Improvements in Tabulating Mechanism for Typewriters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tabulating Mechanism for Typewriters.
I, EDWARD JAMES MANNING, of 655, Western Boulevard, New York City,
Borough of Manhattan, County of and State of New York, United States of
America, Type Writer Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to what is known as tabulating mechanism for type
writers, that is to say, mechanism particularly available for writing bills, invoices,
statements of account &c., wherein tabulation of the work written is necessary
and wherein the touching of a certain key or lever allows the carriage to travel
across the machine from right to left and causes the carriage to be automatically
stopped at a certain predetermined point when the writing may be continued
as before.
In machines of this character heretofore devised, a depression of the tabulating
key would result in the carriage being rapidly propelled, by its spring, across the
machine and the sudden stopping of the carriage by the adjustable stop would
result in jarring the entire machine and render the parts liable to become broken.
The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulties heretofore found in
machines of the character specified and to provide a typewriter with tabulating
mechanism wherein the speed at which the carriage travels across the machine
is under the control of the operator, so that the jar upon the parts may be over-
come and the liability of damage decreased.
In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corre-
sponding parts in all the views
Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of Figure 2, showing a sufficient
number of parts of a typewriter to illustrate my invention;
Figure 2 is a rear view of the same;
Figure 3 is a top view of a portion of the same with parts broken away.
Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged detail perspective and bottom views, respectively,
of the tabulating stop and its carrying frame.
manner.
In the drawings, A represents the framing of a typewriter in which various
parts of the device are mounted. Upon the framing A is carried a suitable
carriage B which is adapted to traverse the framing and is provided with suitable
feeding mechanism for feeding the carriage one space at a time in the usual
In the present instance, this feeding mechanism is shown to comprise
a universal bar a against which the heel b of a type bar C is adapted to abut
before the impact of a type against the paper on the paper platen D. This
universal bar a is connected as by means of the links or connecting pieces c
with suitable spring-pressed links d which normally maintain the universal
bara in the path of a type bar C in its oscillation to the printing point. Upon
the links c or suitable portions carried thereby, are the feed dogs ef which engage
alternately a rack 9 carried by and travelling with the carriage B. The feed
dog e is made longitudinally movable by means of the slot h and is normally
maintained in the position illustrated in Figure 2 by means of a coiled spring i.
Both of these feed dogs are adapted to be vibrated in and out of contact with
the rack g around their pivot j and in order that this may be accomplished, a

page_text: pink is provided which is carried by a piece 7 which connects with the feed
dog but in a movement downward causes a corresponding movement of both
feed dogs to cause them to be disengaged from the rack g. A rock shaft E is
pivoted at the rear of the machine, which rock shaft is normally maintained in
the position illustrated in Figure 1 by a coiled spring which surrounds the
shaft. The right hand end of this rock shaft is provided with ratchet teeth m
which are engaged by teeth (not shown) on an adjustable tabulating stop F,
which is normally maintained in engagement with the teeth m by a spring n.
the tabulating stop I being pivoted in a frame G which is carried by the rock
shaft. E and adapted to slide thereon. Projecting upwardly from the rock
shaft E is a brake H which is adapted to contact with the framing of the
.carriage B when the rock shaft has been vibrated in the direction of the arrow,
Figure 1. At the point where the brake H bears against the carriage B, said
carriage is provided with a strip I of leather or other suitable material to
prevent a scratching noise and to facilitate the action of the brake. It is of
course obvious that this strip of leather may be carried upon the brake, but
I prefer to place it upon the carriage in the manner shown. The upper portion
of the brake H is provided with a scale which corresponds to a portion of the
ordinary scale upon the typewriter which is used to determine the position of
the paper platen with relation to the printing point. Co-operating with the
scale on the brake H is a pointer o carried by the adjustable tabulating stop F.
A handle p is likewise connected to the adjustable tabulating stop for the
purpose of disengaging teeth fx on said stop from the rack m and setting the
stop at any point it is desired to stop the carriage for tabulating work, the scale
on the brake H facilitating the determination of location of the tabulating stop.
A spring o tends to normally maintain the teeth on the stop in engagement
with the rack m. From the under side of the rock shaft E projects a finger g
which bears against the pin k carried by the feed dogs of the feeding mechanism,
so that when the rock shaft is vibrated in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1,
the feed dogs will be thrown out of engagement with the rack g and the carriage
will be free to move from right to left across the machine. A pivoted link ris
connected to a depending arms of the rock shaft E and is adapted to be vibrated
by an arm t connected with a tabulating key J which projects to the front of
the machine and is under the control of the operator. This tabulating key J
is so arranged that the harder it is depressed the greater will be the pressure
exerted upon the carriage by the brake H. By this arrangement it will be
seen that the ordinary carriage feeding mechanism may be operated without in
any way affecting the operation of the tabulating mechanism, since the pin k
can be vibrated backwards and forwards with the feed dogs without moving
the finger g which co-operates therewith to throw the dogs out of engagement.
However, when it is desired to operate the tabulating mechanism, it is merely
necessary to depress the tabulating key J when the rock shaft E will be vibrated
in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, thereby causing the finger q connected
therewith to force the feed dogs e f out of engagement with the feed rack g
and will simultaneously apply the brake H to the carriage and will at the same
time vibrate the adjustable tabulating stop F into the path of the abutment u
upon the carriage and thereby automatically stop the carriage at any predeter-
mined point. When the finger is released from the tabulating key, the parts
resume their normal position and the operator may continue to write as before.
I have stated that a depression of the tabulating key J will result in automatic-
ally applying the brake at the same time that the feeding mechanism is dis-
engaged and the tabulating stop interposed in the path of the abutment on the
carriage. This is true only when the tabulating key is depressed and, maintained
down with some considerable pressure, since a very slight depression of the tabu-
lating key will release the feeding mechanism and interpose the tabulating stop
into the path of the abutment on the carriage, but will not be sufficient to force
the brake H into contact with the carriage, so that if it is desired to allow the

page_text: carriage to be propelled by the spring with considerable force across the
machine, it can be accomplished.. The greater the pressure exerted upon the
tabulating key, the greater will be the force applied to the brake, so that it will
be seen that the carriage can be allowed to travel at any rate of speed desired.
While one form of mechanism for carrying out the invention is shown and
described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular
construction, inasmuch as various modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of the invention, which consists broadly in providing tabulating
mechanism wherein the speed of the carriage is maintained under control of
the operator when the tabulating mechanism is being put in operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, tabulating
mechanism for causing said carriage to move any desired number of spaces
according to adjustment, means for controlling the speed of said carriage in its
movement in the direction of its feed, and mechanism for throwing the con-
trolling means into and out of operation at will.
.
2. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, tabulating
mechanism for causing said carriage to move any desired number of spaces
according to adjustment and a brake for controlling the speed of said carriage
in its movement in the direction of its feed.
. 3. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, tabulating
mechanism for causing said carriage to move any desired number of spaces
according to adjustment, a brake for controlling the speed of said carriage in its
movement in the direction of its feed, and means under control of the operator
for applying said brake.
4 In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, tabulating
mechanism for causing said carriage to move any desired number of spaces
according to adjustment, a brake and means under control of the operator for
applying said brake and varying the pressure thereon to control the speed of
the carriage in its movement in the direction of its feed.
5. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, tabulating
mechanism for causing said carriage to move any desired number of spaces
according to adjustment, means for controlling the speed of said carriage in its
movement to a predetermined stopping point and connections between said tabu-
lating mechanism and controlling means, whereby an operation of the tabulating
mechanism may effect an operation of the controlling means.
6. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, an adjustable tabulating stop, means for throwing said feeding
mechanism out of operation and the adjustable stop into operation, and means
under control of the operator for, controlling the speed of the carriage in its
movement to the stopping point determined by the adjustable tabulating stop.
7. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, an adjustable tabulating stop, means for simultaneously throwing said
feeding mechanism out of operation and the adjustable stop into operation, and
a brake under control of the operator for controlling the speed of the carriage
in its movement to the stopping point determined by the adjustable tabulating
stop.
י
8. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, an adjustable tabulating stop, means for throwing said feeding
mechanism out of operation and the adjustable stop into operation, and a brake
for controlling the speed of the carriage in its movement to the stopping point
determined by the adjustable tabulating stop, said brake being connected with
and operated by the means for throwing the feeding mechanism out of and the
adjustable stop into operation.

page_text: 9. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, means for operating the said feeding mechanism at each operation of
a type-bar or spacing-bar, an adjustable tabulating stop, means for throwing
said feeding mechanism out of operation and the adjustable stop into operation,
and means under control of the operator for controlling the speed of the carriage
in its movement to the stopping point determined by the adjustable tabulating
stop.
10. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, means for releasing the feeding mechanism so as to allow of a free move-
ment of the carriage in the direction of its feed, a brake and means for applying
said brake to the carriage to control the speed of the carriage in its movement
in the direction of its feed.
11. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, means for releasing the feeding mechanism so as to allow of a free
movement of the carriage in the direction of its feed, a brake and means under
control of the operator for applying said brake to the carriage with variable
degrees of pressure to control the speed of the carriage in its movement in the
direction of its feed.
12. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, an adjustable tabulating stop, a brake for controlling the speed of the
carriage in its movement to the stopping point determined by the adjustable
tabulating stop and a key for simultaneously throwing the feeding mechanism
out of operation and the adjustable stop and brake into operation.
13. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, an adjustable tabulating stop, a brake for controlling the speed of the
carriage in its movement to the stopping point determined by the adjustable
tabulating stop and a key for simultaneously throwing the feeding mechanism
out of operation and the adjustable stop and brake into operation, the brake
being so connected with the key that the harder the key is depressed the greater
will be the pressure exerted upon the brake.
14. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, a rock shaft, a
brake carried thereby and adapted to bear against the carriage and retard its
movement in the direction of its feed, and a key connected with said rock shaft.
15. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, a rock shaft, a brake carried thereby and adapted to bear against the
carriage and retard its movement, an adjustable stop carried by said rock shaft,
a projection extending from the rock shaft and adapted to engage a portion of
the feeding mechanism and throw the same out of operation and a key connected
with said rock shaft whereby a depression of the key will cause the feeding
mechanism to be disengaged, the brake to be applied and the stop to be inter-
posed in the path of an abutment on the carriage.
16. In a typewriter, the combination of a movable carriage, feeding mechanism
therefor, a rock shaft, a brake carried thereby and adapted to bear against the
carriage and retard its movement, an adjustable stop carried by said rock shaft
and having a pointer which is adapted to co-operate with the scale on the brake
to indicate the position of the stop, a projection extending from the rock shaft
and adapted to engage the dogs of the feeding mechanism and throw the same
out of operation and a key connected with said rock shaft whereby a depression
of the key will cause the feeding mechanism to be disengaged, the brake to be
applied and a stop to be interposed in the path of an abutment on the carriage.
Doted this 22nd day of
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents,
53, Chancery Lane, London.