Patent GB-422143-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1933-07-07
Abstract: 422,143. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London, and KEEN, H. H., 25, Sollershott East, Letchworth, Hertfordshire.- (Deutsche Hollerith Maschinen Ges., (partly) ; 112, Potsdamer Strasse, Berlin) July 7, 1933, Nos. 29123 (divided out of 422,135) and 29124. [Class 106 (i)] A calculating or statistical machine has means for comparing two numbers which comprise two registers for registering the two numbers, means for representing the numbers by two measurable quantities (e.g. two intervals of time or two electrical resistances) and a comparing device which decides and indicates which is the larger number. Assuming that the machine is set for credit and debit working, all debit items of a group of cards are entered into counter No. 2 and all credit items of the samo card group are entered into counter No. 3. By finding whether the true balance is a debit or credit one, the following means decides whether a debit relay Dr1 &c. or a credit relay CR1 &c. shall be energized. For each denomination of the two totals to be compared there is a group of circuits each including two double-wound relays (CP and a numerical suffix) and two single-wound relays (Dr and Cr with a suffix). Four such groups of circuits are shown in Fig. 4. The odd-numbered coils CP1, CP3 &c. are plug-connected each in series with a printing magnet of the debit counter No. 2, and the even-numbered relays CP2, CP4 &c. are plugconnected in series each with a printing magnet of the credit counter. Thus the coils CP1, CP3 &c. will be energized at times corresponding to the digits of the debit total, when the appropriate total-taking cycles occur, and the relays CP2, CP4 &c. will be energized according to the credit digits. The digits are represented by timed impulses, with the nine impulses leading as regards time. If in the highest denomination the debit is greater than the credit, then CP1 is energized before CP2, and closes contacts CPla which energize the holding coil CP1-H. Relay CP1 also closes contacts CP1b to energize the circuit 103, CP2c, CP1b and Dr1. Relay Drl holds itself energized by closing the contacts Drla. Relay CP1 also opens contacts CPlc to prevent energization of relay Crl when, later since the credit digit is smaller, relay CP2 is energized and closes contacts CP2b. If the credit were larger than the debit, relay Cr1 and not Dr1 would be energized since relay CP2 would seize the circuit by opening the contacts CP2c. If the digits are equal in all denominations, relays CP1 &c. and CP2 &c. are energized simultaneously and no relays Cr1, Cr2 &c. or Dr1, Dr2 &c. are energized. Relays Dr1, Dr2 &c. and Cr1, Cr2 &c. control normally closed contacts Drlb, Dr2b &c. and Cr1b, Cr2b &c. and normally open contacts Drlc, Dr2c &c. and Crlc, Cr2c &c. connected as shown. When two unequal debit and credit digits are compared, whichever relay (Drl &c., Cr1 &c.) is energized (say, Dr1) closes its contacts Dr1c to energize debit-selecting relays DS1 ... DS4 and opens its contacts Drlb to prevent energization of credit-selecting relays CS1 ... CS4. These relays DS1 &c. or CS1 &c., in conjunction with cycle-initiating relays, control the operations of the counters at total-taking. In a modification, Fig. 5, each digit is represented by a different electrical resistance. In each counter, each denomination has, in addition to the usual reading-out commutator, a second reading-out device 134a, 135a, 136a, the digital segments 135a being in series with resistances 200. The amount of resistance in circuit in each denomination will therefore be according to the digit, i.e. to the segment 135a upon which the brush 136a stands. Each corresponding pair of denominations in the debit (202) and credit (No. 3) counters (e.g. 1st and 4th from the left, Fig. 5) are used as part of a Wheatstone bridge, the other parts of which are two equal resistances 201, 202, credit and debit relays Dr1 &c., Cr1 &c. and uni-directional current-transmitting crystals or other devices 203, 204 which pass current only to left or right respectively. If, say, the debit digit is greater than the corresponding credit digit the debit resistance is greater than the credit resistance and current flows from right to left through coil Dr1 only. Relays Dr1 &c. and Cr1 &c. control the machine as in the case of Fig. 4, except that contacts Drla &c. and Cr1a &c. of Fig. 4 are omitted. Instead of crystals 203, 204 the relays Cr1, Dr1 &c. may be polarized. In a further modification, the two resistance values in the corresponding debit and credit denominations are applied to the two opposed coils of a common relay having a single armature which is normally spring-held in a central position. Switches are provided so that the machine is only set to print if (1) the debit exceeds the credit, (2) the credit exceeds the debit, or (3) debit and credit are equal ; or instead of controlling the printing, the stoppage of the machine may be controlled. A special printing bar is also controlled so that Cr., E., or Dr. is printed against a total to denote respectively a larger credit amount, equal amounts, or a larger debit amount. According to the second Provisional Specification, the two numbers to be compared are represented by the displacement of typesectors into position to print the numbers. These sectors are positioned under the control of counter wheels in a known manner and are arranged in two banks for printing the two numbers. Corresponding denominational typesectors are connected to two sun-wheels connected together by planet wheels. If the two sectors are set the same for two equal numbers, the sun-wheels rotate equally and the planetcarrier remains stationary. If the two numbers differ, the planet-carrier will move and its direction of movement will indicate which is the larger number. Specifications 247,200, [Class 106 (i)], 356,304, 358,105, 414,411, and 422,135 are referred to.