Patent GB-648444-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to means for controlling the printing mechanism of calculating or statistical machines
Inventor: JONES CHARLES THOMAS ARTHUR
IPC: G06C19/04
Filed: 1948-12-13
Abstract: 648,444. Statistical apparatus. POWERS-SAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Dec. 13, 1948, No. 32218. [Class 106 (i)] [Also in Group XVI] Apparatus for controlling printing in statistical machines comprises an impression hammer locking-slide for each type carrier, a number of control devices each associated with a different machine operation and each tending, when moved, to effect movement of all the locking slides, and manually - operable means independently settable in respect of a predetermined group of locking-slides to render movement of any one or more of the control devices ineffective in respect of that particular group of locking slides. As shown, the invention is applied to a record card controlled tabulating machine of the form described in Specification 461,612 wherein a pivoted, spring- urged hammer I for each type sector 5 is normally held by a latch 105 and is adapted when released to strike a type face 4. A bail 116, rocked clockwise by the sector restoring shaft 38, normally passes over the free end of a link 121 pivoted to the latch 105, but if any control sector 114 has been moved from rest to register a number or letter, the nose of the sector slides over an arm 111 of a pivoted two-armed lever 111, 112, whereby the arm 112 raises the corresponding link 121. The bail 116 can then, when rocked clockwise engage and move the link 121, and the corresponding latch 105 is removed from the hammer 1. Control of impression hammers. The impression hammers 1 are controlled by automatically-operated means which block the path of a released hammer to prevent it striking a type 4, by manually-settable means which controls this automatic means, by a further manually-settable means which controls the printing of zeros and enables two or more amounts to be printed in one line, and by an automatic means which modifies the action of the first manually-settable means. Each hammer 1 is provided with a locking-slide 2 which can be urged outwardly against the action of a spring 3 to prevent a hammer, which has been released by its latch 105, from striking a type face 4. Each slide 2 has pivoted thereto three operating members 8, 9, 10 supported, respectively, on three bars 18, 19, 20, carried by strips depending from manually-settable bellcranks 22. Each member 8, 9, 10 has a tooth 23 adapted to be engaged, respectively, by a control member 24, 25, 26, when the members 8, 9, 10 are raised by operating the bell-cranks 22, whereby the slide 2 is moved into hammerimpeding position. Several locking-slides are arranged together in units whereby all the members 8 or 9, or 10 of a unit can be raised simultaneously on operation of the appropriate bell-crank 22. The control members 24, 25, 26 are associated, respectively, with the sensing of a record card by the machine, the taking of a sub-total, and the taking of a grand total. The actuation of the control members 24, 25, 26 is effected by a single bar 32 which is actuated against the action of a spring, once during each machine cycle by a cam 37 and rocker 35, to engage either of three pins 50, 42, 66 on lever systems which are adapted to rock the control members. As shown, the pin 42 will be engaged by the bar face 40 to actuate the item control member 24 ; when the bar 32 is raised by a lever system 51, 55, which is rocked by the grand total backing shaft 52, the pin 50 will be engaged by the bar face 39 to actuate the control member 25 ; and when the bar 32 is lowered by the rocking of the subtotal taking shaft 64 on which is an arm 63 supporting the bar 32, the pin 66 will be engaged by the bar face 41 to actuate the control member 26. The manually-settable means operated by the bell-cranks 22 can be varied by automatic means comprising a vertically reciprocable link 79 (not shown) operated from a sensing pin, which engages a perforation in a predetermined position in a record card, through a Bowden wire &c. means, whereby a notch in the link can engage the nose of a pivoted lever to raise the operating member 8 to render it effective if it has bee manually conditioned to be ineffective. A manually-settable bell-crank lever 22c (not shown), is arranged to render the link 79 inoperative. Each locking-slide 2 can be independently latched in the extended or hammer-impeding position by a latch 92 having a cam face 93 adapted to engage a projection 94 on the slide. The hammers 1 can also be manually conditioned to control the printing of zeros by means comprising a lever 95 for each hammer, pivoted at 96, and slotted for engagement by a pin 99 extending laterally from a latch coupling 102. The coupling is pivoted to a tail 104 on the hammer latch 105 and is normally in alignment with a pin 106 on the latch to the left thereof. If a latch 105 is operated on the left of a latch having its coupling 102 raised by raising a lever 95, the pin 106 on the first latch will not engage the coupling on the second latch, and therefore none of the latches to the right of the first latch so operated will be operated to print zeros unless one or more such latches to the right is independently selected for operation by its lever 95. By manipulating the levers 95, printing and control units can be split up into groups, and in each unit two or more amounts can be printed in a line. When sterling amounts are to be printed, zeros are suppressed in the tens of shillings column, and the coupling 102 for the units of shillings column is arranged for operation either by the latch 105 for the tens of shillings column or by the latch 105 for the units of pounds column. As described, the latch for the units of shillings supports two couplings, and the latch 105a, Fig. 7 (not shown), for the tens of shillings column has no coupling. The arrangement is such that, if the units of shillings latch is not selected to print a significant figure, it will, on operation of the bail 116, be released to print a zero if any of the latches to the left thereof, in the same group, is released. Specification 491,381 also is referred to.