Keyboard Patents

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A gallery of patents that describe technologies or illustrate designs relating to IBM and family keyboards, typewriters and keypunches. This includes keyswitch/actuator designs, ornamental designs (overall appearance), integrated pointing devices such as TrackPoints, and host systems such as PCs, laptops, terminals, consoles and electronic typewriters. All illustrations provided are from the patents themselves, which are believed to be within the public domain. A total of 112 patents have been recorded.

U.S. Utility Patent 682,197 (US682197A)

A patent diagram depicting Herman Hollerith's apparatus for perforating record-cards from a top-down perspective

Applied 17 May 1901

Published 10 Sep 1901

Expired 10 Sep 1918

Name	Apparatus for perforating record-cards
Inventors	Herman Hollerith
Description	An invention of a hand-operated mechanical keypunch (punched-card recording device) that can automatically advance the card column upon punching. This was implemented as the Hollerith and later IBM 001 Mechanical Card Punch.

Name	Typewriter
Inventors	Russell G. Thompson, Chester W. Crumrine
Assignees	Electromatic
Description	An ornamental design depicting an Electromatic electric typewriter and its later IBM Model 01 Electric Formsholder derivative.

Name	Composite keyboard
Inventors	Reynold B. Johnson
Assignees	IBM
Description	An invention of an alphanumeric keypunch keyboard layout that integrates a telephone-arrangement overlay numeric keypad, numeric shift and keypunch-specific function keys onto a keyboard's typewriter section. It was first implemented on the IBM 024 Card Punch and 026 Printing Card Punch Combination Keyboards. It also serves as the basis for many IBM data entry terminal keyboard layouts.

Name	Key punch
Inventors	George H. Kress, Carl W. Sundberg
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 024 Card Punch.

Name	Single element printing head
Inventors	John E. Hickerson, Ralph E. Page, James A. Weidenhammer
Assignees	IBM
Description	An invention of a single, spherical device that can be used for typewriting and printing. Its surface is covered in characters in predictable locations, so the device can be rotated to select a desired character before being struck against paper. This was implemented as the "golfball" typing/printing element used by IBM Selectric family typewriters and printers.

Name	Computer keyboard
Inventors	Walter Furlani, William H. Harkins, Louis H. Sedaris
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 610 Auto-Point Computer Manual Keyboard.

Name	Computer inquiry station
Inventors	David G. Moore, George F. Fahringer
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design appearing to depict an IBM 838 Inquiry Station.

Name	Computer console
Inventors	Jack W. Stringer, Walter Furlani, David G. Moore
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting the IBM 7150 Console Typewriter & Operating Keyboard.

Name	Data transmitter
Inventors	Frank Wilkey, Jr.
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 1001 Data Transmission Terminal.

Name	Intelligence transmitter and receiver
Inventors	Eliot F. Noyes
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM Selectric I/O Keyboard Printer.

Name	Standard keyboard divided into two mirror-image fields for controlling the drive of functional devices on typewriters and similar machines
Inventors	Jim Ladue, Werner Seydel
Assignees	IBM Deutschland
Description	An invention of a keyboard that is split into two parts and mirrored in shape, with the keys placed in columns angled from each other to allow the user to position their arms and hands at more natural positions and rotations. It was intended for typewriters or similar machines. Whilst IBM never brought this exact product to market, this patent will be cited by well-known ergonomic keyboard companies such as Kinesis and Maltron (Lillian Malt).

Name	Data processing console
Inventors	Walter S. McCormick, Jr., William S. Sheppley, Jr., Joseph F. Talerico
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM System/360 Model 91 with its attached 2250 Model 1 Display Unit serving an operator console.

Name	Data processing console or similar article
Inventors	Arnold M. Davis, William S. Sheppley, Jr., Joseph F. Talerico
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM System/360 Model 85 Main Control Panel and Operator Console Feature.

Name	Keypunch for document cards
Inventors	Wayne L. Aderman, Douglas C. Antonelli, Dennis P. Butterbaugh, James R. Hammer, Richard J. Ullmer, Edward R. Wiener, Frank Wilkey, Jr.
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 5496 Data Recorder and its Elastic Diaphragm encoded keyboard.

Name	Data processing system operator's station
Inventors	Clarence F. Graser, Walter F. Kraus, William S. Sheppley, Jr.
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 7040 or 7044 Data Processing System Operator Console and its Selectric-based keyboardless output typewriter.

Name	Data processing system console
Inventors	Walter Furlani, Edward J. Sabella
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design appearing to depict an IBM 1052 I/O Printer-Keyboard.

Name	Bank teller terminal
Inventors	Edward R. Wiener
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 1062 Teller Terminal.

Name	Data processor console
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Edward J. Sabella
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 1447 Console.

Name	Keyboard controlled card punch
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Rae F. Tankard
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design appearing to depict an IBM 1057 Card Punch or 1058 Printing Card Punch.

Name	Manual data entry keyboard console
Inventors	Rae F. Tankard
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 1094 Line-Entry Keyboard.

Name	Display console
Inventors	Seton Cottier, Richard A. Jones, Ernest Wittner
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 2250 Model 2 or 3 Display Unit.

Name	Electronic computer console or similar article
Inventors	Donald A. Moore
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting the IBM 1130 Computing System Console and its integrated Card Punch derived keyboard.

Name	Typewriter or the like
Inventors	Eliot F. Noyes
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM Selectric Composer phototypesetting electric typewriter.

Name	Data display console
Inventors	Seton Cottier, Walter F. Kraus, Ernest Wittner
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 2260 Display Station with its Card Punch derived keyboard.

U.S. Utility Patent 682,197 (US682197A)

U.S. Design Patent 86,067 (USD86067S)

U.S. Design Patent 160,139 (USD160139S)

U.S. Utility Patent 2,641,320 (US2641320A)

U.S. Design Patent 160,720 (USD160720S)

U.S. Design Patent 179,041 (USD179041S)

U.S. Utility Patent 2,895,584 (US2895584A)

U.S. Design Patent 183,926 (USD183926S)

U.S. Design Patent 185,960 (USD185960S)

U.S. Design Patent 189,186 (USD189186S)

U.S. Design Patent 190,232 (USD190232S)

U.S. Design Patent 192,829 (USD192829S)

U.S. Design Patent 194,856 (USD194856S)

U.S. Design Patent 194,845 (USD194845S)

U.S. Design Patent 198,879 (USD198879S)

U.S. Design Patent 195,303 (USD195303S)

U.S. Design Patent 195,405 (USD195405S)

U.S. Design Patent 197,334 (USD197334S)

German Utility Patent 1,279,693 (DE1279693B)

U.S. Design Patent 205,709 (USD205709S)

U.S. Design Patent 203,986 (USD203986S)

U.S. Design Patent 205,591 (USD205591S)

U.S. Design Patent 202,189 (USD202189S)

U.S. Design Patent 206,467 (USD206467S)

U.S. Design Patent 211,578 (USD211578S)

U.S. Design Patent 207,978 (USD207978S)

U.S. Design Patent 209,448 (USD209448S)

U.S. Design Patent 212,757 (USD212757S)

U.S. Design Patent 212,885 (USD212885S)

U.S. Design Patent 215,938 (USD215938S)

U.S. Design Patent 217,106 (USD217106S)

U.S. Design Patent 217,913 (USD217913S)

U.S. Design Patent 225,645 (USD225645S)

U.S. Design Patent 223,762 (USD223762S)

U.S. Design Patent 224,682 (USD224682S)

U.S. Design Patent 228,460 (USD228460S)

U.S. Design Patent 227,256 (USD227256S)

U.S. Design Patent 224,605 (USD224605S)

U.S. Utility Patent 3,699,296 (US3699296A)

U.S. Design Patent 246,670 (USD246670S)

British Utility Patent 1,363,777 (GB1363777A)

U.S. Design Patent 233,043 (USD233043S)

U.S. Design Patent 233,759 (USD233759S)

U.S. Design Patent 234,302 (USD234302S)

U.S. Design Patent 232,126 (USD232126S)

U.S. Design Patent 232,945 (USD232945S)

U.S. Design Patent 235,652 (USD235652S)

U.S. Design Patent 235,656 (USD235656S)

U.S. Design Patent 235,664 (USD235664S)

U.S. Design Patent 244,386 (USD244386S)

U.S. Design Patent 243,460 (USD243460S)

U.S. Design Patent 244,464 (USD244464S)

U.S. Design Patent 247,239 (USD247239S)

U.S. Design Patent 251,592 (USD251592S)

U.S. Design Patent 253,600 (USD253600S)

U.S. Design Patent 250,022 (USD250022S)

U.S. Utility Patent 4,118,611 (US4118611A)

U.S. Design Patent 258,826 (USD258826S)

U.S. Design Patent 258,432 (USD258432S)

U.S. Design Patent 261,002 (USD261002S)

U.S. Design Patent 260,990 (USD260990S)

U.S. Design Patent 268,109 (USD268109S)

U.S. Design Patent 275,285 (USD275285S)

U.S. Design Patent 267,151 (USD267151S)

U.S. Design Patent 270,250 (USD270250S)

U.S. Design Patent 266,768 (USD266768S)

U.S. Design Patent 270,729 (USD270729S)

U.S. Design Patent 278,063 (USD278063S)

U.S. Design Patent 281,246 (USD281246S)

U.S. Design Patent 284,009 (USD284009S)

U.S. Design Patent 281,701 (USD281701S)

U.S. Utility Patent 4,528,431 (US4528431A)

U.S. Design Patent 289,292 (USD289292S)

U.S. Design Patent 290,360 (USD290360S)

U.S. Design Patent 288,204 (USD288204S)

U.S. Design Patent 284,672 (USD284672S)

U.S. Design Patent 284,671 (USD284671S)

U.S. Design Patent 292,801 (USD292801S)

U.S. Design Patent 299,029 (USD299029S)

U.S. Design Patent 305,033 (USD305033S)

Name	Display terminal for a computer or the like
Inventors	Seton Cottier, John D. March
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 2265 Display Station with its Card Punch derived keyboard.

Name	Control console
Inventors	Eliot F. Noyes
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an original IBM Mag Card Unit for various IBM Mag Card Selectric Typewriters (specifically contemporary with IBM Mag Card I Typewriter).

Name	Data processing ensemble
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Myron F. Davis, Francis J. Eisenman, Jr., Edward R. Wiener
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM System/3 Model 6 midrange computer with an attached 5213 Printer and Operator Keyboard Console (Elastic Diaphragm encoded keyboard).

Name	Data printer keyboard console
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Arnold M. Davis, Walter S. McCormick, Jr., Edward R. Wiener
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 3215 Console Printer-Keyboard.

Name	Data processor
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Arnold M. Davis, Donald F. Lahey, Walter S. McCormick, Jr., Edward R. Wiener
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM System/370 Model 145 mainframe computer and an attached 3210 Model 1 Console Printer-Keyboard.

Name	Combined keyboard input terminal and output display terminal therefor
Inventors	Ronald I. Conway, Robert V. Jones, James J. La Due, John J. Natoli
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 3277 Model 1 Display Station with a 327X-66 type Model A keyboard. The keyboard design has extra keys and slightly different unit sizing compared to the production version.

Name	Printer
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Arnold M. Davis, Walter S. McCormick, Jr., Edward R. Wiener
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM 3210 Model 2 Console Printer-Keyboard.

Name	Catastrophically buckling compression column switch and actuator
Inventors	Richard H. Harris
Assignees	IBM
Description	An invention of a keyswitch actuator comprised of a metal coil spring that buckles after some compression, providing an immediate force to actuate something with. This is the original buckling spring patent, which was refined in 1977 (US4118611A) and 1983 (US4528431A).

Name	Data processing ensemble or similar article
Inventors	Loring C. Bixler, Myron F. Davis, Francis J. Eisenman, Jr., Edward R. Wiener
Assignees	IBM
Description	An ornamental design depicting an IBM System/3 Model 6 midrange computer with an attached 2222 Printer and Operator Keyboard Console (Elastic Diaphragm encoded keyboard).

Name	Toggle mechanism
Inventors	Richard H. Harris, Robert J. Wolfrom
Assignees	IBM
Description	An invention of a keyswitch that uses a cantilever snap mechanism to provide an actuator for a capacitance-sensing PCB. The mechanism consists of a leaf spring and a blade spring coupled together; the former is bent to push a capacitive plate towards its rest position and then snaps to an inverted position to lift the plate when force is applied. This was implemented as the IBM beam spring used on all Model B family keyboards.