Patent GB-674827-A (GB)
Abstract: 674,827. Calculating-apparatus. AKTIEBOLAGET FACIT. Feb. 6, 1947 [March 19, 1946; Oct. 2, 1946], Nos. 3580/47 and 3581/47. [A Specification was laid open to inspection under Sect. 91 of the Acts, Aug. 7, 1947.] Class 106 (i). A calculating - machine for automatic multiplication has a common keyboard of the ten key type for setting both factors, a main actuator mechanism to receive the multiplicand and a setting mechanism to receive the multiplier, and is provided with a common shifting mechanism for transversely moving the actuator and setting mechanism in unison when the multiplier is being set simultaneously in both mechanisms, and with a multiplier control key (16) which when depressed disengages the multiplier setting mechanism from the keyboard and shifting means and initiates the clearing of the actuator so that, thereafter, the multiplicand may be set into the actuator. Depression of a second control key (17) initiates the multiplication operation and a feeler mechanism senses the setting mechanism to control the number of cycles in each denomination, during which the setting mechanism remains stationary while the feeler mechanism moves with the actuator. Depression of the second control key 17 instead of the first key 16 after the multiplier has been set initiates an operation to square the multiplier first set up on the actuator and setting mechanisms. After a multiplication operation the multiplier remains in the setting mechanism which can be cleared, together with the actuator and feeler mechanism by depression of a clearing key marked " O." Depression of a key marked " Z " will effect clearing of the actuator and the feelers only, leaving the multiplier in the setting mechanism so that a new multiplicand may be set to be multiplied by the tormer multiplier. The feeler for each denomination has a connected gear segment which advances a gearwheel at the feeling as many steps as the numeral set. The gear-wheel is then disengaged and engaged with a counting tooth which drives it back to zero as the actuator revolves, when the actuator is stopped and shifted to the next denomination where the process is repeated. For numerals 6-9 the actuator effects the complementary number of revolutions in the minus direction while increasing the numeral in the next denomination by one. This permits shortcut multiplication, the gearwheel just mentioned being provided with a cam having three different surfaces which operate to give no revolutions, plus revolutions or minus revolutions of the actuator. A selector device may be operated to reverse the direction of rotation to give so-called " minus multiplication." Setting the factors. With both the actuator 32, Fig. 1, and the multiplier setting mechanism 34 cleared, the multiplier is set. The amount keys are journalled in two rows on shafts 21, 22 and depression of a key rocks a two-armed setting lever 28 or 29 because a pin 26 or 27 on the lever co-operates in a slot 24 or 25 at the rear of the key. One arm 28a sets a pin-wheel disc on the actuator 32 and the other arm 28b sets a feeler disc 39 of the same denomination in the multiplier setting mechanism 34. These discs, Figs. 1, 5, 6, have grooves 39a, 39b engaged by the pins 33, 36 for setting and are arranged on distance-tubes 41 pushed on a tube 43 journalled on a shaft 40, an end-plate 44 being soldered on the left end of tube 43 and an end-plate 45 screwed on a nut 46 at the other end. A guide bolt 47 is guided by apertures in the end-plates and passes through slots 39g in the discs while a locking-bar 50 moves in slots 49. After a feeler disc has been set and the mechanism moved one step, one of the grooves 39c, 39d engages an edge 50a on the locking bar 50, Fig. 5, and locks the disc. Shoulders 39e, 39f on the discs co-operate with a feeler arm as described below. A clearing wedge 52, Fig. 1, moves in slots 39h and in its extreme right position, Fig. 5, a projection 51a on a finger 51 screwed to the wedge enters a slot 50e in the locking-bar 50 and holds it so that it locks all feeler discs 39 which are to the left of recess 50b. The setting arms 28b, 29b are located in front of this recess so that the disc to be set is not locked by the bar, but instead is locked by a tooth 53a of a rockable catch 53, and when a setting arm is swung, a pin 58 on the arm strikes the hook 63 to move tooth 53a out of the groove 39c and allow the arm to set the disc via pin 33 or 36 and groove 39a or 39b. A spring 63, Fig. 2, urges the mechanism 34 to the left, but the mechanism is stopped by engagement of a coupling-pin 65 with a slide 64, pins 67 on which engage slots 68 in an arm 59, a spring 69 holding the arm in position. The coupling pin 65 is fixed on a link 71, Fig. 15, connected with levers 73, 75. Lever 73 is connected via a link 79 to the carriage 81 of the actuator 32, so that stepwise movement of the actuator moves the mechanism 34 via pin 65. After the numeral has been set, both these move half a step to the left, disengaging pins 31, 33 from the discs just set, and the edge 50a of the locking-bar engages and locks the feeler disc (the disc on the actuator being also locked). Release of the numeral key shifts the setting mechanism and actuator another half step and returns the setting arm and hook 53 to their initial positions. When all the numerals are set, the " X " key 16, Fig. 3, is depressed. Its projection 16a actuates a link arm 102 so that a pin 103 thereon rocks an operating slide 87 anti-clockwise. A spring 112, Fig. 4, then draws a projection 113a on a link 113 into engagement with a clearing drive arm 91, Fig. 3, which rocks the link 113 about its pin 110 (anticlockwise in Fig. 4) to strike a pin 70, Fig. 2) and disengage the slide 64 from the pin 65, thus disconnecting the mechanism 34 from the step-shifting device of the actuator. A flap 113c, Fig. 4, of the link 113, rocks a locking arm 106 so that one of its teeth 107 engages a surface 45a, Fig. 3, and locks the setting mechanism 34 in place. Also, the forked right end of the link arm 102 moves a lever 114 so that its flap 114a, Fig. 17, actuates a clearing link 116 to clear the actuator. Thus the multiplier is left in the setting mechanism which is locked in position and disengaged from the step shifting mechanism, while the main actuator is cleared. The multiplicand is then set in the main actuator. Completion of the multiplication. The = " key 17 is now depressed. A swinging arm 198, normally held in inoperative position by a spring 200, Figs. 3, 4, connected to the link arm 102, is rocked by the key 17 and a pin 201 on the swinging arm moves a link 202 pivoted at 203 and strikes the pin 70. Also, a part 198b of the arm 198 rocks the locking member 106 to engage the locking surface 45a. The forked end 202a of the link 202 swings an operating cam 204 anti-clockwise, Fig. 17, and lifts a link 205 which lifts the front end of a pawl 187 and also a hook 156. The pawl 187 thus moves away from a coupling pawl 184 which swings to engage a toothed disc 177, while the projecting flap 204a of the operating arm 204 lifts a pin 218 and starts the motor which drives cam discs 181, 182, via the coupling 177, 184. Cam disc 182, Fig. 19, moves a stop-pawl 195 away from a counting gear-wheel 143, and cam disc 181, Fig. 17, swings an arm 137 which swings an arm 133 clockwise, thus rocking feeler-shaft 120. When the shaft 120 has moved a little over one unit, the arm 133 strikes a shoulder 135a and rocks a gear segment 135, Fig. 19. The movement of the feeler shaft 120 continues until a feeler 124 thereon engages a feeler disc 39. The segment 135 and the counting gear-wheel 143 are thus driven a number of steps corresponding to the multiplier digit set on the feeler disc. Initial movement of the segment 135, Fig. 27A, causes a shoulder 135c thereon to release a correction arm 140 whereupon the arm is rocked clockwise by a spring, so that, instead of resting, as in Fig. 27A, with a nose 140c on a shoulder 135c of the segment 135, it rocks until a part 140b rests on the said shoulder, as in Fig. 27B. The counting gear-wheels 143 are pivoted on an arm 145, Fig. 28A, which is rocked by a cam 182, Fig. 19, to bring the counting-wheels 143 into and out of mesh with the segment 135. A slide 147, Fig. 28A, is movable along the arm 145 by a cam 146 fixed to the counting-wheel 143 into three positions a, b, c corresponding respectively to counting- wheel settings of 0, 1 ... 5, 6 ... 9. Assuming the slide 147 to be set to-position b. At the end of the feeling operation a cam rocks the arm 145 clockwise about its pivot 136 to disengage the set counting-wheel 143 from the segment 135. During this rocking, the slide 147, in position b, rocks arms 154, 155, which, by means not shown, cause the machine to add the multiplicand repeatedly into the totalizer. Also during the clockwise rocking of the arm 145 the slide 147 (in position b) restores the correction arm 140 to the Fig. 27A position. At each of the multiplicand additions, a tooth 172, Fig. 19, turns the counting-wheel 143 one step backwards. When. the counting-wheel reaches zero a pin 169, Fig 28A, thereon rocks an arm 150 "  Fig. 19, which operates connections to stop the adding operation, to cause stepping of the multiplicand actuator, and to start cams which restore the arm 137 and step the feeler 124. The next feeler disc 39 is then felt and its setting transmitted to the counting-wheel 143. If this setting is, say, " 7," the slide 147 will be moved on the arm 145 to position c. When the said arm 145 is later rocked clockwise to lift the counter wheel away from the segment 135, the slide 147 will (by reason of its c setting) operate the levers 154, 155 in such a way as to cause the machine to operate subtractively to subtract the multiplicand from the totalizer. The counting wheel 143 is moved 3 steps to zero (i.e. 10-7 steps) and the subtraction stopped. Since the slide 147