Patent GB-506500-A (GB)
Abstract: 506,500. Calculating - apparatus. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Sept. 29, 1937, No. 26351. Convention date, Oct. 5, 1936. [Class 106 (i)] In a machine particularly adapted for use in balancing of individual accounts means are provided whereby certain items, such as the cheques drawn, can be counted automatically as the items are listed either individually or collectively. The means provided is arranged to effect the addition of the number of items by subtracting the complement, so that when the machine is conditioned to effect subtraction of a debit item or items in the balance totalizer the item counting device will be operated simultaneously to add in a complementary manner. The invention is shown applied to an Ellis machine as described in Specifications 28253 /08, [Class 106], and 420,807. The machine described is provided with the usual banks of amount keys and actuators, a bank of control keys, a balance totalizer, one or more adding totalizers, and an overdraft mechanism that transposes the complementary amount of an overdraft into a true negative amount. Item counting mechanism. This device comprises a set of three counting wheels 291 ..293, Fig. 7, mounted on the same shaft as the No. 1 or balance totalizer, Fig. 5, and controlled by three actuators 279, 280 and 282 associated with three banks of keys 72. The banks of keys are used to set up the number of cheques in a bunch of items that is to be debited to an account. When only one item is to be subtracted the item counting mechanism functions automatically to count one. In this case it is necessary that the usual travelling carriage be tabulated to a subtract column and that one or more amount keys be depressed to set up the debit item. A control key is provided to render the counting mechanism inoperative when a debit item is not to be counted ; a symbol is then printed opposite such item. The key stems are formed with studs 269 engaging slots in partition plates 270 and have pins 273 co-operating with camming surfaces on control plates 275 and locking detents 276 that are connected by springs 278. The rear end of the detents 276 co-operate with a rod 249 to prevent release of the machine if a key is only partially depressed. The rod 249, which also co-operates with the locking detents for the amount keys, is pivoted on arms 250, 260, the arm 250, Fig. 10, having a stud 252 engaging an arm 253 secured to a shaft 254. Clockwise movement of the shaft 254 retracts an arm 257 from a stud 258 on an extension of the starting bar locking plate 259 which will move to a position to obstruct movement of the lever 82 until the key is fully depressed or released. The actuators 279, 280 and 282 are connected in the known manner to corresponding type sectors 288 and slidably mounted on the actuators 280, 282 are auxiliary actuators 281, 283, carrying latch arms .299, 300, Figs. 5, 12 and 13, with studs to engage notches in blocks 303, 304 on the main actuators 280, 282 when restraining means therefor is removed. To the main and auxiliary actuators are secured blocks 306, 307, 308, 309 and 315, Figs. 15 to 18, with which co-operate respectively zero latches 316 and 317, 318 and 319, 320, 321 and 322, and 323 and 324, all loose on a shaft 159, Before the item counter can function automatically the carriage must be tabulated to a subtract column whereupon a stop 192, Fig. 20, rocks a lever 194 to lift a hanging bar 343, Fig. 19, and rock a lever 340 which is effective, in the known manner, to set the pawls 425, 426 of the totalizer engaging lever 423 into position to co-operate with the lever 427 on the operating plate 429 for subtract operation in the balance totalizer. At the same time the lever 340, through a link 338, rocks a bell - crank 334 to free a projection thereon from a lug 332 on a pitman 328 which is permitted to move rearwardly when the main shaft 78 is operated to withdraw the arm 196 from a pin 330 on the pitman. This movement of the slide rocks a yoke 326 to disengage extensions 325 from shoulders 314 on the main and auxiliary actuators. Depression of the amount keys, in setting up a debit item to be subtracted, operates the zero latches 158, Fig. 15, and through hooks 345 thereon lift a rod 346 underlying projections on the zero latches 317, 319, 320 of the main actuators 279, 280 and 282 thereby freeing these actuators. The zero latches 316, 318 are ineffective in automatic actuation while the zero latches 321, 322 and 323, 324 for the auxiliary actuators 281, 283 are effective so that the auxiliary actuators are not coupled to the main actuators. The main actuators in operation thus reversely rotate the item counting wheels to subtract " 999 the complement of " 1." Disabling the item counting mechanism. Depressing the subtract key 73, Fig. 19, engages a camming surface 349 on a slide 350 and through a link 351 rocks a shaft 335 to position an arcuate surface 353 of an arm 354 on the shaft in the path of the lug 332 of the pitman 328 to prevent its movement and retain the yoke extension in engagement with the shoulder of the actuators to obstruct their movement. Use of item counting keys. Depression of a 'key in the first or units row through the control plate 275 governs the zero latches in such manner that the main,actuator for this row is free to move until it is arrested by the projection 269 of the depressed key the movement being the complement of the key depressed while the other actuators move through nine steps. Depressing a key in the tens denomination controls the latches to retain the units actuator in its zero position, to allow the tens actuator to move to its complementary value and the other actuator to move through nine steps. Depression of a key in the third row controls the latches to retain the actuators for the units and teiis in zero position and to permit third actuator to move to the extent of its complementary value. If keys are depressed in two or more rows the action of the zero latches is modified to couple one or other or both auxiliary actuators to the main actuators so as to limit the movement of the actuators to one less than the complementary value of the key depressed. For this purpose the latches 321, 322 and 324 have yokes with projections 365, 367 and 377 co-operating with the control plates 275, Fig. 15; the latches 316, 318 have studs extending through slots in links 368, 369 connected to bell-cranks 370, 371 on a shaft 372 ; the shaft 372 has arms 373 supporting a rod 374 that co-operates with extensions on the projections of the latches 321, 322 and 324; the latches 321, 322 have hooks to engage the rod 346; studs 382, 380 and 381 on the projections 365, 367 and 377 engage angular slots in the latches 316, 318 and 320. At the end of each machine operation the key release shaft 219, Fig. 5, is operative to displace the detents and control plates to free the keys 72. Total-taking operations. In tabulated positions other than the balance column position a projection (not shown) on the carriage stops engages an ear 439, Fig. 5, of a lever 440 to rock a bar 441 into engagement with a notch 443 on the type sector supports to obstruct the printing movement. In the balance column position the supports are free to move. At the beginning of a total or sub-total operation the key release shaft 219 is operated to free any depressed keys and to release the zero latches. The extensions 365, 367 and 377 rock the rod 346 to move the latches 317, 319 and 320 to ineffective position whereby the main actuators 279, 280 and 283, in operation, can take up a position commensurate with the amount on the item counting wheels. Overdraft operations. The overdraft mechanism is of the known form and requires three cycles of operation. When the overdraft key 77 is depressed a pawl 135, Fig. 14, operates the ratchet 137 to rotate the usual cam set 134 and a cam 394, Fig. 7. The high part of the cam 394 moves away from a roller 395 to permit a shaft 399 to rock and cause an arm 400, Fig. 7A, to rock an arm 403 which moves the slide 350 forwardly thereby moving the arcuate surface 353 beyond the projection 332 on the pitman 328. This movement ordinarily permits the withdrawal of the yoke extension 325 but the extension is retained in position to obstruct the movement of the actuators since the rotation of the cam 134 releases a lever 131 which by means of a link 407 rocks a yoke 408 to position a projection 415 to retain the extension 325 in effective blocking position. Near the end of the second cycle the cam 134 restores the lever 131 to remove the projection 415 to permit the main actuators and printing mechanism for the item wheels to operate.