Patent GB-307025-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to calculating machines
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1929-02-28
Abstract: 307,025. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Bryce. J. W.). March 1, 1928, [Convention date]. Statistical apparatus.-In a record-controlled machine operating electrically upon record-cards or strips preperforated in accordance with the factors of a computation means are provided for entering the factors concurrently, for effecting the multiplication thereof, and for recording by punching the resulting product upon the card. Means are also described for automatically adjusting the number of cycles of operation in accordance, with the size and character of the computation being made. In operation the card is withdrawn from the magazine and passed through the sensing device the data being read and entered into multiplier and multiplicand registering devices. The card is then advanced to and held in a punching die during which time the registering devices operate conjointly through commutators to transmit the right and left hand components of the partial products to separate accumulating devices whereupon the setting of one of the accumulating devices is transmitted to the other and the result therein transmitted to the punching mechanism to record the final product on the card which is then ejected. Driving-mechanism. The main shaft 50, Figs. 1, 1<a>, and 6 is driven by a constantly rotating motor and engages a clutch gear 53 through a 3 to 1 reduction gear. The gear 53 carries a notched disc 55 co-operating with a, clutch dog 54 on a disc 56 secured to a drive shaft 57 for the card feed and punching section. The shaft 57 is also provided with cams 58, 59, Fig. 10, cooperating with bell crank levers 60, 61 operating the reading-off members for the accumulating devices. Card feed. The cards are stacked in a magazine 66, Fig. 3, and are fed between rollers 65 geared to the main shaft 50 by means of a picher arm 67 operatively connected with a cam on the drive shaft 57. The cards are, advanced by the rollers under sensing brushes 72 into the die plates 73 being arrested therein by a stop 74 raised and lowered in timed relation by means of a bell crank 76 and cam 77 on the shaft 57. Punching-mechanism. The punching device comprises a plurality of punches 80 arranged in rows each with a selector bar 81 selectively positioned over the punches by the operation of a bar 82 operatively connected with a cam 86 on the shaft 57 the differential position of the bar being determined by stop pawls 87 adapted to be tripped to engage ratchet teeth on the bar 81 by punch selector magnets 88. The magnets 88 are mounted in a frame 89 slidable laterally to select appropriate punch rows, retraction of the pawls 87 being effected by a hand lever 90 which serves to indicate the selected position. Factor registering devices. The registers 140, Figs. 1 and 7, and 142, Figs. 1<a> and 8, are of the type described in Specification 131,277. Geared with the index wheels of the multiplier register, Fig. 7, is a brush structure 103, 103<a> co-operating with sets of contact studs 1 to 5 and 6 to 9 and with contact segments 102, 102a on a stationary insulated ring 101. Associated with the usual magnet contacts 114 is a set of denominational contacts 115 - - 117, Figs. 1 and 14. In the multiplicand register the index wheels through a train of gears drives two brush structures 110, 110<a> co-operating with ring contacts 113, 113<a> and sets of contact studs numbered respectively from 2 to 9 and 1 to 9 mounted on an insulating support 109<a> as shown in Fig. 8. Commutators. The multiplying commutator 141, Fig. 1, comprises a cylindrical insulating member 121 continuously rotated in timed relation with the main shaft 50 and composed of two assemblies with contact studs constituting a right hand assembly 160 with five sections and a left hand assembly 161 with one section, Fig. 14<a>. Each of the right hand sections represents a digit and its complement such as 1 and 9, 2 and 8, &c. and the studs are arranged in accordance with the units figures of the partial products and their complements. Each section has a group of brushes carried in a corresponding holder 122, Fig. 12, on an arm 123 under the control of an electromagnet 124. Each arm 123 is connected by a link 124<a> and bell crank 125 to a toothed selecting bar 126, Fig. 13, co-operating with contacts 128<a> - - c and 129<c> - - h. In the left hand section the contacts are wired up in individual selective circuits as shown in Fig. 14<a>, the several circuits leading to commutator rings a - - h wired to the contacts 128, 129. The commutator 130, Figs. 1<a> and 14<c>, for the denomination selector unit, 143 is driven by a clutch 131 and has sections with contact studs for selecting the denomination in which entries of partial products are to be made in the accumulating devices and a section for selecting the denomination of the multiplier device. Accumulating devices. The partial products receiving registers 132, 133, Fig. 1<a>, are similar to the registers described in Specification 183,867 and each has a reading off device 134, 135 operated by the arms 62, 63 associated with the bell crank levers 60, 61. Operation. The complete computation is effected by three cycles or revolutions of the main shaft 50 producing one revolution of the drive shaft 57. After closing the motor switch 206, Fig. 14, the start key 224 is depressed to energize clutch magnet 218. The operation during the first cycle derives products from one section of the accumulator devices and transfers them to the other and clears the factor registers. The products are read-off and transmitted to the punching mechanism. During the next cycle the picker operates to feed the card to the sensing device. During the third or card reading cycle the card closes lever contacts 96 and cam contacts 350, Fig. 14, find selective entry into the multiplier and multiplicand registers 140, 142 is effected by plug connections 154 thereby actuating the index wheels and setting the commutator brushes 103, 103<a>. If the setting is such that the brush 103a contacts with the segment 102a a reversing switch relay 164, Figs. 14 and 14b, is energized to reverse the electrical circuit relations with respect to the right hand commutator section 160 through the leads 162<a>. A second relay 165 in parallel with relay 164 is thereby energized to actuate selecting contacts 166, Fig. 14<a>, to select one or other of the sets of contacts 128, 129 in circuit with the commutator rings a - - h. The commutator brushes 168 are arranged in leads connected to the left hand section of the multiplicand contact device 142. The circuit, Figs. 14, 14a, 14<b> and 14<c>, for effecting multiplication, assuming the factors are 3 and 9 and have been entered in the registers, is as follows; current flows from line 170, through wire 171, relays 164, 165, wire 172, contacts 173 of the denomination selector commutator 130 and wire 174 to contact segment 102<a> thence through brushes 103, 103<a>, contact stud " 9," corresponding wire 175 and magnet 124, to wire 176 and ground 177. Energization of magnet 124 lowers brushes 167 into contact with the 1 and 9 section of the commutator 160 and moves its selector bar 126 to close contacts 129 and render the appropriate studs on the commutator 161 alive. In the multiplicand register the brushes 111<a>, 111, are in contact with the stud " 3 " in the units denomination and are thus connected to leads 162<a>.3, 169.3. Circuit is established through lead 162a.3, reversing switch lead 162<a>.7, brush 167.7 contact stud " 7 " conducting segment 179, brush 180, wire 181, cam contacts 230, card lever contacts 98 closed when the card is in the punching die, and stop key 215 to positive side of line. A differential timed impulse representing " 7 " will pass through the circuit brush 111<a> to lead 178<a>U. Brush 111 establishes circuit through lead 169.3 corresponding brush 168, a live contact 2, through the brush f, contacts 129 to positive side of line. A differential timed impulse representing " 2 " is transmitted to leads 178U. The lead 178<a>U extends to a, brush co-operating with a common segment 183<a> of the selecting commutator 130 which has been so far rotated as to bring the contact 185<a> into engagement with a brush 184<a> in a lead 186a of the units counter magnet of the accumulating device 133. Similarly the lead 178U is adapted to send impulses to the units counter magnet of the device 132. If the multiplicand is composed of several figures timed impulses are being sent during the same cycle of operation serving to multiply all the denominational orders by the digit "9 of the multiplier. If the multiplier is composed of two figures provision is made for multiplying by the tens figure. The commutator 160, Fig. 14a, is provided with a single contact 187 which encounters a brush 188 and sends an impulse to a magnet 189 to operate the clutch 131 and advance the selection commutator one step to remove the studs 173 and bring the studs 191 into contact with their brushes, Fig. 14. After the partial products have been accumulated in the devices 132, 133. the values in the left hand section are read off by the devices 134 and transmitted to the right hand section by leads 219. The right hand section is then read off and transmitted by leads 220 to the punch selecting magnets 88. Controlling number of cycles of operation. The number of computing cycles is determined by the denomination of the highest significant figure of the multiplier by means of a controller shown in the lower part of Fig. 14. According to the number of denominations the contacts 115, 116. 117 are tripped and the relay coils 193 - - 195 thereby de-energized closing contacts 196 - - 198 and opening contacts 199 - - 201. Contacts 196 - - 198 are arranged in parallel with wires 202, 203 and the closure of any one permits current to flow from source through wire 170, lead 205, motor switch 206 closed. leads 207, wires 2