US1290354A - Adding device. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Janl7, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 1|Illllnlll-lll'blllj Z A J 5 6 006099602 OOOOOOOOOOn L] G U R. REINBOLD.

ADDING DEVICE.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1911.

R. Ransom.

ADDING DEVICE. f

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1917. v

' Patented Jan. 7,-1919.

2 SHETSSHEET 2.

ROBERT REINBOLD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

ADDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1917. Serial No. 191,475.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT REINBOLD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mmneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and.

State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Adding Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to adding machines and more particularly to a device which is of extremely simple construction and adapted to be operated bya downward stroke which is very similar to the natural way of writing. The apparatus is made up of a small number of simple partsand the device as a whole, is of small dimensions so that it can be easily carried in the pocket ofthe user.

In use of the device, it can be laid upon a book over aseries of figures or numbers which are being added so that the upper edge of the device acts as a rule which extends transversely below the last series of numbers added in the machine. The rule edge of the device thus assisting materially the operation of the machine and preventing errors which commonly-occur in the use of adding machines such as duplications, etc.

My device is provided with an extra series of figure wheels which are adapted to illustrate the last amount or series of numbers added by the machine, thereby prevent- I ing an error by addingthe same amount twice in the device.

The above features together with other obj sets and combination of parts will be more fully described and set forth inthe follow.- ing specification and claims:

In the drawing which forms part ofthis specification Figure 1 is a plan view of my adding device, a portion of which is broken away. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of Fig. 1 taken on the line 3-3.

Fig. A is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the device showing the cover removed.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section of Fig.-

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 88 of Fig.4.

Fig. 9 is a similar section as Fig. 8 show ing the parts in a different position.

Fig. 10 is a section of a portion of the device taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged section on the line l111 of Fig. 2 illustrating a detail of a portion of the device.

In the drawing, A represents an adding machine which is of a flat thin nature and of small dimensions so that it can be easily carried from place to place for use in adding columns of figures in ledgers and other books of accounts where 1t is desired to use anadding machine to add a long column of figures.

The adding device A is provided with a cover 1 and a bottom or base portion 2, the bottom 2 is adapted to be held in place by means of the screws 3. The adding device A is formed with a projecting rule portion 4: which is formed by extending the upper end of the bottom or base portion 2. The rule portion 4 of the adding device A is formed with a series .of lines 5 on its upper surface which can be gaged as a rule so that the portion 4|: can be used to perform the functions of the ordinary rule which so often is used in bookkeeping. It is obvious that any desired characters or gage can be marked on the upper surface of the rule portion 4.

The adding device A is made up of a series of shafts 6 which are held parallel to each other in the cover 1 by means of the end bearings 7 and 8 and the bearing 9.

The bearings 7, 8 and 9 extend transversely across the inside of the cover 1 and the bearing portion 9 being positioned a little below the upper end of the adding device A. The bearing 9 is adapted to rest on the base portion 2 and secured thereto by means of the screws 10. The screws 3 hold the base 2 to the bearing portions 7 and 8. The shafts 6 extend longitudinally and parallel to each other from one end to the other in the adding device A and each is formed with a spiralgroove 11 on the enlarged portion of the same. The adding device A is provided with seven longitudinal shafts 6 but it is ob vious that any number eanbe used so as to add any number of columns of figures as the device A requires one shaft 6 for each column of figures being added.

Slides 12 or carriages are provided for each of the shafts 6 and are formed with a head or sliding nut portion 13 which is adapted Patented Jan. 7, 1919.

to encircle the shaft 6. The lower portion of the shaft encircling part of the head 13 is formed thin enough so that it can be bent inward to form a key 14 which is adapted to engage in the groove 11,, of the shaft 6. The slides 12 are formed with rearwardly extending portions 15 which are formed with notches or openings 16. Each slide 12 has eleven notches formed in the upper surface thereof, ten of which are exposed to view through the longitudinal slots 17 formed in the cover 1 of the adding device A and the portion of the cover 1 between the portions 15 of the slides 12 are marked with numerals from the bottom up from one to nine in consecutive order. The lowermost notch 16 which is exposed through the slot 17 having no corresponding numeral on the surface of the cover 1 as it is understood that this would be zero. The head 13 of the slide 12 is formed with an upwardly projecting lug 18 which acts as a guide for the slide 12 sliding in the slots 17 and preventing the turning of the slide 12 when the same is operated.

A coil spring 19 is carried by each of the shafts 6 and is adapted to hold the slide 12 forward in normal position as is illustrated in Fig. 3 to the head portion 13 engaging against the transverse guide 9. The rearwardly extending portions 15 of the slides 12 are formed with beveled surfaces 20 and are adapted to engage the guides 21 which are approximately dove-tail shaped which form supports for the rear ends of the slides 12. The supports 21 are positioned transversely across the adding machine A and are rigidly secured to the cover 1 of the same.

The guides 21 or supports are held to the cover 1 by means of the wedge shaped portion 22 and the forward end of the slides 12 are slidably held by means of the head 13 on the shaft 6. The rear end of the slides or carriages is supported by means of the supports 20.

A series of fiat springs 23 which are secured to the top of the cover 1 by means of the screws 24, are adapted to lie flat on the surface of the cover and parallel to each other. The springs 23 are formed on their forward end with engaging hooks 25 which. are adapted to engage in the notches 16 so as to hold the slides 12 when they are engaged and operated or slid in the slots 17. The springs 23 are formed with a recess portion 26 on their lower side in which a releasing bar 27 is adapted to lie. The releasing bar 27 is of a flat thin nature extending trans versely under the springs 23 and adapted to lie normally flat against the surface of the cover 1. The bar 27 is pivoted on its rear side on either end in the ears 28 which extend upwardly from the cover 1. An oper ating lever 29 is rigidly secured to the right hand end of the bar 27 and is adapted to turn the bar on its pivot points when it is depressed thereby raising the engaging ends 25 of the springs 23 out of engagement with the openings 16 to release the slides 12.

When the operating lever 29 is depressed, all of the springs 23 are raised or released simultaneously, so that if any of the slides which have been drawn down, will be released by merely depressing the lever 29. When the engaging springs 23 release the slides 12, the coil spring 19 will return them to normal position automatically, as is illus trated in Fig. 3. y

The upper end of the shaft 6 is reduced in size and carries a set of figure wheels B which are rigidly secured to the shaft 6 by means of a key 30. The figure wheels B have indices from one to zero on their cylindrical surface which are read through the openings 31 formed in the cover 1.

A second series of figure wheels C are freely journaled on the shaft 6 and have a cam surface D together with a ratchet tooth wheel E formed integral therewith. The cam shaped wheel D and ratchet tooth wheel E extend longitudinally from the figure wheels C and each have a surface of approximately the same width as the surface of the figure wheels C. The ratchet tooth surface E of the figure wheels C lie adjacent the figure wheels B and the cam surface D extends between the wheels C and the ratchet tooth wheel E.

A pawl 32 is pivotally secured at 33 to each of the figure wheels B and has an engaging end 34 which is adapted to engage the ratchet teeth 35 of the portions E and is held into engagement with the same by means of the fiat depressing springs 36 which are secured to the wheels B by means of the screws 37. A spring engaging dog 38 having a spring 39 is positioned beneath each of the ratchet tooth wheels E and is adapted to engage the teeth 35 of the wheels E so as to hold them in position against rotation in a reverse di rection, thus the wheels E and the camshaped wheel D and figure wheels C can only turn in one direction as is illustrated by the arrows in Figs. 6 and 7, while the figure wheels B which are rigidly secured to the shaft 6 will turn in either direction, as is illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 5.

A carry-one mechanism F is secured to the upper surface of the transverse support 9 and is formed with a flat forwardly extending spring finger 40 which carries a roller 41 and a spring engaging pawl 42 on its forward end. The roller 41 is pivotally secured to the rigid depending arms 43 which is formed integral and extends downward from the side of the spring 40. The roller 41 is adapted tobear on the surface 44 of the cam wheel D. The spring pawl Lancaster;

is held into engagement with the teeth 35 i of the ratchet tooth wheels E by means of the springs 44. The camwheel D is formed with an abruptly cut-away portion 45.

The carry-one mechanism F is adapted to carry a unit from one shaft to the next higher adjacent shaft, when the figure wheels C pass through nine tozero and this is accomplished 'by means of the springs 40 which depress or hold the roller41under spring pressure against the surface 44 of the cam wheel D. When the figure wheels C pass through nineto'zero, the cam wheel 7 D will beiin the position illustrated in Fig.

9, thus allowing the wheel 41 to drop into the cutaway portion 45 of the cam B and simultaneously turning the next adjacent fig ure wheel O by means of the pawl 42 which engages the adjacent ratchet tooth wheel E and turnsit one unit, thereby adding one digit to the next higher adjacent figure wheels C. As the cam D is rotated from the position illustrated in Fig. 9 in the direction of the arrows during the operation of the device A, the cam surface 41 will carry the wheel 40 up into the position illustrated in Fig. 8 ready to again carry a digit to the next higher shaft. This is repeated as often as the shafts 6 are rotated to operate the springs 41 when the digits are added in the adding machine A. The springs 40 are strong enough to depress the pawl 42and theroller 41 and turn the ratchet wheels E which are freely journaled on the shaft 6 and are formed integral with the cam wheels D and the figure wheels C.

The dogs 38 hold the figure wheels C in position against backward rotation but allows them to rotate in the direction of the. arrows as illustrated. The indice or figure wheels C are visible through the openings 46 formed in the cover 1.

In the operating of the adding machine A, it is placed preferably directly on the column of figures to be added with the ruled portion 4 directly below the series of numbers to be added, then by means of a stylus,

to the left of the device A, making it easy to select the desired column. The numbers on the surface ofthe cover 1 along side of the notches 16 act as a guide so that the numbers which are desired to be added in the machine can be quickly selected and the slides 12 drawn down by the operating tool.

drawn down position so that the last series of numbers or figures added in the adding machine A, will appear on the figure wheels B through the openings 31. The adding machine A is then moved down to the next series of numbers and the releasing lever 29 depressed, releasing the slides 12 which will return to normal position and thereby automatically return the indices on the number wheels B to zero but leaving the total amount added in the machine A on the number wheels C which are visible through the openings 46. With this construction of device A one is less liable to make an error by adding the same series of numbers twice and even if they are interrupted during operation of the device, the last figures added can be left on the series of wheels B and they can quickly determinewhere they left off in adding a column of figures. The wheels B thus being a check on the last numbers added. The rule portion 4 forms a convenient guide and instrument which is of a valuable nature to the bookkeeper. The figure wheels C can be returned to zero by adding figures in the device A to return the total indice to zero. In operation of the device A, the carry-one mechanism F operates automatically from one shaft to theone next adjacent higher and overcomes the features in which gear wheels are used to make up a carry-one mechanism and thereby causing considerable force to operate the carry-one mechanism. No extra force being necessary to operate the mechanism F as the spring 40 is adapted to depress the operating pawl.

The springs 40vare held by screws to the transverse supports 9 and the springs are preferably formed from one single piece of material so that they are all secured together on the support 9. The springs 40 extend forward as fingers from the support 9.

The figure wheels B assist the operatorin determining at all times in operation of the device A, that he'is addingthe right amount in the device for the reason that when an amount has been set up in the device A, it will appear through the openings 31 over the number wheels B, thus the operator can at a glance, see the amount, set up as it would appear in writing, he is adding in the device A before he releases the springs 23 to return the slides 12 back to normal position and the number wheels B to zero. The lowermost notch 16 appearing through the slots 17 of the slides 12, is the erating the device A, it is not necessary to operate the slides in the column where a zero occurs in adding. The extreme simplicity of the device A together with the downward stroke in operation, gives a device which is easy to operate and practical in use.

I have illustrated one particular form of construction of adding machine but I desire to have it understood that this device is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to other uses within the scope of the following claims:

1. In a device of the class described, a casing having a series of longitudinal open ings, a series of longitudinal shafts freely journaled in said casing beneath said openings, a carriage slidably secured to each of said shafts, means formed on said carriage for closing said longitudinal openings when in. one position, said closing means having engaging notches formed therein which can be engaged to move said carriages longitudinally, means on said shafts and carriage for rotating said shafts when said carriage is moved longitudinally, indicating means on each of said shafts and transfer means adapted to be operated automatically by spring pressure to transfer the count of a lower order indicating means to one of a higher order.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing having a series of slots, a series of shafts below said slots in said casing, a carriage slidably secured to each of said. shafts and adapted to close said slots in one position, means on said shafts and carriage for rotating said shafts when said carriage is moved longitudinally, transfer means adapted to be operated automatically by spring pressure to carry the count of a lower order indicating means to one of a higher order, and indication means on each of said shafts.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing having a series of longitudinally extending openings, a series of shafts below said openings freely journaled in said casing, indicating means on each of said shafts, automatically operated transfer means for said indicating means, a carriage slidably secured to each of said shafts, means on said carriage for closing said openings when said carriages are in one position in said casing, engaging means formed in said opening closing means and means on said shafts and carriage for rotating said shafts when said engaging means is engaged and said carriage moved in a longitudinal direction.

4,. In a device of the class described, having a series of shafts freely journaled therein, slides for engaging said shafts spirally to rotate said shafts in both directions when said slides are reciprocated, engaging means formed in said slides which is adapted to re ceive a suitable means to engage said slides at diiferent points to move said slides longitudinally, and indicating means secured to said shafts to indicate the total and last amount added in said device.

5. In a device of the class described having a series of shafts freely journaled therein, slides for spirally engaging said shafts to rotate said shafts when said slides are moved longitudinally, a series of numbers positioned on said device, said slides having notches formed therein opposite each of said numbers, when said slides are in inoperative position, and indicating means rigidly and freely journaled on said shafts to indicate the last and total amount added in said device, said rigidly secured indicating means being adapted to return to zero when said slides are released and moved back to normal position.

6. In a device of the class described, having a series of shafts freely journaled therein, a series of figure wheels rigidly secured to said shafts, a second series of figure wheels freely journaled on said shafts, slidable means mounted on said shafts for rotat ing the same, means for holding said slidable means in drawn down position so that said series of figure wheels rigidly secured to said shafts will indicate the last amount added in the device, means for releasing said holding means and means for returning the released slidable means to set said rigidly secured figure wheels so that their indice will read zero, substantially as described.

7. In an adding device having a series of longitudinally extending openings, shafts freely journaled in said device below said openings, slides having means for engaging said shafts to rotate the same when said slides are moved longitudinally, means formed on said slides to hold them against rotation when moved longitudinally, indi cating means secured to said shafts and eX- tensions formed on said slides to close said longitudinally extending openings in said device when said slides are in inoperating position, to conceal said shafts for the purposes specified.

8. In a device of the class described, a casing having a series of longitudinal openings, a series of shafts freely journaled in said casing beneath said openings, slides for spirally engaging said shafts to rotate the same in both directions, means on said slides for closing said openings, spring means on said shafts for holding said slides with said opening closing means normally in closed position, said opening closing means having a series of notches formed therein which may be engaged to operate said slides, spring means for engaging said notches when said slides are moved longitudinally, means for releasing said notch engaging means, indicating means rigidly secured on said shafts and indicating means freely journaled on said shafts, whereby when said slides are moved longitudinally said rigidly secured indicating means will be rotated from zero to indicate the amount added in said device, and when said notch engaging means is released, said spring means will automatically push said slides back to nor mal position, rotating said rigidly secured wheels back to zero, said freely journaled wheels being adapted to rotate in one direction only with said rigidly secured wheels to add and indicate the total amount in said device.

9. In a device of the class described, having a series of longitudinal shafts freely journaled therein, slides having means for engaging said shafts to rotate the same when said slides are moved longitudinally, a series of indice wheels rigidly secured to said shafts, a second series of indice wheels freely journaled on said shafts, and means for holding said series of freely journaled indice wheels so as to rotate in one direction only.

' 10. In a device of the class described, having a series of longitudinal and parallel shafts freely journaled in the casing of said device, indice wheels rigidly secured to said shafts, second indice wheels freely journaled to said shafts, ratchet wheels and a cam surface formed integral with said freely journaled indice wheels, means for engaging said ratchet wheels to allow the rotation of said freely journaled wheels in one direction only, spring means pivotally secured to said rigidly secured. indice wheels for engaging said ratchet wheels to rotate the same when said rigidly secured indice wheels are rotated by said shafts, spring arms having means or engaging the cam surface on one shaft and the teeth of the ratchet wheels on the next adjacent shafts so as to carry-one from the indice wheels on one shaft to the next adjacent higher shafts, and means for rotating said shaft, substantially as described.

11. In a device of the class described having, a series of freely journaled and longitudinally parallel shafts, slidable means for rotating said shafts, said slidable means having notches formed therein, spring means for engaging said notches, means for releasing said notch engaging means, indice wheels rigidly secured to said shafts, second indice wheels freely journaled to said shafts and a spring operated pawl pivotally secured to said rigidly secured indice wheels for rotating said freely journaled indice wheels in one direction only.

12. In a device of the class described, having a series of shafts freely journaled therein, slides for spirally engaging said shafts to rotate the same, indicating means rigidly secured and freely journaled on each of said shafts, said rigidly secured indicating means being adapted to indicate the last amount added in said device and said freely journaled indicating means being adapted to indicate the total amount added in said device, said slides having notches formed therein, means for engaging said notches when said slides are moved longitudinally, means for releasing said notch engaging means and spring means for automatically moving said slides longitudinally on said shafts in one direction to rotate said shafts in a backward direction and to automatically bring said rigidly secured wheels back to indicate zero when released.

13. In a device of the class described having a series of shafts freely journaled therein, slides or carriages for engaging said shafts spirally to rotate said shafts in both directions when said slides or carriages are reciprocated and indicating means directly secured to said shafts, to indicate the total and last amount added in said device.

14. In a device of the class described having, a series of shafts freely journaled there in, means for engaging said shafts spirally to rotate the same in both directions when said means is reciprocated, means for automatically moving said shaft rotating means in a backward direction when said engaging means is released from operating position, indicating means freely secured to said shafts and indicating means rigidly secured to said shafts, said freely secured indicating means being adapted to indicate the total amount added in said device, and said rigidly secured indicating means being adapted to indicate the last amount added in said device.

15. In a device of the class described having, a series of shafts freely journaled therein, means for engaging said shafts spirally to rotate the same in both directions when said engaging means is reciprocated, means for concealing said shafts when said shaft engaging means is in inoperative position, means for engaging said shaft concealing means to hold the same in drawn down position, means for releasing said shaft concealing means, means for moving said concealing means and said shaft engaging means back to normal position automatically when said shaft engaging means and said concealing means are released, indicating means on each of said shafts and means for transferring the count of a lower order indicating means to one of a higher order.

ROBERT REINBOLD.

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

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