Patent GB-498713-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in stenographic recording machines
IPC: B41J3/26
Filed: 1937-12-13
Abstract: 498,713. Typewriters ; strip-perforating machines. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Dec. 13, 1937, No. 34438. Convention date, Dec. 19, 1936. [Classes 100 (iii) and 100 (iv)] Stenographic machines; keyboards ; case-shift mechanism; hammer-impression arrangements; line-spacing mechanism.-A syllabic typing or stripperforating machine for taking down dictation is operated by a keyboard, Fig. 2, comprising a group of six thumb-operated vowel-keys arranged in two columns, and left and right three-bank groups of fifteen keys, the left group being employed for initial consonants, and the right group for final consonants and final E. The key-characters are so arranged with reference to the relative frequency of occurrence and the sequence of the consonants, that the most frequently employed consonant-keys are operated by the index-fingers, and key-combinations such as ST, TS, LT, TL, TH can be operated by one finger. The Specification includes, as a basis for the lay-out of the keyboard, a series of tables showing the relative frequency of occurrence of initial and final consonants and consonant-combinations in the English language. The keyboard includes also shift-keys 25 .. 28 and error-cancelling keys 34, 35. In an alternative keyboard, Fig. 1 (not shown), the key-banks are straight, and the arrangement of the key-characters differs in detail from that described above. The machine shown in Figs. 6, 9, and 16 perforates a record-strip 34 which is employed subsequently for controlling a typewriter. The machine comprises a horizontal row of thirty-five punches 104 divided at the middle by a group of six punches 148, Fig. 16, arranged in two columns. The punches 104 are operated by slides or hammers 108 each connected by a toggle 110, 111 and a slotted link 115 to one of the key-levers 44 .. 48, these being mounted on shafts 41, 42. The punches 104 can operate on any of three lines on the record-strip, pre-printed lines thereon showing the characters and functions represented by the perforations. Normally, the punches operate on the middle line, and the perforations represent the bottom consonants on the keys when the two groups thereof are read separately from left to right and from the top to the bottom rows, these two groups of perforations being separated. by two perforations for the vowel E. When the punches are shifted upwards or downwards, the punches operate on the top or bottom lines and represent the vowels A or 0 and the consonants, characters, or functions shown in the top corners of the keys. To provide for shift, the left-hand part of the row of punches 104 is mounted in a vertically movable block 105, Fig. 9, connected to a rocking arm 135 co-operating with a cam 121 having faces 131, 132, 133 corresponding to the upper, normal, or lower position. The cam is rocked by means of pawls 119, 123 connected to the levers 48, 49 carrying the shift-keys 28, 26. On depression of either shift-key, the pawl 119 or 123 rides over a rod 128 or 129 and into engagement with a pin 120 or 125 on the cam, and the cam is rocked to lower or raise the punches. Similar mechanism, operated by the shift-keys 25, 27 is provided for the right-hand part of the row of punches 104. The vowel-punches 148, Fig. 16, are mounted in a stationary block 109 and engage bellcranks 144 connected to the vowel-key levers 43. The record-strip 34 is led from a roll 83, over a die-plate 86, between rollers 88, 89, and over a writing plate 90. The roller 88 is frictionally coupled to a ratchet-wheel 80 co-operating with teeth 79 on a slide 69 which is yieldingly connected to an arm 62 on a shaft 60 provided with universal bars 63, 64 co-operating with the key-levers 43 .. 48. On depression of the key-levers, the slide 69 rises idly until arrested by a stop 72, and on release of the key-levers, the universal bars are returned by a spring 65, and the recordstrip receives a three-line feed. Words such as " the," " and," " feed," and " through " can be recorded by a single simultaneous movement of the fingers of one or both hands. Longer words are recorded syllabically. The record-strip receives a three-line feed after the recording of each such word or syllable. The space-perforation is made by depressing either of the space-keys 20, 21, usually when a complete word or a final syllable is recorded. When the A, E keys or the E, 0 keys in the same column are depressed simultaneously two perforations representing I or U respectively are made. The error keys 34, 35 are depressed to make cancelling-perforations at the beginning and end of erroneously-recorded matter, the roller 88 being turned manually to position the record-strip. The machine can be modified in the following manner to print on a strip. The row of punches 104 is replaced by three rows of types, the shiftmechanism being employed to bring the required row into the printing line. Each column of vowel-punches is replaced by five vowel-types 179, Fig. 4, mounted in a vertically movable slide 178 in connection with a lever 175 co-operating with a stepped cam 174. A sector 167, geared to the cam, carries a universal bar 165 co-operating with stepped shoulders 156, 157, 158 on the A, E, O keylevers 43, and stepped shoulders 163, 164 on two levers 159 arranged between the keylevers 43. Blocks 162, suspended from the levers 159, co-operate with the A, E and E, 0, key-levers respectively. On depression of the A, E or 0 key-lever/the step 156, 157, or 158 co-operates with the universal bar 165, and the slide 178 is shifted to bring the A, E or O type into the printing line. When the A, E key-levers are depressed simultaneously, the associated block 162 depresses the lever 159, and the shoulder 163 co-operates with the universal bar to position the I type. Similarly, when the E, 0 key-levers are depressed simultaneously, the U type is positioned. The strip-feeding mechanism is so arranged that single and double spacing occur on depression of the typing-keys and space-key respectively, the latter key being connected to a pawl cooperating with the ratchet-wheel 80. At the end of a sentence, the typing-keys and space-key are released separately and the strip is triple-spaced. Machines for embossing paper.-The abovementioned types can be replaced by punches provided with embossing-faces, each character being represented on the strip by a perforation and an embossed letter or character. The consonant-punches are mounted in stationary blocks and are operated by a sliding interponent which is mounted in a shiftable block and is operated by slides or hammers in connection with the key-levers. The vowelpunches are operated by the mechanism shown in Fig. 16.