Patent GB-191109563-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Multiplying Arrangements for Calculating Machines.
Filed: 1911-04-19
Granted: 1912-06-19
Abstract: 9563. Marks, E. C. R., [McCaskey Electric Calculator Co.]. April 19. Multiplying-apparatus. - A single-bank keyboard, motor-operated printing, adding, and subtracting machine, of the kind described in Specifications 4376/12, 4680/12, and 5651/12, is provided with a multiplying-section controlled by a multiplying-lever, according to the adjustment of which the depression of successive numeral keys results in the setting either of multiplicand slides or of multiplier stops, with or without the printing of these quantities, the partial products being subsequently taken off from the multiplicand slides which automatically and successively take up settings in a direction at right-angles to their original settings according to the positions of the multiplier stops. The keys position the multiplication parts by the agency of the usual differential and denomination-selecting mechanism and main slides, and the partial products are in turn communicated to the main slides for registration upon the totalizer, the method being to add first the socalled ' units ' values obtained by multiplying the multiplicand by the highest digit of the multiplier, then the ' tens ' values produced by the same multiplication, and afterwards the similar quantities for the lower digits of the multiplier in descending order. The invention relates principally to (1) the partial-product representation devices constituting the multiplicand slides upon the multiplicand carriage; (2) means for setting and indicating the multiplicand; (3) means for setting and indicating the multiplier; (4) the communication of the selected partial products to the main slides and registration thereof upon the totalizer; (5) the final operation whereby most of the parts may be reset and the product printed. (1) There are nine slides 862, Figs. 13 and 45, each formed of nine sections rigidly secured together, and each section being recessed upon its lower side to represent alternately the tens and units of the products of the figures 1 to 9 by one of those digits, thus, Fig. 35 represents the ' 2 ' section. The slides, as shown in the side elevation in Fig. 13, are placed, with their sections longitudinally, in a carriage movable transversely across the machine on rollers 964, 968 bearing respectively upon fixed cross-plates 966, 218, in order that the various slides may be selected seriatim, and from each slide a desired section set at the operative position as a multiplier digit by a control of the movement, for which purpose there is upon the carriage an horizontal plate 973, Fig. 30, having a stepped edge co-operating with adjustable stops 987<a>, one for each denomination. Each slide is capable of independent longitudinal movement upon the supporting-plates 855 of the carriage in order to select the digits of the multiplicand. (2) To set the multiplicand, the number is first set up, by depression of the proper keys in sequence, upon a stop-field associated with the differential and denomination-selecting mechanism of the adding-machine, and the operator then moves to the right a multiplying- lever 869, Fig. 8, at the front of the machine, whereby a cam 872, acting through a slide 875, shaft 882, link 887, hook 889, and various associated parts, rocks a transverse shaft 893, Fig. 13. Upon this shaft are fingers 894, the upper ends of which determine the connexion, by means of links 863, between the main slides 213 and the multiplicand slides, one of the depending fingers 866 of each slide being selected for this purpose. To indicate the number set upon these slides, multiplicand-indicating plates 907 are provided upon the top of the machine, and are each adapted to display one numeral through a window, the plates being urged rearwards by springs 908, and held in a set position by means of ratchet teeth 909 and pawls 910. For the purpose of setting these indicating- plates differentially according to the multiplicand, links 900 are provided in constant engagement with main-slide levers 205, and at their forward ends these links stand normally to the rear of and between laterally-arranged lugs upon the indicating-plates mentioned and corresponding members of a similar series of alternating plates for indicating the multiplier, the links also passing through notches in a crossbar 897. Through the agency of parts associated with the train of mechanism referred to above, for controlling the connexion of the main slides and the multiplicand slides, this bar is moved slightly in one direction in the case of a multiplicand, and in the opposite direction in the case of a multiplier, in order to make connexion between the main-slide levers and the required set of indicating-plates. Each multiplicand slide has along its upper surface a notched alining-plate 918, adapted for engagement by an alining and locking bail 919 mounted in arms 920 upon a spindle 922 and adapted to move transversely with the carriage, and connexions are provided to the train of multiplicand - slide - connexion mechanism for raising the bail against the action of a spring 926 when the multiplying-lever is moved to the right. Simultaneously, a multiplicand-slide restoring-bail 936, which in its normal position (not shown) is locked by the rear ends of the alining-bail arms, is released for forward movement by a spring 937 into the position shown in Fig. 13. If the machine has previously been set for printing, by operation of a printing- key, the movement of the multiplying-lever to the right automatically makes the necessary connexions for printing the factors. Upon the movement of the multiplying-lever and the slide 875 to the right, a locking-lever 946 is momentarily depressed and then rises so that the lugs 945, 943 lock the slide against return. During the same movement a frictionally-mounted pawl 950 is set for engagement with a pin 951, upon the multiplicand-carriage restoring-pulley 952, as the lever returns. The parts having been thus adjusted, depression of the non-adding key causes the main slides to move forwards to the extent determined by the differential stopfield, and subsequently to return while out of engagement with the totalizers, the multiplicand slides being alined and locked, and, together with the corresponding indicating- plates, disengaged from the main slides before the return movement takes place. The multiplying-lever is also unlocked and freed for subsequent movement to the left by the operation of the non-adding key, and the differential stops are restored. (3) Setting the multiplier. Upon the movement of the multiplying-lever from the right to the left, the pulley 952 is rotated and hence, by means of a cord 977 passing over guidepulleys, the multiplicand carriage is moved from its normal position at the right of the machine to the end of its travel towards the left, and is there locked, together with the pulley and multiplying-lever, by the co-operation of a cam and a pin upon the pulley with a pivoted spring detent pawl upon the casing; simultaneously the pulley-operating pawl 950 is disengaged. By a modified operation of the connexions mentioned above, the links 900 will be adjusted to couple the main-slide levers with the multiplier indicating-plates, which are likewise provided with restoring-springs, ratchets, and holding-pawls, and with these plates move multiplier stop-plates 987, Fig. 24. In its passage to the left, a lug 999, on the lower edge of the slide-bar 875, passes to the left of the lug 945 upon the locking-lever, which is lifted through the agency of a stud 994 upon the slide-bar, and thereupon locks the slide-bar and multiplying-lever in position to the left. As before, the machine may print the multiplier if required, and as an incident to the multiplier-setting of the lever, certain parts are adjusted whereby, in subsequently registering the partial products, the bails of the differential stop-mechanism of the adding-mechanism are swung aside to allow the main slides to take up positions according to the selected parts of the multiplicand slides. As before, the setting of the factor (multiplier) is accomplished upon depression of the non- accumulating key, together with the release of the multiplying-lever and the restoration of the differential stops employed. Nine main slides are provided for in the differential stop-field, but at this stage a tenth slide, actuating a corresponding totalizer-wheel, is released in order that it may subsequently function in the registration of a product extending to ten figures. (4) Communication of partial products to the main slides and registration thereof upon the totalizer. The multiplying-lever is returned to the upright position, Fig. 8, whereupon the factor-indicating links 900 are moved to their normal or disengaged position, the multiplying- lever becomes locked, the printing-key (if de. pressed) is restored, and the cam 872 unlocks the multiplicand carriage. During the previous passage of the carriage to the left, the bars 990, Fig. 24, and the multiplier stops 987<a> are lowered, and are subsequently selectively set, so that as the carriage is now moved to the right by means of a cord attached to a spring pulley it will be arrested by a stepped plate 1033, slidably mounted on the stepped plate 973, Fig. 30, abutting against the set multiplier stop of highest order, and receiving thereby a slight relative movement which, through a train of gearing, lifts a cross-bar, whereupon springs raise eleven depthing-points 867, Fig. 13, according to the so-called units' values of the product of the highest multiplier digit with the multiplicand, and therewith the stop-plates 1075 immediately to the right of the depthing - points for co-operation with stepped ends 1087 of the main slides. The relative movement of the carriage stop-plates 973, 1033 is also arranged to bring about an ordinary operation of the machine, wherein the main sl