Patent GB-435462-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card controlled calculating machines
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1934-03-22
Abstract: 435,462. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. March 22, 1934,No.8995. Convention date, March 23,1933. [Class 106 (i)] A record-card-controlled statistical machine in which a calculation is made with an amount read off a card and the result recorded (e.g. punched) on the same card, is provided with mechanism which automatically compares a control number, set up in a control number register, with a control number on each card, whereby if disagreement in respect of any card is detected, the recording mechanism is automatically prevented from acting upon that card. Preferably, the control number is a group designation number, the cards being grouped so that the first card of the group carries a multiplier which is common to multiplicands carried on the remaining cards of the group : or the common multiplier itself may serve as the control number. An incorrect card in a group is sorted out by deflector 128. All correct cards are serially stamped by a stamp 120 and counted upon a units counter (magnet 232 SR). The invention is applied to a multiplying machine of the kind set out in Specifications 358,105 and 405,031. There are a multiplicand register, a multiplier register, and a left-hand partialproduct counter driven as in Specification 405,031 and resettable by magnets 254 MC, 254 MP, and 254 LH respectively, Fig. 4. A right-hand partial product counter is reset by a magnet not shown. The serial cardcounting register (232 SR) and control number register (232 CN) are resettable by magnets 254 SR and 254 CN. The above six counters are constituted by conventional Hollerith counters. A card-feed shaft which rotates one revolution during two machine cycles, drives feed-rollers 74 during the first half of a card-feed cycle and drives feed-rollers 78, 78b, 78c during the whole of a card-feed cycle. The same shaft drives the picker 81. A card is read by first brushes 83 in the first card cycle and by second brushes 84 in the next cycle. If the card is a correct one it is thereafter arrested by stop 117 and the product is recorded by columns of punches 94 having interposer bars 96 controlled by punch-selector magnets 113, Fig. 4. The card is then fed to box 80. If a card is misplaced, a magnet 129, Figs. 2 and 4, is energized to raise the deflector 128 to sort the card into box 127 before it reaches the punches 94. The first card of a group is not rejected as a misplaced card and since this card only carries the multiplier it is not serially stamped or numbered. Sockets 226 of brushes 83 reading the multiplier field are connected to sockets 227 and socket 228 is connected to socket 229. Sockets 230 of brushes 84 reading the multiplier field are connected to sockets 231 of the multiplier register (232 MP). Sockets 230 of brushes 84 reading the multiplicand field are connected to sockets 233 of the multiplicand register (232 MC). Brushes 84 reading the control number are connected to sockets 234 associated with triple contacts G3-10. The normally-open contacts G3-10 are connected through sockets 235 to the magnets 232 CN of the control number register and the normally-closed contacts are connected through sockets 236 to coils 237 of the comparing mechanism which is wired through sockets 238, 239 of the control-number register reading- out mechanism CNRO. As long as cards are passing the card-levers contacts 85, 86 magnet A is energised and by closing its contacts A2, keeps the card-feed clutch 70 energized. When the multiplier field of the first card is read by brushes 83, a circuit 222, B2, 134, a brush 83a always in contact with roll 75, 83, 226, 227, E, 228, 229, FC-2, L-2 is formed to energize magnet E, which in turn causes energisation of coils F and G, the latter shifting contacts G3-10 from the position shown. During the third card-cycle the second card, now at brushes 83, has no multiplier, and coil E is de-energized. Also during this cycle the first card, now at brushes 84, completes circuits 222, C-2, FC-8, 134a, a brush 84a always in contact with roll 76, 84 reading the control number, 234, G3-10, 235, and counter-magnets 232 CN to set up the control number. A circuit also extends from sockets 230 to sockets 231 to set up the multiplier on magnets 232 MP. The normally closed contacts G-2 are open at this moment so there is no entry in the multiplicand register. During this third cycle, coil G de-energizes and coil H energizes to close its contacts H4 so that magnet 254 LH resets the left-hand partial product counter. A clutch which causes this resetting, also closes contacts 140, to energize a magnet M to establish the circuits for multiplying. Specification 418,993 is referred to for this multiplying operation, and the result is punched in the card. No multiplicand has yet been entered however, but the product zero is not punched on the first card since relay H has opened contacts H-2 in the circuits of the punch selector magnets 113. During the next cycle, coil G is de-energized and normally open contacts G2 prevent the entry of a multiplier. The multiplicand, however, is entered on magnets 232 MC. Contact G3-10 being in the position shown, the brushes 84 are connected through sockets 234 and coils 237 to the reading-out mechanism CNRO of the control number register. For each denomination of the control number a brush 164 is geared to the counter wheel so as to stand on a segment 163 corresponding to the digit read. If the control numbers read off this card agree with the previous control number set up by magnets 232 CN on the device CNRO off the first card, holes are read by brushes 84 at the instant that circuits are completed by emitter 135 and all relays 237 are energized. Each relay 237 forms part of a double-wound relay having a holding coil 244, holding contacts 243 and control contacts 245 in series. If all the relays 237 are thus energized, all contacts 245 close and relay J is energized. Unwanted control columns may be cut out by placing plug 246 in an appropriate socket 247. Relay J closes (1) contacts J-2 for the card-counter magnet 232 SR, (2) contacts J-3 for the magnet 122 operating the serial number stamp stamp 120, Fig. 2, (3) contacts J-5 for the magnet 254 LH which initiates multiplying and punching. Sockets 240 and 241 being connected, this punching is effected by emitter 136, reading out device LHRO which holds the final product and punch magnets 113. Other sockets 242 and 241 being connected the serial number is punched by emitter 136, serial-number rcading-out device SRRO and magnets 113. As the first card was fed to the punching mechanism the deflector blade 128 was prevented from sorting it out, since contacts H3, in circuit with the sorting magnet 129, were opened by the magnet H. The second card is not deflected since contacts J-4 are opened by coil J. Switch 205 prevents serial-number stamping, and switch 217 prevents magnet 232 SR from actuating the serial number counter. When the card group changes the final product and punching is effected on the last card of the prior group ; the multiplier, multiplicand and control number registers are reset and the new multiplier &c. numbers are set up. Incorrect card. When the control number of a misplaced card (other than at group change) is detected as disagreeing with the number in the control number register, one of the contacts 245 remains open and relay J is not energized. Relay H is also not energized and contacts J-4 and H-3 remain closed so that magnet 129 raises the deflector 128 to sort out the incorrect card. Also, on non-energization of relay J, contacts J-2 and J-3 remain open and prevent operation of the serial number counter and serial number stamp. Contacts H-4 and J-5 are open and prevent magnet 254 LH from initiating multiplying and punching. If the last card of a run is a correct card, a special card-feed cycle is initiated to get it out of the machine by closing the contacts 272a for the card feed clutch magnet 70. If the last card is incorrect it will be sorted by deflector 128 ; but contacts 272a, 272b and 272<c>, which are mechanically interconnected, are closed to reset the multiplier, multiplicand, and control number registers. The machine may also be arranged to operate in the following circumstances (1) where a multiplicand is on each card, including the first card of a group ; (2) where the common multiplier in a group serves as the control number ; (3) where a common multiplier in a group is superseded by a new multiplier which is punched on a special card with the control number and is inserted at the head of the group ; (4) where every card contains a multiplier and a multiplicand and the multipliers serve as control numbers ; (5) where, in a single group, each card has a control number, multiplier, and multiplicand, each card supplying its own multiplier, and (6) where incorrect cards are not sorted out ; for this, a switch 210 is opened.