Patent GB-191223304-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Calculating Machines.
Inventor: KNECHT BENNO
Filed: 1912-10-11
Granted: 1913-10-13
Abstract: 23,304. Knecht, B. Oct. 14, 1911, [Convention date]. Multiplying and dividing apparatus; transfer mechanism; zeroizing-mechanism.-In apparatus provided with two laterally-movable counting- mechanisms, the whole apparatus is pivotally mounted on trunnions 3 in a frame 5, 6, Fig. 3, and can be adjusted in position by a pin 7 and perforations 8 in the pivoted frame 1. (1) A single series of manually-operated setting-slides is adapted to position pairs of adjustable receiving - wheels, one wheel of each pair co-operating with one counter, while the other co-operates with the second counter; (2) the actuating-racks are mounted on a carriage which is raised by a cam to enable them to engage the adjustable receiving-wheels, and are reciprocated at speeds respectively proportional to the values to be transmitted to the receiving-wheels; all these movements being due to the normal movement of a single operating- handle; (3) the counters are mounted on laterally-movable slides, which are not pivoted, and can be moved in the usual way to enable multiplication to be performed by successive multiples of 10; (4) various locking and detent mechanisms are provided. (5) Transfer and (6) zeroizing means are also described, together with means for (7) erasing and setting, (8) reversing for subtraction &c., (9) indicating the multiplier or quotient, and (10) sounding an alarm when the capacity of the machine has been exceeded. (1) Setting-mechanism. The slides 17, Fig. 1, are connected to a carrier 19, and position pairs of adjustable receiving-wheels 107, 108, Fig. 4, in relation to the racks 115, the wheels 107 actuating the shafts 96 co-operating with the lower counter 11, and the wheels 108 driving the denominational actuating-shafts 95 of the upper counter 10. (2) Engagement of actuating-racks and receiving-wheels &c. The actuating-racks 115 are mounted on a carriage 116, Fig. 36, which is given a limited longitudinal movement by means of rotating cams 122, while the racks carried thereby are independently reciprocated by a series of crank-pins or eccentrics 123, Fig. 37, of progressively increasing throws, connecting the cams 122. The movement of the carriage 116 and the co-operation of rollers 120 and inclined slots 119 raise the carriage to engage the racks with the receiving-wheels at the commencement of the operation; the movement of the crank-pins is transmitted to the racks by means of straps 124 and connecting- rods 125. (3) Laterally-movable carriages. The shafts 95, 96 actuate the counters respectively through reversing - mechanism 91, 92, 93, Fig. 4, controlled by levers 99, 100, Fig. 1, (see also (8) below), and toothed wheels 90 connected to the bevel-wheels 91, Fig. 7. The wheels 90 engage with the transmitting-wheels 53 of the laterallymovable carriages 10, 11; those wheels 53, cooperating with the wheels 44 of the productindicating drums to which there are corresponding quotient-indicating drums 57, being mounted eccentrically on pins 61, Figs. 29 to 31, so that a carriage can be moved laterally without causing the wheels of the quotient - indicating drums to strike the wheels 90; consequently no rocking movement, to disengage the wheels 53 and 90 before the carriages are shifted laterally, is necessary. (4) Locking - means and detent mechanism. Locking-means are provided as follows: (a) detents 104, 105, Fig. 5, for the reversing-levers; (b) a. lever 77 adapted to engage in the notched slides 85, 86 for the movable carriages or figure-rules; (c) the lever 77 is moreover adapted to rock a lever 80, Fig. 14, and effects the locking of the wheels 90 which engage with the transmitting-wheels 53 of the counter; and (d) spring pawls 21 and racks 22 for the setting- slides, Fig. 9. (e) The detents for the numeraldrums of the product and quotient indicators comprise spring arms 52 engaging with internal teeth on the recessed drums, Fig. 17. (5) Transfer mechanism. This is of the independently - operated type and comprises setting - arms 45, Fig. 43, attached to the numeral-drums and adapted to throw the threearmed levers 156 into position so as to cause the cam-shaped heads of any one or more of the arms 150 to rotate in the plane of the transfer levers 167, each of which carries a pair of pins 169, 170. The pivoted arms 150 are set progressively at angles to the adjacent arms, in slots in shafts or studs 147, as shown in Fig. 45, to allow the transfer movements to take place successively, and these shafts are all rotated at every operation of the machine by a rack 145 and pinions 146, the rack being driven by a pin-and-slot connexion, which allows relative vertical movement, from the rack 115 having the greatest longitudinal movement. During this rotation, such arms 150 as have been thrust into the plane of the transfer levers 167 rock the locking-levers 174 so as to disengage them from pins 172 on the levers, and displace the levers 167 to the right, as shown in Fig. 45, the pin 169 thereupon turning the wheels 111, 112, see also Fig. 4, and shafts 95, 96 an additional step. Overthrow of the transfer levers 167 is prevented by stoppins 180, Fig. 48. The three-armed levers 156 are re-set by projections 183 on a shaft 182, Fig. 43, rotated bv pins 186 on the cams 122, Fig. 36, through levers 188, Fig. 53, the two positions of the levers 156 being determined by the co-operation of the arm 160 with the camprojection on the spring-arm 163. The transfer and locking levers 167, 174 share the vertical movement of the rack-carriage 116 and are re-set when the next engagement of the racks with the adjustable receiving-wheels takes place, by the co-operation of fixed pins 179 with the curved edges 178 of the transfer levers, Fig. 48. This vertical movement of the transfer levers causes the wheels 111, 112 and shafts 95, 96 to be locked by the pins 170 when the actuating-racks are out of engagement with the adjustable receiving-wheels, but allows the shafts to be turned freely when the racks are engaged. (6) Zeroizing-mechanism. This, for each of the two counters, comprises a spindle 68, Fig. 14, which can be turned by a handle 71 and is adapted to move pairs of arms into engagement with heart-cams 46, Fig. 21, 60, Fig. 25, attached to the numeral-drums of the product and quotient indicators and counters, respectively. The extremities of the arms are shaped to fit the curve 48, Fig. 21, of the cams to determine the zero position. The zeroizing-spindle is locked by means 74, 75, 76, Fig. 14, comprising a spring-controlled longitudinally movable pin adapted to engage an eye in an arm attached to the spindle. (7) Error-keys and the like. The setting of the manually-operated slides 17 is shown at apertures 31, Fig. 1, by numeral-drums 30, Fig. 9. The setting can be erased by turning a shaft 29, by means of a handle 34, Fig. 1, pins 33 thereon being thereby brought into engagement with pins 32 on pulleys 25. These pulleys have pins on their peripheries, and with the pulleys 24, support the perforated steel bands 35 connected to the setting-slides. (8) Reversing for subtraction &c. Reversing- levers 99, 100, Fig. 1, for the two counters are provided and are adapted to move the pairs of bevel-wheels 92, 93, Fig. 4, through forked connexions 103, to enable either wheel to engage with the bevel-wheels 91. (9) Multiplier and quotient indicating means. The multiplier or quotient is indicated by means of a toothed eccentric 134, 135, Figs. 4 and 51, adjacent to the bevel-wheel 133 driven from the main operating-lever, and prevented from rotating by a slotted extension 136 and a fixed pin 137. The tooth 135 actuates at each rotation of the main spindle one of the receiving-wheels 58 attached to the quotient-indicating drums 57. (10) Exceeding capacity of machine. The three-armed lever 156 corresponding to the numeral-drums of the highest denomination, instead of co-operating with the usual transfer arms 150, is provided with a hammer 189, Fig. 4, to strike a gong 190 when the capacity of the machine is exceeded.