Patent GB-408214-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-controlled statistical machines
Filed: 1932-09-30
Abstract: 408,214. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. Sept. 30, 1932, No. 27248. Convention date, Oct. 2, 1931. [Class 106 (i).] In, or for, a record-controlled statistical machine, a circuit-changing device comprises two sets of conductors (e.g. bars 45<a> and contacts 97) so arranged that any member in one set may make electrical contact with any member in the other set, and a perforated card (Fig. 5) is used to control the manner in which the contact is made between the members. The invention is illustrated as applied to a machine such as is described in Specification 247,200, [Class 106 (i)] ; the grouped cards effecting major and minor total taking as in Specification 299,014, [Class 106 (i)]. When the card-group changes, a relay 25 is energized and opens its contact 25<a> in the circuit of the motor 8 so as to stop card-feed and tabulating. Relay 25 is controlled by contacts 33, Fig. 8<a>, which are normally closed whilst the group is unchanged, but when a group changes, one of the contacts 33 will be open and relay 25 will be energized to stop card-feed. According to the present invention the sockets 34, instead of being plugged direct to a socket 35, are first connected to a selective contact device which may be built into the machine or an attachment thereto. The sockets 37, 38, Fig. 8<a>, and the sockets 39, 40, Fig. 8<c>, are similarly connected to selective contact devices. Specification 218,394, [Class 106 (i)], is referred to. Total-taking at group change. A frarne 43, Fig. 1, supports bars 45 connected by wires 46 to upper brushes 4, Fig. 8<a>. A plurality of slides 47 move transversely to these bars and have contact fingers 48 engaging bars 45. The spacing of fingers 48 is equal to the distance between ten bars 45. Similar fingers 48<a>, connected to fingers 48 by rivets 49, slide on strips 50 on an insulating block 51. During the full movement of slide 47, each finger 48<a> remains at its strip 50, so that each strip 50 coacts with the bars 45. Similar bars 45, connected by wires 46<a> to the lower brushes 6, coact with fingers 52, 52<a> on slides 47<a> integral with the slides 47 ; fingers 52<a> contacting with strips 50<a> on a block 51<a>. Coacting with strips 50, 50<a> are fingers 54, 55 on a slide 53 ; fingers 54 (insulated from fingers 55) and 55 are connected to strips 59, 59<a> respectively. Only one pair of fingers 54, 55 can contact with strips 50, 50<a> at any one time. Fingers 58, 58<a> on the strips 59, 59<a> contact with strips 57, 57<a> on the insulating blocks 51, 51<a>. Strips 57, 57<a> are connected, Fig. 8<b>, to plug sockets 41, 42, which are connected by magnets 61 associated with the contacts 33, Fig. 8<a>. Figs. 1 and 8<b> show the 26th column on the cards connected for control on one column only. Slide 53 is set so that its third pair of fingers 54, 55 contacts with the third strips 50, 50<a> and slide 47, 47<a> so that fingers 48, 52 contact with the 6th, 16th, 26th and 36th bars 45, 45<a>. The 26th upper brush 4 will thus be connected to strip 57 and socket 41 and 26th lower brush 6 will be connected to strip 57<a> and socket 42. If the successive cards at brushes 4 and 6 agree as to their group number, the magnet 61 will be energized and close its contacts 33, maintaining the machine in operation. Magnet 61 opens contacts 62 and breaks its circuit immediately, but contacts 33, once closed, are locked closed for the remainder of the cycle. If the group is unchanged, and assuming major and minor relays 63<a>, 64<a>, Fig. 8<a>, have opened upper contact 63, 64 and closed lower contacts 63, 64 a circuit is formed from line 16 to contacts 64 (lower), 64<a>, 36, first contacts 33, 66, a bar 67, a finger 68 on slide 69, strip 70, finger 71, strip 72, 73, bar 74, finger 75, strip 76 on bar 91, finger 77, strip 78, 79, 35, 80, 17. Coil 64<a> is maintained energized and the machine continues to feed and read cards, and to accumulate and print the data. If the cards disagree, coil 64<a> is de-energized and upper contacts 64 close to energize a relay 25, the latter opening its contacts 25<a> in circuit with the motor 8 and card-feed clutch magnet 22. This stops the machine, and contacts 22<a> of magnet 22 close to complete the circuit of reset motor RM (switch 82 being closed) and initiate total-taking. Near the end of the total-taking operation, contacts LP' close to energize relay 64<a> which restarts the card-feed &c. If minor group control is to be effected on three columns, then slide 69 is moved to the right, Fig. 8<a>, so that brush 90 will engage bar 67 No. 3. If major control on three columns is also desired, then slide 91 is moved so that brush 92 engages bar 67 No. 6. Slides 69, 91 are set from the card 147, Fig. 5, as in the case of slides 47, 53. Statistical cards. Setting of slides 47, 47<a>, 53, Fig. 1. Slide 47, 47<a> has an extension carrying an arm 149<b> with card reading pin 150<b> and slide 53 has an extension 145b with card reading pin 146<b>. The slides are set from a card 147, Fig. 5, which is placed over a perforated plate 151 integral with a frame 148 having studs 152, 153, coacting with slots 154 in plates 155 provided with studs 156 which slide in slots 157 of fixed frame 43. A shaft 159 carried on plates 155 has a handle 163 and cams 158, 160; cam 158 coacts with pins 152 and 153 and cam 160 has a pin 161 in slot 162 of fixed frame 43. As handle 163 is turned, cam 158 causes frame 148 to rise and fall and cam 160 causes the plates 155 and frame 148 to reciprocate right and left. Fig. 3 shows the normal position of the parts, with frame 148 to the left and raised. As the crank 163 is rotated clockwise the frame moves to the right and is then lowered. The pins 150b and 145b are controlled by holes in the upper and lower fields 166, 167 respectively of the card 147. As the handle 163 is turned the card moves to the right until the pins drop into holes, after which the pins and their slides 47, 53 are moved for the remainder of the stroke. Subsequently, when the rotation of crank 163 is completed, a bar 171 restores all set slides to the left. The slides may also be set manually by finger-pieces 149<a>, 145<a>. Adjusting for computing only.-Counter connections. The reading brushes are connected to the desired denominations of the counters by slides 95, 96, Fig. 8<b>. Each bar 45<a> is connected to a lower brush block 7 and a bar 107 is connected by lines 108 to the sockets 39, 40, Fig. 8<c>, of the counter magnets 109 (which close contacts 111 for the printing magnets 112). The slides 95, 96 are set from holes in the card 147, Fig. 5, as in the case of the slides 47, 53. During listing, the circuit is completed by lines 122, 123 round the contacts 113, Fig. 8<c>, by the brushes 115 of a slide bar 114 also set by the card 147. By moving any slide 114 so that brushes 115 do not bridge the plates 116, 117, accumulating is effected on the corresponding counter without listing. There are four listing positions and three non-listing positions of the bar 114, this bar being also used to determine whether total-printing at major and minor group changes and counterresetting should be effected. If bar 114 is moved one or four steps, brushes 125 bridge the contacts 126, 127 and the counters are reset at major-total printing. If bar 114 is moved one step, the amounts included in the total are not listed ; if moved four steps, these amounts are listed. Similarly the bar 114 is moved two or five steps for minor total-taking, brushes 125<a> bridging contacts 126<a> and 127<a>. If no totals are to be printed, bar 114 is moved seven steps to the right. Subtotal-taking is effected by moving bar 114 three or six steps so that brushes 131 bridge the contacts 132, 133, this connecting bus-bar 136 through wire 135, 133, 131, 132, 134 to line 16. The total is then printed but the counter is not reset, since reset magnet 129 is not energized. Statistical cards.-In a modified card 147<a>, Fig. 9, for controlling the slides 47, 53, 114 &c., the card has a thick perforated portion 147<c> covered by a thin unperforated layer 147b. The necessary holes are made by using a pencil to puncture the part 147b over the correct holes 147<c>.