Patent GB-344938-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-card-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1929-12-14
Abstract: 344,938. Statistical machines. LEWIS, A. H., P.O. Box 209, Cairo, Egypt, and BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., General Buildings, Aldwych, London. Dec. 14, 1929, No. 38390. [Class 106 (i).] Total-taking ; printing special marks.-A recordcard-controlled statistical machine of the automatic grouped control kind has means which is actuated, when a special hole (or holes) is read, to interrupt temporarily the automatic control functions. This suppresses the printing of totals and resetting of the counters. According to a further feature, the above means may connect either the total and reset mechanism, or a device for initiating a group-number printing cycle, alternatively to the automatic control mechanism. The invention is illustrated as applied to a machine similar to that described in Specification 247,200, [Class 106 (i), Calculating, &c.]. Specifications 190,144 and 254,761, [both in Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.], also are referred to. The two-speed tabulating motor TM has a resistance 703 which may be shunted by contacts RS1, Y1, or 704 for slow, listing speed. The amounts from lower brushes LB are entered into five counters (only one, C, is shown) and there are seven type-bar banks, the raising of the type-bars being effected from rock shaft 305. During total-printing this shaft is rocked by cam 301, Fig. 2, on total-print shaft 315 driven by the reset motor RM; shaft 305 may also be rocked by "list" cam 311, which is loose on " list " shaft 294, driven by motor TM, but is clutched thereto when magnet 805, Fig. 2, is energized-this withdraws latch 508 and allows pawl 502 on cam 311 to engage notch 501 in a disc 500 on shaft 294. The group-designation number is printed opposite each total. For this the armature 346 of the reset clutch has an arm 347 engaging a pin 621 on arm 622 of shaft 510. At the start of each total print 233 is energized and shaft 510 is rocked to withdraw latch 508, cam 311 being then clutched to shaft 294. During the next cycle, when the first card of the next group is passing the lower brushes, the list cam 311 will be driven and the printing mechanism will record the group number read from said card by the lower brushes. Pawl 502 is relatched at the end of this group-number recording cycle. Paper feed is effected in the known manner from link 336, Fig. 4. When tabulating, and to print the total on the same line as the group number, the line-spacing is suppressed by a latch 337b which is rigid with armature lever 810 pivoted at 606, and engages a lug 337a on the line-spacing linkage. 337b latches 337a at the end of the down stroke of link 336 and prevents it rising during the latter part of the group-number printing cycle. At the end of total-printing a pin 327 (total print shaft 315) rocks bell crank 330 to remove latch 337b. For group control, magnets 72 at the upper brushes UB close contacts 73. If a contact is not closed (successive cards disagree), the " minor " control circuit 846 or the " major " control circuit 843, ZBR, 841 is broken. When the minor (or major) magnet 846 (or 841) is energized, normally closed contacts 851a (or 851) are opened and contacts 853a (or 853) are closed. Electromagnetic switches ; switches, latching and unlatching.-There are two identical relays (824 .. 827 and 824a .. 827a in Fig. 1) for the major and minor circuits. The major relay is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The armatures 820, 821 of the magnets 822, 823 are connected by springs 833 and plate 834 and are pivoted at 832 and 829. Rigid with armature 820 is a plate 840 with notch 830 and rigid with armature 821 is an arm 828. When magnet 822 is energized, its armature makes contacts 824, 826 and breaks 825, 827, and the arm 828 is pulled by spring 833 down into notch 830, latching armature 820 in its attracted position. This persists until magnet 823 is energized, when the arm 828 rises to release 820, 840 and the attracted armature 821 breaks contacts 870, 872 and makes contacts 871, 873 (see also Fig. 1). This in turn persists until magnet 822 is again energized, since the free end of arm 828 rests on the curved top of plate 840. The magnets 822, 822a are connected by wire 855, Fig. 1, to the lower brush for the first card column, upper contacts L12 closing when the " 9 " hole positions are read and lower contacts L12 when the " 8 " positions are read. The magnets 823, 823a are connected by wire 860 to the upper brush reading the second card column, upper contacts L13 making for the " 9 " hole position and lower contacts L13 for the " 8 " hole position. Holding circuits 862 (magnet 861), L6 and 862a (magnet 861a), L6 are provided for magnets 823, 823a to prevent arcing at the upper brushes. When current is first switched on, relays 841, 846 are in a deenergized state and contacts 851, 851a are closed. This closes a circuit 83, 848, 849 (or 850), 851 (851a), 852 (852a), 825 and 827 (or 825a and 827a), 863, MC, 82. Magnet MC opens contacts MC in the tabulating motor circuit, and clutch magnet 55 is de-energized to close contacts 234 in the circuit of motor RM. Magnet 233, thus energized, attracts its armature 346, Fig. 2, to remove latch 508. Pawl 502 clutches cam 311 to shaft 294 and the first tabulating cycle takes place at listing speed. During this cycle, the major and minor control magnets 841 and 846 are energized and the automatic control is reinstated, and subsequently the RM motor circuit is broken. Start key contacts ST are then closed to make a circuit 82, TM, 704,55,85, ST, MC, 87, P3, 83 ; magnet 85 shunting contacts ST through UCL1 and L5, whilst 704 closes contacts to shunt motor resistance 703, this giving the slow listing speed. This shunt is maintained by RS1, closed from the shaft 305. A reset cycle thus occurs, and the machine stops with the first card just in front of the upper brushes. Contacts ST are again pressed and the machine proceeds in the known manner for total-printing &c. at minor and major group changes until a master card is met. This card is inserted in the run and has a hole, say, in " 9 " position in the first card control column. At the lower brushes, magnet 822a is energized and opens 825a, 827a, closes 824a, 826a, opens 871a, 873a, and closes 872a, 870a. The major group remaining the same, no change now occurs until the minor group changes. Then magnet 846 is energized and contacts 851a are closed. This makes a circuit 83, 848, 850, 851a, 852a, 824a, 826a, GIC, and 82. Magnet GIC closes contacts 856 to actuate the paper feed magnet 812 and a magnet 805, which attracts armature 86 and closes contacts 859 (shunting motor resistance 703) and holding-contacts 858. This slows motor TM to listing speed and frees pawl 502 from latch 508 so that list cam 311 rotates. 812 frees the paper feed mechanism of Fig. 4. The next cycle is a group recording cycle, at the end of which contacts RS1 open, the motor TM rises to tabulating speed and the machine proceeds on the next minor group. When the next master card is read, with say " 9 " in the second column a circuit 860, L13, 861a, 823a is made at the upper brushes and the major relay magnet 823a opens and closes its various associated contacts. This, following the energization of the magnet 822a by the first master card, restores the machine to normal group control actuation with total-printing &c. The line-spacing mechanism is latched during this cycle, which is a group-number printing cycle, and the change in minor group caused by the master card causes total-printing for all the minor groups between the two master cards. As magnet 812 is not energized, these totals are printed on the same line as the group numbers. By various combinations of " 8 " and " 9 " holes in both first and second control columns on the master cards, various summary and grand totals may be printed.