Patent GB-191413745-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Word-counting Devices for Typewriting Machines.
Inventor: STACEY CYRIL FELLS
IPC: B41J29/24
Filed: 1914-06-06
Granted: 1915-06-07
Abstract: 13,745. Stacey, C. F. June 6. Counters actuated by reciprocating mechanism.-In word-counting apparatus for typewriters, the driving- mechanism is connected to the space-bar and the usual universal bar in such a manner that the counter is actuated by depressing in sequence first a key - lever and then the space-bar, or vice versa, repeated depressions of the spacebar only or the keylevers only being ineffective. The invention is described as applied to an 'Underwood ' machine in which the universal bar C is supported. by a bail C<2> and is actuated either by being engaged by the type-levers B<5> or by the engagement, with an arm C<4> on the bail, of an arm E<1> secured to the shaft E<2> of the space-bar levers E', the arm C' being slotted to engage an arm F<1> on the shaft F<2> of the ribbon-mechanism. An arm E' secured to the shaft E<2> carries a pivoted bell-crank G formed with a slot G<2> engaging a pin on an arm F<3> secured to the shaft F<2>. The bell-crank is connected by a link H to a plate J pivoted on the usual stop-rod J<1> and formed.with dogs J<2>, J<3> adapted to engage the teeth K' of the wheel K of ten teeth connected to the counter K', the tips of the dogs being normally on the pitch circle X, Fig. 4. The teeth K' are each formed with a bevelled tip K<6> on the following face and with a radial part K<5> on the leading face inside the pitch circle. On depressing the space-bar E, the link H is lifted by the bell-crank G, which is lifted by the arm E<4> and is constrained by the arm F<3>, there being no relative movement between the pin and the slot G<2>. The link H rocks the plate J upwards and causes the dogs J2. J<3> to move respectively to the circles Z, Y, Fig. 4, the dog J<2> acting on a following face and turning the wheel through one-fortieth of a revolution. On releasing the space-bar, the dogs move back to the circle X, and the dog J<3> engages one of the tips K<6> and turns the wheel through another fortieth of a revolution. If the space-bar is again depressed one or more times before one of the key-levers B is depressed, the movement is ineffective, the dog J<2> wiping idly over one of the radial faces K<5>. On depressing a key-lever, the arm E<4> remains at rest and the arm F<3> causes the bell-crank to depress the link H and the plate J, the dog J<3> engaging one of the following faces and turning the wheel through one-fortieth of a revolution, and the return movement of the plate, due to the release of the key-lever, causing the dog J<2> to engage one of the tips K<6> and turn the wheel through another fortieth of a revolution. Further depressions of the key-levers are ineffective, the dog J<3> wiping idly over one of the faces K<5>. One depression of the space bar and one depression of the key-levers are thus effective to turn the wheel through one-tenth of a revolution. As one of the dogs is always in engagement, over-running of the wheel is prevented. To count the space left at the end of a line, without operating the space-bar, the paper-carriage D is provided with a cam D' adapted on return of the carriage to the right to engage a finger H<5> on the link H and cause a pin H<1> on the link to move along a cam-slot H<2> in the plate J and force it upwards. When the cam releases the finger, a spring H<3> returns the link and causes the plate to be lifted, the rocking of the plate causing the counter to be operated in the same manner as if operated by the space-bar. The wheel K is secured to a sleeve which is feathered on the counter-shaft K<5> and provided with a knob K<9> which is moved outwards to carry the wheel clear of the dogs J<2>, J<3> when it is desired to re-set or silence the counter. In a modification, the bell-crank is replaced by a floating lever which is pivoted at the rear on an arm on the shaft E<2> and has a pin-and-slot connexion at the middle with an arm on the shaft F<2>, the floating lever being moved upwards and downwards on operating the space-bar and the key-levers respectively. The floating lever is connected by a link to a lever formed with dogs operating a wheel similar to the wheel K, but formed, in order to simplify manufacture, with straight following faces to the teeth. The counter is operated on the return of a carriage by the engagement of a cam thereon with a vertically movable slide having a pin-and-slot connexion with the rear end of the floating-lever, the slide being lifted by the cam and, on release, depressed by a spring. The cam is pivoted to permit the carriage to move idly past the cam driving the letter-spacing movement. The floating lever has a pin-and-slot connexion with the arm on the shaft E<2> in order to permit of operation of the slide.