Patent GB-686178-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to calculating machines
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1949-10-12
Abstract: 686,178. Digital electric calculating-apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., and KEEN, H. H. Sept. 20, 1950 [Oct. 12, 1949], No. 26193/49. Class 106 (i). Apparatus for converting an amount in pounds, shillings, and pence into pence has means for entering part of the amount on one accumulator and part on a second accumulator, and means for transmitting multiples of the amount registered on the first accumulator or parts thereof into the second accumulator. The apparatus is for use in a multiplying or dividing machine, such as is described in Specification 532,109, the number of pence obtained serving as the multiplicand or dividend, and the product or quotient being re-converted into pounds, shillings and pence. The conversion takes place in three cycles. During the first cycle, the amount represented in the multiplicand field of a record card is sensed by electric contact means. The pence sensing brush 3 is connected through normally closed contacts of relays R3, R2 and carry contacts C1 to the units clutch magnet R4A of the second (multiplicand) accumulator. A pence amount up to 9d. is thus entered into the accumulator in known manner. 10d. and 11d. are represented by perforations in the X and Y positions of the card and use is made of carry magnets R6 and R6 and R5 energized through the perforations and cam-operated contacts C2 and Cl to enter such amounts into the units and tens orders of the accumulator. The units and tens of shillings brushes 3 are connected to the tens and hundreds clutch magnets R4B, R4C so that ten times the number of shillings is added into the second accumulator. The latter brushes are also connected to the units and tens clutch magnets R1A, R1B of the first or conversion accumulator so that the number of shillings is simultaneously entered therein. The units and tens of pounds brushes 3 are connected to the hundreds and thousands orders of the first accumulator. During the second conversion cycle, twice the amount in the first accumulator is entered into the second accumulator, thus completing the conversion of shillings to pence and effectively multiplying the pounds amount by 200. For this purpose, each order of the first accumulator is associated with two commutators C, D, the segments of which are connected to an emitter E of timed pulses and in a doubling network to enable twice the value registered to be read out. The resultant timed pulses are passed from the common segments of the commutators and through the operated contacts of the relay R3 to the clutch magnets of the second accumulator. The relay R3 is energized through the contacts R7a of a relay R7 operated under cam control. During the final cycle, the conversion is completed by the addition into the second accumulator of forty times the pounds amount. A relay R8 operated under cam control completes a circuit through its contacts R8a to the relay R2, the operated contacts of which connect the clutch magnets of the tens and higher orders of the second accumulator to the common segments of commutators A and B associated with the hundreds and higher orders of the first accumulator. The multiplication by four is carried out by a circuit network connecting the other segments of the commutators to the emitter E. If desired, the original sterling amount may be read into a sterling accumulator and later read into the first (uniform) accumulator as described above.