Patent GB-190303259-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Adding and Recording Machines.
Inventor: PIKE WILLIAM HENRY
Filed: 1903-02-11
Granted: 1903-08-06
Abstract: 3259. Pike, W. H. Feb. 11. Calculating-apparatus for adding, in which tho numbers are printed in column at the same time that they are added, and in which the total can also be printed. When the " total key is depressed, the adding-wheels are automatically re-set to zero ; when the " sub-total key is depressed, the printing operation takes place without altering the recorded total. The machine is power-driven, the hollow power-shaft 175, Fig. 13, rotating continuously and driving the shaft 176 through a friction coupling. The coupling comprises discs 180, 100, 101 pressed together by a spring 102. The discs 100 turn with the shaft 176, and the discs 101 have ears 101<a> which engage with recesses 172 in the enlarged end of the shaft 175. The shaft 176 is normally prevented from rotating by the engagement of a roller 110 on the latch 178 with a shoulder in the cam-disc 115. When the "starting key" 103" is depressed, the latch is lifted and the cam 115 makes one complete revolution, during which time the main shaft 992 of the machine is rocked by means of the crank-pin 109, connecting-rod 109<a>, and a crank on the shaft 992. The oscillation of the shaft 992 effects the printing and adding operations of the machine. Fig. 4 shows the keyboard in vertical section from front to rear. Each column of keys 201 contains keys from 1 to 9 and also a blank key 201<a>. The number to be printed and added is set up on the keyboard by depressing the proper key in each column,the keys being held down by means of notches in their stems which engage with pawls carried on rock-shafts 220 extending from front to rear of the keyboard. If a second key is depressed in the same column, the shaft 220 is rocked and the first key released. The blank key stem is not notched, but rocks the shaft 220 like the other keys. The lower end of the depressed key in each column projects into the path of one of the stops 430 carried by the column rack-bar 404. Each bar 404 is connected to the vertical arm of a type-bearing lever 403, and these arms rest against a universal bar 401 forming part of a rocking frame 400. A cam 900 on the main shaft 922 normally holds the frame 400 and rack-bars 404 in their extreme rearward position against the tension of the springs 480, 404<a>. When the cam 900 releases the antifriction roll 402, the bars 404 are drawn forward by the springs 404<a> in varying degrees according to the keys depressed, and the corresponding typebars 490 are brought above the impression-point on the platen 880. In a column in which no key has been depressed, the bar 404 moves through the unit distance, the rearmost stop 430 being then arrested by the end of a swinging pawl 205 secured to the shaft 220. This movement brings the typecarrier into position to print a cipher. In a column in which a key has been depressed, the pawl 205 is swung aside, and the movement of the bar 404 is determined by the abutment of one of the other stops 430 against the lower end of the depressed key. At the front end of each bar 404 is mounted a rack 405, Figs. 4 and 19, capable of a limited sliding movement. Springs 460 draw the racks rearwards, but a bar 325 carried by a pivoted frame G normally holds the racks one unit distant from their rearmost position. As soon as the main shaft 922 of the machine begins to rock, the bar 325 moves rearwards. The rack thus subtracts one unit from the movement of the bar 404, and compensates for the unit movement which brings the cipher type to position. After the bars 404 have been moved forward in their varying degrees, a frame D is rocked downwards on the shaft 320, and the pinions 385 of the adding- wheels are brought into engagement with the racks 405. As the type-bearing levers 403 swing back from the printing position after the impression has been made, the bars 404 reassume the normal position, and during this rearward movement the pinions 385 are rotated in varying degrees, and the adding-wheels correspondingly adjusted. " Carrying " of the tens from one adding-wheel to the next is effected as follows:-Each rack 405 bears on its right-hand face a stud which normally rests against a lug 303<b> extending from a detent 303 associated with the adding-wheel of next lower denomination. When an adding-wheel has been rotated through nine units, the inclined edge g of the cam 311 attached to the adding-wheel has come almost into contact with the end of the detent 303, and during the tenth step the detent is depressed and the lug 303<b> releases the aforesaid stud and allows the rack of next higher denomination to move through an additional unit. A pawl 304 holds down the detent 303 until the frame G returns to its forward position. Fixed pawls 307 lock the pinions 385 against accidental turning when the frame D is in the raised position. When it is desired to print the total as recorded by the adding-wheels, the "total" key is depressed, and also the starting-key. The effect of depressing the "total" key is to bring the pinions 385 into engagement with the racks 405 before their forward movement commences, and when the bars 404 are released by the cam 900 the pinions and adding- wheels turn backwards as the bars advance. Each adding-wheel bears a cam 311, Fig. 18, and the backward rotation of each wheel continues until the shoulder of the cam bears against the nose 303<a> of a detent 303, the adding-wheel then reading zero. The bars 404 thus receive the varying degrees of movement required to bring the proper types to the impression point, and at the same time all the adding-wheels are set to zero. The frame D rises before the return movement of the bars 404 takes place. When the " sub-total " key is depressed, the same operations take place, but the lifting of the frame D is delayed until the bars 404 have returned to the initial position, and the original reading of the adding-wheels is thus restored. Fig. 6 shows the platen 880 and the sliding type-bars 490. Every type-carrier moves at least one step, so that the cipher type at least is brought to the impression point. The type-hammers 501 are actuated by springs 580 when the latches 503<b> release them. The latches 503<b> are themselves actuated by latches 504 pivoted at 505<a> to a frame H which is depressed by the lifting of the link 511. In those cases in which a key has been depressed, the projection 403<a> is out of the path of the stud 559 on the latch 504, and the descent of the latch releases the hammer, but otherwise the latch 504 is rocked and the latch 503<b> is not actuated. Provision is made, however, for releasing every hammer on the right-hand side of the hammer corresponding to the first key depressed, so that ciphers at least shall always be printed after a significent figure. For this purpose, the latch 503<b> bears a projection which overlaps the next latch to the right. The swinging frame I restores the hammers to the normal position. Depressed keys are positively locked and others prevented from being depressed by means of sliding bars 204, Fig. 4, with projections which enter holes in the key stems. The depressed keys are released at the end of the printing and adding operation by mechanism which withdraws all the pawls from the notched stems of the keys. A device is provided for preventing the depression of the starting-key if the " total " or " sub-total " key is imperfectly depressed, and mechanism is also provided for swinging all the detents 205 aside when either of the total keys is depressed. The platen 880 is supported in a sliding carriage L, Fig. 6, which can be locked in position by turning the eccentric clamping collar 875. The feed-rolls 881, 881<a> are mounted in pivoted frames 807, 808 acted on by springs 839<a>, 831". By means of a finger-piece 807<a>, both rolls can be moved away from the platen. Paper guides 801, 802 are provided. The platen is rotated step by step by means of toothed gearing and ratchet mechanism. The inking-ribbon is carried by two spools, of which the left-hand one, 608L, is shown in Fig. 24. The ribbon is guided by rolls 665 above the printing line. The right-hand spool is at a lower elevation than the left-hand one, and its shaft 646 extends through to the left-hand side of the frame 500. Both shafts 640, 646 rotate against frictional resistance. A ratchet-wheel 685 is attached to each spool, and pawls 676 co-operate with the ratchet-wheels. The pivots 632 of the pawls are guided in slots 632<b> in swinging arms P, which are rocked from the shaft 992. The pivots are connected by links 632<a> with studs 633 guided in slots. Springs 634<a> force the pivots 632 to one or other end of the slots 632<b>, one pawl being always in action and the other out of action. When the ribbon is completely wound off a spool, the ratchet-wheel of that spool is unable to turn, and when the arm P is rocked the wheel forces the pawl 676 upwards or downwards as the case may be, and throws the other pawl into engagement, thus reversing the travel of the ribbon.