Patent GB-304322-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to paper feeding mechanism for record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1929-01-18
Abstract: 304,322. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Carroll, F. M.). Jan. 19, 1928, [Convention date]. Statistical machines.-Machines for printing items on a sheet or web which receives line-spacing movements to separate the items are provided with automatic means for stopping the printing- mechanism after a predetermined number of items have been printed, and with manual means for imparting a blanking feed equal to the height of the heading on the sheet; moreover as applied to record-card controlled statistical machines such as are described in Specification 280,580 having means for printing a total at the end of a run or group of record cards, means operative after the last item has been printed are provided for imparting an adjustable blanking feed to cause the total to be printed in a predetermined position in relation to the first item. In the record-card controlled apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 8, a pinion 37 gearing with a pinion 36 on the platen shaft 35 cooperates with a pawl 38 on a bellcrank 39 engaging a bell-crank 46. A member 55 secured to the bellcrank 46 has a finger 54 cooperating with a dog 51 mounted on a bell-crank 49 having a projection 60 in the path of a cam 47, the dog being normally latched by a pawl 50. During each cycle a magnet 48 retracts the pawl 50, thereby releasing the dog 51, and when the bell-crank 49 is rocked by the cam, a lug 53 on the dog engages the finger 54 and the bell-cranks 46, 39 are rocked, the pawl 38 being caused to advance the pinion 37 and transmit line-spacing movement to the platen. The member 55 is adjustable on the bell-crank 46 to vary the line-spacing and is secured by a pin passing through one of three holes 56. The bell-crank 39 is returned by a spring 44, the pawl 48 trailing over the pinion and being disengaged by a stop 381 on reaching initial position. The device for stopping the machine after a predetermined number of items has been printed comprises a stop 65 carried by a revoluble disc 74 and having its travel limited by a stationary stop 66 and an adjustable stop 67 connected to a pivoted arm 69 which is secured by a spring pin 70. A pinion 81 on the disc is normally coupled to the pinion 37 by means of gearing consisting of separate pinions 89, 84 and a pair of connected pinions 85, 87, the gearing causing the stop 65 to approach the stop 66 at each line-spacing operation. When the items have been printed the pin 65 engages the stop 66 and a dog 95 on the disc 74 rocks a latch 96, thereby releasing a lever 97 and permitting contacts 98 to open. The clutch magnet of the record-card feed is thereby de-energized and the printing-mechanism is stopped. The lever 97 has a lug 126 which moves into.engagement with the pinion 89 and thereby locks the platen. The pair of pinions 85, 87 is carried by a rocking plate 86 having pin-and-slot connection 93, Fig. 8, with a rocking arm 92. When the pin 65 engages the pin 66 a reciprocating pawl 102 drops into a notch 105 in a disc 103 on the disc 74 and is permitted to engage the end of an extension 104 of the arm 92. Thereupon the pawl rocks the arm and the plate 86 is moved to the right to separate the pinions 87 from the pinions 84, 89. The pawl is mounted on a rocking plate 101 connected to the bell-crank 49. The plate 86 is retained in the normal or displaced position by means of a catch 94. The contacts 98 are closed by means of a cam 108 which operates a bell-crank 113 connected by a link 106 to the arm 92. For causing the total to be printed in a predetermined position, the platen shaft is provided with a loose pinion 116 which gears with a pinion 109 on the shaft of the cam 47 and engages spring-urged levers 119 normally latched by the armature 121 of a magnet 115. The stop 67 is set to correspond to the required number of line-spaces between the first item and the total, and when the magnet 115 is energized by the totalizing-mechanism the pinion 116 is moved axially into engagement with a friction disc 118 on the pinion 36, the platen being thereupon rotated until the stop 65 engages the stop 66. The levers 119 are returned by means of the bell-crank 113. The magnets are arranged in circuits including the record-card contacts, starting-timers and total timers described in the above-mentioned Specification. Blanking-feed equal to the height of the heading is imparted by means of a hand-lever 34 which on being depressed engages a lug 43 on the bell-crank 39, the feed being adjustably limited by a stop 33 which is arranged in the path of the pawl 38 and is carried by a pivoted arm 24 having a spring securing-pin 31. The hand-lever is normally locked by a catch 40 and a co-operating stop 41. Depression of the hand-lever 34 returns the stop 65 to normal position, the hand-lever being provided with a sector 71 gearing with a, pinion 72 which is frictionally coupled to the disc 74. During return of the hand-lever, a dog 90 thereon rocks the arms 92 and thereby moves the pinions 87 into engagement with the pinions 84, 89. The pinion 81 is prevented from moving backwards during return of the hand-lever by means of a spring pawl 82 which is normally disengaged by a projection 83. The printing- mechanism described in Specification 204,676 may be employed with the above-described apparatus.