US1278458A - Combined type-writing and computing machine. - Google Patents

Description

W. L. GUMPRECHT. COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12. I913.

Patented Sept Z'Zivtnesses m: mums nsrsns co Pnumuma. wAsnmcwu. n 1:.

W. L. GUMPRECHT.

COMBINED TYPE WRlTING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 12.1913- Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Invent 97% d wV/f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. GUMPRECHT, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, T0 UNDERWOOD COMPUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED TYPE-WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

Application filed July 12, 1913.

vented certain new and useful Improve ments in Combined Type-Writing and Computing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to subtraction-setting mechanism of computing machines, in,

which the keys first set up index-pins, which are subsequently utilized to control the rotation of the associated number wheels.

In ombined typewriting and computing machines of the Underwood-Hanson type (shown in British Patent No. 10,902 of 1912) to which my improvements are shown applied, a special key or bar is used for setting the machine to perform subtraction.

There is liability that the operator may sometimes prematurely set said key; that is, after operating the numeral keys to set up the index-pins, the operator may sometimes by mistake set said subtraction key, so that, upon the ensuing movement of the general operator, the machine will compute a number diiferent from that which has just been set up.

The present invention aims to overcome this dilliculty, and to that end there isprovided a normally idle latch which, after the numeral keys have been manipulated to set up the usual index pins, falls into position to prevent prematureoperation of the subtraction key. Therefore, when the general operator is operated, it necessarily causes the machine to add. Incidentally it unlatches the subtraction key, so that the operator may then set said key if desired.

The latching of the subtraction key against setting is eifected in this instance by means of the carriage of the typewriter, which, at the letterfeeding movement thereof that takes place immediately after the printing of the last type in a number, drops said latch into a notch provided upon the subtraction key or bar. This latch can only be released by the operation of the general operator, so that the operative is prevented from setting said subtraction key until after the number which has just been set upon the index-pins is carried into the number wheels.

Preferably said latch is connected to a Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

Serial 778,674.

shutter or screen, which is illustrated in the patent to Hart, No. 1,237,513, granted August 21, 1917, as covering the number wheels automatically as soon as the index pins are set up; whereby the latch drops into working position at the same time that the shutter covers up the numbers.

In the kind of machine illustrated herein, the subtraction key is detained in working position by a special detent; and provision is made whereby said latch, at the time that the subtraction key is so held by said special detent, may neverthelessdrop idly, so as to permit the desired closing movement of the shutter.

Other features and advantages will here-' inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a sectional side view of an Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine, showing only the principal parts necessary to the understanding of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a skeleton perspective view of the principal parts relating to my invention.

Fig. 3 is a section showing some of the connections operated by the subtraction bar.

Fig. 4 shows the connections for releasing the subtraction connections from the numeral keys.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the denomination jacks, showing also the supernumerary ack 39.

In the Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine, numeral keys 1 and alphabet keys 2 are mounted on key levers 3 which swing bell cranks at so that typcbars 5 carry type 6 thereon, upwardly and rearwardly to write 011 the work-sheet placed 011 the platen 7.

Said platen forms part of a carriage 8 which is fed along by means (not shown herein) in any usual or desired manner at every operation of a key. As the carriage 8 travels along, a tappet 9 mounted on a rack 10 forming part of said carriage, is carried along under a series of jacks 11 pivoted at 12 intermediate their ends, so that the rear ends 13 of said jacks depress se riatim a series of denomination selecting rods 14.

The computing mechanism includes a series of rack bars 15, each of which is connected so as to turn its computing wheel 16, there being one wheel for each of said rack bars. As the typewriter carriage travels along, the selecting rods 14, as they are de-" p the pin-setting bars 18, any numeral key depressed at this time will swing downwardly its pin-setting bar 18 so as to set, namely, depress the corresponding pin in the rack bar 15'which has been momentarily raised. I Thus said bars and pins form a set of indexing devices for determining how far each.

computing wheel shall turn.

The connections for accomplishing this include a pendant 19, i (there being one pendant for each numeral key), and as any pendant descends with itsnumeral key, it strikes a rock arm forming an extension of a rock shaft 20, whereby said rock shaft swings, thus carrying to one side a link 21, said link moved by. an addition wrist 56 which is engaged by an arm 22 of said shaft. The links 21 are joined by bell cranks (not shown herein) to the pin-setting bars 18,'and therefore, through the connections just described, whenever a numeral key is depressed, its pin-setting bar 18 will swing downwardly and set a'corresponding pin on any rack bar 15 which is momentarily raised.

When a number has been completely set up by thus depressing a series of pins,.said

number may be carried into the adding orcomputing wheels 16 by means of a general operator, said general operator comprismg a cross-bar 23 which, when moved forward,

7 strikes any depressed pin 17 and carries the rack bar 15 on which it is mounted forward, so as to turn its computing wheel 16 by means of a rack 24 forming part of said rack bar which meshes with a pinion 25 connected to its computing wheel.

' numeral keys or the reading of the computing wheels when a number has been completely set up or registered on the pins 17. To thus obstruct the numeral keys 1, there is provided a. bar 31 fast on pivoted arms '32, which bar normally tends to overlie said keys. Said bar normally tends to spring to its overlying or effective position, being drawn by a spring 33 connected to one arm of a bell crank 34 having a p1n-andslot connection at 35 with a rock arm .36 extending from the pivoted shaft 37 on' which the barcarrying arms 32 are mounted.-

Said bar may be held in its ineffective position to therear of the numeral keys 1, as'seen in Fig. 2, by means of a latch 38. Said latch 38 is adapted to be released whenever the number which is being written has been completely set up in the rack bars 15. For this purpose, there is provided a supplementary jack 39 which is adapted to be raised by the tappet 9 immediately after the typewriter has written a digit. in the units column. Said supplementary ack, as most clearly. seen in Fig. 2, bears against a rod 40 which at its lower end is pivoted to a rock arm 41 fast on a shaft 42, said shaft being adapted to draw back to ineffective position the latch 38 whenever it is rocked; the connection including a rock arm 43 fast on said shaft to which arm said latch is pivoted at its rear end. The latch 38 may be guided in its back and forth movement by a pin 44 extending through a slot 45 in said latch. Thus, whenever a digit is written in the units column, the latch 38 is released and p the bar 31 springs forward over the numeral keys land interferes with their operation.

The bar 31 may be connected to a shutter 46 which will obstruct the reading of the digits on the computing wheels whenever the bar 31 interferes with the numeral keys. This shutter, like the bar 31, is normally held in ineffective position by means of said latch 38. Said shutter is connected so that whenever said bar is in its effective position, the shutter is also effective. For this purpose, the shaft 37, on which the arms 33 are carried, carries a rock arm 47 to which is pivoted a link 48 pivoted at its forward end to the shutter 46. -The connection is such that whenever the bar 31 springs forward to obstruct the keys 1, the link 48 lifts the shutter 46 upwardly around the shaft 49 of the computing wheels on which the shutter is pivoted, so that the shutter obscures the wheels. iVhenever the general operator is '01)- erated, it moves the bar 31 and the shutter 46 to an ineffective position. For this purpose, one of the side bars 27 forming part of the general operator is provided with a notch 50 in which normally rests one end 51. of a bell crank arm pivoted in the frame. hen the general operator is operated said end 51 rides out of the notch 50 and causes another arm 52 of said bell crank to strike a rearwardly extending arm 53 forming part of the bell crank 34 and lifts the bell crank arm 53 so that the forward arm of said bell crank, by means'of its pin-and-slot connection at 35, rocks the bar 31 and the shutter 46 to their ineffective positions. Tohold them there, the latch 38 is forced forward to effective position by means of a spring 5 1 coiled around the shaft 42 which operates said latch.

When it is desired to subtract, a subtraction bar 55 may be pushed rearwardly so as to carry forwardly the shafts 20 on which the rock arms 22 are mounted. This carries the addition arms 22 and other parts from the position seen in Fig. 1 where said arms 22 engage addition wrists 56 on the links 21, into the position seen in Fig. 3 Where subtraction rock arms 57, each fast on its shaft 20, engage subtraction wrists 58 on the links 21. The relation of the arms 22 and 57 is such that every link 21 formerly engaged by an addition rock arm 22 is engaged by a subtraction rock arm 57 operated by the numeral key which is complementary to the numeral key operating its addition rock arm 22; for example, if the link 21 was formerly operated by the numeral key 6, it will now be operated by the numeral key 3, and similarly the numeral key 6 will now be connected by the subtraction rock arm 57 to the link formerly operated by the numeral key 3, as seen in Fig. 3.

The connections between the subtraction bar 55 and the rock shafts 20 include a universal shifter bar 59 which is suitably pivoted in the frame of the machine and extends across the rock shafts 2O entering the notches 60 therein; said universal shifter bar 59 is operated from the subtraction bar 55 by means of a lever 61 which is engaged by a pin 62 fast on the subtraction bar, said lever bearing against the lower end of the shifter bar 59 and being pivoted in the frame of the machine intermediate its ends.

The rock shafts 20 carrying the addition rock arms 22 and the subtraction rock arms 57 are locked in subtraction position by means of a latch 67 (see Fig. l) having shoulders which catch the bar 59 which moves said rock arms; said latch 67 tends to spring to effective position being constantly under the tension of a spring 68, which draws on the bell crank arm 71 of said latch.

Other devices operated by the subtraction bar 55 provide for making the necessary corrections in the adding wheels so that the adding of the complements of numbers will show the difference between such numbers and the numbers previously set up in the computing wheels. Said devices may be identical with those shown in the co-pending case of Hans Hanson Serial No. 733,940 filed November 29, 1912, which include a lever 59 for each pin bar, which lever is adapted to set the 9 pin 17 on every pin bar 15.

Vhenever the subtraction bar 55 is pushed rearwardly to subtraction position it is latched in said position by means of a dog which springs upwardly into a notch 81 the rear end of the subtraction bar To prevent the subtraction bar from be- 'ing set when any numbers are set up on the pins 17, but not yet carried into the adding wheels 16, the shutter as when it hides the face of the adding wheels 16 may lock said subtraction bar against operation by holding a lug 63 fast on an extension er of said shutter in the path of the lug 65 on said subtraction bar Said lug 65 on the sub traction bar preferably forms one ed e of a notch cut in the subtraction bar 55.

Since the movement of the general operator swings the key interfering bar 31 and the shutter 46 to their ineffective position,

'the general operator will likewise through carry-over driveshaft 70, which shaft, as is,

usual in the Underwood-Hanson machine, always rotates in one direction. This cam, by connections hereinafter described, will release the subtraction latch 67, said latch for this purpose having a bell crank arm 71 which is engaged by a hook 72 extending from the upper end of a lever 7 3, said lever being swung at the end of the operation of the general operator by the cam 69 through a link 7-1 which extends from the lower end of said lever to a lever 75 having a follower 76 which rides on the releasing cam 69. \Vhen the latch 67 is thus drawn down to ineffective position, springs 77, hearing against a part of the frame not shown, re turn the rock shafts 20 to their rearward position where the rock arms 22 thereon engage the adding wrists 56. v

The subtraction bar 55 is likewise released by the general operator at the end of its stroke. For this purpose the ordinary pinrestoring plate 86 of the Underwood-Hanson machine, as disclosed in said Hanson patent, is provided with the ordinary bell crank lever 82 for restoring the pins at the end of the return movement of the general operator.

A wrist 88 on said bell crank lever engages a hook 84 forming an extension of the subtraction lever holding dog and lifts the forward end of said lever 'so that the rear end forming the dog 80 is carried clear of the subtraction bar 55. This permits a spring shown diagrammatically at 85 to return the subtraction bar 55 to its normal ineffective position, in which the machine will add.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope'of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

' 1. In a computing machine, the combination with computing mechanism, actuating means therefor, and controlling mechanism for determining whether said actuating means shall perform an addition operation or a subtraction operation in said computing mechanism, of a'subtraction mechanism settable to alter the action of said controlling mechanism on said actuating means, so that said actuating means performs a subtraction operation, and means for preventing setting of said subtraction mechanism when said controlling mechanism has been completely set for an addition operation, and. until said operation is completed.

2. In a computing machine, the combination with computing mechanism, settable indexing devices, numeral keys and a general operator for carrying into the computing mechanism numbers represented by said keys, of controlling mechanism for determining whether said keys shall perform an addition operation or a subtraction operation in said computing mechanism, a subtraction mechanism settable to alter the action of said controlling mechanism so that said keys may control a subtraction operation, means for preventing setting of said subtraction mechanism, means whereby the actuation of a numeral key to set an indexing device for addition in units order may make said preventing means effective and connections whereby the actuation of said general operator makes said preventing means ineffective.

3. In a computing machine, the combination with a computing mechanism, numeral keys for controlling said computing mechanism, and a general operator carrying the numbers set up on said keys into the computing mechanism, of indexing devices settableby said keys for determining whether said general operator shall perform an addition operation or a subtraction operation in said computing mechanism, a subtraction mechanism settable to alter the action of said keys on said indexing devices, so that said general operator may perform a subtraction operation, and means for preventing setting of said subtraction mechanism when said indexing devices have been set by said keys for performing an addi tion operation, said general operator releas-.

ing said subtraction mechanism on completion of the running in of the number.

4. In a computing machine, the combination with a computing mechanism, numeral keys, and a general operator for running into thecomputing mechanism numbers set by said keys, of mechanism under the consaid keys on said controlling mechanism, so

that said general operator performs a subtraction operation, means for preventing further actuation of said keys and of'said subtraction mechanism when said keys have 7 been completely operated for an addition operation, and connections whereby both said preventing means become simultaneously ef' fective.

5. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with computing wheels and a shutter for obstructing the reading of them, of a subtraction piece settable to cause the machine'to subtract, a lug on said subtraction piece, and alug connected to said shutter to prevent said subtraction piece from being set when the shutter interferes with the reading of said computing wheels.

6. In a combined typewriting and com puting machine, the combination with nu 9 meral keys, computing mechanism and a traveling carriage controlled thereby, of a tappet on said traveling carriage, indexing devices on which numbers are temporarily set up under control of said keys and said tappet, subtraction mechanism settable to effect the manner in which said keys and said tappet control said indexing devices, and means moved by said tappet for render ing said subtraction mechanism ineffective at the conclusion of thesetting up operation by said keys and tappet.

7. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with numeral keys, indexing devices, computing mechanism, and a traveling carriage controlled by said numeral keys, of a tappet on 1 said carriage, acting jointly with said numeral keys to temporarily set up numbers on said indexing devices, a general operator for subsequently carrying into the computing mechanism the numbers so set up, a subtraction mechanism settable to alter the efiect of said tappet and keys on said indexing devices, means moved by said tappet at the conclusion of the setting up of a number on said indexing devices for locking said (subtraction mechanism, and means oper-' -ated by sald general operator for controlling the return to normal position of said subtraction mechanism.

8. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys, computing wheels, and a subtraction bar, of means for obstructing the view of said computing wheels, in-.

terfering with the operation of said numeral keys, andinterfering with the operation of said subtraction bar, and connections so that all said interfering and obstructing means move together. r

9. In a computing machine, the combination with computing wheels always turning in one direction, of computation members always driving them in one direction, numeral keys, indexing devices set thereby for determining how far said members shall drive said wheels, a subtraction bar, means controlled thereby for causing said indexing devices to control said members to turn said wheels so that the result shown on them is subtraction, means brought into action upon the completion of an index-setting operation for locking said subtraction bar against operation, a general operator for turning said wheels by said members, and means for unlocking said subtraction bar by operation of said general operator.

10. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys, of computation members, indexing devices controlling the movement of said computation members, said indexing devices settable by said numeral keys, a subtraction bar settable for varying the action of said keys on said indexing devices, means for adding the set up number, a normally ineffective lock for preventing the operation of said subtraction bar, means for making said lock effective after said indexing devices have been completely set up to represent a number, and means for making said lock ineffective by the adding operation.

11. In a computing machine adapted to add or subtract in a given zone, but normally adding, the combination with numeral printing keys, and obstructing means therefor automatically eifective at the end of a zone, of means adapted to cause the machine to subtract at will the numbers written by said numeral keys, computing wheels, a general operator for carrying the numbers written by said numeral keys into said computing wheels, a lock for preventing the operation of said subtraction means when a number has been completely written by said keys but not yet carried by said general operator into said computing wheels, said lock being operated concomitantly with said key-obstructing means, and connections whereby said general operator makes said lock and obstructing means ineifective.

12. In a computing machine, the combination with computing mechanism, indexing devices, numeral keys for setting up numbers in said indexing devices, and a general operator for running into the computing mechanism the numbers set up, of a subtraction bar for altering the connections between said numeral keys and said indexing devices, so that said numeral keys may effect a subtraction set up, means for obstructing the operation of said numeral keys and locking said subtraction-setting bar in normal position at the completion of the setting up operation, and means controlled from said general operator to release said subtraction bar and for making said obstructing'mcans ineffective.

13. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with computing mechanism, numeral keys, a travelcarriage, indexing devices controlled by said keys and carriage, for setting up numbers, and a general operator for runnin into the computing mechanism the numbers indexed, of a subtraction mechanism settable to determine whether the indexing devices shall be controlled to cause an addition or subtraction operation of the computing mechanism, according to the position of the subtraction mechanism, and means under the control of said carriage for preventing the operation of said subtraction mechanism after the completion of the indexing operation for addition and prior to an operation of the general operator, said general operator releasing said subtraction mechanism.

14. In a computing machine, the combination with computing mechanism, and in dexing devices for setting up the numbers to be computed, of a shield or shutter for covering said computing mechanism at the completion of the indexing operation, a subtraction-setting mechanism, and means brought into action on movement of said shutter to covering position for rendering said subtraction-setting mechanism ineffective.

15. In a computing machine, the combination with computing mechanism, and indexing devices for setting up numbers to be computed, of a shield or shutter for covering said computing mechanism at the completion of the indexing operation, a subtraction-setting mechanism including a key, and means brought into operation on movement of said shutter to covering position for locking said key against operation.

16. In a computing machine, the combination with a subtraction bar and a lug formed by a notch therein, of numeral keys, means for interfering with the operation of said numeral keys, a device connected to said interfering means to be moved in front of said lug and make said subtraction bar inoperable, and a second notch on said bar to permit said lock to be ineffective at times though said interfering means is efiective.

17. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys, of means whereby said numeral keys may compute in a computing zone, means for interfering with the operation of said numeral keys adapted to become effective at the end of a computing zone, a subtraction piece, and means for preventing the setting ofsaid subtraction piece when the operation of said numeral keys is interfered with.

18. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination with typewriter numeral keys, of means whereby said numeral keys may compute in a computing zone, means for interfering withthe operation of said numeral keys adapted to become effective at the end of a computing zone, a subtraction piece, means for preventing the setting of said subtraction piece when the operation of said numeral keys is interfered with, a general operator for completing a computation and adapted to be operated at the end of a computing zone, and means for simultaneously making said preventive and Copies of this patent may be obtained for said interferingand obstructing means move together, devices on which numbers are temporarily set up bysaid keys, a general op- 'erator for carrying the set-up numbers into puting machine, the combination with com- Jutin mechanism indexin devices numeral keys for setting said indexing devices,

and a general operator for running into the computing mechanism the numbers indexed, of means for obstructing the numeral keys after a number has been completely set up and before movement of said general operator, a subtraction-setting mechanism, and means brought into operation through the medium of said obstructing means for preventing setting of said subtraction-setting mechanism. v p

'WILLIAM L. GUMPRECHT.

Witnesses:

W. MLBYORKMAN, LYMAN D. BROUGHTON.

[1,. s] r i [n s] five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Batents, Washington, D. G.

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