Patent GB-216142-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to statistical machines
Filed: 1924-05-14
Abstract: 216,142. British Tabulating Machine Co., Ltd., (Assignees of Lake, C. D.). May 15, 1923, [Convention date]. Strip controlled driving- mechanism; type-bar actions; hammer-impression arrangements; line-spacing mechanism.-Statistical machines of the kind described in Specification 183,867, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.], in which data are registered and are concurrently printed by a printing attachment, and having also the automatic control described in Specification 190,144, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.], are provided with additional printing mechanism not associated with counters so that certain desired items may be printed but not registered. In the circuit diagram, Figs. 26 and 27, the cards 50 are fed past upper and lower brushes 55, 59 by rollers 52 driven through a clutch 54 controlled by a clutch-magnet 54a. The upper and lower cardlever contacts 63, 64 are shown connected up in the upper part of Fig. 26 and the tabulating motor TM has been duplicated for purposes of clarity. The sockets 670, 680, 690 of the automatic control unit may be plug-connected in various ways to sockets 67, 68 for the upper and lower brushes, sockets 69 for the counters and sockets 70 for the special listing sections 1 and 2. The automatic control circuit 74 is maintained so long as the control holes in successive cards agree, 75 being a plug for cutting out unwanted columns and 77 being the group indicator contacts which interrupt the counter circuit after the first card of each group has passed to suppress further adding in upon the counter used for indicating only. In printing, contacts 112 coact with stepped cams 111 which are geared to the counter wheels as described in Specification 183,867, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.], so as to energize the printer magnets 102 at the correct moments. The sections 1 and 2 are for listing only, and therefore contain no counter magnets, each printer magnet 102<a> operating a switch 113 to prevent arcing at the lower brushes. The bars 115, 117 of these sections can be connected bv switches 118, 119 to line 109 and contacts G1-9 so that these sections print only the record from the first card of each group. The bars 114, 116 are connected to contacts L5, L6, 105 (now closed for listing), wire 94 and contacts P4, 64 to right side of line. Thus by plugging and by use of the switches 118, 119 any parts of the special sections 1 and 2 may be used for printing control numbers and simultaneously the sections 3 - - 7 may accumulate and set up indicator numbers other than control numbers, 6 and 7 being two extra counter banks. After the last card of a stack has passed upper contacts 63 the motor TM is maintained to deal with this card completely by a temporary shunt through contacts C3. Contacts C4 de-energize clutch-magnet 54<a> once per cycle to stop the machine in the D position. When the card group changes, the control circuit 74 is broken, relay 84 is de-energized to open contacts 86 and to close contacts 130, and contacts L4 complete a temporary shunt to carry the last card of the group through the machine. Total-printing is effected prior to resetting by the stepped cams 111, Fig. 18, and contacts 112. P2, and P3 and by a switch 237 which is closed for total-printing. Simultaneously an asterisk circuit 238 in each section is operated by a magnet 102<b>. The printing-mechanism includes improved (a) hammer trip, (b) actuation, and (c) paper-feed mechanisms. The printing devices are driven from the main driving shaft for straight listing and from the resetting motor for total-printing, the resetting motor afterwards performing the ordinary counter resetting. The spring-pressed type carriers 265, Fig. 2, of which there are seven groups each of ten carriers, are allowed to rise by a bail 269 controlled by arms 306 and are arrested at the appropriate moment by pawls 272 released by the printer magnets 102, 102a substantially as described in Specification 183,867, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.]. (a) The hammers 280, Fig. 2, are normally spring-retracted but are struck up to effect an impression by a spring- operated member 283 when the latter is released by a finger 285. This finger is pivoted and spring- connected to the arm 306 rigid with a shaft 305 and has a pin 286 coacting with a stop 287 on the frame of the machine. After the type carriers have been raised and set, further upward movement of the. arm 306 causes the pin 286 to strike the stop 287 so that the finger 285 is tripped to release the member 283, the hammers then effecting the impression. (b) The shaft 305 controlling the printing has fixed to it a bell-crank 304. Fig. 13, and loose on it an arm 309 having a roller 310 coacting with the groove 312 of the listing cam 311. When the arm 309 is rocked clockwise by this cam a screw 313 thereon meets a lug 314 on the bell-crank 304 and thus raises the arm 306, Fig. 2, for printing. To print a total also after listing, a cam 301 on the shaft 315 raises an arm 302 loose on the shaft 305 so that a lug 303 rocks the bell-crank 304 clockwise. To print a total without listing, means, including a laterally shifting shaft 300, Fig. 10, are provided which are controlled by the listing lever 316, Fig. 1, for disengaging the roller 310 from the groove 312, these means also opening and closing the contacts 105 and 88. (c) When the shaft 300, Fig. 10, is moved laterally at total-printing a collar thereon rocks a lever 326 which thereupon presses to the left, Fig. 10<a>, a spring-pressed plate 327 slidably mounted on a gearwheel 328 so that a pin 329 on it is projected through a hole in the gearwheel 328 and beyond the left-hand face thereof so as to lie in the path of a pawl 330. The gearwheel 328 is rotated during total-taking and the pin 329 trips the pawl 330 so as to give an extra line feed. During listing the rod 336 connected to the ratchet and pawl devices of the paper feed mechanism is drawn down on rotation of the shaft 305 by means of an arm 338 thereon contacting with a shoulder on a bell-crank 337 pivoted to a plate 334 connected to the rod 336. At total-taking the pin 329 in striking the pawl 330 causes an extension 330a thereof to pull to the right a link 331 and bell-crank 333 pivoted to plate 334. The amount of feed thus given by pawl 330 is greater than that given during listing. Loosely mounted on shaft 315, Figs. 2 and 4, and driven by the resetting motor RM is a worm wheel 340 carrying a ratchet 341 coacting with a spring- operated dog 344 on a block 343 rigid with a printing cam 342 fast on the shaft 315. The resetting-clutch magnet 233, when energized, attracts its armature 346 and raises an arm 348 attached thereto, so as to release the dog 344 which thereupon clutches the shaft 315 to the resetting motor. After one revolution of the shaft 315 the magnet 233 is de-energized and the arm 348 re-engages the dog 344, assisted if necessary by a lug 349 on the printing cam 342 depressing a pin 350 on the arm 348. A pawl 351 on this arm 348 prevents backlash of the dog 344. For manual resetting when switch 232 is closed a push rod 248<a> acts directly on the arm 348. The resetting of the counters occurs during the second half revolution of the resetting motor. The gearwheel 328, Fig. 10, has for one half of its periphery a plate 376 instead of gear teeth, which plate coacts with a Geneva stop 377 on the wheel 378 on the shaft 379 during the first half rotation of shaft 315. The shaft 379 is associated with the resetting clutches for the individual counters and drives resetting mechanism preferably as described in Specification 216,143, [Class 106 (i), Calculating &c.], as open to inspection under Sect. 91 (3) (a). Total-printing occurs during the first half rotation of the resetting motor, the setting of the type and the operation of the printing hammers being effected bv the cam 301 on the shaft 315 as described at (b) above. During total-printing the printing cam 342 causes the rotation of a shalt 358, Fig. 18, carrying fast thereto frames 359. one for each counter. Connected by a spring 362 to each frame 359 is a member 360 loosely mounted on the shaft 358 and having an extension 112, so that when the frame 359 is rocked counterclockwise from the printing cam 342, this member 360 follows it until arrested by the cam 111. Attached to bars 368 and 127 are blade contacts 366. 365, the former rubbing over the extensions 112. The bar 127 is attached' to the frame 359 and the bar 368 is fixed. Normally the blades 365 do not contact with the extensions 112 but when the members 360 are arrested by the cams 111 and the members 359 continue to rotate, the blades 365 move upward relatively to the extensions 112 and make contact therewith. The contacts 365, 366 thus connected electrically, close the circuits to the printer magnets at the correct moments decided by the cams 111. Additional contact blades similar to the blades 365 control the asterisk circuits, one in each counter section.