US1929976A - Decimal tabulator - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 10, 1933. A Q N N ET AL 1,929,976

IDECI'MAL TABULA'IOR E Filed Jan.' 18; 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Get. 10, 1933. o. A. HOKANSON ET AL DECIMAL TABULATOR Filed Jan. 18, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 776.51% flaza m raw Oct. 10, 193 0. A. HOKANSON El AL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l 4 "ll DEGIMAL TABULA'I'OR Filed Jan. 18,1928

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DECIMAL TABULATOR Filed Jan. 18, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 H H H 000 I all Patented Oct. '10, 1933 DECIMAL TABULATOR Otto A. Hokanson and James F. Koca, Woodstock, 111.,

assignors to Woodstock writer Company, Woodstock, 111., a corporation Illin is Application January 18, 1928. Serial No. 247,495

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an attachment for typewriters for the purpose of facilitating the writing of numbers or other characters in col- .umns, and has for its object the provision of decimal tabulator mechanism which shall be simple and economical to manuiacture, which maybe readily attached to machines already manufactured or may be made a unitary part of newly manufactured machines, and which shall be oi improved construction, and operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and arrangement of parts shown in the ac- Jcompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended cl In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with parts in section, showing a typewriter having one embodiment oi the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan, with parts in section, on line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the mechanism shown n Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional oi Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan, with parts in section, substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. '7 is a vertical section showing-the mounting for the column stops in an enlarged view.

The numeral 10 designates the frame of a view on line 55 ,typewriting machine, the one illustrated in the drawing being that of the well-known Woodstock typewriter, although it will be understood that the invention is not confined to this particular make of typewriting machines.- A car riage 11 having a platen 12 of usual construction is mounted to move transversely on ways 13 at 9 the top of the frame 1d. A circular bar 14 em tends between the end plates 15 of the platen carriage. A pin 16 extends from one or? the plates 15 adjacent the bar 1 1 and a bracket 17 is secured to thebar 14 and is provided with a 5 bifurcated car 18 engaging the pin 16 to hold the car 1 from rotation. A series of colunm stops 19 are journaled on the bar 14 and project.

project laterally from onei face or each stop to engage the face of the adjacent stop, thus holding the stops in proper spaced relation to one another. A rib 22 extends along the bar 14 at the top thereof andis engaged by a tooth 23 on each of the springs 20. The stops 19 are movable into two positions, as shown in Fig. 7. The stopsare held in either of their adjusted positions by the tooth 23 on the spring 20. When a stop is moved fromone position to the other the tooth 23 will' extends longitudinally of the carriage 11 in therear of thebar 14 and is pivotally supported at each end by brackets journaled on the bar 14 and secured to the bar 24 by screws 26. One of the brackets 25 is provided with a finger-piece 27 by which the bracket may be oscillated upon the shaft 14 to raise the bar 24. The fingerpiece 27, as shown in Fig. 5, is provided with a lug 28 arranged to strike the pin 16 and limit the upward movement of the bar 24. The bracket 25 is also provided with a lug 29 arranged to engage the lower side of the pin 16 and limit the downward movement of the bar 24. A spring 30 surrounds the bar 14 and bears upon the bar 24 and pin 16 to yieldingly hold the bar 24 in its lowermost position. It will be apparent that when the finger-piece 27 is moved forwardly any column stop 19 which may be in its lowermost position will be raised to its uppermost position and will be retained in this position by the spring 20 when the finger-piece 27 is released. A finger 31 is provided for selectively depressing the column stops to their lower or operative positions. The finger 31, as shown best in Fig. l, is pivoted at 32 on a housing 33 secured to the rear of the frame 10. An arm 34 is fixed to the finger 31 and extends downwardly and is provided with a pivot and slot connection 35 with a lever 36 pivoted at 37 on the housing 33. The lever 36 is provided with a pivot and slot connection 33 with an arm 39 fixed to'a shaft do. The shaft id is journaled in a bracket 41 mounted on the housing 33. A second arm 42 is secured to the shaft 10 and is connected by a link 43 to a key lever 44. which is provided with a tabulator set key 45 arranged in the keyboard of the typewriter. The key lever ll. is journaled on a pivot bar to and is held in its uppermost position by a spring, not shown, in the manner usually employed in Woodstock typewriting machines. A. spring 4'7 is attached to the arm 39 which also assists in holding the parts in their inoperative position with the set key in its uppermost position,as shown in Fig.1. It will be apparent that when the set key is depressed the finger 31 will engage the column stop 19 which is disposed in registration therewith and will depress the column stop. Any stop desired may be depressed by moving the platen carriage to bring that particular stop in registration with the finger 31.

Mounted within the housing 33 is a plurality of bars 48 which carry decimal stops 49 at their upper ends. The bars 48 are properly spaced with plates 48 and are guided at their upper ends on pins 50 and are connected at their lower ends to key levers 51. The key levers 51, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, are Journaledon a shaft 52 mounted on the frame 10 by means of brackets 53. The forward ends of the key levers 51 project beneath the front rail of the frame 10 and are provided with keys 54; Each of the bars 48 is provided with a spring 55 which operates to hold the bar in its lower position. When a key is depressed the decimal stop 49 connected therewith is raised into a position to engage any column stop 19 which may be depressed. A yoke 56 is journaled on the shaft 40 and is provided with rearwardly extending legs which carry a pin 57 extending through slots 58 in the bars 48. One leg of the yoke 56 carries a pin 59 which extends beneath a finger 60 mounted on one end of a lever 61 which is pivoted at 62 on the bracket 41. The other end of the lever 61 is connected by a link 63 with a lever 64 journaled in the top plate 65 of the frame 10 and provided with a shoe 66 which underlies the escapement rack 6'7 01' the platen carriage. The rack 67 engages a pinion 68 on the escapement shaft 69 and controls the movement of the platen carriage in the ordinary way. when any one of the keys 54 is depressed, however, the pin 5'7 will be carried upwardly by the corresponding bar 48 which will lift the pin 59 and operate the lever 61 and link 63 and lever 64 to raise the shoe 66 and lift the rack 6'? onto! engagement with the pinion 68 so that the carriage will be released from the escapement mechanism and will be free to move under the influence of its spring until arrested'by a tabulator stop.

In operation, when it is desired to write a series of numbers in a column the carriage is first moved to a position in which the printing point is opposite the portion of the paper for receiving the number at the right of the decimal point. The tabulator set key is then depressed with the carrings in this position. If a number of columns are to be written the operation is repeated for each column. This will set a column stop for" each column to be written. The carriage is now moved to the extreme right and if the number in the first column begins in the hundreds order, for instance, the decimal key having 100" thereon isdepressed. This will raise the corresponding decimal stop and release the carriage from its escapement mechanism so that the carriage will move to the left until arrested by contact between the depressed column stop and the elevated decimal stop. The platen carriage will be arrested at a position three letter spaces removed from the decimal position on the paper so that when the three digits-of the number havebeen written the paper will have reached the decimal position. If any further numbers are written they will be placed at'the'right of the decimal mark. The operator then presses the decimal stop key corresponding to the order of the next number to be written in the next column and the operation is repeated. To 'write numbers in the next line in the various columns the carriage is returned to the right and the platen is moved forline spacing and since'the same column stops will remain in position, the next series of numbers will be properly alinedinthe columns already written. To restore the--'-oolumn stops so that they may be given a new'arrangement it is only necessary to pull forwardly on the finger lever 27.

It will be noted that the housing 33 supports the uprights 48 and the decimal stops 49 so that the housing and stops form' a unit which may be detachably secured to the rear of the typewriter and which can'be readily placed on a machine previously constructed. The key levers 51 are also detachably secured beneath the frame of the machine and may be readily added to a previously constructed machine. The stop bar 14 with the column stops and other associated mechanism may also be inserted in a machine as a unit by simply removing, the tabulator bar previously employed and inserting the column stop bar. The bracket 41 is held in place by the same screws which holds the housing 33 in place so that this may be readily attached to a machine previously constructed. It will be seen therefore i that the entire decimal tabulating mechanism can easily be added to typewriters already built, as well as incorporated in new machines.

We claim:-

'1. In a typewriting machine and tabulating mechanism, the combination of a carriage, a series of column stops, means for setting said column stops individually in operative position, said means including means whereby the column stop which may be set depends on the position of the carriage in its travel, a key controlled cooperative stop, and means carried by the platen carriage for moving the set column stops to inoperative position, said means comprising a bar disposed adjacent the column stops and movable relative thereto for returning any stop to inaperative position which has previouslybeen set in operative position, said bar also having means thereon to hold the free ends of said stops against movement in the direction'of the carriage feed= 'when the stops are in operativeposition.

2. In a typewriter, a tabular stop bar, a plurality of tabulator stops mounted onsaid bar and movable about the axis thereof into operative and inoperative positions, detents for yieldingly holding said stops in either position to which they are moved, a bar extending parallel with said stop bar in position to intercept the movement of said stops in one direction when said stops reach their operative position and means on said bar con-= structed so as to support the free ends of said stops and-prevent manual movement of said stops in the direction of the carriage travel and means for shifting said bar transversely thereof to restore said stops to their inoperative position.

3. In a typewriting machine, a tabular stop bar, a plurality of tabular stops mounted on said stop bar and movable about the axis thereof into operative and inoperative positions, detents for holding said stops in either position to which they are moved, a key for selectively moving said stops to operative position, a bar common to all of said stops for returning said stops to inoperative position and having notches therein to receive the edges of said stops, a spring for moving said bar we limiting position in one direction, and a manually operable lever for moving said bar in the opposite direction to restore said stops to inop-- erative position.

, r .4. In a typewriter, a main frame, a platen carriage slidably mounted on said frame, column stops mounted on said platen carriage, a housing removably attached to the rear of said frame, decimal stops mounted in said housing and movable into and out of position to co-operate with said column stops, lever mechanism mounted on said housing for setting said column stops, a bracket mounted on said housing, mechanism mounted on said bracket for actuating said lever mechanism, a key lever for operating said actuating mechanism, key levers removably mounted beneath said main frame for operating said decimal stops, escapement mechanism for controlling said platen, means for releasing saidescapement mechanism, and a universal member mounted on said bracket and connected with said decimal stops for operating said releasing means.

5. In a typewriter, a tabulator stop bar, a plurality of tabulator stops mounted on said bar and movable about the axis thereof into operative and inoperative positions, means for holding said stops in either position to which they are moved, a bar extending parallel with said stop bar in position to intercept the movement of said stops in one direction when said stops reach their operative position, said bar having slots therein registering with and adapted to receive said stops, and means for shifting said bar transversely thereof to restore said stops to their inoperative position. I

6. In a typewriter machine, a main frame, a platen carriage slidably mounted on said frame, a bar connected to the carriage, column stops pivoted on said bar and having oscillatory movement in respectthereto, a vertically extending housing detachably mounted on the rear of the main frame, said housing terminating in a hood opposite the path of movement of the column stop on said bar, key levers for oscillating a column stop on the bar, vertically extending bars mounted on, and enclosed by said housing, said bars at their upper ends carrying Spaced decimal stops, key controlled means disposed'below the front rail of the machine and extending rearwardly therebeneath for operating the bars, said bars being moved vertically and moving the decimal stops vertically into-position for engagement with a column stop, and means for detachably mounting said key-controlled means on the machine frame.

7. In a typewriter, a main frame, a platen carriage slidably mounted on said frame, column stops mounted on said platen carriage, a housing mounted at the rear of said frame, a series of spaced-apart vertically disposed bars mounted in said housing and terminating at their upper ends in decimal stops, adapted to be operatively associated with the column stops, a bracket carried by said housing, said bracket having upstanding ears, a cross-shaft mounted in said ears, a series of key levers pivotally mounted on said frame and extending to a point adjacent the keyboard at one end and pivotally connected to said decimal stop bars at the other end, a universal bar mounted on said cross-shaft and operatively associated with said decimal stop bars to be moved thereby, a tabulator set key pivotally mounted on said frame and having a pivotal connection with said cross-shaft, a finger mounted on said housing and operatively associated with said column stops, a series of links pivotally connecting said finger with said cross-shaft, said bracket having another upstanding ear providing a bearing, a lever pivotally mounted on said second bearing, means forming an operative connection between said last-mentioned lever and said universal bar, and means operated by said last-mentioned lever for raising the platen rack from its escape mechanism upon the actuation of one of said first-mentioned key levers.

8. In a typewriter, the platen carriage, a circular bar mounted between the end plates of the platen and having a longitudinally extending detent rib thereon, a plurality of column stops turnably mounted on said bar and disposed in spaced relation therealong, detent mechanism cooperating between the said stops in said bar for holding the stops in a plurality of shifting positions, a pin extending from one of the inner plates of said platen, a bifurcated ear secured to said circular bar and straddling said pin to hold said bar from rotation, a bar having spaced slots in which the column stops are adapted to register, said bar extending longitudinally of the platen carriage and parallel with said circular bar, said bar having brackets connected thereto and journaled on the circular 110 bar, one of said brackets being provided with a finger piece by which the bracket may be oscillated about the circular bar to raise it, means to limit the upward and downward movement of said bar, and spring means surrounding the cir-115 cular bar and adapted to bear upon the slotted bar and pin to yieldingly hold the bar in one of its pivoted positions.

9. In a typewriter, the combination with a shiftable platen of a circular rod mounted be- 1 tween the end plates thereof and a parallelly disposed bar having spaced slots thereon and longitudinally thereof, a plurality of column stops turnably mounted on said circular bar, said circular bar having longitudinally extending 1 spaced-apart indent stops extending longitudinally thereof, each column stop having an arcuate spring riveted to a side face thereof with the spring coiled concentrically about a circular bar, said coil having at its end a toothadapted to 00- operate with said indent stops, said rivets forming spacers between adjacent column stops, said rivets 'being of uniform depth to provide a uniform spacing of the colunm stops.

OTTO A. HOKANSON. JAMES F. KOCA.

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