Patent GB-322047-A (GB)
Abstract: 322,047. Hofer, R. C. Oct. 11, 1928. Multiplying-apparatus.-In a key-set machine of the Thomas or other rotary stepped element type, mechanism is provided for facilitating, multiplication of amounts in English currency and functions by automatically replacing the previously set multiplicand by an amount equal to ten times its value. The multiplicand having been set up on the keyboard and multiplied by the first digit of the multiplier in the usual manner, a cam-shaft is turned to advance a number of cylinders to receive differential rotations according to the keys depressed. Fingers on the cylinders are thus positioned to act subsequently upon the keys in order to set up ten times the original multiplicand, whereupon multiplication by the second digit may then be performed, and so on. Keyboard. The keys 2, Fig. 2, arranged in banks as shown in Fig. 4, are provided with pins 2a, 2b, 2c co-operating with the selecting-slides 3, push-slides 4 and setting-slides 5 respectively. The last-named slides control the position of the pinions 9 with respect to the usual steppedbarrels 6, whereas by means of the other slides the automatic multiplying cylinders receive the setting and convert it into an amount equal to ten times the value which amount they may then transmit to the keyboard. Automatic multiplying cylinders. These are arranged on a shaft 13 and are connected with it by spiral springs 25 tending to rotate the cylinders clockwise as viewed in Fig. 9. Each cylinder is composed of a number of coaxial discs 22 provided with push-fingers 23e arranged circumferentiaJly and axially as shown in development in Fig. 5. Each cylinder also has a disc carrying radial fingers 22a of gradually increasing length. These fingers are adapted to engage the end 3p of the corresponding slide 3 to stop the cylinder differentially in accordance with the value of the key depressed. The cylinder-supporting shaft is arranged to slide horizontally towards the keyboard and for this purpose carries rollers 47 engaged by cams 45 fixed on a shaft 42 rotatable by a hand crank. Below each cylinder is a rack 28 pivoted at 27 and controlled by cams 44 on shaft 42 so as to hold and release the cylinders at the necessary points in the cycle. Cam arms 46 are also provided for releasing and stopping the cylinders by means of detents 29, Fig. 8, controlled by a bar 34 supported by the cam-actuated levers 35. Disposition of fingers on the cylinders. Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the fingers on the farthings cylinder w1, the pence cylinder w2, the shillings cylinder w3, the tens of shillings cylinder w4, and the pounds cylinders w5 &c. The fingers 22a determining the setting of the cylinders are spaced equally around the peripheries and are equal in number to the number of keys in their respective banks. The periphery of a cylinder is also nominally divided into sixty equal spaces or lines, and the push-fingers 23e are disposed in these spaces at points coordinated to the push-slides 4 and to the decupled value of the key determining the setting of the cylinder. The slides 4, of which there is one per key, have each a projection bearing on a pin projecting from its corresponding key so that if, when a cylinder is shifted towards the keyboard, a finger 23e is opposite a slide 4 this will be displaced and the corresponding key depressed. By referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it can be seen, for example, that if the 9d. key is depressed the cylinder w2 will rotate until stopped by the slide 3 at line 46. This will position the push-finger 23e occupying the line 45 opposite push-slide 4 for key 6, so that when the cylinder is shifted towards the slides, key 6 will be depressed thus setting up 6d. At the same time another finger 23e at line 45 towards the left end of the cylinder w2 will push another slide 4 to depress the 7/- key, the original setting of 9d. therefore being now converted into ten times its value viz. 7/6. Correcting pence-shillings cylinder w2 and tens of shillings-pounds cylinder w4 for transfers from lower denominations. When decupling an amount in pence and farthings the whole pence resulting from the multiplication of the farthings are added to those produced by the multiplying of the pence and for this purpose means are provided for shifting the cylinder w2 through two or more additional lines to substitute other push-fingers 23e for those that would otherwise be in operative position. Thus as can be seen from Fig. 5 if 9¥d. is to be decupled, the cylinder w2 must be advanced through four spaces to bring Augers opposite slides 4 belonging to keys 8/- and 1d. Similar mechanism is also necessary between the cylinders w3 and w4. As shown in Fig. 15, the cylinder w1 is furnished with three stops 60, 6L, 62 and a pivoted stop 63. When say the ¥d. key is depressed and the cylinder revolves until the lug 22a (¥d.) engages the slide 3, the stop 62 stands in front of a projection 68 of a toother slide 66 adapted to mesh with teeth on the adjacent cylinder w2. The position of the stop is such that when in the operation of the machine, the slide and cylinder are permitted to move, the extent of the movement is limited to four lines and the 8/- and 1d. fingers are consequently rendered operative. Inasmuch as in some cases there might be no key set in the higher bank, devices as shown in Fig. 22 are provided to produce the necessary spacing of the higher cylinder. With no key depressed the cylinder is stopped at the first line by engagement of a zero finger 80 with an offset on the differential slide 3. This brings a pin 82 against a bevelled projection 81 on rack 66 and when the latter rises it is displaced to the left by the pin and thus only gives one extra step (as controlled by the stops 60 - - 63 on the lower cylinder) in order to set the cylinder w2 correctly. Operation. The springs 25 are placed under tension by giving one rotation to the shaft 13, the cylinders being held by the racks 28 and by the detents 29. The multiplicand is next set up on the keyboard and the cam shaft 42 given a half-rotation. This causes the cylinders to advance from position I to position II, Fig. 9, and to be released to take up their differential settings as determined by the keys. The cylinders are then withdrawn to position I to permit the corrections of cylinders w2, w4 to take place, and the multiplication by the first digit of the multiplier is then effected in the usual manner and the key setting obliterated. The crank shaft 42 is now given its second half-rotation and the cylinders are thereby advanced to position III to effect the decupled setting of the keys and is again withdrawn. The above operations may now be repeated in order to multiply the decupled amount by the second digit of the multiplier and to set up the centupled value of the original multiplicand, and so on.