Patent GB-675775-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to calculating machines
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1949-09-27
Abstract: 675,775. Digital electric calculating-apparatus; statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Sept. 27, 1949 [Oct. 8, 1948], No. 24768/49. Class 106 (i). A cyclically operating calculating-machine comprises a record-reading section with exit controls, number storage units and an accumulating section with entrance and exit controls, and a programme control device including a programme preparing relay set up when a record is to be read for controlling the operations to be effected during a reading cycle, and sequentially arranged programme step relays set up under control of the preceding step relay or the programme preparing relay for controlling selectively the entrance and exit controls for various machine operations to be effected during a following cycle or cycles. General description. The machine described performs the four rules by means of electrical circuits consisting primarily of impulse emitters, relays and cam-operated contacts. In the main example of operation, factors are sensed from a record card, Fig. 18, and sent in the form of differentially-timed digit impulses to storage units (ST) or accumulators (AC). Four storage units (numbered 1, 2, 6 and 7) and six accumulators (which can be coupled in groups or used independently) are provided. The result is registered in accumulator 6AC, Figs. 23a-d, and is transmitted to storage unit 6ST for punching on the card. This accumulator is also used for summing selected results, the sum being stored in unit 7ST and finally punched on a summary card (card 4, Fig. 18). The type of calculation to be performed is determined by the position of a perforation in card column 1, corresponding programme relays and " selectors," described below, being set up through plug connections. Each operation, such as a multiplication, takes place during one programme step which may comprise one or more machine cycles. The machine may also be applied, e.g., to " rate multiplication " in which the rate and the other multiplication factor are sensed from separate cards. Driving mechanism; feeding and sensing cards. An electric motor 50 continuously drives (through one revolution for each machine cycle), by means of the gearing shown in Fig. 1a, a shaft 56 carrying the contact-operating cams C, storage unit drive shafts 64, an accumulator drive shaft 67, and a shaft 77 carrying the rotating brushes of emitters EM1-EM3. A punch drive shaft 75 and a gear 68 are also rotated, the latter meshing with a gear 78, Fig. 1b, which is clutched to a card feed shaft 49 on energization of magnet CF. The shaft 49 drives a feed drum 94, rolls 98, 99 and a cam 82 operating a card picker 85, Fig. 2. Rolls 87 and 101 are continuously-driven from gear 78. During a card feed cycle (two machine cycles) a card is fed from the magazine 86 and sensed by advance electric contact brushes 104. During the following feed cycle the card is sensed by the main brushes 103 (with the same index point timing) and fed to a magazine bed 183a, Fig. 9, from which it is subsequently fed to punching mechanism. Punching mechanism. This mechanism is similar to that described in Specification 362,529, [Group VIII]. The card is fed from the magazine bed, Fig. 9, by a reciprocating pusher (not shown) to a carriage including a rack 181, Figs. 11 and 12, which is subsequently stepped by escapement mechanism to feed the card column-by-column past the punches 214. The carriage is moved to the left, Fig. 12, to receive the card, by gearing including a one-way clutch and a sector 200, Fig. 8, driven through linkwork reciprocated by a cam (not shown) which is clutched to the drive shaft 75 when a magnet 193 is energized. During this movement, the rack 181 winds a spring which effects the return card feed movement. The cam also operates ejecting mechanism (not shown) to feed the previous card to a stacker. The punches 214, Fig. 9, are slotted to receive associated interposers 216 each pivoted to the armature of a magnet 218. The magnets are selectively energized to move the interposers leftward under a shoulder of a bar 220, and to close contacts PM1 of magnet PM is then energise to move down the bar through linkwork 228-231 and thus the selected interposer and punch, and perforate the card fed between a die 212 and stripper 213. The bar 220 also rocks an escapement lever 249, Fig. 11, whereupon the rack 181 is engaged by a dog 241, the normal rack-holding dog 235 being disengaged and pulled leftward by a spring 237 to the extent permitted by an elongated slot. Contacts PC3 (not shown) are then opened and the magnet PM is de-energized. When the bar 220 returns to the position shown, the punches 214 are spring-returned, and the dog 235 again engages the rack, one tooth to the left, the rack and dog then being moved one tooth to the right by the wound-up spring (not shown). When it is desired to skip certain columns of the card a solenoid 263, Fig. 9, is energized with the magnet PM. The solenoid rocks, through linkwork, a link 258, Fig. 12, acting on a toggle linkwork 253, 255 held in one of two positions by a leaf spring 256. A link 264 having a wedgeshaped end is then moved between the dog 235 and a centrally-pivoted lever 265, Fig. 11. When the dog is disengaged from the rack 181 it is held up by a spring-urged pin 267 acting through the lever 265 and link 264, and the carriage is skipped until an insert 270 on a skip bar 268 rocks the lever to allow the dog 235 to re-engage the rack. The toggle linkwork is then restored by the first interposer 216 to be moved to select a punch, this interposer rocking a restoring bail 269, Figs. 9 and 12. The carriage carries electric contact-brushes 288, Fig. 11, one of which engages a contact spot for each card column, these spots being selectively plugged to the storage read-outs 6 STRO and 7 STRO, Figs. 23a-23d. When the last card column is reached contacts PC4, Figs. 11 and 12, close. These contacts operate in conjunction with card lever contacts 2C-L1, Fig. 2, which detect the presence of a new card in the magazine bed 183a (position 386, Fig. 20), to energize magnet 193, Fig. 8, to initiate the card feed and ejection operations described above. A relay 84R, Fig. 20, is also energized for the purpose described below under " Programming section and selectors." Storage units. Each unit comprises ten digit-representing contact bars 140, Fig. 5, selectively engaged by contact-pins 147 on differentially-movable elements 146, pivoted on a shaft 145, and pulled by springs 153 so that they normally abut a cross-bar 152 of a bail which also comprises pivoted arms 151, Fig. 3, one of which carries a roller 162 which engages a continually-rotating cam 158 geared to the shaft 64, Fig. 1a. Digits are entered during that part of the rotation of the cam in which the arms 151 and therefore the elements 146 are rocked counter-clockwise. Differentially-timed impulses are sent to magnets 164, Fig. 5, each of which rocks its armature 165 into engagement with a tooth on a corresponding element 146 to stop further rotation thereof. A latch 168, Fig. 3, is rocked by a spring 170 to prevent return movement of the bail. The bail is released by energizing a reset magnet 171 and during its cam-controlled clockwise movement engages and returns all the elements 146 to the position in which the pins 147 contact a blank bar 141, to prepare the unit to receive a new amount. Accumulators; addition and subtraction. The accumulating mechanism is generally similar to that described in Specification 483,021 and comprises, for each denominational order, a continuously rotating gear 111, Figs. 1a and 6, secured to the shaft 67, and a numeral wheel 114 which is clutched thereto and disengaged therefrom by energization of a "go" magnet 125 and a "stop" magnet 126, respectively, Figs. 6 and 14s. " 9 " and " 10 " carry contacts 121, 122 and a read-out brush (not shown) which engages one of ten contact segments are associated with each wheel 114. Numbers are added by entering the nines complements by energizing all the magnets 125 at the beginning of a machine cycle and sending differentiallytimed impulses to magnets 126. Numbers are subtracted by entering them normally. The number registered on an accumulator is normally read out in the form of differentially timed impulses representing the nines complement and these impulses are sent back over cable 403, Fig. 14s, to the accumulator magnets for resetting, if relays such as 510R are energized (all the wheels registering " 9 " in the reset position). The accumulator entry control circuits are described below under "Partial product entry circuits." Incorrect resetting of the accumulators is detected as described below under " Errors, detecting." Multiplication; general principles. This is effected by forming partial products of the multiplicand with different digits of the multiplier, the multiplier digits being split up into combinations of 1, 2 and 5, since the sum of the left and right partial product components for these digits are never greater than 9, thus enabling entry of both components during a single machine cycle. A multiplier digit of 3, for example, is taken as 5 - 2. If a 4 or 9 multiplier digit is encountered, not in the units position, multiplication by 5 or 10 (X1 with column shift) is followed by " reversed sign " operations during which the nines complements of the multiplier digits are used and the partial products entered subtractively. Operations are thus returned to normal by a 5 or 0 digit. For a single 0 for normal operations (or 9 for reversed sign operations) the next lower digit is used immediately and if this is also a 0 (or 9) an idle machine cycle ensues. Multiplier test circuits. Fig. 34 shows the digits selected during successive machine cycles for a multiplier of 844, 986. The multiplier test and digit selection circuits for the first digit 8 are shown in Figs. 24a and 24b. The multiplier is stored in unit