Improvements in Adding Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adding Machines.
1 GEORGE BENEDICK FOWLER, of 72 Ryerson Street, in the City of Brooklyn, State..
of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADDING MACHINES" and in what manner the
sains is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in adding machines in which sliding bars
operate on a bed or frame provided with a series of numbers. &c.; and the object of
my improvement is to provide a means for locking the several sliding bars at any
point on the bed or fraine, and at any time during the process of calculation.
In the accompanying drawings, which fully illustrate the novel features of my
improvements,
Figure 1, is a plan view of my improved adding machine;
Figure 2, is a transverse section of the same, taken on the line X-X of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3, is a plan view of one end thereof, with the locking plate thrown back;
Figure 4, is a perspective view of the outer casing for the locking-plate; and
Figure 5, is a fragmentary view of the register on the under side of the machine.
Referring to the drawings, a represents a bed or platform having one end portion
covered with a plate of metal A, which extends down and over the edge of the same,
and is fastened thereto by a number of screws. The bed a is provided with a series
of grooves o, and in these are fitted bars b, so as to have a horizontal movement
therein.
On the intervening spaces, between the grooves, are placed a series of numbers,
ranging from 1, to 9, and in the sliding bars are formed holes at uniform points,
corresponding to the numbers on the bed a, as will be seen at c¹, c', &c. These holes,
however, range from 1, to 18. On the under side of the sliding bars are also placed
numbers ranging from 0, to 9. The bed has a transverse groove on its under side,
as at p, and in this groove are holes q, eight in number, which extend through the
bed, so that the numbers on the sliding bars are visible from the under side of the
machine. The bars are moved back and forth by means of a pencil, or other pointed
instrument, which is inserted into the holes. The sliding bars represent denominations
from units to tens of millions, and as one after another are moved, the combined:
result or addition will be visible by the figures appearing on the under side of the
machine. Now, while the movement of the hars is perfectly reliable, and the result
invariably correct, as at first registered, there are times when the calculation must be
suspended and the machine laid aside for a greater or less period of time, and when
this is necessary it is important that there should be some secure means of insuring
the machine against handling by irresponsible parties, or being disturbed by contact;
in which case the sliding bars are apt to be moved, and the result, as at first found; be
changed. To attain this end is the purpose of my present improvement; and to
render the locking device as simple in construction as possible, as well as reliable in
its operation, I combine with the bed or frame of the machine a clamping-plate
provided with pins or studs arranged to engage with the sliding bars, and provide
means whereby the said locking-plate may be put into engagement therewith, and be
automatically released therefrom at any point in the operation of the machine. Thus
the work of calculation may be suspended for any period of time, and the machine
laid by without any danger of the result being tampered with, or changed by irre-
sponsible persons, or by the shaking or handling of the machine.
Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4, in which the locking mechanism is more
fully shown, let d, represent a metallic plate secured by means of screws to the upper
surface of one end of the bed a. To the rear part of this plate is connected, by

page_text: nges g, g, another plate d'. Along the edge of this hinged plate is placed a series
of pins or studs h, and a corresponding number of holes ', are provided in the
plate d. These holes are made so as to coincide with the holes in the sliding bars, so
that when the hinged plate d', is clamped down, as will hereinafter be described, the
pins, on the plate d', will be made to pass through the holes, and into the holes c',
in the sliding bars and hold them securely locked against any attempt to move them,
until the clamping-plate is released. A small spiral spring f is attached at one side
of the plate d, which is compressed when the plate d', is clamped down, and serves to
throw the same upward when it is released so that the pins will clear the holes. i, is
a metallic cover with downwardly projecting edges adapted to fit over the hinged
plate d, and hold it down in position. When it is bolted in place, the plate d, is
allowed a little vertical play to admit of the ready engagement of such plate with the
sliding bars.
A pinj, having an enlarged head k, projects through and is made to work in an
elongated slots formed in the covering plate i. The pin j, has a latch-shaped
extremity t, which bears upon the plate & when it is moved in one direction in the
slot. A correspondingly formed slot e is provided in the hinged plate d', and both
slots are similarly beveled at one en 1 to conform to the extremity of the pin j, so that
the beveled end of the pin will ride easily up through the slots when it is moved in
the direction to release the clamping-plate. When it is desired to suspend the
operation of calculating, and lock the bars with the registered amount indicated on
the back of the machine, the pin j, is moved to the end of the slot s, which movement
forces the clamping-plate d', down so as to cause the engagement of the pins with
the sliding bars, the said pins passing through the holes in the plate d, and into the
boles in the bars, and so holding them in a locked position until the pin j is moved
in an opposite direction, when the plate d¹ being released from downward pressure the
spring will force it up sufficiently to bring the pins out of the holes in the sliding
bars. In Figure 3, the bars are shown in a locked position.
The locking mechanism is very simple in construction, and has been found
indispensable to the effective use of the adding machine.
The operation is as follows:-The upper, or first sliding bar b, represents the units,
the next the tens, the third the hundreds, and so on. Now if it is desired to add
together two numbers, as for instance, 251 and 195, the pencil is inserted into the
hole under, or opposite the figure 1 on the first sliding bar, and the bar is pushed
towards the right until the pencil strikes against the metal plate A, the pencil is then
withdrawn and inserted into the hole opposite the figure 5 on the second bar and
this bar is moved to the right until the pencil strikes against the metal plate A, then
the pencil is withdrawn and inserted into the hole opposite the figure 2 on the third
bar and the bar is moved to the right until the pencil strikes against the metal plate A.
The addition is continued with the second number 195 by inserting the pencil into
the hole opposite the figure 5 on the first bar and moving the bar to the right
until the pencil strikes against the metal plate A, and the pencil being withdrawn is
inserted into the hole opposite the figure 9 on the second bar. Now it will be
noticed that this hole is in the dark portion of the bar, which indicates that the bar
must be moved to the left instead of to the right, until the pencil strikes against the
metal plate i. The movement of this direction implies that there is 1 to carry and
this is done by mentally adding 1 to the remaining figure 1 which makes 2, and then
inserting the pencil into the hole opposite the figure 2 on the third bar (instead of
into the hole 1 as would otherwise be done) and moving the bar to the right until
the pencil strikes against the metal plate A. If the operation is carried out as
described the combined result will be found by the figures appearing in the groove p
on the underside of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An adding machine formed of a bed or frame provided with grooves, having a

page_text: series of numbers placed between said grooves, sliding bars arranged to move in the
grooves, and a locking mechanism for securing the sliding bars at any point on the
bed or frame, as set forth.
2. The herein described adding machine, consisting of a grooved frame, sliding bars
provided with perforations arranged to move in said grooves, and a clamping-plate
having a series of pins to engage with the perforations, and means for forcing said
clamping-plate in and out of engagement therewith.
3. In an adding machine, a grooved frame and sliding bars provided with perfora-
tions, in combination with a spring-controlled-clamping-plate hinged to said frame,
and having pins or studs to engage with the perforations in the sliding bars, as set
forth.
4. In an adding machine, having a grooved frame and sliding bars provided with
perforations, an end plate having a series of perforations coincident with the perfora-
tions in the said bars, a hinged plate provided with pins to pass into the perforations
in the sliding bars, and a pin arranged to work through an outer slotted casing, and
pass through a slot in the hinged plate to force down the clamping-plate, with a
spring for holding the said plate out of engagement with the sliding bars, as set
forth.
1000
GEORGE BENEDICK FOWLER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.