Patent GB-519452-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to multiplying machines
IPC: G06K19/00
Filed: 1938-09-23
Abstract: 519,452 Calculating - apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Sept. 23, 1938, No. 27842. Convention date, Sept. 24, 1937. [Class 106 (i)]  A multiplying machine comprises a multiplier registe: and a multiplicand registe: settable in accordance with the binary system of numera tion, a binary accumulator, a column shift device for trans mitting the entries from the multiplicand register into the accumulator and a contro means for effecting the trans mission under the control of the multiplier register. The invention is shown applied to a record controlled machine in which the factors are read from a card on which they are recorded in the binary section. The record card as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with three fields for the multiplier, multiplicand, and product the various factors being arranged in horizontal rows while the columns are allocated to the various power of 2.  Card handling and punching section.. The record cards C are placed in a hopper 10, Fig. 1, and fed singly by a picker 11 to upper and lower feed rollers 23. The picker 11 is reciprocated by a linkage that is operated by a cam 17 secured to a feed shaft F when a one revolution clutch, controlled by a feed magnet 19, is coupled to the main constantly rotating shaft 12. The feed rollers 23' are also geared to the shaft F. For each revolution of the shaft F a card will be advanced to the position where the " 9 " index line is about to pass the reading brushes 25. During the second cycle the card is advanced to the punching station. The punching mechanism comprises a plurality of rows of punches 27 spaced in accordance with the index lines of the card. When a punch clutch magnet 38 is energized a shaft P is coupled to the main shaft 12 to drive a cam 36 which by means of a follower arm 40 operates a linkage to raise a bail 43 on an arm secured to a shaft 42. Sliders 44 follow the movement of the bail 43 under the action of their springs 45 until arrested by pawls 48 engaging notches 47 in the sliders by the energization of the punch magnets 49. Each slider 44 carries an interposer 46 and after these have been positioned a plate 51 is reciprocated by a linkage operated by a cam 54 on the shaft P to displace selected punches 27 and force them through the record card.  Column shift mechanism. The main shaft 12 is geared to a pinion 55 loose on a shaft M which through a one revolution clutch controlled by a magnet 61, is adapted to make a complete revolution during multiplying operations. The shaft M carries a pair of commutator brushes 62, Fig. 13, that co-operate with contact segments M2 and a conducting ring 64 ; it also carries pairs of brushes 65. Fig. 14, that co-operate with contact segments M3 and conducting rings 66 on a plurality of disks. Reading and punching line selectors. The shafts P and F carry commutators 67 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Each commutator comprises an outer conducting ring 68 and a series of contact segments F1 co-operating with wipers 69, 70 respectively. On the face of the commutator in line with the contacts F1 is a set of slides 71 each carrying a conductor 72 which when pulled out to the dotted position, Fig. 9, can make electrical contact between the segment F1 and ring 68. The slides 71 correspond to the index line positions on the card. Accumulator mechanism. A binary accumulator as shown in Fig. 6, comprises a number of stepping relays with denominational carry mechanism. Each denomination is provided with a ratchet wheel 80 integral with a cam 81 and transfer wheel 82. The ratchet wheel is actuated by a pawl 85 on the energization of an adding magnet 83. The step-by-step movement of the cam 81 closes and opens a pair of contacts 86 alternately and every second step of the transfer wheel 82 closes contacts 87 to energize a carry magnet 88 to transfer a unit through a pawl 91 to the next higher denomination. Resetting to zero of the accumulator is effected by the energization of a reset magnet 92 which operates a series of pawls 96 that co-operate with the transfer wheels 82. Circuit diagram. Referring to Fig. 5 the multiplier field MP and multiplicand field MC are read by the brushes 25 that are plug connected to electromagnets 109, 110. If the factors in the eighth line, Fig. 2, are to be read the "8 " slide 71 in .the commutators 67 on the shafts F and P are set. Depression of the start key closes contacts 106 and the feed clutch magnet 19 advances the first card to close lever contacts 32. During this cycle a cam on the shaft F closes contacts F3 to energize multiplying clutch magnet 61 to rotate the shaft M. Near the end of the rotation a cam on the shaft M closes contacts to energize the punch clutch magnet 38. The multiplying and punch mechanism is idle during this cycle since no effective entry has been made Near the end of the rotation of the punch shaft P a cam thereon closes contacts P3 to energize feed magnet 19 again to advance the card past the reading brushes 25. When the " 8 " index line passes a circuit will be completed from the positive line 108 through the commutator 67, the contact rail 26, brushes 25 and magnets 109, 110 to the negative line 107. The magnets 109 110 close contacts 109a, 110a and energize holding relays 112, 113 when a circuit is completed through cam contacts M1, to close contacts 109b, 110b which take a setting corresponding to the arrangement of perforations representing the factors. Near the end of this second cycle the magnet 61 is again energized to initiate the multiplying cycle. During this cycle the brushes 62 and 65 successively traverse the segments M2 and M3. The brushes 62 are timed to complete the circuit before the brushes 65 make corresponding contact. If the first contact 109b is closed a control relay 115 is energized which closes its contacts 115a to connect the contacts 110b to the negative line 107 so that when the brushes 65 contact with the segments M3 a circuit will be communicated to the accumulator magnets 83. Transfer operations take place between successive contacts of the brushes 62 the contacts 87 energizing carry magnets 88. Near the end of the multiplying cycle the contacts M1 open and contacts M4 close to energize punch magnet 38. During the rotation of the shaft P the commutator 67 closes a circuit through the closed read out contacts 86 and punch selecting magnets 49. Near the end of the cycle cam contacts P2 close to energize reset magnet 92. At the same time contacts P2a open to prevent tranfer during resetting. In a modified form of machine the card has the factors disposed one above the other as shown in Fig. 10. and the plug connections to the register magnets MP, MC are controlled by contacts 200, 201, Fig. 11, adjustable by means of a cam 202 on the shaft F. As the factors are arranged on the third and sixth index lines the corresponding slides 71 of the commutator 67 are adjusted.