Patent GB-519709-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1938-09-30
Abstract: 519,709. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Sept. 30, 1938, No. 28520. Convention date, Oct. 1, 1937. [Class 106 (i)]  A record-controlled statistical machine comprising in combination counters, a read -out mechanism ARO &c. and an entering means 32A &c. for each counter, controlling means which automatically makes connections, during a succession of cycles, between the read - out and entering means and which connections are automatically different in different cycles, is characterized by the provision of a plugboard upon which a programme of connections between the read-out and entering' means can be set up by means of a single manipulative connector for each desired connection in each cycle. Specifications 422,135 and 405,031 are referred to. The present machine has four counters (not shown) designated A, B, C and D having each a readout device ARO, BDO, CRO, DRO, Fig. 4a, wired in true and complementary form to a common emitter 10. The entering means for each counter consists of four' counter magnets 33A or 33B, or 33C, or 33D, Fig. 4b. The plugboard consists of three sections of which the top section S1, Fig. 5, is used to direct the original entries from the record card into the desired counters and bottom section SIII transmits the amounts in the counters to the result punching machanism (punch magnets 52, Fig. 4a). The central section SII is used to transmit amounts additively or subtractively, between the four counters as desired. For example, to sum up amounts A, B, C and D entered into the counters from a card, the amount in counter A is transmitted positively to counter B and amount C to counter D in one cycle. In the next cycle the amount A + B is transmitted from counter B to counter D, which'latter then holds the result. For this, the plugboard section SII is divided into nineteen steps ; in each step eight plug holes are provided to connect counter A positively to any counter and eight holes to connect counter A negatively: similarly with counters B, C and D (see also Fig. 4c). For example to transmit the amount in counter A positively to counter B in the first step or cycle, one of the four + A sockets is connected to the b socket just below. A connection from a hole - C in step 1 to hole d just below it would transmit the amount in counter C negatively to counter D in the same cycle. Other desired pluggings are made in the succeding steps. As soon as the machine reachesa cycle for which there is no plugging on the board, means (relay 44, Fig. 4c) detect this and results are then punched. Assuming that connections have been made from the brush sockets 30, Figs. 4a and 5, to the counter sockets 31A, 31B, 31C, 31D, when the first card is read at brushes 27, circuits 23, H1, FC7, 11, 29, 27, 30, 32, Fig. 4b, 34a, 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D enter the amounts into the four counters through the counter magnets 33A ' &c. Contacts 34a then open until the next card is read. , If it is desired, .for instance to get the result A + B + C + D, connections + A to b and + C to d are made in step 1, section SII of the board, Figs. 5 and 4e, and connection + B to d in step 2, so that the sum is then  on counter D. A connection 38D to 39 in section SIII is also made to connect counter D to the punches. The relays which are connected to the plugboard as shown in Fig. 4c are designated + Aa, +Ab &c., -Aa &c., +Ba &c., -Ba and so on to -Dd and, when energized through the plug connections, close the contacts shown to the right of them in Fig. 4a and 4b. It will be noted that a counter may be connected to itself, e.g., +Bb, so that if this same connection is made in say two, three, or four successive steps the counter then holds four, eight, or sixteen times its original amount. Relays ... 19, Fig. 4d (not shown) close contacts 1a, 2a . . . 19a, Fig. 4c, in successive cycles (after the cardreading cycle) to bring into action the steps which have been connected up on the plugboard section SII. For this, the relays 1 . . . 19 are connected to the contact studs of a telephone - type stepping switch, Fig. 4d (not shown), of which the stepping magnet is successively energized under the control of a holding circuit which is made during the cardreading and first transmission cycles and persists until relay 44, Fig. 4c. is de-energized at the first step in the plugboard which does not include a plugged connection. At each step, therefore, one or more relays +Aa, +Ab &c. will be energized and will close their associated contacts, Figs. 4a and 4b, to connect the appropriate readout devices ARO, BRO, CRO. DRO in true or complementary connection over lines 54, 46, 47 to the entry magnets 33A, 33B, 33C, 33D of the four counters A . . . D. The read-out devices ARO &c. have, in known manner, two sections of which one is wired directly to the emitter 10 and the other is wired in complementary form as shown between device DRO and emitter 10. When relay 44 becomes de-energized as abovestated it closes contact 44a, Fig. 4d (not shown) which release the stepping switch to zero position. Relay 44 also causes the energization of relay T, Fig. 4c, which closes contacts T1 to connect the plugged-up connections 38D, Figs. 5 and 4a, and 39 of the plugboard section III to the read-out strip of the punch in the usual way. Contacts T14 to T29 are also closed by relay T, Fig. 4a. Contacts T3 open to disconnect the emitter 10 and contacts T4 to T13 close to complete the punch selection circuits. The punch magnets 52 are thereby selectively energized under control of the DRO read-out device. When the stepping switch reaches zero position it completes the circuit of a relay 50, Fig. 4d (not shown), which prepares a circuit later completed under control of punch control contacts to cause resetting of the counters. Various summations and subtractions of the amounts in the four counters may be effected by suitable plugging of the board. For example, to get the result of 2A - 4B + 8C - 16D each counter is plugged to itself in the first step to give 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D on the counters. In the second step this is repeated for counters B, C and D so that the counters then hold 2A, 4B, 4C, 4D. In the third step counter B is transferred to counter A, so that the latter holds 2A - 4B and counters C and D are again connected to themselves to give 8C and 8D and so on.