Improvements in Calculating Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Calculating Machines.
I EDUARD RUNGE, Retired Lieutenant, of Brücken Allee 31, Berlin in the
Empire of Germany do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a calculating machine in which a row of keys is provided
and combined with wheels carrying the numbers 0 to 9 in such a manner that by
pressing down a key the number wheel belonging to the same is turned. The
amount of the rotation of the wheels depends upon the depression of the keys being
limited, before they are pressed down, by removable pins.
In the annexed drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a cross-section of the machine;
Fig. 2 a part of the plan, the covering plate being removed.
Fig. 3 a front view, the covering plate being partly removed.
Fig. 4 a section on line X-X of Fig. 1.
Figs. 5 to 27 show details of the construction.
Fig. 28 the plan of the closed machine.
The casing of the machine is formed of the strong base plate A and front plate B ;
the back plate C is made of thin metal plate and fixed to the plate A by means
of angle irons C. The side walls D carry the peculiarly shaped covering plate E
in which is arranged a smooth ground glass plate F on which calculations or
memoranda may be written. On the upper part of the covering plate is a box G
which, passing across the whole length of the machine, is closed by the cover H
and serves to receive papers and the like. Under the plate A are two longitudinal
rails 1 which are covered with felt K and serve as feet.
The mechanism of the whole machine is divided into single systems, each of
which consists of a key, a number wheel and the corresponding parts between
them. There may be provided any number of such systems; in the present
drawing are provided 8 so that the highest number to be calculated is one of
8 digits. The single systems are placed in one row and carried by the frames L
(Fig. 8 in detail)..
The key head a is fixed on the bent lever a' which is carried by the frame L
turning round the axle a² and ends at its inner extremity in a toothed wheel
sector a. This toothed wheel sector a³ gears with another toothed wheel sector bl
which is fixed loosely upon the axle & and carries a lever on which is attached
a pawl (Figs. 11 and 12 in detail). The latter catches into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel c which is also fixed loosely upon the axle b and joined fixedly by
screws c with the toothed wheel c'. The latter gears with the toothed wheel d
which is fixed loosely upon the axle d and gears in the toothed wheel e' (Fig. 2) united
fixedly with the wheel e. It is to be seen from this arrangement that, when the
key a is pressed down, the number wheel e is rotated by means of the ratchet
wheel c in the direction of the arrow, whilst on the returning of the key effected
by the spring a only a backward movement of the toothed sectors a³ and b' takes
place as the ratchet & moves loosely over the ratchet wheel c.
As a certain moving of the key a causes a corresponding angle of rotation of
the number wheel e corresponding to one of the numbers 0 to 9 the movement of
the key a must vary according to the number which is wanted to be added and
must be the smallest for the number 1 and the greatest for the number 9. The
limiting of the stroke of the key is effected by opposing a pin in the path of the

page_text: lever turning round its axle b, this pin being pushed by a movement by hand
into the path of the lever in a point corresponding to the rotation of the
number wheel e necessary for the addition of the corresponding number. As shown
in Figs. 1 and 2 the lever moves between two bows which lie parallel one to
the other and are curved having the axle bas centre; these two hows rest at
ench end upon a rod which rods pass through the frames L, the distance of
the hows one from the other as well as from the frames L being fixed by small
sockets on the rods / The bows (Figs. 13 and 14 in detail) are pierced with
18 holes arranged in two concentric rows, the holes lying in the outer row serve to
receive the guide rods passing through the whole machine. These rods are
provided with stopping pins which, attached in the form of an angle, are in
line with the holes of the inner row in order that, when a guide rod fis
moved to the left, all the pins f fixed on the latter pass into the corresponding
holes provided in both bows f. The holes fure so arranged on the bows
that, when the key a is pressed down so far that the lever moves to the hole
marked with the number 1, the corresponding number wheel rotates one flat, that
is to say, the number 1 is added and so forth. For instance, when the lever
noves to the hole marked 9 of the row, the number 9 is added. On the
left end of the guide rods fare, fixed buttons. (Fig. 4) which project from
the cover plate E and cover the slit there provided, by means of the small
plate Next to these buttons are indicated the numbers which correspond
to those on the bows in order that when, for instance, the button next to
the number 5 is moved to the left, also the guide rod of the same is moved
to the left whereby all the pins attached to the latter enter into the opposite
holes marked "5" of all the bows f; when then one of the keys a is pressed
down, the lever can only move up to this pin, that is to say the number
wheel is turned for 5 flats and so the number 5 is added. On releasing the
button the guide rod moves back again by the effect of the spring
provided on the other end.
Fig. 5 shows the pins passing through the holes. If, for instance, the
number 85 is to be added, the button marked with number 8 is moved to the
left and the second key a is pressed down; in this manner 80 is added, as
the second key represents the tens; then the button marked 5 is moved to the
left and the first key a is pressed down; thus the whole number 85 has been
added.
The carrying of the tens is effected as in other calculating machines by a ping
arranged between the numbers 9 and 0 on the number wheel e. (Fig. 6 and back
view Fig. 7.) This pin y turns a wheel o' provided with ten teeth and rotating on
the frame L, and also it turns the wheel gunited to the other wheel g', for one
tooth, the wheel gearing into the number wheel e' of the next higher row of
numbers and so turus the number wheel e fur one flat or number. As may be
seen from the drawing on each flat of the number wheel e are written two numbers
which run in inverse order. This arrangement serves for adding and for subtracting
in the same direction of the rotation of the wheel, according as the adding or the
subtracting numbers are seen by the person calculating with the machine. This
is obtained by turning a plate which is provided with openings and bent,
Saving the axle of the wheel e as centre and rests in corresponding slits of the
side walls D, and shows according to its position either the added or the subtracted
numbers (Figs. 18 and 19 show this plate ).
In Figs. 8 and 9 is shown a construction which indicates by a bell signal when
the highest possible number is reached. On the lust number wheel e is arranged
between the 9 and 0 flat a pin i which, when 9 is surpassed, pushes the two-armed
lever which is then lifted with its nose from the eam disk in order that the
wound spiral spring it on the shaft of the latter is liberated and turns the toothed
wheel which gears with the wheel, the clapper of which strikes during th
rotation against the bell . Firs. 15 to 17 show the single details, Fig. 17 being
a section of Fig. 16.

page_text: Figs. 11 and 12 and also Fig. 1 show an arrangement for preventing racing of
the ratchet wheel c. On the lever is guided a rod k which carries on its upper
part an oblique nose ; when the lever is moved the nose strikes an passes
under that pin which has been thrust into the path of the lever and presses
the rod k downwards upon the ratchet wheel c; when the lever returns the
spring raises again the rod k. In the machine thus formed may be provided a
construction which allows of stopping some of the keys for some time; it is shown
in Figs. 22 and 23 in natural size anl in Figs. 24 to 27 in double size. The slits B¹
in the front wall in which the key levers a move, receive in a lateral hollow of the
wall small horizontal bolts which when they are moved to the left by the
handles projecting upwards, hinder the movement of the lever a', so that
the corresponding key cannot be pressed down. When the key has to be free
again they are pulled back by pulling the rod 12 passing through the front wall B.
This rod is behind the levers a' and possesses for each slit B a pin which
when the rod is pulled to the right by the button takes with it the handles
of all the pins moved forwards. Figs. 22 and 23 ehow section and plan of the
described construction in its original position and in natural size. Figs. 24 and 25
in double size in advanced position and Figs. 26 and 27 on the same scale in
resting position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A calculating machine having wheels e carrying the numbers 0 to 9 which
by a wheel gearing affected by pressing down the keys a are so turned that to each
portion of the movement of the kev lever a' there corresponds a certain angular
rotation of the wheel e, the movement of the key lever a being limited for each
number by a special pin.
2. In a calculating machine as in Claim 1, an arrangement to limit the movement
of the key levers consisting of nine guide rods passing across the whole
machine which when moved sidewards, introduce pins for the like attached to
them into corresponding holes f of the bows fand therefore limit the movement
of the levers operated by the keyheads a each guide rod corresponding with one
of the numbers 1 to 9.
3. In a calculating machine as in Claim 1 an arrangement for making calcula-
tions of addition and subtraction in the same direction of rotation of the number
wheels, consisting of a plate h' turning round the number wheels e and through the
windows of which, according to the position of the plate h, are to be seen
either of two sets of numbers written upon the number wheels in inverse
directions.
4. In a calculating machine as in Claim 1, an arrangement for arresting the
movement of the key levers a consisting of the bolts lying in the slits B₁ of the
front wall B and adapted to be moved to arrest the key levers a and provided
with handles which can be moved back again simultaneously by the rod l' by
means of pins 13.
Dated thin 27th a
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.