Patent GB-303483-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to calculating machines
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1929-01-03
Abstract: 303,483. Siemens & Halske Akt.- Ges. Jan. 4, 1928, [Convention date]. Statistical machines; adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing apparatus. - Electricalmechanical apparatus for effecting addition, subtraction, multiplication or division of quantities, represented for example by four-point code perforations in a card, comprises groups of differential gears for controlling the denominational elements of a totalizing counter and operated electromagmetically under the dual control of the perforations and groups of selector switches. The calculating operations are performed by repeated addition or subtraction and the result may be automatically printed from the counter. Differential actuating mechanism. Banks of magnets A-D, Fig. 2, each bank corresponding with a denomination and each magnet with a code point, act by their armatures and to an extent depending on the point value upon members of differential gears connected together in series by pinions and effecting additivelv the rotary setting of stepped quatrefoil plates interconnected by transfer means. Adapted to cooperate with the steps of these plates are pins 99 carried by spring-controlled sectors 98 which when free to do so take up positions as determined by the steps presented and actuate the counter or type wheels N accordingly. The differential gears are interconnected so as to transmit double the movement received from the preceding gear, so that each magnet serves to enter a value 1, 2, 4 or 8 according to its position in the series. The card is therefore perforated in accordance with these values and the magnets are in series with the respective feeling- brushes a-d. The last planet carrier of the train of differential gears meshes with a pinion 33 forming the carrier member of a further differential gear the other elements 35, 36, Fig. 3, of which are geared with shafts 39, 37 one of which is therefore driven according as element 35 or 36 is held by a stop-arm 41, 42 controlled by a magnet 40. The shafts consequently may drive in one direction or the other receiving- pinions 51, 50 on the shaft 52 of the counter and these through pawl and ratchet mechanism and sleeves 62, 61 drive in one direction or the other the carrier of a differential gear 63, 64, this carrier being formed as the stepped cam S. Transfer-mechanism. The lower denominational carrier at each quarter-revolution, equivalent to ten steps, operates a sleeve 84 so as to displace it with respect to a pin 87 projecting through a slot in the sleeve from a shaft 83. The pin tends to maintain a central position in the slot, due to a spring 89, but when displaced closes circuit at 93, Fig. 7, to a magnet 91, so as to unlock a gear wheel 85 in frictional connection with a gear 72 engaging the carrier s of the next higher denomination. The magnet cannot act however until a second contact 92 is closed, this occurring automatically when the carrier s is stationary. When this condition arises the wheel 85 is freed and the spring 88 effects the transfer through the frictional connection and so restores the pin 87 to normal relative position. Zeroizing. The counter is zeroized by rotation of the shaft 52 in one direction through 90‹, back through 180‹ and again forward through 90‹, by means of a one-revolution clutch arrangement controlled by a releasing-magnet. The shaft 52 is grooved to engage one of four pawls mounted on the sleeves 61, 62 which are thus restored to a normal position. Adding and subtracting. Fig. 1 shows a portion of a card punched to represent two items and having a column d containing control perforations. With the card in position, the control perforation causes a contact 166, Fig. 2, to close and the, first item is entered by the magnets. The card may then be moved to the next line and the second item similarly entered. If an item has to be subtracted, its control perforation will cause energization of magnet 40 and the direction of rotation of the stepped cams S will consequently be reversed. Multiplication. For purposes of multiplication and division each stepped cam S is surmounted by a selector device shown in Fig. 8. Coaxial with the feeling-arm 98 is a sector 200 gearing through a pinion 206 and ratchet mechanism with one element of a differential gear, the carrier portion of which supports three contact arms I, II, III as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 13. The other element of the differential gear may be driven through ratchet gearing by the armature of a magnet We (Wz &c.). Figs. 11, 10 and 12, to be placed side by side, show the circuit arrangements for multiplying by four-figure factors. When the card is positioned for the feeling of the multiplicand the contacts at the foot of Fig. 10 are closed but the digits are not entered in the magnets. A-D at this time, as the contact 164 is reversed. Instead, storage relays U-Z, Fig. 11, are energized through cut-off contacts 102 and then maintain themselves through contacts u1 - - z1 so as to close contacts U-Z. When the card advances, contact 164 is returned and contact 169 closed. This last operation causes energization of a relay 100 to open the contacts 102 and thus cut off the storage relays. The card now arrives with the multiplier holes under the brushes and as the contact 164 is as shown the multiplier is entered in the stepped cams S. Shaft 94, Fig. 8, now rotates and through the feeling pins 99 transmits the setting of the cams S to the selector switches We &c. which are thus set to the value of the multiplier, whereupon the stepped cams are restored to zero. A cam shaft 107, Fig. 11, is next driven and the setting of the storage relay contacts U-Z causes current to flow through the lines IIe &c. to stepby step switches Me-Mt, Fig. 12, and thence to the magnets A-D, Fig. 10, so as to enter the multiplicand into the stepped cams. By subsequent closing of a further cam contact 106 III, Fig. 13, circuit is completed to the magnet We so as to step back the selector switch We one step and this process of entering the multiplicand and stepping back this switch continues until the latter reaches normal position. Just prior to this when the contact arm III of We is on contact V, the step-by-step switches Me-Mt, Fig. 12, are advanced one step by the closing of cam contact 105 II and owing to the connections shown this transposes the circuits as between the storage relays and the magnets A-Z so as to cause the next multiplicand additions to be made in denominations one place to the left. When these additions, equal in number to the digit placed in the tens selector Wz havel been effected the step-by-step switches are again advanced and the multiplicand entered two places to the left and so on. When the selector switches are all thus restored to normal, the printing magnet 300, Fig. 13, is energized and the product on the stepped cams printed. The holding circuits for the relays 100, 110, Fig. 11, are now broken and the step-by-step switches Me-Mt, Fig. 12, restored to normal by homing circuits through contacts 105 II and 165. Division. This is performed by first entering the dividend in the stepped cams S and then causing energization of the storage relays in accordance with the divisor. By means of a set of step-by switches similar to those of Fig. 12, the divisor, subtracted repeatedly from the dividend, is successively switched lower, denomination by denomination, until the last is reached. The quotient is meanwhile accumulated by the step-wise advance of the selector switches W, Fig. 13, and may finally be printed by operation of shaft 94, Fig. 8. The control of the successive steps due to over-subtraction in each stage is obtained by relays 181, 182, 183, Fig. 17, and by two series of contacts e, z, h &c. closed by their respective stepped cams S when these pass the zero position in one direction or the other. The timing of the various operations is derived from the shaft 184 through cam contacts 184<a>, 184<e>. According to the Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a) the machine may be equipped with a keyboard for setting up the factors &c.