Patent GB-253569-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to cash-registers and like accounting machines
IPC: G06C11/08
Filed: 1925-02-17
Abstract: 253,569. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Tabulating Machine Co.). Feb. 17,1925. Cash registers; printing and perforating machines.-The transaction item is recorded not only by printing but also by punching an audit card of the usual statistical variety (see Fig. 2), so that this may subsequently be utilized in a machine for compiling the statistics automatically. In the machine described the various details of the transaction are printed on a voucher-strip and on the audit card as well as being punched, to code, in the latter. Keyboard. This consists of two key-banks 35, Fig. 1, for characterizing the salesman, three banks 36 for quantities sold, a bank 37 for units of measurement such as yards or dozens, a bank 38 for recording the name of the goods, amount banks 39, transaction keys 40, 41, 42, and an error key 43. The keys are held depressed by bails 47, Fig. 12, subsequently rocked to release the keys by means of a toothed bar 49 and lever 50 oscillatable also by the error key. Differential-mechanism. All the banks, except the commodities bank 38, control the differential endwise displacement of slide-plates 60, Fig. 11, cut away as at 72, 73 for co-operation with pins on the key-stems. Each plate is freed for this movement by the disengagement from a slot 64 of a zero trip pawl 65, Fig. 12, secured to a shaft 66 on which is mounted a bail 67 rocked by the descent of a pin 68 on any key in the bank. Printing-arrangements. The differential movements are conveyed by arms 76, shafts 77, and arms 78, Fig. 8. to slide-bars 88 pin-and-slot connected to pivoted sectors 89 carrying type 91 to print upon a strip, wound from a spool 100 by hand-rotated feed rollers 101, 102, and passing beneath a writing aperture 45 to an exit from the casing. The sectors 89 are linked at 108 to other sectors 110 for printing upon the audit card, and also to punchselecting plates 113. Hammer-impression arrangements. The impression-mechanisms for the two sets of type-carriers are substantially the same. In the case of the stripprinting, the impression hammers 117, Fig. 8, pivoted at 118 are freed during the cycle by movement of a bail 121 but are temporarily held by bellcranks 126 obstructing pins 125 on the hammers. Later in the cycle these bell-cranks are rocked to allow the hammers to strike. Controlling printing of zeros. The type-sectors always move one step in order to bring the zero type to the printing line, and this, by removal of a pin 355, permits slight counterclockwise rotation of lever 351, and therefore, by means of an abutting lug 356, of a bell-crank 350 to obstruct pin. 125 on the hammer and so prevent the printing of a nought. If, however, the sector is moved to print a significant digit, the consequent greater displacement of lever 351 carries the bell-crank 350 beyond the path of the pin 125, and causes, through overlapping lugs 357, similar displacement of all bell-cranks 350 to the right to allow movement of the corresponding hammers to print the zeros. Type-sectors, permanent setting. The machine prints on the voucher-strip and record-card and punches on the latter the number of the machine and the date. These are set up on type-sectors 261, Fig. 14, and on the punch selectors under the control of pawls 263 adapted to be rocked counterclockwise by pins 267 on slidable bars 268 and to engage steps 264 accordingly when the sectors are allowed by yoke 94 to take up their setting. The pawls may also move bodily in order to vary their setting effect, and for this purpose they are pivotally mounted on sectors 282 pivoted at 90 and having stepped slots 281 to co-operate with pins on the bars so that, in addition to variously engaging the sectors 261, the pawls may also have movement downward to an extent limited by the pins and slots 281. The bars are controlled in position by comb-like bars 274 adjustable vertically by hand to select which of the pin bars 268 shall move to the left under the action of springs 275. An universal flap 269 is first rocked by manipulation of a finger lever to force all the pin-bars to the right and the date and machine number comb-bars 274 are adjusted in accordance with a scale marked on each. The flap is then released and the pin bars take up their positions and so determine the action of the pawls 263 upon the type-sectors. Consecutive number, printing. Type sectors for this purpose are set at each operation by means of intermediate pinions 287, Fig. 10, carried by arms 300 rocked to engage the pinions alternately with a counter 288 and the typesectors. The counter is actuated in each cycle by means of pawls 289 and a crank arm 292 on a shaft 55 rocked by a cam on the main shaft. After the actuation the pinions 287 are swung over to gear with the sectors so that these are controlled in their setting movement by the pinions, the resulting reversals of which are limited by one-way pawls. After the sectors have been returned to normal and the consecutive number thus replaced on the pinions 287 the arms 300 are rocked back to re-engage the pinions with the counter wheels. Audit cards, transporting. The cards stored in a compartment 33, Figs. 1 and 8, are fed one at a time to the die plates to be punched and are then conveyed to a receptacle 34. At the commencement of an operation a picker, reciprocated from the main shaft 32 by link cam and lever mechanism, draws a card downwardly to be received by pairs of clips 167, 200, Fig. 15. carried by slides 164 mounted for vertical reciprocation on rods 165. Clip 167 pivoted at 168 is limited in counterclockwise movement by a stop 202 and is connected by a spring 197 with one arm 196 of the clip 200 also pivoted at 168. Another arm 169 of this clip has a roller to cooperate with a cam 170, Fig. 8, pivoted at 203 and tending to rock to the right but normally prevented by a trip 204. When the card is in position in the clips this trip is actuated to release the cam so that the clips can close upon the card. The slides then descend and bring the card into punching position between the plates 138, 140, Fig. 9, upon which a fixed pin is engaged by an extension 224, Fig. 15, of a shouldered latch 194, causing this to rock clockwise and release the arm 192 so that, under the pull of spring 193, the clips also move clockwise into a plane in rear of the card. At the next operation of the machine the slides rise and the clips are restored to receptive condition by the cam 170 returned to operative position by means of a bell-crank 246 and connections 247, 248, Fig. 8. After the card has been punched it is seized by clips 189, Fig. 11, mounted on a carriage 181 reciprocated on rods 182, and is thus shifted endwise to be stripped off at 34. The pairs of clips 189 are controlled by a pivoted cam. the arrangement and action being similar to those already described. Punching-mechanism. When the card has arrived between the plates 138, 140 a toggle mechanism 142, Fig. 8, is operated to move the plates and card to the right so that any punches 115 backed by plungers 114, prevented by the selecting-plates 113 from retiring, are caused to punch the card.