Patent GB-864315-A (GB)
Abstract: 864,315. Calculating-apparatus. CYBER S.A. July 22, 1957 [Nov. 22, 1956], No. 23153/57. Class 106 (1). Mechanism for making calculations or otherwise processing digital data comprises at least one controlled element and two controlling elements, these elements each comprising different " members " having special shapes such that an " excitation member " of one controlling element when rotated engages a " detection member " of the controlled element to initiate rotation of the latter which is then driven further by " driving members " (such as gear teeth) on itself and a second controlling element respectively, until arrested by the cooperation of a " stop member " on the controlled element with a " locking member " of the first controlling element. Thus, in an example to be described, an element 75, Fig. 61, composed of portions 74, 76 and 78 may have its rotation initiated by an element 70 including a portion 73 which co-operates with the portion 74. This movement engages a mutilated gear 76 with a pinion 77 which then rotates the element 75 until it is arrested by the abutment of the tooth 74a of the portion 74 against the portion 73 of the element 70. The portions of the elements may be so shaped as to produce gradual accelerations and decelerations of the elements. In the apparatus described, digits or other amounts are represented by the time, in a reference scale provided by the rotation of a driving shaft in the apparatus, at which certain movements occur. Groups of elements having certain basic functions are described and it is indicated how such groups may be assembled together to form larger units. Addition and subtraction groups.-A group for performing addition is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 34, and comprises two input elements E1, E2, an input and output element ES which rotates constantly throughout the operation, an intermediate element D and an output element S. The input elements have phase relationships to the element ES corresponding respectively to the two-numbers to be added. At a predetermined point in the rotation of the element ES, a portion ES1 of that element initiates rotation of the element D by engaging a portion D3 of it. The element D is then rotated by the engagement of a fully toothed portion ES2 of ES with a partly toothed portion D4 of D until D is arrested by the abutment of the single tooth of a portion D2 with the input element E2. During this rotation of D, the element E1 advances the element S by engaging its portion S1 at a time dependent on the first number. For the remaining rotation of D, the portion D1 then drives S by engaging its portion S2. Thus when D is arrested by the abutment of D2 against E2, S is in a position corresponding to the first number. A further rotation of D is then initiated by the advance of D2 by E2 at a time dependent on the second number and S is again driven by D1 and now has a phase corresponding to the sum of the two numbers. A similar group, Fig. 34a (not shown), performs subtraction. In that case, however, the intermediate element D is started by the input element E2 and then arrested in a predetermined position by the input and output element ES which later starts it again at predetermined time. Other groups.-Groups of a generally similar nature to those for addition and subtraction are described having (a) an output corresponding to the input, Fig. 15 (not shown); (b) an output corresponding to either of two inputs depending on the value of the difference between the two inputs, Fig. 19 (not shown); (c) an output corresponding to an input but only if a further input has been received; (d) an output which corresponds to one of a number of inputs, Fig. 24 (not shown); and (e) one output corresponding to one input and another output corresponding to another input. In all cases, the mechanisms introduce known constants. Keyboard input device.-A shift register is described as an example of an assembly of groups-in this case, a series of the groups (a) referred to above-and is provided with a single bank keyboard for input purposes. On depression of a key 1, Fig. 50, to the position shown, a pawl 11 is rocked and releases a pawl 15 which is urged clockwise by a spring. A pin 19 in this pawl is thus urged away from a locking projection 22a of a disc 22 fast with a member 21 and acts on a cam 20 also fast with that member which, however, is latched by the engagement of a pin 24a in an arm 24 against a shoulder of the disc 22. A cam 36 on a rotating shaft 37 then depresses the arm 24 and pin 24a to enable the pin 19 to move the member 21 counter-clockwise until a tooth 39 carried by the member 21 abuts a co-operating member 38 having a single tooth 38a at a position corresponding to the value of the associated key. Thus, at a time in the cycle corresponding to that value, the member 21 is rotated by the member 38. This initial movement engages a mutilated gear 55, Figs. 52 and 55, fast with the member 21 with a pinion 58 on the shaft 37, and the member 21 is thus driven further. During this movement, portions 56, 57, Fig. 55, of the member 21 co-operate with portions 59, 60, Fig. 57, of a member 61 fast on a shaft 33, which is unlocked when a pawl 31 is lowered by the pin 24a, so as to initiate rotation of the shaft 33, after which the member 21 is locked by the member 61. The member 61 has toothed portions 62, 63 which mesh with portions 64, 65, Fig. 59, of a member 66 so that rotation of the latter is also initiated. This movement engages a toothed portion 67 with a pinion 68 driven throughout the operation and the member 66 is driven in this manner for almost one revolution. After initiating movement of the member 66, the member 61 is locked by the member 66 for approximately half of a revolution of the latter, after which the member 66 restarts the member 61 and completes its cycle. During this further movement, the member 61 restarts the member 21 which is then driven through the remainder of its cycle by the gear 58. Thus the member 66, and a shaft 43 to which it is geared and which forms the output element of the input device, is caused to rotate through one continuous cycle which is started at a time in the operation of the device corresponding to the digit entered. Shift register.-This comprises elements 70, 80 ... freely rotatable on a shaft 47 as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 61, and elements 75, 75<SP>1</SP> ... freely rotatable on the shaft 43, each of these elements having three portions. The shaft 47 is driven throughout each operation. and, by means of a pinion 50, drives an element 49 rotatable on the shaft 43. Pinions 72, 82 ... fast on the latter shaft drive the elements 70, 80 ... and pinions 77 ... fast on the shaft 47 drive the elements 75, 75<SP>1</SP> ... Each of the elements 70, 80 ... is geared to a number wheel (not shown) which at the end of an operation indicates the position of the element which corresponds to the digit registered thereby. As explained above, on depression of a digit key, the shaft 43 is caused to rotate through one revolution at a time, in relation to the rotation of the shaft 47, corresponding to the digit to be entered. In operation, the shaft 43 starts to rotate the element 70 at a time corresponding to a new digit to be entered. Then, when the element 70 reaches a predetermined position (i.e. after a further period of time corresponding to the digit previously registered by that element), it initiates rotation of the element 75 by co-operation between the portions 73 and 74. The element 70 is then arrested in a predeter-. mined position by the abutment of its portion 70a against the element 49. The element 75, after being started as first described, is driven by the pinion 77 through a complete cycle and in a predetermined position initiates rotation of the element 80 which has previously been rotated, in the same manner as was the element 70, until the portion 79a abutted the portion 78 of the member 75. The element 80 is then driven by the pinion 82 for the remainder of the rotation of the shaft 43. Since its rotation was started at a time dependent on both the digit previously registered by the element 70 and the new digit, and its rotation was completed at a time dependent on the new digit, its final position corresponds to the digit previously registered by the element 70, which has thus been shifted along one stage. The digits registered by the higher elements 80 ... are similarly shifted along. Moreover, at a predetermined point of the rotation of the shaft 47, the portion 69 of the member 49 initiates a further movement of the element 70 which is continued by the pinion 72 for the remainder of the revolution of the shaft 43. In this way, the element 70 assumes a position corresponding to the new digit entered. Other assemblies.-In addition to the shift register described above, other assemblies of the groups are shown (diagrammatically only) forming (a) a register which repeatedly transmits the information stored, Fig. 49 (not shown); and (b) a register of this type in association with an addition group whereby one term may be repeatedly added to another, Fig. 48 (not shown). Specification 745,647 is referred to.