Patent GB-213976-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to driving and controlling mechanism for the counters of tabulating machines and similar apparatus
Filed: 1923-01-10
Abstract: 213,976. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Tabulating Machine Co.). Jan. 10, 1923. Statistical machines are provided with counter-wheels which are normally rotated without slip from the driving shaft through frictionclutches, and with means, such as the counter - magnets, for detaining anv one or more of the counterwheels at determinate instants in the cycle against the tendency of the friction-clutches to rotate them. The driving shaft 1 carries a frictiondisc 5 rigid with it for each counterwheel 9, which disc normally engages the friction surface of a gearwheel 6 pinned to a ratchet-wheel 7 both freely rotatable on the shaft 1 and the wheel 6 gearing with a wheel 8 fast to or forming part of the counter-wheel 9. A plug 10 is pushed in for each wheel 9 it is desired to operate, thereby rotating a bell-crank 11 out of the path of a latch-lever 12 linked to the armature 13 of the counter-magnet 14. When a card enters the machine it closes a circuit, cams 21, 24 are rotated in the direction indicated by arrows, and the high point on the cam 21 rocks a lever 22 so that a bail 23 on it releases all the pawls 15 pivoted at 16 from engagement with their ratchetwheels 7 and locks them in this released position by means of projecting arms 15<a> on them engaging projections on the levers 12. Simultaneously the cam 24 permits a lever 25 to rotate clockwise about its pivot 26 and to throw a bail 27 to the right, thereby releasing a second series of pawls 17 pivoted at 18 from engagement with the wheels 7. These ratchets 7 being thus released the counter-wheels 9 are driven continuously during the card cycle from the shaft 1 until a countermagnet 14 is energized by its corresponding perforation in the card coming under the brush so that its armature 13 is attracted, rocking the lever 12 and releasing the pawl 15 which thereupon engages its respective wheel 7 and arrests the wheel 9 in a position corresponding with the number of the perforations in the card. Near the end of the cycle a cam 28 permits a bellcrank 19 carrying the pawl 17 to rotate anticlockwise and raise this pawl 17 to a point above one of the teeth on the ratchet 7. Transfer-mechanism.-Each ratchet-wheel 7 has a transfer-pin 29 and as its respective counter-wheel 9 passes from 9 to 0 this pin 29 rocks a bell-crank 30 anti-clockwise so that a roller 32 on it depresses a lever 33 pivoted to the machine frame at 34, whereby a notch 37 in the lever 33 is depressed and releases a projection 36 on a slide-bar 31 belonging to the next higher denomination, this bar 31 being then moved to the right by a spring 35. The end of this bar 31 carries a roller 38 which co-operates with a cam 39. Near the end of the cycle an indentation 39<b> in this cam allows the bar 31 to complete its movement to the right whereupon a pin 40 on this bar disengages the pawl 15 long enough for its ratchet wheel to make one-tenth of a revolution, thus completing the transfer. Zeroizing-mechanism. - The shaft 41 of the counter-wheels has rigid with it an arm 42 carrying a pin 43 which engages the end of an arm 44 pivotally mounted on the shaft 4. In resetting, the shaft 41 is turned one complete revolution by hand or otherwise, and at the start it releases the arm 44 which is then rotated clockwise by a spring 45. This arm 44 carries with it to the right a plate 46 having a projection 47 which engages the bail 27 and thus releases the pawls 17, the end of the plate 46 engaging the bail 23 and releasing the pawls 15. The ratchetwheels 7 and their counter-wheels 9 being now freed, on further rotation of the shaft 41 the latter picks up the wheels 9 by means of pawls 48 on these wheels. At the end of the rotation, the pin 43 again engages the arm 44 thus causing the re-engagement of the pawls 15, 17 with the wheels 7.