Patent GB-426054-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to statistical machines
Filed: 1933-09-26
Abstract: 426,054. Calculating-machines. THOMAS, A., 11, Sandy Lane South, Wallington, Surrey. Sept. 26, 1933, No. 26514. [Class 106 (i)] Record-card-controlled statistical apparatus.- A calculating-machine has two counters, printing elements common to both counters, totaltaking mechanism which tends to bring both counters into coaction with the printing elements, means for effecting two successive total-taking operations, and interlocking mechanism which prevents either counter from coacting with the printing elements when the other counter is so coacting. The invention is described as applied to a pin-box machine having two forward counters, (debit and credit), and behind them a balance counter which employs the printing mechanism of the credit counter and which has its adding sectors linked to the adding sectors of the credit counter. The credit and balance counters constitute the two counters first-mentioned above in a common item field and special holes are used to distinguish the items. The extension rods for the reading pins of this field are branched into Y-wires, so that each reading pin sets two stops, one for the debit unit and one for the credit unit. The stop-basket 1, Fig. 2, controls the differential movement, in each denomination of the credit counter, of the adding and printing sectors 2, 3 which actuate the counter wheels 14. The debit counter (not, shown); is similarly controlled. The balance counter S, (similar to the rear balance counter in Specification 405,666), is used to accumulate the algebraic sum of the debit and credit counters and has its sectors linked to the sectors 2 so that the latter also control the balance counter. Wheels 14 are freely mounted on a spindle supported in the cam slots of a pair of arms 15, pivoted at 16 to the frame and pivoted to a control plate 17 having notches 18<a>, 19<a> which coact with pins 18b, 19<b> on a disc 20 on the front counter control shaft 21. For adding, plate 17 is raised so that pin 19<b> is in slot 19<a>; for total-taking the plate is down and pin 18b is in slot 18a. As shaft 21 rotates counterclockwise, the position of plate 17 decides whether, as plate 17 reciprocates right and left, the wheels 14 shall be in mesh with the sectors 2 during the forward or rearward movement of the latter. There is also a neutral position in which neither pin 18b or 19<b> coacts with its notch 18<a> or 19<a>. Plate 17 is normally held in its upper, adding, position by a pin 26 on an arm 27 on the front total shaft 28. At total-taking, shaft 28 rocks clockwise and lowers the plate 17. Shaft 28 is connected by an arm 36 and link 35 to the back total shaft 30 so that the shafts rotate in opposite directions. Printing and adding of a credit item on the debit counter is prevented, or vice versa. When a special debit (or credit) hole is read, a step is raised in the credit (or debit) counter which prevents lateral movement of link 39 and prevents actuation of the credit printing hammers. A member 48 pivoted to link 39 has a pin which, if link 39 is prevented from reciprocating to the left, is engaged by arm 44 rocking left with shaft 9. This rocks arm 48 about its pivot 41 and arm 48 meets a pin on arm 27 to lower the latter sufficiently to draw plate 17 into its neutral position. This prevents adding of the debit (or credit) item or to the credit (or debit) counter. But although the wheels 14 are prevented from meshing, the sectors 2 will be set and since those of the credit counter are connected to the sectors of the balance counter S, all items will go into the latter counter. To prevent total-taking on the balance counter S whilst total-taking is occurring on the debit and credit counters, and vice versa, the link 51, Figs. 1 and 4, is controlled. This link is reciprocated by being pivoted to a plate 25 on the front counter control shaft 21 and has a head 53 with notches 54<a>, 55<a> coacting with pins 54b, 55b on a disc 56 rigid with a balance counter control shaft 57 which controls the engagement of the balance wheels with their sectors, as in the case of shaft 31 in Specification 405,666. Normally, link 51 is held up, with pin 54b in notch 54<a>, so that the balance wheels enmesh and leave their sectors simultaneously as the wheels 14 of the debit and credit counters enmesh and leave their respective sectors 2. If the link 51 be lowered until pin 55<b> engages notch 55<a> then the total is taken from the balance counter S. Means are provided for effecting two successive totalcycles. During the first, the plates 17 of the debit and credit counters are lowered to effect total-taking from these counters whilst link 51 is in a neutral, mid, position where it is ineffective on the balance counter wheels. During the second cycle, the link 51 is lowered for balance total-taking and the plates 17 are kept in a neutral position. Two interposers 63 on shaft 64 hold plates 17 up in adding position and an interposer 68, 74, which holds link 51 up for adding, are interconnected. Arm 63 engages a pin 65 on plate 17 and if it is holding the plate 17 up, when the disc 20 moves the plate to the right, Fig. 2, the pin 65 slips down a shoulder 66 on arm 63 and plate 17 remains in neutral. Interposer 68, 74 is in the shape of a bell-crank (similar to bell-crank 179 in Specification 405,666), its horizontal arm 68 resting on arm 69 of a bellcrank 69, 71 secured to pivot shaft 70, and its vertical arm 74 moves under a part 75 on link 51. Arm 71 is connected by link 72, Figs. 4 and 1, to an arm 73 on shaft 64. Normally, when the interposers 63 are withdrawn, allowing the front counters to yield their totals, arm 74 is below part 75 and link 51 can only fall to midposition with part 75 on arm 74 and neither pins 54b, 55b in notches 54a, 55a. During the first of the two total-cycles, totals are taken from the credit and debit counters and towards the end of this cycle a rod 101 is lowered so that its end 105 rocks parts 107, 70, 71 clockwise. Shaft 70, through links 108, 109, rocks the arm 110 to the right so that (1) a shoulder latch 115 pivoted at 114 to the link 51 is allowed to fall and latch this arm 110 and (2) a link 112 pulls to the right a member 113 which is pivoted to the end of an arm 59 secured to the back total shaft 30. Member 113 engages a pin 116<a> on a second member 116 and moves the latter to the right over a pin 118 on arm 69. During the second total cycle, the shaft 30 rocks counterclockwise and lowers the member 116. This depresses arm 69 and with it the arm 119 which latter rocks the interposer bell-crank 68, 74 so that arm 74 leaves the link 51 free to fall after a pin 58 on arm 59 into the lower, total-taking position with pin 55b in notch 55a. In this event, the balance wheels engage their sectors before the latter move from their zero positions and the total is taken from the wheels on to the sectors. As the latter are coupled to the credit counter sectors 2, the type sectors 3 of the latter are set for the total-printing. When the bell-crank 69, 71 moved counterclockwise, link 72 moved to the left, Figs. 4 and 1, and rocked parts 73, 64 to raise the interposers 63 to prevent total taking on the front debit and credit counters. Also, the arm 71 met the lug 120 on latch 115 to release the arm 110. If desired, the second total-cycle can be initiated by passing through the machine a special card bearing a hole in a particular position. Such a card is inserted at the end of a card group. The balance sectors may be connected to the debit sectors instead of to the credit sectors. Specifications 26896/13, 271,935, 319,086, [all in Class 106 (i)], and 371,849 also are referred to.