Patent GB-431811-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to record controlled machines
Filed: 1934-06-19
Abstract: 431,811. Statistical machines. KEEFE, L. M., 53, Appleton Avenue, Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A. June 19, 1934, No. 18101. Convention date, June 21, 1933. [Class 106 (i)] A record-controlled machine having reading pins 11 for sensing the records whilst stationary, means to effect recording, and a connection box 10 between the pins and recording means, including control means for said recording means, is characterized in that the control means includes a transversely-movable interposer 24 for each column of sensing pins and means, for actuating each interposer, which are operated by circuits which are completed under control of (1) the sensing pins and (2) auxiliary means (distributer 95) operated synchronously with the transverse movement of the interposers. The invention is applied to a pin-box machine such as described in Specification 26896/13, [Class 106 (i)], the cards 18 from magazine 59 being read whilst stationary by pins 11 and the reading transmitted to the stops 46 in the stop-basket, which differentially arrest the adding and printing sectors 47. The connection-box normally situated between the pin-box 62 and the stop-basket 46, is replaced according to the present invention by a connection box 10 illustrated in Fig. 2, in which only one interposer or transmission rod 24 is used for each denomination instead of ten extension rods. This box includes casing 10 which may be removed from the rest of the machine as a unit. For each card column there are ten reading pins, as shown in Fig. 2, which are adapted to raise contact pins 12, each with a lower insulating shank 14; each column of pins 12 is set in a metal channel 16, which is connected to a plug socket 21 and has incurved parts 17, 17a which hold any raised pin 12 in its raised position. Contact bars 19, one for each transverse row of the card, are insulated from one another and are connected by lines 124 ... 133 to the contact brushes 113 .... 122 of an impulse distributer 95, Fig. 9. Sockets 21 may be plugged in any desired manner to sockets 33 which are connected to magnets 30, one for each card column. Each magnet 30 has an armature 29 with a latch 31 normally holding down, by its shoulder 32, a slide plate 23 which tends to rise under the action of a spring 28. Pivoted to plate 23 is a transmission rod 24 with an offset pin 43 adapted to coact with notches 45 in an adjacent fixed bar 44. These notches are so aligned that if pin 43 passes up into any notch it lifts a corresponding stop 46 in the stop-basket to arrest the printing sector. A cam-actuated arm 38 has a roller 42 bearing against all the rods 24, of which latter there is one for each card column. Whilst a column in a card 18 is being read and a pin 12 raised to contact electrically with a bar 19, the arm 38 moves to the left until bars 24 rest against buffer 37a. Then arm 38 returns to the right and arms 24 follow, due to their springs 34: during this return stroke the distributer 95 makes the bars 19 live in turn, commencing with the " 9 " bar 19 on the left. When the made contact 12, 19 (" 7 " in the instance illustrated) is rendered live a circuit is completed and the corresponding magnet 30 is energized to release the plate 23 and its rod 24, at the moment that pin 43 is beneath the " 7 " slot 45-third from the left. The " 7 " stop 46 in the stop-basket is thus raised to cause " 7 " to be added and printed. Subsequently, a common bar 77 restores all released plates 23 down into latched position; at the same time a bar 821 lowers arms 83, 84 about their pivots 86, 87 so that links 88, 89 depress the insulating base 20 carrying the contact bars 19. This restores all raised pins 12 downwards and thereafter bars 19 rise again. The drive from the machine shaft 57 to the shaft 40 in the removable casing 10, from which the various actions are derived, is by cams 63, 70, rollers 64, 71, rods 65, 72, and cranks attached to shaft 40 and to a sleeve shaft 74 (for resetting purposes) which is journalled upon shaft 40. Impulse distributer, Fig. 9. Keyed to the shaft 57, which is a permanent part of the machine, is an insulated rotor 95 with a contact segment 112 coacting with brushes 103 and 113 ... 122, and a cam 94 which is adapted to raise the arm 106, 109 about its pivot 106<1> so as to break the contacts 104, 105. Contacts 104 open first but sparking is prevented by a condenser 111. During card-reading by pins 11, segment 112 is not in contact with the brushes 103 &c., and the rise 138 opens contacts 104, 105. During the return stroke of arms 24 to the right, after card reading, contacts 104, 105 are closed and segment 112 (rotor 95 revolves counterclockwise, Fig. 9) reaches first the brush 103 and then 113, 114 &c., so that brush 103 is connected seriatim to the bars 19 to make them live. When a contact 12, 19 is reached, the corresponding magnet 30 is energized. The wires 124 .... 133 are connected to a separable plug 134 so that the distributer, which is outside the casing 10 and mounted on shaft 57, may be disconnected when the connection box 10 is removed.