Patent GB-779745-A (GB)
Abstract: 779,745. Calculating-apparatus. MONROE CALCULATING MACHINE CO. May 9, 1955 [June 9, 1954], No. 13335/55. Class 106 (1). In a machine provided with a constant factor storage mechanism, the ordinal elements of the storage mechanism are yieldably mounted on a carrier which is movable towards stops of the differential mechanism of the machine, in order differentially to adjust the storage elements to a keyboard setting. Amount differential and constant factor storage mechanisms. The invention is applied to the apparatus described in Specification 735,178, each column of amount keys 22, Figs. 1 and 12, having a pair of differential stop-bars 29 adapted to control inward axial adjustment of a pair of axiallystepped totalizer actuator gears 3. During cyclic operation, the support shaft 33 of a set of levers 32 is cammed upwardly, the forward ends of these levers then displacing the stop-bars 29 to their key stop positions through intervening bell-cranks 31, whereafter the rearward ends of the levers cam pairs of pivoted plates 14a, 14b inwardly to effect differential adjustment of the actuator gears 3. Upward movement of shaft 33 is effected by a cam lever 37 connected by a link 39 with the follower 40 of a cam 26 on a main shaft 11, which also drives the shaft 7 of the actuator gears 3. The factor storage device according to the invention comprises ordinal pairs of stepped segments 58a, 58b adapted to coact with ears 31a on the bellcranks 31. The segments have a yielding ball connection with their shaft 59 which is rotated both for adjusting the segments to a key-set amount, as registered by the positions of the bell-crank ears 31a, and for subsequently positioning the segments in ineffective or effective position as required. Setting constant factor. A constant factor set-up key 64 is operated and trips an individual one-revolution clutch 65 for this operation. The clutch drives a snail cam 74 adapted to actuate the amount differential linkages, in lieu of cam 26, and to position the bell-cranks 31 and their ears 31a according to the keyboard setting. Immediately thereafter, a segmental gear 78, Figs. 8 and 12, on a shaft 81, driven through bevel gearing 84 and 85 from the clutch 74, picks up a pinion 88 adapted to drive the shaft 59. The resulting clockwise rotation of shaft 59 advances the segments 58a and 58b up to the differentially-positioned ears 31a until the appropriate steps of the segments abut the ears, the segments then slipping relatively to the shaft 59 as the shaft completes its movement. A spring-actuated sector 93, Fig. 15, engages a pinion 92 on shaft 59 and returns the shaft and the segments 58a, 58b counterclockwise to a normal ineffective position. A sliding latch 95 engages a notch 93b in the sector to retain it until the keyboard is cleared at the conclusion of the cycle, a bail 97 actuated by the key detents 28, Figs. 1 and 7, then tripping the latch so that the shaft 59 is restored and the segments 58a, 58b moved to ineffective position whilst retaining their adjustment according to the constant factor set. Controlling operation according to constant factor. A constant factor call-up key 110, Figs. 1 and 15, is operated to subject the amount differential linkages to control by the segments 58a, 58b in place of the keyboard. Depression of this key rocks a lever 115 to displace a slide 41 which engages a clear clutch (not shown) to initiate a keyboard clearing operation. The clutch rocks a shaft 44 and an arm 117 thereon engages a stud 93a on the sector 93 so rocking the sector and shaft 59 clockwise to move the set segments 58a, 58b into effective position for controlling the amount differential linkages. A latch 119, released during depression of key 110, holds sector 93 in its moved position pending holding engagement by the latch 95 at the conclusion of the cycle. The segments 58a, 58b now remain in effective position to control subsequent machine operation as long as the bail 97 is not operated and the latch 95 tripped. As noted above, the bail 97 is operated by the amount key detents 28, and this occurs when a new amount is keyed or a keyboard clearance is manually initiated. Constant factor indicator. The constant factor is indicated by dials 98, Figs. 1 and 8, at the head of the amount keyboard. When setting a constant factor, the dials 98 are first reset by means of a segmental gear 79 on shaft 81 and through idlers 101-103, the dials slipping on their shaft when arrested in zero position. Meanwhile, pairs of axially stepped actuator gears 100a, 100b, similar to the totalizer actuator gears 3, are axially adjusted by the plates 14a, 14b according to the newly set constant factor and subsequently rotate the dials 98 correspondingly. Keyboard clearing. Depression of a clear key (not shown) displaces the slide 41, Figs. 6, 7 and 15, which , as noted above, engages a clear clutch to rock a shaft 44. The slide also shifts a collar 43, Fig. 6, along the shaft so that a finger 43a thereon engages and moves forwardly a push-rod 46 which, through connections 55-49, displaces a transordinal keyboard slide 48. Individual bell-cranks 47, Fig. 7, are rocked by the slide 48 and displace ordinal key latching plates 28 rearwardly to release depressed keys. Automatic clearance of the keyboard is effected at the conclusion of a constant factor entering cycle by means of a stud 87a on a gear 87, Fig. 6, which drives the shaft 81 for this operation. The stud 87a rocks a lever 96 also to displace the slide 48 and key latching plates 28.