US1726539A - Rotary alphabet-printing tabulator - Google Patents

Description

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ROTARY ALPHABET PRINTING TABULATOR Filed- April 22. 1927 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 @513 flaw/mug Sept. 3, 1929.

FRED M. CARROLL, OF YONKEH-S,

CHINE COMPANY, OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A- CORIGRATION OF NEW YORK, ASSIGlTOR- TO THE TABULATING MA- NEW JERSEY.

RQTABY ALPHABET-PRINTING TABULATOR.

Application. filed Apri122,

The invention concerns automatic printing machines and more particularly accounting machines designed to print letters of the alphabet as well as figures.

The usual type of accounting machine on which letters as well as figures may be printed has very long type carrying bars or the type carriers must be turned or twisted, as well as moved longitudinally to bring one of a plu-' rality of sets of typeinto operation. These alphabetical printers also have reciprocating type carriers entailing periodic shocks for the machine during its operation. Accordin g to the present invention it is proposed to use a rotary drum printer for alphabet as well as figure printing of the type disclosed in my prior U. S. Patent No. 1,516,079, November 18, 1924, which obviates the use of reciprocating parts and results in substantially smooth machine cycles. The printing drum disclosed in the patent carries a plurality of rows of pivoted type carriers on each of which is dis posed a printing type. As the drum rotates these type carriers reach a predetermined printing position successively and suitable call mechanism may be activated to rotate any type carrier about its pivot when it reaches printing position and cause its type to strike a paper carrying platen. This rotation of the type carrier about its pivot is effected while the drum is in motion and consequently the machine is a remarkably quick acting printer of its type. Furthermore the printing drum is constantly rotating and therefore. does not impart sudden shocks to the machine in its operation. The drum disclosed in the patent, however, prints only numerals, ha. 7 ing no provision for alphabet printing. It would be quite possible, of course. to place a type for each letter of the alphabet on separate type carriers and dispose these carriers around the periphery oil the drum so that each might be independently selected for printing in the same way as the numeral types are selected. This would involve a'drum of rather large dimensions entailing increased cost of production and operation difficulties due to its size. According to the present invention it is proposed to provide a drum of substantially the same dimensions as that-disclosed in the patent and to provide the extra printinn capacity necessary to include the letters at the alphabet by mounting a plurality of type below ether on pirated type 1927. Serial No. 185,711.

printing position and may be selected for printing when they reach this position by means substantially similar to that disclosed in the patent. Each type carrier in the pres ent case when it is in printing position may print one of several different characters and the platen carriage is shifted to different positions to select the particular type which is to print. Ordinarily the type carriers will not be provided with more than three type, making it necessary to shift the platen carriage to three separate positions.

The alphabet is usually represented on tabulating cards by what is known as a combinational index point system meaning that the designation of a character in the different card columns may be represented by two or more perforations. The cardsare analyzed while in motion from which it follows that the analyzing mechanism will sense the different perforations of a combination successively. A translator is provided which is set up in accordance with the successive analyzing of the diflerent perforations of the combination and after the set up for a combination is complete it is converted into a single timed operation corresponding to the particular character represented. In connection with a print ing device, of course, this timed operation is made effective to select the type carrier on which the character corresponding to the particular designation is mounted for printing. The mere selection. of the type carrier does not in itselfdetermine which particular type on the carrier is to print as this also depends on the position of the platen. The type are divided into three groups one group including the upper type, another the intermediate type and the third the lower type. As the machine operates, the platen carriage is moved successively to assume a position for receiving printing impressions from the upper type during one machine cycle, to a position to receive impressions from the intermediate type during the succeeding machine cycle and to a position for receiving impressions from the lower type during a third machine cycle. Obviously then each card which is analyzed requires three separate machine cycles in order that all possible characters which may be rep.

This is taken resented on it can be printed. a a teasing, a ea-re at in the present case by during one machine cycle in which its index perforations are analyzed and then suspending the card feed during the two following cycles. Any character belonging to the first or upper group of type will beselected for printing during a first printing cycle corresponding to the card feeding cycle. During this first cycle the platen-carriage remains in position to cause printing of the upper. type of the carriers. Then while the card feed is suspendedthe platen carriage moves to its intermediate position and during a second printing cycle any characters belonging tothe secondor intermediate group of type which might be set up in the translators cause the proper type carrier to print from the intermediate. type. Duringa third printing cycle, at the beginning oflwhichcard feed is still suspended the platen carriage is moved to its third position 'to receive printing from the third or lower group of type for which setups have been effected in the translating device during the feeding of the card. At the end of three card cycles another-card feeds to the analyzing device and the operation is repeated, each successive card thus requiring three printing cycles for printing of the complete data represented on it.

The principal object of the invention is to providean alphabetical printer for an accounting machine of new and improved construction and arrangement of parts to the end that'alphabet printing on :machines of this type maybe speededup. and that the printing may be effected with smootlrmachinecycles.

nother object of theinvention is to provide a rotaryalphabetical printer for ac-. counting machines.

Another objectis to provide an alphabetical printer for accounting machines whose dimensions are small in comparison to-the number of possible printing operations which it can perform.

Another object of the invention is to provide an alphabetical printer for. an accounting machine which. is free from heavy reciproeating type carriers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an alphabetical printer in which'the type are moved constantly. from home position through their printing positions and back to home position with an uninterrupted motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an alphabetical printer for an accounting machine in Which a pluralityof type carriers are provided for each printing columneach of which carriersmay be provided with a plurality of type and in which a platenand the type carriers are shifted relatively to each other to select the different type of the-car riers for printing. a The invention may be clearly 'understoo from the following detailed description Which should be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which. the same parts are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the several views and in which Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a representation of the mechanical elements ofa complete machine;

Fig. 2 is a section through the printing drum and accumulator on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section through the card feeding and analyzing devices on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section through the translating mechanism showing a translating device in elevation, being along line 4.-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are sections on lines 55, 66, 77 and 88 respectively of Fig. 4,

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are details of the translating mechanism showing. the parts in different positions;

F ig. 12 is a diagrammatic development of the translating mechanism illustrating the method of translating a multi-hole combination into a single timer operation;

Fig. 13 represents a card field with the character code represented thereon;

Fig. 14 is a detail of the platen carriage shifting .mechanism Figs. 15, 16 and. 17 are details illustrating the operation of the type carriers during a printing operation Fig 18 is a section through the card feed clutch box;

Figs. 19 and 20 are detail sections of parts of one of the clutchesin Fig. 18, being taken on lines 19 -19 and 20-20 of Figs. 22 and 21, respectively;

Figs..21 and 22 are sections on lines 21-21,

timers shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 27 beinga section on line 27--27 of Fig. 25;

Fig. 28 isan isometric detail of the automatic control mechanism;

Fig. 29 is a detail of the automatic control mechanism showing the parts in different position from that in Fig. 28, and,

Figs. 30 and 30 show the circuit diagram of the machine and-F ig. 28*- should be placed to .the right of Fig. 28 to form a complete circuit diagram.

Referring first to Fig. 1 the motor for driv ing the machine elementsis shown at 50, con nected by a belt and pulley to a gear train indicated generally at '51 and which through suitable extensions operates the tabulating shaft 52, the shaft 53 on Which the jacks for the switch bars and automatic control restoring mechanism and the regular cam contacts aremounted and shafts 54 and 55, the former of which operates the total timer 56 and the translating elements 57 and the latter of which operates the starter timers 58 and 59. The printing drum 61 and the platen 62 are likewise driven from the gear train 51. The shafts 53, 541, 55 and the drum 61 rotate constantly as long as the motor 50 is in operation. The card feed clutches, enclosed in the clutch box 63, are driven from the shaft 53 through a gear train 64. As will be hereinafter explained, the card feed mechanism is driven from clutches through a gear train 65 and the clutches are so arranged that one card will be fed to the analyzing mechanism every fourth cycle as long as the card feed clutches are in operative position. That is, a card will be fed to the analyzing mechanism during one cycle and the card feed will then. be

suspended during the two following cycles. The machine requires certain card feed cam contacts Which are closed every cycle and certain other card feed cam contacts which are closed every three cycles. The former are shown at 66 and the latter at 6'7 and the shafts on which theyare mounted are driven from the gear train 65 as indicated.

The machine is provided with a plurality of switch bars indicated at 70, 71, 72, 7 3, T4 and 75. Switch bar 7 0 is called the adding and listing switch bar, 71 is called the total print switch bar, 7 2 is the grand total switch bar,73 and 7 4 are the total with reset and total without reset switch bars respectively and 75 is the group indicating switch bar. The purpose of these switch bars is to connect certain operating devices with their controls in the proper machine cycles to carry out predetermined operations. Their operation has been fully described in my copending applicatiom Serial No. M7960 filed November 12, 1926 to which reference may be had for a complete description of them. It may be stated generally that each switch bar carries a plurality of bridging contacts which are moved into circuit closing engagement with stationary contacts to close certain controlling circuits.

The adding and listing switch bar serves to connect the accumulators and printing call magnets with the analyzing mechanism or brushes during adding and listing cycles while the total switch bars connect the printing call magnets with the accumulating devices for control thereby in totaling. In the drawing each switch bar is shown in open circuit position. The adding and listing switch bar is controlled from a jack 81 which consists of a cam 82 mounted on shaft 53.

As the shaft rotates the cam permits a rod 83 to rise and release the bell lever 84; thereby permitting a spring 85 to move the switch bar 70 to circuit closing position during the tabulating and listing portion of each ma chine cycle. The switch bar 70 tends to move to circuit closing position during every machine cycle but during total cycles the total print switch bar 71 througil'i linkage 86 locks bell crank 84 is ineffective to move the switch bar 7 0 to circuit closing position. 1

The total switch bars and the group indicating switch bar arenormally held out of circuit closing position by a jack as illustrated in Figs. 23 and 24. The shaft 58extends through the jack casing and mounted on the shaft within the casing is a one revolution clutch whose elements are. indicated at and 91. The element 91 is'pinned to the shaft 53. The element 90 is freely mounted on the shaft and has a cam 92 rigidly attached to it. Energization of a control magnet 88 attracts its armature and releases a latch 94 from latching engagement with a pawl on the normally stationary clutch element 90. The pawl 95 when released by its latch engages a notch in the clutch member 91 by spring action thereby coupling the members 90 and 91 together and causing the member 90 with its cam 92 to rotate with the shaft 58 for a single revolution. During this revolution the high portion of the cam 92 depresses a cam follower 93 against the action of a spring 94:. The cam follower 93 is mounted on a rod 95 whose lower end cooperates with the upper end of an operating rod 96 for the bell crank 97 one of whose arms is pivoted to the switch bar 71. Depression of tile cam follower 93 and rod 95 likewise depresses the rod 96 and rocks the bell crank 97 to force the switch bar 71 into circuit closing position. The switch bar 71 remains in circuit closing position for the major portion of the printing-cycle and is moved to open circuit position at the end of the cycle by a spring, not shown in Figs. 23 and 2 but indicated in Fig. 1, when the cam follower 93 moves upward onto the lower portion of the cam92 which is presented to it before the end of the totalingcycle. The remaining total switch bars and group indicating switch bar operate in a similar manner and itwill be noted that energization of a control magnet is required to move each of these switch bars into circuit closing position and that when so moved they remain 1n circuit closing position fora single cycle,

differing in this from the adding and listing switch bar which moves to circuit closing position during each machine cycle unless it is positively locked out.

The timers 56, 58 and 59, driven by the shafts 54: and 55,respectively, are detailed in Figs. 25. 26 and 27. These timers consist essentially of a group of cam operated contacts whose function is to close certain controlling circuits at certain predetermined times during machine operation. These timers do not operate constantly but only when the card feed is initiated and during total taking operations.

The timers 5S and 59 control the starting with a cam 107'on the shaft 55.

of card feed and the timer 56 controls total taking. Each of these timers when set into operation is operative for six machine cycles to control contacts as will be hereinafter described.

Referring now to Figs. 25, 26 and 27 the timer cam shaft 99 carries a plurality of cams 98 which are properly shaped to open and close contacts 100 and 101 as required. The contacts are actually closed by pivoted members 102 each having a'portion resting on one of the cams 98 and a portion in engagement with the lower contact 101. The driving mechanism for thetimer cam shaft 99 is best shown in Fig. 27. A ratchet wheel 103, provided with six teeth, is rigidly attached to the cam shaft 99. An operating pawl 104 is pivoted at the end of a fulcrumed arm 105 which carries a cam follower 106 cooperating Once each cycle thecam 107 rocks the arm 105 clockwise forcing the operating pawl 104 upward. When the timer is in normal position the pawl 104 slides back and forth on an elongated tooth 108 which is long enough to prevent the pawl from-slipping off itand engaging the next tooth. The remaining teeth of the ratchet 103 are dimensioned so that when the pawl 104 is riding on any one of them, each of its movements in response to the cam 107 causes it to first rotate the ratchet together with the shaft 99 through 14; of a revolution and then on its downward stroke to engage the next tooth whereupon the subsequent revolution of the cam 107 will cause the ratchet and shaft to rotate through another of a revolution. After the timer has once been started in operation then its shaft 99 will be rotated once during six cycles of machine operation.

The timer is'started by the mechanism shown in Fig. 26. A disc 111 having a notch.

112 in its periphery is mounted on the shaft 99. A pivoted multi-armed lever 113 has a pawl 114 pivoted on one of its arms, which pawl normally rests on the brinkof the notch 112 in the disc 111. in this normal inoperative position by the supporting structure 115 of the armature of a control magnet 116. A third arm of the lever cooperates with a cam 117 mounted on the shaft 55. This last named arm, however, is normally held out of the path of'the cam by the latching structure 115. Energization of the magnet- 116 attracts its armature releasing the latch 115 whereupon the lever 113 is rocked clockwise by a spring 118 permitting the end of the operating portion 114 to drop into the notch 112 in disc 111. In its next revolution the cam 117 engages its coacting arm on the lever 113 and rocks the latter counterclockwise pulling the pawl 114 down and imparting a slight rotation to disc 111 and the shaft 99. This rotation is sufficient to cause the operating pawl 104 (see Fig. .27) to The lever 113 is latchedslide off the surface ofthe elongated tooth Y andengagethe next ratchet tooth whereupon the cam shaft 99 will be operated through a complete revolution during the ensuing six cycles of machine operation. The movement of the timer cam shaft 99, of course, terminates'after one complete revolution when the operating pawl 104 again engages the surface of the elongated tooth.

The tabulating shaft 52 drives the severalgagement with those on the member 124 themember rotates with the shaft 121. The shlfting mechanism consists .of a lever 126 which is urged by a spring 127 to constantly force the member 125 intoclutching engagement with a member 124. This shifting action is normally preventedby latch 128 whose end takes under an arm on-the shift lever 126. Energization of the counter magnet 130 attracts its armature 131 and an extension 132 thereon rocks the latch 128 from beneath the arm-of shift lever 126. The leverthereupon shifts themember 125 into engagement with the member 124. A lug on a sleeve member 133 fixed to the shaft 121 engages the shift lever "126 at a predetermined point in the cycle and rocks it into latching position disengaging the counter element 125 from the driving element 124. The magnet 130 is energized in response to perforations on a controlling record andthe clutch kick out is timed so that the movement of the counter element 125 corresponds to the number representedby the perforation.

Total printing is controlled by disc 140 which through a crown gear on its rear face and an elongated pinion on the member 125 is driven by the latter. The disc 140 is provided with extensions 141 which coact with an arm 142 carrying a total printing bridging contact 143-at its end. Whenever the counter element 125 passes through a zero position one of the extensions 141 engages a cam surface on arm 142 and rocks the arm forcing its contact 143 into engagement with total printing control contacts in the terminal block 144. The bridging of these latter contacts closes the total printing circuit during total printing operation.

Total printing may be effected either with or without reset of the accumulator element and the reset selection is efiected through a The members 124 and 125' notched rock shaft 145. With this shaft in the position shown in the drawing the spring 127 is constantly tensioned by a pivoted lever 146 cooperating with the edge of the notch in the shaft 145. A total printing operation is initiated by energizing the counter element 130 permitting the shift lever 126 to shift the counter element 125 to clutching engagement with the member 124 as in accumulating. In this case the counter element rotates through ten points and operates the total switch lever 142 as it passes through zero position and is kicked out at the end of ten points of operation by a lug on sleeve 133. The number originally standing on the counter element is therefore restored to it.

Totaling with reset of the accumulator maybe effected by rocking the shaft 145 to release the lever 146 whereupon the spring 127 is tensioned for the time being by alever 148 held in spring tensioning position by a lever 146. WVh-en the counter element 125 reaches zero position in this case one of the extensions 141 rocks the lever 149 from beneath the end of lever 148 whereupon the tension in spring 127 is released and the ensuing straightening action of the spring shifts the shift lever 126 to unclutch the counter element 125 in zero position. The mechanisms thus far described are common to my printing tabulator disclosed in the copending application referred to above to which reference should be had for a complete explanation of them. They have been described very briefly in the present case merely to aid in an understanding of the present invention.

The card feed mechanism has been modified to conform to the peculiar operation of the machine which makes it necessary to suspend the card feed during certain operative printing cycles. Other improvements have also been incorporated in thecard feed, for example, the discharge stack through which the card is delivered after being analyzed is placed directly below thecard magazine making each readily accessible to the operator from a common vantage point.

Referring to Fig. 3 the card magazine having a stack of cards therein is indicated at 160, and the discharge rack directly below it at 161. The cards are fed from the magazine 160 by a picker 162 which is operated by an oscillating lever 163 driven by a connecting rod 164 whose end distant from the lever 163 is eccentrically pivoted on a gear wheel 165 driven during one cycle and remaining idle during the two following cycles as will hereinafter be explained. As the picker oscillates it feeds the lower card of the stack in the magazine to an upper set of feed rolls 166, likewise driven by the gear 165, passing the card successively to the control analyzing brushes 167 and the adding analyzing brushes 168. It will be noted that two control brushes and two adding brushes have been provided for each card column.

The character code making use of a combinational s'stcm of perforations requires much less card space than the system in which each character is represented by a single perforation and the numerals and. alphabet under. the combinational system can be compressed into a card field about half the width of that necessary in the single perforation system. 1t is quite possible therefore to provide two card fields one below the other on a tabulating' card of the usual size and dih'erentitems may be independently represented on these two fields. Thev two brushes in each pair 167 and 168 are spaced apart so that as a card feeds under thenn'one of the brushes cooperates with an index point position in one field of the card while the other cooperates with the corresponding index point position on the other card field, that is, as the card passes under the brushes one brush'analyzes one field while the other brush analyzes the: otherat exactly the same time. Items on the two card fields may thus be entered into different accumulatorslor printed on different printers. The brushes as usual cooperate with conducting cylinders shown at 169 for the brushes 167 and at 170 for the brushes 168. The machine is provided with the usual card lever contacts which are shown at 172 for the adding brushes 168. These contacts are closed whenever a card is under the brushes 168 by a bail 173 which is operatedthrough a rod 174 pivoted to a pivoted arm 175 of which an extension 176 extends into the path a portion of the card being analyzed. A card in passing rocks the extension 176 of the lever 175 counterclockwise, pulling the rod 174 to the right as shown in the figure and'rocking the bail 173 to close the contacts 172. Similar contacts for the control'brushes are provided, which do not show in the drawing as they are located directly behind the contacts 172, and these are controlled by a similar rod 17 7 operated from an extension 178 cooperating with the cards under the control brushes.

The path of the cards in feeding is indicated by the dot-dash line and each card after passing through the upper set of rolls is delivered to a lower set of feed rolls 180 which are driven from the drive mechanism of the upper rolls. 7 A pivoted member 181 is'rocked during each card feeding cycle by a ca1n182 also driven from the gear train driving the feed rolls and the movement of the member 181 is timed so that as the card feeds along the conveyor system its edge eventually encounters the member 181 and shortly after the cam rocks the member 181 forcing the card to the lower rolls 180 which eventually deliver it to the discharge rack 161. A positive feed is provided for forcin'gthe card from the last set of lower rolls 180 in the form of a member 184 which is operated to engage the trailing edge of each card through a link 185 and cam 186.

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