Patent GB-317490-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1929-08-16
Abstract: 317,490. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Carroll, F. M.). Aug. 17, 1928, [Convention date]. Statistical machines; printing distinguishing- marks; printing totals.-In a grouped-card statistical machine the automatic group control means which detects the change in the card group and initiates total-printing on the usual continuousrecord strip, also causes auxiliary devices each carrying additional matter identifying a separate group (e.g. stencils), to print on the record stop against each group of items, additional matter (e.g. a name) identifying the group. The invention is illustrated in the machine described in Specification 183,867, with paper-feed mechanism for the record strip as described in Specification 314,086, [Class 100 (iv), Typewriters &c.]. The group control mechanism operating at a cardgroup change is that described in Specification 190,144. Fig. 11 shows the record strip with the listed items, the total, and the identifying matter 25 printed from a stencil, for each group of cards. These items may be accounts as shown, and are preferably printed upon pre-printed work forms which constitute bills or statements of accounts rendered. Item and total printing are effected by type 18, Fig. 1, against a record strip 20; a shaft 21 driving the various devices during item-printing. 22 is a totalling shaft rotated only at a total-taking operation. The identifying matter 25 is printed from stencils 26, Fig. 10, having a stencilled name and perforations 27 representing the account number. The stencils 26, Fig. 3, are fed bv a bar 28 slidingin a frame 29 and carrying three pairs of picker members 30. In three cycles of operations a plate 26 is fed from the stack to grippers 58. At total-printing, under certain conditions, the bar 28 is reciprocated by a pin 31, lever 62, and shaft 33 which is rocked by a cam on shaft 41, Fig. 1; shaft 41 is driven by shaft 22 at totalling. A cam 50 on shaft 41, Fig. 3, and a spring 49 control an arm 48 on a shaft 46, which is journaled in the frame of the printer and carries pinned to it two arms 52 and 53, Fig. 4, which have journals 54 supporting a shaft 55. A yoke-shaped frame 57 splined to shaft 55 carries the gripper arms 58 pivoted at 59 and controlled by springs 60 and cams 61 on shaft 55. Hence the arms 58 are opened and closed as the shaft 55 is slid in its journals 54: this sliding being effected by a cam 63 on shaft 41 through arms 64, 65, link 66, bell-crank 67. link 68, stud 69, sleeve 70, (loose on shaft 46) carrying a rack 71, pinion 72, shaft 73, pinion 76, rack 77 and shaft 55. The rocking of shaft 55 about its own axis is controlled by cam 78, Figs. 3 and 4, roller 79, arm 80, link 82, and an arm 81 having a splined connection 83, Fig. 4, with shaft 55. Fig. 3 shows the normal position, the arms 58 gripping the stencil for the next printing. When shaft 41 is rotated cam 50 rocks shaft 46 to lower arms 52, 53 and then cam 78 rocks shaft 55 counterclockwise to place the stencil against the record strip 20, printing being effected by an inked felt pad 88 actuated by a cam 92 on shaft 41. After printing the cam 50 raises arms 52, 53 and shaft 55 to their uppermost positions and cam 78 rocks shaft 55 further counterclockwise to force the stencil just used behind latching arms 93, 94 of the discharge stack 98. The cam 63 then operates to open gripper arms 58 and the parts are restored to normal position to receive the next stencil. As the record cards carrying group designations are read by the reading brushes the designation holes are compared with the holes 27 of the stencils. If the holes agree the machine continues, but if they disagree totalling is initiated and the rotation of the totalling shaft 22, Fig. 1, (driving the shaft 41) causes the stencil printing operations described above. Each time a record-card designation hole is read by a brush 15, Fig. 9, a magnet 106 is energized to close contacts 109 (if the stencil read is the correct one) so that if all contacts 109 are properly closed a clutch relay 110 is energized to clutch the shaft 41 for one revolution to a sleeve (on this shaft) carrying the cams. The shaft and cams are not actually rotated, however, unless a change of designation has rotated the total shaft 22. The reading of the stencils is by the following means. In the circuits of the magnets 106 are levers 107, 108 co-acting with contact brushes 111, 112. In each pair 107, 108 for each denomination the levers are insulated from one another and are only bridge electrically when they come into phase to contact with blades 125, Fig. 3. All the levers 108 are connected, through insulated extensions, to a common rod 113 rocked by arms 114 on a shaft 115; this shaft having also an arm 116, Fig. 1, operated by a cam 121 through bell-crank 117, link 119, arm 118 and roller 120. The cam 121 is rotated by a shaft 122 driven once each listing operation by the shaft 21, so that the levers 108 move over the blades 125 synchronously with the reading of the designation-hole positions on the record cards. Normally the levers 107 follow the levers 108 and are pressed by springs 126 against insulated extensions 127 of the levers 108 and are out of phase therewith. As soon, however, as a reading lever 128 on each lever 107 reads a hole in the stencil the arm 107 is arrested, its companion lever 108 catches it up, and the levers are bridged by a blade 125. If the hole read in the stencil agrees with the hole read in the record card at the same time, the circuit of the magnet 106 is closed at the brush 15 and at the levers 107, 108, Fig. 9, simultaneously. If the designation number is of four denominations as in Fig. 10, four contacts 109 are thus closed and held closed in series to energize the clutch magnet 110. Thus when totalling occurs the shaft 41 is rotated to drive the various cams. On the return rocking movement of shaft 115 the parts 127 of levers 108 restore the levers 107 and arms 128 which have coacted with stencil holes. If the stencil 26 does not correspond to the record card the magnet 110 is not energized to operate the cam clutch and the machine is stopped. Manual means 153 are provided for feeding the first few stencils into the machine at the commencement of a run.