Patent GB-423737-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to electrically operated record-controlled statistical apparatus
IPC: G06F7/42
Filed: 1933-07-04
Abstract: 423,737. Statistical apparatus. SIEMENS BROS. & CO., Ltd., Caxton House, Tothill Street, BROOME, J. H., 80, Leyland Road, Lee, and SOUTHAM, A. A., 58, Larchwood Road, New Eltham, all in London. July 4, 1933, No. 18956. [Class 106 (i)] A statistical apparatus is provided for analyzing and totalling according to various characteristics, transactions or items recorded on a strip by perforations or other distinguishing representations, the items being grouped in stages or parts of the record strip, the change from one stage to the next being provided with a representation separate from and additional to the representations both qualitative and quantitative appropriate to an item, means being also provided to indicate the progress of the record through the sensing mechanism stage by stage. The record to be analysed, for example, a record strip from a vehicle conductor's ticket printing and issuing machine, on its spool is placed between axles 4, 5, Fig. 5, and is led past sensing fingers 21 over a feed roller 9 driven by a motor 2 and beneath a pressure roller 10 on an axle rotating in slots in the sides of a housing 13 and having at its ends depending blocks 14 pressed down by bent levers 16 controlled by springs with screws 15A to adjust the pressure. The housing is carried on a plate 17 hinged to the framework and is held down in working position by finger catches 18, 19. The roller 10 may be friction driven by the strip, or may be geared to the roller 9 which is driven by gearing from the electromotor 2 which consists of a pair of field coils at right angles operating alternately upon an unwound armature which at each quarter turn makes circuit for the field coils in succession. The strip passes from the feed rollers over a guide plate 11 to coil itself round a spindle 12. The strip coming from the spool passes over a fixed guide plate 20 with holes to guide the sensing fingers 21 attached to leaf springs 22 projecting from a common yoke secured to a cantilever spring assembly 24 pivoted between screws 27, 28 in the framework and adjusted for normal position by a screw stop 29. Seven fingers 21 for the seven hole positions across the strip are provided, the flat end of each finger engaging the upper end of an insulating pillar 26 connected to the moving springs of its set. The spring assembly yoke has an arm 30 forked for connection by a link 31 to an arm 32 on the armature of a magnet 40, the energization of which dips the sensing fingers out of reach of the paper strip when this is to be fed in either direction without reading the perforations. The spring 39 removing the armature on release puts the sensing fingers into play again. A hand lever 43, pivoted at 34A, if depressed against the action of a spring 38, also withdraws the sensing fingers by lowering the link 31. Withdrawal of the fingers rocks a lever 34 pivoted at 34A to bring a reversing gear 35 into position to wind the strip back on the spool, and, by rocking a lever 36, to raise the pressure roller 10 from the strip. The wheel 42 geared to the motor is thus connected to a wheel 41 provided with a pulley which by a belt drives a pulley 7, Fig. 5, having a driving connection with the spool. The record strip to be read has the items represented by perforations in two rows across the strip, the first to meet the sensing fingers defining the class of the fare and the second the value of the fare. At the end of a stage a perforation in a row separate from that of the items preceding and following marks the change of the stage and if at the final stage is accompanied in the same supernumerary row by a journey turn perforation. A suitable code for the perforations is given in the Specification. Decoding relays associated with the contact spring sets of the sensing fingers prepare or close contacts to counters of the selector switch type which cause an indication. of the total, separate selector switch counters being also provided to indicate the stage reached on the outward or return run. A count may be made of the number and of the amount of the several transactions in each of a selected class or classes or a total of the amount of all transactions may be read off. The count may be made over the whole of a continuous record strip or only over a selected stage or stages. The counters may be reset to zero or not after a reading as desired. These various uses or " facilities " of the apparatus are selected by the throwing of appropriate keys which each actuate a number of contacts requisite to make the necessary circuit changes. The circuit arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the seven feeler contacts being ms1 .... ms7 (the lower spring pairs 24A, 25, Fig. 4) and msa1 ..... msa7 (the upper spring pairs 24A, 25, Fig. 4). These control the decoding relays A .... G of which A .... D have relief relays AX ... DX in series with them. A fare counter is provided for each fare value, the penny fare counter being shown at CTR1, Fig. 1, with three double arm banks ul, u2, u3, the latter indicating on the lamps PL the number of penny fares registered. Counters actuated by electric and magnetic means ; transfer mechanism.-At each tenth step of the bank u1 connection over wire tw energizes magnet TDM, Fig. 3, resulting in the stepping of the switch tl, t2, t3, t4 to show tens on the lamps TL. The contacts of the arcs t2 are commoned in sets of ten, each set associated with the lamps HL for showing the hundreds. Thus up to five hundred is exhibited over the normal contacts of relay TDA, upon reaching which the fiftieth contact of banks t3 energize also a relay TDA causing the contacts of banks t2 to be switched over through the alternative contacts tda1 ... 5 to the second set of five lamps HL to complete the hundreds. A relayU1 interacts with the driving magnet UDM of the counter in homing operations. A lead gt registers the total number of transactions irrespective of value. The class counters for registering the number of tickets issued in the classes are similar to counter CTR1, but are not shown, and are selected by the relays CB ... CF selected by the decoding relays. The magnets CUR1 and CUR2 of two class counters are shown, and the interrupter contacts are connected as shown at curdm2 for the Class II counter between a contact of the revelant class relay and the moving spring of the Class II key CK23. As each stage representation on the strip is passed on the outward journey a switch ss (1 ... 4), Fig. 2, is stepped on, closing contacts for the stage indicating lamps SPL in succession. At the journey end switch ss is put out of action and a return journey switch ssa (1 ... 4) is put in action, by means of relays LR, LT, JR, JT to operate the lamp SPL in reverse order. A master relay M (contacts ml ... m5) prevents registration on a counter till the circuits are appropriate and a check relay R (contacts r1, r2 ... ) is held from operation till the appropriate counters have effectively registered and is then operated to allow the paper feed to continue. Journey outward and return are shown by lamps JO and JI and the outward and inward journey end by lamps JEL and SEL. The driving magnets FMA, FMB for the record strip alternately rock a change-over switch im and the feed is stopped for sensing by putting the magnets FMA and FMB in parallel through a contact mtl of relay MT. Numerous keys are provided to select the action required. Thus RK (1, 2 ... ) to start the paper run and count for a stage the number of fares of each value and the grand total of all fares, and stop. Then a step-on key SOK( 1) continues the counting for the next stage and so on accumulating, but if a key RSK( 1) is thrown, all counters are zeroized before passing to the next stage. Operation of run key RE(1, 2) and a stage run key SRK( 1 ) counts through from beginning to end the number of all fares and a grand total of the number, displaying the stages as they pass and the JO light. Thereafter a key JTK( 1) operated would continue adding thereto the return journey counts with appropriate change of light. If a fresh start of counter is however required for the return, a key RJK(1 .. ) is operated. If counting up to a stage is required the " run key RK (1, 2 ... ), stage run key SRK( 1 ) and stage key (1 .. ) SKA (1 .. ) for the required stage is thrown, after which a step on key SOK(1) continues the count. The use of the keys for controlling the various " facilities is explained in detail in the Specification.