Patent Document ID: 4561793
Application ID: 06586913

Base Claim:
1. A word correcting system for an electronic correcting typewriter having a keyboard containing character and function key actuating means for generating output signals representative of actuated keys, print line memory means for storing an ordered sequence of control signals representing a sequence of actuated keys, print means including a print ribbon for printing a selected character at a print point on a recording medium and a correction ribbon for erasing previously printed characters, means for moving the print point of the print means along a print line of the recording medium including backspacing means for progressively moving the print point leftwardly along the print line, and means for accessing the print line memory means for reading selected locations of the ordered sequence, the word correcting system comprising: word erase actuating means arranged in the keyboard for selectively generating a word erase command signal; and word erase control means responsive to said word erase command signal for causing the accessing means to read stored control signals in the print line memory means for initiating an automatic word erasing sequence causing all characters of a previously printed word to be erased after the operator has backspaced the print point of the print means to any previous consecutively printed character located at least one character position further to the left of the last printed character of the word which is to be erased, said automatic word erasing sequence includes first control means operating the accessing means to read the control signal at the word erase selected position and subsequently reading the control signal at the immediately adjacent higher order position in the print line memory means for moving the print point of the print means one character position to the right in response to reading a character control signal in the selected position and a character control signal in the next right higher order position and said first control means repeatedly operating to stop the print point at the last consecutively printed character of the word in response to reading an absense of a character control signal in the next right higher order position, and correction control means responsive to the print point reaching the last printed character of the word for operating the accessing means for recalling the character control signal and enabling the correction ribbon for erasing the last printed character whereupon the accessing means is further operated to read the immediately adjacent lower order position for moving the print point one character position to the left in response to reading a character control signal in the left most position and said correction control means repeatedly operating to stop the print point at a last left erased position in response to reading an absense of a character control signal in the next left order position.

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Claim 2:
2. The word correcting system of claim 1 further comprising: means for sequentially holding a plurality of keyboard output signals including said word erase command signal for release to operate the typewriter in the sequence of operator actuated keys, such that, more than one consecutively printed word is erased in response to the operator successively actuating said word erase actuating means more than once and the total number of words erased corresponding to the number of successive actuations of said word erase actuating means.