Patent GB-792278-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record card controlled machines
Inventor: JOHNSON WILLIAM EDWARD
Filed: 1956-01-18
Abstract: 792,278. Statistical apparatus. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES,. Ltd. Dec. 18, 1956 [Jan. 18, 1956], No. 1744/56. Class 106 (1). Control of total-taking on change of group.- A lever 1 adapted to cause total-taking upon change of card group, as described in Specification 371,849, is controlled by a normally inactive control member 41 movable to and from an active position in the path of the lever 1 to cause or prevent total-taking. A latch bar 37 is adapted to latch the control member in the inactive position and a cyclically operable restoring member 49 is adapted to restore an active control member to inactive position; a column of aligned sensing pins 26 and spring-loaded set pins 27 is provided for sensing a vertical column of the record card, a column of aligned set-bars 30 is disposed between the sensing pins and set pins for movement therewith, and for movement relative thereto, each set-bar being arranged to co-operate with the latch-bar and being operable either by a sensing-pin or by the set-pin corresponding to the sensing-pin to move the latchbar out of latching engagement with the control member to allow it to move to the active position. The levers 1, when in the latched position, are adapted to support sliders 7 in the position shown so that projections 18 thereon bear according to their setting under levers 19, 20 and 21 controlling respectively sub-total taking at the end of each group, grand totaltaking at the end of each batch of groups and accumulative total-taking at the end of the series of batches. These series, batches and groups of cards are designated by particular card columns, there being a lever 1 for each card column and the slider 7 corresponding to columns designating series, batches and groups respectively being positioned by manual movement of lever 16 to control levers 21, 20 or 19. Those corresponding to columns not used for such designations are put out of action by lever 16 to move them to the dotted line position. The sensing-pin box is vertically reciprocable and consists of columns of sensing-pins 26 which are freely movable lengthwise in their support plates 24, 25. Aligned set-pins 27 are slidable in plates 22, 23 and are spring-urged vertically downward. The set-bars 30 are mounted in plates 31, 32 and each has a lateral projection 33 resting on plate 31 in the normal inactive position shown in Fig. 1. A double notch 34, 35 is formed in each set-bar to cooperate with a pin on latch-bar 37 slidable horizontally between the plates 31, 32 and urged by spring-loaded pin 38 to the position (shown) in which a nose 39 engages a tooth 40 formed on the control member 41 slidable in frame 42. These control members are normally retained in the downward, inactive position by the latchbars 37 but each is urged upwardly by a spring- loaded pin 45 to the active position where the head engages the lever 1 to hold it in the supporting position. The levers 1 are urged counter-clockwise to the inactive position by springs 47 but are normally retained in their datum position by a common restoring-bar 48. This bar moves to the right to release the levers 1 when sensing is in progress so that those levers not restrained by the control members 41 will move counter-clockwise. Before the pin box rises after sensing the restoring bar returns to restore all levers 1 to the datum position and the restoring member 49 returns all the control members 41 to the inactive position. During the downward movement of the pin-box the frame carrying the set-bars 30 at first moves with it and is then stopped by abutment with a fixed part. During the subsequent movement of the pin-box the carriage 60 supporting the spring-loaded actuator pins is rocked away to release the latch-bars for free movement under the action of those set-bars not supported by their corresponding sensing-pins and which are accordingly displaced by spring-loaded set-pins 27. At the bottom of the stroke the spring loading of the latch-bars is restored. Operation.-On sensing the first card those sensing-pins engaging unperforate card positions will be moved upwards relative to the pinbox and will displace their set-bars so that the corresponding pins 36 on the latch bar will be moved out of engagement with notch 34 into engagement with notch 35. During this movement the latch bar is displaced and releases its control member 41 to rise to the active position. After the first part of the downward movement the frame carrying the set-bars stops as described and no more relative movement between sensing-pin and set bar takes place. The upward displacement of members 41 prevents rotation of lever 1 and a total-taking operation is accordingly initiated. This takes place during the latter part of the downward movement of the pin-box, the control member 41 and those levers 1 that were free to move being reset as previously described just before the upward stroke of the pin-box. The set-bars 30 remain in the set positions and therefore do not cause displacement of the latch bar 37 while cards of the same designation continue to be sensed but the first card of different designation first causes the previously displaced set-bar to be restored and then to allow displacement of a set-bar corresponding to the perforation in the designation column of the new group of cards. The restoring movement of the set-bar displaces latch -bar 37 to the left so as to release the control member 41 which locks lever 1 to initiate total taking as before. The setting of the next set-bar displaces latch-bar 37 again but this movement is idle. The parts again remain in position until another change of group takes place. The action is exactly the same in respect of columns designating card batches or card series, these columns being adapted to control grand total-taking and accumulative totaltaking respectively.