Patent GB-297800-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1928-09-27
Abstract: 297,800. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Bryce, J. W.). Sept. 28, 1927, [Convention date]. Statistical machines.- The invention relates to record - card - controlled statistical machines using translating mechanism of the kind described in Specifications 270,305 and 288,515 wherein a plurality of brushes coact with a commutator in timed relationship to the movement of the registering or recording mechanism, the commutator having conducting segments corresponding to the code employed for the recordcard, the reading of the card being transmitted to a " set up " device and thence to the translator so that the single impulse is given finally to the registering mechanism at the correct time in its cycle. According to the present invention the commutator brushes are movable, under the influence of the card-reading device, from one track of the commutator to another in order to select the appropriate set of commutator segments at the correct time in the cycle. The invention is used for translating code cards and also for working with complements of cards of the Holletrith type. The code cards 20, Fig. 13, which are fed past brushes 23, 24 and contact blocks 25, 26, have upper and lower card fields U and L which are read by the brushes 23 and 24 respectively. Cam contacts T-4 and T-5 are closed only while the card fields U and L are opposite their correct brushes 23 or 24; and there is one brush 23, one brush 24, and associated translating mechanism for each card column. Fig. 12 illustrates the card code used: For each hole read in a column in the U field an impulse is transmitted to the translating mechanism, which comprises a " reading- in " commutator 31, four magnets 32, and a " reading-out " commutator 33. By means of this translating mechanism a single differential impulse is transmitted to the ordinary counter magnet 35 which throws in the usual Hollerith counter clutch. The reading-in commutator 31 comprises a continuous metal strip 60 acting with a brush 61 and four conducting studs 62 electrically connected with the strip 60 and so set in an insulating cylinder that they successively meet four brushes 63 at the moments that the card reading brush 23 reads the four perforation index points. This energizes the magnets 32 according to the code perforations in the column, these magnets controlling the brushes 66, Fig. 11, of the reading-out commutator 33. When a magnet 32 is energized it shifts its corresponding brush 66 from one track to another of the commutator, which is shown in two parts in Fig. 11. These commutators, which rotate in the direction of the arrows shown, have blank portions which rotate past the brushes 66 while the latter are being adjusted by the magnets 32, and have also conducting studs 70 situated and interconnected as shown. The arrangement is such that for any one particular set-up of the brushes 66 a circuit is completely closed through lines 38, 71, and 34 and studs 70 only for one particular transverse row of studs 70, corresponding to the original number indicated in the card column in code form. For example, for the number 4(B and D perforations) the B and D magnets 32 are energized to shift the B and D brushes 66, so that a circuit is fully closed to the counter magnet 35 only when the studs 70 opposite the number 4, Fig. 11, are opposite the brushes 66, so that 4 is added to the counter. Fig. 8 shows a construction of reading-in commutator 31. A stud 80 on the base plate 68 rotatably supports a metal sleeve 81 carrying the gear wheel 75 and an insulated sleeve 76. Five grooves 82 in the latter accommodate the strip 60 and the studs 86 for the brushes 61 and 63, the strip 60 being connected to a metal annulus 85 with which the studs 86 contact. A nut 90 and lock-nut 91 hold the whole in position. Fig. 5 shows a construction of reading-out commutator 33 illustrating one of the two brushes 66 and one of the two magnets 32. The lever 101 carrying the brush is pivoted at 101<1> and is pulled counterclockwise by the spring 102 to move the brush from one track to another when the armature 106 is attracted by the magnet 32 and its end 107 releases the end 108 of the lever 101. A cam 110, late in the machine cycle, operates a lever 112 to relatch a shifted lever 101. A modification of these latching means is described in which the armature not only releases the lever 101 but positively aids the action of the spring 102. The contact studs 70 on the reading- out commutator may clearly be arranged in any desired arbitrary manner so that instead of entering into the counter the number which is represented in code form in the card column, the complement with respect to ten or to nine may be entered, or any other desired number may be entered. Fig. 19 illustrates complementery working for debit and credit purposes, the machine using Hollerith type cards. The reading from the latter is first coded and then decoded in complementary form by the translating mechanism. To allow for the fugitive one the complement for the units column is taken with respect to ten and with respect to nine for the other denominations, by shifting the units reading-out commutator one point ahead of the others in the machine cycle. In Fig. 19 the machine is adjusted so that the entire stack of cards 23 in the magazine runs through the machine to the last card. The cards pass upper and lower reading brushes 24, 25 one cycle apart; debit and credit cards are mixed indiscriminately and a debit item is identified by a perforation outside the amount-bearing field. The credit counter blank comprises two counter magnets 26 and the debit bank two magnets 27. The translator mechanism (the code used in this instance is not the code shown in Fig. 12) comprises reading-in commutators 28, 29 and reading- out commutators 34 - - 37, of which 34 and 36 pertain to the commutator 28, and 35 and 37 pertain to the commutator 29. As a card passes the upper brushes the hole in each column closes a circuit to the brushes 49 or 50, each of which bears upon a conducting strip 75 electrically connected to conducting studs 51 set in an insulating cylinder. These studs are set in transverse rows and co-act in successive machine cycles with brushes 53 and 54 to energize magnets 55 and 56 so that when a card hole is read the momentary impulse is transmitted to certain of the magnets 55 or 56 according to the number and position of the studs which are under the brushes 53 or 54 at that moment, i.e. the Hollerith reading is coded. These magnets 55 and 56 control the reading-out commutator brushes 82 and 83, Fig. 15, which are connected through switches 59, 60, Fig. 19, to transmit complements to the credit or debit counters. These counters are also connected through switches. 57, 58 to take the direct amounts from the cards through the lower brushes 25. The switches 57 - - 60 are controlled by windings 65 - - 68 which are only energized if the special debit hole (the particular card column for this hole being wired through contacts 70 as shown) is in the card; i.e. for credit the switches 57 - - 60 remain as shown in Fig. 19; for debit they are all raised to close their upper contacts. The brushes 53, 54 coact with successive cards and the translated complements, are transmitted one cycle later through the reading-out commutators 34 and 36, or 35 and 37 at the moment that the direct amount is read from the same card by the lower card-reading brushes 25. Thus, if the item is a credit one, the switches 57 - - 60 remain as shown and the actual amount is added directly to the counters 26 through switches 57 and 58 and the complement is added to the counters 27 through switches 59 and 60. Similarly, for a debit the actual amount is added to counters 27 through switches 57 and 58 and the complement is added to counters 26 through switches 59 and 60. Specifications 271,096 and 273,731 also are referred to.