Patent GB-907591-A (GB)
Abstract: 907,591. Accounting-machines. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Feb. 6, 1961 [Feb. 17, 1960], No. 4373/61. Class 106 (1). In an accounting-machine, the paper carriage may be caused to tabulate to a particular column when a particular totalizer is in a certain numerical condition. The invention is applied to the combined accounting-machine and typewriter described in Specification 860,992 modified in accordance with Specifications 772,170 and 789,798. Typewriter mechanism.-On depression of a key 94, Fig. 3, a corresponding cam 109 carried by a hanger 110 is released to engage a driving roller 108 which rocks the hanger to actuate the type lever 112. The case-shift key, Fig. 17 (not shown), acts through a similarly operated hanger to change the position of (i.e., to raise or lower as necessary) the type-bar-supporting arrangements. The hangers for the different characters and for the shift mechanism also actuate slides 115, 118 for setting switches 127 for the control of punching and/or magnetic recording. The paper carriage is moved in either direction by a fluid drive, as described in Specification 789,798, the drive being reversed by a solenoid. A backspace key energizes this solenoid so that backspacing may then be effected by operation of the space bar. Differential mechanism. Totalizers.-The machine, Fig. 2, has a Balance totalizer (A) 174 which co-operates with actuators 260 in known manner and three lines (B, C and D) of interspersed totalizers 176, 177 and 178 which now co-operate with racks 269 coupled by pinions 264, 267 with the actuators 260. The interspersed totalizer mechanism is as described in Specification 772,170. Automatic machine release.-If tabulating movement of the carriage is arrested by a programme stud 57, Fig. 14, having a stud 361, a machine-release lever 355, carrying an arm 353, is depressed and the latter engages the hooked end of a tabulating lever 343 (see also Fig. 22) which has been raised and shifted to the right to initiate the tabulation in known manner. The carriage is arrested by the abutment of a lug 333 carried by the programme stud 57 against the raised end 362 of the tabulating lever 343 and this abutment restores the latter to the left. The lever 355 is thus also moved to the left and rocks a lever 367 to raise a link 369 which initiates a machine operation. Depression of a " Non-auto " key disengages the link 369 from the lever 367. Such disengagement is also effected when a selected totalizer is overdrawn. Return movement of the carriage is effected by depression of a link 388, Fig. 16, which rocks a lever 384 so as to free a return lever 373 for leftward movement and raise a return stop lever 378, 379. The leftward movement of the lever 373 actuates a slide 391 which closes a switch 395 for the energization of the reverse drive solenoid. The lever 373 is also coupled through a shaft 398 to an arm 403 which moves away from the left end of a lever 409 so that its right end can engage a stud 412 in the lever 355. Thus, when the latter is rocked by the initiating stud 361, the lever 409 can rock further to engage its left end with the arm 403. The return stop lug then engages the stop lever 378 and moves it . and the lever 373 to the right and the arm 403 to the left. The arm 403 moves the lever 409 and the latter, by engaging the stud 412, moves the lever 355 to initiate a cycle as in the case of tabulation. Disabling automatic machine release.-On depression of a typewriter tabulating key, a hanger 110, Fig. 3, is actuated by the drive roller 108 to operate a linkage which rocks a lever 371, Fig. 19, to disengage the members 369, 367 (see also Fig. 14), by which automatic cycles are initiated. The mechanism is retained in disabling position by a latch 461 until the next machine cycle. The same mechanism is also actuated by the three typewriter return keys. Carriage-controlled tabulation.-A slide 499, Fig. 12, may be positioned by mechanism 505 sensing a control plate 506 on the carriage. The slide 499, which is held by a pawl 511, is then sensed by a lever 497 and if the plate 506 is of a certain length (A, as used for addition), the lever 497 is allowed to rock a lever 490 which actuates the tabulating linkage 486, 488 normally operated by the typewriter tabulating key. Carriage-controlled return movement.The extent of movement of the return link 388, Figs. 13 and 16, is determined by a stop plate 548 which may be positioned by different motor bars or under the control of the carriage. This determines the height of the stop lever 378 and hence the length of the stop lug on the carriage which will arrest the carriage. The return link 388 may also be located by a pawl 531 cooperating with a stud 542 in the link and made effective by a link 527 positioned under the control of an A-length control plate. Totalizer-controlled tabulation.-A two-position switch, Fig. 25 (not shown), is held in one position or the other under the control of the known overdraft shaft of the Balance totalizer according to whether the latter carries a positive or negative total. In series with the switch are a two-position keyboard switch manually set according to whether tabulation is to be effected when the balance is positive or negative, a switch 566, Fig. 22, actuated by the tabulating lever 343 and a switch 567 actuated in a selected column by a roller 575 carried by a programme stud 57 and acting through a lever 577. When a circuit is completed, a solenoid 573 is energized and rocks a lever 583 which latches the tabulating stop arm 363 thus causing a skip tabulation which continues until a column is reached for which there is no roller 575. The totalizercontrolled switch may be controlled by a fivepointed star-wheel stepped on at each change of sign in one of the interspersed totalizers instead of by the Balance totalizer. Totalizer-controlled return.-As described, if any wheel of the No. 1 totalizer in the B line is not at zero, a cam 589, Fig. 33, on that wheel rocks a bail 593 to close a switch and energize a solenoid, Fig. 26 (not shown), which actuates, through an adjustable cam, the return link 388, Fig. 16, and the stop lever 378 for co-operation with a stop lug of a chosen length. During tabulation, the switch 566, Fig. 22, is effective and a switch 624 actuated by a carriage-controlled lever 621 completes the circuit for the above-mentioned solenoid. During return movement, a switch operated with the reversing solenoid switch 395, Fig. 16, is effective instead of the switch 566. Tens transfer mechanism.-The transfer mechanism for each line of totalizers is common to the interspersed totalizers of that line. At transfer, a long tooth of the totalizer wheel rocks a plate 668, Fig. 33, and so releases a pawl 663 and an arm 659 to bring a blocking surface 658 beneath a stud 657 in a lever 654. When the totalizer is raised to disengage it from the actuators and to engage the wheels with transfer segments 650, the arm 659 is raised also and so rocks the lever 654, so that a notch therein releases a stud 652 in the transfer segment 650. The segments 650 are urged in one dierction or the other by one or the other of two sets of arms 671, 672 urged towards each other by springs and one of which is held inactive by a bail 676 positioned to the left or right in dependence upon whether addition or subtraction is being performed. Any segments 650 released by their levers 654 are thus moved in the appropriate direction to effect additive or subtractive transfers. Any actuated segments 650 are restored in the next cycle in which the totalizer line is engaged. Aligning totalizer wheels,-In the present arrangement, the segments 650 are not moved with the totalizer line in its engaging and disengaging movement and the totalizer wheels are held against rotation during this movement by an aligner 679. A further aligner 688 operates in known manner to prevent rotation of all of the interspersed totalizer wheels except those of the selected totalizer. Overdraft mechanism.-An overdraft in the Balance totalizer 174, Fig. 2B, or in one of the totalizers in the lines of interspersed totalizers is automatically converted into the true negative total on the taking of a total or sub-total from that totalizer. For this purpose, a device similar to a totalizer is provided comprising wheels 182 normally engaging the actuator racks 260. An overdraft in a selected totalizer is sensed by means of an overflow wheel, Fig. 45 (not shown), with which each totalizer is provided, having alternate teeth elongated and co-operating with the appropriate one of a pair of racks similarly arranged to each pair of actuator racks 260, 269. On the occurrence of an overdraft in a given totalizer, the overflow wheel of that totalizer is moved one step by the transfer mechanism and if that totalizer is then selected for a total operation, the overflow racks are able to move one step to restore the overflow wheel. In moving this step, they actuate clutch mechanism, Fig. 37 (not shown), which causes the mainshaft to execute an additional cycle and an overdraft drive shaft, Fig. 40 (not shown), to make one cycle of operation. In the first main cycle, the totalizer wheels are zeroized. The overdraft wheels 182 are left engaged during the first half cycle and so are rotated clockwise in accordance with the total in complementary form. They are then disengaged by cams on the overdraft drive shaft. In the second main cycle, the wheels 182 are initially engaged and control the setting movement of the actuators which drive them to their zero positions in which long teeth 943 abut against a partly cutaway rod 855 rotated during this cycle to an effective stopping position. This movement is again clockwise so that the actuators are then positioned to the true value for the printing of that value and its entry, if desired, into a totalizer. To obtain the correct value, it is necessary, wherever one o