fastened to the frame thus to yieldably bias arm 86 counterclockwise so that pressure roll 84 and feed roll 80 may grip the carbon ribbon. Thus rotation of shaft 12 rotates feed roll 80 to feed carbon ribbon.

A take-up spool 88 (FIGURE 2) is rotatably mounted on frame F and includes a pulley 88a. A belt 89 is trained around pulleys 81 and 88a whereby the former drives the latter and accordingly spool 88. The friction disc 82 referred to above permits slippage of pulley 81 on shaft 12 to accommodate the increasing amount of used ribbon wound on spool 8S.

When fabric ribbon is being used it is desirable to disable the carbon ribbon feed mechanism. To this end a lever generally indicated at 90 (see also FiG- URE 4) is pivotally mounted on a pin 91 secured to slide plate 41f of bracket 41 and includes a handle 90a, a shifting foot 90b, and a pulley lock 90C. When lever 90 is pivoted clockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 4, lock 90C thereon enters one of several notches 81a formed in pulley 81 so that the shaft 12 slips in the pulley when the shaft is rotated. A lug 90d comprises an integral part of lever 90 and underlies a lip 861) comprising a portion of pressure roll arm 86. When lever 90 is pivoted as described lug 90d engages lip 86h to rock arm 85 clockwise thus to move the pressure roll 84 upwardly away from carbon ribbon feed roll 80 thus disabling the carbon ribbon feed mechanism. By the same token when carbon ribbon is being used it is desirable to disable the fabric ribbon feed mechanism. Shifting foot 90b on lever 90 is provided for this purpose. This foot is disposed adjacent gear 31. Thus When lever 90 is pivoted counterclockwise, its foot 90b engages the side of gear 31 and forces it to the right (FIGURE 2) against the pressure of spring 33 until it is unmeshed from gear 30 thus disabling the drive to the fabric ribbon feed mechanism. A pair of detent slots 41h are formed in bracket 41 to receive the upper end 90a of lever 90 thus to hold it in either of its operative positions.

In order to condition the above described mechanism for cutting a stencil it is desirable to disable shaft 12 so that neither the fabric nor carbon ribbon feed mechanisms will be driven. To this end an arm 92 (FIGURE 1A) is pivotally mounted on the machine frame in `any suitable manner and includes a finger 92a adapted to be swung behind lever 13 when the arm 92 is appropriately pivoted. With the finger so positioned lever 13 will not rock upon operation of trigger 25 as described and accordingly shaft 12 will not be driven. Hence a stencil may be cut without any ribbon being fed.

It may now be seen that I have provided a power driven fabric or carbon ribbon feed mechanism that attains the several objects set forth above in a thoroughly practical and efficient manner.

I claim:

i.. In a power driven typewriter having a power roll,

a plurality of actuatable key sub-levers and a universal bar adapted to be operated by an actuated sub-lever, the combination of,

mechanism for feeding fabric ribbon,

mechanism for feeding carbon ribbon,

a common drive shaft,

means to selectively couple said shaft to said mechanisms for operating one or the other of them,

and means driven by said power roll and responsive to operation of said universal bar for driving said cornmon drive shaft.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including manually operable means to disable said common drive to preclude operation of either of said mechanisms.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1l wherein said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism includes a rotatable shaft,

a train of gears forming a driving connection between said shafts,

and means mounting one of the gears of said train for axial movement into and out of mesh with at least one other gear of said train whereby said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism shaft may be coupled to or uncoupled from said common drive shaft.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carbon ribbon feed mechanism includes a drive pulley frictionally connected to said common shaft, and means to restrain rotation of said pulley when said shaft is coupled to said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism includes a rotatable shaft and said carbon ribbon feeding mechanism includes a drive pulley frictionally connected to said common shaft,

and manually operable means to couple said common drive shaft to said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism shaft and at the same time restrain operation of said pulley thereby to enable said fabric ribbon feeding mechanism and disable said carbon ribbon feeding mechanism.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including manually operable means associated with saidV power roll driven means to disable both of said ribbon feeding mechanisms to enable cutting of a stencil without any ribbon feed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second mentioned means includes an oscillatable lever mounted on said shaft, and clutch means engageable upon operation of said universal bar to connect said lever to said shaft whereby said shaft is operated every time said universal bar is operated.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means perated by said power roll to oscillate said oscillatable ever.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,278,009 3/42 Handley 1974-169 2,616,547 11/52 Dodge 197-162 2,734,614 2/56 Page 197-151 2,930,470 3/60 Roller et al. 197-151 2,978,089 4/61 Dodge et al. 197--161 2,996,165 8/61 Morris 197-84 3,038,582 6/62l Frechette et al. 197-160 3,048,254 8/62 Morris 197-151 3,104,750 9/63 Canny et al. 197-156 ROBERT PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A POWER DRIVEN TYPEWRITER HAVING A POWER ROLL, A PLURALITY OF ACTUATABLE KEY SUB-LEVERS AND A UNIVERSAL BAR ADAPTED TO BE OPERATED BY AN ACTUATED SUB-LEVER, THE COMBINATION OF, MECHANISM FOR FEEDING FABRIC RIBBON, MECHANISM FOR FEEDING CARBON RIBBON, A COMMON DRIVE SHAFT, MEANS TO SELECTIVELY COUPLE SAID SHAFT TO SAID MECHANISMS FOR OPERATING ONE OR THE OTHER OF THEM, AND MEANS DRIVEN BY SAID POWER TOLL AND RESPONSIVE TO OPERATION OF SAID UNIVERSAL BAR FOR DRIVING SAID COMMON DRIVE SHAFT.

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