Patent GB-191204178-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Calculating Machines.
Inventor: MILLS CLAUDE KENNEDY
Filed: 1911-08-21
Granted: 1912-08-21
Abstract: 4178. Mills, C. K., [Dick Co., A. B.]. Aug. 21, 1911. Adding-apparatus with operating-means. - Relates to machines possessing features in common with the machines described in Specifications 18,809/11 and 3725/12, and has for its object (1) the construction of such machines, including the transfer-mechanism, on the ' unit ' system, (2) the provision of (a) a suitable form of transfer-mechanism to which the above can be applied, (b) a multiplying - key and connexions, and (c) means for absorbing or preventing shock when the setting-parts are actuated. In these machines the depression of a key in any bank rocks an L-shaped spring- controlled slide-bar 6, Figs. 3 and 9, upon its longitudinal axis, thus allowing it to escape past a positioning-stud 13. The slide-bar is connected by a link 11 to a pivoted arm 18 carrying a spring-controlled driving-pawl 19 which is always in engagement with a receiving- wheel 17, and moves idly in the clockwise direction. The differential position of the slidebar and driving-pawl is determined by the engagement of the stem af the depressed key with the corresponding one of a series of slots of varying length in the base of the slide-bar; the depressed key and the remaining undepressed keys of any bank being locked by the upper flange of the slide-bar which co-operates with lugs 14 on the key-stems. When the operating- lever 24, Fig. 5, is pulled forwards, a bail 31 mounted on arms attached to the lever 24 and a correspondingly toothed sector 27, Fig. 8, is swung to the rear, the sector 27 being positively driven from the operating-lever by means of a pair of pinions 29 fixed at opposite ends of a shaft 30. No matter what the position of the pivoted arm 18 and driving-pawl 19, there is always an initial idle movement of the bail 31 of considerable extent; on its continued rearward movement, however, the bail engages the arm 18 and pawl 19, locking the latter to the receiving-wheel 17, and restores them to normal position, thus rotating the wheel. The operating-lever is provided with a full-stroke pawl 33. Shock-preventing mechanism. In the apparatus described above, the depression of any key would result in the forward movement of the corresponding slide-bar 6 under the action of its spring 12 until the slide-bar was stopped by the stem of the depressed key. To prevent the shock due to the sudden arrest of the slidebar, a slide 184, Fig. 5. connected by a link 186 to the operating-lever, normally engages a swinging bail 183 depending from the bail 46 of the multiplying-key. The bail 183 is in engagement with cams 182 on a shaft 180, to which are attached fingers 181 adapted to engage with the slide-bars 6. When a key is depressed, therefore, the slide-bars are only free to move sufficiently to enable their sides to engage with the positioning-studs 13, and they then move evenlv forwards in accordance with the motion of the slide 184 as the operating- lever is given its forward stroke. In multiplication (see below) this mechanism is not necessary, as the slide-bars will commence their next setting-movements immediately the bail 31 is moved forwards in the second half of the stroke of the operating-lever. The depression of the multiplying-key will, as can be seen from Fig. 5, raise the bail 183, which actually functions as a distance - piece, and this prevents the cooperation of the fingers 181 and slide 184. Construction of apparatus on the ' unit' system. Each bank of keys with its cooperating denominational setting, receiving, transfer, &c. mechanism, is mounted upon a vertical plate 1, Fig. 3, arranged parallel to the sides of the machine. The plates are bent at their front ends, as shown at 2, so as to form suitable distance-pieces, the receiving-wheels 17 being mounted upon separate studs 16, which, when the ' units ' of the machine are assembled, are in alinement with each other. Transfer mechanism. - A suitable transfer mechanism adapted for construction on the above system is shown in Fig. 10. At transfer, cams 52, fixed to the corresponding numeralwheels, rock levers 53, which, by means of levers 56, pivoted upon a swinging link 57, release latches 58 from spring-controlled bell-crank levers 62 carrying pivoted transfer-pawls 66, which are thus moved idly to the right (as shown in Fig. 10). Upon the return movement of the operating-lever, staggered arms 71 upon the shaft 30, (see also Figs. 5 and 8), which is always given a complete rotation in either direction at each operation of the machine, engage pivoted fingers 68 on the levers 62, thereby resetting the levers and transfer pawls 66 and giving an additional movement to the receiving-wheels 17. Overthrow is prevented by detents 72, normally held disengaged from the wheels by latches 75, or by projections 74 on the levers 62, but allowed at transfer, when these latches are released, to follow the movement of the levers, and to engage with the wheels 17 at the conclusion of the transfer operation. Multiplying by repetition.-The actuation of the repeat key 43, Fig. 8, rocks a bail 46, the effect of which is to move rearwards spring- controlled plungers contained in the positioning- studs 13 for the slide-bars 6. The studs are thus virtually lengthened, and when the forward movement of the operating-lever in the act of restoring the driving-pawl 19 and rotating the receiving-wheels returns the slide-bars to normal, the forward ends of the slide-bars do not clear the studs and consequently the slide-bars are not turned on their longitudinal axes by their springs 10. They are therefore not prevented by the studs 13 from moving forward again under the action of their springs 12 to their respective differential positions, as soon as the driving-bail 31 commences to swing forward upon the rearward movement of the lever.