Patent GB-476425-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record-controlled tabulating machines
Filed: 1936-06-03
Abstract: 476,425. Statistical machines. ENGLISH, F. G. S. June 3, 1936, No. 15489. [Class 106 (i)] A record-card-controlled statistical machine comprises in combination a plurality of typecarrying elements, a corresponding plurality of columns of stops to control the positioning of said elements, card reading means for setting the stops and manually operable control means for setting the stops so that the latter may, if desired, be set independently of the cards. The machine has group-card control means and card-feed means as described in Specification 271,935, [Class 106 (i)], and means as described in Specification 433,805 for visibly indicating the new group number on a change of group. The adding and printing sectors are arranged and controlled as described in Specification 26896 /13, [Class 106 (i)]. The connection wires 3 leading to the sector stops 4 are operated in the usual way by cards read in the pin box 1. For those columns which are to be manually controlled also the wires 3 have lateral pins 7 which may be raised by the cam face 9 on the slide 8 for each such column. If, for instance, the number 7 is to be added in a column under the manual control, the slide 8 for that column is moved to the left until it has lifted the five right-hand pins 7, i.e. when the corresponding adding sector moves from left to right, Fig. 1, its heel will first meet the raised stop 4 representing number " 7 " and the raised stops 4 to the right, representing " 8 " " 9 " &c., will have no effect. Each slide 8 is moved by a bar 10 and a cable 11, guided in a fixed tube 13 and attached at 17 to a setting slide 12. The slides 12 are guided on rods 16 and have lugs 12b coacting with notched bars 20 fixed to a shaft 21, and have also holes 12a, so that when a stylus is inserted in the appropriate numbered hole and drawn down until it meets a fixed flange 18, the slide 12 and cable 11 are drawn down against spring 23 to raise the correct pins 7, the lug 12b locking in one of the notches of rack 20. Subsequently, after the data has been entered in the counter and printed, the shaft 21 is rocked counterclockwise by linkage 28, 29 and cam 31 whereby racks 20 are rocked left against their springs 22 and slides 12 are restored upward by springs 23. After a total-printing operation, which occurs at a group change, the machine stops, and means is provided according to the present invention, whereby the card feed is delayed for a cycle when the machine is restarted to enable the type sectors to be set from the manual set-up of the slides 12 and stops 4. As described in Specification 271,935, the card feed is controlled by a quadrant 74 which is rocked once each card cycle by an arm 78 and spring 81. At total taking, cam 87 moves a latch 84 to obstruct a pin 83 on the quadrant and hold up card feed and subsequently the lower part of cam 87 allows a spring 84a to rock the obstructor 84, whereby normally card-feeding is resumed. In the present apparatus a second latch 24 is pivoted to the main latch 84 by a pin and slot connection 26 and is prevented from moving with the main latch by a third latch 25 engaging a pin 24a on the second latch. When arm 78 moves to the left, pin 83 moves up and meets latch 24, moving it the length of its slot 26, and freeing its pin 24a from latch 25. The force of pin 83 on latch 24 is, however, too great for spring 27, which connects latches 24 and 84, to swing latch 24 clear of pin 83. Latch 24 then holds quadrant 74 until arm 78 again rocks clockwise. As the arm 78 reaches the end of this clockwise movement it engage and moves quadrant 74 the length of slot 26 and relieves the pressure of pin 83 on latch 24, so that the latter is pulled clear of the pin 83 and card-feeding may proceed. By these means, at total-taking the card feed is arrested for one cycle by latch 84 and for the next cycle by latch 24.