Patent GB-513745-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card controlled statistical machines
IPC: G06C11/08
Filed: 1938-04-19
Abstract: 513,745. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. April 19, 1938, No. 11754. Convention date, April 17, 1937. [Class 106 (i)] A record card controlled statistical machine has a counter for summing amounts from a group of cards, mechanism for recording in each card the sum in the counter immediately after the amount read from that card has been entered and means controlled by the counter to make the recording mechanism operative or inoperative according as the sum in the counter is above or below a predetermined value. The invention is illustrated as applied to the instalment system of payments. The first, or top, card, Fig. 3, is the payment card and shows the amount that has been repaid off a loan. The next cards show the instalments due for consecutive months. The top card has an "X" hole 190 in a particular column whereby the amount, say 3,500, is entered complementarily into the counter, viz., 9,996,500. When the card for Junuary's instalment is read the amount, say 1,500 is directly added into the counter to give a new figure, 9,998,000. The fact that the figure is still a complement shows that the amount due for January is less than the full amount that has already been paid, so that January's instalment is already accounted for. An "X" hole 191 is therefore punched in the card in a selected column. The same sequence occurs for the February card. For the March card the figure of 1,500 turns the complementary figure of 9,999,500 into a positive figure of 1,000 showing that the original figure of 3,500 is now all accounted for, and that a further 1,000 is still due for the March instalment. This amount due is punched in the March card and further punching of the "X" holes 191 is suppressed. The following monthly cards are read but pass through without receiving any additional perforations. If the March figures had exactly cancelled out, the March card would have received the "X" hole 191 and been punched with a series of noughts instead of 1,000. When the leading, payment card of the next card is read, the "X" hole 190 causes resetting of the counter. Each card is fed from magazine 65, Fig. 2, past a brush 69 which reads the "X" hole position, in the column to which the brush is set, in the cycle before the card columns are read by the normal brushes 66, Each time a clutch magnet 45, Fig. 10a, is energized a card feed clutch drives the shaft 41, Fig. 2, carrying the transfer roller 54, through one revolution. Drag rolls 52 deliver the card under guide 70 to the punching section. The punching mechanism is of the kind which punches the card column by column under control of escapement mechanism. The ejector device for delivering the card from the punching means includes a dashpot 14<SP>2</SP>, Fig. 4 (not shown). Specification 362,529, [Group VIII], is referred to for punching mechanism. Subtraction. The counter is of a known kind, but is modified for subtraction as in U.S.A. Specification 1,976,617. As long as motor M, Fig. 1 (not shown), is running, the shafts 19 and 21, Fig. 8, rotate constantly to drive The clutch element 150 for each denomination. A gear 158, coupled to the numeral wheel 159, 160, carries the other clutch element 157. Element 150 is slidable along, but rotates with the shaft 21 and when an adding magnet 155 is energised its armature 154 releases a block 153 on a lever 151 so that the latter is rocked about its pivot 152 by a spring 156 to move element 150 into engagement with element 157. The "9" hole positions pass under the brushes first and when the " 0 positions are read a bar 162 is rocked so that its fingers 161 rock the levers 151 to disengage the clutches. Subtraction is performed by adding the complement. The magnets 155 are initially enerigsed to engage all the clutches 150, 157 and when a card hole is read a subtraction magnet 175 is energised which withdraws a pawl 171 and allows clutch part 166, 167 to engage. A cam 168, to which the part 167 is pivoted, is thus driven counter clockwise from the constantly running shaft 165, carrying the part 166, until part 167 is again tripped by part 171. As cam 168 rotates it depresses a roller 177 and a slide 178 which rocks a bell crank 179 to disengage the clutch 150, 157. Circuit diagram, Figs. 10 and 10a. The counter is first reset by closing contacts 200, Fig. 10a. and start key contacts 203 are closed to energise relay B which closes its contacts B2, B1 to hold itself and to energise the card feed clutch magnet 45 respectively. The card is fed to brush 69, Fig. 2, and by closing card lever contacts 68 energises a relay E, Fig. 10a which holds itself over contacts E4 and FC2. The first card is a payment card and its "X" hole 190, Fig. 3, gives a circuit 201, FC5, 69, E1. J, 202 to energise a coil J. Coils C and H are also energised. At the end of the first card feed cycle, contacts FC4 and B1 open to de-energise coil B and clutch magnet 45 respectively. During the first resetting cycle contacts 34 closed to energise a coil G. Wired in parallel with coil J is coil MC which shifts the contacts prefixed MC. At the end of the first card cycle, therefore, coils H, C, G, J, MC, E and F are all energised. Relay F is energised since the punching card carriage is initially in the last column punching position, closing contacts P5. Start contacts 203 are closed a second time and the first card is fed to the main brushes 66. The amount 3500 on the first card is entered as a complement. As the "9" hole positions are read the adding magnets 155 are energised, to rotate the counter wheels, over circuits AC; Fig. 10, 205, E3, FC1, CC4, all contacts MC4 in parallel, 155, and earth. As each card hole is read, the subtracting magnet 175 for that column is energised over a circuit AC, 205, E3, FC1, impulse distributor ID, 54; 66, 206, MC5, 175, and earth, thus arresting the numeral wheel to show the nines complement of the digit in that card column. Contacts FC8,Fig 10a, close to energise the carry lever magnet 180 for the units denomination so that the "fugitive one" is added. During this cycle a relay A is energised to de-energise relays C and H. Also the coil J is de-energised, contacts A2 are opened to prevent a reset-operation, and contacts A1, Fig. 10, are opened to prevent punching in the first (payment) card of the group. At the end of the cycle this first card is in the punching mechanism, and the next card (the first "due" card) is about to pass the reading brushes 66. Punching is effected by the motor Z, the contacts 91 being controlled from coil D, Fig. 10a, through the punching rack trip magnet 87. When the first "due" card is read, for January, coils J and MC are de-energised, so that contacts MC6 are closed and MC4, MC5 open. 'The amount 1500 is entered into the counter positively over parallel circuits AC, 205, E3, FC1, ID, 54, 66, 206, ,MC6 in parallel, magnets 155 and earth. The card passes into the punching mechanism and a circuit 201, Fig. 10a, escapement contacts 111, H1, 207, Fig. 10, 132, 133, 131, 208, "X" punch selecting magnet 117, C1, A1, I, 202 energises a quick acting relay I which immediately opens its contact 13 before the punching magnet 120. is fully energised. The magnet 117 advances its associated interposer and closes coil contacts 127 so that magnet 120, when now energised, will punch the "X" hole 191 in the selected column and the card escapes to its ejecting position. This is repeated for the February card. For the March card the amount in the counter becomes positive and the " 9 in the highest denomination changes to "0." Through the zero segment 187a of the reading- out device, a -circuit is formed through contacts CC2 and the reading-out brushes 186 of the highest denomination to energise the coil C. The latter closes its contacts C1, Fig. 10, to convert the punch selecting magnets 117 to the line 202 over upper contacts C1 and A1 and relay J. When the first card column to be punched reaches punching position the following circuit is formed-210, Fig. 10a, 111, H1, 207, Fig. 10, 132, brushes 133 in the punching mechanism, 131, 209, 188, 186, 187, 210, appropriate magnet 117, C1, A1, I, 202. Coil I opens its contacts 13, placing completion of the punch magnet circuit under control of the bail contacts 127, Fig. 10a and Fig. 6 (not shown). The card is then punched (1000 for the March card shown in Fig. 3) in successive columns and finally escapes without having an "X" hole 191 punched in it since coil C is energised and its opened contacts C1 (lower) prevent energisation of the "X" magnet 117, Fig. 10.