US1661277A

US1661277A - thomas

Info

Publication number: US1661277A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1928-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1945-03-06

Description

Ill! 6 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. THOMAS COMPUTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 16. 1924 March 6, 1928.

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9B9 YQ) WW 41 ATTORNEY' March 6, 1928. 1,661,277

L. THOMAS COMPUTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001:. 16. 1924 IHIIII IN V EN TOR.

6 A TTORNEY mama Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUCIE TEOIAS, OI NOWAWEB, BY POTSDAI, GEBIANY; LUCIE mun, uh m ABSIGNOB '10 am BEBGIANN, OI BERLIN, Gm.

COMPUTING MACHINE.

Application fled October 18, 1924, Serial No. 748,896, and in Germany November 17, 1983.

The resent invention relates to improvements 1n computing machines having reciprocatory sliders. I.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a compact, light-weight device suitable for both addition and subtraction.

Another object of the present invention is to-provide a simple and improved signal arrangement to show the operator when a l slider has been operated past the zero position, whether during addition or subtraction, so that proper steps may be taken to obtain the correct result.

The invention also comprehends an improved guiding plate for the sliders,and an improved slider, each of which are preferably made from sheet metal.

Furthermore the invention contemplates a machine which is readily convertible for adding or subtracting as desired. To this end, the face of the machine has a reversible flap provided on one side with part of the means used for an operation in addition and on the other side with part of 'the means used for an operation in subtraction. The front plate of the machine is provided with the remaining parts necessary for carrying out either of these operations at will, the unnecessary indicia and slots for one operation being covered by the flap in one position, and those for the other operation being covered by the flap in the other position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating pencil for the machine with suitable means, as clips, for removably fastening it to the side of the machine to clamp the reversible flap in place so that the entire device may be readily inserted into a carrying case.

The accompanying drawings show a convenient embodiment of the machine, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same, for the invention may be embodied in various forms.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine showing a portion of the reversible flap broken away to reveal the front numbering on the plate and showing other portions of the flap in position for addition or for subtraction;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 of Fig. 1;

I rearwardly exten Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 30f Figs. 1 and 2; t

Fig. 4 is a front elevation with parts of the front plate broken away and certain of the sliders removed;

Figb is a fragmentary perspective view of Is, slider; i

ig. 6 is a fra mentar ers ctive view of the back-plate? y p pe I F lgs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views showng the sliders in their extreme position, illustrating the giving of signals when the slider has been moved beyond the 9 and 0 positions respectively; and I Fig. 9 illustrates a modified back-plate.

As here shown, the machine is in the form of a flat compact device preferably made up almost entirely out of sheet metal and capable of being carried in the pocket.

A rear platelO of sheet metal is provided with forwardly

bent edges

11, 12, 13, and 14, while a front (plate 15 is provided with

ing side flanges

16 and 17 and an end flange 18. These flanges are bent upon themselves as shown at 19 so as to he behind the rear plate 10. The two plates are locked in place by inwardly bent prongs 20, and when disposed as has been described provide a chamber 21 for the enclosed operatlng parts of the machine.

The front plate is punched to provide a plurality of parallel slots 22, a completeslot being shown to the left of the center of Fig. 1. The upper and lower ends of 22 and 22" of these slots are extended'laterally to the left as shown, and they are preferably then continued in the form of

short slots

23 and 24 connected with the lateral extensions and extend toward one another parallel with the main portion of the slot 22, thereby provlding return extensions for purposes to be hereafter discussed. If desired, one may remove the narrow strip of material between the main part of the slot and the short slots.

Above each of the slots 22 and about half way between the slots 22 and the adjacent return slots 23, the front plate is providedwith inspection openings 25 to observe the sliders 26 carried in the chamber 21.

These sliders are shown more in detail in Figs. 4 and 5 and are preferably made out of a strip of sheet metal by bending backwardly a series of prongs 27. The removal of the prong material; from the body of the flat sheet from which the slider is stamped rovides the slider with serrated

lateral e ges

28 and 29, these edges comprising a number of teeth 28' and interposed notches 27 and at the same time provides a guide-way or channel 30 for the slide, the side walls of the guide-Way being serrated on account of being made up of a number of rearwardly bent prongs. The

lateral edges

28 and 29 of the sliders are here shown as being provided with twenty-two notches 27, notches being disposed at the bottom or lower end of the slider and teeth 28' at the upper end of the slider. The twelve teeth on the upper left hand side of the sliders are preterably colored so as to present a contrasted appearance relative to the other teeth on the slider, this coloring being indicated in Fig. 4: of the drawing by shading these teeth. The sliders are provided with the digits 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,0, between the upper notches, the 9 being placed at the upper end of the slider.

Intermediate the back-plate 10 of the machine and the sliders 26 there is provided a guide plate 31 also preferably made of sheet metal. This plate is here shown as being provided with a plurality of spring fingers 32 struck out from the front face of the guide plate and integral therewith. The

fingers are arranged in pairs, one finger be ing above and the other below the center of the plate. This provides two rows of fingers, the fingers in one row being in alignment with the corresponding fingers of the other row so as to provide guides for the sliders 26 which may be placed on the guide plate as indicated in the drawings. The rearwardly directed prongs 27 on the slider are adapted to embrace the spring fingers struck out from the guide plate and the fingers urge the sliders toward the front plate 15 of the machine.

The front plate 15 is provided near the center of the machine with forwardly

bent projections

33 and 34 preferably struck out from the material of the plate. These projections are preferably placed in line with the 5s on the front plate and provide a pivotal mounting for a reversible flap 35. The flap may, of course, be mounted in any other convenient manner. This flap is provided with a number of parallel slots 36 spaced in the same manner as the slots 22 and so located as to be in line with these slots. The slots 36 open toward the edge of the flap 35 adjacent its pivotal mounting, and the digits 4, 3, 2, 1, O, are placed on e ther side of the flap as indicated in Fig. 1. The flap is also provided with a number of inspection openings 37 which are adapted to be disposed over the inspection openings 25 in the front plate of the machine when the flap is moved up as indicated at the left of Fig. 1. It will be noted from inspection of the Fig. 1 that when the flap is down,

(as shown at the right) the digits 9, 8, 7,

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, appear alongside the straight slot made up of the

slots

22 and 36,

of addition and multiplication, this being indicated by the plus sign at the left of the flap and the sign of multiplication at the right edge of the flap.

When the flap is moved upwardly (as shown at the left of Fig.1), the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, appear alongside the straight slot, and the upper return extensions 2223 have been covered by the flap. The machine is now in condition for carrying out operations of division and subtraction. Subtraction is indicated by a minus sign at the left of the flap and by the sign of division at the right.

In carrying out an operation in addition, the flap is moved to the lower position and the sliders are all brought to a position to bring the zeros behind the inspection openings 25. This may be readily brought about by pulling upwardly on the exposed end 38 of a wire loop 39 which extends inside the chamber 21 in the manner shown to bring it below the lower end of the sliders. Stops 40 are provided to limit the upward movement of the loop so as to bring the zeros on the sliders up to the inspection openings. The sliders are then manipulated in the customary manner, the uncolored teeth in dicating that the slider is to be moved down while the colored teeth indicating that the slider is to be moved upward and that the pointer 41 is to be carried along the lateral extension 22 and down the short slot 22 thereby advancing the next slider to the left one digit. The same movements are to be made even though the material between the slots and 23 were removed as is customary in some machines of th s type.

In carrying out certain problems, such. for example, as when the slider is in a position to bring the 9 behind the inspection opening and the slider to the right is to be moved up, and the addition completed by carrying the pointer around into the short slot 23, the slider would be moved so that the 9 goes below the inspection opening. One would then notice the disappearance of the slider, or the appearance of the guiding-plate behind the inspection opening. This condition is illustrated in Fig. 7, and the operator should change the sliders in a predetermined manner to indicate the correct result. He should insert the pointer into the notch in this slider adjacent the O in the next slot to the left, moving up to the 0 position and then carrying the adjacent slider down one step by moving the pointer around the return extension in the usual manner.

In carrying out certain problems in subtraction, wherein a slider has its 0 in front of an inspection opening and the next slider to the right is to be moved downwardly, one would, in carrying the result over into the next column, move the former slider from the 0 position to the position bringing the blank space behind the inspection openings 37-25, as indicated in Fig. 8. This indicates to the operator that he should insert the pointer in the notch adjacent the 0 in the first mentioned slider, and move the pointer down and around the return extension 22"24.

In the event that one has pushed the slider up when it should have been pulled down, the zero on the slider will be moved beyond the inspection opening and the blank space will come to view. This will indicate to the operator that he should have pulled the slider down. The error may be rectified by moving the slider down.

The layout of the machine is preferably such that the sliders cannot be moved beyond the signaling positions above described. This is readily brought about by making the space between the ends of the sliders 'and the body of the machine of the proper length to so limit their motion.

The extreme left slider 26 may, if desired, be provided with digits which contrast with those on the other sliders.- This may readily be done by making different shaped figures or by making them out of a series of dots such as shown.

As machines of the type above described may conveniently be carried in a pocket case by being slid into the open end thereof, and in order to keep the pointer with the machine, the present pointer is provided with a pair of spring clips 42 adapted to engage the front and back of the machine. These clips will hold the pointer in place, and at the same time will hold the flap 35 close to the front plate of the machine in whichever position it may be. v

In Fig. 9 I have illustrated a modified back-plate which functions as a guide plate. Here the fingers of Fig. 6 are replaced by similarly disposed ridges pressed out of the back-plate itself.

It is obvious that the invention may be embodied in many forms and constructions, and I wish it to be understood that the particular form shown is only one of the many forms. Various modifications and changes being possible, I do not limit myself in any way wit-h respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A computing machine having a plurality of parallel reciprocatory sliders having serrated lateral edges and the digits, 0,

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, 7, 8, 9 thereon, and a front plate covering the sliders and having parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches on one serrated edge of one slider, each end of each of the slots being provided with return-extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, the front plate having the digits 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 alongside each slot.

2. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of parallel reciprocatory sliders having serrated lateral edges and the digits, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 thereon, and a front plate covering the sliders and having parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches on one serrated edge of one slider, each end of each of the slots being provided with return extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, of a pivotally mounted reversible flap adapted to cover the return extensions at either end of the parallel slots.

3. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of parallel reciprocatory sliders having serrated lateral edges and the digits, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 thereon, and a front plate covering the sliders and having parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches on one serrated edge of one slider, each end of each of the slots being provided with return extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, the front plate having the digits 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 alongside each slot, and a pivotally mounted reversible flap adapted to cover the return extensions at either end of the parallel slots, the flap having open ended slots to permit access to the slots in the front plate and having the digits 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, alongside the slots with the 4s adjacent the open end of the slots.

4. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of parallel reciprocatory sliders having serrated lateral edges and the digits, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 thereon, and a front plate covering the sliders and having inspection openings for observing the digits on the sliders and parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches on one serrated edge of one slider, each end-of each of the slots being provided with return extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, of a pivotally mounted reversible flap adapted to cover the return extensions at either end of the parallel slots, the flap being provided with inspection openings adapted to register with the inspection openings on the front plate when the flap is in one position.

5. In a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of parallel reciprocatory sliders having serrated lateral edges and the digits, 0, 1, 2, a, 4, 5, s, 7, s, 9 thereon,

and a front plate covering the sliders and having inspection openings for observing the digits on the sliders and having parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches on one serrated edge of one slider, each end of each of the slots being provided with return extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, the front plate having the digits 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 alongside each slot, of a pivotally mounted reversible flap adapt ed to cover the return extensions at either end of the parallel slots, the flap having open ended slots to permit access to the slots in the front plate and having the digits 4;, 3, 2, 1-, 0, alongside the slots with the ls adjacent the open end of the slots, the flap being provided with inspection openings adapted to register with the inspection openings on the front plate when the flap is in one position. I

6. in a computing machine, the combination with a plurality of parallel reciprocatory sliders having serrated lateral edges and the digits, 0, 1, 2, 3, 41-, 5, 6,

'2', 8, 9 thereon, and a front plate covering the sliders and having parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches on one serrated edge of one slider, each end of each of the slots being provided with return extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, the front platehaving the digits 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 alongside each slot, of a pivotally mounted reversible flap adapted to cover the return extensions at either end of the parallel slots, the flap be-= ing pivoted in line with the 5s on the front plate,

7. it, computing machine having a front plate provided with parallel slots, each end of each slot being provided with return extensions and having the digits 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 6, '2', 8, 9, alongside each slot.

8. it, reversible flap for computing machines, said flap having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from one side edge, and having the digits at, 3, 2, 1, 0, alongside the slots.

9. A reversible flap for computing machines, said flap having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from one side edge, and having the digits 4:, 3, 2, 1, 0, alongside the slots on both faces of the flap, the 4s being adjacent the open end of the slots.

10. it reversible flap for computing machines, said flap having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from one side edge, and having the digits 4t, 3, 2, 1, 0, alongside the slots, the flap being further provided with inspection openings adjacent the closed ends of the slots.

11. in a computing machine, a reversible flap having a plurality of slots extending inwardly from one side edge of the flap and money? covering the slide'rsand having inspection openings for observing the digits on the sliders and parallel slots each permitting access to eleven notches-on one serrated edge ofone slider, each end of each of the slots being provided with return extensions to expose two notches on the other serrated edge of the adjacent slider, a reversible flap adapted to cover the return extensions at eitherend of the parallel slots, the flap being provided with inspection openings adapted to register with the inspection openings on the front plate when the flap is in one position, and a sheetmetal guide-plate having a pair of oppositely directed spring guiding-fingers struck out from one face of the plate and integral therewith, the sliders having two rows of rearwardly projecting prongs providing a guiding channel to embrace the spring fingers on the plate and being pressed thereby against the back side of the front plate.

13. A. computing machine having reciprocating sliders, each having serrated edges and provided with the digits 9, 6, l, 6, 5, t, 3, 2, 1, O, the digit 9 being at one end of the slider, the slider being blank below the O, a front plate covering the sliders and having slots for permitting access to notches on the lateral edges of the sliders for carrying forward mathematical sums, inspection openings for observing the digits on each of the sliders, the disappearance from behind one of said openings of the slider-end having the digit ,9 providing a visible signal to indicate to the operator that the position of the sliders should be changed in a predetermined manner to indicate the correct result, the appearance through one of the inspection openings of the blank space on a slider providing a visible signal to indicate to the operator that the position of the sliders should-she changed in another predetermined manner to indicate the correct result, and a sheet metal guide-plate having a pair of oppositely directed spring guidingfingers struck out from one face of the plate and integral therewith, the sliders having two rows of rearwardly projecting prongs providing a guiding channel to embrace the spring fingers on the plate and being pressed thereby against the back side of the front plate.

Signed at Berlin 011 the 29 day of September, 1924;. LUCIE THOMAS.