US2236663A - Type wheel teletypewriter - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1941. ADAMS 2,236,663

TYPE HEEL TELETYPEWRITER:

Qriginal Filed Feb. 18, 1936 I27 126 2/ 124/31 I29 2/ I28 L lNl/ENTOI? AHADAMS A T TORNEV Patented Apr. 1, 1941 TYPE WHEEL TELETYPEWBITER Arthur B. Adams, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application February 18, 1936, Serial No. 64,467. Divided and this application June 15, 1938, Serial No. 213,745

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in typing means for automatic typing machines, especially for that class of typing machines which are electrically operated, commonly called printing telegraphs and tickers, and more particularly, but not exclusively, for that variety called page printers as distinguished from tape printers.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No. 64,467, filed February 18, 1936, now patent No. 2,161,840, issued June 13, 1939, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference as a part of this specification, and relates particularly to a' typewheel with its associated ribbon guides and actuating hammer for use in electrically operated typing machines in which the type faces are selectively changed before a common typebar or hammer. One feature of the invention is the provision of a light disc form of type carrying member for use preferably with a type setting or guiding member having either a parallel motion or a long radius rockin motion to which the selected type only is locked by the printing bar whereby very short stemmed pivoted types may individually be advanced with little or no angular change. This is important in relation to the selective type member positioning feature of my invention, particularly described in my application Serial No. 64,467 mentioned above, because a more massive type member with the simple and stopless selective displacement means that is preferred would require more force to accelerate and would consume time in oscillation, possibly even requiring the addition of special sections or even of stops. for attaining high speeds. However, the typewheel is not restricted to use with this type of machine as it is capable of wide application to other forms of printing machines.

A further real advantage of the preferred form of my page printer with disc-shaped type member is that it practically overcomes the advantage the typebar printer has heretofore had over the type wheel printer in greater visibility of matter being typed. The printing point on my preferred disc-shaped type member is so chosen below and to the left of the top center of the type wheel that both the line and the character last printed are legibly visible.

An object of the invention, therefore, is the provision in an electrically operated typing machine of an unusually'lightweight member carrying the type for use with lightweight moving means, thereby making high-speed printing operations readily obtainable.

Another object is to provide a printing telegraph machine with types, in a disc form of carrier, orientated, at such an angle and thrust against the paper when at a point so much to the left and below the top center of the type wheel as to leave legibly visible the line and the character last printed.

A further object is the provision in a manifolding printer of an exceptional'y light and compact wheel or disc of types, each type being individually movable to printing position in a path of longer radius than its own hinge radius in order to avoid top or bottom shading with various manifold copies.

Still another object is the provision of a page printer yielding regularly spaced typing by accurately registering the selectively positioned type carrier just before striking each type.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be described in connection withthe following detailed description with reference to the drawing in which:

, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the type wheel and platen showing the typing bar and center- 8 P Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the type hinge shown in Fig. 1;,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation from the rear of the machine showing that side of the type wheel which faces the platen;

Fig.4 is a' sectional elevation from the front of the machine showing that side of the type wheel which facesthe operator of the machine and showing the relation of the type to the line of printing on the paper around the platen;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an alternative form of type wheel with a non-rotating type guide;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing the cooperation of the type hammer and the type wheel and guide of Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation from the front of the machine showing the arrangement of type on the typewheel shown in Fig. 5.

I designates a platen or paper roller, 2 a paper guide, 3, 3 pressure rollers to cause a paper or papers to hug platen I. These paper handling parts are not shown or described in detail, being well known in the typewriter and printer arts.

Piaten I and associated paper handling parts do not move axially in this machine. This is advantageous for several reasons. It is harder to cause paper to track properly on a moving platen, especiallyv if fed continuously from rolls. It is less fatiguing to read messages coming in on paper that is stationary. Reciprocation of the long and massive paper and platen also takes considerable space and consumes more energy and time than the reciprocation of the light type wheel carriage to be described. 4, 4 are carriage rails extending from side to side of the machine. 5 is a carriage frame riding on rails 4, 4. This may be of metal or, in the interest of lightness, of molded Bakelite or the like.

8 is a,shouldered metal stud held in boss 9 by nut 1. Stud 6 has an enlargedhead 8. Type wheel body I0, preferably of molded Bakelite or of light metal, runs on stud 6 and is confined axially between stud head I and washer :II against the end of boss 9. Type wheel body I integrally carries two circular flanges, II and I2, separated by a cylindrical neck portion or drum I3. A tape I4 which is preferably of very thin spring steel, but may be of woven linen rubberized, or of any flexible and relatively nonextensible and non-hygroscopic construction, is attached at one end on drum I3 and wraps about it at least a full turn wherf not extended. In rear flange |2- are a suitable number of accurately spaced bell-mouthed centering holes l5, one for each selectable position of the type wheel. A pointed centering pin I6 is arranged to enter holes I with very small clearance for accurately positioning type wheel body I 0. This pin I6 is moved by coupling pin I08 integral with typing hammer 28. Thus, centering pin I5 is withdrawn and shot forward together with typing hammer 28. u-

' The preferred type wheel is so light for one having independent manifolding types, due to the construction described, that high speeds may be obtained with relatively weak springs, i. e., with low energy. The overthrow is opposed by spring Il which has been increasing more in tension the farther and faster the tape I4 has spun the type wheel. There is provided an incidental damping friction due to spring 28 pressing the type wheel body'against fibre washer 'II on the face of boss 9. A stopping of the type wheel is thus obtained in which the stored energy is dissipated fully as quickly as is needed for high speed typing yet without shock. The centering pin li next darts into one of the holes |5 this accompanies and very slightly precedes the blow of the typing hammer 28and the bell mouth of hole I5 with the pointed end of pin I8 enforces correct centering if the amplitude of the type wheel oscillation "at that instant is only less than one type space.

Lever I09 bearing cam roller 0 is pivoted on carriage frame 5 and is raised against spring I and hammer spring I2I by a traveling cam II2 mounted on shaft II5. As the carriage moves, cam 2 slides axially along the square portion of shaft II5, which is driven from the main power shaft by spiral gears not shown.- The end pin I6 in hole I5 without the/hammer 28 touching type 2| against the paper.

A helical torsion spring I1 surrounds boss 9 and engages a hole in frame 5 at the base of boss 9 with its left end and type wheel body I0 with its right end, A number of like holes-for engaging the left end of spring I! may be distributed about boss 9 in frame 5 to permit of adjusting the spring torque. Three pins I8, of which only one is fully visible in the section of Fig. 1, are molded or driven into type wheel body I0 and engage radially elongated but laterally close fitting holes I! (seen best in Fig. 3) in type guide disc 20, thus angularly locating guide disc 20 relative to type wheel body I0. (g

2|-2| are type having stems or bodies 22.

These bodies, which are preferably proportioned ,which are hinged or hooked in radial slots 25 in type guide disc 20. In order that disc 20 shall not be weakened by having slots 25 all along one circle, the type bodies 22 of alternate types 2| are made slightly longer thereby causing alternate slots 25 in disc 20 to be along different circles, as can be understood from Fig. 3. The offset or Z-shaped end of one of the longer bodied types is shown at 23' in Fig. 1.

A relatively stiff spring 26 footing against washer I2 which is held by the enlarged head 8 of stud 6 presses guide disc 20 against flange II, the bodies .20 of the type being interposed betweendisc 20 and flange The outer rim of guide disc 20 is formed back to surround flange II as shown, and this formed back portion is slotted to receive the bodies 22 of all the types 2|. It will be seen that the types 2| are well located both radially and angularly in guide disc 20, and that they are also normally held against the back of disc 20 by the face of flange II. It will also be seen that if disc 20 is tilted or moved away from flange II the types can freely swing on their hinges but only away from disc 20.

The position of hammer 28 and of the type 2| struck by it, looking from the rear or platen side of the type wheel as in Fig. 3, is well to the right and below the top center of the typewheel, or to the left and below if looking from the front of the machine as in Fig. 4. As is seen in Fig. 4, this provides for leglbility of the last letter printed. Because of this off-center printing, the particular type 2| in front of hammer 28 is not visible in the strictly central section view of Fig. 1. However, it will readily be understood from that view that, when hammer 28, which is very .harder against flange II.

drives forward hammer 28, made massive by por-' tion I26,- with such energy as to compress'spring I25 and strike type 2| a sharp blow with aquick' but limited rebound. Thus, roller 0 may stay on the low part of cam I I2 for sometime, keeping heavy relative to guide disc 20 which may be of duralumin or of a light embossed sheet metal construction, falls on the back of any type 2 I, the

whole guide disc 20 is tilted about its diametrically opposite point and the type 2| so struck is gripped firmly between the hammer pressure and the spring 26 acting through disc 20 and is swung against the paper on the platen exactly as though it were an integral part of guide disc 20.

No other type but the one struck is impelled toward the paper. In fact, due in inertia, when the Z' or hinge ends 23, 23' of adjacent types 2 I--2I are suddenly accelerated by disc 20 toward the paper, their heads momentarily react all the Hammer 28, as described, instantly rebounds, due to spring I25, from its printing position far enough to permit disc 20, under pressure of spring 26, to press all the types 2I-'2|' against flange II. This occurs before any but/the struck type 2| can have been shaken against the paper. The long radius of action for the struck type provided by the common tilting guide disc 2G is' a desirable feature as it produces an action comparable to that of typebar type in that the type faces strike evenly whether on single papers or on thick manifold copies.

Fig. 4 shows the type wheel, of which the various numbered parts have been identified, in its relation to the matter being typed. The type 2| at position P is the one about to be printed. The last character printed, T, is legible although its lowest part is not visible. It is desirable to maintain legibility of the last character printed, while avoiding a ribbon shifting device, to present a narrow typewriter ribbon I2'I vertically before the type in position P. Ribbon I21 comes from a supply spool (not shown) at the left of the machine to left main guide I30 (Fig. 1) carried on .top of hammer guide lug I23. It makes a right angle. bend around guide I30 toward the paper, also a 90-degree twist, and comes to the top ribbon guide I28, which is supported on rod I29 carried on top of the other hammer guide lug I3I, from which point it passes downward over guide I28 and between the type faces and the platen I. Ribbon I21 angles slightly away from the :type wheel in this downward stretch, the more easily to clear the type faces, makes a right angle bend around the lower ribbon guide I32 toward the back of the machine, also a 90-degree twist, coming to right main guide I33. Guides I32 and I33 are carried on rod I34 extending from carriage frame 5.

The ribbon I21 rounds right main guide I33 to extend either to another supply spool (not shown) at the right-hand side of the machine, or else to run over a pulley and back to a supply spool at the left side of the machine. Well-known arrangements for taking up and letting oiI typewriter ribbons and for reversing them are numerous and one of them may be used here. The only requirements to be observed in choosing a ribbonfeeding device are that the ribbon feeding move ments of the supply spools in this machine should preferably be caused only by the carriage return function, rather than by carriage steps or spaces, that the ribbon feeding movements preferably should not be an integral multiple of the letter spaces, and that the ribbon should not be slack. The reason for this is that, as the carriage 5 spaces along rails 4, 4 during typing, with the ribbon supply spools stationary, the stationary ribbon I21 will be drawn through the moving carriage 5, over the guides just described, and will present a fresh spot for each new letter. If,

when the carriage returns, the ribbon I2] is shifted thereby, but not a multiple of the letter space, fresh spots will again be presented or the whole next line. This ribbon feed per 11 e arrangement as described is a convenient one for this machine, but may be replaced by any wellknown feeding arrangement. The vertical or nearly vertical position of the ribbon at the printing point is, however, to be preferred for visibility in cooperation with the non-central typing point and non-radial type relationship of this invention.

In this machine. the type wheel is displaced on all so-called stunt codes exactly as if they represented characters. This offers no objections and avoids the'construction of a. device to prevent the raising of the typing hammer and centering pin on the stunt codes. Such a device might be a latch on the rear end of type hammer 28, in place of cross pin I20, and a bail to lift it operated by the falling of any one of the "stunt code bars.

Spacing is accomplished by transmitting a spacing signal, for which any desired code combination may be assigned, 'to select a blank or typeless position on the type wheel, such as the position S in Fig. 4. No fixed code and order of letters has been assumed for this machine since its adaptability to cooperation with existing arrangements is paramount. The typing hammer 2! falls on position S, or on any other blank position, in the usual way. Its stroke is, however, checked by the horseshoe collar I22 striking the back shoulder of neck I24, so that, without the thickness of a type 2| interposed before the paper, hammer 28 makes no mark. The blow of the hammer 28 is cushioned by sprin I 25, as described' Lacking a type to strike, he compression of this spring is slightly greater, so that the impact on collar I 22 is not sharp. In Fig. 5, I DA is the type wheel body, I 2 the rear flange with centering holes I5, I4 the tape, and I3 the tape drum. Molded into the type body IIIA is a thin steel fingered disc IIA carrying type 2I brazed or riveted on the fingers 22A in the angular arrangement shown in -Fig. 7. .The' fingers 22A are bent away from the paper as shown. A non-rotating type clamping guide 20A is pivoted at L on a suitable lug of carriage 5 and is provided with a strong spring 26A and a stop 21A.

As best seen in Fig. 6, when the flat end of typing hammer 28A-strikes a finger 22A, the latter is gripped between the upper end of type clamping guide 20A and the lower part of the end of the hammer 28A, and is thus advanced against the paper substantially in a parallel manner, the type 2I being itself supported by the upper part of hammer 28A. An advantage of this form of construction is the still lower mass of the revolving type wheel due to the fact that the type clamping guide 20A, equivalent in type guiding function to disc 20 of Fig. l, is not a part of the rotating mass, and also due to the type stems or bodies 22 not being used and to the fact that disc I I A is lighter than flange II.

Many other variations and practical embodiments of the above principles will occur to those skilled in the art and may be practised without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing telegraph machine, a type wheel comprising a back disc and a spring-pressed rocking front disc selectively rotatable together, a peripherally positioned set of types normally held between said discs, hinge means for pivotally securing each type to oneof said discs, each type having a body and a face secured to the body at an angle to the radius through its respective position, and a printing hammer adapted to strike said types individually.

2. In a printing telegraph machine, a platen adapted to bear a paper, a wheel bearing types that; are to be advanced for printing and rotating in aplane su stantially parallel to the paper at the printing int, and means for obtaining legible visibility of the last character printed, said means including instrumentalities for printig a type to the left and below the top center of said wheel looking toward said platen.

3. In a printing telegraph machine having a cylindrical platen adapted 'to bear a paper, a type carrier comprising a selectively rotatable disc and a set of individually mounted types rotating therewith, a non-rotating yielding type uide having a concave upper surface adapted to bear against the cylindrical surface of the platen,

meaus for pivotally mounting said type guide in the printing telegraph machine, and a type presser bar for pressing said types one at a time against said type guide and for advancing a pressed type and said type guide against a paper borne by the platen to effect printing by said types.

4. In a printing telegraph machine, a platen adapted to bear a paper, a wheel bearing types that are to be advanced for printing upon said paper, means for rotating said wheel in a plane substantially parallel to the paper at the printing point, and means for obtaining legible visibility of the last character printed, said means including an ink ribbon and guides for causing the ink ribbon to pass substantially vertically between the type to be printed and the platen.

5. A front-strike printing machine comprising in combination a platen adapted to bear a. paper, a type wheel body having a flange, a plurality of movable types, a guide member for guiding movement of said types, means for pivotally attaching each of said types to the guide member and between the flange of the typewheel body and the guide member for movement toward and from the platen, a spring for normally biasing said guide member toward the type wheel body, r'a printing hammer for moving a type and the guide member against a paper borne by the platen, operating means for operating said printing hammer, and actuating means for mechanically actuating said operating means.

6. A front-strike printing machine comprising in combination a platen, a plurality of types, a disc, supporting means for supporting the disc for rotation and for tflting, a printing hammer adapted to strike said types individually against the platen, and hinge means for individually mounting the types on the disc and for causing a struck type to eil'ect the tilting of the disc toward the platen for advancing the struck type toward the platen in a path of longer radius than its own hinge radius.

7. A front-strike printing machine comprising in combination a front disc, a back disc, a shaft, means for mounting said back disc upon said shaft for rotation, means for mounting said front disc upon said shaft for rotation and for tilting toward the platen, selecting means for rotating the back disc, instrumentalities for causing the front disc to rotate integrally with the back disc, a plurality of individual types each having a body member, hinge means forlpivotally mounting said type bodies individually on said front disc with the type bodies sandwiched between the front disc and the back disc, a spring for pressing .the front disc against the back disc for retaining the type bodies in an unoperated position, meansfor causing an individual type to be moved toward the platen in a path of longer radius than its own hinge radius, said means including a printing hammer for rocking a type member and the front disc away from the back disc and toward the platen, and operating means for operating said printing hammer.

8. A front-strike printing machine comprising in combination a cylindrical platen having an axis and adapted to bear a paper, a typewheel having an axis for supporting the type wheel for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the paper at the printing point, a plurality of individual types, instrumentalities for mounting the types individually on the type wheel, supporting means for supporting the type wheel axis in a position other than parallel to the platen axis, driving means for causing the type wheel to travel the length of the platen, and means for obtaining legible visibility of the last character printed, said means including actuating means for causing the types to strike individually along the length of the platen near the trailing edge of the type wheel as it advances along the length of the platen.

9. A front-strike printing machine comprising in combination a cylindrical platen having an axis and adapted to bear a paper, a type wheel having an axis for supporting the type wheel for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the paper at the printing point, supporting means for supporting the type wheel axis in a position other than parallel to the platen axis, a plurality of individual types, a printing hammer for striking the types individually toward a paper borne by the platen, hinge means for pivotally mounting said types individually on the type wheel, each of said types having a body and a face secured to the body at an angle to the radius through its respective position, and means for obtaining legible visibility of the last character printed, said means for obtaining legible visibility including supporting means for supporting the printing hammer in a position for causing it to strike only a type which is mounted on the type wheel at a point to the left and below the top center of the type wheel looking toward the platen.

10. A front-strike printing machine comprising in combination a cylindrical platen having an axis and adapted to bear a paper, a type wheel having an axis for supporting the type wheel for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the paper at the printing point, supporting means for supporting the type wheel axis in a position other than parallel to the platen axis, a plurality of individual types, a printing hammer for striking the types individually toward a paper borne by the platen, an ink ribbon, hinge means for pivotally mounting said types individually on the type wheel, each of said types having a body and a face secured to the body at an angle to the radius through its respective position, supporting means for Supporting the printing hammer in a position for causing it to strike only a type which is mounted on the type wheel at a point to the left and below the top center of the type wheel looking toward the platen, and a plurality of guides for causing said ink ribbon to pass vertically across the middle left portion of the type wheel looking toward the platen.

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