US3342298A - Phantom carriage for automatic typewriter - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 19, 1967 J. w. WHITEsEL.

Filed Feb. 2l, 1966 IN VE N TORS Sept. 19' 1967 J. w. WHITESEL PHANTOM CARRIAGE FOR AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER Filed Feb. 21, 196e 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Sept 19 w67 J. w. WHITESEL Y 3,342,298

PHANTOM CARRIAGE FOR AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER Filed Feb. 2l, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 k, OOOgOOOOOOOJO( United States Patent O.

3,342,298 PHANTOM CARRIAGE FCR AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER James Warren Whitesel, Western Springs, Ill., assignor to International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Maryland Filed Feb. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 529,160 14 Claims. (Cl. 197-20) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanical memory, comprising an endless tape, runs back and -forth to simulate the motion of a typewriter carriage and display its hypothetical position at all times, as if the carriage itself were moving-which it may or may not do. The typist may observe this mechanical memory to select the place for a carriage return, with or without hyphen, and thereby adjust the length of typed lines.

This invention relates to automatic typewriters and more particularly to typewriters having a phantom carriage for assisting a typist to make line length corrections, either at the time when an original copy is vbeing typed or later, after the original copy is removed from her typewriter, when it is revised.

As the term is used herein, an automatic typewriter is a device for making a clean copy of a printed record responsive to command signals or other data information recorded on a storage medium. Such a typewriter may type letters responsive to data punched into a perforated tape, for example. These typewriters find many uses, ranging from a routine retyping of form letters to the read out of automatic machines, computers, and the like. Of the currently used types of these automatic typewriters, perhaps the most important are those relating to communications, such as teleprinters, typesetters, and the like. Other, newer uses, are appearing regularly. For example, an expanding eld of data transmission looks to the day when standard office typewriters will prepare tape which may be fed directly into the data transmission system without requiring retyping at an intermediate teleprinter.

Regardless of the nature of the automatic typewriter or the use to which it is put, there are certain desirable features which have not been provided heretofore. Chief among these features is the ability to make editorial changes without having to re-do the entire typing job. However, editorial changes present rather complex problems, and it has not been easy to solve all of these problems at a low cost. Or, stated conversely, customers in the mass market for automatic typewriters cannot afford to pay for a large and expensive computer of the type that can automatically make editorial changes.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide new and improved automatic typewriters. Another object is to provide automatic typewriters having means for making editorial changes without requiring a complete retyping of an entire message previously stored on a storage medium.

A further object is to provide an automatic typewriter 'media.) Data is stored on a first of the tapes while an ICC original record is being typed. Whenever it is necessary to make a correction, a control function is performed at the typewriter and editorial correction copy is stored on the second tape. During read out, the computer is adapted to switch back and forth between the first and second tapes to collate the original record tape with the editorial changes on the second tape. The final read out of the first and second tapes results in the production of a single, collated, clean copy tape, consisting of the original record as amended to include the editorial corrections.

Obviously, the line length symbols will be located in different relative spacing on the original and the collated tapes. If uncorrected, this will make the original righthand margin symbols unacceptable for print out. Therefore, to facilitate line length control, the invention utilizes a mechanical memory, phantom carriage positioning device which will keep track of where the margin would be relative to a sheet of typing paper if the collated copy is typed during read out on an automatic typewriter. The typist observes the phantom carriage motion and makes the corrections required to bring the margin to acceptable locations. This way, the collated tape may be perforated with either the original or new carriage return symbols to maintain a proper line length, for right-hand margin control, despite insertions, substitutions, or deletions made in the original copy as a result of the editorial changes which are made on the second tape.

This invention is especially-although not exclusively kadapted to function in connection with devices disclosed in two copending applications entitled One-Two- Dimension Converter Control Circuit, S.N. 532,020, filed Ian. 7, 1966, and Typewriter Margin Control Device," S.N. 528,904, filed Feb. 18, 1966, Adams and Whitesel, inventors, and assigned to the assignee of this invention.

The above mentioned and other features of this invention and the manner of obtaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an automatic typewriter having the capability of performing the desired editorializing functions;

FIG. 2 shows a computer for relating the positions of a one-dimensional tape bearing typewriter command signals with the position of copy on a two-dimensional sheet of typing paper;

FIG. 3 shows a method of manually relating a position `on a two-dimension sheet of typing paper with a position on a one-dimension tape;

FIG. 4 shows a part of a typewriter carriage and a bit of torn tape to explain how the tape and carriage may be moved to a position of registry with respect to each other; and

FIG. 5 is a circuit fragment which illustrates how position sensors are marked to bring the tape into a position identified by an off-normal typewriter carriage.

FIG. 1 shows a typewriter of any conventional design with a standard keyboard 10, an extra row of keys 11, a double-decked spool arrangement 12 which carries an ink ribbon on one deck 12a and a paper tape ribbon on the other deck 12b. A primary or original record comprising a 4first data storage medium is here shown as a perforated tap 13. A correction record comprising a second data storage medium is here shown as another perforated tape 14.

The typewriter may take any suitable form; however, the invention contemplates a use of a high quality electric typewriter such as is used in modern business oces. The double deck ink and paper tape spool 12 is geared to take one full step for every character that is typed, as is conventionally done with carbon ribbon. On other types of typewriters using silk ribbons, which do not take such a 3 full step, there should be a gearing between the ink and paper spools so that the paper spool would take the same full step per character although the ink ribbon takes a step which is less than a full character.

The paper tape spool is coupled to its drive via a clutchlike device so that the paper tape may either remain motionless while the ink ribbon steps or step with the ink ribbon. Normally, the paper tape spool is declutched and held stationary below the ink ribbon spool. When it is necessary to type a correction, an operation of lever raises the paper tape to the position which is struck by a type bar. Then, the clutch for the paper spool drive is engaged to pull the paper tape through the typewriter as the correction is typed. This way the paper tape receives the impression of the type bar when corrections are made.

The carriage 16 may be adapted either to move in a conventional manner or to remain motionless while the paper tape is being advanced during the typing of a correction. It will, nevertheless, be desirable to retain a simulation of carriage motion so that carriage return signals may be generated at the end of a line as if the carriage had continued to move.

Those familiar with conventional typewriter construction know that the carriage 16 is often pulled by a tape 17 which winds-up onto a spring biased spool 1S. (The tape and spool are here shown above the carriage by an exploded fragment view. In reality, these typewriter parts are in a conventional location inside the housing.)

The invention adds a phantom carriage to these parts. This phantom carriage includes a pair of pulleys 19, 20 which carry an endless belt 21. The pulley 19/ moves in synchronism with the spring biased spool 18. Therefore, a point on the endless belt 21 moves back and forth in synchronism with the carriage. Mounted on, and moving with the endless belt 21, is a mechanical stop 22 which simulates carriage motion. Thus, the stop 22 is adapted to strike a lever and ring a bell, and to lock the keyboard when the phantom carriage travel indicates that the sheet of typing paper has reached the right-hand margin. This simulates a typewriter carriage action so that the typist may `know when to strike a carriage return key to return the phantom carriage and the stop 22 to the left-hand margin position.

A conventional clutch (not shown) is positioned between the pulley wheels 18, 19 to apply the driving power either to pull the carriage and the endless belt, or to pull only the endless belt while leaving the carriage in a stationary position. This clutch may be operated or released by the movement of lever 15 for raising or lowering the paper tape. The belt 21 is here called a phantom carriage because its motion simulates the motion of the carriage 16.

The typewriter, FIG. 1, has two perforating machines 23 for making the original and correction record tapes 13 and 14. Each tape is a conventional chadless tape which carries both a printed record and a perforated record, prepared in a well known manner. The original record, perforated tape 13, runs across the front of the typewriter above and slightly behind the keyboard 10. The correction record, perforated tape 14, also runs across the typewriter behind the keyboard and adjacent the original record perforated tape. Both of these positions facilitate an easy visual comparison between the original document, while still in the typewriter, and the information written on the tape.

When it crosses the keyboard, each of the tapes 13 and 14 is covered by a transparent plate 24 having a hairline 2S adjacent one end and a Window 26 adjacent the other end. If the tape is positioned so that the start of a printed line is under the hairline, the printed line may end at any location which appears in the window 26 and still present a reasonably neat right-handmargin. Ideally, either or both the crosshair or the window 26 may be slid left or right to correspond to the margin settings on the typewriter; although the same effect may be had by sliding only one of these devices 25, 26.

FIG. 2 shows the logic of a computer utilized to operate the typewriter. This computer is explained in the above identied application entitled One-Two-Dimension Converter Control Circuit. This figure shows the typewriter of FIG. 1, a comparator 30, and counter-register 31.

`Comparators and counter-registers are well known to those skilled in the art. For a textbook disclosure (with drawings) reference may be made to the book Understanding Digital Computers by Paul Siegel, John Wiley & Sons, Publisher (1961), and especially to pages et seq. Specifically, a decimal counter, such as might be used here, is shown on page 146. The method of presetting a counter is explained by FIGURE 62C where a flip-flop may be preset to either of its two sides by an application of a signal symbolically shown by Siegel as switches which are designated clear Zero or clear one. Those skilled in the art will readily perceive many other ways for also setting a counter. The comparator 30 may be made from simple AND circuits, such as is shown by the comparator in FIG. 3 of U.S. Patent 3,118,974. The driver 40 may be a simple, free-running flip-Hop circuit, such as that shown by Siegel in FIG. 55. The motor 42 may be any suitable one of many commercial products such as those sold under the trade name Slo-Syn.

The typewriter is provided with a carriage position sensor 34 and a platen position sensor 35. The sensor 34 includes brushes which rub over a printed circuit card having tens and units spacing conducting segments. The platen sensor 35 has two brushes which move as the hands of a clock move and are geared to rotate with the platen and make contact with hundreds and thousands conductive segments. This way, there is an immediate and direct read out of the position of the carriage and platen regardless of whether the typewriter platen or carriage is front spaced, back spaced or moved by hand.

When a sheet of paper is tirst placed in the typewriter, its corners (or other indicia) are aligned with a pair of targets 36, 37. Then, knob 38 is pushed in at the end of the carriage to give a zero set. After the knob 38 is pushed in, the sensors 34, 35 identify a line and a space on the paper relative to the position of the targets 36, 37-regardless of Whether the carriage moves right or left, or the platen turns clockwise or counter-clockwise. For present purposes, it is unimportant whether the targets 36, 37 represent edges or corners of the paper or margin settings on the typewriter.

The counter-register 31 has a storage capacity which matches the signals read out by the sensors 34, 35. This counter-register circuit is connected to the sensors 34, 35 via the comparator circuit 30. The typewriter and counterregister are thus arranged so that the comparator gives an output signal if the count stored at 31 changes, any time, with respect to the position of the platen or the carriage. The signal also indicates whether the stored count is higher or lower than the address of the carriage or platen positions.

The invention utilizes this signal to energize a driver and maintain a registry or correspondence between the count stored in the counter-register 31 and a spot Where the type bar will strike the paper in the typewriter. This registry is maintained regardless of how the typewriter is operated to move the paper. If this registry is lost, the c0mparator 30 gives an output signal at 39 which is either positive or negative, depending upon the direction in which the counter-register must count if the registry or correspondence is to be restored. After correspondence is restored between the positions of the counter-register and the typewriter, the comparator detects no diierence and removes the marking at point 39.

A driver t0- which may be a free-running multivibrator-is a source of pulses which may have either positive or negative output pulses. These pulses are adapted to simultaneously drive the counter-register 31 and a stepping motor 42 associated with a tape transport mechanism 43, in a direction which is set by the polarity of these output drive pulses. The counter-register 31 and stepping motor 42, therefore, are driven in either a forward or a backward direction, depending upon the direction in which they must step to restore the registry or correspondence between their positions and the typewriter position.

It should be understood that the tape transport 43 may be either a part of the typewriter or a separate jig located at any convenient position near the typewriter. It is here assumed that the tape 13 on the transport 43 is the same as tape 13 and transport 43 is part of the typewriterhere shown separately to facilitate a description of this part of the invention. The tape transport mechanism 43 includes the transparent plate 24 which is essentially the same as that described in connection with the typewriter of FIG. 1. Preferably, the stepping motor 42 drives a sprocket Wheel 44 which pulls the perforated tape 13 on the tape transport mechanism 43. Each step of the tape is, therefore, taken as a function of linear tape motion. Any suitable closed loop feedback circuit (not shown) may be provided to insure that the tape takes a complete step every time that the sprocket 44 is commanded to take a step. This way, the length of the linear tape step does not change as a function of the amount of tape on the take up and supply reels 45, 46 (respectively) on the tape transport mechanism.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the counter-register 31 adds a count every time that the tape takes a step forward responsive to a positive drive pulse. Conversely, it subtracts a count every time that the tape takes a step backward responsive to a negative drive pulse. The polarity of the driver pulse depends upon the polarity of the output of the comparator at point 39, and this, in turn, depends upon wheather the counter-register or typewriter stores the highest count.

The FIG. 2 computer operates this way. If the typist strikes a key, the typewriter carriage 16 moves forward one step. The comparator 30 detects a difference between the carriage position and the counter-register output. The comparator then produces a pulse of proper polarity at point 39 and energizes the driver 40. The output of the driver 40 has the polarity required to drive the counterregister 31 and the stepping motor 42 in a forward direction. The counter-register 31 and the tape 13 on the transport mechanism 43 take one step. The sprocket wheel 44 then pulls the tape 13 beneath the plate 24, and it is wound up on a take-up reel 45. Thus, as each character is typed, the tape and counter to advance one step so that a registry or parity of position is maintained between the counter, carriage position, and tape position.

Next, suppose that the typist back spaces, moves the carriage, or rolls the platen manually. It merely means that the registry is lost. The comparator 30 gives a signal of suitable polarity, and the tape either advances or backs automatically until a registry is restored between the tape and the typewriter. From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the tape in the transport mechanism 43 always steps to a position which corresponds to the carriage position. The keyboard is interlocked with the tape drive so that it is impossible to type if the carriage or platen are out of position with respect to the tape.

If the tape is moved backward to a position where data is already stored on the tape, the keyboard remains locked until a correction key 50 (FIG. 1) is struck. Then a transfer identification key 51 is struck. After these two keys are struck, the keyboard interlock releases to allow the typist to type in a normal manner. At the same time, the perforator control transfers from the perforator of tape 13 to the perforator of tape 14. A suitable record of the transfer resulting from the operation of the identification symbol key 51 is printed on both the original and correction tapes to provide a positive inter-relation so that the positions of the two tapes may be associated during collation. Preferably, this symbol is printed on the underside of the tape to aviod confusion with the message already printed on the tape and read optically.

After transfer, any typing which the typist does is automatically recorded on the correction tape 14. When the correction is completed, an end of correction key 53 is struck to print a transfer back to the original record tape 13 and another identification symbol on the two tapes.

Later, during a read out, a tape reader switches back and forth between the original record tape and the correction tape when the transfer symbols are detected. Thus, the reader produces a single resulting tape which is a clean copy collation of the original and correction tapes.

Means are provided for correcting the clean copy collated tape after'the typewriter paper has been removed from the typewriter, and perhaps also after the collated tape has been removed from the transport mechanism 43 (FIG. 2). To do this, the typist will have available to her a ruler with two scales 60, 61, as shown in FIG. 3. One scale 60 measures the paper vertically in terms of single space line units with respect to the zero set when knob 38 is pushed in. The zero set of the paper is relative to the position of the paper with respect to the tragets 36, 37 and, therefore, to the carriage and platen. The read out from this scale 60 identities a line in terms of thousands and hundreds digits. The other scale 61 measures the paper horizontally in ter-ms of character spaces. The read out from this scale identifies a character space in terms of tens and units digits with respect to the zero set. For example, if the edge of the paper coincides with the zero point of the targets 36, 37, the letter X has the address "3900 read from the scale 60 and the address 38 read from the scale 61. Hence, the address of the letter X is 3938.

If the reel of tape has been removed from the typewriter before the changes are made, it is necessary to put the tape back on its transport mechanism 43. The tape is then pulled to a start position corresponding to the Zero set when the knob 38 was pushed in at the start of typing. The typist operates a counter preset circuit 63 to mark counter-register circuit 31 via at least one conductor 64. Then, acting over conductor 65, counter preset circuit 63 commands the driver circuit 40 to pulse the tape stepping motor 42 and the counter-register 31, as des-cribed above. This drives the tape and the counter-register 31, a step at a time in synchronism. When the counter-register 31 reaches the count, which was pre-marked when the address 3938 was keyed, circuit 63 provides a stop signal. Then, it removes the command signal from the wire 65, and driver 40 stops pulsing out. f

The tape 13 has now taken the number of steps which were keyed into the preset circuit '63 (3938 steps for the cited example). Through the transparent plate 24, the typist should see the letter X under hairline 25. If the typist made no mistakes and accurately read the address from scales 60, 61, the letter X is standing under this hairline. If not, she may turn the tape reels 45, 44 until the letter X does appear under the hairline 25. Then, she performs the transfer functions described above, and makes the necessary corrections by typing to perforate a new correction tape 14. Thereafter, the tape on transport mechanism 43 is either collated or re-collated with the new correction tape 14.

The foregoing description has covered a number of situations when the originally typed carriage return symbols have lost all meaning. Thus, a resulting letter would have non-acceptable line lengths. The transfer to correction tape could appear in the middle of a line in the original record. Thus, the carriage return symbols on the correction tape 14 might be in reference to the start of a new line instead of the middle of an old line. The transfer back to tape 13 might appearin the middle of a line on the correction tape. Then the carriage return symbols appearing on the original record tape 13 might be referenced to either the start of a new line on tape 13 or the original line start reference before transfer. The line fragments made before the transfer to tape 14 and back to 7 tape 13 do not lit in with the line length signals on either tape 13 or tape 14.

In keeping with an aspect of the invention, a phantom carriage serves as mechanical memory for preserving a running memory of the position of the carriage on an automatic read out typewriter at any given instant. This way the phantom carriage position always corresponds to the character being typed relating to the line length on the letter as it is finally typed. The motion of the phantom carriage may be observed so that regardless of insertions or deletions the final copy will have the desired right-hand margin.

The phantom carriage includes an endless belt which may be part of a typewriter (as at 21, FIG. 1) or part of a separate jig (as at 70, FIG. 2). Both of the belts 21 and 70 are essentially the same; therefore, each will be understood from a description of belt 70. The endless belt 70 functions as a mechanical storage device for storing a memory of a desired carriage position. It runs over two pulley wheels 73, 74 which may be mounted on the same shafts that support the tape reels 45, 46, although the exact location of the belt is irrelevant. A clutch 75 interconnects the sprocket drive 44 for the tape 13 and a sprocket drive 76 for endless belt 70. When the clutch 75 is disengaged, the sprocket 76 and tape 70 stand motionless. When the clutch 75 is engaged, the sprocket 76 and tape 70 move simultaneously with the sprocket 44 and tape 13. Thus, the belt 70 takes one step for every character printed on the tape 13.

As the sprocket 76 is driven, a spring 77 winds up to provide a return force for returning the endless belt 70 to a starting position. Associated with the pulley wheel 74 is a device 78 which controls contacts 79 to give a pulse for every character step which is taken by the belt 70. A pair of limit switches 80, 81 serve as margin controls for indicating when a carriage return signal is required. These contacts are closed when they are pushed by a stop device 82 on the tape 70. The stop device S2 carries tens and units brushes 83, 84 which rub against a printed circuit card S5 for indicating the position of the phantom carriage in terms of character spaces. This is the same type of read out which is obtained from the sensor 34 on the typewriter.

The phantom carriage operates this way. The tape 13 on transport mechanism 43 is pulled from reel 46 and wound up on the take-up reel 45 each time that the sprocket 44 takes a step. Every time a carriage return signal appears on tape 13, detector 86 sends a pulse into the counterregister 31. When the count reaches the thousands and hundreds count that was read from scales 60, 61 and preset at 63 (3900, in the above example) the tape 13 has reached the printed line where the correction is to be made.

Responsive to the preset (3900) count, the counterregister 31 gives a signal on conductor S7 and the clutch 75 is engaged. Thereafter, the endless belt 70 is pulled one step at a time by the rotary power which motor 42 applies to the sprockets 44, 76. The tens and units counters in circuit 31 add a count each time that the tape 13 is advanced one step. The pulses generated at contacts 79 confirm that the corresponding step has also been taken by the endless belt 70. The pulses from contacts 79 are used to step the typewriter carriage 16. When these counters in circuit 31 reach the preset count (3938 in this example), a signal at 65 removes the power and the tape 13 stops. The endless belt 70 and carriage 16 also stop.

The typist can read the printing on the tape 13 by looking through plate 24. She looks for the spot where the correction should be made. If she has read the FIG. 3 ruler scale accurately, she should see the place on tape 13 which is to be corrected. The carriage should also be located where it would have been if the original copy were still in the typewriter. If not, Ishe slowly turns the take-up reel 45 until the spot on tape 13 for correction cornes into view.

If the tape 13 goes beyond the end of one printed line while it is being so advanced, the carriage return detector S6 pulses to cause the typewriter to return its carriage 16 to the start of a line, to disengage the clutch 75, and to lock the position of the take-up reel 45. When clutch 75 disengages, the tension in the wound up spring 77 pulls the endless belt '70 back to its normal or home position. There, the limit switch S1 closes a circuit for reengaging the clutch 75 and unlocking the take-up reel 45. The typist continues to turn the take-up reel 45 while she is looking for the place where the correction is to be made on tape 13. Again, the endless belt 70 follows the tape motion, and contacts 79 step the carriage 16. Carriage return occurs whenever the contacts 80 close.

When the typist sees the location of the correction as it appears under the transparent plate 24, she places the carriage return symbol at the start of the line which is to be corrected under the hairline 25. Then, she strikes the carriage return key on the typewriter to synchonize the carriage return symbol on tape 13 with the return of the carriage 16. Next, she advances reel 45 until the point on tape 13 where the correction should occur is under the hairline 25. For example, if there are forty-three character spaces between the carriage return symbol and the -point of correction, the mechanism 78 takes fortythree steps and contacts 79 form forty-three pulses to drive the typewriter carriage 16 forty-three spaces. The typist may now type corrections on the typewriter with the above described results. As she types, a correction record is made on the tape 14. If the carriage reaches the end of a line of printing before the correction is completed, the typist strikes the carriage return key in the usual man-ner, and the usual carriage return signal is perforated into the correction tape. In this manner, the correction may include any number of lines which will be typed in the normal manner.

The carriage 16 may end in any position after the typist has completed the correction. There is a slight chance that this ending position will correspond to the desired right-hand margin requirements.

Means are provided for correcting the right-hand margin if the correction does not end at the mar-gin. In greater detail, the typist has already placed the carriage in a particular position by the simple expedient of having typed a correcting amendment. She leaves the carriage in its last position to store a memory of the length of a line fragment which ended the correcting amend-ment. The amendment just typed was stored on tape 14, and the tape 13 has stood still on transport mechanism 43 so that, i-n all likelihood, it stores .a line fragment. Moreover, it is possible that she will want to Idelete some of lthe material stored on the tape 13. The problem is, therefore, to coordinate the positions of tape 13 and the typewriter carriage so that the carriage return sym-bols finally stored on a collation of the tapes 14 and 13 will produce an acceptable hand margin. To do this, she turns the reel 45 until she observes the spot on the original tape 13 where she wants to transfer a reading head from the newly typed correction tape 14 back to the original tape 13, as at the letter W, FIG. 3. Then, she places this spot on tape 13 under the hairline 25. This spot is marked on tape 13 in any suitable manner to cause transfer.

The problem now presented to the typist is shown graphically in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the assumption is that the typewriter carriage 16 is standing in a position where the next character to be printed will be a distance from the left-hand margin position. This is the length of the last line fragment stored on tape 14. The tape 13 is standing on transport mechanism 43 with the W under the left-hand margin position indicator hairline 2S. The material between the X and W in the original letter will be deleted during print out because of the manner in which the reader heads switch back and Iforth.

If the tape 13 is stepped backward by a number of character spaces corresponding to the distance 90, the letter W will be in the same position relative to line length, that it would be in if a clean copy were typed by adding the original text material stored on tape 13 after the correction material, now stored on tape 14, has been typed. FIG. 5 shows the details of how the sensors 34, 85 are used to set the tape 13 in a position corresponding to the position of the typewriter carriage. More particularly, the sensor 34, associated with the carriage 16, has a printed circuit card 91. Conductive segments on the printed circuit card 91 identify the spaces of the typewriter carriage 16 travel in terms of tens and units digits. Also part of sensor 34 are linger spring7 contacts 92, 93 which are attached to the typewriter carriage. These spring contacts brush against the conductive segments on the printed circuit card 91 as the carriage 16 moves. Thus, for example, when the carriage 16 has taken ve steps, the brushes 92, 93 are -standing in the position shown in FIG. 5, thereby marking the tens terminal and the units terminal. The phantom carriage position of stop 82 is indicated by the position of contacts 84, 83 which are touching the printed circuit card 85. Thus, FIG. 5 has been drawn so that the contacts 84, 83 show that the phantom carriage has also taken five steps.

Connected to every one of the conductive segments on the printed circuit card 91 is a wire, such as the wire 94, for example. These wires extend through isolating diodes, such as, 95 to the comparator 30 to give an indication of the carriage step "O, 0. The wire 94 also extends through diodes 96 to mark a -corresponding segment "0, 0 on the printed circuit card 85. Thus, every conductive segment on printed circuit card 91 is connected to a corresponding conductive `segment on the printed circuit card of sensor 85.

If it is assumed that the correction ended when the typewriter carriage 16 took tive steps after a carriage return to 0, 0, the carriage is now standing with the brushes 92, 93 on the 00 and 5" segments, as shown in FIG. 5. The typist has placed the W under hairline 25, and the phantom carriage brushes 83, 84 are moved so that they will be standing at the left-hand margin. Then, the tape reels 45, 46 are backspaced and the brushes 83, 84 are simultaneously set in motion. When the stop 82 reaches the segments 0, 0 and 5 which are marked lby the brushes 92, 93, an AND gate (not shown) conducts, and the tape motion stops. For example, the rearward tape motion could be made under the driving force of the spring 77. The brushes 83, 84, 92, 93 are now standing on terminal O0 and 5 which corresponds to both the carriage position and the tape position.

The typist may now look to see if a carriage return symbol appears on the tape 13 in the window 26 associated with the tape transport mechanism 43. If it does so appear in window 26, the typed line will be the correct length after the tapes 41 and 14 have been collated. If it does not so appear, the typist marks the tape to change its length in the manner described in the copending applciation, entitled Typewriter Margin Control Device, Ser. No. 528,904, filed Feb. 18, 1966, and assigned to the assignee of this invention.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specic apparatus and applications, it is to be understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An automatic typewriter comprising means for storing a record of copy as it is typed, means for correcting said copy after said copy has been stored on said record whereby the carriage return symbols originally stored on said record become improperly located, memory means for storing the position which a carriage would be in if said automatic typewriter typed said record copy as collated with said corrections, and means responsive to said memory means for detecting improperly located carriage return symbols with respect to the margin requirements of said collated copy.

2. The typewriter of claim 1 wherein said memory means comprises a mechanical device having an excursion which provides a distance of travel which corresponds to a line length of printing when a typed copy is made from said record, and means for stepping said memory means -in synchronism with the stepping of said typewriter carnage.

3. The typewriter of claim 1 and electrical counting means for storing a memory of the instantaneous position of said record relative to the position of said typewriter carriage, and means responsive to a loss of registry between said electrical count and said carriage position for driving said record and said memory until said registry is restored.

4. The typewriter of claim 1 wherein said memory means comprises a movable endless belt having a stop mounted thereon, said movable belt having an excursion which corresponds to the full distance travel of a typewriter carriage, means for driving said endless belt stepby-step as said carriage moves whereby the instantaneous position of said stop indicates a corresponding position of a piece of paper in said typewriter relative to the spot where a type bar will next strike said typing paper during read out of the copy on said stored record, and limit switches operated by said endless belt stop for giving margin requirement signals corresponding to the margin requirements experienced by said typewriter during read out.

5. The typewriter of claim 4 and electrical circuit and linger spring means associated with said carriage for giving signal identifying the instantaneous mechanical position of said carriage, other circuit and linger spring means associated with said stop for giving a signal identifying the instantaneous carriage simulation position indicated by said stop, and means responsive to said position indicating signals for bringing said carriage and endless belt to the same relative positions.

6. An automatic typewriter having a movable carriage, phantom carriage means selectively movable either simultaneously with or independently of said movable carriage for simulating the motion of said carriage, means responsive to the motion of said phantom carriage for continuously displaying the hypothetical carriage position simulated by said phantom carriage, and further means responsive to said motion -of said phantom carriage for providing carriage return symbols which activate the drive for said movable carriage.

7. The typewriter of claim 6 and means responsive to said phantom carriage motion for indicating the length of a typed line.

8. The typewriter of claim said phantom carriage motion ment for return of a carriage.

9. The automatic typewriter of claim 6 wherein the typing of a line fragment causes said typewriter carriage to stop at a location along the length of its travel, means for automatically bringing said phantom carriage to a location in its said simulated carriage motion which corresponds to the existing location of the carriage on said typewriter, and means for thereafter typing a correction while driving said phantom carriage, and means responsive to phantom carriage for indicating the need for a carriage return symbol, whereby the margin symbols indicated at the end of said phantom carriage travel tit said line fragment to said correction to provide an acceptable total line length.

10. The automatic typewriter of claim 6 wherein said phantom carriage may stop its simulated motion at any location along the length of its travel, thereby indicating a line fragment, and means for automatically bringing the actual location of the carriage on said typewriter to a position which corresponds to the stopped location of said phantom carriage, whereby a continuation of the typ- 6 and means responsive to for indicating the requireing on said typewriter fits such typing to the line fragment indicated by the position of said phantom carriage.

11. An automatic typewriter system for making editorial changes in a previously typed document without requiring a complete manual retyping of said document comprising, a first record storing command signals representing said document, means for making a second record storing cornmand signals which will produce said editorial changes when collated with said first record, carriage return symbols appearing on said various records, phantom carriage means operated responsive to said carriage return symbols to indicate a desired length of a line of type represented by said symbols, and means responsive to said phantom carriage for indicating carriage return adjustments required in said collation record.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said record storing means are collated into the form of a one dimensional tape, electrical memory means for storing an indication of the position of said tape at any given instant, said typewriter having a movable carriage including means for electrically indicating the position of said carriage at any given time, and means jointly responsive to the position of said phantom carriage and said stored indications for coordinating the positions of said tape and carriage relative to the desired end position of a line of typing made from said collated record.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said last named means comprises means for driving said carriage to a position in which it would be standing if said collated record had actually been typed.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said last named means comprises means for bringing said tape to a position relative to the location of carriage return symbols wheer it corresponds to the actual position of said carriage.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,354 3/1963 Rossetto et al 197-19 X 2,7 88,886 4/ 1957 Paulding et al 197-20 X 2,800,539 7/ 1957 Edminister et al. 197-20 X 2,838,114 6/1958 Hoetz et al 197--20 X 2,954,860 10/1960 Woodhead 197-19 2,968,383 l/l96l Higgonnet et al 197-20 3,063,536 ll/l962 Dirks 197-19 3,120,301 2/1964 Lorch 197--20 3,260,340 7/ 1966 Locklar et al. 197-19 3,260,341 7/1966 Braunig 197-19 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER COMPRISING M EANS FOR STORING A RECORD OF COPY AS IT IS TYPED, MEANS FOR CORRECTING SAID COPY AFTER SAID COPY HAS BEEN STORED ON SAID RECORD WHEREBY THE CARRIAGE RETURN SYMBOLS ORIGINALLY STORED ON SAID RECORD BECOME IMPROPERLY LOCATED, MEMORY MEANS FOR STORING THE POSITION WHICH A CARRIAGE WOULD BE IN IF SAID AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER TYPED SAID RECORD COPY AS COLLATED WITH SAID CORRECTIONS, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID MEMORY MEANS FOR DETECTING IMPROPERLY LOCATED CARRIAGE RETURN SYMBOLS WITH RESPECT TO THE MARGIN REQUIREMENTS OF SAID COLLATED COPY.

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