Patent GB-258607-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1926-09-17
Abstract: 258,607. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Bryce, J. W.). Sept. 18, 1925, [Convention date]. Statistical machines.-Means are provided for transmitting the readings of code-cards to reading retaining devices which are connected with a translating device for converting the code readings to the ordinary notation, e.g. for converting Peirce code readings to the digital notation 0 - - 9. The invention, which is described in an electrical machine reading the cards in motion, includes essentially one card-reading element only (e.g. a brush) for each card column. The shaft 16, Figs. 1 and 6, driven from the motor 20, drives through gearing 18, 30, 32, 34, and 36 a shaft 38. Shafts 16, 38, and 40 (carrying gear 32 and contact-cams 42, 44) each make one rotation per card cycle. For each card column the shaft 16 carries a set of four cams 50, each cam having a small cam-piece 52 and a larger cam-piece 54. Coacting with each of the four cams in a set is a projection 64 on a lever 60 pivoted at 62 and raising and lowering a rod 68. Normally a spring 66 raises lever 60 and rod 68, closing contacts 100 and opening contacts 102, Figs. 1 and 6. Linked to each lever 60 is a member 70 carrying the armature 74 of a magnet 76 and having a hook 72 coacting with a fixed lug 96. The magnet 76 is a double one and coacts with all four levers 70 for one set of cams 50. As will be seen from Fig. 1, the campieces 52 lower their links 70 in succession and if the magnet 76 is energized during one or more of these lowerings, one or more armatures 74 are attracted and the link or links 70 held down by hooks 72 and lugs 96. The code used is shown in Fig. 2. Each card column is read by a single brush 82 and the four index points thereon are read in succession by the brush synchronously with the passage of the corresponding cam-pieces 52 past their coacting projections 64. Hence one or more links 70 are locked down corresponding to the perforations in each card column. The above devices 50, 60, 70, &c. may be termed reading-retaining devices to which the card-reading is transmitted. At the end of the card cycle the parts are returned by the springs 66, 78. When a hole is detected by a brush 82 the circuit for the magnet 76 is through main switch 86-88-46-90-82-84.92-76-94- 95-86. Each energization of a magnet 76 will, of course, tend to draw all four links 70 to the right but only the unlocked link will be so drawn which is at the moment lowered by its coacting cam-piece 52 so that its hook 72 is clear of the projection 96. Each looked-down link 70 will have closed its corresponding contacts 102 and allowed contacts 100 to open. In Fig. 6 the lefthand reading-retaining device has thus closed contacts 102 for the B and C positions in the code, corresponding to the numeral 8. At the appropriate time in the card cycle the cam-pieces 54 release all locked-down links 70. Carried on an insulating plate 106 and insulated from each other are eight arcuate and irregularly shaped conducting strips 108 co-operating with four brushes A, B, C, D, Figs. 1 and 6. These brushes are carried by plates 112 and 114 on an insulating arm 110 fixed to the shaft 38 so that the brushes A and B are connected electrically and the brushes C and D are connected electrically. These strips 108 are so shaped that, according to the contacts 102 which have been closed by the reading- retaining device, the brushes A, B, C, D complete the circuit of a magnet 136 at the correct time in the card cycle, this magnet actuating a clutch to couple a counter wheel to its driving shaft at the correct differential time in the cycle as in the usual case of the Hollerith counter. For this the brushes A, B, C, D move over the strips 108 so as to reach the " 9 " positions first and the " O " positions last. To take a particular example, the left-hand reading- retaining device, Fig. 6, has re-acted to the number 8, closing contacts 102 in the B and C positions. When the arm 110 reaches the " 8 '' position as shown in the lower part of Fig. 6, a circuit is closed through the magnet 136 as follows : 120-122-100 (D position)-124-second strip 108 from the right-D brush-C brush-third strip 108-126-102 (C position)-102 (B position)- 128-fifth strip 108-B brush-A brush-eighth strip 108-130-100 (A position)-132-134-136-95. Magnet 136 throws in the appropriate clutch 140 and the correct counter wheel adds eight units. Specification 270,305 is referred to. In the Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) the above circuit could be more readily traced from Fig. 7 (Cancelled), assuming 102 (B and C positions) closed, the strips 108 being shown straight for clarity. Also, in a modification, the strips 108 were replaced by a straight strip and four rows of inset studs equivalent to the shaded parts of Fig. 7 (Cancelled) and the contacts 102 are dispensed with. In a further modification, four irregular strips 108 are used together with five straight strips, the contacts 102 are omitted and the four brushes A, B, C, D are entirely independent of one another electrically. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.