Patent GB-550015-A (GB)
Abstract: 550,015. Typewriting accounting-machines. TRIGGS, W. W. (Underwood Elliott Fisher Co.). May 16, 1941, No. 6344. [Class 106 (i)] [Also in Groups XVI and XXIV] A combined typewriting and accounting machine having type bar mechanisms, means for selectively actuating said mechanisms to impress the types carried thereby successively upon the work sheets, a register and operating mechanism therefor, constructed to enter numbers, digit by digit in the register, is characterised in that a series of actuators are provided for actuating said register operating mechanism, said actuators being selectively moved initially in one direction while operatively disconnected from said register operating mechanism and being then moved in a return direction, and that means is provided for causing the selectively moved actuator when moving in said return direction to actuate said register operating mechanism. The machine is of the Elliott Fisher type and has the general construction described in Specification 312,136, [Class 100 (iv)], a type-carriage 20 being movable laterally for letter-spacing across a line-space frame which is movable forward and backward over a platen frame 4, the line-spacing mechanism being of the type described in U.S.A. Specification 2,248,152 and the letter-spacing being described below under the heading " Escapement mechanism." Power driven type-bar actuating mechanism.- Type bars 172 are controlled by keys 260 through driving links 228 and intermediate levers 200, all of which are normally held by springs in the positions shown in Fig. 3. Depression of a key 260 rocks its lever 246 counterclockwise to pull lever 244 to the left and through a shoulder-andpin connection, to pull the corresponding driving link 228 to the left until it abuts against an adjustably mounted stop plate, spring 256 yielding to allow lever 246 to continue to its limiting position by virtue of a pin-and-slot connection: Each driving link '228 carries a two-toothed pawl 234 normally lying against arresting plate 240, but the movement of the link to the left brings the pawl into engagement with the continuouslyrotating power-driven shaft 238 which rocks driving-link 228 downward to actuate links 220, 212, to rock its intermediate lever 200 downward about fulcrum bar 202 and through links 198, 192, 190, 184, 182, to operate the type bar 172 corresponding to the key depressed. Interlock for driving links.-The upper ends of driving links 228 move in guide slots in transverse bar 270. To prevent more than one driving link 228 being swung forward into operating position at the same time, a series of interlocking balls 272 is confined in a groove of the bar 270 between springs at opposite ends with a total free space between adjacent balls such that when one driving link 228 is driven forward it engages between two balls of the series, leaving no space available for any other link, as described in Specification 484,062, [Group XVI]. Escapement mechanism.-As each intermediate lever 200 is depressed under the action of a key 260, its abutment screw 285 depresses universal bar 284, underlying all the levers 200, to rock shaft 281 counterclockwise and through drawwire 279 to swing holding dog 277 (Fig. 23, not shown) out of operative position and a spacing dog into operative position to rotate escapement wheel 276 and so to move the type-carriage. When the key is released, the holding dog reengages and the spacing dog disengages the escapement wheel. The escapement mechanism is also controlled from the space-bar by substantially similar power-operated means as described in Specification 484,062, [Group XVI]. Column totalizer mechanisms.-On a register bar 286, supported on uprights on the line space frame, are secured one or more registers of the type described in Specification 367,174 in any desired positions, the securing means comprising base plate 290, clamping members 292, 294 and locating levers 296 engaging openings in the bar. Each register comprises the usual number wheels 300, value wheels 301, transfer mechanism (not shown) and transfer reset slide 302. Master wheel 304, mounted at about the mid-position of the rear of the type-carriage is brought into engagement, step by step, with each number wheel 300 as the type carriage moves from left to right after each accumulating operation. Pinion 312, fixed to the same shaft as the master wheel, meshes with gear 314 which is slidable axially for engagement with one or other of two gears 318, 321 according to whether the machine is set for addition or subtraction (Fig. 4, not shown). Power driven differential actuator mechanism. -Two kinds of differential mechanisms are employed, one for entering numbers 3 ... 9, the other for entering numbers 1 and 2. The first kind comprises a double-sided rack bar 324, Figs. 3 and 6, corresponding to each numeral key 3 ... 9, pivoted to lever 328, normally urged downwards by spring-pressed bail 332. Inclined teeth 348, 344 on rack 324 are designed to mesh with power-driven toothed shaft 350 and gear 346, respectively, but normally each rack is held disengaged from both by its pin 352 engaging recess 354 in spring-pressed lever 356 which yieldingly holds pin 352 in contact with the lower edge of fixed cam plate 364, Fig. 8. As described below under the heading " Means for enabling differential mechanism," when the machine is set for entering a digit and the master wheel 304 is in the zone of a register, levers 366, pivotally suspended from levers 370, are raised, Figs. 6, 12, into operative position with respect to pins 352, but otherwise levers 366 are in their lower inoperative position, Fig. 3. With levers 366 in raised position, depression of a numeral key depresses its intermediate lever 200, as described above, to actuate its type bar 172, and through parts 386, 384, 382, to swing its associated lever 366 forward so that pin 352 follows the lower edge of cam plate 364 and brings rack 324 into engagement with the continuously-rotating toothed shaft 350, which lifts rack 324 until projection 392 on the rack engages stud 388, when the rack is disengaged from shaft 350 and descends under the influence of spring-pressed bail 332, being brought into mesh with its associated gear 346 when pin 352 enters channel 396, Fig. 8, differentially placed in each of the cam plates associated with the racks corresponding to the numbers 3 ... 9. Gear 346, mounted on the same shaft as gear 318 which drives the master wheel through gear 314 for addition or through gears 321 and 314 for subtraction, therefore receives a differential rotation before rack 324 is disengaged by pin 352 meeting the projecting end of lever 356 and returning to its recess 354, the path of pin 352 being shown as a broken line in Fig. 8. The mechanism for entering the numbers 1 and 2 comprises racks 324a, Fig. 10, which have no teeth for engaging gears 346, each of which is actuated by pawl 398 constantly in mesh therewith. The upward movement of the rack is limited by stud 388a, of greater length for the number 1 than for 2, rocking the rack out of engagement with shaft 350. The rack then descends guided by pin 352 entering vertical channel 396, and pawl 398 drives gear 346 a distance corresponding to either one or two units. Overthrow of any of the racks 323 or 324a is prevented by stop arm 402 below the end of each arm 328. Means for enabling differential mechanism.- The lifting of links 366 into operative position with respect to pins 352 is controlled by two mechanisms, (1) cam lever 442, operated when. the masterwheel 304 is in the zone of a register, and (2) lever 476 (Fig. 15, not shown) which controls the position of rockshaft 428, Figs. 12, 13. With rockshaft 428 in its counterclockwise position as shown in Fig. 12, when the type carriage moves into the zone of a register, cam plate 446 acts on cam 444 and through a system of links and slides (Fig. 2, not shown) rocks lever 418 clockwise, as described in Specification . 247,624, [Class 106 (i)], the motion being transmitted by pin 420, interposer 422, pin 430, lever 414, and pin 412, to raise link 406 pivoted to the upper end of one of the links 366, so raising all the links through rockshaft 372 and arms 370. With rockshaft 428 in its clockwise position, Fig. 13, however, interposer 422 does not transmit the movement of lever 418 and links 366 are not raised. Lever 476 (Fig. 15, not shown) has three positions and controls the position of rockshaft 428 through a system of springs, links and slides substantially as described in Specification 247,624, [Class 106 (i)]. In position (1), the machine performs typing only ; rockshaft 428 being in clockwise position. In position (2), rockshaft 428 is still in clockwise position, but the machine is conditioned for decimal-spacing in entering totals read from the register when the type carriage is in the zone of a register. In position (3), rockshaft 428 is in its counterclockwise position, and digits can be entered when the type carriage is in the zone of a register, decimal-spacing taking place in known manner. Overthrow preventing.-To prevent overthrow of shaft 320 carrying gears 346 and 318, Figs. 3. 6, 10, shaft 320 carries at its right-hand end a ratchet wheel 520, Fig. 18, which is engaged by spring- pressed pawl 522 under the influence of bail 332 when the rack 324 completes its operative movement. An oppositely-directed ratchet wheel (Fig. 19, not shown) on the left-hand end of the shaft prevents retrograde movement. Driving mechanisms.-In order to vary the force with which the type engages the work sheets, the driving speed of toothed shaft 238 can be adjusted to one of three speeds by operation of handle 724 (Figs. 1 and 20, not shown). Shaft 238, mounted in the type carriage is driven by belting from a pulley, carried by square shaft 744 and movable along this shaft with the type carriage. Shaft 238 drives shaft 350 through geari