Patent GB-392614-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to statistical apparatus
Filed: 1931-11-20
Abstract: 392,614. Statistical apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd., Victoria House, Vernon Place, Southampton Row, London. Nov. 20, 1931, No. 32269. Convention date, Nov. 21, 1930. [Class 106 (i).] Combined with perforating-apparatus.-In statistical apparatus comprising a master machine with pairs of contacts, a slave machine with electromagnets for controlling registering or recording mechanism and lines connecting the contacts and magnets, the master and slave machines are connected only by a single transmission line 116 in combination with two synchronized power-driven commutators, the commutator 112 at the master connecting the contacts 144, 145 successively to the line 116 and the commutator 112a at the slave connecting the magnets 147, 148, 149, 153 .. 157 successively to the line 116. In the example described, the master and slave apparatus each comprise a card-perforating machine of a wellknown kind which is described in Specification 362,529, [Group VIII]. In the master apparatus, a master card 14 (the holes in which are to be reproduced by the slave apparatus) is placed on a table 15, Fig. 1, and is held between blocks 16 on arms 12 on a rack 11, Figs. 1 and 2, constituting the card carriage. The card is inserted when the carriage is in its extreme left-hand position, the carriage then being moved to the extreme right. As the carriage escapes column by column to the left, each card column is read in succession by brushes 13 beneath the stationary table 15. These brushes pass through holes in the table and coact with a contact roll 18 above the card. The card is latched down by members 21, 21a, 22. The carriage is moved to its starting position on the extreme right by a thumbpiece 24, use of which opens contacts 31, Fig. 8, in the card-reading circuit, whilst the carriage is being shifted manually. To punch a card at the master machine as well as the slave, the punches 43 are used. A thumbpiece 34, Fig. 1, is moved to the left. This, through suitable gears, moves the master-card carriage to the right and feeds a card from stack 43 to the left, so that the first card column of this card is situated beneath the column of punches 43. Use of member 34 opens a pair of contacts 38 in the master cardreading circuit. As each column of the master card is read, a brush 13 energizes a punch selector magnet 46, Figs. 2 and 8, which (through members 47, 48, 50, 52) moves the associated interposer 51 to the left over the correct punch 43. Subsequently a plate 60 common to all interposers is depressed by linkage to an armature 65, on the energization of punch magnet 66, to actuate the punch selected. The punches may also be actuated from keys 50. When an interposer 51 is moved to the left, a cutaway part 69 in it rocks a common plate 70 to close contacts 74, Fig. 8. These contacts are reopened by armature 65 when magnet 66 is energized. When a selected interposer is depressed by plate 60 to actuate the punch 43, it rocks a bail 77 which effects escape of the card carriage as in Specification 362,529 to bring the next column of the master card 14 under the brushes 13 and the next column of the duplicate card under punches 43. Whilst this escape is proceeding the mechanism opens contacts 101, Fig. 8, to prevent energization of any magnet 46 until the interposer just used has been fully restored. These contacts also remain open when the card carriage reaches its final lefthand position. The mechanism described above is common to the master and the slave apparatus ; in the latter the suffix " u " to the reference numerals is used to denote the corresponding parts. The commutator 112, Figs. 5, 6, and 8, of the master machine is the same as that, 112a, of the slave and is driven by a motor 109. Both motors preferably have the same electrical characteristics so that they may be driven at exactly the same speeds, e.g. alternating synchronous type or direct current constant speed type of motor. The hub 111 of the insulated disc 112 is free upon the end of motor shaft 110, the disc having an annular contact plate 113 with an offset 114 which coacts with brushes 146, Fig. 8. Plate 113 has constant contact with brush 115 connected to line 116. Normally the commutator discs at master and slave are stationary, but are released in synchronism. Integral with hub 111 is a disc 118 having a lug 117 held by latch 119, which also holds a lug 126 on a disc 125 rigid with a member 124 which is loose on an extension 123 of hub 111 but having a pin-andslot connection 130, 131 therewith. A spring 128 also connects parts 111, 125 so that upon momentary energization of clutch magnet 133, Figs. 6 and 8, the latch 119 is withdrawn from discs 118, 125, and the spring 128 moves 125 to the left so that clutch members 124, 127 engage to rotate the commutator. At the end of a single revolution latch 119 again holds the discs. A pawl 134 on latch 119 prevents backkick. The clutch magnet 133 (133a) is energized by contacts 74 (74a), closed by a moved punch interposer, the commutators being stationary at this moment with parts 114, 114a at brushes 139, 139a. The two commutators thus rotate so that part 114 moves past brushes 146 synchronously with the passage of part 114a past brushes 146a. The brushes 146 are connected by lines A .. F to sets of contacts 144, 145. This is a coding arrangement, any interposer 51 moved to the left, Fig. 2, closing its pair of contacts 144, 145 which are connected to two of the lines A .. F in different combinations. Thus certain brushes 146 are " live when the part 114 reaches them and the circuit is extended, in turn, to the correct two of brushes 146a. The latter are connected as shown to lines a .. f and magnets 147, 148, 149, 153.. 157, 163. Magnets 147, 148, 149 when energized close contacts 150, 151, 152 respectively. Magnets 153 .. 157 control contacts 158 .. 162. Magnet 163 reverses, when energized, normally closed contacts 164 and normally open contacts 165. The selected two brushes 146 thus extend the circuit (in turn) to a selected circuit through one of the interposer magnets 46a of the slave device, the punch magnet 66a subsequently effecting actual perforation of the card at the slave machine. When a magnet 147 &c. actuates its contacts 150 &c. the magnet armature and contacts are latched in their new position until restored by linkage from the armature of magnet 66a when the latter is energized. To prevent the master machine from transmitting if the slave card carriage fails to escape (e.g. a card has jammed) contacts 189 open and close simultaneously with contacts 101a which open each time the carriage escapes.