US1933349A - Automatic control system for tabulators - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 31, 1933. A. F. SMITH AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS Filed April 22, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Svwamtoz ARTHUR F. SM ITH W Oct. 31, 1933. A. F. SMITH AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1927 H ms 0:. R U H T R A UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS Arthur F. Smith, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 22, 1927.. Serial No. 185,718

7 Claims. (01. 235-92) The invention concerns accounting machines brushes cooperating with individual contacts. and more particularly automatic control systems The cards are fed between the brushes and their for record controlled tabulators. cooperating contacts to hold an electric circuit Record controlled accounting machines are deopen as long as there are no perforations in the I signed to add, list and print totals of items autocard but to permit engagement of each brush 60 matically entered intothe machine from control with its cooperating contact through the card records on which the items are represented by when it encounters a perforation onthe card. index point perforations located in differential In machines of the moving-card type a single positions in the several card columns, each row of brushes usua y suffices to Completely 10 column ordinarily representing one character analyze. each card, these brushes, of course, 65 which may be either a number or a letter. There searching the S v index Point Positions at are two systems of representing characters in the differential times and difierentially controlling card columns. The simpler one consists of repthe adding and printing mechanism to enter resenting each character by a single perforation items therein according to the differential time in a column in which case, obviously, the number at which the circuit is made at the analyzing 70 of characters which may be designated is limited b ush s. The automatic control system to the actual number of index point positions in nsi t of a i cuit in ludin he two s ts of the card column, The other system i t i analyzing brushes in series and if the bards under representing a single charatcer by ne or more the two sets of brushes contain identical conindex points in which ease t capacity of th trolling perforations this circuit will be closed 75' card column is enormously. increased as each at some time in the machine eyele serving to index point position may represent a h r t keep the card feed active to feed another .card by itself and may also enter into combination during the Succeeding Card feeding y le- If the with any other index point or point i th controlling perforations are not identical ill succolumn to represent a different h r t cessive cards, this series circuit fails to make so The cards are fed throu h th m t and the machine either stops or automatically matically and analyzed by suitable mechanism takes a total of the data ed to t et which in turn controls the accumulating and u a s system, w ve is l mited printing devices of the machine, to enter into Ordinarily t0 the p y t m Of cha act r them the data represented by the perforations designation in Which each character consists of on the card. The cards may be analyzed either a Single index p t 'while they are at rest or while they are in mo- The Present invention contemplates a sy tion, and while the present system is. designed automatic control Which y be u to for either type of analysis and for either single aJYZe eeids either in motion at rest and of I 35 or combinational perforation systems, it'is pareither a single 01' combinational System Of e ticularly concerned with combinational perforaaetei' designation The control c cuit w ch detion analysis while the cards are in-m ti n termines whether or not the machine shall feed The controlling records are usually divided into during the Succeeding a d ed cl groups, the group beingrepresented on each card .i controlled from a System Of a t wo 40'by similarly located perforations and it isdenets being pr vid d f a r l i a d sirable to continue the automatic feeding of the umn one of which is wired ind pe h 150 records to the analyzing mechanism as long as each of the analyzing brushes-for a given card the group does not change but to interrupt the 0 m These magnets epe w a ba card feed for the purpose of taking totals or peranced' armature construction wh Serves 1 45 forming other operations when r the group hold contacts in the control circuit closed if both changes. This is ordinarily accomplished'by magnets are energized at the same time or'if' providing two sets of analyzing devices which are neither are energized' but efiects opening of the spaced apart so that one card feeds to one of contacts if one magnet is energized while the them as the preceding, card feeds to the other other is deenergized. As the cards feed beneath 50 so that the same index point positions on suc the analyzing brushes the controlling contacts cessive cards are under the two analyzing mechaassociated with each controlling card column will nisms simultaneously. I remain closed as long as the card column is iden- Tabulators which analyze and control with the tical on successive cards as in this case at every records in motion are ordinarily o) the electrical instant during the cycle the two magnets will 55 type and the analyzing mechanism consists of either both be-energiz'ed or both be deenergized.

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If the controlling perforations are difierent in the given column of two successive cards, at some time in the cycle the circuit of one of the magnets will be closed through a card perforation while the circuit of the other remains open,

' thus permitting shifting of the balanced, armature structure to open the contact in the control circuit. The machine will thereupon either stop after entry of the data from the card under the lower brushes or institute total taking. I

The two sets of control brushes according to the present invention may furthermore be of the same electrical polarity whereby either set may be used for printing or adding control if desired.

The'principal object of the invention is to provide an automatic control system for record controlled accounting machines which is adapted to control machine operation either in accordance with a single or combinational hole character designations and to provide new and improved construction and arrangement of parts for this purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic control system for record "con:

either a single or combinational hole system while the records bearing the designations are in motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic control system for record controlled accounting machines in which a single row of analyzing devices is provided in each analyzing "mechanism for analyzing either single or combinational hole designations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic control system for record controlled accounting machines which is adapted to control the machine operation from single or combinational hole designations on records in which each analyzing mechanism consists of a single row of analyzing devices which successively search each index point position for possible controlling designations.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic control system for accounting machines which is adapted to .control machine operation from cards in motion by making an ab- .solute comparison of the cards and controlling with like or unlike Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of the a control system in combination with a tabulator card feed.

the combinational index point type in which the cards areadapted to be analyzed while in.

motion. The particular machine utilized for the purpose on illustration is that disclosed in the copending application of Carroll Serial 'No., 185,711.flled April 22, 1927, now Patent'No.

1,726,539, datedSeptember 3, 1929, to which reference should be had for a full explanation. The particular type of machine does not enter into the present invention as any other machine in which combinational hole cards are analyzed while in motion would serve the purpose of explanation equally well.

Referring now to Fig.1 oi the drawings, a stack of cards to be analyzed'is indicated at 150 which are adapted to be advanced by a picker 151 operated by an arm 152 into cooperative relationship with feed rolls 1.53. The picker feeds one card at a time to the rolls 153 which advance it during one machine cycle to the upper or control analyzing brushes 154 and during a later machine cycle to the lower or adding analyzing brushes 155. The rolls and iced mechanism are driven from a shaft 156 rotatedby a suitable'motor (not shown) and a gear train indicated generally at 157'. A card feed clutch mechanism indicated diagrammatically at 158 is interposed in the system to efiect card feed only at given times as is customary in machines. of this nature.

The automatic control circuit of the machine includes a plurality of series connected contacts 159 any number of which maybe connected in series to control from any desired card columns. Eachpair of contacts 159 is normally held closed by a pivoted bell crank 160 urged to circuit closing position by a spring 161. The bell crank 160 is provided with a notch 162 into which fits the end of an extension 163 on the common armature structure for two magnets 164 and 165. As long as both magnets 164 and 165 are energized or both are deenergized, the armature structure 166 remains'in neutral position as shown in Fig. 1 being held here by the action of spring 161.

Energization of eitherv magnet 164 or 165' without coincident energization of the other causes the armature structure 166 to turn about its pivot 167 removing the end of extension 163 from the notch 162 and rotating the bell crank 160 about its pivot 168. When so rotated the arm or bell crank releases the contacts 159 permitting them to open under their own resiliency as shown in Fig. 2. The energization of the magnet which causes this action is instantaneous but the bell crank 160 cannot reengage over the upper contact 159as will be clear from the location of parts in Fig. 2. The control circuit when opened at any one of the contacts 159 then remains open until it is restored by a common bail 169 which is rocked through a cam1'75 and bell crank 1'16 one of whose arms carriesthe bail. The cam 1'75 may be made to rotate when the restoring action is necessary by a one revolution clutch or similar mechanism illustrated diagrammatically at 180. This clutch is controlled by a 165 are (connected directly to the lower analyzing either by deenergized or energized at the same time permitting the armature structure 166 to remain in the position shown in Fig. 1 closing the corresponding contacts 159. As soon as one of the analyzing brushes 154, 155 encounters a perforation at a time when the other does not encounter a perforation one or the other of the magnets 164 or 165 will be energized to rock the armature structure 166 opening the corresponding contacts 159. The automatic control circuit is thus opened and remains open until restored by the bail 169 causing the machine either to stop or begin automatic totaling as desired.

The application of the automatic control system to a combination hole machine, in which cards are analyzed while in motion, will now be explained in connection with Fig. 3 of the drawings. The circuit diagram is a simplified version of that shown in the copending application and patent of Carroll, referred to above, and asit is merely used to illustrate the cooperation of the control system with a combinational hole machine will be very briefly described, except in so vfar as the operation aifects the automatic control system. One card in this machine is fed to the lower brushes 155 during one machine cycle and its hole or perforation-combinations are analyzed nets 208 through the usual adding and listing switch bar 209 and the closure of the contacts for each combinational set up is timed to enter numbers corresponding to the set ups into the accumulators and to energize the printing magnets 208 at the proper time to select the type members for printing either numbers or letters of the alphabet corresponding to the set ups. The use of three machine cycles for printing all charac- :ters which may be represented on a cardis necessitated by the particular arrangement of machine elements and does not affect the presentinvention, although this peculiar operation should be borne in mind to aid in an 'understanding of the control system as applied to this machine.

The machine is started into operation by closing the switch 215 to connect the driving motor 216 directly across the main lines 50 and 51. The motor then starts operating to drive the mechanical elements of the machine. The start key ST is then depressed to initiate card feed.

' The closure of the start key contacts effects energization of either the E timer startingv coil 218 or the D timer starting coil 219. If no card is under the upper brushes an upper card lever 220 will be in the position shown in the drawings, allowing the closing of contacts 221 to select the D timer, while if a card is under-the upper brushes the lever 220 will shift to an alternative position opening contacts 221 and closing contacts 222 to select the E timer. These timers comprise a number of contacts which open and close in predetermined sequence to energize the starting control circuits of the machine. .If the D timer starts in operation its contacts D2 close for two full machine cycles closing a circuit to the main or A card feed clutch magnet 222 226 to timer contacts D2, thence through wires 227 and 228 to a card feed clutch magnet 222- and through regular cam contact R20, closed at the proper time in each cycle, to common return. 229 and back to .the other line 51. The energization of the A clutch magnet effects clutching operation of certain card feed clutch mechanism to feed the first card from the maga- 'zine to the upper brushes during one machine cycleand to the lower brushes during the following cycle.

If there should? be a card. under the upper brushes at the time of depression'of the-start key ST the E timer will start in operation, its starting coil 218 being energized through acircuit similar to that traced above for the D timer. In this case the E timer contact E-2 will close to/ energize the A card feed clutch magnet 222 during one full card feeding cycle only to feed the first card from the upper to the lower brushes. In either case the control of the A clutch magnet 222 is shifted from the timer contact to the automatic control circuit 230 when the first card reaches the lowerbrushes.

Before explaining the operation of the latter circuit, however, the function of the auxiliary or B card feed clutch which is controlled by the magnet 231 will be briefly considered. The magnet coil 231 is in. series with a pair of upper card lever contacts 235 and a pair of contacts 236 operated by a cam of the shaft of clutch A and closed during the early part of each revolution of this shaft. Whenever there is a card under the upper brushes the contacts 235 close and if the Acard feed clutch starts in operation the contacts 236 close and energize the B clutch magnet 231 starting the B clutch in operation. When the A and B card feed clutches operate together the'card feed is modified so that each card feeds to the lower brushes during one machine cycle and then card feed is suspended for two cycles, after which the next card feeds to the lower brushes and so on. Furthermore when the B clutch once starts in operation it remains in operation for three machine cycles and causes the A clutch to do likewise,'whereupon the cycle during which a card is fed to the lower brushes is always followed by two machine cycles in which no cards feed. This explains briefly the operation of the Carroll machine with the exception of the operation of the automatic control system which-will now be explained in detail.

The magnets 164 and 165 and their contacts 159 I are mounted on the main switchboard 240 of the machine. One terminal of each magnet is connected to the line 51 and the other terminals are connected to individual sockets 241 and 242, re-

spectively, so that any magnet 164 may be plugged I to any upper brush 154. and the coacting magnet 165to the corresponding lower brush 155. In the drawings the two left hand pairs of magnets Fig. 3 are showniplug connected to the two right hand pairs of-upper and lower brushes to control from the two card columns traversed by these brushes. The control contacts 159 each terminate in individual sockets whereby any number of them may be connected in series in the-automatic control circuit 230 and in the drawings the contacts operated by the two left hand pairs of magnets are so connected.

When the control of the A card feed clutch magnet 222 shifts from the starting timers to the automatic control circuit, as is the case when the machine attains normal runningc'onditions, the energizing circuit of this magnet extends as follows;

' the upper card'lever contacts 235 and the CFA contacts 236. As long as the cards under the upper and lower brushes agree in their control perforations the contacts 159 remain closed and the A clutch magnet is energized at the proper time to feed each new card of the group to the upper brushes and the preceding card to the lower brushes. when the card group changes the new card feeding under the upper brushes does not agree in its control perforations with the last card of the old card group now under the lower brushes and consequently one or more pairs of the series connected contacts 159 opens and remains open until positively restored.- The B clutch as explained above provides for two blank machine cycles during which the data on the last card of the group may beaccumulated and printed: At the end of these two cycles the automatic control circuit being still open the A clutch magnet 222 fails to energize and the A and B clutches disengage interrupting the normal card feed.

Toward the end of each third cycle during the operation of the A and B clutches CFA contacts 244, controlled from the A clutch shaft, and CFB contacts 245, controlled from the B clutch shaft, close concurrently and energize magnet 246 which controls. the one revolution clutch 180 (see Fig. 1 rotating the cam 175 to operate the bail coil 218 to the other line 51 of the E timer starter coil starts this timer in 169 and restore any open control contacts '159. This restoring action is timed, of course, after the openingof the cam contacts R-20 in the cirshaft comes to rest the contacts 251 close and remain closed, and shortly after this the CFB contacts 252 controlled from the B clutch shaft close and open again. "The instantaneous closing of these CFB contacts energize the starting coil 255 of the total timer F whereupon the contacts of the latter close in proper sequence and control the total switch bars 256'and 257to effect total printing from the accumulators as fully explained in the copending Carroll application.

Accumulating and listing from the cards of the succeeding group may be automatically re sumed at the end of total taking by closing' the. automatic start'switch 258. After completion of the total taking operations the total timer contacts F-9 close and establish a circuit through the E'timer starting coil 218 as follows: From line so through wires 22s, 260'and contacts F'9 to switch 258, thence through regular cam contacts R--5 and wire 259 to contacfs 261, closed by upper card lever 220 as long as there is a card under the upper brushes, andthence' through E'starter The energizatio'n operation to initiate operations on the next card group as explained above.-

The .invention has now been 'deabribed in con- 'nection with a single operative embodiment thereof but it will be understood that many modifications will readily occln' to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the system could & readily be applied to a combinational hole machine in which each card was analyzed and the data thereon accumulated and printed in a single machine cycle in'which case the restoring bail could be made operative to restore the automatic control contacts at the end of each machine or card feeding cycle instead of at the end of three card cycles as in the present case. I intend tobe limited, therefore, only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An automatic control system for a record controlled machine comprising analyzing mechanism including a single brush for successively sensing index points in a column of a controlling record and a single brush for synchronously sensing index points in a column of a succeeding record, a separate circuit controlled by each brush and a magnet in each circuit, a common armature structure associated with the cores of the magnets, mechanical means for balancing the armature, and means operated by said balancing means when one magnet alone is' energized to determine a diiferent type of machine operation.

2. An automatic control system for a record controlled machine comprising analyzing mechanism including a single brush for successively analyzing index points in a column of a controlling record, and a single brush for synchronously sensing index points of a column of a successive record, a separate circuit controlled by each brush and a magnet in each circuit, a common balanced armature structure associated with the cores of the magnets, and mechanical means for holding said armature in balanced position and shifted in the same direction by said armature irrespective of either of which magnet is energized alone.

3. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of card reading circuits, a magnet in each circuit and both energized when, perforations in means intermediate said holding means and ar- I mature for shifting said holding means in the same direction irrespective of the direction ofmovement of the armature.

4. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of magnets, record controlled means where- B5 by either magnet-is energized alone when designations of successive records disagree, a mechanically balanced armature correlated with both magnets and arranged to beshifted in either of two directions depending upon-which magnet 'is energized alone, and a machine control device operated in a single:direction by either directional movement of the armature. A

.5. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of magnets, means under control of successive records for effecting energization of either of said magnets alone when record perforations disagreya balanced armature structure "associated with said magnets, mechanical means'i'or balancing'said armature, and a machine control 1 device operated by the balancing means when either magnet is energized alone! 6. In a machine of the class described, a pair of magnets energized under control of records, a balanced armature common to said magnets, a

. member, contacts controlled by said member, and

cam means carried by said armature and arranged to shift said. member when either magnet is energized alone.

7. In a machine of the class described, a pair;

of magnets, an-armature pivotally balanced be

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