Patent GB-576655-A (GB)
Abstract: 576,655. Calculating machines. AKTIEBOLAGET ORIGINAL - ODHNER. Sept. 3, 1943, No. 14444. Convention date, Sept. 12, 1942. [Class 106 (i)] A calculating-machine for performing calculating operations according to the four rules, comprises in combination an indexing mechanism movable step by step in a transverse direction of the machine and having ten counting keys to set up items therein, a transversely movable totalizer, a set of rotatable and axially adjustable counting spindles for transferring the items set up in the indexing mechanism to the totalizer by a rotary movement, means included in said indexing mechanism for determining the axial adjustment of the counting spindles in accordance with the keys depressed and a set of racks (proportion racks) for rotating the axially adjusted counting spindles in accordance with their adjustment. The machine comprises ten numeral keys 11 for setting up a number digit by digit on a series of setting racks 30, after which operation of one of two keys 12, 13 causes the longitudinal positioning of counting spindles 61 according to the setting of the corresponding racks 30, and the subsequent rotation of the spindles 61 by the proportion racks 100 to enter the amount in a totalizer 69. Differential mechanism.-Depression of a key 11, Fig. 1, against spring action rocks a corresponding bell crank 19 clockwise to displace an associated bar 21 backwards. An abutment on the bar 21 rocks a bridge member 40, Fig. 9, until a projection 47 on a lever 44 pivoted to the bridge member disengages a rack 48 secured to the frame of the indexing mechanism. At the same time a projection 49 on the bridge member enters the path of the teeth of the rack. The indexing mechanism, comprising a series of -racks 30, accordingly moves half a step to the left under spring action. The projection 47 also rocks a spring-influenced pawl 33 to release the appropriate rack 30 which now descends under spring action until stopped by the end of the displaced bar 21. Each rack 30 rotates a numeral wheel 27 visible through a window. The key 11, bar 21 and bridge member 40 return under spring action, the projection 49 disengaging and the projection 47 reengaging the rack 48 to complete the step of movement of the indexing mechanism and bring the next rack 30 opposite the bars 21. At the same time the rack 30 which has been set is locked in set position by engaging one of its notches 32 with a fixed bar 50. Each counting element comprises a rotatable and slidable spindle 61 slidably but not rotatably connected by a key-way to a sleeveshaped member 62 rotatably mounted in a beam 63 and carrying a mitre wheel meshing with further mitre wheel 66. The spindles 61 are supported by guide rods 73 spring pressed downwards, but normally held in a raised position by a bridge 78. A pinion 75 integral with each spindle 61 normally meshes with the uppermost of nine racks 100, Figs. 1, 5, 6, transversely reciprocable to differential extents by pin-and-slot connections with an arm 106 rocked by a cam groove 108. When the main shaft 80 rotates, according to the direction of rotation, the racks 100 move from the mean position shown in Fig. 5, first to one extreme position (Fig. 6, or Fig. 7, not shown) then to the opposite extreme position and back to normal. In the first extreme position, the bridge 78 descends under the control of a plate 84, reciprocated by a cam 87 and rollers 85, 86 and allows the guide rods 73 to descend until their abutments 76 meet shoulders 52 on the racks 30. The pinions 75 accordingly slide down into mesh with the appropriate proportion racks 100, or in the case of a zero setting into mesh with a fixed rack 101. A cam 99, Fig. 3, now rocks a three-armed lever 93 to raise the beam 63 to establish a drive from the mitre wheels 66 to the totalizer wheels 69 and to disengage a set of braking pawls 96 from the totalizer wheels. As the racks 100 swing from one extreme position to the other, the pinions 75 and therefore the totalizer wheels are rotated amounts corresponding to the setting of the racks 30. The beam 63 then descends to disengage the totalizer wheels, and, in the case of addition or subtraction the plate 84 and pawl 89 rock the bridge 78 to restore the spindles 61. The proportion racks then resume their mean position. Motor keys. - Spring- pressed keys 12, 13, Fig. 4, actuate cam levers 133, 134 two position a pin 141 and lever 142 in clockwise or counter clockwise position. The lever 142 rocks a shaft 143 to position a link 145, a bell crank 147, Fig. 1, and a lever 149 to move a clutch sleeve 125, Figure 2, slidably but not rotatably mounted on an extension, 114 of the mainshaft, into engagement with one or other of two bevel gears 122, 123, the latter being loose on shaft 80 and both being in mesh with an idler gear 124 whereby the motor 115 by a shaft 113 can drive the shaft 80 in forward or reverse direction to add or subtract from the totalizer. Further movement of key 12 or 13 rocks a bell crank 151 or 152 to pull a link 156 forward and therefore a catch lever 196 pivoted thereto and rocks a pawl 186 clockwise out of engagement with a projection 188 on a bell crank 189. The pawl 186 then descends under spring action rocking a lever 184 and a shaft 172, Fig. 4. A lever on the shaft 172 carries a pin 170 which rocks a pawl 168, Fig. 3, counter-clockwise to raise an arm 165 out of engagement with an abutment 166 on a clutch dog 163 which is then spring- pressed into engagement with a clutch disc 160 to couple together the toothed wheels 118 and 120 to bring the mainshaft into operative connection with the motor shaft as soon as the motor is energised by the closing of a pair of normally open contacts at the rocking of the shaft 172 (Fig. 11, 12, not shown). Shift arm 16, Fig. 4.-With the shift arm in its upper position, for addition or subtraction, the upturned end 209 of link 208 stops a catch lever 196 at an intermediate position and after one turn of the mainshaft 80 a cam 193 rocks a bell crank 189 to re-engage the pawl 186 to restore the shaft 172 to break the circuit to the motor and stop the machine, which cannot be restarted until the key 12 or 13 has been released so as to allow the link 156 to return the lever 196 to its original position. With the shift arm in its lower position, for multiplication or division, the link 208 moves rearwards and the lever 196 moves to its lowermost position pulling the pawl 186 a further step clockwise so that the bell crank 189 oscillates without reengaging the pawl 186 and the machine continues to operate until the key 12 or 13 is released whereupon the lever 196 moves rearwards to its normal position, allowing the pawl 186 to be caught up and the shaft 172 to be restored. Restoration of indexing mechanism.-The indexing mechanism is mounted on a frame 23 which is restored to its original position on the right of the machine in additive and subtractive operations automatically after each revolution of the main shaft under the control of a shaft 214, but in multiplication and division the mechanism must be restored manually by a lever. The motor drives a clutch disc 215, Fig. 3, which can be coupled to the shaft 214 on which it is loosely mounted by a clutch dog 216 pivoted to a drum 217 keyed to the shaft 214. The dog can be kept out of engagement by one or other of two levers 222, 223, having projections 225 preventing the tail 220 of the dog entering a recess 221 in the drum 217. The tooth 225 of the lever 223 is released once in each cycle of the shaft 113 by a pin 232 rocking a lever 234 having a pin-and-slot connection with the lever 223. With the shift lever 16 set for multiplication or division, the lever 222 maintains its tooth 225 in the recess and rotation of the shaft 214 is impossible, but with the lever 16 set for addition or subtraction the lever 222 withdraws its tooth 225 and the clutch dog 216 couples the shaft 214 for one revolution at each revolution of the main shaft. A cam 240 (Fig. 18, not shown) on the shaft 214 drives a drum to return the indexing frame 23 to the extreme right of the machine at each rotation of the shaft 214. As the frame 23 reaches its extreme right position it rocks a bell crank 260, Fig. 21, the lower bar of which restores all the racks 30, now freed from the bar 50, to uppermost position. As long as the shaft 214 is stationary, the circuit interrupter is controlled only by the shaft 172, but in additive and subtractive operations, just before the mainshaft completes its rotation, the shaft 214 rotates to raise the stop member 205 (Fig. 20, not shown) under cam action so as to reclose the circuit interrupter contacts despite the position of shaft 172 and the motor drives the shaft 214 but not the mainshaft 80 for one further revolution. Multiplication and Division.-In adding and subtracting operations, depression of a key 12 or 13 pulls a link 276 pivoted to the link 156 to rock a plate 270 clockwise as seen in Fig. 1, but when the shift arm 16 is moved to its lower position for multiplication or division, the upturned end 209 of the link 208 rocks a pawl 278 to detain a pin 272 on the plate 270, which is then rocked counter-clockwise at the depression of one of the keys 12, 13. A pin 271 on the plate disables the pawl 89, Fig. 1, so that the slide 84 operates without affecting the bridge member 78 so that the counting spindles 61 remain in their displaced positions and multiplication or division takes place by repeated addition or subtraction as long as the key 12 or 13 is held depressed. A quotient register, not shown, is controlled by the uppermost proportion rack 100, which drives a bar 290 (Fig. 16, not shown) provided with teeth, which are rocked alternately into mesh with a pinion on a spindle member 300 which drives the quotient register, when the beam 63 is raised. Tabulation.-Depression of one of the tabulator keys 14, 15, pushes or pu