The invention relates to accessories for typewriters, and more particularly to an improved guide for use in aligning a sheet of paper preparatory to an application of typed indicia to selected spaces. The device includes an aligning plate pivotally mounted on a line guide having formed therein a plurality of aligned apertures. The plate is so positioned that an aperture is positioned immediately above a target area for a type slug so that a slug will imprint a character in selected spaces

Dubois, R. D.

Pinson, G. T.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

United States Patent 1191 [ 1 11 3,989,136 
Fletcher et al. 1451 Nov. 2, 1976 
1541 GUIDE FOR A TYPEWRITER 
[ 761 Inventors: 
1221 Filed: 
James C. Fletcher, Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, with respect to an 
invention of; Robert D. Duboii; 
George T. Pinson, both of 
Huntsville, Ala. 
Aug. 9, 1973 
[ 2 1 ] Appl. No.: 387,094 
[52] U.S. CI .................................. 197/188; 197/190 
[51] Int. CI ............................................. B47J 29/42 
[58] Field of Search ........... 197/187, 188, 189, 190, 
197/180, 181 
1561 References Cited 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
627,180 6/1899 Force .................................. 197/190 
893,256 7/1908 May .................................... 197/190 
895,891 8/1908 Person ............................... 197/190 
2,558,147 6/1951 Nicely ................................. 197/190 
2,930,471 3/1960 Roggenstein ........................ 197/190 
FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 
978,695 12/1964 United Kingdom ................. 197/190 
Primary Examiner-Edward M. Coven 
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-L. D. Wofford, Jr.; John R. 
Manning 
[571 ABSTRACT 
An improved guide for use in aligning within a type- 
writer a sheet of paper preparatory to an application 
of typed indicia to a space thereof. The guide is char- 
acterized by a bellcrank lever, pivotally supported by 
a swatch of flexible material adhesively secured to a 
typewriter adjacent the V-guides thereof, and support- 
ing at its distal end a space sight including a pair of or- 
thogonally related legs positionable into and out of the 
path of a type slug for framing a targeted space to be 
struck by a slug in response to a depression of a se- 
lected key. 
2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19770012513 2020-03-20T07:33:58+00:00Z
U.S. Patent Nov. 2, 1976 3,989,136 
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3,989,136 
1 
GUIDE FOR A TYPEWRITER 
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
The invention described herein was made in the per- 
formance of work under a NASA contract and is sub- 
ject to the provisions of Section 305 of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, Public Law 
85-568 (72 Stat. 435; 42 U.S.C. 2457). 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to accessories for typewriters, 
and more particularly to an improved guide for use in 
aligning a sheet of paper preparatory to an application 
of typed indicia to selected spaces thereof. 
In performing typing operations of various sorts, 
errors often are committed. Frequently, such errors are 
discovered only upon proofreading after the document 
has been disassociated from the typewriter employed in 
its preparation. As a result, the mistake is erased, mask- 
ing fluid or the like applied, and the document, or sheet 
of paper, reinserted in the typewriter for correction. 
Such an operation requires that the space or spaces to 
receive correction, by application of indicia, be pre- 
cisely registered with the target area for the type slugs, 
in order to prevent the correction from becoming quite 
apparent, even upon a casual perusal. 
The prior art is, of course, replete with guides for 
correcting typographical errors and the like. Such 
guides are typified by the guide disclosed in U S .  Pat. 
No. 2,558,147, which issued by G. L. Nicely, June 26, 
1951. The device shown in that patent includes an 
aligning plate pivotally mounted on a line guide having 
formed therein a plurality of aligned apertures. The 
plate is so positioned that an aperture may be posi- 
tioned immediately above a target area for a type slug 
so that a slug will imprint a character in selected 
spaces, in response to a manipulation of a selected key, 
provided the spaces have first been aligned with the 
aperture. 
Of course, one of the unsolved problems encoun- 
2 
It is another object to provide an improved, eco- 
nomic and practical guide, having a target sight, which 
can be affixed by a typist, to a cardholder of a type- 
writer and utilized in designating the precise target area 
5 for type slugs whereby correction of typographical 
errors readily may be corrected. 
These and other objects and advantages are achieved 
through the use of a guide pivotally supported by a base 
formed of a flexible material and adapted to be adhe- 
10 sively secured to a cardholder, including a bellcrank 
lever formed of a thin wire and supported by said 
swatch, and having a sight provided at one end of the 
bellcrank lever defined by a pair of orthogonally re- 
lated legs, whereby the sight is supported for pivotal 
15 oscillation into and out of operative registry with the 
target area for the type slugs, as will hereinafter be- 
come more readily apparent by reference to the follow- 
ing description and claims in the light of the accompa- 
nying drawings. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typewriter having a 
cardholder upon which is mounted a guide embodying 
the principles of the instant invlention. 
FIG. 2 is a fragmented perspective view, on an en- 
larged scale, of the cardholder and guide depicted in 
FIG. 1. 
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of thme guide shown in FIGS. 
1 and 2. 
20 
25 
30 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 
EMBODIMENT 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, 
wherein like reference characters designate like or 
35 corresponding parts throughout the several views, 
there is shown in FIG. 1 a typewriter 10, equipped with 
an embodiment of the instant invention. 
The typewriter, as illustrated, includes a cardholder 
12 of known design mounted om a case 14 for the type- 
40 writer 10. It is to be understood that the typewriter 10 
forms no svecific part of the instant invention, there- 
tered in employing devices of the type disclosed by the fore, a detailed description thereof is omitted in the 
patent to Nicely is that the device must be affixed per- interest of brevity. However, it also is to be understood 
manently to the typewriter, with precision, at its point that the typewriter 10 is of a design which includes a 
of manufacture. Consequently, such devices tend to be 45 platen 16 provided for supporting a sheet of paper 18. 
relatively expensive, and their use is severely impeded. As keys, not designated, are struck, type slugs, not 
Therefore, as a practical matter, available guides sim- shown, are advanced for applying indicia to the paper 
ply have not been accepted for use by typists and the 18. As is common practice, the typewriter 10 is pro- 
like. vided with “V-guides” 20 between which typebars are 
Through the instant invention, however, the afore- 50 guided as the type slugs are advanced into engagement 
mentioned disadvantages have been overcome. with the paper 18 supported by the platen 16. 
It is therefore the general purpose of the instant in- The cardholder 12 preferably is of a transparent 
vention to provide a practical, economic, and readily material, such as, for example, synthetic resin. The 
employable guide which is particularly suited to be holder 12 is curved about a longitudinal axis in a man- 
adhesively secured to cardholders of typewriters and 55 ner such that an arcuate cross-sectional configuration 
readily employed by a typist in correcting typographi- is imparted to the holder having a radius similar to the 
cal errors. radius of the platen 16. In practice, the guide 22, which 
embodies the principles of the instant invention, in- 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION cludes a base formed of a flexible swatch 24 having a 
It is therefore an object of the instant invention to 60 suitable layer 26 of adhesive deposited on the backing 
provide in combination with the typewriter a guide for thereof so that the swatch may be readily adhered to 
use in aligning a sheet of paper preparatory to applica- the face of the cardholder 12. As a practical matter, the 
tions thereto of typed indicia. swatch is formed from heavy construction paper and 
It is another object to provide a guide which can be the layer of adhesive is protected by a removeable 
applied to a cardholder of a typewriter at a point of use. 65 backing strip 28 applied thereto in any suitable man- 
It is another object to provide a simplified and eco- ner. 
nomic guide which can readily be employed by a typist Extended through the swatch 24 there is a pivot pin 
in correcting typographical errors. 30 upon which is mounted a bellcrank lever 32. The 
3,989,136 
3 4 .  
pivot pin 30 serves as a fulcrum for the bellcrank lever struck, a typebar is caused to advance between the 
32 so that the lever may be pivotally oscillated about V-guides 20 and the slug affixed to the distal end 
the pivot pin. The particular manner in which the pivot thereof is caused to strike its target area and apply 
pin is fabricated forms no part of the instant invention. indicia to the precise space registered with the target 
However, and as a practical matter, the pin 30 is pro- 5 area. 
vided as a rivet extended through the construction In view of the foregoing, it should readily be apparent 
paper. that through the use of the instant invention, it is possi- 
The guide 22 also includes a sight 34 formed at one ble to accurately register spaces to receive indicia with 
end of the bellcrank lever 32. The sight is formed of a target areas of type slugs. This, of course, conserves 
pair of normally related legs 36 and 38, as best shown lo  both time and money and ultimately results in a neat 
in FIG. 2. The opposite end of the bellcrank lever 32 and legible document. 
includes a thumb lever 40 which, when depressed, Although the invention has been herein shown and 
imparts oscillatory motion to the bellcrank 32 about described in what is conceived to be the most practical 
the pivot pin 30. Thus, it is to be understood that upon and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that depar- 
being sufficiently manipulated the thumb lever 40 l 5  tures may be made therefrom within the scope of the 
serves to impart pivotal rotation to the bellcrank 32, 
through a distance such that the sight 34 is caused to 
assume an alternate position. 
The guide 22 is supplied to a typist in bulk form. A 
typist, upon a removal of the backing strip 28, affixes 
the guide to a typewriter simply by bringing the layer of 
adhesive 26 into contiguous engagement with the sur- 
face of the cardholder 12 at a point such that the sight 
34 may assume a position of registry with the target 
area of the type slugs, normally found immediately 
above the V-guides of the typewriter. Once mounted in 
this fashion, the typist need merely manipulate the 
thumb lever 40 for displacing the sight 34 into and out 
invention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative 
details disclosed. 
We claim: 
1. An improved guide for use in aligning a sheet of 
2o paper preparatory to an application on a target area 
thereof of typed indicia by a type slug of a typewriter 
comprising : 
a guide base including a swatch of flexible material 
having a layer of adhesive affixed to one side 
25 thereof; 
said guide comprising an elongated relatively fine 
means defining a space sight near one end of said 
wire pivotally supported by said swatch; 
of operative position. wire including a pair of coplaner orthogonally re- 
lated legs, and means defining a thumb actuator 
portion at the end portion of said wire remote from 
said sight, said pivotal support being located be- 
tween said thumb actuator portion and said space 
sight thereby forming a bellcrank lever; 
the pivotal axis of said pivotal support being normal 
to the plane of said swatch and the plane of said 
legs; 
said guide being combined with a typewriter having a 
cardholder; 
said swatch of flexible material being adhesively se- 
cured to said cardholder whereby said space sight 
is positionable into and out of registry with the 
target area of type slugs of said typewriter; 
the plane defined by said coplaner legs being substan- 
tially parallel to the plane of said cardholder. 
2. The guide of claim 1 wherein said swatch is made 
30 
OPERATION 
It is believed that in view of the foregoing descrip- 
tion, the operation of the device will readily be under- 
stood and it will be briefly reviewed at this point. 
In the event an error is discovered in a typewritten 35 
sheet, a typist merely erases that letter or letters and 
reinserts the sheet into the typewriter to be employed 
in correcting the error. The guide 22 now is so manipu- 
lated that the sight 34 is caused to register with the 40 
target area of the type slugs. The space from which the 
typed indicia was erased is now registered with the 
target area, the leg 36 of the sight 34 being employed in 
effecting horizontal positioning and the leg 38 thereof 
being employed in effecting vertical positioning of the 45 
sheet. Once the sheet of paper has been properly posi- 
tioned, employing the sight 34 and the guide 22, the 
guide is rotated, by depressing the thumb lever 40, to of construction paper. 
its inoperative or stowed position. Hence, as a key is * * * * *  
50 
5 5  
60 
65 


Guide for a typewriter

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