US1245437A - Adding-machine. - Google Patents

Description

P. A. CLARK.

ADDING MACHINE.

MHLICATION FILED JUNE l2. I916.

1 ,245,437, Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. CLARK.

ADDING MACHINE. V AEPLLCATION man juuz 12. mm

1 245,437 Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FIELE.

(III/III FIB.E..

WITNESSES PAUL A. CLARK, OF ROCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 191 '7.

Application filed June 12, 1916. Serial No. 103,233.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL A. CLARK, residing at Rochester, in the county of "Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, acitizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Adding-Machines, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to'improvements inadding machines. It is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the instrument in plan, viewed from above; Fig. 2 is a View in vertical section, the plane of section being indicated by the line II II, Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are views of one of the superposed plates, in which the instrument essentially consists'the multiple registering plate,detached from other parts. Fig. 3 shows this plate in side elevation; Fig. 4 shows it in plan, viewed from beneath, Fig. 5 is a view. in plan of a portion of the instrument, certain parts being for the sake of simplicity in illustration omitted and others broken away in part. It shows the third, fourth and fifth of the fivesuperposed plates preferably employed. In this figure the fourth and fifth plates are broken away to shown in sz'tu the driving mechanism which the third plate carries. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the first and second plates superposed; stated in a difierent way it is a view in horizontal section, on the line VI-VI Fig. 2, the second plate-the unit-registering platebe ing broken away in part, to'show the operating member with which the first plate is provided. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in vertical section on the cylindrical surface indicated bythe curved line VIIVII, Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a similar view on the plane indicated by the line VIIIVIII, F1g. 5. In these two Figs. 7 and 8, all five of the superposed plates are shown; in defining therefore what these figures show, the references to Fig. 5 will serve to indicate the particular places when the sections are taken, but it will be understood that the sections are sections of the completed instrument, rather than of the portion only which Fig. 5 really shows. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view in vertical section of a portion of the third plate and of, the operating parts which are preferably added to these are a bottom plate below the lowermost and a top plate above the uppermost of the three already mentioned as essential; and these two additional plates are rigid with respect to the intermediate of the three plates first mentioned. That is tosay, the two ropary plates turn, one of them between the bottom plate and the third or intermediate plate and the other between the plate last named and the top plate. The plates are preferably all of them disk shaped, concentrically placed, and the rotary plates rotate on a central axis, common to both. The edges of the plates are arranged for registration, and to that end the disks are preferably of diminishing size, from the bottom to the iteferring to Figs. 1 and 2 the five plates are indicated, beginning at the bottom, 1, 2,

3, 4, and 5. As is particularly shown in Fig. 2, the bottom plate is provided with a central stepped stub 6, to the step of which plate 3 is rigidly secured by screws, to the top of which plate 5 is rigidly secured by screws, and upon the cylindrical portions of Ivlvhlich the plates 2 and 4 turn, as upon a Instrumentalities are provided, cotirdinating the two rotary plates in their movement, and causing the upper one 4 (which I shall characterize as the multiple-registering plate) to make an advance of one predetermined interval in rotation, in response to one complete rotation of the lower rotary plate 2 (the unit-registering plate). These instrumentalities consist of a rack borne by the multiple-registering plate 4, a dog borne by the intermediate plate 3, and a dog-swinging trip borne by the unit-registering plate 2.

The rack with which the multiple-registering plate 4 is provided is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4; its teeth are indicated by the numeral 7, and the position of the rack in the. assembled instrument will be found clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 8; it is a circular "rack, concentric with the axis of rotation of the instrument.

The dog 8 is pivoted in the intermediate plate 3'; it is shown in plan in Fig. 5, and in section in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. This dog 8 is provided with a flexible end 9 which, in the assembled instrument, normally extends into one or another of the spaces between the teeth 7 of the rack which the multipleregistering plate 4 bears. When the dog is swung in one direction'this end 9, bearing against the vertical face of one of the teeth 7, causes plate 4 to turn on its hub; when the dog is swung in opposite direction, the end 9 of the dog engaging the inclined face of one of the teeth 7 is bent aside, it passes over the tooth, and enters the next space to rearward. Normally the dog 8 is held by a spring 10 with its outer end 9 in its extreme advanced position bearing against the vertical face of one of the teeth 7; from this position it is swung (by instrumentalities to be described) to cause the flexible end 9 to pass rearward over the inclined face of the next succeeding tooth, and (after passing the apex of that tooth) to spring by its own elasticity to position rearward of the vertical face of the next tooth. When then the dog is released and swings again inresponse to the tension of spring 10, the dog, bearing against the vertical face of the tooth newly engaged, drives the plate 4 forward through the predetermined interval-which is the intervalat which the teeth succeed one another. In order to cause the instrument to operate smoothly and accurately and without jar, the spring-impelled swing of the dog 8 may be limited and cushioned by the pneumatic cushioning device best shown in Figs. 5 and 9 and consisting of a cylinder 12 with a cushioning piston 13, which members are connected one to the late 4, the other to the dog 8. Their mo e of operation is apparent. An orifice 14 in the cylinder will by its position determine the point in the spring-impelled swing of dog 8 at which the-cushioning device will begin to be effective.

The dog-swinging trip borne by the unitreg'isteringplate 2 consists of a stud 15 which, as plate 2 turns on its hub, will alternately be extended into dog-engaging position. and retracted from such position. The arrangement is such that on each rotation of plate 2 the stud 15 will advance and swing the dog 8, with the result that plate 4 will rotate through one predetermined interval-the interval at which the teeth are set in succession. I

As shown in Fig. 2 the instrument is com I pact, the plates being superposed in immediatecontact, one upon another. As shown 1n Figs. 5 and 8, dog 8 1s mounted in a for insuring the periodic extension and re traction of stud 15. The means shown are these; The stud 15 is provided with an enlarged head and is inserted in a hole in disk 2, countersunk from beneath. The underlying plate 1 is provided in its upper face with a groove 19concentric with t e axis of rotation of plate 2, registering with the countersunk hole in disk 2, and of suitable size to receive the enlarged head of stud 15. Normally the head of stud 15 rests in this groove, being caused to rest there either by gravity or (if preferred) by a spring 20 surrounding the stud and bearing agamst the shoulder of the countersink above and against the enlarged head of the stud below. When in its normal position the stud is retracted in disk 2, out of dog-engaging position. The continuity of groove 19 in plate 1 is interrupted by a block 21 (see particularly Figs. 6 and 7). This block has one face inclined and the other face abrupt.

As the plate 2 is turned on plate 1, the head of stud 15, on the completion of each rotation, rides up the inclined face of block 21, and thereafter as turning continues dro s across the abrupt face, and in'so doing t e pin is first caused to protrude into dog-engagingposition and thereafter to retract from such position. Proper coiirdination of parts brings it about that the stud 15, advancing on the inclined face of block 21, engages and swings dog 8. As dog 8 so swings, its elastic end 9 moves over the inclined forward face of a tooth 7 of the rack which plate 4 carries until, passin the tip, it springs to rearward of the toot v Stud 15 then passing beyond block 21 in the further turning of plate-2 descends in front of the abrupt forward face of the block, releasing dog 8-fro1n engagement. Dog 8 then released from stud -15 swings in response to the tension of spring 10, and as dog 8 so swings plate 4 is carried forward, and the extent of swing is such that plate 4 advances through a space exactly equal'to the space interval at which teeth 7 are set.

Figs. 5, 7, and 8 show stud 15 engaging dog 8 from th rear and, in the further movement. of .p ate 2 clockwise, about to swing dog 8, against the tension of spring 10; Fig.-

6 shows'stud 15 in position after passing block 21, resting in groove 19 in plate 1.'

It will be understood that in coming to this position stud 15 has released dog 8 from engagement previously made, allowing it to swing under tension of spring 10 to the position shown in Fig. 5. In such swinging of dog 8, plate 4 is advanced one interval: in this instance one one-hundredth of a complete rotation.

It will be observed that plate 4 is advanced, not directly by the advance of plate 2, but indirectly, and is actually driven by the tension of a spring. This feature, together with the positive and cushioned stop provided for the swing of dog 8 when released from stud 15, insures accuracy in the gradual advance of plate 4.

The other features of the instrument are old and well known. The periphery of plate 2 is provided with a succession of holes 22. Plate 1, preferably present as has been said, is conveniently provided with a corresponding scale. Plate 1 is further provided with a stop 23. Plate 2 is further provided with a succession of numbers, which succession is overlaid by plate 3, but plate 3 is provided with a hole or holes 24 through which successive numbers may be read as they come to register with the holes. Thus integers and fractions, or decimals, to which plate 2 is scaled and with which 1t is marked, may be read.

In like manner plate 4 is provided with a series of holes 25, and a corresponding series of numbers (the numbers being overlaid by plate 5) plate 3 is conveniently provided with a corresponding scale and with a stop 27; and plate 5 with a reading hole 26.

The particular instrument shown is designed to add feet and inches. To this end plate 2 is provided with 192 evenly spaced holes about its periphery and with corresponding numerals (to register with holes 24 in plate 3) indicating inches and sixteenths of inches, and plate 1 is provided with a corresponding scale. The ratchet teeth which plate 4 bears are one hundred in number; there is a corresponding succession of evenly spaced holes around the margin of plate 4, and a corresponding series of numbers, from 1 to 99, arranged to pass beneath the hole 26 in plate 5. It will of course be understood that proper coordination of holes and of ratchet teeth and a corresponding marking of scale numbers will adapt the instrument for adding integers and fractions of any desired relative dimensions: for example,

pounds, shillings, and pence; hundred weights, pounds, and ounces; or merely the numbers of a decimal system.

The operation of the instrument when in use will readily be understood. At the outset the instrument stands at zero: that is to say, disks 2 and 4 are turned until the reading through holes 24 and 26 is zero. The user has to add a succession of measurements in feet and inches. Suppose these to be three inches and a. half, seven inches and five eighths and four inches and three sixteenths. The user takes a pointed pencil or other pointed instrument, inserts it in that hole in the margin of the unit-recording disk 2 opposite which he finds the reading on the scale on the margin of plate 1 of 3% inches. He then turns the disk 2 in clockwise direction until the pencil or other turning instrument strikes stop 23. He will then find that looking through holes 24 in disk 3 he can read the amount he has so recorded, 3% inches. He then sets his pointed instrument in the hole in the margin of disk 2 opposite which he finds on the scale his second item, 7% inches, and again he turns disk 2 until again his instrument abuts against stop 23. He will then find, if he stops to look, that through holes 24 he may read the sum of his first two items, 11%- inches. Proceeding as before he adds the next item, 4 inches. Now however, as he moves disk 2, he completes one revolution of that disk, and in doing so he brings stud 15 into engagement with dog 8, swings dog 8, and then (stud 15 falling away) releases dog 8 again. In this operation disk 4 is turned and numeral 1 on disk 4 brought to view through the hole 26 in disk 5.

At the same time the recording effected by disk 2 goes on as before, and when the user has brought his instrument a third time to abut against stop 23, he will find legible through the three reading holes his sum total, 1 foot 3% inches. So an indefinite succession of measurements may be added together, to the limit of the capacity of the machine, and that is as will be apparent, 99 feet 11 inches and fifteen sixteenths. The addition of one sixteenth of an inch to this total will bring the reading again to zero.

If one of the items to be totaled is a foot or more, the user first places his instrument in the hole in the multiple-recording disk 4 opposite which he finds, on the margin of disk 3, the number of the feet in his item. He then turns disk 4 clockwise, until his instrument strikes stop 27 In this operation it will be understood that the flexible end 9 of dog 8 will yield, allowing the teeth 7 of the ratchet to pass over it without itself being disturbed. Then, having so recorded the feet, the operator records-the inches, in the manner already described. He may of course, if he desires to do so, record the inches first and then the feet.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an addlng machine the combination of three superposed plates of which the uppermost and the lowermost are, with respect to the intermediate plate, rotary upon a common axis, the uppermost of said plates being provided with a circular rack concen-' trio with the axis of rotation, the intermediate plate being provided with a swinging rack engaging dog, and the lowermost with a stud extensible and retractable to and from dog-engaging position assaid plate rotates on its axis.

2. In an adding machine the combination of four superposed plates of which the second and fourth are, with respect to the others, rotary upon a common axis, the fourth of said plates being provided with a rack,

the third with a swinging rack-engaging my hand.

PAUL A. CLARK. Witnesses:

ALICE A. TRILL,

BAYARD H. CHRIs'rY.

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