US1274730A - Lock-actuator for total-proof devices on computing-machines. - Google Patents

Description

H. N. McKAY. LOCK ACTUATOR FOR TOTAL PROOF DEVICES 0N COMPUTING MACHINES V APPLICATION FILED MAY 31.1916.

Patentd Aug. 6, 1918.

INVENTOI I E9222 [W151] WITNES SES:

ATTORNEYQ To all w lio' m it may concern: I

7 UNITED srArrEs PATENT orrion.

" nnnny M s KAY, or O KLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro "WAHL COMPANY, or ILMINGTON,'DELAWA E, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

LOCK-ACTUATOR FOR, TOTAL-PROOF DEVICES 01v coMrUTINwMAeHInEs.

Bel't known thatI, HENRY N. MCKAY, a citizen of the'llnited States, -residing at Oakland, in thefcounty of Alameda. and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lock-Actuators for 'lotaLProof Devices on Computing-Machines, of which the following is a specification. 1 l

This, invention relates to a lock acti'lator for total proofdevices on computing machines; this application being in the nature of a division of my co pending case, entitled Total proof device for adding mechaiiism, filed March 10, 1915, Serial No; 13,332.

The purpose of this device is to provide a mechanism for actuatinga' locking .device which is operable to lock certain parts of tl1e' -typ ewriter mechanism and Computing mechanism when an incorrect total is transcribed from the totalizer. e

At present, in key actuated computing machines which clear b'ackfto zero by direct subtraction or complementary addition,it is'possible for an operator, by misstakekto copyawrong total-on thie paper, even though the correct total be shown in the totalize'r and then toproceed with a new computation without noting the error. Any digits remaining in the totalizer after such error, cause thenextcomputation to show a Wrong result, .inthis manner creating adoubleer'ror. Many mistakes are thus made s'incje accuracyof work depends upon the skill orcare of the operator only. In otherwor ds, correctness'depends on a variable human element. 1 The object of the present inventionis to provide means for locking'the typewriter mechanism or the attached computingmechanism against further operation when a total shown in a 'tot-alizer of the computing machine is not transcribed exactly as it is' shown, and particularly to provide a lock actuator operable by or in conjunctionwi th a totalizer for anism.

Further objects will hereinafter appear. The invention consists of the parts and Specification of Letters Patent. 7 anplic atidn fiied May ai, 1916." seriainbl oassa 1 operating the lockinginechthe combination. and construction of parts as hereinafter more fully described and -Paten te djA ug. 6,191

claimed, havingreferen'ce to'the accompany,

ing ]-drawings, in 'whichei a H Figure 11 1s a front elevation of'a frag ment ofa typewriting computing machine with the inventionapplied, and showing a totalizer attached to the carriage.

Fig. '2is a plan view. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the setting levers. Y

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the locking dog and its immediately related gear wheel.

Fig. 5 is an'enlarged side view of the dog and the transmission gears. v

Fig. 6 is a detail face'and sectional view of thegears. i V V The lock actuator illustrated in Fig. 5 is in this'instance provided for the purpose of cooperating with a" stationary detent 12 forthe purpose of locking the carriage between spaces, in which-"position the numeral keys are not operable. This locking of the carriage takesfplac'e when a total shown in the totalize'r on the computing machine 'is not transcribed exactly as it is shown: The lock actuator is however, capablefof cobperation with a great variety of locking and signaling mechanisms shown in my copending-application. For instance, it is possible when total-shownin thetotalizer of 'a computingmachine is not transcribed exactly as f shown, to lock the carriage against movement as illustrated in the present application. Again, it is possible to lock 'both theflnumeral and letter keys; furthermore, to lock the totalizer actuating mech-' anism 'and'also'to cause visible or audible signals to be operated, or to operate a comthe computing mechanism or totalizer 8.

These notches have fixed positions ,withreto the zeros of the coacting numeral ed thereon, to pass freely'across the detent 12 without stoppingor locking the carriage. If a total is incorr'ectly described, it can easilybe'seen that, one ormore digits will remain in the numera'lwheel s, as thesehave not been completely returned to the zero position. It'therefore also follows that all thedeep notches 7 will not be in alinement and'that as the carriage and totalizer move across the detent 12, an interference or stop will be made when the shallow teeth of an accumulating gear 7 which has not been returned to proper positiomcomes into'engagement or alinement with the detent 12. The carriage and totalizer withconnected mechanism will therefore be locked andr the operator will'necessarily have to make the necessary correctionsto permitjthe free passage ofthe carriage and connectedtotalizer. From the foregoing; description, it' can be seen that the lock actuator is produced by forming one or more deep notches in the periphery of each of: the accumulating gears 7carried bythe totalizer, andas these notches have fixed-positions with relation to the zeroeson the numeral wheels, it can readily be seen that it will-be impossible for the carriage andtotalizer to pass the detent 12 before the zero position of all thevnumeral wheelsand an alinement of deep notches-is secured.

One must naturally assume that the average work performed by an operator is correctand that wrong transcriptions of'tota-ls are more orlessinf-requent; The normal function of the notches; 7 is therefore to pass over the detent. 12- and not to engage with same. 7 the pass-over notches; Theparticular mechanismemployedin the present instance for cooperation in connection with the lock actuator willb'e as follows:

In Fig.1, 2-represents atypewriter digit key lever, the in dotted-lines, and of which levers the usual complement-isprovided but not here shown.

The key lever-2 is connected-by a link l to and for operating a mechanism, indicated generally; at 5 and which has for its primefunction the rotation ofa master pinion 6;"

each digit key b einge'fl'ectivethrough said mechanism to turn the pinion a prededetent indicated at 12 and Will- They may therefore be termed key button 3 -being indicated termined degree for the rotation of trans mission gears f a computing device indicated generally at 8. The computer 8- is here' shown as-adjustably' attached:to aportion 9 of 'atypewriting machine carriage.

Operation of any of the digit keys 2 serves to actuate the transmitting mechanism 5 and a gear 7in nieshwiththe master wheel 6, so that the corresponding value will be indicated at the computer by its numeral wheels 10. I

Assuming that a column has been'written and totalized by the machine and the operator wishes-totranscribe the total and at the same time clear the computer, then, in the type of machine'he're shown, he, or-slie', will depress a shift or'"subtract*lever"11 of the mechanism '5 and which simply changes" the direction of" rotation of the" master "wheel 6. Thereup'on', as" the digit keys are depressed the master" wheel resets the numeral wheels 10 to zer'o, provided the'proper keys are struck.

It is to check up and make the correctkey operation compulsory during transcription oftotalsth'at Ihave devisedm'y present invention. g V

V The device consistjsfirst, of ablockirig'do'g 12 located in position so asto project into the normal to'otlinotches of any ofthe trans mission gear wheels 7 of the computing totalizer 8," the object of which dog istoprevent'the passage-across it of any't'otalizer notch of less than'agivencapacity; second; of totalizer transmission geauwheels so cut that certain notches 7 "shallbe wide and deep enough to permit'passa'ge o-ftheblb'ck ing dog, and all other notches shallfbe too smallto permit its passaggthe object of which arrangement 7 is to allow the blocking dog to pass only when certainpredetermined' numerals ar'e'shown in the number wheels of the totalizer; and'third, of'a'mea'ns" to control the'blocking dog, so as to'releaseit' to an operative position and withdraw it to an inoperative positiomi-as'required.

The blocking dog12- is mounted on a pivot'13, andprovided with a spring '14-, the tendencyof' which is to keep; the djogiextendediin'operative posit-ion. The blocking dog is located in a sequent'position withreference to the master or actu'ator 'wheel 6 of the adding or subtracting mechanism, so

that it mustenter a given gear wheel? or typewriter will be arrested before it has moved a full space, thus stopping the carriage between two normal points of'rest', and causing the numeral keys 'ottiie typewriter to be locked against operation through the regular mechanism provided for that purpose in such machines.

The blocking dog 12 is connected with the actuating mechanism 5 of the adding or subtracting attachment or mechanism by means of an arm 15 and a cam 16, in such a manner as to cause the dog, when in operative position, to be depressed by each stroke of a numeral key, when adding or subtracting, a suflicient distance to disengage the dog completely from the totalizer gears, and in such a manner also as to cause the dog to be released to resume its operative position after the master wheel of the actuator has ceased to move, and before the typewriter carriage is released by the typewriter escapement to move the next space or point of rest. The object of this disengagement is to prevent the presence of the dog in any gear wheel from obstructing the normal turning of the gear.

The blocking dog is beveled at 12, Fig. 6, in such a manner as to be self-depressing when the totalizer passes or is'passed in returning the typewriter carriage, and so permit passage without obstruction regardless of the position of the gear wheel notches.

The specially cut totalizer gear wheels? which engage with the master wheel 6 of the adding mechanism and with the blocking dog 12, are cut in the following manner for all machines with adding and subtracting mechanism which clear or bring the totalizer 8 back to zero, when a total is copied, by direct subtraction.

(a) All notches 7 in the transmission gear wheels 7 which shall be in line with the blocking dog 12 at the sametime that any zero is shown in the'corresponding number wheels 10 of the totalizer 8 are cut deeper or wider than the'usual or standard tooth notches of the gears,to a sufiicient extent to permit the passage of the dog, at all times.

(b) All notches which shall with the blocking dog 12 at the sametime that any figure nine is shown in the corresponding number wheels of the totalizer are cut obliquely or inclined on the face 7 so as to be of their original depth and width on the side first reached by or reaching the blocking dog, Fig. 6; the notches increasing in depth or width or both until, on the opposite side of the gear wheel,,they reach the capacity of the full sized escapement, or zero notches described above.

For adding typewriters that clear the totalizer in copying a total by means of the process of complementary addition or indirect subtraction, the totalizer gear wheels which engage the master wheel. and the blocking dog are specially cut or notched as follows, to-wit:

(c) All notches which shall be in line he in line with the blocking dog at the same time that any figure nine is shown. in the corresponding number wheels of the totalizer are cut deep or wide enough to permit free passage of the dog, at all times.

(d) All notches which shall be in line with the blocking dog at the same time that any zero is shown in the corresponding number wheels of the totalizer are cut obliquely or inclined in the manner described under (6) above, with the exception of the last gear Wheel reached by or reachingthe actuator wheel, in which last wheel any notches which shall be in line with the dog when a zero is shown in the correspond ing number wheel are cut to permit free passage of the dog at all times.

In either type of machine, when any totalizer gear wheel 7 is a double gear, as in Fig. 5, having a left-hand gear wheel to cocupy a decimal point or comma space and act as a carry-over gear, all notches 7 b in the carry-over gear, which occupies the decimal point or comma space are cut to a capacity to permit the free passage of the blocking dog at all times, since no arrest of the carriage is desired at such points.

The control mechanism for rendering the blocking dog inoperative is shown as consisting of a plunger rod 17 mounted on the frame of the typewriter or actuator mechanism, beveled at 18 on the end nearest the dog and having a pin 19 at the oppositeend engaging a slotted cam lever 20, which is equipped with a spring 21 tending to maintain said lever at rest position. The plunger rod is so located, and the slot in the cam so constructed, that when the cam lever, here called the total proof lever is at rest or upper position, the beveled end of the rod is engaged with the blocking dog 12, retaining it in a depressed, inoperative position, Fig. 41. When the total proof or cam lever is depressed, it withdraws the end 18 of the plunger rod from engagement with the blocking dog, permitting the dog to be tipped up by its spring to its opera- .tive position.

The total proof lever is superimposed on the regular subtract lever llof the machine when there is one, and is designed to be caught when depressed, under the latch 11' of the subtract lever or under alatch of its oWn, until subsequently released.

The operation of the above described de vice on an adding and subtracting typewriter is as follows:

When an addition has been completed and it is desired to copy the total shown in-the totalizer, the operator depresses the total proof lever 20, which carries down the subtract lever 11 of the machine, and simultaneously releases into operative position the blocking dog 12, which then extends into position to engage with the totalizer gear wheel tooth notches. The, operator then tabulates, or moves the typewriter carriage forward until the actuator wheel is in the first space in the totalizer, the number wheel of which is occupiedby a muneral other than zero. The blockingdog 12 per mits this forward movement as far as the first space so occupied, because the gear notches 7' inline with it in any precedent spaces occupied by zeros are cut to permit its free passage. When the actuator wheel 6 comes to rest in the first wheel occupied by a numeral other than zero, the dog'lZ is in a sequent position in the previous wheel passed, and is less than a full space from the actuator wheel.

The operator then strikes the vmunera-l.key 2 of the typewriter, corresponding to the initial figure of the total to be copied. If the correct key is struck, the actuator wheel, turning in thereverse or subtract direction, subtracts the figure shown in that number wheel 10 of the totalizer, bringing the number wheel back exactly to zero, and therefore bringing a zero notch 7 or large capac notch, opposite the blocking dog,- and as the carriage is released to move forward'to its nextoperating space there is no obstruction of its movement by the dog. lfthe wrong typewriter numeral key is struck-,be it greater or less than the figure shownpreviously in the corresponding numeral wheel of the totalizer, the number wheel will not be brought to zero and one of-the small. capacity notches will be in line with the blocking dog. \Therefore as the carriage ofthe typewriter moves forward toward its next operating space, the entry of the blocking dog into the gear wheel just operated is impossible because of the small notch, the dog catches on and blocks the passage of the gear 7 ,the carriage is arrested between operating spaces, and the numeral keys of the typewriter are rendered inoperable, by the regular locking system of the typewriter adding machine. The operator isinformed of the error on attempting to depress the next numeral key in the effect to complete the transcription of the total. It is then necessary to return the carriage to the previous space in which the error was made, and correct the error, and when a Zero is correctly shown in that number wheel the transcription may be continued.

When the numeral key struck in error is greater than the figure shown in the corresponding number wheel, the result is an over-subtraction, in which case all preceding number wheels of the totalizer are occupied I When this occurs the blocking dog, (which was depressed during the movement of the actuator wheel as previously described) when it rises, enters the obliquely cut notches 7 which are in line with the by nines.

dog whenever a nine is shown in a number wheel, and blocks against the small, capacity notchinthe wheeljust misoperated in. The oblique cutting of these nine notches leaves the side of the notch first reaching or reache d by the blocking dog of a size small enough to obstruct the passage of the dog when a nine is left in a number wheel by error, beveled so that the dog may be raised to engage the wheel adjacent to the higher point of bevel.

If the operator neglects to release the total proof lever and with itthesubtract lever, before proceeding with the next addition, thefirst numeral key struck other than zero, will bring a numcralinto the number wheel corresponding and a small capacity notch 7 in line with the blocking dog 12, thereby causing the'carriage to be arrested between operating spaces, and so lock the numeral keys of the typewriter against further operation until the above mentioned levers are restored to the correct position for addition.

Vhen the typewriter adding machine on which this device is used is a machinewhich clears or brings the totalizer back to zero by the process known as complementary addi tion, the operation of the device is similar in principle to the above, save that since this method of clearing, correctly performed, requires that all number wheels of the total izer :be brought to nines except the last, which'must be brought to ten, thus clearing the preceding nines to-Zeroand so clearing the totalizer, the 'notches are so arranged that when this order is exactly followed there is no obstruction and no locl ,but that when an error is made and this order is not followed, there shall be an arrest of the carriage and consequent lock similar totha-t described above, notifying the operator of the mistake. Since in these machines when too smalla numeral is struck, or too large a complement added in any wheel, all previous number wheels are brought to zeros in place of nines, the obliquely cut notches are therefore located to come in line with the lock dog when zeros are shown in the number-,w.hcels,for the same purpose, and with the same general result as described above for oblique notches.

The same arrest of carriage, locking, and consequent notification of error are produced in this type of machine when it is neglected to return the total proof lever to the correct position for addition as are described above for the other type of machine, and in the same general manner. 7

A third advantage of the device is that it prevents tabulating or moving the typewriter carriage too far forward into a total izer. when atotal is to be copied, in'which event the transcription would commence at a wrong point. ,7 f v This result is produced because the blocking dog cannot pass any gear wheel, the

number wheel of which is occupied by a figure other than zero. The efiort to make it do so will cause the arrest of carriage looking of keys, and consequent notification of error described above.

This invention is adapted to operate on, or be used with any typewriter adding machine and any typewriter adding and subtracting machine which operates by means of a stationary actuating mechanism attached to or located on the frame of the ma-- chine, and a moving totalizer attached to or connected with the carriage of the machine; or on any above-mentioned machine which operates by means of a stationary totalizer attached to or built on the frame of the machine, and a moving actuating mechanism attached to or connected with the carriage of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a totalizer, the combination with a plurality of number wheels, of a plurality of carrying gears adapted to drive said number wheels, a gear adapted to drive any of said carrying gears and a deep notch between certain of the teeth of said carrying gears, said notch having a greater depth than the remaining interdental notches and being so shaped as to not interfere with the driving of said number wheels by said carrying gears.

12. In a totalizer, the combination with a plurality of number wheels, of a plurality of carrying gears adapted to drive said number wheels, a gear adapted to drive any of said carrying gears, and a plurality of deep notches between certain of the teeth of said carrying gears, said notches having a greater depth than the remaining interdental notches and being so shaped as to not interfere with the driving of said number wheels by said carrying gears.

3. In a totalizer, the combination with a plurality of number wheels, of a plurality of carrying gears adapted to drive said number wheels, a gear adapted to drive any of said carrying gears, and a deep notch between certain of the teeth of each of said carrying gears, said notch having a greater depth than the remaining interdental spaces and being shaped so as to not interfere with the driving of said number wheels by said carrying gears, said notch being further so positioned that the notches on all the carrying gears will form an alinement when the number wheels bear certain predetermined relations to each other.

4. In a totalizer the crimbination with a plurality of number wheels, of a plurality of carrying gears adapted to drive said number wheels, a gear adapted to drive any of said carrying gears, and a deep notch between certain of the teeth of each of said carrying gears, said notch having a greater depth than the remaining interdental spaces and bein shaped so as to not interfere with the drivlng of said number wheels by said carrying gears, said notches being further so positioned as to form an alinement whenever the number wheels stand at zero.

5. In a totalizer, the combination of a numeral wheel, a computing gear wheel adapted to drive said numeral wheel by means of gear teeth, said computing wheel having certain of the spaces between its teeth deeper than the remaining spaces, said deep spaces being so located as to occupy a certain predetermined relation with the position of said number wheel, whereby the same gear may be used both for driving said number wheel and determining when said number wheel stands at zero.

6. In a totalizer, the combination of a number wheel, a computing gear wheel adapted to drive said number wheel, a deep notch between certain of the teeth of said computing wheel, said deep notch being so positioned as not to interfere with the normal driving of said numeral wheel by said computing gear, and also to keep a certain position when said numeral wheel stands at zero, whereby the same gear may be used both for driving said numeral wheel and determining the zero position thereof.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses.

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. r

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