Patent GB-270044-A (GB)
Abstract: 270,044. Hentzschel, C. Feb. 6, 1926. Adding and subtracting apparatus; multiplying-apparatus; recording and registering receipts.-A complex accountkeeping installation comprises a number of individual and combined account-keeping and recording units into which entries are made by a common setting means under manual and automatic selecting control, the entries being conveyed by electrical impulses and, if necessary, modified automatically in accordance with the daily rates of exchange to convert an item in a foreign currency into the equivalent item in the home currency. The installation is illustrated in Fig. 72 wherein A represents the item-setting or booking apparatus and B the accountselecting instrument. The individual account cabinets D each contain one hundred accounts and the combined or classified accounts are kept in further cabinets E, F, G, H the automatic selection of these accounts being effected by switch mechanism contained in boxes C. Accounts entered in foreign currencies are kept in a cabinet I electrically connected with the foreign section of the item-setting apparatus A. K represents a printing cabinet for recording the items on personal account cards which may be stored at M and be selected and issued by a keyboard N, these latter devices not being described in the present Specification. A record of any entry may also be obtained by inserting a sheet of paper into a cabinet L the type-wheels of which are set simultaneously with those in the account cabinets. Individual account selector. The individual accounts (one thousand in number) are selected by means of three banks of keys 1, 2, 3 disposed as shown in Fig. 2 and serving to control the entry of an item in any one of the ten account cabinets D. The hundred bank 1 selects the account cabinet and depression of keys in banks 2, 3 operates stops to control the movements of a carriage in that cabinet to position setting- apparatus behind the desired account-keeping and recording mechanism. Moreover electric impulses varying in number with the values of the . keys depressed are sent to the booking-apparatus A and the checking cabinet L in order to set account number type wheels. Thus, referring to Fig. 5, descent of a key 10<a> causes differential rotation of a shaft 14 by means of graded racks 11 engaging loose pinions 12 driving ratchet wheels 16 fixed on the shaft. A spring barrel 18 is mounted on the shaft and connected with it through its spring. When the shaft is differentially turned therefore, the barrel rotates slowly under air brake control to catch it up and in so doing interrupts the circuit the desired number of times by means of a ratchet wheel and spring cortact. To check the correctness of the key-setting the positioning of the carriage in the account cabinet closes circuit for electric lamps placed below the numbers on the translucent top plate of the selector. Automatic account selector C. The keys 1, 2 3 of the manual selector B in addition to selecting the individual account in the cabinets D also close circuits by means of contacts 7, 8 and 10, Fig. 3, in order to energize a desired magnet 509 in the selector C, Fig. 68. The key 1 connects the positive main to a particular bar in each group of bars 7, Fig. 73<a>, and consequently when these are depressed by a key 2, the connection extends to a particular bar 6. The keys 3 in turn control the connection with the bar 6 of a contact 10 and these contacts are combined or connected up in any desired manner so as to energize a particular magnet 509. Arranged above the magnets 509 are rotatable rods 510, 511 carrying contact arms and connected with the armatures of the magnets at the crossing points by arms and flanges so that when an armature is attracted the two rods crossing at that magnet are rocked and close circuit for the vertical and horizontal stops of the setting carriage, described below. Individual account cabinet. The individual accoumts are in the form of credit and debit totals printed upon strips 28, Fig. 13, arranged for display behind windows 31, normally closed by drop-shutters 34. Access to the strip may be obtained by opening a door 35 and the strip may be shifted for inspection when the door is open, by turning knobs 36 which are only capable of rotating the spools at such a time. The typewheels 27 print the new state of the account, together with the date and retain their setting until again actuated at the next entry whereupon they are set by mechanism mounted on a carriage 42 capable of vertical and horizontal displacement to bring it in rear of the selected account. The carriage can run along a horizontal frame 44, Fig. 12, slidable vertically in guides, the carriage and frame being traversed by means of an endless belt from a motor-driven pulley 43, the motor being controlled in direction by a starting and reversing switch 26, Fig. 2. Thus the frame is lowered until it meets a stop thrust into its path by an electromagnet 45 energized by the tens key and the carriage then moves along the frame until a lever upon it meets a stop 46 selected by the units key. The resulting displacement of the lever closes a circuit to a magnet 54 controlling the tensioning and therefore the effectiveness of the driving belt, and also through a push-rod shifts a rack 52 to the left and so raises the shutter 34. Entering the item in the account. For each credit and debit denomination the carriage 42 carries an electromagnet 56, Fig. 13, and this receives energization by means of a number of impulses equal to the value to be entered. This number is transmitted by a pawl 59 and ratchet wheel to a toothed wheel 60 restrained from reverse movement by a pawl 61 and meshing with a spring-controlled sector 62. The amount is thus set up on the sector 62 and upon subsequent energization of a magnet 66 its armature 69 raises a. rod 75 to disengage the actuating pawl 59 and, by bearing against a projection 77, rocks the setting-mechanism supporting frame 78 about the axis 68 so as to engage the wheel 60 with the type wheel 27. Simultaneously the contact spring 83 slides to close circuit for the magnet 56 so that the consequent retraction of the pawl 59 rocks lever 79 to disengage the pawl 61 and allow the sector 62 to return to home position and actuate the type wheel correspondingly. When all the sectors reach their home positions they break circuit to the magnet 66 at 91 and the supporting frame is free to return to normal position. Transfer between the wheels 27 may now be effected by a motor the circuit to which is closed by the restoration of the setting and actuating mechanism and on completion of transfer a magnet 92 is energized to rock the frame 95 carrying the type wheels to effect impression on the strip which is then line-spaced to expose the amount at the window. If a wrong amount has been set up, as viewed through a slot in the cabinet A, an error key may be depressed to energize a magnet 97 the armature of which is pin-and-slot connected with the rod 75 so as to produce the restoration of the wheel 60 in the manner alreadv described. Combined or collective accounts cabinets. These are situated in, say, the manager's office or in the different departments to afford a rapid survey of the state of the business or department or of the more important accounts. The cabinets resemble the individual account cabinet described above in so far as the selection and actuation of the various account numeral wheels are concerned but these, instead of being arranged for printing on a strip, merely exhibit the state of the account through a window. The windows are normally closed by shutters 99, Fig. 21, and by means of a separate keyboard T, Fig. 72, any shutter may be opened through energization of its operating magnet 100. The shutter is retained in the open position by a nose 104 on a spring-supported lever 105 and all shutters thus held open may be simultaneously released by closing circuit for a magnet 107 to lower pin-carrying rods 109. There may be more than one carriage 42 in a cabinet in order to allow an entry to be made simultaneously in a number of accounts. Graphic records. If desired particular accounts may be kept graphically by means of lines drawn by stationary markers 720, Fig. 76, on record drums rotated proportionately to the value of the entry being made. The drums 704, are loosely mounted on shafts 701 to which are fixed ratchet wheels 727, 729 actuated by pawls carried by the armatures of electromagnets 724, 725 in circuit respectively with the two highest commutator wheels 88, Fig. 13, geared with the individual account type wheels 27. The ratchet wheels have teeth in the proportion of 10 to 1 so that the shaft is stepped in accordance with the values added to the type wheels. The particular drum concerned in the entry is clutched to the shaft by means of a magnetic clutch energized by an automatic selector switch C. The recording markers are loose on their supporting rods and are urged towards the drums by springs 723 secured to the slotted doors 717. By opening a door, the marker is released to enable it to be shifted transversely to start a new record, the marker being guided in adjusted position by a comb 722 also carried by the door. Item-setting and recording apparatus A. This consists of three sections A<1>, A<2>, A<3>, Fig. 70, for setting the item and a section A<4> for setting up the rates of exchange and effecting the automatic conversion to home currency. Section A<1> is used for items in this currency, A<2> for foreign currencies and A<3> for English currency. Item and total printing mechanisms are provided in each section for recording the amounts in home and foreign currencies and for furnishing a grand total of all entries. Referring to section A<1>, the item is set denomination bv denomination bv means of a dial 112, similar to automatic telephone dials the denomination being selected by