Patent GB-407320-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-controlled recording machines
Filed: 1932-09-07
Abstract: 407,320. Statistical machines. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. Sept. 7, 1932, No. 24959. Convention date, Sept. 8, 1931. [Class 106 (i).] Total-taking; statistical cards.-A recordcard controlled statistical machine is provided with recording means, means to feed a series of ledger sheets one by one to the recording means, controlling means which interrupt the sheet feed when the sheet is in a position to receive a record on a selected line and comparing mechanism which effects the stoppage of the machine if the " group " designation on a sheet is not the same as the " group " designation on the record card which is read at the same time. The controlling means are manually adjustable (77, 70, 71, Figs. 6 and 7) to select the line on which each ledger in turn receives the record ; also, group holes in the record-cards R are compared with group holes (349, Fig. 8) in the ledger sheets L to ensure that the data of each card group are printed on the correct sheet. In another arrangement, for automatically finding the first blank line on a ledger sheet, the above manually adjustable mechanism is disabled, and a sensing device (85, 86, Fig. 7) coacts with holes (84, Fig. 8) in the ledger sheet, there being a hole corresponding to each line which has been used for recording, so that the sheet is fed onwards until the sensing member no longer detects a hole. With this arrangement, when recording is effected on the ledger sheet, the corresponding hole (349) is automatically punched (144, 146, Fig. 4). The invention is applied to a machine of the kind set out in Specifications 190,144, 216,142 and 247,200, [all in Class 106 (i)]. The tabulator (right-hand section of Fig. 1) is coupled to a posting unit (Fig. 10 and left-hand section of Fig. 1) which handles the ledger sheets L which receive data from the record cards R. The shaft 11, Fig. 1, drives the card feed through clutch 12 and drives the sheet feed through a clutch which consists of a pin on one gear wheel being spring-pressed into a hole in an adjacent gear wheel. This pin may be tripped out of its hole to break the clutch by energizing a magnet 27, Fig. 10 ; a magnet 28 in parallel maintaining the pin disengaged. Group comparison.-As the designating number (account number) on the cards is read by the upper brushes UB, Fig. 10, the designating holes 349, Fig. 8, on the ledger sheet are read synchronously by brushes 50. The two sets of brushes are wired together by lines 228. If the account numbers agree, a magnet 258 is energized and the previous ledger sheet has the totals printed on it and is ejected rapidly from the posting unit (motor 64). At the same time a magnet 283 is not energized so that the above magnets 27, 28 are not energized and the sheet feed clutch (magnet 56, Fig. 10) is engaged to feed the next ledger sheet into the printing mechanism. The device which registers the sheet account numbers is also reset. As the sheets fed into the posting unit may follow one another closely a switching or guiding device is used to prevent overlapping. Line-spacing.-If more than one line is to be recorded on the sheet, a shaft 43<a>, Fig. 3, of one of the sheet feeding rollers is stepped-on by a magnet 89, armature 90, and pawl 91 actuating a star 87 on shaft 43<a>. A spring-pressed roller 88 aligns the star 87. To disable this line spacing means (e.g. during sheet ejection) a magnet 100 is energized, its armature 99 and tape 98 holding off the pawl 91 and opening contacts 100a in the circuit of magnet 89. Disabling of pawl 91 may also be effected manually by a lever 95 and arm 92, this opening contacts 102 in the circuits of both magnets 89 and 100. Line-spacing mechanism.-Manual control, Fig. 6 and 7. Each ledger sheet L is fed between conducting members 70, 71, carried on a plate 72 having a rigid arm 76 with handle 77, 79. By releasing part 79 and adjusting it to the required hole 80 of a fixed plate 78, the conducting members 70, 71 are adjusted vertically so that recording is effected on the desired line of every sheet. When a sheet interinterrupts the contacts 70, 71 (Fig. 10), magnet 247 is deenergized to close its contacts 247<a> and energise the clutch magnet 56, this interrupting the ledger sheet feed. Line-spacing mechanism.- Automatic control, Figs. 3, 6, 7, and 10. If the line of the sheet on which printing is to be effected (i.e., the first blank line), varies from sheet to sheet, the above device is disabled by setting the part 79 to the lowest hole of plate 78, a cam 81 on plate 72 thereby meeting part 82 to open contact 83<a> and close contact 83<b>; and the following means are used to select automaticallv the first blank line on each sheet. Whenever printing is effected on a line of a sheet L, Fig. 8, a hole 84 is simultaneously punched against the previous line. These holes are read by contacts 85, 86, Figs. 7 and 10, which then de-energize a magnet 100 to effect linespacing. The sheet is thus advanced until the last hole 84 is read, whereupon an additional line-spacing is effected to bring the first blank line to printing position. Punching mechanism for making the holes 84 concurrently with the printing, consists of a punch 144, Fig. 4, coaxial with a plunger 146 having a roller 147. As printing is effected, a bar 148 is raised so that a piece 152 pivoted to it wipes counterclockwise past the roller 147. As bar 148 descends, a pin 151 on it prevents clockwise rotation of piece 152, and the latter moves plunger 146 and punch 144 axially. To disable the punch, the piece 152 may be held in a counterclockwise position permanently, by rotating a hand lever 155 and its arm 157 counterclockwise. Circuit diagram-posting unit; registering the group designations.-To compare the designation 349, Fig. 8, on the sheet L with the designation on the record cards, the sheet designation is set up by magnets 161 and parts 180, 181, 182, Fig. 10 and the record card designation is set up on similar magnets 161<a> and parts 180<a>, 181<a>, 182<a>. For each sheet control-column a contact brush 180 is raised synchronously with the reading of that column and when a hole 349 is read, a magnet 161 is energized to arrest the brush 180 on that contact 181 which corresponds to the hole read : the brush 180 also engages a common contact bar 182. The brushes 180, 180<a> are shown in Fig. 10 as set for account numbers on the ledger sheet and record cards, which agree. The sheet-designation device (161 &c.) is set up each sheet-feeding cycle, but the record-card designation device (161<a> &c.), is set up each card cycle. If the designations agree, a circuit 212, 278, 279, 182, 180, 181, 276, 181<a>, 180<a>, 182<a>, all seven relays 277, and 203 is completed. Coils 277 close contacts 277<a> to energize coil 258 and open contacts 277<b> to de-energize relay 283. If the designations disagree, at least one of coils 277 fails to energize, its contacts 277<a> and 277<b> remain as shown and coil 283 is energized and coil 258 de-energized. Energization of coil 283 effects interruption of the sheet feed and of the drive for the designation registering means. With the correct sheet L in position for printing, the machine proceeds until the first card of a new group is read. Printing of the totals is then effected on the sheet and the latter is rapidly ejected by the motor 64. The next ledger sheet is meanwhile fed in and its designation compared with that of the new group card. Specification 359,038 also is referred to. The circuits of the tabulator shown to the right of Fig. 1 are of the known class and the automatic group control which initiates totalprinting &c., when the card group changes, is similar to that described in Specification 247,200. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91, comprises also a constructional form, Figs. 14 (Cancelled) and 15 (Cancelled) of the device (161, 180, Fig. 10) which sets up the account numbers from the ledger sheets. For each sheet control-column, a bar 160 is raised synchronously with the reading of that column and when a hole 349. Fig. 8, is read (by a brush 50, Fig. 10) the corresponding magnet 161 is energized to arrest the bar 160 through parts 162, 163, 164, 165, so that a contact pair 180 on bar 160 is on that bar 181 corresponding to the hole read ; the pair 180 also engages a common contact bar 182. Similar mechanism sets up the account numbers from the record cards. In a construction of the means used in the posting unit, to prevent successive ledger sheets from overlapping, a pivoted doublechannel member is rocked by the sheet feed drive to receive the sheets alternately in the two channels. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.