Patent GB-710293-A (GB)
Title: Improved multiplication apparatus
IPC: G06F7/491
Filed: 1951-10-19
Abstract: 710,293. Calculating-agparatus. COMPAGNIE DES MACHINES BULL. Oct. 19, 1951 [Dec. 29, 1950], No. 24508/51. Class 106 (1) A cyclically operated accounting and calculating apparatus comprises a multiplier register, an accumulator adapted to register a multiplicand in a purely decimal form and associated with means for repeatedly doubling the amount it contains, a transmitting arrangement which may be used to transfer an amount from the multiplicand accumulator to a product accumulator, denominational order detection means associated with the multiplier register, multiplication control means to control the carrying end of a multiplication in several multiplication phases each phase being devoted to a binary component, the control means being adapted for causing, in course of each phase, the detection means to detect the denominational orders of the multiplier register wherein are registered digits containing the binary component corresponding to the phase. in course, and for controlling, in course of each phase, the reading-out, of the amount in the multiplicand accumulator a number of times equally the number of orders detected. The control means is further adapted for controlling during the last transfer cycle of a phase, the doubling of the amount standing in the multiplicand accumulator. Referring to Figs. 1 and 6 the multiplier MR and the multiplicand MD are first introduced into their respective recording totalizers MR and MD from a record card or, strip by the analysis section AMR and AMD. An impulse sent at E, Fig 1, to the phase selector device SP initiates the operation of multiplication which commences by the exploration of the figures of the multiplier in order to reveal the presence of figures comprising the first phase of four phases employed in the multiplication process. The multiplier may for example be 278 and the figures of the multiplier are distributed amongst the four phases as shown: Phases I II III IV Components 1 2 4 8 Figures Detected components 2 - 2 - - 7 1 2 4 - 8 - - - - 8 The figure 7 of the multiplier tens order contains the component 1 and causes by means of CT the transfer of the multiplicand 1MD in the product totalizer TP with a column shift corresponding to the tens order. The absence of other figures comprising the component 1 releases the doubling operation of the multiplicand, which is carried out during the transfer of the latter into the product totalizer TP. When the exploration of the figures of the multiplier for phase I is completed, phase II commences by the exploration of the multiplier totalizer for revealing the presence of figures comprising the component 2. The 7 of the tens figures contains the component 2 and causes the transfer of the double of the multiplicand 2MD into the product totalizer TP by the column shift arrangement TD which controls the introduction of 2MD into TP with a column shift corresponding to the tens order. The 2 of the hundreds figure of the multiplier causes another transfer of 2MD into TP. During phase III the component 4 of figure 7 of the tens of the multiplier controls a transfer of 4MD with a column shift of 1 decimal order in the totalizer TP. During phase IV the figure' 8 of the units of the multiplier controls a transfer of 8MD without a column shift in the totalizer TP. The abence of any components 8 in the higher units orders permits an impulse to be sent to F which indicates that the multiplication is completed. The product totalizer TP has thus received during five transfers: 2MD X 100, 1MD + 2MD + 4MD = 7MD X 10 and 8MD without column shift which makes 278MD, the product of MD and 278. Card reading is carried out in well known manner as shown in Fig. 7. The cards being fed from a magazine 15F to a hopper 26F. Sets of sensing brushes B1F and B2F are provided to sense the data on the cards. When an impulse is applied at A1, Fig. 3b, between the points 13¢ and 15, this latter point forming the end of a cycle, by a circuit extending from the + terminal (right hand part of Fig. 3a), by way of cam contact C6, the relay contacts E and 140G assumed to be closed) and the line 150B, and if at this moment the relay R6 is energized, this impulse passes by way of the closed contact R6C and energizes the relay 61. The latter is closed as soon as its contact 61 a which connects the line M1 with the upper blade of the contact 71a is opened. When the contacts C1 is closed at 14¢, the relay 71 receives by way of the contact 61a (closed until 15 time) the voltage from M1 and being energized, closes its contact 71a being thus held on M1 until the point 13¢ of the following cycle. During the energization of the first part holding relay 71, the contact 71 b is closed with the result that the voltage supplied through C5; Fig. 3c, is applied to the terminal T1 from the point 15 to the point 0 of a cycle. A plug connection between T1 and the input terminal of the relay 211, Fig. 3c, of the column shift arrangement TD permits the energization of the relay, which controls the transfer of the amount from MD to TP. The circuit shown in the drawings have a capacity of 5 decimal orders in the case of the recording totalizer for the multiplicand and 4 decimal orders for the multiplier. The multiplicand totalizer MD, Figs. 1 and 3c, comprises 5 outputs TD including 8 outputs corresponding to the 8 decimal orders of the product totalizer TP. Operation.-Referring to-Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c, when the cam contact C6 closes from 13¢ to 15 time the relay 140 is energized, as the contact 140 is closed, the relay 31 is energized and is held by the line M2. This marks the commencement of phase I. Assuming the brushes of the totalizer MR are positioned for showing the recording of 278 as multiplier and a voltage.is applied to the horizontal lines 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, by the relay contacts 41 a circuit will be closed only by the brush of the tens order of 'the' totalizer to energize the relay R7. The relays R6, R7 and R8 are all energized from 11 to 12 times and an impulse is applied to line 17 which cannot travel as far Z1 because R6b contacts are open, and the first phase is terminated'at this point by de-energization of the relays 44, 43. Relay 42 remains energized for phase II. At the commencement of phase III, the circuits of the totalizer MR are explored by the line 39 under voltage and the contacts closed by the energized relay 43 in order to find the figures of the multiplier which have the binary component 4. As the binary component 4 is present in the figure 7 of the tens of the multiplier 4MD is transferred into TP with a column shift corresponding to the decimal order of the figure 7 of the multiplier. During phase IV the multiple 8 of the multiplicand is transferred to the product totalizer with a column shift corresponding to the order of the units of MR and on completion a product recording cycle is indicated which may be in the form of a printing or punching cycle. In a modification described with reference to Figs. 10a, 10b a five position electronic switch of known type is employed for distributing impulses to a corresponding gate valve for each of the phases I-IV. The totalizer TP which recives the amounts forming the final product is of the binary adder type, established in the decimal system and formed of a series of flipflop stages having ten positions of equilibrium the admission terminals of the decades lying at a, b, c, &c. with means provided to effect the carryover between the successive decades.