Patent GB-585731-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to printing mechanism
Filed: 1944-09-15
Abstract: 585,731. Typewriters, etc. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Sept. 15, 1944, No. 17720. Convention date, Sept. 16, 1943. [Class 100 (iv)] [Also in Group XIX] In a record-card-controlled printing-machine, wherein certain special cards have data in more than one field, sensing of the special card controls the printing-mechanism to print the data in the first field and to enter the other data into storage devices, at the same time preventing feeding of subsequent cards for a predetermined number of cycles, the storage devices controlling the mechanism to print the stored data in a line or lines below that in which the data in the first field is printed. Each special card of a group of cards R, Fig. 9, contains the firm's name, the street and the city &c. in three separate fields and has a special hole 50 causing the mechanism to be controlled so that these three items are printed one below the other in the third, fourth and fifth cycles respectively. Data on cards without the special hole is printed in the third cycle at one operation in a single line. Numbers are represented by index point perforations in rows 1 to 9 and alphabetical characters by such perforations combined with zone perforations in rows 0, 11, 12. The card-feeding and the printing mechanisms are identical with those described in Specification 523,832 but only upper and lower sensing-brushes UB, LB, Fig. 2, and one set of card-lever contacts LCL are provided. Moreover, each pair of numeral type on the type bars are separated by three alphabetical type instead of two as shown in the prior Specification. Line spacing mechanism for the platen 89, Fig. 3, comprising parts 128 ... 137, Fig. 5 (not shown) is identical with that described in Specification 574,786. Storage mechanism includes an accumulator as described in Specification 485,103, [Group XIX], comprising a continuously-rotating gear 142, Fig. 6, 7, driving a ratchet-wheel 144 which is axially-movable against the action of a spring 145 to engage a ratchet-wheel 146 to which is attached an adding wheel 147 and tens-carry cam 148 integral with a rod 149. The wheel 144 is moved to operate the wheel 146 by a disc '150 on a bell-crank lever 151, Fig. 6, normally latched in inoperative position by the armature 152 of an electromagnet 153. The rod 149 carries a brush 156 moving over contacts 0 ... 9, Fig. 14b and is stopped by the engagement of a roller 155 on the gear 142 striking the lever 151. The time of energisation of magnet 153 is set so that when the roller 155 strikes the lever 151, the brush has rotated sufficiently to contact the required 0 ... 9 contact. To cancel the entries, the magnet 153 is energised at a time to cause the wheel 146 to be driven ten steps. At the 9 to 0 position the carry cam 148 rocks a lever 162 which is held by a latch 163. The lever closes contacts 159, 160 causing energisation of magnet 164, which attracts its armature 165 to release a spring-controlled lever 166. A pin 168 on the lever 166 rocks the lever 151 to uncouple the ratchets and leave the wheel 147 in its 0 position. Circuits.-The machine is started by depressing a key 207, Fig. 14c, which closes the circuit of an electromagnet R6, thus closing contacts R6a, R6b, completing a holding circuit and a circuit through feed-clutch magnet 16 and a relay R7 closing contacts R7a. During the first cycle, cam contacts CF1 complete a circuit via hopper contacts HC (closed by insertion of cards in the hopper) through a relay R3 closing contacts R3a, R3b. Later, a circuit is closed through a special brush UBa to relay R1 so as to close contacts R1a of a holding circuit and open contacts R1b thus rendering brushes UB non-sensitive. At the end of the cycle, the leading edge, i.e., 9 point edge, of the first or heading card is adjacent to the brushes UB. In the second cycle, the card passes under the brushes UB so that UBa is isolated and contact R1b remains closed. The hole 50 completes a circuit through contacts CR1, 209, R3b, Figs. 14a, 14c, and relay R39, thus closing contacts R39a (holding circuit). Later, the card closes contacts LCL so as to energise relay R4 (Fig. 14b) to close contacts R4a in series with contacts CR23 which maintain relay R4 energised so long as cards continue to be advanced in succession. Contacts R4d, Fig. 14c, shortcircuit start-key contacts 207 to keep relay R6 energised and therefore feed-clutch magnet 16 energised. Relay R39 closes contacts R39c to energise the clutch magnet 33, Fig. 14c, of the card picker 23, Fig. 2, so that the next card is not advanced. In the latter part of cycle, contacts CF34 close to complete a circuit through relay R40 closing contacts R40e to maintain magnet 33 energised through cycles 2 and 3. As the name zone perforations 0, 11, 12 pass brushes UB, circuits are completed to zone magnets 111, Fig. 3, 14a, to set the comb 108, Fig. 3. Later, when cam contacts CR33, Fig. 14c, close, zone bail magnet 185 is energised to enable bail 116, Fig. 3, to zone the. type-heads 86a. Sensing, by the brushes UB, of the zone perforations 0, 11, 12 relating to the street, is entered into zone storage relays. Contacts CF3, Fig. 14a, close. during sensing of the 0, 11 holes and contacts CF4 are closed during sensing of the 11, 12 holes. As contacts R39d are closed, sensing of a 0 hole completes a circuit through a relay R12. Similarly, sensing of a 11 hole completes a circuit through relays R12 and R13, and sensing of a 12 hole completes a circuit through relay R13. In the same manner, the zone of " city " &c. is set up on relays R18, R19. During cycle 3, the heading card passes brushes LB, and the type-bars rise in synchronism. Holes 1 ... 9, relating to the name, complete circuits to magnets'95, Fig. 3 and 14b, to set the type bars 86a and later the print hammers are tripped to print the name on the invoice. At the same time, sensing of the 0 ... 9 street digit holes is entered into the storage device of Fig. 6, 7 to control the magnets 95 in later cycles.. Cam contacts CBa, Fig. 14b, are closed during the 0 ... 9 sensing, so as to complete circuits through the magnets 153 and position the brushes 156 at segments 157 corresponding to the value of the digits sensed. Similarly, the digits of the " city " perforations are also set up on brushes 156 and segments 157. During this cycle, the zone data for " street " stored in relays R12, R13 will control the zone magnets 111, Fig. 3 and 14a. For this purpose, an emitter E, Fig. 14b, is provided, having a continuously-running brush 214 traversing segments 215 so that at the 0, 11, 12 times, successive circuits are completed from line 205, contacts CR1a, CR3a, brush 214, segments 0, 11, 12 in succession to wires 217, Fig. 2 14a, 14b. If a 0 zone is stored, i.e., R12 is energised, a circuit extends from 0 wire 217, right-hand contacts R13c, contacts R12b, connection 218, right-hand contacts R40c, left-hand contacts R42d, zone magnet 111 and contacts CF16. Similarly, if a 11 zone or a 12 zone is sensed, circuits are completed from the 11 wire 217 or the 12 wire 217 to the corresponding zone magnet 111. When contacts CF33, Fig. 14a, close during this cycle, a circuit is completed through contacts R40b to relay R41 closing holding-circuit contacts R41a and contacts R41b which complete the circuit of relay R42. Contacts R42a close a holding circuit through CF32 to keep relay R42 energised during the card-sensing part of the fourth cycle, and relay R40 becomes de-energised when contacts CF32 open so that magnet 33, Fig. 14c, becomes de-energised and permits a card to be advanced in the fourth cycle. In the latter cycle, the " street " digit settings will control the positioning of the type-bars through circuits CR1a (Fig. 14b), CR3a, emitter E, wires 219,segments 157, left-hand contacts R44c to magnets 95. During the zoning part of the cycle, zone magnets 111 are set up corresponding to " city " through circuits CR1a, CR3a; emitter E, wires 217 and relays R18 and/or R19 similarly to the setting up of the magnets 111 for the " street." Closure of contacts CF33, Fig. 14c, completes a circuit through contacts R42b to relay R43 to close contacts R43a of a holding-circuit and contacts R43b of circuit of relay R44. Contacts R44d (Fig. 14a) are thus opened to break the holding circuits of relays R12, R13, R18 and R19 which are then ready for resetting. In the meantime, the second card is fed up to brushes UB. In cycle 5 the digit settings relating to " city " will control the positioning of the type-bars through contacts CR1a, CR3a, emitter E, segments 157, right-hand contacts R44c to magnets 95 to print, the third line and complete the printing relating to the heading card. When contacts CF33 close, a relay R45 is energised through contacts R44b setting up a holding circuit through contacts R45a and a circuit through relay R46 via contacts R45b. Contacts R46b are now closed to complete the circuit of a magnet 221 which releases a cam follower 222, Fig. 14b, which then functions to shift contacts TSa so as to complete circuits through magnets 153 via contacts CR35. Rotation of brushes 156 is thus initiated which, if not interrupted, will cause a ten step advance. When, however, any storage wheel passes from 9 to 0, blades 159, 160 engage, cancellation magnets 164 are energised and the digit storage device is reset to 0. If the second card is a detail card, it is zoned and listed similarly to the " name field of the special card, so that for a succession of such cards, a line of information, corresponding to the data on each card, is printed at each cycle. For successive special cards, the machine continues to operate as described above. Specifications 216,142, [Class 100 (iv)], and 425,838 also are referred to.