US1800392A - Control device for tabulating machines - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1931. Y I 1 c. D. LAKE 1,800,392

I CONTROL DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES Filed July 31. 1925 2 Sh'ets-Shet i I r l n!mmoa cournmjeumuoacourm.mnanconrqou April 14, 1931. c. D. LAKE 1,800,392

CONTROL DEVICE FOR TABULATING MACHINES Filed July 31, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 anoawto'z With Patented Apr. 14,1931

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLAIR n. LAKE, or B Nomu'roN, NEw YORK, ASSIGNQR TO THE TABuLA'rING 1mminus comm, or ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY CONTROL DEVICE FOR TAIBULA TING MACHINES Application filed July 81, 1925. Serial No. 47,298.

This invention relates to improvements in tabulating machines and is more particularly directed to improvements in the control devices =for machines of this class. Heretofore vices were provided which upon an occurrence of a change in control number stopped the operation of the machine and in someinstances brought about a printing operation. previous controlling devicesonly one contro number was utilized, which control number might include several figures. It is one of the princi a1 objects of the present invention to provi e a control device which will be applicable for split controlling. The control number instead of being a single number may comprise a plurality of numbers designatin difi'erent facts. For example, there may ea control number indicativeof a customer number, another control number indicative of a salesman number and another one representing a district or state number. In utilizing the split control the machine can be arranged to efiectthe usual printing operation' upon a change in the customers number. and then upon a change in the district or salesman number a different controlling operation can be brought about. In sorting cards preparatory to utilizing them in the machine the .user might follow the practice of sorting the cards first by districts, thereafter the district sorted cardswould be sorted according to salesman number and finally the salesman cards would be sorted according to. customers number. course begunderstood that the above sorting and se aration of the cards is merely illustrative one way in which the machine can be mannumber would be the first major control or grou class control andthe district numin tabulatingmachines automatic control deamounts represented by that particular customers number. This operation could of course be performed automatically. The major controls would be separately plugged and when each one of these major controls changed either individually or in combicondition to have a total printed therefrom It will of and to be reset sothat a subsequent tabulating operation can be performed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a circuit dia ram; Fig. 2 is a front view 0 a tabulating machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a top View of the machine shown in Fig. 2.

the upper and Fig. 4 is'a view of the card feeding secper brushes being connected to the plug sock ets 67 and the lower brushes being connected to multiple plug sockets. 68. A control unit ofconventional type is i'ovided havingautomatic control magnets 2 suitably connected to plug sockets 670 and 680. The control magmets 72 are arranged to control used. With this sort ofcards the customers pumber would be the minor control, the sales-- the closure -of the usual automatic control contacils generally desi nated 73. In plugging up the machine. or controlling, plug connections would be made between 67 and 670 and between680 and 68.

berwou d be the second-major or major group class 'control.: I

' Asillustrative of the results which would be accomplished'with this controlling device.

the machine could be arranged and so plugged that upon a change in the minor controlnumf berr-ire sfcustomqrs number, the machine would print a theusual waypf Itwillalso be understood that the various desired connections would be made between 68 and 69. In place of roviding permanent electrical connections tween the various contacts 73 as heretofore, these contacts are electrically disconnectedfrom each other. and

provided with individualplug sockets A, B, 7 31 ,7

A would also be made between sockets 18 and and between 19 and 21. Control work would now be handled in the usual way. The machine would be automatically brought to stop upon the opening of any of the control contacts 73 inasmuch as the control circuit 74 which is in shunt around contacts C-1 would interrupt the operation of the machine bring ing about de-energization of the motor control relay 84. If a less number of columns are to be used for controlling, certain of the plug connections between the upper group of sockets designated A, C, E, G, L, O, Q, S, U and W and lower sockets B, D, F, H, M, P, R, T, V and X would be removed and the plug connection 17 inserted in the proper socket.

It will be assumed that split automatic controlling is desired and that the control contacts are to be split up to control on the customers number for the first three positions from the right on contacts 73, the salesman number by the next three contacts numbered 4, 5 and 6, and the State or district number by the remaining contacts designated 7, 8, 9 and 0. With this splitting of the control, plug socket 17 would be inserted in socket F as indicated by dotted lines. A plug connection would be made between socket G and plug socket 20. Further plug connection would be made between socket P and socket 18, between Q, and 19 and between X and 21. The plugging from the control unit to the 'upper and lower brushes would be effected in the usual manner. One method of plugging from the lower brushes would be to so plug them that all controlling numbers would be indicated on the first and second counters and so that the sub-totals of amounts by customer number would be indicated in the third counter and the totals of amounts by salesman number would be accumulated in the fourth counter and the grand totals of amounts of State or district number would be accumulated in the fifth counter. As is customary in these machines zero buttons 129 are provided in association with each counter. The zero button in connection with the third counter in the case illustrated would be normally thrown in before running off a tabulated report of this kind, and would always remain in while the zero buttons for the fourth and fifth counters would be out or to the left as looking from the front of the machine. As is customary in these machines when the zero buttons are out there is no printing of a total or clearing of the counter when a reset operation is being effected. In addition to the usual zero button contacts supplementary button contacts 33 and 32 are provided on the fourth and fifth counters, respectively. Disposed in the circuit-from contacts 86 of the motor control relay which formerly extended to hinder post 9 through will open and also arranged that these contacts will close upon the de-energization of magnet 22. The machine is also provided with two control relays whose magnets are shown at 24 and 25 and whose goom-necks are shown at 26 and 27, respectively. These control relays are so constructed that the energization of magnet'24 causes contacts 28 to open and 29 to close and the energization of 25 causes contacts 30 to open and contacts 31 to close; and vice versa; the de-energization of magnet 24 causes contacts 28 to close and 29 to open and the de-energization of magnet 25 causes contacts 30 to close and contacts 31 to open. As previously explained, additional zero button contacts are provided on the fourth and fifth counters designated, respectively, 32 and 33. A movement of either zero button to the right or in will cause contacts 32 or 33 to close; and vice versathe movement of the zero button to the left will cause contacts 32 or 33 to open. These contacts 32 and 33 are respectively disposed in a shunt circuit around contacts 29, 31. Connected in circuit to contacts 28 and 30, respectively, are two lamps 35 and 36, the circuit through these lamps being joined at 37 and thence extending through the winding of sub-total relay 22 to a common line 43. A circuit 40 is further provided leading to a common connection extending to cam contacts LP7 and LP-6, and also to point 39. Circuits 45 and 46 are further provided extending from the opposite sides of contacts LP-7 and LP-6, respectively, to the windings of lamp relays 25 and 24. The circuit leading through winding 24 also extends through cam contacts L3 to a wire 43 which is connected to the common plug sockets 18 and 19. An additional branch circuit 44 is provided leading from winding 24 to plug socket 20. From winding 25 a circuit leads through cam contacts L4 to wire 43 and a branch circuit is provided leading to plug socket 21. From plug socket A a circuit 48 extends to binder post 13 which is also connected to binder post 12. A circuit connection 47 is also provided from common plug sockets 19 and 18 to plug socket A.

Operation When the main switch 81 is closed the two lamps 35 and 36 will light and sub-total relay magnet 22 will be energized thus opening the heretofore indicate a the D position and an automatlc reset operation takes place resetting the third counter motor control circuit at contacts 23. The lamp circuit thus established is traced as follows from binder post 12 to binder st 13, wire 48, 47, 43 through relay win 'ng. 22, lamps 35 and 36, contacts 28 and 30 now closed, through 39 and 40 to the other side of the line. A reset 0 eration must now be made in order to startt etabulator. During this reset operation cam contacts LP6 and LP7 close thus supplyi currentto and energizing windings 24 an 25. As soon as these windings 24 and 25 are energized stick circuits are established keeping the windings energized. One stick circuit may be traced as follows :.from left side of line through 40, 39, contacts 29, goose-neck 26, winding 24 and out through 43, 47 and 48 to right side of line. As soon as windings 24 and 25 are energized contacts 28 and 30 will open and the lamps 35 and 36 will become extinguished and the subtotal relay winding 22 will become de-cnergized. The sub-total relay contacts 23 will then close and the motor controlfrelay contacts 86 will be closed in the usual manner durin the resettting operation of the tabulator. t will now be assumed that the tabulator is in operation and the cards are feeding and that the pluggin% has been made as agree in their control perforations the motor control circuit through contacts 23 and 86 is closed at each card cycle which maintains the tabulator in operation. As in pre-' in the cardsdo not'agree in their customers.

number the card control circuits through the unit contacts 73 representing positions 1, 2 and 3 of the control unit would be opened at the time cam contacts C-l open. This opens the motor control circuit contacts 86 in the usual manner, the tabulator then stops at to zero and subsequently the tabulator restarts tabulating. If the cards do not agree in their control perforations for, say, the salesman number, the card control circuit through the control unit contacts 73 reprevsenting positions 4, 5 and 6 of the control unit would be open at the time cam contacts L3 open. Inasmuch as these particular contacts "are in shunt around cam contacts L3 the opening of cam contact-s L3 would. de-energize the counter control lamp relay magnet 24 whereupon contacts 29 would open, contacts28 would close, the lamp 35 would light,

the sub-total relay magnet 22 would be energized, the contacts 23 would open thus opening the motor control circuit and stopping the tabulatc i at the D position, Although an automatic reset operation would tend to take 0 long as the cards,

lace at this time such action would not occur inasmuch as contacts 23 are open and interrupt the'automatic reset circuit which extends through cam contacts L-1. As previously.

starting t e' tabulating operation. The zero button of the fourth counter must now be 'moved out or to the left.

Ifthe cards do not agree in their control perforations, say, for example, the district number represented by positions 7 to 10 inclusive, the card control circuit through these contacts would open at the time contacts L4 open. This action would illuminate lamp 36 and stop the tabulator in the manner previously expllained. Lamp 36 is associated with counter o. 5 and its illumination indicates that this counter is in condition to have a total taken therefrom and cleared in the manner previously explained for counter No. 4. It will be understood that the reclosure of contacts 32 or 33 by shiftingthe zero buttons to the in position will effect a re-energizar tion of either windings 24 or 25 and will thus open either contacts 28 or 30. It is necessary that both of these contacts 28 or 30 be opened before the sub-total relay will be de-energized. Winding 22 it will be remembered is de-energizcd during running conditions of the tabulator and it is only energized to open up the tabulating circuits at 23. The purpose of cam contact-s LP6 to LP7 is to effect closing of stick circuit, previously mentioned, during the reset cycle to eliminate normal closing of zero. button contacts when starting cards through the machine before tabulating operations.

The other circuits shown in the circuit diagram need not be further described as they are more fully set forth in the patent 1,762,145, issued June 10, 1930.

It will be understood that sub-total relay to George F. Dalyand Ralph E. Page, No.

ations and preventing automatic resetting of the tabulator counter or counters. Resetting is reventedinasmuch'as the contacts 23 are disposed inthe line leading to hinder post 12 from the automatic reset cam contacts Ll. After or when relay 22 is deenergiz ed restarting of the tabulator may take place and occur.

' What I clai'm isz' 1. In a tabulating machine having a con- .trol devi'ce controllable by separate control automatic resetting can 1 numbers upon perforated record cards and a plurality of counters into which amounts derived from the perforated records may be accumulated, means controlled by said control device for stopping the tabulating operation, clearing a counter and printing the totals therefrom, and for restarting the tabulator, and means also controlled by said control unit upon the change of a different record card control number for interrupting the automatic restarting of the tabulating until another counter has been selected for clearing and such clearing operation ef fected.

2. In a tabulating machine having-a control device controllable by separate control numbers upon the record cards and a plurality of counters into which amounts derived from the perforated records may be.

accumulated. means controlled by'said control device for stopping the tabulating operation, clearing a counter and printing the totals therefrom, and for-restarting the tabulator, and means also controlled by said control unit upon the change of a different record card control number for interrupting the automatic resetting of the counters and restarting of tabulating operations until a selection of a counter or counters has been made from which amounts are to be printed and the counters cleared.

3. In a tabulating machine having a plurality of counters into each of which items from record cards may be accumulated, and

control mechanisms having a plurality of sections each associated with a different counter, means brought into operation upon the change of control number in one section for initiating the stoppingof the tabulating operation, the clearing of the associated counter and the printing of totals therefrom 1 and for subsequently initiating the restarting of the tabulator, and means brought into operation upon the occurrence of a group change in another. section for stopping the tabulating operation and designating the section causing the stoppage whereby the associated counter from which a total is to be taken is identified.

4. In a tabulating'machine, an automatic control device for modifying the operation of the machine upon the occurrence of changes in group numbers of the record cards, said control device having provision for efiecting control from a plurality of groups of record designating perforations, and means for variously signalling the operator of the machine in accordance with various changes which occur in the groups of control numbers.

5. In a tabulating machine having an automatic control unit with provision for splitting the same to secure independent controls derived from variously split columns or fields of a record card, means under the conin said unit for splitting the control circuit thereof into separate sections for separate and independent controlling purposes, and a plurality of control devices associated with said separate and split sections of said control circuit for variously controlling the operation of the machine.

7. A tabulating machine having a control unit with means therein controlled by the con trol designating perforations of record cards, means for splitting said unit to effect a plurality of separate controlling operations of the machine which operations are distinctive each to the other and correspond with changes in different control numbers upon the record cards.

8. A tabulating machine having a control unit with rovisions for controlling the operation of t e machine in the usual way upon changes in minor control numbers, in the record cards, said control unit having provisions for splitting the same? as desired by the operator to utilize desired sections thereof for a plurality of independent control purposes said plurality of split sections being in addition to the main section for ordinary control and functioning differently upon changes in either of a plurality of major control numbers.

9. A tabulating apparatus including a plurality of counters and a control unit means for variously splitting said unit for separate and distinct control purposes which are in addition to the control elfected thereby, and means controlled by the split sections of said unit for compelling a selection of one or more counters for clearing and total printing, and means for preventing the normal automatic resetting and restarting of tabulating operations until such selection has been made.

10. In a tabulating machine having a plurality of counters, controlmechanism comprising a plurality of sections individually associated with different counters, the different sections each including means for con- .trolling machine operation in a distinctive rality of counters and means for selecting counters for actuation in certain machine operations, a plurality of control devices indlvidually associated with diiferent counters 1,eoo,aea

' for separately controlling machine operation and conditioning the machine for further operation on the corresponding counter and means controlled by the separate control devices for indicating the counter associated with'a control device which effects a change in machine operation whereby the counter which is to enter into the ensuing machine operation may be identified for selection. U In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

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