Patent GB-222231-A (GB)
Abstract: 222,231. White, A. E., (Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co.). July 5, 1923. A machine for keeping the individual accounts of a large number of customers, employees &c., comprises an accounting section and a computing section. In the former are arranged arms each assigned to a single account and adapted to carry a ticket on which is printed the current balance. To record a transaction, the arm concerned is selected and swings into visible position within the computing section and the amount thus exposed is set up by the operator on the keys of this section constituted by an adding-machine of ordinary construction. The amount is then entered in the machine and printed on an inserted bill and on a record strip subsequently severed and retained in the machine. The new items are next successively set up entered and printed and finally the new total is taken. This total, in addition to being printed upon the bill and strip, is also printed on a paper ticket which is then automatically substituted for the old ticket carried by the arm before the arm is returned to its normal position within the accounting section. The customer's address or other matter is also printed on the bill and strip by type provided on the arm. Account-storing mechanism. The designations of the separate accounts are carried by index plates 52, Fig. 1, disposed in columns separated by slots 54 through which protrude plungers 55 normally stationed centrally in the slots. Corresponding with each column is a pair of carriages 64, 64<a>, Figs. 4 and 9, running on rails 66 and connected by bent brackets 63 with supplementary carriages 61, 62 disposed on either side of the slide 56 carrying the plunger 55. The carriages 64, 64<a> support, by means of rods 70, a number of pivoted arms 71 provided at one end with a cam edge 87 and carrying at the other end a ticket bearing the printed record of the account balance and held in place by a spring-controlled apertured clamping-plate 170. In order to position an account arm for observation and alteration of balance, the operator moves a plunger 55 to the name of the account and thus pushes one or other of the supplementary carriages 61, 62 and the connected carriage 64, 64<a> to the right or left so a.s to bring the required arm 71 to the central position X, Fig. 4. The carriage 61 or 62 is clutched to the slide 56, as soon as movement from normal position occurs, by means of a pawl 67 pivotally mounted on the carriage but normally rendered ineffective by abutment against a fixed pin 68. The plunger is next depressed thus aligning the carriages by engaging a fixed rack 73 and also by rocking a plate 74 shifting a bar 75 to the left, Fig. 9, and releasing a pawl 77 from a spring-controlled bar 78, the resulting movement of which brings pins 80 into locking relation with the carriages 64, 64<a>. A pawl 77<a> is also rocked by the movement of bar 75 and through a pivoted hook 83 controlled by a spring 84 and connected with a latch 85 releases a parallel motion frame, the top bar 86 of which under the action of a. spring 94 descends to the left and by bearing on the cam edge 87 of the positioned arm 71 raises this about the rod 70 into a horizontal position so that its ticket enters the printing zone of the adding-machine and becomes visible to the operator. Adding and subtracting apparatus with itemprinting mechanism; printing totals.-Assuming that the apparatus is applied to shopping transactions, the operator makes out the bill, Fig. 30, and places it in a carriage 100. Fig. 23, provided with a spring-controlled holding frame 101. He then depresses the carriage, against the influence of a spring 107 connected to pinions gearing with racks on the carriage, so as to bring the bill into position opposite the printing sectors 120 of the adding-machine (of ordinary construction), the holding frame in the meantime having been forced into gripping position by abutment against a stationary pin. Having noted the state of the account as given by the ticket on the arm 71, the operator sets up this amount on the keys 121 and by operating the handle 125 enters it on the totalizer and prints it upon the bill. By means of carbon ribbon, mounted on the carriage 100, the amount is simultaneously printed on a record strip supplied from a roll 112, Fig. 23, and fed by rollers 114 rotated by gearing from the bill carriage 100. The items to be added to or substracted from the account are now successively entered in the machine and printed on the bill and strip and these are fed for line-spacing by means of an escapement mechanism shown in Fig. 25. This comprises a pivoted pawl 136 which co-operates with wheel 135 in gearing connection with the carriage rack 105 and is adapted to be rocked from the main shaft 128 by a link 132. When the pawl is rucked clockwise to engage the wheel, a pin 135 disengages the detent 119 and on the return of the pawl the wheel is advanced one tooth and then held by the detent, the carriage and the record strip being thus moved upward to Space the next imprint. When all the items have been entered, the total key 137 is depressed and this through levers and linkage 138, 139, 141 removes the detent from the wheel so that the. carriage 100 is free to ascend until a long tooth 143 engages the displaced detent. The new total is therefore printed well below the items (see Fig. 30). The record check is not severed until the succeeding transaction, the knives 116, 117 receiving movement for this purpose from the address printing mechanism referred to below. Printing total on new ticket and substituting this for the old ticket. A narrow strip of paper from a roll passing through a channel is received by a pair of grippers 156 depending from a carriage 152, Fig. 12, running on a rail 154. This carriage is adapted to be moved in the totalprinting operation, from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 12 to that shown in broken lines in which it is opposite the printing sectors 120. The movement of the carriage is effected by cams 168 on the main shaft through a lever 162. These cams are connected to the shaft by means of springs and are normally held from movement with the shaft by a pawl 139. When the total key is depressed, however, this pawl releases the cams in order that they may rock with the shaft and slide the carriage 152 to the left. The grippers 156 are automatically closed upon the ticket when the carriage is in the home position, by reason of a fixed pin engaging a wedge member slidably arranged on the carriage. When the latter moves to record-receiving position the paper, still held by the grippers, is drawn along with it and is cut off by a cam-operated knife. Before the total is printed, a shaft 164 is rocked by the main shaft cams 168 to slide the rail 154 supporting the carriage 152 to the left (Fig. 25 so as to bring the ticket closer to the stationary y platen 130<a>. This movement of the shaft 164 is also utlized to release the old ticket from arm 71, this being effected by an arm 174 which is caused to bear against the tail of the clamping plate 170 and is then detained by a. pawl 175 to keep the clamp open. After the total has been printed, the carriage 152 is drawn to the left (Figs. 12 and 16) by means of an auxiliary carriage 176 which is operated from the main shaft through bell-crank 177 and by means of a pivoted hook 178 seizes the carriage 152 and drags it along until the new ticket is in position between the arm 71 and its clamping plate 170. When the carriage 176 has fully reached its home position, the bell-crank 177 by engaging the detent 175 releases the arm 174 and the clamping-plate so that this latter may grip the ticket which has meanwhile been released from the grippers 156 by displacement of the wedge member due to a fixed pin. The carriages remain locked together until the customer's address has been printed upon the bill and record slip, and are finally disconnected to allow the spring return of the carriage 152 when the slip carriage 100 has returned to its uppermost or home position. Printing customer's address or other distinguishing data. For this purpose the arm 71 is provided at the back with type and impression occurs by the movement of a roller platen 113, Fig. 23. The upward feed of the bill-supporting carriage 100 by means of an extended tooth thereon rocks a pivoted plate and thereby a lever 185 carrying a roller 184 engaging a slot in a plate 130. A roller 187 is thus brought into cooperation with an abutment 189 in the plate 130. When this plate is subsequently moved upwardly bv the main shaft, the roller 187 will be shifted so as to rock shaft 190 and arms 191 carrying the roller 113 which is thus run over the record surfaces. A backing for the arm 71 during this impression operation is provided by an abutment member moved into position by the bell-crank 177. Restoration of parts. After the address has been printed, the detent 119 is freed from the first high tooth, Fig. 25, to allow the carriage 100 to rise to its normal position and this feeds the record slip through the knives 116, 117 to space the record checks from one another. Meanwhile the carriage 176 has moved to the left (Fig. 12) and caused ticket carriage 152 to strike a spring-controlled plunger 200 and thus shift the detent 96 to release the arm 71 to allow it to return to normal depending position. The rise of carriage 100 rocks, through a pin the pawl 178 to free it from the ticket carriage which thereupon returns to its home position under the pull of spring 203. The carriage 100 also effects the removal of detent plate 82 hitherto locking the bar 78. The parallel motion bar 86 is restored by a pin 208, Fig. 12, on a plate 207 rocked by a cam 205 on the main shaft the pin engaging one of the links 89, Fig. 9, supporting the bar. A pawl carried by this link also effects the restoration of the pivoted hook 83 so that this is again seized by its retaining