A typewriter which is remotely operable or capable of providing signals for remotely operating another typewriter. The typewriter has movable mechanical mechanisms, such as interposers, for operating the character printing and carriage function mechanisms of the typewriter. A mounting board is horizontally mounted to the typewriter frame beneath the typewriter mechanism and a plurality of horizontally operable solenoids are mounted to the underside of the mounting board. The solenoids are connected to the interposers and other mechanical mechanisms by a plurality of connecting rods which extend downwardly from the typewriter mechanisms and then horizontally beneath the mounting board to the plungers of the solenoids. Blade switches are provided which seat in cam follower relationship against a cam lobe portion of the interposers and other typewriter mechanisms for providing output data. Selected ones of the connecting rods are provided with clevises which may be snapped on the standard clevis pins of the interposers.
A writer selectively operable in an alpha-numric symbol printing mode and a positioning mode. The writer includes a horizontally movable type head having a plurality of corresponding alpha-numeric printing symbols, operable in response to printing signals to print the symbols and horizontally movable in response to horizontal spacing function signals; and a platen rotatable in response to vertical spacing function signals. Type head drive means are provided for incrementally horizontally moving the type head in fine increments, the alpha-numeric spacing increments being an integral multiple thereof, and platen drive means are provided for incrementally rotating the platen in fine increments. In general, this is done by control means for operating the type head comprising horizontal function signal generating means for incrementally horizontally moving the type head in fine increments, and platen drive means comprising vertical function signal generating means for incrementally rotating the platen in fine increments, the function keys providing function signals being connected to the function signal generating means for generating a plurality of fine increment signals equal to an alpha-numeric increment.
In a printing control device provided with a printing element having a plurality of characters thereon and operable to selectively present any desired character to a printing position, two-position control elements are connected to the printing element to control the amount of displacement required for one of the characters to be selected. Transmission elements are provided to cause the control elements to predetermine or prepare one of the two positions thereof, respectively. The control elements, caused to predetermine or prepare a particular position by the transmission elements, are driven toward the particular position by a drive means. At least one bias means is provided for biasing the transmission elements so as to predetermine or prepare a first position. The biasing force of the bias means is limited by a plurality of limit means to hold the transmission elements so as to predetermine or prepare a second position. The limit imparted to the bias means by the limit means is released selectively by electromagnetic solenoids to selectively bias the transmission elements so as to predetermine or prepare the first position. The transmission element so selectively biased is caused by at least one restore means to return to the position for predeterming or preparing the second position with the aid of the drive from the drive means and against the biasing force of the bias means.
An intermittent drive for a single-element printing typewriter, calculator or similar machine. The drive comprises a drive shaft couplable via a cycle clutch to a driven shaft and a governor disposed on the driven shaft to couple it with and maintain it at the same speed as the drive shaft during the clutch cycle. The governor comprises a friction wheel having a generally circular cross-section provided with flattened portions. During the clutch cycle, when the clutch engages the driven shaft, the friction wheel contacts a roll fixed to the drive shaft preventing the driven shaft from leading the drive shaft in response to reflected forces. At the end of the clutch cycle, when the clutch is disengaged, the friction wheel has rotated so that a flattened portion of the friction wheel faces the roll, and driven shaft is free from the rotation of the drive shaft.
A plurality of flexible tension members couple the limited rotational movement of a first shaft member to one or more additional shaft members according to an adjustable infinite resolution coupling ratio and with the use of positive displacement coupling. Plural embodiments of the invention are disclosed including one wherein the coupling apparatus provides precise adjustment of the coupling ratio between a spherical printing ball mounting shaft and the ball rotating energy source.
Apparatus for converting code responsive, bail operated electric typewriter into an automatic typewriter. The apparatus includes discrete sensing, actuating or combined sensing-actuating assemblies disposed in existing cavities formed by the typewriter mechanism. Each assembly connects to the typewriter frame and is positioned to respond to various selection linkages in the typewriter or to actuate them. As each assembly separately mounts to and fits entirely within existing cavities, the overall profile of the typewriter mechanism does not change.
