Patent GB-672293-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled statistical machines
Inventor: HAINES SYDNEY ROBERT
Filed: 1949-11-08
Abstract: 672,293. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Nov. 2, 1950 [Nov. 8, 1949], No. 28668/49. Class 106 (i). A record card controlled statistical machine of the type having a reciprocating pin box, an accumulator, transmission means, including a connection box containing transmission elements to transmit data sensed by the pins to the accumulator, and a total taking mechanism, is characterized by the addition of a selectively operable control adapted to enable a total taking cycle to be initiated by a control hole in a record card, by means of any selected one of the transmission elements actuating the selectively operable control. The machine comprises a base section, Fig. 1B, housing a main shaft 2. Mounted in the base section is a card magazine 8. The pin box is of the type described in Specification 580,864 and operated in the manner. described in Specification 518,752 by which various fields may be sensed on a card in successive cycles by controlling the shutters 50. In order to provide means for initiating a total taking cycle as a result of sensing a control hole in a record card, there is provided a link 401, Figs. 1A, 1B, the upper end of which is guided in a slotted plate 402, while the lower end of the link is connected to a clutch control lever 269, Figs. 1B, 2B. The lower end of the link 401 is provided with a slot 403 which passes over a pin 404 by which the link is connected to the clutch lever 269, movement of which operates a clutch to drive the shaft 235 to initiate a total taking cycle. A manuallyoperable lever 407 is connected by a wire 406 to the upper end of the link 401 and serves to move it to an inactive position where the lateral projection 405 is removed from engagement with a selected member 176 in the connection box 174. When the link 401 is in its active position the sensing of a total taking control hole by the appropriate pin will raise the corresponding member 176 and lift the link 401 to operate the. clutch on shaft 235 to initiate a total taking cycle. The machine may be conditioned for total taking in this fashion alone or together with an automatic total-taking cycle after movement of the rack 103 as described in Specification 580,864. The machine described in this Specification is so constructed that the accumulator is cleared after each total taking cycle and the present invention provides means whereby the accumulator may be cleared only on the detection of a control hole in a record card, if desired. In order to arrange for this sequence interrupter means are provided for the link 211 which normally operates to clear the accumulator during a total taking cycle. A sliding plate, Fig. 9, 408, having an abutment 409, movable into the path of the link 211 is spring biased towards the link 211 and latching means are provided to retain the plate in inactive position when it is desired to take a clearing total. The latching means comprises a pivoted element 411 biased by a spring 412 about its pivot 413 to latching position with respect to the abutment 409 on the plate 408. When it is desired that the tripping device be inactive the trip cam 415 is moved by a control member 419 to a position at which a first cam face 420 engages the pin 414 on the latch 411 and retains it permanently in latching engagement with the abutment 409 on the plate 408. When the trip device is set by the control member 419 to permit taking progressive totals the trip cam 415 is moved to a neutral position, as shown in Fig. 9. In this position the lever 211 during listing cycles is moved towards the abutment 409 during a total taking cycle in which it is not desired to clear the accumulator, and is arrested by the abutment so that the slot 209 in the head 210, Fig. 2A does not engage with the pin 207, the head being arrested by the abutment in a position intermediate the pins 206, 207. The link 211 is arrested in this manner each time the accumulator is not cleared during a total taking operation, but on the next total taking operation, after the trip mechanism has been actuated by its associated member 176 in the connection box, the abutment 409 on the slide 408 is latched out of the path of the link 211 so that the link 211 then makes its full stroke and the accumulator is cleared. Specifications 401,012, 405,666, 483,234 and 514,780 also are referred to.