Patent GB-565727-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to accounting machines
IPC: G07G1/10
Filed: 1943-03-03
Abstract: 565,727. Calculating apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. March 3, 1943, No. 3530. Convention date, March 4, 1942. [Class 106 (i)] A cyclically operating accounting machine is provided with an accumulator into which a plurality of numbers may be entered during a single cycle by transmitting impulses thereto in respect of each denomination of each number and thereafter transmitting a number of carryover impulses from one denomination to the next corresponding to the number of times the lower denomination has passed its highest digit. The invention is shown applied to a record controlled machine using record cards with several columns divided into groups or fields, one for each of the numbers. The digital values are represented by differentially positioned holes in the columns and additional hole positions designated " X " and " R " are provided for control purposes. A hole in the " X " position determines that the particular number will be subtracted by the addition of its complement. Card feeding, sensing and driving mechanism. These mechanisms are of known type and the general control circuit arrangement, Figs. 2 and 2a, is also known. The cards are fed past upper and lower brushes UB, LB and control the usual lever contacts 18, 19. The value designations are read by the lower brushes and corresponding entries are made in the accumulator. The upper brushes function in conjunction with the lower brushes under group control operation to allow the cards to continue to feed so long as control designations representing a particular group are the same on successive cards. This control is effected by means of a set of double wound pick up and holding relay magnets 59, 60. When the control designations sensed differ, the feeding mechanism is automatically stopped and a total taking cycle is initiated. Two motors TM, RM are provided for driving the machine ; one drives the feeding mechanism and certain cams to operate contacts L1 &c. and circuit breakers, the other operates when the accumulator is reset and a total is to be printed and operates other cams controlling contacts P1 &c. and circuit breakers, and drives an impulse emitter 93 in circuit with the rear-out means R1g ... R9g of the accumulator and with the printing magnets 87. The circuits of the machine are connected directly to the mains supply or indirectly through a D.C. rotary-transformer DY. To initiate operation of the machine requires a first resetting cycle, two successive tabulating cycles, followed by a resetting cycle. At this time the first card is in readiness to pass the lower brushes and the second card to pass the upper brushes. The control mechanism is also ready to compare the control designations and to enter upon card feeding and tabulating. Accumulating mechanism. The accumulator comprises pairs of relays, carry-over relays and interconnecting circuits. The relays are arranged in series in denominations and each pair constitutes a digit or value relay R1 to R9 and a controlling relay R11 to R19. The arrangement in each denomination is similar, that for the units denomination is shown in Fig. 2e. Assuming three numbers A, B and C are being derived from three fields of a record card, plug connections will be made from the lower brush sockets 20 to sockets 75A, 75B and 75C which connect to relays 77A, 77B and 77C, Figs. 2, 2a and 2e. Regarding the units denomination for the A number, energization of the relav 77A will close contacts 77Ab and a circuit will be completed from line 35, lever contacts 19, circuit breakers 61, contact roll 17, the punched hole in the units column, brush LB, plug sockets 20, 75A, back to line 34. By the closure of contacts 77Ab a digit entry circuit will be completed every time a circuit breaker 91A closes, from the line 34, contacts 91A, line 72A, contacts 97Ab, 77Ab to line 71. Similar circuits will be completed for the B and C numbers through circuit breakers 91B and 91C. The closure time of the contacts of the breakers is staggered so that the number of times the circuit is made is the sum of the entries in the particular denomination. From line 71 the circuit continues through contacts R10g, digit relay contacts R1b, control relay R11, and lead 104 to line 35. Contacts Rlla will close to establish a circuit to relay R1 and a holding circuit will be made through contacts R1a. Contacts R1d introduce a resistance r sufficient to maintain relay R11 energized until the circuit opens at the end of the impulse. So long as resistance r is in series the contacts of relay R 11 will remain in open position. Another resistance r<1> is provided in the holding circuit of relay R1 to prevent a potential holding circuit to the relay R11 when contacts R1a close. The next impulse will pass by way of line 71, contacts R11b, R1c, R2b, and relay R12 to line 35. Relay R12 closes contacts R12a to energize relay R2 when relay R12 will be de-energized. Each additional impulse energizes the corresponding digit relay so that at the end of nine impulses relays R1 to R9 remain energized, the circuit being maintained through the normally closed contacts R10e and R20d. Each impulse also closes a circuit to a relay Ku. Transfer operati n. Upon entry of a tenth impulse relay R20 is energized as follows, from line 34, line 71 contacts R11b, R1c, R12b, R2c, and so on through contacts R9c, R10b and relay R20 to line 35. Relay R10 is then energized and contacts R10a close to provide a holding circuit and contacts R10e open to break the holding circuit to relays R1 to R9, the contacts of which will return to normal. Contacts R20d are placed in a circuit to byepass the contacts R10e for the purpose of re-establishing the holding circuit of the digit relays. Re-energization of the relays R11, R1 is prevented during the entry of the tenth impulse by the contacts R10g which open when the relay R10 is energized. When relay R10 operates, the reclosing of contacts Ku1 will energize the relay R21 to prepare for the entry of the next impulses. Relay R10 thus acts as a transfer indicating relay and is energized on the entry of every tenth impulse. At the end of each cycle a relay 230 is energized to release the relay R10. Provision is made for a carry over of one, two or three units and for this purpose a set of primary carry relays U1, U2 and U3 is provided to transmit the set-up to carry relays TA, TB and TC, Fig. 2f, which control directly the entry to the next denomination. The first time contacts R10c close a relay 200, Fig. 2e, is energized, which closes a circuit to energize relay 201 and thereafter relay U1. For subsequent closure of contacts R10c relays U2 and U3 will also be energized. At the transfer time in the cycle cam contacts L39 close to complete a circuit to relay 231. If relay U1 is energized a circuit will be completed from line 34, contacts 231a, U1e, 231ub and relay TA to line 35. Thereafter an impulse through the circuit breakers 91A is transmitted through line 72A, contacts TAb, Fig. 2d (not shown), to the relay R1 in the tens denomination. Contacts L38 then close to energize relay 230 and contacts 230h, 230ua and 230e open to de-energize relays TA, R10 and U1. If two or all the relays TA, TB and TC are energized, two or three impulses will be carried over. For consequential transfers to the higher denominations, a parallel circuit is completed at the time the relay TA is energized through contacts 231ue, relay contacts R9e of the tens denomination now closed, primary carry relay contacts T1d of the tens denomination, relay HA to transmit an impulse to the hundreds denomination. Other relays T1, T2, T3, H1, H2, H3; HB, HC, THA, THB and THC will provide for two or three carry impulses to the proper denominations under the control of the digit relays R9, R8 and R7 of the lower denomination. Subtraction. To sense the " X " designation in any field A, B or C a plug connection is made between the appropriate upper brush socket 21 and sockets 94A, 94B or 94C. An impulse from the column in the field A- energizes relay 95A and thereby relay 97A on the closure of the associated cam contacts. An entry circuit is established from line 34, circuit breakers 91A, line 72A, contacts 97Ad, 77Ac, to accumulator units and line 35. A value designation encountered at the lower brushes breaks the circuit by energizing the relay 77A, the number of impulses entered being equal to the nines complement of the value. The true complement is completed by the entry of an impulse in the units denomination by energizing a relay 86A and relay UA. Totals printing. A manual switch 78, Fig. 2a, is set to total position in which brushes 79, 80 bridge contacts 88 and 82. The total is printed during a reset cycle which may be initiated manually on depression of the reset key or automatically at the end of the run of a group of cards. At this time the feeding mechanism is halted and on the closure of cam contacts a circuit will be completed to energize relay 74. The closure of contacts 74b, Fig. 2, will complete a circuit to the print magnets 78 from line 34, magnet 87, contacts 74b, normal read-out contacts R9g, R8g, R7g, and so on to the shifted contacts of the operated digit relay, the emitter 93, circuit breaker 58 to line 35. The operation of the reset clutch magnet 47 closes contacts 47a and completes the circuit to the reset motor RM and magnet 50. With the contacts 50a, Fig. 2a, closed, a circuit is completed to energize relay 81 and open its contacts 81a, Fig. 2e. When the contacts 81a are open and the contacts P12 subsequently open the digit relays are de-energized and the accumulator is cleared. Specification 541,688 is referred to.