Abstract: A dampening assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts. The dampening assembly includes a D-shaft pivotably coupled to the housing, and an anti-bounce assembly. The anti-bounce assembly includes a first element coupled to the housing, and a second element, such as an elongated resilient pin member, which is adapted to cooperate with the D-shaft to resist undesired movement of the D-shaft. The D-shaft has opposing first and second ends and a recess disposed between the first end and the second end. A portion of the elongated resilient pin member is disposed in the recess.

Abstract: An operation apparatus that enables selection of a required menu item from a plurality of menu items without several pushes of operation keys, and an electronic device that is equipped with the operation apparatus. When a fingertip is moved while protrusion portions of an operation apparatus are being touched with the fingertip, this is detected by an electrostatic capacitance-type sensor, and a selection frame for selecting a menu item is moved horizontally/vertically. Then, when the selection frame reaches a required menu item, the menu item is selected. Thus, it is possible to select a required menu item from a plurality of menu items just by moving a finger while touching the protrusion portion, without several pushes of operation keys.

Abstract: A method and system that monitors movement of a wheel or slider included on a keyboard, and conveys information indicative of the movement and its direction to a host computing device to which the keyboard is coupled, using predefined scan codes or Universal Serial Bus (USB) data signal. State changes and the direction of rotation are detected as the wheel is rotated. Preferably, an elapsed time between state changes is compared to a set of threshold times, and the scan code representing the closest threshold time is selected. Alternatively, a scan code is transmitted that is indicative of the sign and magnitude of a threshold number corresponding to an accumulated number of state changes. The host computing device decodes the scan code or USB data for use in controlling a scroll distance, zoom, etc. as a function of the movement indicated by the scan code or USB data.

Abstract: This invention relates to a keyboards with a track operation key, comprising a track located at a proper position of the keyboard. In the track, there is an operation key that can move along the track, and there is also a sensor used to detect the displacement of the operation key and then converting to the motion displacement value that can control the curser movement on the screen. Therefore, through moving the operation key in the track it becomes feasible to control the cursor's motion directly. For the track and the operation key, they can be set in vertical or horizontal so as to operate the cursor vertically or horizontally.

Abstract: A pair of left and right ergonomic keypads may be separately positioned on a desktop or in the armrests of a chair to permit the user to operate the keypads while assuming more comfortable and natural hand and wrist positions than required when using prior art slab keyboards. The separate keypads may be hingedly, interlockingly joined to function as a compact unitary keyboard for desktop use. When so joined for desktop use, the keypads may be rotated about a point of attachment to any desired position from an open position to a closed position. When in the closed position, the keypads form a compact, diamond-shaped unitary keyboard providing improved portability. Whether employed in a desktop or an armrest application, the keypads may be adjusted to any angle that the user finds most comfortable and convenient for operation.

Abstract: A backspace device in a typewriter comprising: an interposer operable by the operation of a key lever; a cycle bail operable by the interposer; a cycle clutch for intermittently transmitting a driving force from a driving source to a main shaft so that the main shaft can be rotated by a predetermined number of times in association with the cycle bail; an actuating bail for performing a cycle of a motion along a moving path of a predetermined mode by a full turn of the main shaft, while rendering to the interposer a motion in a direction of the interposer leaving the cycle bail during the motion; a backspace link for moving in association with the interposer during the leaving motion of the interposer; a backspace rack extending laterally of the typewriter, supported rotatably about an axis laterally disposed and turned to a working position by the backspace link; and a backspace pawl fastened onto a carriage so that it can be reciprocated a predetermined distance in the lateral direction by a cam rotatable in

Abstract: A low profile keyboard actuator for a typewriter in which L-shaped levers are pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft mounted immediately in front of the typewriter. The levers have generally horizontal arms of various lengths, the ends of which contact the keys of the various rows of the keyboard. The levers have depending arms of uniform length and are resiliently biased to depress the keys. A common operating bar bearing against the depending arms cyclically permits the levers to depress the keys and then restores the levers to the original position where no key is depressed; however, depression of all but a selected key is inhibited by a plurality of vertically superposed, transversely shiftable, binary-coded slides having teeth which bear against all depending arms except that one corresponding to the selected key.

Abstract: A carriage return device in a typewriter including: an interposer operable through operation of a key lever for the carriage return; a cycle bail driven by the interposer; a driving source adapted to rotate a main shaft by a predetermined number of rotations in association with the cycle bail; a cycle clutch for intermittently transmitting a driving force to the main shaft; an actuating bail for performing a cycle of movement having a locus of a predetermined mode to cause the interposer to disengage from the cycle bail; a carriage return bell crank for operating in association with the interposer when the interposer moves in the direction of disengaging from the cycle bail; a carriage return clutch operable by the carriage return bell crank; a carriage driving device for driving the carriage to return through operation of the carriage return clutch; and a mechanism for operating to return the carriage return bell crank upon completion of carriage return; wherein the carriage return device further includes a

Abstract: An electrically passive keyboard is provided with an array of keys. Each key is provided with an actuating bar which when depressed cooperates with a plurality of coded shutters. Each shutter is arranged to intercept a beam of light passing from light projecting elements to light collecting elements. Light pulses generated at a light source are coupled to the projecting elements with fiber optic cables. Decoding logic is coupled to the light collectors with fiber optic cables. Delay elements are provided in series in the fiber optic cables so that the decoding elements receives a plurality of binary coded light signals in a predetermined timed sequence which are converted into binary coded electrical signals at a point remote from the electrically passive keyboard.

Abstract: A keyboard apparatus has item keys for data entry, and select keys for changing the display of input data written on sheets, according to the item keys, and a changer for the sheets stored in a cartridge, which separates the sheets in the cartridge into two groups, the sheets from one group being moved in the cartridge to a display position and the sheets from the other group being held in a non-display position. A cartridge holds the sheet to be displayed on the top of the stack of sheets remaining in the cartridge and a translator moves the sheets in the cartridge horizontally to the display position.

Abstract: A hollow tubular rubber or rubberlike deformable member is supported by a plurality of character keylevers in a typewriter keyboard and constrained against movement within the typewriter by supporting surfaces on the keylevers such that the tube engages the keylever pawls carried by the keylevers. As the keyboard of the typewriter operates, an interposer will force the keylever pawl rearward to provide complete restoration of the selection interposer. If the pawl did not rotate and the keylever is still in its depressed position upon the completion of the keyboard cycle, the selection logic would not be cleared and any following keylever input would result in a malselection. Also, interposer loading would prevent keylever restoration. The force of the interposer against the front edge of the keylever pawl will force the keylever pawl to pivot about its pivot stud and to locally compress the tube spring, formed out of a resilient pliable rubber-like material.

Abstract: A bounce dampening system reduces switch actuator bounce when the actuators are restored to their home position. Included are selection interposers, one of which is selectively driven to thereby effect motion of selection bails and corresponding switch actuators. A reverse interposer is simultaneously driven. A spring restores the reverse interposer after the actuation cycle thereby carrying the bails and switch actuators to their home position. The return spring and the mass of the reverse interposer prevents actuator bounce and insures a timely return of the actuators.

Abstract: An optically coded keyboard arrangement has a plurality of key units arranged to be individually actuated; an actuation sensing arrangement that includes a plurality of light emitters generating light beams and a plurality of detectors each placed in the path of a respective light beam. Each key unit includes a key arranged to be depressed and a coded mask coupled to the key for movement with the key in unison upon displacement of the key and for movement relative to the key in a direction transverse to the path of motion of the key. Each key unit further has a switching spring which, in the position of rest of the associated key has an arcuate shape bulging in one direction and engages at one end a countersupport. As the key is depressed, the switching spring is deformed into a more bulging shape, carrying the mask into a position where it is ready to interrupt the light beams.

Abstract: A coded electric signal generating keyboard for a single element typewriter is disclosed which has a keylever signal storing function and includes an interlock mechanism for permitting only one interposer at a time to be moved out of its normal position. Thus after depression of a particular key another key is prevented from being depressed until the interposer moved to an operative position is restored to the normal position during an initial part of a printing cycle initiated in response to depression of the particular key. It further includes an arresting mechanism operable to arrest another subsequently released interposer to an intermediate stored position during the remaining part of the printing cycle whereby another printing cycle may be initiated at the end of such printing cycle.

Abstract: In a key-operated machine in which actuation of a key moves code elements of an associated code card into the path of a photoelectric sensing system, each code card is moved by a drive mechanism so as to cause the code elements to traverse the sensing system path only once, and at a speed which is independent of the speed of key movement, in response to each key actuation.

Abstract: A keyboard of a typewriter comprises a common actuator biased by a spring. The depression of a key causes a corresponding intermediate member to engage with the actuator to initiate an operating cycle and to move the intermediate member to a position which causes selection of an operation corresponding to the key which has been depressed. The engagement of the common actuator with more than one intermediate member consequent upon depression of more than one key causes the common actuator to move under the spring bias at a substantially reduced speed and a locking mechanism to lock selected operations. A reloading mechanism is responsive to the speed of the actuator for unlocking the locking mechanism and restoring the actuator and the intermediate member when the reduced speed is sensed.