AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PERFORMING THE ADDITION OF NUMBERS, QUANTITIES, OR SUMS OF MONEY, TO BE TERMED THE ARITHMOMETER
Year: 1858

page_text: oceed
application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed by
the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
March 1858.-A communication.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PERFORMING THE ADDITION
OF NUMBERS, QUANTITIES, OR SUMS OF MONEY, TO BE TERMED THE ARITHMOMETER,'
to be as follows:-
The machine which constitutes this Invention is composed of a system of
indicating wheels suitably numbered on their peripheries, and also suitably
geared together to make the necessary movements relatively to each other to
suit any system of numeration. A system of keys representing the different
numerals is arranged to be operated by the fingers in such a manner as
to produce the movements of the indicating wheels, checks, catches, ratchets,
or other suitable contrivances are provided for controlling the movements.of
the keys, so that each shall be incapable of producing a greater movement
of the indicating wheels than is required by the numeral which it represents.
The most important features of the Invention consist in the means employed
to combine the keys with the indicating wheels to produce the movements of
the latter; also the means of controlling the movements of the keys, so that
neither of them may produce any greater movement of the indicating wheels
than is required by the numeral it represents. Also in providing for the shifting
of the indicating apparatus relatively to its driving gear, so that the motion

page_text: may be imparted from said gear to the units wheel, or wheel representing the
smallest quantities or values, or to either of the wheels representing greater
quantities or values. And, further, in a certain improvement in the gearing
of the indicating wheels to impart the necessary movement from the index
wheel of any denomination to that of a higher denomination.
The keys whereby the indicating apparatus is worked consist of vertical
pins provided with buttons at their upper ends, so that they may be con-
veniently depressed by the fingers of the operator, and they are supported in
an elevated position when not in work by means of coiled springs which
enclose the said pins. Below the pins are a series of steps of different depths
according to the numerical value which is attached to the several pins, these
steps being to prevent the pins from being depressed beyond the desired point.
All the vertical pins are provided with a horizontal stud, which, when any
pin is depressed, is made to act against and carry down with it a horizontal bar
or bail connected with a rocking frame that is mounted loosely on the driving
shaft. A toothed wheel is mounted on one end of this shaft, and is intended
to actuate the gearing of the counting apparatus when such gearing is brought
into contact therewith. A ratchet wheel is also mounted on the driving shaft,
and is actuated by means of a pawl or click connected with the rocking frame
above mentioned. It will now be understood that when any vertical finger pin
is depressed it will by means of its horizontal stud depress the rocking frame,
which will pull round the ratchet wheel and with it the driving shaft, and
thus actuate the toothed driving wheel on the end of the latter. The indi-
cating wheels and the gearing connected therewith are mounted on suitable
shafts in a frame, which is capable of being shifted or slidden laterally on
fixed bars or shafts for the purpose of bringing the toothed gear of any
particular indicating wheel opposite to and in gear with the toothed wheel on
the main driving shaft. The toothed gearing wheels of the indicating wheels
are provided with loose teeth, studs, or short arms, whereby the motion of any
one wheel is at the proper time communicated to the wheel of the next bighe
denomination. It will of course be evident that the precise construction and
arrangement of the gearing for driving the indicating wheels must depend
In simple
upon the kind of calculations intended to be made thereon.
addition the indicating wheels will be made in decimal proportion, but fo
sterling money a more complicated arrangement will be necessarily required.