US2240477A - Typewriting and like machines - Google Patents

Description

May 6,-1941. G. E. BAUDER TYPEWRITING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed sept. Y22; 1938' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m w. w

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May 6, 1941.

G. E. BAUDER TYPEWRIVTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Sept. 22, 1958 2 svneetsesheex 'zev me/Wto@ GLEN/v E, BAUDER @Haz/wu! Patented May 6, 1941 2,240,477 l TYPEvvnrriNe AND LIKE MACHINES Glenn E. Baudet, Elmira, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.`, a corporation of Delaware Application September 22, 1938, Serial No. 231,183

' 4 claims. (ci. 197-33) My invention relates. to typewriting and like machines, and more particularly to improvedV A more specic objects of my invention is to4 provide means for regulating the operating touch by an improved mechanism for adjusting the tension or effective force of a single spring means which is stressed at each operation of any type action.

A further object oi my invention is to provide a touch regulating means of the character specied wherein the variable tension or effective force of the spring means acts uniformly on all of the type actions but is ineffective thereon during the initial portion of the operation of each type action. A

A still further object of my` invention is to provide a controlling means for adjustingthe tension or effective force of returning spring means stressed by the operation of any of the type actions and to provide certain deiinite predetermined positions of adjustment in which the controlling means may be retained against the force of said spring means. y Y

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved means for indicating the position of adjustment of the touch regulatingv mechanism. l

To the above and other ends, which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the features of construction, arrangements of partsv the parts shown in Fig. 2, the view being takeny on line 3--3 of Fig. 2 and viewedin the direction of the arrows at said'line.

4few changes in the existing structure.

I have shown my invention embodied in the present instance in a No. 5 Remington` portable machine in which the devices of the present invention may be readily incorporated with but However, it is to be understood that my invention is not restricted to embodiment in such machine, but may be employed invarious other types of typewriting and like machines wherever found available. l

I have shown in the accompanying. drawings only so much of theusual construction of the No. 5 Remington portable machine as is, necessary to arrive at an understanding of my invention and its embodiment therein.

The frame of the present machine includes the usual side plates 5 which are joined by the usual cross members and the type bar segment, not shown. The front ends of the side plates 5 are connected to a key lever guide comb 1 attached thereto at 8. The upper portions oi the sides and front of the machine are enclosed by a top plate I0 which may be regarded as a part of the frame of the machine. This top plate is removably secured to a bracket I2-by screws I3, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower portion. of the bracket I2 is attached by screws I4 to the upper portion of the key lever guide comb I which may likewise be regarded as a part of the Aframe.

A full complement of type actions is mounted within the frame of the machine in the usual manner by means which are not shown.

It may be brieiiy described that each type ac- Vtion includes the type bar I8 operable about a pivot wire I9 to bring one or the other of types 20 on the bar to the printing point, depending on the case position of the usual platen 2l. Each type bar I8 is moved to the printing position by `a companion sub-lever 22` having a toothed portion 23 at the rear end thereof meshing with teeth 24 on the heel of the associated type bar. Each sub-lever is mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot 25, and the front end of each sublever 22 is pivotally connected by a pull wire 25 to a companion key lever 21. The rear end of leach key lever 21 is pivotally mounted at 28 and the forward end portion thereof extends through Aa companion vertical slot in the guide comb 1. fIhe upwardly extending forward end of each key lever is provided with a key 3D in the usual manv ner. Each type action is returned to normal position by a contractile spring 32 connected at one end to the companion sub-lever 22 and at .Y its other end to `a common anchor member 33.

of the spring 50. This member 58 is formed by a segmentally shaped plate having an open ended bearing recess or seat 55 at the lower end thereof which receives the lstern portion of a headed pivot pin 59a which is secured at the reduced diameter front end thereof to the central portion of the bracket I2.

lAn operative connection is provided between the control member 58 and the anchor arm 53 for effecting an upward movement of the arm 53 about its pivot 54 against the force of the spring 50 by a clockwise movement of the member 58 shown, the universal bar mechanism is arranged for operation by each of the key levers 2'I..

This universal bar mechanism includes a uni-A versal bar 40 extending transversely of the machine beneath all of the keylevers 2'I, and is rigidly connected at the opposite ends thereof to arms 4l which carry pivot pins 42 that enter bearing holes in the side 4plates 5. A channel member 43 extends between the universal-bar arms 4I and is rigidly attached thereto by screw 44, shown in Fig. 1, to provide a rigid frame which is operable uniformly about the pivots 42 by any one of the key levers 21. In orderto simplify the present disclosure, the `carriage escapement and the ribbon feed and vibrator mechanisms and their operating -connections to the universal bar frame have not been shown in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that .all of such mechanism may -be -of the usual construction employed in the No. 5 Remington portable machine and connected to the transverse channel member 43 f-or operation thereby in the usual manner. From certain aspects of my invention the universal bar need not be operative .to actuate ribbon feed and/or other mechanism inasmuch as its function in conjunction with the touch regulating means is not dependent on this factor. The spring returned universal bar alone may be employed in some instances without connection Ito ribbon feed or other means for operation thereby. Y

Referring to Fig. 1, it may be seen that the normalposition of the universal vbar frame is determined by the engagement of a rearwardly extending portion 46 of one of the arms 4| with a iixed bracket 41 carried by the frame of the machine. The universal bar mechanism is returned to and held in such normal position by a contractile spring 5U having the lower endv thereof connected at 5I to .the universal Vbar 40 intermediate the ends thereof.

Touch regulating means are provided in accordance with the present invention by an improved means for varying the tension or the effective force of the spring 50 on the universal bar mechanism. Thus, the upper end `of rthe spring 58 is connected at 52 to the downwardly and rearwardly extending end of an anchor or tension 'adjusting arm V53. This arm extends transversely of the machine in the rear of the front portion of the frame of the machine and is pivotally mounted at one end on a shouldered pin 54 having a reduced diameter portion riveted to the bracket I2. Referring to Fig. 3, it may be seen .that the shouldered portion 548L of the pin 54 serves to space the anchor arm 53 rearwardly from the bracket I2, and the arm 53 is retained ont he pin 54 by a spring clip member 55 received by an annular groove in the rear end portion of the pin 54.

A manually adjusted control member or cam 58 is provided for adjusting the position of the anchor arm 53 about its pivot 54 to vary the tension about its .pivot 59, which operative connection is so constructed and arranged that the control member 58 may be retained in any one of several Apredeternriined positions of adjustment against the force of the spring 50. Thus, a headed pin 60 is riveted at a reduced diameter rear end portion thereof .to the anchor arm 53, intermediate the ends thereof. The stem of the pin 60 engages the lower wall 5810i an opening 6I provided in the control member 58. From a consideration of Fig; 2 it will be seen that the general contour .of the wall 58a is eccentric to the pivot 59a-so as to form a cam. This cam 5i!EL is engaged by the body portion of the pin 60 land is provided with a plurality of depressions 62 forming shallow detent recesses or notches. The pinV 60 is so positioned on the arm 53 that the downward force exerted by .the pin 60 against the cam 58a through the action of the spring 50 is substantially against the dead center of the control member 58. That is, this force acts substantially on a radial line with respect to the pivot 59a of the member 58. In this manner, the force of the spring 5B not only can'- not cause Ia turning movement of the control member 58 butdue to the fact that the pin 60 engages in the shallow detent notches 62 will hold the control member in any predetermined position kof adjustment determined by'said notches. f

It will thus be clear that inasmuch as each of the detent notches 62 in the cam 58aA is positioned a progressively greater distance from the pivot 59a, a clockwise pivotal movement of the control member 58 from its position shown in Fig. 2 will cause the left hand endof the anchor arm 53 to move upward and thereby increase the tension of the spring 50. On the other handa movement of the control member in the opposite direction will decrease the tension of the spring 50.

Referring .to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the upper portion of the Vcontrol member 58 is positioned directly in the rear of the vertically disposed portion of the top plate I0, and about midway between the sides of the machine as indicated in Fig. 2. Accordingly a means for affording convenient manual adjustment of the member 58 is provided by a finger piece in the form of a round -pin or knob S5 ysecured to the front face of the upper portion of the member 58 and extending forward through an arcuate slot 66 in the top plate I 0'. Thus, the operator may conveniently adjust the nger piece I65 back and forth vin the slot 66 to vary the tension of the spring 50. x Y

A means for indicating the various positions of adjustment of the present touch regulating mechanism is provided by suitable indices such for example, as numerical indices 1, 2, 3, 4 and f5 marked on the front' surface of the control member 58. Only one of these indices is visible at each position of the control rmember 58 through an opening formed by a semi-circular notch 51 at "the central portion of 'the lower wallof the slot 66 inthe top :platev III'. The indices in the present instance are shown suitably marked on the face Vof the `memsponding detent notch 62 formed in the control-v member 58.

In` order that the control member 58 may be properly supported and guided on the bracket I2 in the movement of the members 5B to different positions of adjustment, I have provided in addition to the headed pivot 59EL two headed pins 68 and 69 secured to the bracket I2 and having the heads thereof overlapping the upper segmental edge of the control member.

It will be seen that the axes of the pivots 54 and 59a, as well as the axis of the pin 60, are horizontally disposed in parallel arrangement and extend fore and aft of the machine and that a simple inexpensive eifective and compact construction comprising but two parts, one operative directly on the other, is provided. The touch regulating means, it will be observed, is confined within a narrow space back of the front of the machine where it does not interfere with any of the other working parts of the machine and where it is readily accessible to the operator for adjustment.

It will be seen, moreover, that the entire touch regulating means with the supporting bracket I2 may be introduced into or removed from the machine as a single unitary construction, subject to a connection of the spring 50 to or a disconnection thereof from the arm 53. Thus, by removing the screws I3 and I4, and such other screws as hold the top plate I in position, :the entire touch regulating means, together with the supporting bracket I2, may be removed after the spring U is disconnected.

Should it be found desirable to remove the top plate I0 without removing the touch regulating means, it is merely necessary to remove Ithe screws I3 and such other screws as hold the top plate in position. This enables the top plate to be removed independently of the bracket I2 and the touch regulating means supported thereon.

It is apparent from what has been pointed out that the assembly of the touch regulating means outside of the machine and its introduction as a single unit into the machine may be readily effected at a comparatively small cost.

Referring to Fig. 1 it will be understood that the key levers 21 for the different banks of keys have depending projections 2la that engage the separate bendably adjustable contact members IMIa on the universal bar 40. It will be understood, moreover, Ithat there are varying extents of lost motion between the projections 2la and the contact members Il()SL depending on the extent of the dip of the key levers 21 at these points, It followsy therefore that due to such lost motion the force of the spring 50 during the initial portion of the printing movement of different type actions is not exerted against them and the force of the associated returning spring 32 alone need be overcome by the key depression. It results therefore that an initial easy start of each type action may be eiiected and it is not until the parts thereof have been set in motion that the resistance of the spring 50 becomes eiective. It is important, however, that the force of the spring 5U shall be effeculating means.

tive during the latter portion of the printing movement .of each type action and that it shall exert an equal force against all type actions as determined by the adjustment of the touch regthe additional force of the spring 50 operative to bring about auquick return of each type bar from its V printing position and thereby reduce.

the liability of collision between the type bars in" the danger zone near the platen and without having the force of the spring 50 exerted in each instance against a type action throughout its entire printing movement.

From the foregoing description it Will be understood that I have provided a simple, compact, inexpensive and highly effective means for attaining the purposes pointed out.

Various changes may be made in the construction, and some of the features thereof may be employed without others, without departingV rom my invention as it is defined in the accompanying claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a typewriting machine, the combination of type actions including printing keys, spring means exerting a resistance to the actuation of said type actions, and touch regulating means for increasing or decreasing the force of said spring means thereby varying the touch on the printing keys, said touch regulating means comprising a pivoted manually set controlling member, and a tensioning member cooperating with said spring means and controlling member, said last mentioned member being provided with a cam having detent recesses in which a part of the tensioning member may be received to hold it in any position to which it is adjusted by said cam.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of type actions including printing keys, a universal bar actuated thereby, a spring for returning said universal bar to normal position, and touch regulating means for varying the touch on the printing keys comprising a pivoted manually set controlling member having a cam with extreme and intermediate detent notches in the face thereof, and a pivoted tensioning member constituting an anchor to which one end of said spring is attached and having a part thereof that coacts with said cam and detent notches for adjustment towards and from the pivotal center of said controlling member for varying the position of the tensioning member and for holding it and the controlling member in any of the positions of adjustment determined by said detent notches.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of type actions including printing keys, a universal bar actuated thereby, a spring for returning said universal bar to normal position, and touch regulating means for varying the touch on the printing keys comprising a pivoted manually set controlling member mounted at the front of the machine and having a cam thereon, indexing means for indicating diierent positions of adjustment of said controlling member, and a pivoted arm to which one end of said spring is anchored, said arm having a part thereof that coacts directly with said cam and is movable thereby towards and from the pivotal center of said controlling member for varying the force exerted by said spring.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of type actions including printing keys, a uni- The eiect of this is to render versal 'bar actuated'thereby, a spring for returning said universal bar to normal position, and touch regulating means for varying the touch on the printing keys comprising a pivoted manually set controlling member mounted With-l n the machine frame in the rear of the front thereofand having a finger piece that extends through an opening in said frame, said controlling member having a cam with both extreme and intermediate detent notches therein, 10

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