Electric typewriter with input-output arrangement

Claim 1

In an electric typewriter adapted for producing hard copy and for being coupled with an electronic data unit and exchanging information therewith and including a keyboard for the manual selection of character and function mechanisms, a strobe for generating timing signals to time the information exchanged between said typewriter and data unit, a cycle clutch mechanism to enable the typewriter to go through a printing cycle, and a main body having first aNd second dimensions which constitute the height and depth thereof, said main body supporting said keyboard and mechanisms; the improvement comprising a supplemental structure including a base plate, means mounting said structure and base plate on said main body without increasing the height of the main body, said structure and base plate extending rearwardly of said main body, first means on said base plate responsive to signals from said data unit, second means on said supplemental structure to generate signals for transmittal to said data unit in accordance with the timing signals of said strobe, and links coupling said first and second means to said mechanisms for the control of the latter or for the generation of signals in response to the same, said first and second means being located rearwardly of said main body, said first means including solenoids and said second means including switches, said links including rods coupled between said solenoids and mechanisms and displaceable by said solenoids to operate said mechanisms, and means on said rods to operate said switches in response to movement of said rods by said mechanisms.