Patent GB-650685-A (GB)
Title: Electromechanical calculating machine
IPC: G06F7/42
Filed: 1947-02-26
Abstract: 650,685. Calculating-apparatus; statistical apparatus. LAWRENCE, J. A., and HERON, K. M. Feb. 26, 1947, No. 5609. [Class 106 (i)] An electromechanical calculating machine for adding or subtracting two or more numbers, of which at least one is a value of a function of at least two variables, comprises means for automatically determining the number or numbers in dependence upon the variables, and also comprises, for each denomination of the numbers to be added, a co-ordinate switching system having n<SP>2</SP> effective contacts, where n is the radix of the denomination, electrically interconnected to form an adding or subtracting network, and means for transferring one to, or borrowing one from, the next higher denomination. The machine shown computes the charge to be made for a trunk telephone call from data punched in a record card by the telephone operator and punches the result of the computation on the record card. A cycle of operations is commenced by depressing a key, which causes a card-sensing machine (not described) to eject the previous card in which a result has been punched, to advance the following card for punching and to sense a third card. During the sensing operation, sensing- contacts are closed in accordance with the data entered in the card, each pair of contacts causing a corresponding storage relay to operate. When the computation for the previous card has been completed, a relay energizes the latch magnets BCLM, ASLM and APLM, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, of motor-driven uniselector switches BC, AS and AP to free them for operation. The uniselector BC computes a basic charge and the uniselectors AS and AP add to this the shillings and pence values respectively of an additional charge. The basic charge depends on the duration of the call in minutes, on a charge letter which corresponds with the distance, and on whether the call was made during the day or night. The additional charge may be zero or comprise single or daily fixed-time charges or a personal call charge. Moreover, in the case of a transfer call, the charge must not be below a certain minimum. Basic-charge marking. The uniselector BC, Fig. 2, rotates until its connected pair of search wipers engage respectively and simultaneously a contact marked through operated contacts, e.g. 6UM2, of a unit-minutes storage relay BCHS, and the closed contacts, e.g. 2TM2, of a ten-minutes storage relay. The relay BCHS then operates through its contacts BCHS1 to release its latch magnet BCLM and so to stop itself in a position representing the duration of the call. Thus, when the uniselectors AP, AS have been positioned and their relays have operated to close contacts APHS1 and ASHS1 and so energize relays KP, KS, contacts KP1, KS1 close to mark one each of the pence, shillings and ten-shillings wipers of the uniselector 3c (only three wipers are shown), according to which " charge letter " relay has operated and whether the " day " or " night " relay has operated. In the present example, contacts D2, D3 and D4, M2, M4 and M6 will be closed to mark the three wipers shown, the marks being passed, with the contacts as shown and the uniselector at the " 26 minutes duration " position, to the wires 3, 2 and 6, respectively, of the ten-shillings, shillings and pence marking wires TBCMW, SBCMW and PBCMW. Additional-charge marking. One of the contacts of the arc associated with the search wiper AS, Fig. 3, depending on the shillings value of the additional charge, is marked through operated storage-relay contacts. Thus, if " single fixed time " and " personal call " charges are to be made, storage relays will have operated contacts SFT2 and PC4 and if the charge letter is M and the call was made in the day, storage relays will have operated contacts M10 and D8 so that, with the flexible connections as shown, the contact representing two shillings is marked. In the pence denomination, three alternative search wipers AP, Fig. 4, are required and, in the present example, the centre one will be effective, the contact representing five pence being marked through operated contacts SFT3, D11 and M11. Addition of basic and additional charges. The pence and shillings basic charge marking wires PBCMW, Fig. 4, and SBCMW, Fig. 3, are connected respectively to the wipers of the uniselectors AP and AS, which are stopped, when their search wipers engage their respective marked contacts, by relays APHS and ASHS. The contacts of the uniselectors are diagonally connected to form adding networks so that, in each case, a set of contacts representing the sum of the additional and basic charges is marked to operate, in the present example, result-storage relays 11P and 4S, which are locked by their first contacts. A ten-shillings result-storage relay (not shown) is operated directly by the appropriate ten-shillings marking wires. Punching result. Operation of a relay DM (see below) causes the appropriate pence punchsetting magnet, e.g. 11PPM, Fig. 5, to be energized through contacts, e.g. 11P4, of the operated result storage relay. In the absence of a transfer from the pence denomination, a relay XP, Fig. 4, is operated to close contacts XP6, so that the appropriate shillings punchsetting magnet SPM is also operated. Similarly, if no transfer from the shillings denomination is necessary, contacts XS5 are closed by a relay XS, Fig. 3, so that, in the present example, contacts 3T4 of the tens-shillings resultstorage relay energize a relay UL whose contacts UL1, UL3 respectively energize the pound and ten-shillings punch-setting magnets LPM, TPM. Relays NL, NT operate if the result does not involve a pound or ten-shillings respectively. When, in each denomination, either a punch-setting magnet or a zero relay NP, NS, NT or NL has operated, a circuit is completed for a relay PR which, together with a relay MR (see below), serves to restore the circuits to their initial conditions. Transfer means of adding circuits. If a transfer is necessary from the pence denomination, the result-storage relay, e.g. 10P, Fig. 4, is operated through a winding b so as to energize a transfer relay YP instead of the relay XP, thus closing contacts YP6, Fig. 5, so that any operated shillings result-storage relay contacts, e.g. 4S4, will energize the appropriate punchsetting magnet, e.g. 5SPM. A shillings transfer relay YS, Fig. 3, operates through its contacts YS5 in a similar manner but it can also be operated through a winding a and a wire DCW if both the pence transfer relay has closed contacts YP4, Fig. 1, and the relay 9S has operated contacts 9S7. Transfer-call minimum fee. When one of each of the ten-shillings, shillings and pence storage relays, e.g. 3T, 4S and 11P, have operated, a relay MR, Fig. 1, is energized either through direct or transfer mark wires, DMW or TMW, according to whether the corresponding sum is greater or less than the transfer-call minimum fee as set in the apparatus by means of flexible connections. In the former case, a relay DM is operated but, in the latter case, the relay DM or a relay TXM is operated according to whether or not a relay TX has operated to signify that the call being considered is a transfer-call. If the relay TXM is operated, contacts TXM2 and TXM3, Fig. 5, are effective to set the punch-setting magnets, e.g. 6PPM and 1SPM, corresponding to the transfer-call minimum. Totalizer. Totalizer transfer means. When a computation has been completed, the relay MR, Fig. 1, operates to close contacts MR6, Fig. 6, so as to step on a negative-drive ratchetswitch D whereupon arcs D3, D4 and D5, Fig. 7, mark a wiper of each of three motor-driven uniselectors PZ, SZ and TZ through circuits PRES, SRES and TRES, similar to those of Fig. 5, for energizing the pence, shillings, tenshillings, and pound punch-setting magnets. The contacts of the uniselectors PZ, SZ and TZ, which are positioned according to the total to date, are each connected in diagonal sets to form an adding network connected to the searched arcs of uniselectors PW, SW and TW, respectively. Thus, in the pence denomination, the uniselector PW is positioned according to the sum of the old total and the new result, the latch magnets PWLM, SWLM and TWLM of the uniselectors PW, SW and TW having been energized through the arcs D6, D7 and D8 of the switch D. Operation of the contacts HSP1 of the controlling relay for the uniselector PW, marks, through a wiper of the uniselector PZ, a wiper of the uniselector PW according to the old total, the mark being passed directly, or through contacts CP1 of a relay CP, according to whether a transfer is not or is required, to step on the switch D. The uniselector SW is then positioned according to the new total for the shillings denomination itself, plus one if relay CP has operated contacts CP2, a mark being passed, either directly or through the transfer relay CS, to step on the switch D. In the meantime, if the relay PR, Fig. 5, and the resultstorage relays, have operated, a relay operates contacts LB4 to step on the switch D, after which the uniselector TW is correctly positioned, contacts CS2 allowing for any transfer. The radix for the ten-shillings denomination is, for convenience, taken to be twenty, so that when a transfer relay CT operates, a ten-pounds negative-drive ratchet switch TL is stepped on. When the mark from the uniselector TW steps on the switch D, wipers D3, D4 and D5 release the control relays HSP, HSS and HST and mark the zero wipers of the uniselectors PZ, SZ and TZ. The contacts MSP1, MSS1 and HST1 then energize the latch magnets PZLM, SZLM and TZLM through the wipers D6, D7 and D8 of the switch D. The uniselector PZ then runs to the position occupied by the uniselector PW when the relay HSP re-operates so that the contacts HSP1 pass a mark, through the uniselector PW and the un-operated contacts CP1, to the switch D to advance it by one step. The uniselectors SZ and TZ then run to the