Patent GB-450015-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to calculating apparatus
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1934-10-08
Abstract: 450,015. Calculating-apparatus. GUY, F. E., Elmswood, Duke's Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex. Oct. 8, 1934, Nos. 28756 /34 and 27659 /35. [Class 106 (i)] An electrical calculating-machine comprises a totalizer operated by electromagnetic means receiving series of electrical impulses from a distributer or generator, a plurality of conductor members to each of which a different number of impulses is applied, the number of impulses in each series having denominational values determined by key-set contacts selectively connected to the conductor members. The invention is applicable to operations involving decimal or duodecimal or other non-uniform notations and is described as applied to the multiplication of a price in sterling currency by a quantity. The machine shown in Fig. 1 comprises a keyboard SK for setting the multiplicand or amount, three rows of keys SK<1> for setting the digits of the multiplier, an add key AK, a multiplying key MK, and a zeroizing key Z. The totalizer wheels are viewable through an aperture A in the casing and a motor M drives a distributer D. The multiplicand keys, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, have stems 21 terminating in rectangular blocks 25 of insulating material with a set of five conducting insets constituted by spring-pressed balls 28 adapted on depression of a key to co-operate with contact studs 30 connected to leads 31, 32. The distributer D, Figs. 5 and 6, comprises a shaft 33 on which is mounted a plurality of discs 34, 35 ; the discs 34 have teeth varying from one to eleven and the discs 35 have each a single tooth arranged in echelon. The teeth of each disc co-operates with a corresponding pivoted arm 36 having an insulated pin 38 engaging an arm 40 adapted to operate spring contact pins 43 mounted in an insulating rail 45. The pins 43 associated with the discs 34 are connected by leads 46 to a multiplier rack R and those associated with the discs 35 are connected by leads 47 to the windings of electromagnets 50 forming part of the transfer mechanism between the denominational wheels of the totalizer 53. The circuit through the magnet 50 is controlled by a trip contact 54 and a transfer pin 55 on the next lower wheel. The normal actuation of the totalizer wheels is effected on the energization of electromagnets 56 and the number of impulses in each denomination is determined by the keys SK depressed, the setting of the denominational selector device P and multiplier rack R, and the number of revolutions imparted to the shaft 33 of the distributer. The shaft 33 receives an intermittent drive from a motor through a clutch 61, 62 controlled by a fork 73 on a rod 87 under control of the multiplying key MK or add key AK. The shaft 33 carries a set of gears 64 ... 67 and arranged on a countershaft 81 are gears 82 ... 85 which can be selectively coupled to the gears on the shaft 33 by shifting the corresponding fork 86. On the countershaft is mounted a pair of discs 70, 80 having a. limited relative movement and controlling a tripping device 78 to tree the clutch on the completion of a revolution of the countershaft. Bv this means the distributer shaft 33 is permitted to make one, three, six, or nine revolutions before the clutch is freed. The left-hand fork 86, Fig. 5, is operated by the add key AK, the other forks 86 are operated by the units, tens and hundreds multiplier keys SK<1> respectively ; three revolutions of the shaft 33 are required for each figure in the multiplier. The multiplier rack P, Figs. 8 to 11, as shown, has three sections one for each of the rows of multiplier keys ; each section comprises eleven conductor rails 89 and nine transverse movable slides 90 controlled by the respective keys. Each slide is fitted with conducting insets 91 bearing on the rails and normally resting on an insulating panel 97 with rows a, b, c of contact studs 98. Depression of a key SK<1> moves the appropriate slide to place the insets into engagement with the studs a. Further movement of the slides to connect the insets and studs is effected by a pawl 99 on an arm 101 connected to the core 102 of an electromagnet 103 energized by one of the discs 35 during the second half revolution of the distributer shaft 33. The pawls 99 can be disengaged in any known manner by a clearing bar to permit them to return to normal position after completion of the operation. The slides 97 corresponding to the digits 2 to 9 are also provided with pairs of conducting insets 107 normally in engagement with contact studs 108 on the panel and connected to leads 1071 forming circuits for bridging across the slides 90 but are interrupted on displacement of a slide to prevent interference. The denominational selector plate P, which is arranged to sort out the various connections when dealing with mixed denominations such as sterling currency, is similar to the rack R and is shown in Figs. 8 and 15. It comprises sets of insulated contact studs 109, 1091 and a connector slide 110 with insets 111 ; the studs 109 are connected to the groups of studs 98 according to the possible products of the respective digits while the lower studs 109<1> are connected to the leads 32 of the multiplicand keys SK. In the normal position the insets are connected to the first, fourth, seventh, &c. studs. The diagram, Fig. 16, shows in dotted lines the connections to be established in the multiplier rack for multiplying 17s. 10¥d. from 1 to 6 times while the full lines show the multiplication by 7. In this Figure, the conductor rails are arranged vertically with the number of impulses at the top of each column, the numbers of the multiplier keys being at the left-hand side. In a modification of the multiplier rack, eleven single studs 98 are provided and the rack has a single step of movement only by depressing one of the keys. The through way contacts 107, 108 are also dispensed with. The studs 98 are connected by leads to bus-bars arranged in groups from which leads extend to the contacts 109 of the selector plate P. For multipliers with two or three denominations the impulses from the distributer are switched over to the appropriate section of the multiplier plate by any suitable means. In performing addition, the slide 90 for the " 1 " key SK<1> may be utilized in association with the add key AK or the multiplier rack may be dispensed with, the impulses being transmitted directly to the selector plate P for the addition of currency or to the magnets 56 for decimal amounts. A simplified form of apparatus for purposes of addition comprises keys co-operating with slidable pegs arranged in a base plate and adapted to be projected by depressing the keys to engage the conductor rails that receive impulses from the distributer and transmit them to the totalizer actuating magnets.