Patent GB-1011990-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to automatic accounting machines
IPC: G06F3/02
Filed: 1963-04-30
Abstract: 1,011,990. Calculating-apparatus. COMPAGNIE DES MACHINES BULL. April 30, 1963 [June 18, 1962], No. 17029/63. Heading G4B. Data is transferred between a magnetic core store and a mechanical accounting machine through a set of pinions M20 which may be engaged either with a fluted shaft M100 operatively connected with the store, or rack extensions r50 of the differential actuators R50. Data transfer: machine to store.-The position of each pinion M20 is determined in part by a universal bar M80 (Fig. 4) and by a spring M35 (Fig. 6). The pinion M20 is supported on a three-armed lever M33 urged clockwise by the spring M35, and the arm M32 can engage the bar M80. At the beginning of a machine cycle the pinions are in a zero position, as determined by the position of a zero tooth M22, and are engaging the fluted shaft M100. Depression of the operation key energizes electromagnets ED which disengage latches EDa from arms M33, and also an electromagnet C20 which, by unlatching a lever C21 from a sprung lever C15, causes the bar M80 to assume a low position, as shown. The three-armed levers are thus released to their springs and the pinions M20 engage rack extensions r50. At the beginning of the machine cycle the actuators move a distance controlled either by depressed number keys or the accumulator, and the pinions are driven clockwise a corresponding amount. At the end of this registering part of the machine cycle an electromagnet (Fig. 3, not shown) is energized to move universal bar M80 fully upwards so that the latches EDa re-engage the three-armed levers and the pinions M20 engage the fluted shaft M100. Lever C21 then latches lever C15 in an intermediate position. The transfer of data from the pinions to the store now takes place independently of the remainder of the accounting machine. A one-revolution clutch is operated to drive shaft M100 so as to rotate the pinions M20 clockwise. Associated with the shaft is a pulse distributer D10 which, as the shaft rotates, issues pulses D9 to D0 which are converted in a matrix 10 (Fig. 28) into a 2-out-of-5 code of the decimals integers. The first pulse represents the digit 9 and so on. Each pinion rotates until a pin M23 rocks a lever M70 which, through a lever M71, closes contacts CZ. This energizes the corresponding electromagnet ED which releases the threearmed lever to its spring until it abuts the universal bar M80, now in intermediate position. In this position the pinion M20 is locked by a pin M43 on a lever M40 rocked about a shaft M41 by the three-armed lever. The closing of a pair of contacts CZ operates a like-ordered circuit EM (Fig. 28) which sets a flip-flop 59. The coded D pulse issued from the distributer at that time sets an appropriate pair of magnetic cores. The timing is as follows. If there are six orders there are pulses X1 to X6 within each D pulse which select the columns of the store, and within each X pulse are pulses Y1 to Y5 which select rows of the store. The operation ends with resetting of the mechanical elements when shaft M100 has completed its revolution. Data transfer: store to machine.-The value in the store is first set in pinions M20 independently of the machine. The shaft M100 is caused to rotate the pinions M20 and on each D pulse the store is scanned column by column to compare its contents with the coded value of the D pulse. On equality being found the pinions M20 in the corresponding order or orders are disengaged from the shaft and are locked in intermediate position by lever M40. The disengaged pinion will then have rotated a distance representing the complement of the value to be entered. At the end of a revolution of shaft M100 the pinions are re-engaged with the shaft. When it is desired to enter the value in the accumulators, a machine cycle is started. The pinions are swung up to engage the racks and a member M60 is moved clockwise to act as a zero stop. The actuators are released to the first part of the cycle and their positions are controlled by the abutment of teeth M22 with the members M60. The distance moved is that necessary to complete one revolution of the pinions, i.e. it represents the number originally in the store. On the second part of the machine cycle, the actuators are connected with the accumulator in the usual way. In the preferred embodiment of the machine both the three-armed lever and lever M40 are made in two parts to take up the strains involved in locking the pinions. Since the core store is usually a buffer store for a rather slower tape or card reader, it preferred to read only one digit at a time into the pinions and to interrupt read-in after each two digits.