US1454716A - Machine - Google Patents

Description

May 8, 1923.

L. FOURNIER ET AL COMPUTING MACHINE Q wwN WNN Patented May 8, 1923.

UNITED s'raras LOUIS FOURNIER AND GERARD MANG, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

COMPUTING MACHINE.

Application filed January 25, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LOUIS FoURNmR and GERARD MANG, citizens of the Republic of France, both residing at Paris, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Computing Machines, of which the following is a specification. The present invention relates to improvements in the tens-carrying mechanism of computing machines of the type in which a movable tooth is caused to project from the stepped drum at the desired moment with a view to actuating the number-wheel of the immediately higher numerical order. A mechanism of this type is described in applica-nts French Patent 522856 of August 25, 1920 and in applicants U. S. application Serial No. 321045, filed September 2, 1919.

I The improvements forming the subject of the present invention are intended, in a general' manner, to give the machine greater speed in operation, to reduce the resistance to movement of the parts and to securely lock said movable tooth so as to prevent it from accidental displacement.

In the accompanying drawings, a "form of execution of these improvements has been shown by way of example.

Figure 1 is a transverse section of the machine showing the arrangement employed for carrying tens. that is to say, for placing the movable tooth of the stepped drums in the desired position for causing the disc of the immediately higher numerical order to advance by one tenth of a revolution.

Figure 2 is a partial horizontal section showing details of this mechanism.

In a calculating machine, it is indispensable that the operation 01 the different parts shall be extremely rapid, in view of the fact that these parts actuate each other and that this succession of actuating movements would be liable, if not provided with means permitting of effecting this very rapidly, of slowing down the action of the machine to such an extent that the services rendered thereby would be diminished.

This is the case especially as; regards what may be called the accessory actions of a calculating machine, which form a branch of the general operation of the machine. This is the case with the mechanism known as the tens-carrying device the purpose of which is to arrange certain parts in the required. position when a disc has recorded Serial No. 531,805.

nine units of any order, so that, at the moment when it is going to record a tenth and consequently indicate zero, the disc of immediately higher order is advanced by one unit.

In the device described in French Patent 522856, this carrying of tens is effected by a movable tooth 72 which comes into engagement with the movable calculating wheel 76 mounted upon the axis of the next following wheel, this movable tooth not appearing and, consequently, not being capable of coming into action, except at the exact moment when the disc of a lower order accomplishes the tenth and last portion of its rotation. The manner in which the appearance ot th tooth 72 was brought about in the original device did not allow either of obtainingsuiliciently rapid movements as not to slow down the general operation considerably, or of absolute fixity of the movable tooth when in its operative position.

The improvements made in this device consist, on the one hand, of a mechanism actuated more directly by the disc and designed to exert a pull on the flange 68 of the part 68 so as to move the rod 68 longitudinally to push the movable tooth 72 outwards, this mechanism being provided with an accelerator which gives the movement considerable rapidity; they consist, on the other hand, of a lifting member which acts upon the movable tooth to rock it, so that it only projects from the drum 70 at a fixed point, and which holds it in a rigid manner in this new position.

the shatt 62 of the disc 62 is keyed a finger 63, the edges of which are chamfered and it is arranged radially so as to not between the passage of the disc from 9 to 0. Below this finger there is arranged, in a suitable frame 121 fixed to the base 5 of the machine. a rod 122 which can move vertically therein and terminates at its up per end in a head 123 of conical or other suitable shape: this rod carries at its lower end a finger 124 fixed thereon in any suitable manner.

The flange 68 of the member 68 is held by its periphery between the lateral faces of a notch 125 formed in the extremity of the arm 126 of a lever 127 pivoted at 128 on a check integral with the frame 121. The lever 127 terminates at its free end in a finger 182. having two abutments 133 and 134;

connected by a cam-surface 135 having a steep incline, these two abutments being intended to hold the lever 127 in its two extreme positions by means of a roller 131 carried by an arm-130 pivoted to a rigid arm 130 fixed to the frame 121; a return-spring 129 assures constant contact of the roller 13]. on the lever 127.

The part 68 carries a sleeve 136 terminating in a connecting member 137 and which can slide longitudinally on the shaft (39 ot the drum 70. This plate carries, fixed thereon, a rod 68* arranged parallel to the shaft 69 and having a block 68" vtor actuating the movable toot-h 72. The active portion of this latter is preferably ot slight length as can be seen in Fig. 1. and can only project on the. cylinder 70 at the exact spot at which it is to act, The movable tooth 72 is prolonged in a recess in the drum 70 to which it is pivoted at 72 near its rear end and it has two shoulders 72 and 7 both of which normally rest upon the actuating block 68- either upon its upper face or upon its lower face according to the position occupied by the movable tooth 72. It is to be observed that this arrangement (litters entirely from that described in French Patent 522856, which comprised a ljiell-crank lever, the oscillation of which controlled the radial movement of the movable tooth by the action of pins; the application of the shoulders acting after the manner ot steep cams upon the arms of multiplying levers so as to enable absolute instantaneity of movement to be obtained.

This mechanism operates in the following manner:

\Vhen the disc 62 of any order, having been brought into such position that the 9 appears at the opening provided for this purpose in the cover of the machine, is again moved through an angle corresponding to one unit, that is to say, through a tenth of a revolution, the finger 63. which is fixed to its shaft 62, engages. by means of its bevelled edge. the conical head 123 of the rod 122 and depresses this latter, can be seen from Fig. 1. The finger 124 of this rod is depressed in consequence and as it bears constantly upon a point formed on the lever 127. this latter oscillates about its axis 128 and pushes the roller 13,]. away, causing it to rise on the surface oi the cam 135. the spring 1 9 givi-mgway so as to permit 01" this movement. As the sur'ta ce 135 is very steepinclined, that is to say. that its extremity located near the abutment 133 is further re mote from the axis of oscillation 128 than the extremity adjacent the abutment 13 1. the roller 131 runs over this surface very rapidly under the action of the spring 129, and consequently depresses the lever 12?, causing. it" to oscillate at ahigh speedv about its pivot 128. The member 68 is therefore drawn sharply to the right and, owing to the accelerator constituted by the cam 13:) and the spring 129, this takes place so suddenly that its movement is effected immediately the rod122 has begun to be depressed by the finger 63'.

\Vhen the rod (58" thus drawn by the action of the arm 12G slides in the cylinder 70, the shoulder 72 ot the tooth '72 is raised by the abutment (38 ot the block (58" and rises upon the upper face of this latter, while its shoulder 7 falls along the abutment 68 on its lower ta'e The result is that the tooth 72 rocks about its axis 72' and is caused to project on the outside of the cylinder 70. It should be noticed that the shoulder 72 is raised by the abutment 68 as soon as the block 68 begins to move towards the right so that the tooth 72 is in its exterior position starting from this moment, that is to say, in the required position to engage the corresponding calculating wheel 76 which transmits the required angular displacement of one tenth of a revolution to the disc 62 of the immediately higher order. The. continuation of the movement of the. block (58 only has therefore the etlect ot tixing the tooth T2 in its working position owing to the locking of the shoulder 72 on the upper face of the block. This position is shown in Fig. 1. The return oithe parts to their normal position is cfl'ected by the device provided tor this purpose in French Patent No. 522856. which consists of an abutment 6S, acting on a cam 68 it will be seen that the arrangement just described enables the movable. tooth T2 to be put into action instantaneously, thanksto the acceleration obtained successively. on the one hand, by the steep incline of the can'i-surfacc and by the action of the spring 129 and on the other hand, by the relative positions of the shoulders 72 and '72 and ot the abutments (38 and 68 \Ve claim:

1. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination oi" asteppcd drum. a movable tooth on said drum. means for causing said tooth to project from the drum on the passage of tens 5 and auxiliary means tor accelerating the motion of the movable tooth.

2. in a tenscarryiug mecl'ia nism for computing macl'iines. the combination of a stepped drum. a movable tooth on said drum. means for causing said tooth to project from the drum on the passage of ten and a spring adapted to accelerate the motion of the movable tooth.

In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines. the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth on said drum, means :For causing said tooth to project' from the drum on the passage of tens, auxiliary means for accelerafiing'the motion of said tooth into its projecting position and means for locking said tooth in its projecting or retracted position.

4. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, and means actuated on the passage of tens to rock said tooth to cause it to project beyond the periphery of said drum.

5. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, means actuated on the passage of tens to rock said tooth to cause it to project beyond the periphery of said drum and means tor locking said tooth in position.

6. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted. to said drum, means actuated on the passage of tens to cause said tooth to project beyond the periphery of said drum and a spring adapt cd to accelerate the motion oi": said tooth.

7. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination oi? stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, means tending to rock said tooth to cause it to project beyond the periphery of said drum, means for normally locking said rocking means in the inoperative position and means actuated on the passage oi tens for releasing said rocking means.

8. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, means tending to rock said tooth. to cause it to project beyond the periphery of said drum, means for normally locking said rocking means in the inoperative position and a cam adapted, on the passage of tens, to release said rocking means.

9. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, means tending to rock said tooth to cause it to project beyond the periphery of said drum, means for normally locking said rocking means in the inoperative position, a rod engaging said locking: means and a cam adapted, on passage of tens, to actuate said rod to release said rocking means.

10. In a tens-carrying mechanism for computing machines the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum. means actuated on passage 0:? tens to rock said tooth to cause it to project beyond the periphery or? said d run). and canrsurfaces on said rocking means for lock: ing said tooth in position.

11. In a tens-carrying mechanism forconu puting machines, the combination of. a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, an actuating block slidably mounted in said drum, said block having cam surfaces adapted to engage said tooth and means actuated on the passage of tens to slide said block to rock said tooth.

152. In a tenscarrying mechanism for computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, a block for rocking said tooth to cause it to project from said drum slidably mounted in the latter, cam-surfaces on said block adapted to rock said tooth on passage of tens and to lock it in position and spring actuated means released on passage of tens to slide said actuatino lock.

In a tons-car mechanism vtor computing machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, a block for rocking said tooth to cause it to project into operative position slidably mounted in said drum, a spring tensioned rocking-lever engaging said block and means actuated on passage of tens to release said rocking lever to slide said block. 14. In a tens-carrying mechanism for com put rig machines, the combination of a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, a block for rocking said tooth to cause it to project into operative position slidably mounted in said drum, a rocking lever engaging said block at one end and terminating at the other end in a steep cam surface having an abutment at each end, a spring tcnsioned lever engaging one of said abutn'ients to hold said rocking lever in the position in which said movable tooth is in operative position and means operated on passage of tens to release said spring tensioned lever to allow it to pass along said cam-surface to the other abutment thereby rock g said rocking lever.

15. In atens-carrying mechanism "for computing machines, the combination or a stepped drum, a movable tooth pivoted to said drum, a block for rocking said tooth to cause it to project into operative position slidably mounted in said drum, a rocking lever engaging said block at one end. and tcrminati. g at the other end in a steep cam surface having an abutment at each end. a spring-tensioned lever engaging one of said abntments to hold said rocking lever in the position in which said movable tooth is inoperative, and a rod engaging said rocking lever and adapted on passage of tens to move said rocking lever to release said spring tensioned lever to allow the latter to act on said cam-surface to rock said rocking lever for the purpose set forth.

In witness hereof, we have hereunto set our hands this day of January 1922,

L UIS FOURNIER. GAJBARD MANG.

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