US1342244A - Keyboard - Google Patents

Description

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IN VEN TOR.

@A TTORNEYS .narran stares CHANDLER WOLCOTT, F ROCHESTER, NEW YRK. v

KEYBOARD.

Specification of Letters-Patent. I

Application led January 24,1919. Serial No. 272,923.

To all fwhom t may concern: l Be 1t known that I, CHANDLER WoLco'rT,

va citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the'county of Monroe and lState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements -in Key- "boards, of which the following is a speciication.

The present invention relates to keyboards, and moreparticularly to the kind employed in typewriting machines and the like, an object of the invention'being to provide such an arrangement of the characters,

or keysy that the work of operating nearly all of the keys may be effected without any lateral shifting of the hands, thus conserving the energy of the operator.

To this and otherends, the invention consists of certain arrangements of-parts which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figures l and 2 show in plan two key arrangements embodying the present invention, Fig. 1 illustrating a seventy-six character keyboard and Flg. 2 illustrating an 'eighty-four character keyboard, but it will be understood that the inventonis not limited to the specific arrangements here illustrated.

The invention comprises in its broadest aspects three features: one, the division of the most frequently used characters into two groups separated by a group of lessfre- 'quently used characters: two, the arrangement of the least frequently used characters i in a group at the center Aof the keyboard:

and three, the arrangement of the letter -keys so that those on each side of a median line through the keyboard represent approximately one half of the total letter characters used.-

In the illustrated forms the numeral characters andthe sign characters lare arranged, as inthe'usual keyboards, in a single line along thejsop of the keyboard. In Fig. 2 two keys having sign characters are arranged' at one lside ofthe letten characters as inthe usua" keyboard of forty-two keysnow in use. By actual geprints characters '3, Q, Z,T X. will approximate .5l/100 percent. of v the letters ordinarily used fandcan, therefore, `be arranged mfa group as 'the f least frequently used characters. Thisfgreup is' nla'ced'at'the centerrof .I have ascertained. that thel Patented J une l, 1920.

the keyboard' within the dotted .parallelo- A gram indicated at drawings.

The most frequently used characters are arranged 1n two groups, one group on each lin both figures of the' side of the group of least frequently used characters. ln the drawings these groups are confined within the dotted parallelograms indicated at 2. By actual count it has been found that the characters Y, N, I,

un, T, F, 0,1., s, R, M, E, o; D, and H.

shown in the dotted parallelograms indicated at 3 represent approximately 8.83 per cent.

that the four groups indicated at 2 and 3 representapproximately 99.49 per cent. of the total letters used.

In order to make an approximatel even left hand,V it is preferred to arrange the of the total characters ordinarilyused, so

-division of the labor between the rig t and characters in the different grouprin the manner Vshown in the drawings. ith this arrangement those which will be operated by the left hand represent approximately 49.48 per cent; of the total keys operated, while those to be operated by the right hand represent approximately -50.52 per cent. of the total'keys operated. The keys in the most.

frequently used groups are so arranged that most of the worknor `labor is performed by t the first and second fingers which are naturally stronger and better adapted for such work than are the other two fingers, thus in-I suring maximum ease, accuracy and speed by the operator.

From the foregoing it fwill :be seen that practically allof the writing will be accomplished upon the eight lines of keys shown at 2 and 3 vwhere the-characters -or keys will be in position to be touched or struck by facilitate the learning of the touchsysin the fourdotted parallelograms indicated This arrangement t tem, as now generally taught in schools, this being due to the fact that lateral movement of the hands is required only' to operate the least frequently used keys. rThis gives an opportunity for the little fingers, upon each return of the hand to normal position by resting on or over the keys situated at the outer side of the keyboard, to adjust or re-locate with ease and certainty the four lingers of the hands'to positions originally occupied by them.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A keyboard having a group of the least frequently used letter keys at the center thereof, and letter keys of greater frequency of use arranged in two groups on opposite sides of the center group, there being in neither of the last two groups letter keys of less frequency of use than those in the center group.

2. A keyboard having live groups of letter keys; namely, a center group, two outside groups and two intermediate groups between the outside groups and the center group, the first 'or' center group including only those keys whose frequency of use is less than any keys in the other four groups, the outside groups including only those keys whose frequency of use is more than the keys of the center group and less than the keys of lthe intermediate groups, and the intermediate groups including only those keys whose frequency of use is more than the keys of the outside groups.

3. A keyboard having its keys so arranged that a median line through the keyboard from the rear series of letter characters to the front series of letter characters will divide the keys into two groups in which the total frequency of use of the keys on one side of the line will substantially equal the total frequency of use of the keys on the other side of the line so that the work on both hands will be substantially equal.

4. A keyboard having its keys so arranged that a median line through the keyboard from the rear series of letter characters to theffront seriesof letter characters will divide the keys into two groups in which the total frequency of use of the keys on one side of the line willy substantially equal the total frequency of use of the keys on the other side of the line so that the work on both hands will be substantially equal, the keys also being so arranged that those ad- 'jacent the median line have the least frequency of use, those at the sides of the keyboard a greater frequency of use, and those between the outside groups and the center group a still greater frequency of use so that each hand utilizes its strongest lingers for operating on the keys ofthe greatest frequency and its weaker lingers for operating on the keys ofthe next greatest frequency, and the hands are required to be shifted toward the center only to operate on the keys of the least frequency.

5. A keyboard in which the characters, Y, N, I, S, R, M, U, A, T, E, 0, D, F, C, L and H are arranged in two groups separated by a group of keys less frequently used than any of the mentioned characters in such two groups.

6. A keyboard in which the characters Z,

Q, are arranged in a group at the center of the keyboard.

7. A keyboard in which the characters Z, X, J, Q, are grouped at the center of the keyboard and the characters Y N, I, S, R, M, U, A, T, E, O, D, F, C, L, li are arranged in two groups, one on each side of the first named group of characters.

8. A keyboard in which the characters Y,

-N, 1, s, R, M, U, A, T, E, o7 D, F, o, L, H

are arranged in two separated groups; the characters Z, X, J, Q are arranged in a group between the adjacent two separated groups; and the characters G, B, K, P, NV, V are arranged in two groups separated by the before mentioned three grou s.

CHANDLER W LCOTT.

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