Patent GB-837383-A (GB)
Title: Electrical programming device
IPC: G06F15/08
Filed: 1958-10-14
Abstract: 837,383. Cash registers. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Oct. 14, 1958 [Nov. 29, 1957], No. 32698/58. Class 106 (1). In an electrical programming device different programmes are obtained by connecting together the contacts of an eight-bank twentyposition stepping switch 50, Fig. 2, in such an arrangement, for example as shown in Fig. 1, that each bank has a different system of connections to output terminals 61 on panel 62. One of the banks I to VIII is energized to choose the desired sequence of energization of terminals 61 as the switch 50 steps through its positions. As can be seen, positions 1 and 2 are connected in common in all banks to terminals 1 and 2 on panel 62. In bank I the contacts 3-19 are connected in sequence to terminals 3-19 of panel 62. In other banks, contacts are connected by diagonal connections so that in bank VIII, for example, contacts 3-12 connect to terminals 10-19 and contacts 13-19 are disconnected. Other arrangements of connection may be used. The contacts 20 of all banks are connected to conductor 63 which is used for a control purpose. The programmer is described applied to a data processing machine such as that described in Specification 798,017 adapted to receive data, e.g. by keyboard, and record it, e.g. by punching a tape. The input data is set up by the keyboard on selector switches CRS1- CRS9, Fig. 4A. During the recording programme the data from some or all of these will be punched on the tape, the order being determined by plug-connections on plug-board 101, Fig. 4B. The desired stepping switch bank is selected by a switch CRB1, Fig. 4A, the contacts of which connect to terminals in section 94 on board 89. These are plug-connected to terminals in section 95 connected to the wipers of the banks I-VIII of the stepping switch. As soon as one of its banks is energized the switch, under the control of an operating circuit 82, begins to step through its positions, voltage being applied in the programme sequence to terminals 1-19 in section 100 of board 101. Apart from the data on switches CRS1-CRS9 certain fixed data is also recorded, such as machine number and an "end of frame" symbol. The operating circuit 82 is described in the above Specification. Its first operation is to apply a voltage to line 86 which passes to terminal 87, Fig. 4B, in section 88 of board 89. This is connected by a jack 90 to terminal 91 which, via line 92, energizes the wiper of programme selector switches CRB1. If this is set on position I the voltage passes over a line in cable 93 to a terminal in section 94, Fig. 4B, of board 89. This is connected by plug connection 97 to the terminal of section 95 to energize the wiper of bank I of the stepping switch 50. At the beginning of a recording operation, one of the two wipers 58, Fig. 2, is on the 20th contact which, as shown in Fig. 1, is connected to control lead 63. This passes back to the operating circuit 82, Fig. 4A, and causes the stepping switch wipers to step to their first position. The first recording may be of fixed data, say an endof-frame symbol. For this a connector 102 on board 101 is used to connect position 1 of the switch to terminal 103 in section 104. This terminal connects via a line in cable 132 to the second row of sockets in plugboard 84, Fig. 4C. Diode connectors 105, 106 thereby energize punch selector magnets PS-7 and PS-8. Holes are thereby punched in tracks 7 and 8 of the tape. The next position (terminal 2) may be used to record the machine number by a plug connection 107, Fig. 4B, to socket 108 to digit section 109 of board 101. This energizes line 112, Fig. 4C, in the code converter board 113 and via diodes 110, 111, energizes magnets PS-1 and PS-2. The data from the switches CRS1-CRS9 is then recorded, position 3 of section 100, Fig. 4B, being plug-connected to terminal 122 which connects via a line in cable 124 to the wiper of switch CRS1. According to the value set on this switch, one of the terminals in section 126 will be energized, permanent connections being made via section 109 of board 101 to the digit recording board 113. Other switches CRS2 &c. are read out in the same manner. Switch CRA1, which is set by control keys of the machine at the same time as programme selector switch CRB1, has its contacts connected to sockets in section 130 of board 89, Fig. 4B. These can be used to punch a symbol or digit indicating the significance of the data being punched. For this purpose plug connectors can be made from section 130 to symbol section 131 (as shown at 133) or to the digit section 126. The wiper of switch CRA1 is connected by a line in cable 124 and a plug-connector to the desired stepping switch terminal. After recording all necessary data the stepping switch is reset to home position, the resetting operation of circuit 82 being initiated by a signal on line 148 drived from terminal 147 on board 101, Fig. 4B. If all the data was recorded in the first seventeen steps, the eighteenth terminal is plug-connected to terminal 147 so that resetting takes place when the stepping switch reaches this position. It may be desired to reset at an earlier position, say at position 6, if switch CRA1 is set on position 5. In this case the sixth stepping switch terminal is plug-connected to terminal 151 which is connected to the wiper of switch CRA1. The fifth contact is connected via plug connector 154, terminal 155, cable 124, terminal 157 in section 123 of board 101 and plug connector 158 to reset terminal 147. By setting the programme selector switch CRB1 to position 5 and making a plug connection 165 to stepping switch bank I, the first programme is selected but it is terminated by switch CRA1 at the sixth step.