Patent GB-393513-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in tabulating mechanism for typewriters
IPC: B41J25/18
Filed: 1932-12-19
Abstract: 393,513. Typewriters. FAIRWEATHER, W. C., 65, Chancery Lane, London.-(Underwood Elliott Fisher Co. ; 342, Madison Avenue, New York, U.S.A.) Dec. 19, 1932, No. 35882. [Class 100 (iv).] Tabulating-mechanism.-Mechanism of the kind comprising settable column-stops mounted at letter-space intervals on the carriage comprises (i) a stop-bar consisting of a tube formed in opposite walls with slots for receiving column stops consisting of a blade which is preferably retained in normal or set position by an integral detent, (ii) a column-stop setting-means arranged to yield, and thereby prevent jamming, if the carriage is inadvertently released when the setting-means is in operative position, and (iii) mountings for the stop-bar and the devices co-operating with the column stops so arranged that the carriage can be removed without interference from those devices, and vice versa. The stop-bar shown in Figs. 1, 7 and 10 consists of a rectangular tube 22 formed at letterspace intervals with top and bottom slots 35, 36 for receiving column stops 37 consisting of a blade which fits within the tube. The blade may have a slightly offset tongue 38 formed with notches 40, 41 which co-operate with the top wall of the stop-rack to retain the stop in depressed or elevated position. The blade may have a lug 43 for limiting depression. The stop-bar is secured to the carriage 14, Fig. 1, by means of end brackets 21 each having a bend 26 covering the end of the stop-bar, and a flange 23 which fits in the stop-bar and is secured by a screw 25. One or more intermediate brackets 28 are employed for long stop-bars. The brackets 21 may be provided with screws 103 for adjusting the stop-bar longitudinally. The column stops are set by means of a finger 75 on a rocking arm 66 connected by a link 67 and a lever 64 to a slide 60 engaging a setting-key lever 56. The arm 66 has a slot 74 engaging a pin 71 on a post 72, engagement being maintained by a spring 93. The stop-setting device and a stop-restoring device, described below, are with the exception of their key-levers carried as a unit by a detachable frame 49 which is arranged at the rear of the machine and supports the denomination stops 45. To set any column stop, it is brought into register with the finger 75 by moving the carriage, and the stop-setting key 55 is depressed. On release of the key, the setting-device is returned by a spring 76, and the column stop is retained in depressed position by means of the notch 40. If a characterkey or the space-key is operated when the finger 75 is in depressed position, the adjacent column stop engages the finger and moves the arm 66 towards the left, the movement being cushioned by the spring 93, and limited by a guide-slot 69 for the link 67. The arrangement prevents the finger or column stop from being bent and thereby jamming the stopsetting device. On release of the key 55, the stop-setting device is returned to normal position by the springs 76, 93, the pull of the carriage initiating return, since the pin 71 is so arranged that the finger can move upwardly and away from the column stop. The column stops are restored by means of a slide 81 mounted in the frame 49 and arranged a letterspace to the left of the decimal-point stop 45. The slide is operated by.a key-lever 80 and is formed with an offset 86 and an incline 92. To restore a selected column stop, the carriage is positioned by the column stop and the decimal-point stop 45, and on release of the decimal-point key the carriage makes the usual letter-space movement and the column stop registers with the offset 86, so that on depression of the restoring-key 79 the column stop is restored. On depression of the restoring key and return of the carriage, all the set column stops are restored by means of the incline 92. An erroneously set column stop can be restored immediately by depressing the restoring-key. The frame 49 is provided at the top and bottom with a comb 47 and a slotted wall 48 for guiding the denomination stops and the slides 60, 81, the slots in the wall being of sufficient depth to guide also the key-levers. The devices co-operating with the column stops are clear of the stop-bar and its supporting- brackets in all positions of the carriage, the arrangement permitting the carriage to move without interference from those devices, and vice versa.