Patent GB-282664-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for utilising statistical data
IPC: G06F7/46
Filed: 1927-12-15
Abstract: 282,664. Borel, C. Dec. 21, 1926, [Convention date]. Statistical machines.-In a perforated record controlled machine for operating electrically, the perforations in the cards or strip are arranged in accordance with a code and a sensing device of known form is adapted to close electric circuits through a set of corresponding commutators on a main drive shaft whereby impulses are transmitted through relays and electromagnets to the totalizing-counter. In addition to circuits for dealing with positive items, circuits are arranged for dealing with negative items, subtraction being effected by adding the complement by means of impulses sent from the commutators through auxiliary relays accordingly. These circuits are rendered effective by means of a special perforation on the cards controlling the energization of an electromagnet in the relay circuits. A special set of numerals is provided on the totalizer dials to indicate the negative amounts and in the tens and higher denominations a third set of numerals is provided for reading the amount when the complementary figure in the lower denominations is " 0." Various circuits and associated parts are provided for the purpose of effecting (1) a total-taking operation and a resetting of the totalizer, a special perforated card being arranged at the end of a series of cards, (2) a sub-total operation by transmitting the setting of the totalizer, by impulses or the single closure of an electric circuit, to another totalizer or printing mechanism, and (3) the multiplication of one set of data on the card by another. The cards are perforated according to the code shown in Fig. 1, the perforations in the columns through the commutators producing 1, 2, 3, and 3 impulses respectively. Adding and subtracting. A diagrammatic embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 10<a>, 10<b> for dealing with items having two denominations. Each totalizer unit comprises an electromagnet G, a step-by-step mechanism H for actuating the indicating dials N, relays E, F, and W and a set of commutators Q - - V. The closing of a circuit from the positive side of the line through the commutators Jb - - Je on the main drive shaft Jm, the card perforations, and the terminals xa, xb energizes the electromagnets Ga, Gb to actuate the dials in accordance with the code. Subtraction is effected by adding the complement the negative character of the item being indicated by a special perforation in the card. A circuit through this perforation effects the energization of a relay Ao so as to connect the card contacts xa, xb, through relays Ea, Eb. These relays are connected through relays Fa, &c. to the electromagnets Ga, &c. The relay Fa is arranged to receive ten impulses from the commutators Jb - - Jf and the relays Fb, &c. nine impulses from the commutators Jb - - Je, and the circuits through these relays is interrupted by the relays Ea, &c. a number of times depending on the number to be transmitted through the contacts xa, xb so that only the remaining numbers of the respective series are transmitted to the electromagnets. The negative character of the amount standing on the totalizer is established by a relay Fd which operates the commutators L, M to close their contacts. The relay M energizes the relay D and through its contact 134 completes the circuit through the contacts 142a, 143a and the electromagnets Oa - - Oc to expose the negative indications on the dial. If commutator Qa is at zero the electromagnets Pb and Oc are excited and if commutators Qa and Qb are at zero the electromagnet Pc is excited to expose the outer series of figures for negative values. Transfer mechanism.-When the units numeral disc passes from the 9 to 0 the commutator V energizes its relay W through a holding circuit to close contacts 222a, 223a. The carry-over is effected by the commutator Jr, which through the contact 117 of relay B energizes relay C to cause the impulse to pass through the contacts 222a to the electromagnet G of next higher denomination; the impulse is of prolonged duration to permit of consequent transfer operations. Totals and subtotals, displaying and printing.- The last card of a group of cards is provided with a special perforation the circuit through which traverses a contact q to energize relay B to close its contacts 111 - - 113 in series with the contacts of the commutators Q. A series of ten impulses from the commutators Jb - J energizes the electromagnets G so as to rotate the commutators Q until they reach the zero position. At the same time the contact 117 is opened to interrupt the circuit to the relay C to prevent any transfer operations, and the contact 114 is closed to complete the circuit traversing the armatures 223 a, b, c of the relays W. These armatures are open until the commutator V reaches the zero position whereupon the relay W is excited to close the contacts and to permit of the transmission of the remaining impulses of the series of ten through the terminals ta, b, c to a known form of receiving mechanism such as a printing mechanism or totalizer. In taking a negative total the commutators L and M are first reset to zero by an impulse from the commutator Jh which passes through the contact 116 of relay B to excite electromagnet Gd. In sub-total taking operations the commutators Jb - - Je through the contact leads 1i, 2i, 3i, 3i send impulses through the contact points 171, 181, 191, 201 of the commutators R, S, T, U, the operative projections of which are arranged in accordance with the column perforations of the code represented in Fig. 1 and transmit impulses through terminals sa, b, c to a receiving mechanism. For negative sub-totals additional contacts 172, 182, 192, 202, and 173, 183, 193, 203 are provided, the circuit through the contacts 171 &c. being interrupted bv energizing relay D to operate contacts 136 - - 139. The total or sub-total may be obtained by the sending of a single. impulse through the commutator Ja to commutator contacts 174, 184, 194, 204 or negative contacts 175, 185, 195, 205 and 176, 186, 196, 206 to the four circuits of terminals v1, v2, v3, v4, arranged according to the code. Multiplying. The apparatus is provided with four complete sets of elements a - - d and a switching device X for transforming the electric connections. One factor y1, y2 is transmitted from the card reading device through the terminals xd, xc, Figs. 9<a> and 9<b>, to the relays Ed, Ec and the other factor (w1, w2) sensing device is connected to the terminals 227c, 228c, 227d, 228d associated with a totalizer adapted to receive in proper order the partial products. An impulse from the commutator Jk energizes relay Ao and the series of impulses through the commutators Jb - - Jf energizes the relays Fd, Fc and effects the setting of the complement of the factor on the commutators Qd, Qc. The closing of the contacts 154d, 154c energizes the relay Wd when the relay Ao is de-energized at the end of the impulse transmission. The relay Wc is not energized as the contacts 226d are opened. By the successive rotations of the main shaft Jm the impulses are transmitted by repeated addition as partial products to the totalizer and the commutator Qd rotated step-by-step until the contact 154d is broken and the relay We energized. The commutator Qc is then advanced step-by-step in accordance with the tens figure of the factor and the partial product, in proper denominational order, transmitted to the totalizer. The relay Wc on being de-energized energizes relays Wb and B which serve during the multiplication process to effect the transmission of the product obtained by resetting, the. totalizer and transmitting the amount to another totalizer to sum up and print the successive products. A special perforation in the last of a series of group cards permits an impulse from the commutator Jb to be transmitted to the relay Ea and by reason of the ten impulses traversing the relay Fa through the , commutators Jb - - Jf causes the electromagnet Ga to set the commutator Qa to the 9 position whereupon after the printing operation the commutator is. advanced a step to feed the record strip by means not shown and to reset the second totalizer.