Patent GB-331539-A (GB)
Abstract: 331,539. Hamilton, R. M., and Rickets, W. J. Jan. 3, 1929. Totalizators.-An installation having means for automatically responding to the odds prevailing at any moment, comprises a set of trunk lines controlled according to the odds, a set of trunk lines allocated to respective horses, and a receiving apparatus adapted to be set manually according to the horse and automatically according to the particular odds line rendered live. This receiving apparatus may take. the form of a ticket odds-stamping machine and may send a signal to the calculating-apparatus to adjust the horse and pool counters as explained in Specification 307,816. Moreover a keyboard and associated mechanism may be combined with the stamping-machine to enable stakes of varying amounts to be dealt with. Specifications 324,658, 326,444, 331,524, and 332,189 also are referred to. Wiring-arrangements. For each horse there is a trunk line 19, Fig. 1, connecting the various ticket-printing machines A, B, C through a separate source of supply 18 with an odds switch arm 11, 12 &c. operating over a series of contacts 16 connected by trunk wires 17 with corresponding contacts 23 in the stamping-machines. The switch arms 11, 12 &c. are set according to the prevailing odds for the horse concerned so that when an arm 20 in the stamping-machine is manually adjusted to a particular horse contact, another arm 21 automatically moves over the contacts 23 until it finds the live one whereupon the ticket is stamped and ejected. To prevent interruption or interference of the circuits due to - an arm 11, 12 &c. lying in between or bridging adjacent contacts., the arms, the electrical sources 18, the horse lines 19 and the arms 20 may be duplicated as shown in Fig. 4. Ticket-stamping machine. The ticket 45, Fig. 2, is inserted between a platen 40 and type. wheels 41 - - 44 and thus closes contacts 63 to complete a circuit to a magnet 62 controlling a latch 59 normally engaging beneath a boss 59 on a rotatable and depressible shaft 57 supporting a rotary sleeve 30 pivotally carrying a horse-selecting lever 55. The sleeve is geared with the horse type-wheel 41 and has a contact arm 20 cooperating with a series of contacts wired to the horse lines 19. The lever 55 having been turned to select the horse and depressed, the boss 58 descends below a detent 60 which then moves over it and simultaneously completes circuit at 61 to a magnetic clutch 68 adapted to drive a shaft 65 carrying the odds type-wheel 42. A selector arm 21 secured to the shaft now travels over the odds contacts 23 until it reaches a live one whereupon a magnet 24 is energized and closes a circuit to a magnet 75 which then operates an armature 74 to engage a wheel 72 and so stop the shaft 65. The armature also closes contacts 79, 80, the latter of which completes a holding circuit for the magnet while the other causes the energization of a printing relay magnet 82. The contacts 85, 87 are thereupon closed to maintain the magnet energized and to complete the circuit of a printing magnet 49, the core of which operates the platen to print the ticket. A further contact 86 is broken by the magnet 82 to de-energize the clutch 68. The armature of magnet 49 also serves to close circuit at 90 for a magnet 91 which then operates to make a holding circuit and close a contact 95 in the circuit of a magnet 98. Two further contacts 96, 97 are simultaneously opened to break the circuits of magnets 75 and 49 respectively. The armature 74 being thus released the shaft 65 now returns to normal position under spring action and consequently a contact 103 closes to complete the circuit of magnet 98 whereupon the latch 60 is rocked to allow the shaft 57 to rise to normal position. The armature of the printing-magnet 49 serves also to close a circuit at 92 whereby an impulse is sent through switch arm 53 and wire 110 to the calculating-apparatus to enable it to adjust itself on account of the bet thus earmarked. According to the Provisional Specification the apparatus sends, instead of a single impulse, a number of impulees equal to the bet multiplied by the odds. In the event of there being no live odds contact 23 a notched disc 122 on the shaft 65 eventuallv closes an alarm circuit at 120. Moreover the first or zero wire 17 may be arranged so as to be alive when the odds are outside the scope of the odds-calculating mechanism, in which case the magnet 24 is energized at once and the latch 59 remains below the shaft 57 to prevent its depression. The type-wheels 43, 44 serve for printing the date and a code number &c. Stake-value control. If it is desired to use the ticket-printing machine for stakes of varying values the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 may be combined with that of Fig. 2. Instead of the type-wheel 44 of Fig. 2, a type-wheel 149, Fig. 3, prints stake values and is fast on a shaft carrying a selector arm 147 rotatable by a ratchet and pawl operated by a magnet 157 in a circuit inserted at 130, Fig. 2. The arm 147 co-operates with contacts 146 wired to stake-value keys 132 provided with a detent bar 141 connected by a cord 144 with the core of the magnet 98, Fig. 2. On the shaft of the selector arm 147 is mounted an impulse wheel 150. the contacts 152, 153 of which are in series with the contact arm 53, Fig. 2. In operating the apparatus a stake-key 132 must be depressed before operation of the lever 55 and shaft 57, this being ensured by the inclusion of a pair of contacts 186, 187 controlled by the keys, in the circuit of the ticket contacts 63. The shaft 57 being then depressed, the apparatus of Fig. 2 operates as already described to close the circuit of the magnet 82. Through terminal 130 resistance 170 and contacts 168, the magnet 157 is thereupon energized to step the arm 147 one tooth, the opening of contacts 168 by the armature 158 allowing the pawl 159 to return whereupon, the magnet is energized and the arm stepped again. This is repeated until a live contact 146 is reached, whereupon magnet 157 is maintained energized by the line 171 and the arm remains stationary. At the same time magnet 137 is energized and circuit therefore completed from terminal 138 to the point 131 and so to the printing-magnet 49, Fig. 2. At each advance of the arm 147 the wheel 150 causes an impulse to proceed through the contact arm 53 to the calculating-apparatus which is thus affected to the extent of the stake-value set. When the printing has been completed the solenoid core 198 releases the depressed stake-key through the cord 144, and also by means of another cord 166 withdraws the operating and detent pawls 159, 160 to permit the selector arm 147 and connected parts to return to zero, a contact 173 being meanwhile broken by a lug 175 to prevent action of the impulse circuit. The Provisional Specification describes, in addition to the means for sending impulses corresponding with the pool reductions as stated above, a different arrangement for introducing the stake value involving a modification of the means for driving the odds selector shaft 65.