IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN COUNTING AND, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ORLANDO WILLIAM FREDERICK HILL of Pembroke Villa Queens Road
Norbiton in the County of Surrey, Mechanical Engincor do hereby declaro the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
COUNTING AND, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USES " to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be used in
counting and applicable also to other uses.
For some purposes for which mechanical counters can with advantage be
employed the power is required of subtracting from the score as well as adding
to it, as for example in counters to be used for registering orders received and.
executed and which are required to show at all times the balance of outstanding
orders.
I construct such counters with two separate propelments by which the counting
wheel can be turned either in a forward or in a backward direction, viz, in a
forward direction as each order is given and in a backward direction each time
that an order is executed. The number shown by the counter then always
corresponds to the difference between the number of orders given and the number
executed which is the number still remaining to be fulfillerl.
I construct such reversible counters in accordance with the specification of a
former Patent granted to me N° 5901 in the year 1883 but reduplicating some of
the parts. The reversible counter then consists of a disc mounted upon an axis
and with numbers on its periphery; from the side of this disc project pins
arranged in a circle at equal distances apart and parallel to the axis.
The wheel is rotated in a forward direction as before by a driving lever having
two faces upon it a propelling and a stopping face.
I actuate this lever preferably by an electro magnet; the armature of the
magnet is attached to the lever. By operating upon a press button an electric
current is caused to pass in the coils of the magnet, the armature is then attracted
and it carries the driving lever forward with it. When this takes place the
driving face of the lever operating on one of the pins of the wheel pushes the
wheel forward until another pin on the wheel coming down upon the stop face of
the lever and prevents further movement.
There is also as described in my former specification a spring lever also with two
faces upon it and these are inclined. In the forward movement of the driving

page_text: lever the spring lever yields and allows a pin to pass it. On the retirement of the
driving lever the spring lever returns and by one of its inclined faces pushing
against the pin moves the wheel on until another pin comes to bear on the other
face of the spring lever and the step is then complete. To rotate the counting
wheel in a reverse direction to count off the orders as they are executed I apply a
second or reverse driving lever on the other sido of the axis.
A second electro magnet is provided to operate this lever. When this magnet
attracts its armature the reverse driving lever operating against a pin on
the wheel drives the wheel back so far as to cause one of the pins to pass the
spring lever. On the retirement of the reverse driving lever the backward step is
completed by the operation of the spring lever in the same way that the spring
"lever operates to complete the forward step.
In some cases where the difference between the orders given and executed is
likely to be large a second wheel may be employed, the first wheel counting say as
far as ten and the second wheel registering the complete revolutions of the first
wheel so that the two wheels together may count and register up to a hundred.
The first wheel in this case is operating in the manner already described and as
it completes each revolution it by means of a projection upon it closes an electric
circuit which causes one of tho -driving levers of the second wheel. to become
active.
The second wheel like the first is provided with two electric magnets and two
driving levers and the circuit is so arranged that the current will pass in it either
through one inagnet or the other according to the direction of motion of the first
wheel at the instant when the circuit is closed. Thus if its circuit be completed
by a movement of the first wheel in the reverse direction by the action of its
reverso driving lover it will be the reverse driving lever of the second wheel which
will be called into operation. Hence when the first wheel in a forward movement
completes a revolution and its zero point passes a forward movement of the second
wheel results; but when the same point in the first wheel returns by a backward
movement a like backward movement of the second wheel takes place.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1884.

page_text: 'I ORLANDO WILLIAM FREDERICK HILL of Pembroke Villa Queens Road
Norbiton in the County of Surrey Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
COUNTING AND APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER USES" and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention has for its object improvements in apparatus to be used in counting
and applicable also to other uses.
For some purposes for which mechanical counters can with advantage be employed
the power is required of subtracting from the score as well as adding to it as for
example in counters to be used for registering orders received and executed and
which are required to show at all times the balance of outstanding orders.
I construct such counters with two separate propelments by which the counting
wheel can be turned either in a forward or in a backward direction, viz, in a forward
direction as each order is given and in a backward direction each time that an
order is executed. The number shown by the counter then always corresponds to
the difference between the number of orders given and the number executed which
is the number still remaining to be fulfilled.
I construct such reversible counters in accordance with the specification of a
former Patent granted to me N° 5901 in the year 1883 but reduplicating some of
the parts. The reversible counter then consists of a disc mounted upon an axis and
with numbers on its periphery; from the side of this disc project pins arranged in
a circle at equal distances apart and parallel to the axis.
The wheel is rotated in a forward direction as before by a driving lever having
two faces upon it a propelling and a stopping face.
I actuate this lever preferably by an electro magnet; the armature of the magnet
is attached to the lever. By operating upon a press button an electric current is
caused to pass in the coils of the magnet, the armaturo is then attracted and it
carries the driving lever forward with it. When this takes place the driving face
of the lever operating on one of the pins of the wheel pushes the wheel forward
until another pin on the wheel coming down upon the stop face of the lever
prevents further movement.
There is also as described in my former specification a spring lever also with two
faces upon it and these are inclined. In the forward movement of the driving levor
the spring lever yields and allows a pin to pass it. On the retirement of the driving
lever the spring lever returns and by one of its inclined faces pushing against the
pin moves the wheel on until another pin comes to bear on the other face of the
spring lever and the step is then complete To rotate the counting wheel in a
reverse direction to count off the orders as they are executed I apply a second or
reverse driving lever on the other side of the axis.
A second electro magnet is provided to operate this lever. When this magnet
attracts its armature the reverse driving lever operating against a pin on the wheel
drives the wheel back so far as to cause one of the pins to pass the spring lever.
On the retirement of the reverse driving lever the backward step is completed by
the operation of the spring lever in the same way that the spring lever operates to
complete the forward step.
In some cases where the difference between the orders given and executed is
B

page_text: far as ten and the second wheel registering the complete revolutions of the first
wheel so that the two wheels together may count and register up to a hundred.
The first wheel in this case is operating in the manner already described and as
it completes each revolution it by means of a projection upon it closes an electric
circuit which causes one of the driving levers of the second wheel to become active.
The second wheel like the first is provided with two electro magnets and two
driving levers and the circuits are so arranged that the current will pass cither
through one magnet or the other according to the direction of motion of the first
wheel at the instant when the circuit is closed. Thus if the circuit be completed
for a movement of the first wheel in the reverse direction by the action of its 1
reverse driving lever it will be the reverse driving lever of the second wheel which
will be called into operation. Hence when the first wheel in a forward movement
completes a revolution and its zero point passes a forward movement of the second
wheel results but when the same point in the first wheel returns by a backward
movement a like backward movement of the second wheel takes place.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure 2 is a front elevation partly in section of
an apparatus constructed according to my invention. The apparatus here shown is
provided with two wheels and is capable of computing and recording sums or
outstanding differences up to a total of one hundred.
a is a spindle on which the two wheels b and b* are mounted so as to be able to
turn freely. On the periphories of these wheels are figures from 0 to 9. C. c. are
pins projecting from the bosses of the wheels b and b* there are ten pins in each
but this howover may be varied. In connection with each wheel are two propel-
ment levers d. c. or d* or e* one for counting on and the other for counting off and
also a spring stop lover for fx.
In Figure 2 the parts are shown in the positions they occupy on the completion
of the movement, the two faces of the stop lever f being in contact with two of
the pins c. c. If from this position the wheel be turned in either direction the stop
lever rises and lets a pin pass and then when permitted drops down again to
position indicated but into another space between the pins.
The propelment levers d and c are both shown raised. de¹ d'x e¹× are armatures
attached to the propelment levers and g. g¹ g* glx are electro magnets which when
excited draw these armatures towards their poles as far as an adjustable stop
admits. h. h. are withdrawing springs and i. i. are adjustable stops to limit the
distance the armature recedes from the magnet. When either one of the armatures
is attracted the wheel is turned so far as to carry a pin c past the nose of the stop
lever. On the attraction ceasing the propelment lever rises and the step of the 4
wheel either forward or backward is completed by the return of the stop lever.
When the difference in the number of forward steps and backward steps to he
registered exceeds ten then the second wheel is provided and the first wheel is
furnished with parts for closing the circuit of the magnets working in connection
with the second wheel. The parts as I profer to arrange them are two projections 4
and on a boss which is carried round together with the wheel b; these act
against springs and land as they pass press them outwards against stops m
and m². When the projections have passed the springs fall inwards to the
stops n and n¹.
The electrical connections are represented by a diagram Figure 3. o. 0¹ are 5
batteries and p. px p¹ p¹× are finger keys.
-
•
When the finger key p is put down the current passes from the battery o by the
key contact through the magnet g to the spring land if we assume the projections
k. k to be out of the way the further course is to the contact n and so back to the
battery o. The wheel b now moves a step forward and a unit is added to the score. 5

page_text: a is a resistance coil inserted in order to equalise the resistance of the circuit under
all conditions, it is equivalent to any one of the magnets.
When the finger key 2x is put down the current passes from the battery o by
the key contact, the resistance coil and the magnet g* back to the battery. The
wheel 6* now makes a forward step and ten is added to the score.
Similarly when the finger key p' is put down, the current may be traced from
the battery o' through magnet g¹ spring m¹ contact n and resistance * back to the
battery and a unit is deducted from the score. And when the key p¹× is put down
the current passes from the key to the resistance ³ and magnet glx and ten is
deducted from the score.
k
If however the parts be in the position indicated by Figure 1 when the key p is
put down the current no longer passes from 1 to n for when the stop lover com-
pleted the last movement of the wheel b putting it to the "9" position it brought
the projection against the spring and closed contact between 7 and m.
So now
the key current after traversing the magnet g and so producing a movement of the
units wheels from 9 to 0 now passes from 1 to m and to magnet g* and so to the
battery o. Hence the wheel b*now also makes a forward step.
If now in this position with the 0 exhibited on the wheel b the key p¹ be
depressed the current may be traced from battery o¹ through p¹ g¹ l' m¹ g¹x back
to the battery and both wheels b and b* make a step in the backward direction.
Thus if the wheel turns forward from 9 to 0 the wheel b¹ will move a step
forwards and 10 will be added to its score but if the movement of the wheel b bo
from 0 to 9 the wheel b¹ will move a step backward and 10 will be deducted from
its score.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1). In a counting or computing apparatus the combination of a wheel and two
propelments one when operated turning the wheel in a forward direction and the
other when operated turning the wheel in n backward direction substantially as
described.
(2). The combination of a wheel b projecting pins c. c. two propelling levers
dande and a stop levor f substantially as described.
(3). The combination of a pair of wheels b and b× each with two propelments
and the one wheel controlling the propelments of the other substantially as
described,
(4). Apparatus substantially as described and illustrated by the annexed
drawings.