Improvements in Locking the Keys of Calculating and like Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locking the Keys of Calculating and like Machines.
A communication from abroad by THE AMERICAN ARITHMOMETER COMPANY
(INCORPORATED), of Saint Louis, in the State of Missouri, United States of
America.
I, ARTHUR THOMAS ASHWELL, of Saint Peters Church Walk, Nottingham, in
the County of Nottingham, Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement;-
The invention relates to that class of calculating or registering machines in
which the numbers of the indicating or printing devices are brought into position
by the action of series of keys which are depressed or operated by the operator,
and the invention consists of means for locking all the keys of a series in elevated
or non-operating positions, after any one of the keys is depressed thereby pre-
venting the accidental depressing of a second or more keys of a series after one
lias been pressed down. By a series is here meant the column of figures on the
key board running usually from 1 to 9.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of sufficient of a calculating machine to illustrate
the improvements;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of some of the parts, in connection with the devices for
restoring the locking parts to position.
Fig. is an enlarged view of one of the keys and adjuncts in part section;
Fig. 4 a part sectional plan of a key board, and devices sufficient to illustrate
the invention; and
Fig. 5 is a modification.
It has not been considered necessary to illustrate in the drawings the details
of the entire calculating machine inasmuch as these may be of various different
constructions, the invention being applicable to any class of machines where
there are series of keys arranged in rows and serving, directly or indirectly as
through rods 16, to operate the indicators or printing wheels or control the opera-
tion of such indicators or wheels but the general arrangement of parts illustrated
corresponds substantially with that of the calculating machine patented under
No. 17,126 of the year 1893.
A is the key-board of the machine, provided with any desired number of series
of nine keys each, and numbered from 1 to 9, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5,
and as shown each key is upon a vertical stem 12 sliding in the key-board.
The lower end of each stem is beveled and rests upon the shoulder x, of a
pivoted dog or crank lever C Fig. 3, which is hung to a cross bar 13. A coiled
spring 14 surrounds the shaft 13 and has a looped end which passes under a
retaining rod S, said rod S being secured or held in a fixed cross bar such as S¹.
The other end of the spring extends under a pint on the lever C and tends to
throw the lever in the direction of the curved arrow, Fig. 3, and maintain the

page_text: key in an elevated position. It will be understood that this arrangement of parts
is provided for each series of keys.
Beneath each series of keys extends a locking strip D having a series of slots y
beneath each of the crank levers C for the reception of an ear or projection 15
extending from said crank lever.
In the machine as previously constructed each lever C is connected by a rod 16
with a stop the position of which determines the operation of the registering
devices so that if a lower key, as for instance, the key 3 was accidentally depressed,
the position of the stop would prevent the registration of a number indicated by
a higher key, as for instance the key 6. It would therefore result that if it was
desired to register the number 6 and the key 3 was accidentally depressed the
number 3 would be registered instead of the number 6.
To prevent this result, according to the present invention the parts of the
machine are so constructed that after one key has been depressed to set the
ordinary regulating stop, or otherwise adjust the parts to effect a registration of
the number indicated by that key, it will be impossible to depress any other key
of the same series.
Different arrangements of devices may be employed to secure this result, but
as shown it is preferred to make use of the strip D and provide each of the crank
levers C with a bearing or shoulder w, so arranged that when the crank levers are
in their normal or upper positions all the shoulders w will be parallel to and just
above the plane of the upper face of the strip D, as shown in Fig. 3, but this
shoulder of each crank lever will be above an opening y in the said strip.
It will be apparent that if, when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 2
and 3, a key is depressed the strip D will be moved in the direction of the straight
arrow in said figures and the solid portions u of the strip will be brought beneath
the bearings or shoulders w of the keys that have not been moved, to constitute
bearings, to engage said shoulders. The strip D therefore locks the rest of the
keys of the series that have not been operated upon, and also locks down the key
which has been operated upon as a reference to key 6 in Fig. will shew that the
lever C which has been rocked is prevented from coming back by the solid por-
tion u abutting against the rounded part of the shoulder w. The strip D is
restored by the action of the coil spring or lever C and when all the keys are
elevated they may be locked in that position as the solid portions of the strip
abut against the back of the levers C and if the strip is held in its forward position
it will prevent any of the levers being rocked.
It will be apparent that any one of the keys of a series may be depressed to
lock its lever C when the parts are in their normal positions, as for instance, the
key 6, Fig. 1, but it will be evident that after the key has been depressed, as shown
in Figure 1, and the strip D thereby forced back to the position shown in Fig. 1,
all of the other keys will be locked in their upper positions so that they cannot
be depressed and it will therefore be impossible to occasion any error by subse-
quently depressing a second or more keys in the same series.
After a key has been depressed, it is desirable that it shall remain in that position
until the registration has been effected, and when there are restoring springs 14
as before described, it is also necessary to hold the strip D which has been moved
in its position as otherwise the action of the spring of the lever C that has been
depressed would shift the strip D and restore the parts to their original positions.
For this reason some kind of a detent must be made use of for holding each strip I)
in the position to which it is set by depressing the key. For instance, this detent
may consist of a pivoted pawl E for each strip D each pawl being pivoted on a
stud E and having a spring 18 to actuate it (Figs. 1 and 2). Each pawl has a
lug 17 which engages a stop or shoulder 19 upon the strip D when the latter is
carried to its upper position, and thereby prevents its return as shown in Fig. 1.
After a number has been registered or printed, it is desirable to unlock the keys,
and this is effected upon the entire body of keys simultaneously by lifting all of
the pawls E. This may be done through the medium of any suitable appliances

page_text: as for instance, through the medium of a cross bar 20 carried by the arms of a
locking lever on the shaft 21, which is operated from the totalizing or resetting
keys 1, Fig. 2, by depressing the said key which causes the cross bar to strike the
free ends of the pawls E and to raise same thus removing the lug 17 from the
shoulder 19.
It will be seen that by the arrangement above described, it is possible to dis-
pense with the devices heretofore employed for locking the keys in their lower
positions. Such devices have generally consisted of notches in the key stems,
with spring detents slipping into said notches when the keys are depressed and
creating a great amount of friction, necessitating the application of considerable
force for the purpose of depressing the keys, and of still greater force when a
large number of keys have to be elevated against the resistance of the detents.
It will be evident that the restoring bar 20 may not only be operated by means of
the totalizing or resetting key 1, but from any other part of the machine, as for
instances, by those parts which are carried back to their original position after the
printing or recording or indicating of a number.
If the ends of the stems 12 of the keys rested for their whole width upon the
shoulder, there would be a certain amount of friction in depressing the keys.
By bevelling the lower ends of these stems as shown, the friction is reduced to a
minimum. An equivalent of this would be to make the lower ends of the stems
at right angles to the line of the stems and to make each of the faces or shoulders
upon an incline, so that normally when in their upper positions, the lower end
of the stem and the corresponding face of the crank lever would be at an angle
to each other instead of parallel, it would also be possible to make the lever C
and the stem 12 in one piece.
While the arrangement of the keys and levers and strip shown and described
is preferred, this is not absolutely essential. For instance the arrangement shown
in Fig. 5 may be employed. In this there is a strip D¹ with a series of inclined
side grooves s, one beneath a pin 22, projecting from the side of the stem of each
key, so that when a key is depressed the strip 1' is moved in the direction of the
arrow, thereby bringing a solid bearing portion of the strip beneath the bear-
ing pins 22 of the other keys.
It will be obvious that the precise construction and arrangement of parts may be
varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a calculating machine the combination of a series of independent keys,
and a single locking device, independent of the other devices operated from the
keys, and connections whereby the locking device is operated on depressing any
key of a series and thereby locks in position all of the keys, substantially as set forth.
2. In a calculating machine, a series of keys arranged in a line, and locking
devices arranged in a line beneath the keys, and constructed to be operated on
depressing any key to lock the latter in its depressed position and the remaining
keys in their elevated positions, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a series of keys of a calculating machine, of locking
devices for the keys independent of the indicator devices operated from the keys,
and connections whereby on depressing any one key, all of the locking devices
of the series are set to lock the remaining keys, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the series of keys of a calculating machine, of means
for locking all of the keys in their elevated position, devices whereby the locking
means of the series are shifted on depressing a key to lock the latter as well as
the remaining keys, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the different series of keys of a calculating machine,
locking means for each series of keys, independent of the indicator operating
devices operated from the keys, devices whereby the locking means of any series

page_text: are shifted to lock all the keys on depressing any one key of a series, and detents
for retaining all the locking means in position after adjustment, substantially as
described.
6. The combination of the different series of keys of a calculating machine, lock-
ing means for each series of keys, devices whereby the locking means are shifted
to lock the elevated keys on depressing any one key of a series, detents for retain-
ing all the locking means in position after adjustment, and means for disengag-
ing all the detents simultaneously substantially as described.
7. The combination with a series of keys, of a locking strip, means for shifting
the latter on depressing any key and bearings on the strip arranged to lock the
elevated keys when the strip is shifted, substantially as described.
8. The combination in a calculating machine of a series of keys, a locking strip
for each series, levers intermediate the keys and the strips and bearings arranged
to prevent the movement of all the elevated levers after one of said levers is
depressed, substantially as described.
9. The combination in a calculating machine, of series of keys, series of levers
arranged to be operated by the keys, a strip adjacent to each series of levers, means
for shifting a strip on the depression of any key of a series, and bearings on the strips
and levers arranged to engage on the shifting of the strips, substantially as
described.
10. The combination of a series of keys, levers arranged below the keys with
bearing faces x, w, strips D having slots y, and bearing faces u, and projections
on the levers extending into the slots, substantially as described.
11. The combination of the key having stems 12, levers C, and slotted strips D,
the levers and stems having bearing faces at an angle to each other for the pur-
pose set forth.
12. The combination of the keys, levers C, slotted strips D, detents for said
strips, and means for simultaneously operating said detents, substantially as
described.
Dated the orth
ང ན དག བང 1 1000
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London, for the Applicant.