Improvements in Adding Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adding Machines.
I, WILLIAM KIRKLAND NICHOLS, Engineer, of 931T Street Washington,
District of Columbia, United States of America, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide an adding machine or other registering
device, which is simple in construction, which may be operated rapidly and which
will carry the sum of one column to another and register automatically the aggre-
gate of successive columns of figures by the use of one set of keys.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a plan of this improved
adding machine.
Figure 2 represents a plan thereof with the upper half of the case removed, the
keyboard being omitted.
Figure 3 represents an elevation of the right hand end of this improved adding
machine with the end of the casing removed.
Figure 4 represents a plan of the keyboard, the registering mechanism being
omitted.
Figure 5 represents an end elevation of the left hand end of the machine, the
key-board being omitted.
Figure 6 represents a horizontal longitudinal diametrical section of the casing and
the registering mechanism therein.
Figure 7 represents a transverse section of the cylinder on line 7-7 of Figure 2.
Figure 8 represents a side elevation of one of the shifting sleeves having a
numeral wheel at one end and a disc at the other and provided with prongs engaged
by the actuating wheel.
Figure 9 represents a side elevation of another of the shifting sleeves with its
numeral wheel and disc disposed farther apart so as to receive between them the
numeral wheel and disc represented in Figure 8, the sleeve whereof slides over the
sleeve shown in Figure 9.
Figure 10 represents a side elevation of the mechanism for shifting the registering
mechanism to bring different numeral wheels into operative connection with the
actuating wheel for adding different denominations of figures.
Figure 11 represents a transverse section of one of the sliding sleeves.
Figure 12 represents a transverse section thereof in modified form.
Figure 13 represents an end view of the disc shown in Figure 8.
Figure 14 represents a side elevation of the actuating wheel.
Figure 15 represents a ring encircling the flange of said actuating wheel and
provided with an arm for carrying the pawl for actuating said wheel.
Figure 16 represents a front elevation of the actuating wheel of the registering
mechanism.
Figure 17 represents an end view of the disc shown in Figure 9.
Figure 18 represents the adjusting rake in connection with the numeral wheels
for moving the latter to zero.
Figure 19 represents a partial transverse section on line 19-19 of Figure 2,
showing the left face of a segment of the final numeral wheel, the dog for holding
said wheel, the lever for releasing said dog, and the spring for restoring said wheel
to zero.
Figure 20 represents an enlarged segment of one of the numeral wheels, its
spring dog, a segment of the toothed flange of the next numeral wheel and the
nointed lug for depressing said dog.

page_text: A base 20 provided at different points with a number of upwardly project-
ing lugs forms fulcrums 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 for the several actuating key
levers 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34. The key lever 30 is provided with a key plate 35
which serves as a key for the digit 1. The key lever 31 is provided with a
key plate 36 which serves as the key for the digit 2. The key lever 32 is
The key
provided with a key plate 37 which serves as a key for the digit 3.
lever 33 is provided with a key plate 38 which serves as a key for the digit 4, and
the key lever 34 is provided with a thumb plate 39 which serves as the key for
the digit 5. These keys are so placed relative to each other as to receive the
fingers and thumb of the right hand. Each of the key levers is provided under
the key plate with a downwardly projecting heel 40 as shown in Figure 3 which
comes against the base and serves as a stop for its lever, determining the extent
of the movement thereof. These heels may be of different lengths on the
different levers according to the extent of movement required of each lever.
The levers are fulcrummed at different distances from their inner ends so that
the keys will have substantially the same length of stroke while their leverages
vary according to the movements required of them respectively.
The base 20 is also provided with studs 26 in which a short shaft 27 is
pivotted. This shaft is provided with an arm 28 which terminates adjacent to
the inner ends of the key levers. A bar 29 is attached to and carried by the
outer end of the arm 28 and extends in a horizontal plane above the inner ends
of the key levers. An upright lever 41 is pivotted at its lower end to this bar 29
and constitutes a part of the mechanism for moving the actuating wheel of the
registering mechanism hereinafter described. This bar 29 is pushed up through
different distances by the different key levers and a spring 42 shown in the form of
a torsional spring on the shaft 27 serves to depress the arm 28 and under the action
of the bar 29 to restore the keys to their normal positions.
The adding or registering mechanism is contained within a cylindrical case 50,
which is mounted on the base 20 above the outer ends of the key levers, being
supported by pedestal brackets as 51. This case is provided with a longitudinal
reading slot 52 closed by a glass or other transparent pane through which the sums
added or registered may be read the casing adjacent to said slot being preferably
bent inward. The case is also provided in its upper face with a transverse slot 53
in which plays the handle of the rake hereinafter described for setting the machine
to zero.
A central fixed rod 54 extends from end to end of the case and serves as an arbor
on which the registering mechanism turns. The case is also provided with internal
longitudinal ribs 55 and 56 disposed at diametrically opposite points, upon which
the shifter for the registering mechanism slides as hereinafter described.
An actuating wheel 60 is disposed within the case 50 near the right hand end
thereof on the arbor 54. This wheel consists of a yoke-shaped frame 61 disposed
between the collars 57 and 58, and a rim 62 attached to or cast integral with the
inner ends of said frame. The rim 62 is provided on its outer circumference with
ratchet teeth 63 and on its inner circumference with radial teeth 64. The number
of ratchet teeth is a multiple of ten and corresponds with the divisions on the
numeral wheels. The radial teeth are the same in number as the ratchet teeth.
The rim 62 is also provided with a flange 65 on which rides a ring 66 having an
This arm is pivotted to the upper end of the lever 41, and carries a
pawl 68 which engages the ratchet teeth of the actuating wheel 60. When a key
is depressed the lever 41 is lifted sufficient that the pawl turns the actuating wheel
of the registering machine one tooth or more as determined by the index on
the key.
arm 67.
A sliding sleeve 70 which may be solid, as indicated in Figure 11 or in skeleton
form as indicated in Figure 12, is disposed on the arbor 54. This sleeve is provided
at its right hand end with a disc 71 having one or more radial prongs 72 which are
engaged by the radial teeth of the actuating wheel when said disc is concentric
with the rim of said wheel. The opposite end of this sleeve 70 is provided with a

page_text: numeral wheel 73 having on its periphery a series of numerals corresponding to the
number of teeth on the actuating wheel, and ranging from zero to one less than the
highest number of teeth on said wheel.
A sleeve 80 the interior diameter of which corresponds with the exterior diameter of
the sleeve 70 is disposed on said sleeve 70 and provided at its outer end with a disc 81
adjacent to the disc 71 and on the inside thereof, and at its opposite end with a
numeral wheel 83, disposed a slight distance from the numeral wheel 73, the outer
end of the hub of the wheel 83 abutting closely against a shoulder 74 at the inner
end of the hub of the wheel 73. The disc 81 is provided with prongs 82 similar to
those of the disc 71. The numeral wheel 83 is provided at its periphery with
several sets of numerals each set ranging from zero to nine the aggregate number
of numerals in the several sets corresponding to the total number of numerals on
the final numeral wheel 73 and to the number of teeth on the actuating wheel 60.
There are four sets of numerals on the wheel 83 and forty numbers or divisions on
the final wheel 73, when the machine is constructed as shown in the drawings, but
it is obvious that the size and capacity of the wheels may be varied.
A sleeve 90 having an interior diameter as large as the exterior diameter of the
sleeve 80 is fitted over said sleeve 80 and adapted to turn thereon. This sleeve
is provided at one end with a disc 91 having prongs 92 and at its opposite
end with a numeral wheel 93. As shown in the drawings a succession of
sleeves 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140 are disposed one over the other, each being
shorter than the preceding. These sleeves are severally provided at their right
hand ends with pronged discs 101, 111, 121, 131 and 141 and at their left hand end
with numeral wheels 103, 113, 123, 133, and 143, each of said numeral wheels being
The number
provided with the same numerals as wheel 83 arranged in sets of ten.
of these wheels will vary for different machines according to the capacity thereof.
The numeral wheel 143 is designed for use in adding the first right hand column of
figures to be added and the next wheel 133 is used in adding the second column to
the left and so on with each successive wheel. Each of the numeral wheels is
provided with sunken peripheral teeth 144 corresponding to the number of numerals
on the wheel. Each of said wheels except the final wheel 73 is provided on its left
face with a flange or other corresponding projection 145 and each of said numeral
wheels except the initial wheel 143 as shown is provided on its right face with a
toothed flange 146 having as many teeth as there are numerals on said wheel. The
flanges 146 are of smaller diameter than the flanges 145 so that the right flange 146
of one wheel shuts concentrically into the left flange 145 of the adjacent wheel. A
number of dogs 147 are supported on the left flanges or projections of the several
wheels; there being as many of these dogs as there are general divisions or noughts
on each wheel. Each dog is supported on the free end of a spring 148 attached to
the flange 145, and the tooth of the dog is pushed downward when the dog is
depressed by contact with a pointed prong 156. A stationary dog might be used
in place of the prong 156 and lugs used instead of the dogs 147 for operating said
dogs. One of the dogs as shown on the left flange of the wheel 143 when so
depressed passes through a hole in said flange and engages a tooth of the right
flange of the wheel 133, whenever the wheel 143 passes from nine to nought, said
dog carrying the wheel 133 one tooth at each engagement. As soon as it has
performed the function of moving its object wheel one tooth its spring retracts it.
The flanges of the wheels 123, 113, 103, 93, 83 and 73 interlap in the manner
described so that one wheel turns the succeeding wheel one notch each time the
preceding wheel passes from nine to nought.
The left hand wheel 73 has no flange on its left face as there is no adjacent
wheel to be actuated thereby; and the right hand wheel 143 being the initial wheel
has no flange on its right face.
A shifting device is employed to shift the sleeves so as to bring their pronged
discs successively into engagement with the actuating wheel 60. The shifter when
constructed as herein shown, comprises two cross bars 150 and 151 provided with.

page_text: recesses at their opposite ends whereby they engage and slide upon the
bars 55 and 56 on the inner face of the case.
The bar 150 of the shifter encircles the sleeve 140 between its disc 141 and
numeral wheel 143 a collar 158 being conveniently interposed between said bar and
said wheel and the bar 151 encircles the arbor 54, a collar 159 being inserted
between said bar and the hub of the final numeral wheel 73. Longitudinal
bars 152, 153 and 154 connect the end cross bars 150 and 151. A number of
dogs 155 equal to the number of numeral wheels are pivotted on the longitudinal
rod 153 and serve to engage the sunken peripheral teeth of said numeral wheels.
These dogs prevent accidental turning of the wheels while they permit them to turn
under the action of the keys or pawls. Springs 157 attached to the rod 152 bear
against the dogs 155 and cause them to engage the peripheral teeth of the numeral
wheels. Prongs 156 project inward from the longitudinal bar 154 at points
opposite the left hand flanges of the several numeral wheels, and engage the
dogs 147 disposed on said flange and cause said dogs to be depressed at determined
intervals.
Any suitable means may be employed for sliding or shifting the shifter from
right to left and returning it to its original position. When shifted to the left it
carries the nest of sleeves and their several pronged discs and numeral wheels,
a step sufficient to carry one of said discs out of engagement with the actuating
wheel 60 and to bring the next adjacent disc into engagement with said wheel.
The mechanism shown for sliding the shifter consists of a forked arm 160 pivotted
to lugs 161 attached to the base 20. This arm plays in a longitudinal slot 168 in
the bottom of the case and engages the cross bar 151 of the shifter. A torsional
spring 162 on the shaft to which the arm 160 is attached, tends to swing said arm
toward the left, and hence to move the shifter and numeral wheels in that direction.
A device for regulating the movement of the shifter comprises a rod 164 extending
from the cross bar 151 through the outer end of the case. This rod is provided
with a number of prongs 165 on one side thereof, and with a number of similar
prongs 166 on the opposite side of said rod, opposite the spaces between the
prongs 165. The prongs 165 correspond in number to the numeral wheels and
the prongs 166 are one less in number than the numeral wheels. The end of the
casing is slotted to permit the prongs to pass through it. The outer end of
the rod 164 is provided with a button 167. An escapement lever 170 is
fulcrummed on the pivot 171 at the end of the casing, and plays in a loop 172.
This lever is provided at its outer end with a key plate 173 and near its centre
with a slot 174 opposite the opening for the rod 164. This lever is also provided
with teeth 175 and 176 disposed in different planes at opposite ends of the slot 174.
When the shifting device is in its normal position one of the pins 165 rests against
the tooth 175 of the lever 170 and prevents the slide rod 164 from moving
outward under the action of the spring 162. When the lever 170 is depressed the
tooth 175 releases one of the said prongs 165 and the slot 174 comes opposite said
prong and permits said rod to move outward under the action of the spring 162
until one of the prongs 166 strikes against the tooth 176, which in the depressed
position of the lever is in position to be engaged by said prong.
When the
lever 170 is released by the operator the spring 177 lifts said lever into its former
position, whereby a prong of the series 166 is released and escapes outward through
the slot 174, and the next pin of the series 165 engages the tooth 175. On the
down stroke of the lever 170, the slide rod 164 moves a distance sufficient to
partially shift the disc of the numeral wheels and on the upstroke of said lever
the slide rod moves outward sufficiently to complete the shifting of the numeral
wheels one step to the left and bring another numeral wheel corresponding to the
next column of figures to be added into action.
When the sum to be added is finished the lever 170 is lifted so as to bring its
lower tooth 175 out of the path of the prongs 165 and by pressing upon the
button 167, the registering mechanism is returned to its original position at the

page_text: right of the case. When the shifter has shifted the numeral wheels to the right,
all of said wheels excepting the final wheel 73 may be rotated to bring them to
zero by means of a rake 180, which consists of a bar 181, provided with a number
of teeth 182, corresponding to the number of numeral wheels to be rotated. The
handle of this rake projects through the transverse slot 53 in the case and plays in
said slot when actuated, being provided with a lateral projection 187 on one or
both sides. The teeth 182 engage lateral pins 184 on the right-hand sides of the
numeral wheels. There are as many of these pins on each numeral wheel as there
are series of numerals thereon, and the pins are so arranged that when the rake
reaches the end of its stroke, the noughts on said wheels will appear opposite the
reading slot 52 of the case. The case is provided with a cam 185, adjacent to
the slot 53, over which the lateral projectiou 187 rides, whereby the rake is kept
at the same radius from the numeral wheel. A cam 186 at the opposite end of the
slot, up which the rake rides when retracted, causes the rake teeth to be lifted out
of the path of the lateral pins on the numeral wheels, whereby said wheels are
permitted to turn without obstruction. A spring 190 is connected at one end of
the final wheel 73, and at its other end to the cross-bar 151, and acts tortionally to
turo said wheel backward when the latter is released. A stop 191 projects inward
from the bar 153, and a stud 192 on the right face of the final numeral wheel 73
engages said stop when the zero point of said wheel is opposite the reading slot.
The dog 155, which serves as a check pawl for the wheel 73, is provided with a
tail 193, and a lever 194, pivoted in a slot in the case engages the tail.
When the registering mechanism is in its normal position at the right of said
case, a spring 195 tends to depress the outer end of said lever and hold it in its
normal position. A lifting of the outer end of the lever 194, presses down the tail
of the dog 155 and releases said dog from its engagement with the peripheral
teeth 144 of the final numeral wheel 73, and the spring 190 then rotates said
wheel until its stud 192 comes in contact with the stop 191 and said wheel is then
at zero.
The spring 190 is wound up more or less as the wheel is actuated to bring its
numerals opposite the reading slot.
In the use of this improved adding machine, the fingers and thumb of the right
hand are placed over the respective keys of the key board, each finger maintaining
position over the same key. In adding a succession of columns of figures the first
column to the right is first added by depressing the keys corresponding to the
successive numbers in said column when less than six. When the digits exceed
five, two of said keys are struck in succession to represent the digits 6-7-8, or 9.
This actuation of the keyboard moves the actuating wheel 60, through different
degrees according to the different leverages of the key-levers and the disc 141, of the
sleeve 140, being in engagement with said wheel 60, is actuated thereby and
causes the numeral wheel 143, which may represent the units column or first
column to the right, to be rotated numbers of digits corresponding with the values
of the keys struck. Whenever this numeral wheel 143 passes from 9 to 0, the
dog 147, on the flange of said wheel comes in contact with the prong 156, whereby
it is depressed and its tooth engages the toothed flange on the next numeral
wheel 133, which represents the second or tens column, and moves it one notch.
If the sum of the first column of figures equals or exceeds 100, the second
numeral wheel 133, will actuate the third numeral wheel 123, in the same
manner. When the adding of the first or units column has been completed, the
key plate 173, on the lever 170, at the left-hand end of the machine is struck, and
the shifter, being thereby released, shifts the disc 141 out of contact with the
actuating wheel 60, and brings the next disc 131 into engagement therewith,
whereby its numeral wheel 133, representing the second or tens column, is in
position to be actuated by the keys. The second or tens column is then added
in the same manner as the first or units column and its sum included with the sum
of the units column in the registration which appears through the reading slot
of the machine. When the second or tens column is completed, the key plate 173

page_text: at the left end of the machine is again struck and the third disc 121 on the sleeve
of the third numeral wheel 123, representing the third or hundreds' column, is
brought into communication with the actuating wheel 60 and the keys are again
manipulated in the same manner for adding the third or hundreds' columns, the
total of all the columns appearing in the reading slot. If the figures to be added
exceed three or more columns, the succeeding numeral wheels are brought into
use successively by touching the key plate 173 at the end of each column and any
number of columns may be added according to the number of numeral wheels and
the capacity thereof, and the aggregate of all the columns will appear in the
reading slot. The capacity of the machine illustrated with its eight wheels,
having the divisions described, is 399,999,999.
In adding different pages of ledger accounts, the sum of the first page will be
noted by the operator, and the adding of the second page proceeded with by
shifting the units disc back into connection with the actuating wheel, and the
adding of the second page can then be effected. The aggregate of both pages will
appear in the reading slot, which will be noted by the operator, and the adding of
the succeeding pages proceeded with in the same manner. In this way, the footings
to be placed at the bottoms and tops of the several pages are readily obtained, and
the aggregate of all the pages appears on the reading slot.
When the adding of a given sum is completed, the lever 170 at the left end of
the machine is lifted, and the button 167 is pushed inward, whereby the mechanism
if shifted to the right and the disc 141 of the units wheel 143 is again brought into
connection with the actuating wheel 60. The rake 180 is then moved upward in
the slot 53, whereby all the wheels except the final wheel 73 are turned back to
zero, and said rake is then returned to its normal position, the lifting cam 186
serving to withdraw it out of the path of the numeral wheel. The lever 194, is
then lifted and the dog 155 releases the wheel 73, and the spring 190 rotates said
wheel to its normal position at zero.
The numeral wheels may be so divided and connected as to add and carry for
different monetary systems, as for instance, the British monetary system, in which
case, the numeral wheel to the right will represent pence, the second numeral wheel
to the left will represent shillings, the third numeral wheel to the left will represent
units of pounds, the fourth numeral wheel to the left will represent tens of pounds
and so on.
In such case, the connecting mechanism between the first and second
numeral wheels will be adjusted to actuate the second numeral wheel at every
twelve steps of the first numeral wheel and the mechanism between the second and
third numeral wheels will be adjusted to actuate the third wheel at every twenty
steps of the second wheel, the succeeding wheels being actuated under the decimal
system at every ten steps of a preceding wheel.
It is obvious that the key board may have nine key levers instead of five,
disposed on fulcrums affording gradually increasing leverages, the bar 29 being of
sufficient length to extend over the inner end of all of said key-levers.
case, the striking of two keys for the digits above 5 will be avoided.
In that
In adding for the British money system, with the present arrangement of five
keys, one would soon become accustomed to striking the correct combination of keys
for the several pence or shillings, and the same machine could be used for the
ordinary decimal system by ignoring the first two columns and shifting the same out
of engagement with the actuating wheel.
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. The herein above-described adding machine comprising a series of numeral
wheels and an actuating wheel all having a common axis means for shifting one of
said elements longitudinally so as to bring said numeral wheels successively into
operative connection with said actuating wheel and means for driving said
actuating wheel.

page_text: 2. The combination of a series of numeral wheels and an actuating wheel all of
said wheels having a common axis of rotation means for shifting one of said
elements longitudinally of said axis to bring said numeral wheels successively into
operative connection with said actuating wheel a key mechanism for driving said
actuating wheel an adjunctive mechanism for actuating one of said numeral wheels
by its adjacent wheel at determined intervals.
3. The combination of a series of concentric sleeves of different lengths each
provided with a numeral wheel at one end and a pronged disc at the other end an
actuating mechanism for rotating one of said sleeves a key mechanism for driving
said actuating mechanism a shifter for shifting said sleeves so as to bring said discs
connected with the numeral wheels of different denominations into engagement
successively with said actuating mechanism.
4. The combination of a series of concentric sleeves of different lengths each
provided with a pronged disc at one end and with a numeral wheel at the other end
a supporting arbor for said sleeves an actuating wheel comprising a yoke-shaped
frame journalled on said arbor and a rim having exterior ratchet teeth and interior
radial teeth an arm carrying a pawl engaging the ratchet teeth a key mechanism a
lever connecting said key mechanism with said pawl-carrying arm and a shifter for
shifting said sleeves to bring said pronged discs successively into connection with
the radial teeth of said actuating wheel.
5. The combination of a case a rod supported therein a nest of sleeves on said
rod severally provided with pronged discs and numeral wheels an actuating wheel
provided with radial inwardly projecting teeth for engaging the pronged discs
means for rotating said actuating wheel and means for shifting said sleeves.
6. The combination of a series of numeral wheels an actuating mechanism for
one of said wheels a key mechanism for driving said actuating mechanism a shifter
for shifting said numeral wheels successively into operative connection with
actuating mechanism a spring mechanism for automatically shifting said shifter an
independent releasing mechanism for permitting such spring mechanism to act on
the shifter to bring another numeral wheel into engagement with the actuating
mechanism and regulating devices automatically controlling the movement of the
shifter.
7. The combination of a series of numeral wheels an actuating mechanism for
one of said wheels a key mechanism for driving said actuating mechanism a shifter
for shifting said numeral wheels successively into operative connection with said
actuating mechanism a spring mechanism for automatically shifting said shifter a
rod projecting from said shifter and provided with prongs on its opposite sides and
an escapement lever with which said prongs engage and by which the shifter is
released for shifting the numeral wheels.
8. The combination with an adding machine substantially as above set forth of a
re-setting mechanism as shown more particularly in Figures 18 and 19 of the
accompanying drawings.
9. The herein above-described adding machine, having the general features of
construction and the mode of operation substantially as hereinbefore pointed out
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of March 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.