US1159408A - Adding device. - Google Patents

Description

G. R. MOORE.

ADDING DEVICE. vAPPLICATION FILED SEPT. i9. 1914.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

GEQRGE R. MOORE, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADDIN G DEVICE.

qSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application iled September 19, 1914. Serial No. 862,536.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE R. MOORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful .Improvements in Adding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

- My ,invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in adding devices, the primary object of the invention being to provide a simple, mechanically correct, and inexpensive type of adding mechanism which may be conveniently embodied within an implement, instrument or article of every day use for ready manipulation in making calculations. y

A further object of the invention is to provide an adding device which may be em- 20 bodied in an envelop opener or other tool,

instrument or article of a character frequently handled in the office or household or carried upon the person, -so as to produce an adding machine which may be at all times at hand for general use and convenience in adding sums of figures in various household, office or other operations.

A still further 'object of the invention is -to provide a mechanism including an adding train, together with an actuating device adapted to be conveniently manipulated by -a thumb or linger so as to be thrown into and out of engagement with the primary wheel of the adding train for adjusting the elements of said train to any degree desired,

together with 'means for resetting or return- 'ing the wheels of the train to Zero or clear position in a ready and convenient manner when occasion requires.`

40 The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which :w

Figui-e1 is a side elevation showing the application of the invention to an article of general use, namely an envelop opener. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the casing of the adding mechanism show- '50 ing the sliding actuating device in lnormal` position, and the adding train in a predetermined indicating position.` Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3*.3 of Fig. 2. tion on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the stop members upon Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse` secthe casing and tens wheel of the adding machine. F ig. G is a fragmentary side elevation of the casing, showing a modified arrangement of the digits of the indicating 50 scale.

In the accompanying drawing, for purposes of exempliiication, I have shown my invention as embodied in an article or tool of fairly general use, namely an envelop opener and paper cutter, but it is to be un derstood that the invention is not limited thereto, as it may be embodied in various other kinds or styles of pocket implements, office and household articles of various kinds 7@ which are in general and frequent use, with the object of adding to the utility' of the device to which the invention is applied, as well as to produce an etlicient adding device for general use, and further, if desired, to 7g provide an article which will serve as an advertising medium. In the illustrated eX- ample, greater convenience in the use of the adding mechanism is afforded by reason of the fact that the blade l forms a Ahandle of-8 the adding device` while the handle 2 of the blade, which is hollow, provides a casing for the adding mechanism.

In accordance with my invention, the casing 2 is provided at one side with a detach- 35 able cover plate 3 secured in position by screws or other detachable fastenings. 4, which cover plate may be removed whenever it isl desired to obtain access to the inclosed parts of the adding mechanism. One of the longitudinal sides of this casing is formed with a guide slot 5, while the cover plate 3 is provided Awith an indicating scale, consisting of the digits from 0 to 9, inclusive, also with an indication or observation opening G. 1

' The casing incloses the parts of the adding mechanism,which in the present in-4 stance includes a train of two wheels, to wit a units wheel 7 and a tens wheel 8, to- 100 gether with a primary opera-ting wheel 9, whereby intermittent motion may be transmitted from the actuating device, hereinaftei' described` to the wheel T and thence to the wheel S. The wheel T bears, upon its face the digits from .0 to 9, inclusive which correspond in arrangementwith the digits of the indicating scale upon the cover plate 3 of the handle' 2. This wheel is provided with a peripheral tooth 10 disposed between M0 the 07 or zero point and the numeral 9 thereon for intermeshing engagement with teeth or recesses 11`- in the wheel 8, whereby once on each complete revolution of the wheel 7 motion will be transmitted to the l wheel 8 to tur-n the same a fractional distance, or a distance of pne tooth correspond` ing to adi-stance between adjacent indicating numerals thereon. v f

4 The face of the wheel 8 vis provided with indicatingnumerals equal in numberto the teeth or recesses 11, 24 being shown in the present instance, so that' the device constructed asdisclosed has an adding Vrange upto 250. The numerals upon the wheels 7 and 8 are exposed forindication through the observationkopening 6, as shown in Fig. 1. A stop lug or pin 12vis`provided upon the wheel. 8 for coaction with a stop lug or pin' 13 on the casing, whereby the wheel 8 is permitted to make one complete working revolution but no more without being reversed. The wheel 7 rotates in operation in a clockwise direction, while the wheel 8 rotates in a counterclockwise direction.

Thev wheel 9 is fixed for motion with the wheel 7 'and is provided with an annular series of ratchet teeth, adapted for engagement by the actuating device, hereinafter described, for operating the adding mechanism, a spring check pawl 14 being provided for engagement with said teeth to` hold the ratchet Wheel and gear 7 from retrograde rotation, while a dog 15, pressed by a zero point.

spring 16, is provided,to engage the teeth 11 of the Wheel 8 to permit said wheel to turn in a normal counterclockwise direction,

While preventing itfrom having reverse motion. Theldog 15, however, is provided with a projecting arm or linger plece 17 exposed through a slot or recess 18y in the casing,

axle,- and is tensioned in the indicating motion of said wheel for returning it to lthe Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement inthe slot 5 is the actuating device 20 hereinbefore referred to, the same comprising a block or body provided with ratchet teeth 21 equal in number to the ratchet teeth on the wheel 9 and to the'coacting scale indications on 'the cover plate 3, and 4adapted in the rearward movement of said actuating device to engage the ratchet wheel for positive transference of motion tothe wheel 7,

when said actuating device is depressed into s engagement with said ratchet wheel, and on its forward motion to clear the ratchet wheel. .As shown, said actuating device is .provided Awith a knurled or serrated portion ,21 for engagement with the thumb or finger wherebysaid device may be manipulated without slipping, and the said device is also formed with an indicating point 22 for cooperation with the indicating scale graduations on the plate 3. Extending through said actuating device is a slot 23 which receives the upper limb 24 of a retracting and guiding spring 25, which spring comprises a metallic spring strip having one of its ends bent into partly circular form at one end of the casing, as shown'at 26 to fit said end of the casing, whereby' the spring is retained in position, and having its opposite end bent to form a curved spring member 27, retaining such end of the spring in position, and serving to hold the outer end of the part 24 elevated, while permitting of its depression. Thus the actuating device 2O is s lidably mounted on the spring portion 28 fory move- 'ment in a plane above the level of the ratchet wheel-9, while the spring portion 27 .permits it to bedepressed for engagement with said Vratchet wheel, as will be readily understood.

If desired, a coiled retracting spring 28 may be held by the spring member 24 for action on the actuating device 20 to move the same forwardly to zero position after having been moved rearwardly, but the use ,of this spring 28 is not essential.

In Fig. 6 I have shown which the digits of the indicating scale are arranged in reverse order t/o their arrangement shown in Fig. l, but/otherwise the construction is the same.

In the use of the device, constructed as illustrated, the blade or member 1 is held in the folded palm of the hand of the operator and the casing grasped between two or more of the fingers, the thumb being employed to shift the actuating device 20. Normally the indicating wheels and pointer 22 of the actuating device are at zero position, but by 'depressing the actuating device its teeth 21 may be brought into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 9, and by then moving said actuating device one'or j more degree steps rearwardly as indicated by the scale on the plate 3 the wheel 7 will be turned a corresponding number of steps. When said wheel makes one complete revolution, it will be understood 'thatit transfers motion to the wheel 8, the wheel 9 indicating units and the wheel 8 tens, and that by successive adjustments of the actuating device the amounts to be-'added may be carried out 'fortheir addition, thetotal of which will be shown through the observation slot 6.

a modification, in

Accuracy of operation is insured, as the actuating device will turn the indicating wheels 7, a distance in number or steps exactly equal to the extent of adjustment as indicated by the degree scale, while upon the forward or return' movement of said actument`thus `preventing any derangement of `tion wherein the series of indicating the adding mechanism. A simple, positive` and reliable type of adding mechanism is thus provided by means of which additions up to a certain amount may be quickly, accurately and conveniently carried out, and the advantage of the device in this particular :tor home, or oiiice use or for general use as a transportable article will be readily seen and appreciated.

In the present instance the device is shown as part of an article of utility in common use, and it may be applied in like manner to various other tools, instruments or articles in daily use by simply modifying `the structure to the degree necessary for its application according to the p'revice character of the tool or-article in which the adding mechanism is to be embodied, the principle of construction being however designed, to be employed throughout. The device may be constructed at a sutiiciently low cost to adapt it to be used in conjunction with various tools, instrumentalities or articles as an advertising medium, to be either given away or sold at a nominal sum by the advertiser. It may, however, be embodied in any suitable form to be employed as a pocket tool for convenience strictly as an adding device for the use of those commonly employing devices ot this character. While an adding train of but two adding -wheels is herein disclosed. a train of any suitably or desired number of adding wheels may be employed.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a slight modiiicadigits on the casing are arranged in reverse order to that series extending progressively toward the outer or upper end of the casing, instead of in the reversedirection as shown in Fig. l. lith this arrangement shown in Fig. 6 the actuating device is moved until its pointer registers with thc desired digit, when said device is depressed and moved forwardly to actuate the adding train. This operation better insures correctness in adding, as only the required range ot motionv is permitted, preventing the operator from moving the actuating device beyond the scale number of the figure to be added.

I claim :-4 f

l. An adding device comprising a casing havingr an observation opening and a slot, an adding train disposed within said casing and bearing indicia adapted to be exposed through saidopening, said train including a ratchet wheel, a supporting spring within the casing", and an actuating device having a series of teeth for engagement with said ratchet wheel, said device being slidably mounted on said supporting spring and arranged to reciprocate thereon and to move therewith in a direction toward and from said ratchet wheel, said actuating device having a projecting portion for engagement by the thumb or ingerwhereby said act-uating device may be moved into and out of engagement with the ratchet wheel and op'- erated to transmit motion to the adding mechanism for positively adjusting the 'same for an adding operatlon.

2. An adding device comprising a casing having an observation opening and a slot, an adding train disposed within said casing and bearing indicia adapted to., be exposed through said opening, said train including a ratchet wheel, a supporting spring within the casing including an arm movable in a direction toward and from the slot and ratchet wheel of the adding train, an actuating device projecting through said slot and slidably mounted on the movable armY ot the spring, andhaving teeth tor engage ment with the atchet wheel, and a coiled spring upon the movable spring arm for normally holding the actuating device inoperative and retracted.

3. An adding machine including, in com bination a casing, an adding mechanism, including a ratchet wheel, a reciprocating operating device normally out oit engagement with and adapted to besmoved into engagement with the ratchet wheel. means for reciprocably supporting said operating device and also yieldingly supportf ing the same for movement toward and from the ratchet wheel.

4l. In combination. a casing having an vice movable into and out of engagement with the ratchet wheel, and a ribbon spring on which said device is slidably mounted and whereby said devicegis rendered movablethrough the',1esiliency of said spring toward and from the ratchet wheel.

In testimonv whereof I affix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

GEORGE R. MOORE lVitnesses:

BENNETT i5. Jos

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing 'fie Commissioner of atents. .Washington, Il). S.

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