Patent GB-371699-A (GB)
Abstract: 371,699. Calculating machines &c. VARREN, A., 18, Burgstrasse, Essen, Germany. July 15, 1931, No. 20272. [Class 106 (i).] Controlling printing of zeros.-The automatic adjustment of the type carriers to bring their zero type to the printing line for printing zeros to the right is controlled by an epicyclic gear so arranged that rotation on its own axis is permitted when adjustment of the type carrier is not required, and is prevented when the carrier is to be moved to zero printing position. The type carriers 11 having the blank or asterisk type between the zero and the significant digits are set by the differential racks 16 through the pinions 15 and normally stand with the asterisk at the printing line adjacent the platen 17. On a shaft 27 are controlling gears 28, one for each denomination and consisting of a series of attached discs toothed and shaped as shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 11. Swung from the shaft 27 by arms 32 is another shaft 31 carrying mutilated pinions 29, Fig. 4, and capable of being moved in each operation from the normal position R, Fig. 5, first to an initial or preparatory position A and then to a final position E. As regards the various discs, disc 39, Fig. 7, possesses an almost complete circle of teeth for rolling engagement by the pinion 29 and for gearing with the type carrier 11 and certain of the teeth are mutilated at 47 to lock with the surface 48 on the type carrier, Fig. 6, when the latter is turned to a numeralprinting position. Disc 42, Fig. 9, is similarly toothed at 45, 47 and has notches and locking surfaces as shown. Disc 43, Fig. 11, also toothed at 45, 47, has teeth 63 for control by the pinion 29 and serves to adjust the next lower type carrier when necessary. Disc 41, Fig. 8, is a distance disc and passes up between adjoining pinions 29. Assuming that a particular type carrier has received no actuation from the rack 16 and that no higher carrier has been actuated, oscillation of shaft 27 from the cam shaft 25 carries the pinion 29 to position A wherein tooth 61, Fig. 5, engages notch 62 and gap 36 locks with surface 59. Upon further movement to position E the pinion 29 freely rolls on the various discs until finally gap 35 engages surface 64 and the gear 28 and carrier 11 are locked. If, however, a carrier has been moved to a number-printing position, when the pinion 29 reaches position A its gap 35 will be engaging surface 64 and its tooth 65 will be free in gap 58, but engaged in notch 63, Fig. 11, of the next lower gear 28 assumed in normal position. Due to the locking engagement at 35, 64 therefore the pinion 29 will be unable to rotate on its shaft when moving to position E and consequently the next lower gear 28 through the engagement at 65, 63 will be dragged counterclockwise and so rotate its type carrier clockwise to position the zero at the printing line. If a number had been set up on this carrier, however, its disc 43 would have been turned clockwise to bring the gap 67 into juxtaposition to the tooth 65 so that the dragging of the higher pinion 39 would have no effect on this particular carrier. After the carriers have been adjusted by the pinions 39 a cam on shaft 25 rocks a sleeve 72 on shaft 27 and thus a number of discs 68, Fig. 10, having bevelled locking projections 73 progressively lengthened from the highest to the lowest denomination. After the pinions 29 reach their final position E the sleeve is rocked to insert the locking projections one after another in the gaps 35, or 36 and thus align the pinions and therefore also the gears 28 and carriers 11. To prevent untoward displacement of the latter during the preliminary rolling of the pinions 29 (R to A) and their return the carriers are locked by an aligning rod 82 controlled by the shaft 25. In the particular arrangement described the three lowest denominations have zero types in place of asterisks or blanks and do not therefore require any gears 28 &c. Consequently an additional tooth 92 may be provided on these carriers to lock with the actuating- mechanism and prevent any reverse rotation during the zero adjusting and printing operations. Similar provision is made for the highest denomination or alternatively a corresponding gear 28 may be provided and be rigidly secured to the framing.