Patent GB-191218642-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Calculating Machines.
Inventor: BOULT ALFRED JULIUS
Filed: 1912-08-14
Granted: 1913-08-14
Abstract: 18,642. Boult, A. J., [Autarit Ges.]. Aug. 14. Calvulating-apparatus. - Relates to motoroperated multiplying-machines of the general type described in Specifications 16,049/02, 14,453/05, 4550/10, and 15,908/11, and consists in providing means whereby the factors of a second calculation can be set on the multiplier and multiplicand keyboards while the machine is performing a previous calculation, and in means whereby the operations of multiplication are performed by a doubly abbreviated method, i.e., effecting the multiplication by repeated additions, alternate addition and subtraction, or idle working, combined with lateral movements of the setting- mechanism or multiplicand-key carriage, in such manner as to minimize the number of additions or subtractions to be made. Such operations of the machine are regulated by a controlling- mechanism which determines the movements of the carriage and the number of additions and subtractions at any position. An operation of the main shaft during the first halfrevolution transmits the setting to a totalizer or counting-mechanism, and during the second half-revolution effects the transfer between the denominations. The multiplicand - setting mechanism is the same as that described in Specification 15,908/11, and totalizing and printing mechanisms may be provided as described in Specification 4550/10. The digits of the multiplier are shown, after a calculation has been completed, on numeral wheels 271, Fig. 6, which are moved a step forward or backward for each addition or subtraction by means of a lever 258 which engages the wheels when a segment 205 is rotated by the movement of a spindle 304. The multiplicand keys 21, Fig. 7, are returned at the end of a calculation by means of a segment 197, Fig. 8, which is first moved anticlockwise and is then, at the end of an operation, rocked in the opposite direction by the movement of a spindle 302 which rocks members 198, 203. The member 203 is provided with a projection which presses on a bar 245, Fig. 7, so that pins thereon turn back a toothed segment 30 cooperating with a pin 46 on a spindle 49 adapted to turn the grooved-segments 86 back to their position of rest. The first movement of the segment 197 rotates a spindle carrying cams for striking pins on slides 114 which are thereby pulled to release the depressed keys. To enable a key to be depressed while the other keys are being returned, a slide 73 is pulled forward by means of projections on a spindle 634, oscillated by the segment 197. Multiplying - apparatus. - The controlling- mechanism comprises a rotatable drum 81, Figs. 2<b>, 49, having a number of pairs of longitudinal slides 150, 151, adapted to be moved to operative positions by the depression of the multiplier keys. The movement is produced by forcing bars 362, Figs. 7, 17, which have been lowered by the keys, into recesses of different shapes formed in auxiliary slides 607-618 adapted to engage and set the slides 150, 151. By providing a different number of auxiliary slides it is possible to set simultaneously by a single depression of a key several figures of a factor as, for instance, a decimal fraction. The bars 362 are forced into the auxiliary slides on the rotation of a spring-controlled spindle 367, Fig. 6, which is released from its escapement by means of a lever 584 and slides 363, 364, Fig. 17, operated by the keys and thereby through a cam-plate 376, Figs. 2<b>, 12, rocks a spindle 604 to which is attached an arm having a pin engaging a slot in the bars 362. The position of the slide 150 determines whether during a revolution an addition, a subtraction, or an idle working will be effected, and the slide 151 determines whether a step of the carriage, no movement, or a return of the same will take place. Keys, called ' change-over ' keys, are provided to give the setting a positive or negative value The drum 81 is controlled by a spring and by means of a stop device 297, 298, which is adapted to arrest the first pair of slides that are in the position of rest. To perform the operations by the abbreviated method, the last pair of slides moved by the depression of a key, called the ' mutandumslides,' must be capable of receiving a further setting on the depression nf another key corresponding to the first setting of the new operation, and the position of the drum ensuring this is called the ' mutator position.' This is ensured by providing a second stopping-device 499. Fig. 12, called a 'compensation-lever,' which is adapted to come into operation a short time before the device 297, 298 so as to arrest the last pair of slides set, i.e., the mutandum slides. The operations of the compensation-lever follow certain rules which are set forth in the Specification. This lever 499 is disengaged during the setting of the slides by means of a lever 577, Fig. 17, which is actuated by a lever 595 and an arm 540 on the spindle 604. The slide 617 of the pair which sets the ' mutator - position ' does not engage directly with the slide 150 of the first pair of slides but is connected with a slide 600, Fig. 17, which can be moved by the ' mutandum-slide' 150. A diagrammatic representation of the link-work to effect the actuation of the levers 584, 577 is shown in Fig. 56. Operating by motors. - The slides 150, 151 operate ' feeling ' levers 174<a>, 174, Figs. 2<b>, 12, and 49, respectively, which are mounted on a body 156 connected by a differential gear to the drum and are rotated therewith and at each revolution of the main spindle 70, Fig. 6, are turned back again relatively to the drum hy an amount equal to the distance between successive pair of slides. On the main spindle is mounted an eccentric 324, Fig. 6, which oscillates a connecting-rod 325 pivoted to a segment 378 adapted to rock a lever 379. A cam on the shaft through levers 238, 347, 349, Fig. 6, is adapted on the descent of the lever 379 to push the pin 379s thereof out of the slots of a wheel 339 and to lock it in position by means of a pin 349
. During the upward movement of the lever 379 its pin advances the wheel 339 to actuate the differential gear to return the 'feeling' levers. The levers 174, 174<a> are connected to operating-levers 385, 386, Figs. 2<b> and 20; to the lever 386 is pivoted a lever 389, Figs. 2 and 20, which engages a pin on a slide 240 mounted on the spindle 304. The slide has a projection adapted to engage in one or the other of a pair of levers 242, 243, Fig. 6, so that the spindle 304 can be rotated in one or other direction or can remain at rest if the slide is in its central position. The oscillations of the lever 238 rock the levers 242, 243, and the movement is transmitted to a grooved segment which is adapted to engage a pin on a lever 111, Fig. 20, and thereby move a spindle 148 to the right or left so as to bring toothed-wheels 23 into engagement with the racks 16 or 15 respectively, which transmit the setting to the numeral-wheels of the totalizer. The movement of the carriage is controlled by the lever 385 through a bar 419 which lags behind while the feeling levers are moving; the lever 385 is provided with a triangular recess with which engages a pin on a slide 394, Fig. 2, forced by means of an eccentric 391 on the main spindle into a corner of the recess. When the bar 419 is in its righthand position, the lateral movement of a sliding part connected thereto and of a lever 239 is rendered impossible, but in its central or lefthand position, the lever 239 is oscillated about its pivot. This lever is slotted to receive a pin 528
, Fig. 20, of a member 528 which is pivoted to a bell-crank lever 384, Fig. 2<b>, connected by lever and crank to a spindle rocked by the main shaft. The pin 528
 engages the recesses of a bar 37 secured to the carriage and thereby advances it step by step. In the right-hand position, the lever 239 is locked to the bar 419, and the pin 528
 is removed from the recess without movement of the carriage. In the left-hand position of the bar 419, the pin 528
 is withdrawn by means of a pin engaging a groove in the bar 419, and the carriage returns to its normal position. The bar 419 in its left-hand position is also adapted to oscillate the spindle 302 which thereby actuates the releasing-devices for the keys 21. If a factor is set on the multiplier keys beyond the capacity of the machine, the carriage is automatically returned, for which end the last recess of the bar 37 is formed with a cam-face so as to ensure the pin 528
 being disengaged therefrom. As soon as the ' feeling ' levers arrive at their position of rest, the machine is stopped by means of a cam-plate 336, Fig. 2<b>, which is adapted to rock a lever 565, Fig. 12, and thereby operate a slide 589, Fig. 17, to which is connected by means of links 523, 524, Fig. 2<a>, a member 476 cooperating with a stop 472 adapted to be forced back so as to turn a cam-plate 473 out of the path of a driver 471, Figs. 2<a> and 8, secured to the main shaft. The motor can also be disconnected by the engagement of a lever 530, Fig. 2<a>, with a stop 477. A sliding pin 478 on each stop is arranged to operate a rod to break the motor circuit. Dividing-apparatus. - Division is effected as described in Specification 16,049/02 by subtracting until a warning-shield 77. Fig. 18, indicates ' wrong,' after which the machine adds the division once and then the carriage moves to the next place value. The highest numeral-wheel moves the shield by means of a projection thereon engaging segments 459, 454, Fig. 18. To the operating-levers 385, 386 are respectively attached levers 417, 420, Fig. 2, which are provided with cam recesses opposite disk segments 463, 464, Fig. 18, and according as these segments are turned up or down by means of the segment 454, the levers 385, 386 are moved to permit of subtraction without advance of the carriage or addition with a carriage movement. Depression of the division key 568