Patent GB-414411-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to adding and subtracting machines
Filed: 1933-02-03
Abstract: 414,411. Calculating-apparatus; statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. Feb. 3, 1933, No. 3281. Convention date, Feb. 4, 1932. [Class 106 (i).] In machines having an adding and subtracting totalizer, and a totaltaking mechanism with control means for reading out the amount or the complement of the amount standing on the totalizer, the total-taking mechanism is operable to read out the nines complement or the tens complement in each denomination by the aid of corresponding impulse transmitting connections except the lowest in which denomination the tens complement is read out and a selecting means is provided which normally causes the nines complements to be read out but is controlled to read out the tens complement when the lower denominations register zero. The machine described is similar to that described in Specification 247,200, [Class 106 (i)], and subtraction is effected by the addition of the true complement. The machine is provided with upper and lower sensing brushes associated with card group control mechanism and totalizing-counter magnets respectively. The counter magnets 12, Figs. 1 and 4, control the totalizer pinions 15 through their armatures 20, the armatures being carried on rods 19 co-operating at their upper ends with clutch levers 22 carrying members 24 on a constantly rotating shaft 17 and coacting members 32 on gear wheels 16. At the end of each card cycle the clutch levers 22 are relatched to the armatures by means of a cam in the operating mechanism which is adapted to rock a spindle 47, Fig. 4, carrying an arm 49 articulated to a bar 51 pivoted on arms 52 and provided with adjustable members 54 co-operating with the free ends of the clutch levers. Subtraction is taken care of in all denominations except the units by energizing all the magnets 12 at the beginning of the cycle. The rotation of the counter wheel thus initiated continues until a hole is read whereupon a subtraction magnet 56 opens the clutch connection. Each magnet 56 has an armature 57 connected by a link 61 to the upper end of a pawl 62 pivoted at 63 to a link 64 suspended by arms 65, 67. A tooth 71 on the pawl is adapted to co-operate with a notched shaft 72 moving in synchronism with the totalizer drive shaft 17. When a subtraction magnet is energized the pawl 62 is drawn into the influence of the shaft 72 and is thereby depressed to lower the link 64 and with it an attached slide 77 with an adjustable connection. The slide engages the arm 83 of a bell crank the other arm 84 of which co-operates with the related clutch lever 22 to disengage the clutch member 24 and relatch it to the armature. A spring controlled member 86 pivoted on the supporting arm 67 is provided to knock-off positively the armature 20 of the counter magnet. At the same time a projection 103 on the arm 67 is operative through a spring controlled plunger 102 and rod 96 to carry an overthrow pawl 90 into co-operation with pins 95 on the related totalizer pinion to hold the adjusted pinion in position after the entry of a complement. Reading out mechanism. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, this mechanism includes two sets of commutators 141, 142 provided with segments 143, conductors 149 and brush structures 147, 148. The brush structures are mounted on gear wheels 144 and are reversed in position on adjacent wheels. The commutators 141 are used in reading out the nines complements and the one associated with the wheel of highest denomination is provided with a special nine contact segment 146. The commutators 142 are used to read out the tens complements and each is provided with a special zero contact segment 145. The related segments of the commutators 141, 142 are connected to common conducting bars 151, 152. Circuit arrangements. The commutators are shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8 with the conducting bars 151, 152 connected to devices 165, 166, and 167 emitting timed impulses synchronized with the movement of the usual type bars 719, Fig. 6. Each emitter has a brush structure 168 mounted on the total shaft 155 of the machine ; the brushes in the emitters 165, 166 are timed to make contact with the studs 170 in an inverted manner. The brush in the emitter 167 is advanced one step with respect to that of the emitter 166. In adding operations, a circuit is established, when a lower brush LB encounters a hole from the line 106, the lower brush LB, plug wire, wire 107, contacts 108 and contact blade 109, the counter magnet 12, and a wire 112 to the other line 105. A card with a negative amount, through a special perforation, establishes a circuit during card reading at the upper brushes UB, from the line 105, contacts 113, upper brush, wire to plug socket 115, contacts 116, a relay magnet 117, and wire 118 to the other line 106. When relay magnet 117 is energized contacts 119 are closed and a holding circuit is established through contacts 120. In parallel with the relay magnet 117 is a magnet 122 energized when the contacts 123 are closed at the beginning of each cycle to shift the contact blades 109 and blades 126 in circuit with the printing magnets 14. The shifting of the blades 109 closes contacts 127 to energize the counter magnets 12 at the beginning of the cycle, and the blades 126 close the contacts 128 to direct the timed impulses through the subtraction magnets 56. The units denomination magnet 12 is energized one point before the other magnets in order to add the "fugitive one and complete the complement. This is effected through contacts LCL, a wire 129, wire 130 contacts 131 closed at the "10" position, contacts 132, blade 109, counter magnet 12 to line 105. The higher counter magnets are energized through contacts 134 closed at the " 9 " position. The printing magnets 14 control the latches 718 associated with the arresting pawls 720 of the type bars. In total-taking operations the emitter 165 is effective for positive totals and the emitters 166, 167 for negative totals. The selection is under the control of the highest totalizer wheel. When a positive balance exists a circuit is completed through a wire 180, lever 179, and a wire 182 to the emitter 165 thence through the conductors 151, commutators 141 and contacts 187 to the printing magnets 14. If the highest wheel is standing at " 9 " signifying a negative balance a circuit is completed from the line 106, wire 172, contact 146 at the " 9 " position, segment 146, wire 174, switch 175, and magnets 176, 177 to line 105. By energizing magnet 176 the lever 179 is moved from contact 181 to contact 183 closing a connection from the line 106, to a wire 184 to the emitter 166. The lever 179 serves also to connect the emitter 167 through the wire 186. By energizing magnet 177 devices are conditioned to determine which denominations are to be controlled by the emitter 166 and which by the emitter 167. The magnet 177 attracts an armature 190 and establishes a circuit from the line 106 through contacts 191 closed during a recording cycle, a units magnet 194 and a wire 195 to the line 105. The units contact blade 187 is shifted to connect its commutator to the printing magnet 14. The energization of the magnets 194 associated with the higher denominations depends on the position of the lower wheels and if these stand at zero circuits are established to the tens complement commutator 142 through the zero contacts 145 the circuit being broken at a commutator which registers a significant figure so that the magnets 194 remain unenergized. To prevent the reading out circuits interfering with the listing circuits contacts 210<a>, 210b are provided in the circuits to the printing magnets the same being controlled by a coil energized by contacts controlled by a cam on the total shaft. Modified arrangement. In order to deal with British currency the commutators 141, 142, are replaced by a single set of commutators 141, Fig. 9, in the position occupied by the commutators 142 the other spaces being left blank. Each commutator has an appropriate number of contact studs 143 and segments 149, 149<1>, the studs extending through to both faces of an insulating disc and a special zero stud 145 with zero segments 150 and each face has a set of four pairs of brushes 147, 148 co-operating therewith. The pence commutator has twelve studs 143 and the commutator in the tens of shillings position is replaced by a set of contacts 300<a-d> operated by a cam substituted for the corresponding brushes. The emitters 165, 165<a> are connected up through a set of contacts 301<a>, 302a to the contact studs by bus-bars 151, 151<a>.