Improvements in Arithmometers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Improvements in Arithmometers.
I, GEORGE BROWNING of 2, Hilton Street, Higher Broughton, Manchester,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I provide a series of circles or wheels which are secured within a suitable case,
in the rim of each circle or wheel a tube shaped passage is formed, within this
passage are placed a number of globular balls, which I prefer of hardened steel;
through the centres of the series of circles or wheels a horizontal oscillating shaft
passes, provided with two arms between the extreme ends of which is pivoted a
second shaft carrying at one end a short arm which is actuated by a pair of tipping
cams fixed upon the end of the case.
The second shaft also carries a series of hooks-one for each circle-the ends of
which pass through a slit in the edge of the circle across the tube shaped passage,
for the purpose of elevating the balls from the lower to the upper part of each
circle.
When the balls are in the upper part of the circles they fall by the action of
gravity to the lower part of the circles, but the circles are provided with a set of
numbered keys the points of which when depressed, in combination with a
resetting bar key or point, permit only as many balls to fall as correspond with
the number of the key depressed, the keys are reset by the resetting bar pivoted
at each end and actuated by an arm carried by the horizontal, oscillating shaft
before mentioned.
When the balls fall as the keys are struck, they are stopped by the lower point
of a dividing lever pivoted to the side of the circle, and carrying at its lower end
a hooked lever, the hook of which is free to cross the tube shaped passage when
there is no ball to prevent it, but when there is a ball opposite the end of the
hook then the lower point of the dividing lever is moved and the balls which
are below the upper point are permitted to fall to the lower part of the circle
from there the elevator hooks, elevate them to the upper part of the circle as
before mentioned.
The hooked lever is actuated by another lever behind it which receives motion
from a cam carried by the horizontal, oscillating shaft before mentioned.
The distance between the lower point of the dividing lever and the hook of the
booked lever is such that the hook comes opposite the last ball of the number
contained in the next denomination, so that a division takes place when a ball is
opposite the end of the hook.
When a division takes place the number of balls contained in the next denomina-
tion fall but all over that number are detained by the upper point of the dividing
lever until it returns to its normal position when they fall against the lower point
and represent the remainder at the end of the sum.
Each dividing lever is provided with an arm which is connected by a link to the
number one key of the next circle or denomination and it will be understood that
when a division takes place in one circle then one ball is let fall in the next circle
or denomination.
A handle is attached outside the case to the end of the horizontal, oscillating
shaft before mentioned and after each line of the sum is struck down on the keys,
this handle is moved by the operator about half the circumference of the circle

page_text: and back, this oscillates the shaft and by means of the cams and arms thereon
resets the keys, works the several dividing levers and elevates the balls.
An index is provided to each circle whereby the answer to each sum is read and
then the lower point of each dividing lever is withdrawn to permit the discharge of
the balls showing the answer.
Dated this 8th day of November 1894.
This invention is designed to provide apparatus for adding up or calculating
columns of figures such as money columns, columns of weights or measures, or
figures representing any other denomination of articles.
It consists essentially of an apparatus constructed with two or more annular or
endless tubes in which are placed a number of balls one of which is allowed to fall
to record euch unit, with latches or levers for controlling the movement of the balls
and a number of keys or levers which when moved or operated release the desired
number of balls according to the number or amount to be calculated.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which as an example a small machine for single denomination or
decimal counting is illustrated.
Fig. 1. End elevation.
Fig. 2. Transverse section.
Fig. 3. End elevation (partly in section) looking in opposite direction.
Fig. 4. End elevation with the end casing removed.
Fig. 5. Detail elevation showing position of lever T¹ on its return stroke.
Fig. 6. Front elevation viewed in a plane at right angles to the keys or
levers D.
In a suitable supporting frame and cover I mount two or more annular or endless
tubes or hollow rings A all of similar construction. Each of these rings or tubes A
is provided with a number of small balls B of such a size as to fill the interior and
be free to move to and fro therein. These balls are preferably of hardened steel
such as are used for ball bearings and in each ring or tube there may be placed
about twenty-five of them. The rings or tubes A may be drawn, cast, or otherwise
constructed.
Each ring or tube A is formed with a slot a running round the periphery through
which levers and latches for controlling and operating the balls B may be inserted.
At one side of the ring or tube A is affixed a plate or frame C which carries a
number of keys D marked with figures or numerals ranging from 1 to 9. Each of
these keys is fitted with an arm or lever d projecting into the interior of the tube A
the distance between each of these levers being equivalent to the diameter of the
balls B. Projecting into the tube A from the underside is a latch E which serves
as a stop to hold the balls B that are above it and when withdrawn it allows the
balls to fall to a lower part of the tube by their own gravity. The distance between
the latch E and the arm or lever d of the first key D is equivalent to the diameter of
one ball and the distance between the latch E and the lever d of any of the keys is
equivalent to the diameter of the number of balls represented by the numeral on
the key. Thus the distance between the latch E and the lever d of the fifth key is
the diameter of five balls accordingly if the fifth key D inscribed with the numeral 5

page_text: is depressed, the lever d attached to it is inserted between the balls embracing five
between the latch and the lever. When the latch E is withdrawn these five balls
fall down the tube and the remaining balls are held up by the lever d of the key D
which was depressed.
The ends of the keys D extend downwards through the plate or frame C and
engage with a pivoted lever or plate F placed below it. On either of the keys
being depressed the lower end which rests upon the iever F presses it downwards.
To the lever F is attached a link or connecting rod f by one end and its other end
is attached to the latch E so that when pressed down it draws the latch down with
it to release the balls, the action of the lever d and the latch E being simultaneous.
Thus by the depressing of either key D a number of balls are released corresponding
with the consecutive number of the key.
After one key is depressed the plate or lever F is raised by an arm or lever G
attached to an oscillating shaft H. To prevent the latch E being strained should
it catch upon a ball when being raised I prefer to connect the rod to the plate F
by a pin passing through a slot and a spring f placed below to raise it up with the
plate when no obstruction or undue pressure occurs.
At a distance below the keys D and latch E a second latch or stop J penetrates
the tube A and upon this stop the balls fall when released by the latch E and they
are retained thereby. At the side of the tube A above the latch or stop J is placed
a scale with numbers corresponding to the keys and the number of balls which have
been successively allowed to fall are there counted in units, tens and hundreds.
The latch or stop J is carried by a pivoted or oscillating lever J' upon the other
end of which is another stop; so placed that it enters the tube A as the stop J is
withdrawn. The distance between the stops J and jis just sufficient to embrace
ten balls. By the withdrawal of the stop J ten balls are discharged or released and
allowed to fall into the bottom of the tube A from which they can be taken for
re-use to be counted over again.
Below the stopj is placed a pivoted oscillating finger K which I call the dividing
finger capable of entering the tube through a slot in the back.
It is caused to
move to and fro at intervals by a cam h on the oscillating shaft H and when less
than ten balls are collected above the stop J it enters the tube A, when ten balls
are collected above the stop J it comes in contact with or rests against the tenth
ball which acting as a fulcrum causes its lower end to be pressed towards the pivoted
oscillating lever J by this action the stop J is withdrawn and ten balls discharged.
Thus when ten balls have fallen in the unit tube from the latch E into the space
above the stop J they are discharged to the bottom of the tube and one ball is
released and allowed to fall in the tens tube into the space above stop J. The
dividing finger K is pivoted at 1 on a loose plate L pivoted at in such a position
that when the upper end of the dividing finger K is brought against a ball in the
tube and is thereby prevented moving further the lower end of the plate
moved towards the ring A against the stop J to discharge the balls and the upper
part to which is attached the pin (and rod m' Fig. 2) is moved downwards to
release a ball of the next denomination. A pink is attached to the pivoted dividing
finger K and to this is connected the rod K by which it is moved to and fro.
is
On the pin of the oscillating plate L is pivoted one end of a connecting rod or
link m (Figs. 2 and 6) which connects the plate L and the dividing finger K with
a lever M pivoted to the front of the frame C or other fixed part of the apparatus.
The free end m of the lever M extends out beyond the next set of keys and engages
with the first key of the next set by which one ball is released. Thus when ten
balls or more rest upon the stop J of the units tube the dividing finger K abuts
against the ball forcing out the stop J below to release the balls and at the same
time drawing down the pin of the oscillating plate and with it the connecting
rod, m' and the free end m of the lever M. This depresses the first key of the tens
tube allowing one ball to fall therein, similarly when ten or more balls have
fallen in the tens tube they are discharged and one released in the hundreds
tube.

page_text: Attached to the lower end of the pivoted lever J which carries the stops J
and is a connecting bar or lever N by which it is drawn back by the cam h after
each time it has been moved forward and the balls discharged. In the front is placed
a handle or lever j-preferably attached to the bar N-by which the stop J may at
any time be drawn forward when not held by the cam h to discharge the balls
resting upon it. By thus discharging the balls from all the rings A the machine
may when desired be reduced to zero.
The apparatus may be constructed with any number of rings or tubes A each
fitted with the numbered keys, latches, stops, etcetera herein before described according
to the desired capacity of the machine. And to adapt such rings or tubes A for
calculating shillings, pence, or weights and measures the number of keys and the
distance between the stops J and will be adjusted according to the number to be
recorded before the division or 66
"
carry on to the next denomination is to be
effected.
The last ring or tube A¹ that is the one placed most to the left hand of the
apparatus differs from the other tubes A in that it is not provided with any numbered
keys or with dividing mechanism but is provided with a lever P carrying two
stops ppl whereby at each division taking place in the preceding ring one ball is
released to fall onto the stop J. The lever P is operated by a lever M from the
preceding ring. The balls rest upon the pin p and each time the lever Pis
depressed by the lever M the pin p¹ is interposed between the ball resting upon the
pin p and the next one at the same time the pin p is carried back out of the tube
and one ball is released. The lever P and pins p p are raised again into normal
position by the spring p¹¹.
The several rings or tubes A are supported in position by the radial arms R
attached to the framing of the machine.
In a central position I place the oscillating shaft H capable of being moved first
in one direction and then in the reverse by the handle O placed outside the framing
or casing of the machine. The function of the oscillating shaft H is to reset the
several parts of the apparatus after each amount has been added.
At
This shaft carries the arms or levers G one for each ring, the longitudinal cam
or eccentric h and the elevating hooks T on a spindle t on the radial arms t¹.
each oscillation of the shaft these parts are moved to the position shown in dotted
lines in Figs. 1 and 4 and then back again to the normal position illustrated
which is that of the several parts when the machine is set for being operated.
"
The arms G at each oscillation of the shaft H impinge upon the underside of the
levers or plates F upon which the lower ends of the numbered keys D rest and
raise or press them upwards to reset the keys. The cam or eccentrich when at
rest engages with the stop S on the bar or lever N and holds the stop J in position
in the tube to receive the balls as they are released by the numbered keys D and at
each backward movement of the shaft II carries the bar N and with it the stop J
back to its normal position if the stop has been moved to discharge the balls.
When the shaft is moved forward the cam or eccentric engages with the stop S'
on the rod K¹ and moves the dividing finger K into the tube A or against the tenth
ball to cause the division or
carry on
the rod is drawn back by the spring k³.
to take plice and when it is moved away
The elevators or elevating hooks T are at the forward movement of the shaft H
carried round the annular or endless tubes A and caused to leave them to avoid the
balls. At the reverse movement of the shaft H they are caused to enter the tubes
again behind the balls which have been discharged and lie in the bottom of the tubes 5
and elevate or lift the balls to the top of the tubes as they again travel round the
shaft in the upward direction. The spindle t has a limited movement in its bearings
and is provided at oue end with a crank arm T¹ which as it is moved round in the
forward direction engages with the underside of the cam W whereby the elevators T
are withdrawn from the tubes and when it is moved back again engages with the
upper side of the cam W causing the elevators T to again enter the tubes. To
permit of this movement the ends w w¹ of the cam W are pivoted. The cam W is

page_text: preferably affixed to the end ring A¹ but may be attached to any other convenient
part of the apparatus.
The annular tubes A and the other operative parts of the apparatus are enclosed
in a casing V semicircular in form with ends V₁ of corresponding shape.
To read the results of the calculations, that is the number of balls in each ring
resting on the stops J by aid of the index numbers placed on the sides of the
tubes A. the machine may be raised or rotated about its axis to the position shown
in Fig. 6. A stop placed on the end of the casing V₁ prevents the apparatus
being rotated too far in either direction and a spring o locks it in normal position
for being operated. A perforated lug v¹ is also provided through which a padlock
bar may be passed and around the handle bar o' to prevent the machine being
used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An arithmometer or calculating machine constructed with annular or endless
tubes containing a number of balls which fall by their own gravity one or more of
which are successively released to indicate each consecutive amount to be added
and are then raised or elevated again to the upper part of the tube to be re-counted
or used again substantially as described.
2. An arithmometer or calculating machine constructed with two or more
annular or endless tubes containing a number of balls one or more of which are
released and allowed to fall to record each amount, latches or levers to control the
balls, numbered keys to release the desired number of balls, a stop to receive the
balls when released, an elevator to raise or return the balls to the first position and
mechanism for resetting the operative parts substantially as described.
3. An arithmometer or calculating machine having the several parts constructed
and arranged in combination substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of August 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.