Typewriter with an erasing apparatus

A typewriter having an erasing apparatus comprising:

• printing means for striking selected types against record medium on a platen;
• escapement means, responsive to actuation of said printing means, for longitudinally moving said platen in increments of one-character space;
• connecting means for operatively connecting said printing means to said escapement means to operate the latter upon each actuation of said printing means;
• cam means driven in timed relation with said printing means;
• a ribbon vibrator pivotally disposed and supporting at a free end thereof an erase ribbon, said ribbon vibrator being engageable with and pivoted by said cam means for lifting said erase ribbon from an original position to an operating position upon the actuation of said printing means;
• a retaining crank pivotable to first, second and third positions and having an arm which, when said retaining crank is in said first position, engages said ribbon vibrator and prevents same from following said cam means, said arm being out of engagement with said ribbon vibrator when said retaining crank is in one of said second and third positions thereby allowing said ribbon vibrator to follow said cam means;
• a first manual member operatively connected to said retaining crank and, when manually actuated, pivoting said retaining crank from said first position to said second position to set same ready to operate;
• a second manual member operatively connected to said retaining crank and, when manually operated to an operative position, pivoting said retaining crank from said first position to said third position to set said ribbon vibrator ready to operate, said retaining crank set in said third position being kept out of control by said first manual member;
• means for maintaining said second manual member at said operative position;
• a lock link engageable with said retaining crank set in said second position and holding same in said second position, said lock link being engageable also with said ribbon vibrator upon returning thereof to said original position and disengaged from said retaining crank in said second position, thereby allowing said retaining crank to return to said first position;
• and
• a disconnecting link actuated by said ribbon vibrator and disconnecting said connecting means to disengage said escapement means from said printing means when said retaining crank is in said position, said disconnecting link being engageable with said retaining crank set in said third position and enabling said connecting means to connect said escapement means to said printing means.

A typewriter having an erasing apparatus, which comprises:

• means for printing selected characters on paper;
• escapement means, responsive to actuation of said printing means, for effecting relative movements between said paper and said printing means;
• erasing means including an erase ribbon and a ribbon vibrator supporting said erase ribbon and pivotally moving same from an original position to an operating position upon the actuation of said printing means;
• a retaining member movable to first, second and third positions and normally positioned at said first position to keep said ribbon vibrator inoperative in said original position, and said retaining member, when positioned, at one of said second and third positions, allowing said ribbon vibrator to be operative;
• manual operating means, associated with said retaining member, for selectively positioning said retaining member in one of said second and third positions to enable said erasing means to be operative responsive to the actuation of said printing means;
• locking means, associated with said retaining member and said erasing means, for holding said retaining member in one of said second and third positions, said locking means causing said retaining member to be held in said second position and permitting same to return to said first position in response to the return movement of said ribbon vibrator to said original position, said locking means holding said retaining member in said third position such that the retaining member in said third position allows said ribbon vibrator to be kept operative;
• and
• escapement control means, associated with said erasing means, for disengaging said escapement means when said retaining member is in said second position, and keeping same operative while said retaining member is held in one of said first and third positions, whereby the erasing apparatus is capable of erasing a single character and typing in a correct character in place thereof while said retaining member is set in said second position, and is capable of erasing a series of characters in a consecutive manner in a direction in which the selected characters are printed by said printing means while said retaining member is set and held in said third position.