Patent GB-672812-A (GB)
Abstract: 672,812. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Oct. 30, 1950 [Nov. 8, 1949], No. 28669/49. Class 106 (i). A record card controlled statistical machine is provided with a paper feeding mechanism comprising a driving member which during its idle movement is caused to follow the movement of an actuating member having a constant stroke until arrested by an adjustable control stop placed in its path and during the return movement of the actuating member is picked up and driven positively thereby to effect a feed stroke, characterized in that two or more control stops are independently settable from an inactive position to one of a plurality of predetermined active positions each to arrest the driving member during its idle movement at a predetermined position whereby the mechanism may be set to feed paper by a predetermined number of line spaces at each machine operation, the actuating member being normally positioned to co-operate with a selected one of the control stops and locating means being operable to condition the actuating member for co-operation with another control stop only during a machine cycle during which a predetermined function of the machine is being performed. The paper is fed by a rotating platen 1, Figs. 1 and 2 operated by a ratchet mechanism driven by a reciprocating actuating member in the form of a rack 2. Reciprocation of the rack causes oscillation of a driving member 3 the ratchet mechanism being disposed between the wheel 3 and the platen 1. Movement of the rack 2 to the left is idle, and movement to the right drives the platen. At each revolution of the main shaft the sector restoring shaft 8 is rocked counterclockwise and back again, when the shaft 8 rocks the arm 6 carrying roller 5 is moved by the lug 4 on the rack 2 under the influence of a spring 5a until a lug 12 on the actuating member 2 engages one or other of a pair of abutments 13, 14, provided on the item control stop 15 and a total control stop 16, Fig. 2. The control stops are mounted side by side and are mounted so that they may be moved forward or back with respect to the lug 12, sliding on the pins 18, 19 in slots 17 formed in the control stops. Setting is effected by movement of the knobs 25, 31, which are spring loaded into notches numbered 0-6 representing line spacing from 1 to 6 and an inactive position. Since the idle movement of the member 2 to the left is arrested by one of the stops 13 or 14 the position of this stop determines the length of the throw of the driving stroke, and thus the number of line spaces effected by the platen 1 which is driven a corresponding amount. Normally the actuating member 2 is positioned as shown in Fig. 2 so that lug 12 engages abutment 13 on the item control stop 15. During the operation of the machine the lug 12 will co-operate with the abutment 13 during each item or listing cycle, but when a total cycle occurs the actuating member 2 is lowered so that lug 12 is aligned with the abutment 14 on the total control stop 16. This is effected by a rocking movement of total shaft 35 which carries a lever 34 provided with a roller 36 engaging in a slot member is guided on a roller 42 having large flanges 43, Fig. 1, so that the actuating member can swing about the driving member 3, on actuation of the total-shaft 35. To render the paper feed mechanism, not shown, driven by the disc 7, inoperative during item sensing cycles but operative during a total cycle, the item control stop 15 is moved to the cut-out position 0, the total control stop being adjusted to the required line spacing. In this position link 49 rises under the action of a spring 53 to lock the printing hammers, being no longer restrained by the bell-crank 46 the roller 45 of which has entered a dwell 44 on the contour of the setting member 22. When a total taking cycle arives movement of the shaft 35 drives pin 54 against the lug 55 on the link 49 to bring the link into its normal downward position freeing the printing mechanism. Ribbon feed is also prevented during the periods when the print hammers are locked by means of a lug 56 on the end of the link 49 which engages with a shoulder 57 on the disc 7. A further control stop 65 may also be added above the stop 13 Fig. 4, arranged to be operated as the result of the sensing of a predetermined control hole punched in a record card. The setting arrangement is similar to that already descrbed and the control lever is situated behind 25, 31, with the lug 65 turned to bring it into the plane of the lug 12. In order that lug 12 may be positioned by the control stop 65 during the idle travel of the actuating member 2 it is necessary that the latter member should be rocked upwards by the movable lever 34. To this end the locating means for the actuating member includes a pin 75 which extends laterally from the lever 34, the pin being located in a slot 76 formed in the end of a slide 77. Slide 77 is arranged to move to the left under the action of a spring 80 when a trip member 85 is actuated by the sensing of a control hole in the record card, moving the lug 12 into engagement with the control stop 65. On the driving stroke of the actuating member 2 the slide 77 is reset in its former position by a resetting lever 87. Specifications 483,233, [Group XVI], 483,234 and 580,864 are referred to.