US1985331A - Paper feed mechanism for tabulating or other printing machines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 25, 1934,

PAPER FEED MECHANISM FOR IABUL.^\"P[NGv OR OTHER PRINTING MACHINES A. THOMAS ET AL 1,985,331

Filed Jan. 10, 1950 AA THOMAS ET AL Dec. 25,- v1934.

PAPER FEED MECHANISM FOR TABULATING OR OTHER PRINTING MACHINES Filed Jan. l0, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 y EAG /5/74 a m 0. mw 5@ wy 5% |||ll on 3 3 3., u 55 8W@ 91m lulu.qb Ae Me h GS N I4 T N I R P m LHO AT% O1 HR, OO SM1 Alm MTa oMJ Hww IN1 ..1 ARF O F M s I N A u... C E M D E E F R E P An D1 Dec. 25, 1934.

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Mmm J mm@ TMW. ARF O O O F l M u m H C E M im F 1m ,M QP a e D WITNESSES INVENTORS @,/W 720W f A7 dal AWM ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 25, 1934 rlUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IAPER FEED MEcIIANIsM Fon TABULATING on OTHER PRINTING MACHINES England Application January 10 1930, Serial N0. 419,981

In Great Britain April 5, 1929 8 Claims.

This invention relates to tabulating machines and more particularly to means for controlling the paper feed mechanism of such machines.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings a tabulating machine is illustrated having mechanism for feeding paper from a roll in such a way that the paper is moved through the printing zone at intervals corresponding to the completion of each account or the like, an amount which is complementary to the length of the account or the like. This mechanism is fully disclosed in the co-pending application, Serial No. 419,977, of Thomas and English, now Patent No. 1,896,983, dated February 7, 1933.

The machine illustrated in Figure l is also provided with a cyclic control device comprising a threaded nut member rotated step by step on each machine cycle, means operable by the nut member after a predetermined axial displacement to effect a predetermined operation in the machine such as stopping or totalling, setting means determining the ,extent of axial displacement of the nut member before the predetermined operation is effected and means whereby the nut member is automatically reset. This cyclic control device also is not claimed per se herein but is the subject of co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 419,978, now Patent No. 1,938,228, to Thomas, dated December 5, 1933.

The present invention has for one of its objects to provide an operative connection between the aforesaid cyclic control device and the paper feeding mechanism referred to above whereby said cyclic control device can be used to control the paper feed.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example some preferred embodiments oi the present invention.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the tabulator showing the combined paper feed mechanism and cyclic control device;

The invention is shown applied to the well known Powers tabulator. In the combination illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the paper feed mechanism comprises a gripper l carriedon a rocking shaft 2, carried by blocks 2a slidably supported on posts 3, carried by the head T of the tabulating machine above the carriage C thereof, the rocking shaft 2 being connected to one end of a lever 6 through a connecting rod 4. The rocking shaft 2 is connected to the rod 4 through toggle links 5 and 5a, the links 5a being pivoted to the block 2a at 5b so that as the rod 4 moves up and down the toggles are contracted or straightened to close and dopen the gripper.

The lever 6 is carried on a xed pivot 7 mounted on a bracket 8 carried by the frame of the machine, and is rocked in any suitable manner, to cause the gripper to grip the paper by enforcing a longitudinal displacement of the connecting rod 4, and the consequential rocking of the shaft 2 carrying the gripper 1. The gripper is rst moved upwardly carrying the paper with it and is lthen retracted downwardly without moving the paper.

It is to be understood that during the tabulation of items the gripper is inactive and the paper is fed forward line by line by the platen P but is held frictionally by a device indicated at 9 so that a loop l0 of paper is formed between( the platen P and the gripper l. At the end of the tabulation of a group of items the machine automatically takes a total by means not shown. In the total-taking cycle the gripper iirstv moves upwards as already described and pulls the paper past the friction holding device 9 thereby straightening out the loop 10. The gripper then continues its upward movement and pulls the paper through the platen to an extent Such that the total length of paper moved by the gripper equals the length of a, standard Sheet so that the head of the next sheet is in position for printing at the commencement of the next tabulating operation.

The lever 6 is slotted as indicated at 6a and passes over a pin lla carried on a disc 11 so that on rotation of the disc the lever 6 is oscillated about its pivot 7.

The disc 11 is provided at the back with a clutch device by means of which the disc can be connected on occasion to power means whereby it can be rotated. To this end the disc is provided with a plunger 12 pressed by -a spring not shown into the path of an actuating arm 13 fixed to a power shaft 14 on which the disc 11 is loosely mounted (see Fig. 2) so that the disc is rotated from the shaft by the agency of the Ill constantly rotated actuating arm thereon engaging the spring pressed plunger 12 carried by the disc when the'plunger is standing in the path of the arm.

When the machine is tabulating it is desired that the gripper device shall remain inoperative. Consequently, means are provided for withdrawing the plunger 12 out of the path of the constantly rotating actuating arm at each revolution of the disc 11. Such means may comprise a a trip member 15 having an inclined surface 16 adapted to engage with a projecting collar 17 on the plunger 12 when the trip member 15 is turned about its pivot 18 in a clockwise direction. Projecting into the path of the trip member 15 is the nose 19 of a lever 20 pivoted at 21 so that as long as the nose 19 remains in the path of the trip 15 the gripper device will remain inoperative. When the member 15 is released from the nose 19, the said spring forces the plunger 12 lengthwise and, by the collar 17 acting on the inclined surface 16, restores said member 15.

The lever 20 may be operatively connected to the total taking mechanism in order that when a total is taken the nose 19 may be withdrawn from the path of the trip member 15 and the gripper device actuated. To this end the lever 20 is connected (by means of an interponent 62 to be described later) to a horizontal link 22 pivoted at one end 23 to an arm 24 mounted ori` a shaft 25 and at the other end 26 to an arm 27 secured to a shaft 28 adapted to be oscillated from the total taking mechanism.

In addition to controlling the gripper device from the total taking mechanism it is desirable also to cause it to operate after a predetermined number of cycles of the machine has occurred. To this end the cyclic control device now about to be described and forming the subject matter of co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 419,978 may be used.

Much of this cyclic control device is mounted on a xed plate and on another fixed plate secured to the plate 100 in part by a post 101 Fig. 5). In the latter plate there yis rigidly mounted a spindle 32 which passes through the plate 100 at which point, however, it is surrounded by a rotary sleeve 103, which sleeve is rotatable in the plate 100, Said sleeve has fast thereon a ratchet wheel 31 engaged by a drive pawl 33 and a retaining pawl 41, the feed of the ratchet being counter-clockwise in Fig. 5. Behind the plate 100 the sleeve 103 has coiled around it a restoring spring 106 secured at one end to a collar 107 on the end of the sleeve, and at the other end to the plate 100. The construction is such that the ratchet wheel 3l and the sleeve are fed step by step counter-clockwise against the tension of this spring, and when the two pawls are lifted out of the ratchet, the latter will be rotated by the spring clockwise until arrested in initial position.

The drive pawl 33 is pivoted to a plate 34 which in turn is pivoted on the sleeve 103 and is rocked by a long link 37 pivoted thereto at 36 beneath the spindle 32. is guided for longitudinal motion on one of the main shafts 40 of the machine by the side of a cam 40a fast on said shaft. A follower 38 mounted on the link 37 engages this cam, which thus reciprocates the link and, therefore, the plate 34 and pawl 33 once at each cycle of the machine.

Projecting from the face of the ratchet wheel 31 are two posts 29a embracing between them the This link-has a slot by which it flat sides of a member which includes a.nut 29 and a cam 30, said nut running on a threaded section of the spindle 32. This device 29, 30 rotates with the ratchet wheel and is moved slowly along the spindle by the screw. The counterclockwise motion of the ratchet wheel feeds the nut towards said ratchet wheel. Its initial position may be determined in any suitable way. In the device shown in Patent No. 1,938,228 a drum 110, also threaded on the spindle 32, can be turned by a milled head 111 and gears 112, and the devices which arrest the member 29, 30 in its initial position are adjustably controlled by said drum. The construction is such that any desired extent of feed, that is to say, feed corresponding to any desired number of cycles of the machine, can be measured'off for the nut 29 by a suitable adjustment of the milled head 111. These devices are not shown in detail, as they do not per se constitute any part of the invention, and they may be of any suitable construction.

On the same shaft of the tabulator which effects the reciprocation of the sensing pin box, there is mounted an eccentric 113 controlling a pitman 114 on which is mounted a plate 115. From said plate there projects a pivot pin 116 on which is pivoted a two-armed device 117, one arm of which is pivoted to a vertical link 45, which, at its lower end, has a slot 44a embracing a pivot 44 fast on the plate 100. The construction is such that this link 45 is given an oscillation about the pivot 44 at each cycle of the machine.

On said pivot 44 there is also mounted another link 118 by means of a slot so that this link also may rock about the pivot and may slide up and down on it. To the upper end of link 118 there is rigidly riveted a plate 43, hereinafter called the obstructor arm an offset section of which has a slot 120 embracing the same pivot pin 46 as the arm 117, said slot being vertical so that the plate 43 may slide up and down on the pin or screw 46.

The link 37 which operates the pawl 33, has a longitudinal slot vby which it is guided'by a stud projecting from the plate 100. Pivoted on this stud is a lever arm 48 normally drawn upward by a spring 121. On this lever arm is mounted a stud or follower roller 48a which is in position to be engaged and depressed by the cam portion 30 of the'nut 29. In the initial position of the parts, that is to say at the beginning of a series of tabulations, the nut 29 has moved along the screw away from the ratchet 31 to such an extent that in its rotation by said ratchet, cam 30 does not strike the stud 48a, but in the last rotation the screw thread will have brought this cam so far toward the ratchet wheel that the cam 30 will strike the stud and depress the lever 48.

Means are provided whereby this results in a depression of the plate 43. from the link 45 just above the upper edge of the lever 48, and it is this pin which normally holds the said link in its upper position. The link is connected with the lever 48 by a spring 45a so that when said lever is depressed, the link follows it downward, which motion is permitted by the slot 44a.

The link 118 also has a pin 122 which overlies the lever 48, and this link is also connected with said lever by a spring so that when the lever is depressed the link 118 moves down with it and the plate 43 is therefore moved to a position low-` er than that shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 4 the normal or upper position of this plate is shown A pin 47 projects in chain lines, and the depressed position in full lines. The construction is such that when the plate 43 is in its upper position and is reciprocated by the eccentric 113 it passes over the extension 33a of the 'feed pawl 33, but when after a predetermined number of operations of the machine it is moved to its lower position, as above described, then o'n its next reciprocation it strikes this extension and swings the pawl 33 out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. The holding pawl 41 has an upward extension lying just behind the extension 33a, so that this pawl is also disengaged from the ratchet which is then free to turn clockwise. This it will immediately do driven by its spring 106 until arrested by the adjustable devices controlled by the milled head lll. 'Ihe extension 33a of the pawl 33 .is prolonged as shown at 33h to constitute a finger piece by which the pawls may be released by hand.

In the Patent No. 1,938,228 this'mechanism is used for various purposes.

According to the present invention an operative connection is provided between the cyclic control device including the nut member 29 and the paper feed mechanism including the gripper l previously described.

To this end a latch in the form of a claw 49 (Fig. 4) is provided over the manually operable handle 33h on the pawl 33 of the cyclic control device, said latch 49 being pivoted at 50 to a lever 51 in turn pivoted at 52. The latch member 49 is provided with a pin 53 which stands in the path of the obstructor arm 43 of the cyclic control device when the latter is lowered into its operative position as indicated in full lines on Fig. 4, the inoperative position being indicated in chain lines. Consequently, when the oostructor arm 43 reciprocates it strikes the pin 53 on the latch member 4 9, thereby moving the latch 49 bodily to the right in Fig. 4 thereby turning the lever 51 in an anti-clockwise direction about its pivot 52. At the same time the latch 49 by engaging with the handle 33h of the pawl 33 turns the pawl 33 aboutits pivot and raises it clear of the ratchet Wheel 31. Also the cranked portion 33a of the pawl 33 engages with the free arm of the detent 41 and turns this about its pivot thereby freeing the detent from the ratchet 31 and permitting the latter to run back to its initial position under the action of the coil spring previously referred to.

The movement of the lever 51 is transmitted through a connecting rod 54 to a crank 55 on a small shaft 56 provided with a second crank 57 which, through the agency of link 58, rocks a bell crank 59 which may be operatively connected with a control arm 60 connected to the lever 20 below the pivot 21 of the latter. This lever 20, according to its position, controls the clutch for connecting the disc 11 of the long paper feed to its source of power as previously described,

The connection between the arm 60 and the bell crank 59 is settable to produce a variety of operations. Said bell crank has an ear 59a bent off therefrom so that it can be inserted in an arc-shaped slot 60a in the arm 60.' The latter can be swung right and left so that in one position the ear 59a is in the slot and in the other position is out of it. The free end of the arm 60 is controlled by a guide in the form of a sort of gate G having in it four notches in any one of which the arm 60 may lie, namely, two upper notches G1 and G2, and two lower notches G3 and G. When the arm rests in either of the notches G1 or G3 the slot 60a embraces the Year 59a and the link 60 and lever 59 are in operativevconnection; but when the link engages either of the notches G2 or G4 the link and lever are disconnected.

' The lever 20 has pivoted to its upper end an interponent 62 which is connected by a link 61 with the arm 60 so that said interponent and arm rock up and down in unison. When the link 60 is in one of the upper notches Gl or G2 the interponent 62 stands just behind a pin 63 projecting from the link 26, so that when said link is operated to take a total the lever 20 will be tripped and the long paper feed will be operated; but when the link 60 is in one of the lower notches G3 and G4 the interponent will stand below the pin 63, and the long paper feed mechanism will be out of the control of the total taking mechanism.

It will be perceived that different modes of operation may be obtained depending upon which of the four notches is occupied by the arm 60.

When the said arm is in the notch G2 the long paper feed mechanism will be controlled by the total taking mechanism and not by the counters. The grippers 1 will be actuated to draw the paper up to the beginning of the next bill after printing every total.

When the link 60 is in the lower notch G4 the long paper feed mechanism is disconnected both from the total taking mechanism and from the counter. In such case the paper need not be led through the grippers 1, and the long paper feed will be out of use entirely. When thelink 60 is in the notch G3 the long paper feed willvoccur after the predetermined numbers of cycles of the machine for which the counter has been set, and irrespective of totaltaking.

When the arm 60 is in the notchG1 the long paper feed will be under the joint control of the total taking mechanism and the counter; that is to say, the long feed will be imparted to the paper either at a total taking operation or after a predetermined number of cycles depending upon which of these comes into operation first. If, for example, each bill form is long enough for twenty-five lines of printing and the counter is set accordingly then, if a particular invoice contains only seventeen items after which a total is taken, then on the taking of the total the lever 2O will be tripped and the gripper will feed the mechanism up to the rst printing line of the next form. If, however, an invoice contains thirty items, which is more than can be entered on one form, then after the printing of the twenty-fifth item the counter will cause an actuation of the bell crank 59, arm 60 and trip lever 20 and the gripper will draw the mechanism forward so that the twenty-sixth and succeeding items will be printed on the next form. In these machines a total will then automatically be taken which involves an actuation of the link 22, which through pin 63 and interponent 62 will actuate trip lever 20, and cause a new form to be brought to printing position to receive the next invoice.

It is necessary to reset the counter to its initial position When the lever 20 is tripped by the total taking mechanism so that the count will begin afresh on the new invoice. When the lever 20 is rocked by the total taking mechanism as described, it moves the arm 60 rightward in Flg. 4 which in turn rocks the parts 57, 56, 55 clockwise, moves link 54 toward the left and rocks lever 51 counter-clockwise. This lever has a pin 51a projecting therefrom just beneath the hook 49 and acting when the parts are in normal position to hold said hook up out of engagement with the arm 33h as shown in Fig. 4 so as not to interfere with the operation of the ratchet 31 by the feed pawl 33. When on a total taking operation the lever 51 is swung counter-clockwise, the ilrst part of its motion permits the hook to drop into engagement with the arm 33b and the latter part of its motion causes said hook acting on said arm to rock said pawl 33, and with it, the holding pawl 44 out of engagement with ratchet wheel, leaving the latter free to be rotated bacl: to its initial position by its spring 106. It has heretofore been explained that the counter automatically returns to its initial position when it itself causes an actuation of the paper i'eed mechanism.

The' arm 60 connected to the pivoted lever 20 may also be manually pulled out to the right in Fig. 4 and latched in that position by means of a notch 60e in the arm 60 engaging with the 'notch Gr4 in the gate, thus permanently disconnecting the pivoted lever 20 from the trip l5 on the disc 1l and causing the gripper to operate on every cycle of the machine.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the control arm 60 is in the notch Gl the operation of the gripper is controlled by the cyclic control device and by the total mechanism, and if operated by the total mechanism the cyclic control device is reset.

In such arrangement therefore there cannot be more than a denite number of lines in a predetermined interval on the printing sheet and as there is a feeding of the paper after a total operation the first item in any interval is spaced equally from the first item in the previous inter- Val, and the following interval, even though no total taking operation is effected in every interval.

In the position G2 the control arm 60 sets the parts so `that the gripper is controlled by the total mechanism of the machine, but there is no control from the cyclic control device.

With the control arm in the notch G3 operation of the gripper is solely controlled by the cyclic control device the total mechanism being disconnected from the gripper mechanism whilst if the control arm 60 is in notch G4 of the gate the gripper mechanism is entirely disconnected.

What we claim is:

l. In a tabulator printing machine adapted to print account statements on paper fed to the machine from a roll or like supply, and comprising total taking mechanism, paper feeding means adapted to move the paper through the platen at intervals an amount which is complementary to the length of the account, a clutch adapted normally to connect said paper feeding means to a source of power, and clutch controlling means for holding said clutch out of engagement, and a cyclic control device comprising a control member adapted to be advanced a predetermined distance for each cycle of the machine, and a displaceable member adapted to be moved by the cyclic control member after said control member has been advanced to a predetermined extent, means for operatively connecting the clutch controlling means at will to the displaceable member of the cyclic control device or to the total taking mechanism, or to both, whereby the paper feeding means may be caused to operate at will either after the machine has executed a predetermined number of cycles or on the occurrence of a total taking operation.

2. In a tabulator printing machine adapted to print account statements on paper fed to the machine from a roll or like supply, and comprising total taking mechanism, paper feeding means adapted to move the paper through the platen at intervals an amount which is complementary to the length of the account, a clutch adapted to connect said paper feeding means to a source of power, and a cyclic control device comprising a control member adapted to be advanced a predetermined distance for each cycle of the machine, whereby, after having been advanced to a predetermined extent, said control member is in position to move a displaceable member and then to reset itself, the combination of a control arm, a gate co-operating with said arm, a pivoted trip member adapted when in one position to trip the clutch and when in another position to permit the clutch to engage, an intermediate member between the pivoted trip member and the total taking mechanism, an operative connection between said intermediate member and the control arm, whereby when the control arm is in one position in the gate the connection between the total taking mechanism and the pivoted trip member is operative, whereby dn the taking of a total the trip member is moved into a position to permit the clutch to engage, and a paper feeding operation to occur, an operative connection between said intermediate member and the control arm, an operative connection between the cyclic control device and the control arm, and an operative connection between the control arm and the trip member, whereby when the control arm is in one position in the gate the intermediate member is in position to transmit motion from the total taking mechanism to the trip member to permit the clutch to engage, and the cyclic control device is also connected to the control arm whereby the trip member is also under the control of said cyclic control device, whereas when the control arm is in a second position in the gate the trip member is connected to the total taking mechanism and disconnected from the cyclic control device, whilst when the control member is in a third position in the gate the trip member is disconnected from the total taking mechanism and con'- nected to the cyclic control device, and when the control arm is in a fourth position in the gate the trip member is disconnected both from the total taking mechanism and from the cyclic control device.

3. In a tabulator printing machine adapted to print account statements on paper fed to the machine from a roll or like supply, and comprising total taking mechanism, paper feeding means adapted to move the paper through the platen at intervals an amount which is complementary to the length of the account, a clutch adapted to connect said paper feeding means to a source of power, and a cyclic control device comprising a control member adapted to be advanced a predetermined distance for each cycle of the machine, whereby, after having been advanced to a predetermined extent, said control member is in position to move a displaceable member and then to reset itself, the combination of a control arm, a gate co-operating with said control arm, a pivoted trip member adapted when in one position to trip the clutch out of engagement, and when in another position to permit the clutch to engage, a pivotal connection between said trip member and the control arm, a reciprocating link in the total mechanism, an abutment pivoted to the trip member, a pin on said link adapted to co-operate with said abutment, whereby motion may be transmitted from the total mechanism to the trip member, an operative connection between the control arm and the abutment, a slotted member on the control arm, a pivoted lug adapted to engage with the slot in said slotted member, an operative connection between said pivoted lug and the cyclic control device, whereby when the lug is in the slot movement may be transmitted from the cyclic control member to the control arm and thence to the trip member, whereby when the control arm is in one position in the gate the abutment is in engagement with the pin on the link in the total mechanism and the clutch is permitted to engage when a total is taken and the lugj member connected to the cyclic control device is in engagement with the slotted member on the control arm, whereby, after the machine has made a predetermined number of cycles, the clutch is permitted to engage, whereas when the control arm is in a second position in the gate the abutment is in engagement with the pin but the lug is out of engagement with the slot, whilst when the control member is in a third position in the gate the abutment member is removed from engagement with the pin and the lug is in engagement with the slot, and when the control arm if. in a fourth position in the gate the abutment is out of engagement with the pin and the lug is also out of engagement with the slot.

4. In a tabulator printing machine adapted to print account statements on paper fed to the machine from a roll or like supply, and comprising total taking mechanism, paper feeding means adapted to move the paper through the platen at intervals an amount which is complementary to the length of the account, a clutch adapted normally to connect said paper feeding means to a source of power, and clutch controlling means for holding said clutch out of engagement, and a cyclic control device comprising a control member adapted to be advanced a predetermined clistance for each cycle of the machine, and a displaceable member adapted to be moved by the cyclic control member after said control member has been advanced tc a predetermined extent, the combination of means for operatively connecting the clutch controlling means at will to the displaceable member of the cyclic control device or to the total taking mechanism or to both, whereby said paper feeding means may be caused to operate at will either after the machine has executed a predetermined number of cycles or on the occurrence of a total taking operation, means for. resetting the control member and an operative connection between said resetting means and the total taking mechanism, whereby when a paper feeding operation is initiated by the total taking mechanism the control member is reset.

5. In a tabulator printing machine adapted t print account statements on paper fed to the machine from a roll or like supply, and comprising total taking mechanism, paper feeding means adapted to move the paper through the platen at intervals an amount complementary to the length of an account, a clutch adapted to connectsaid paper feeding means to a source of power, and a cyclic control device comprising a screw-threaded nut member, a ratchet attached to said nut member, means for moving said ratchet through one tooth space at each cycle of the machine, whereby the nut member is advanced step by step. and after having been advanced to a predetermined extent is in a position to move a displaceable member and then reset itself, and a detent pawl for the ratchet, the combination of a control arm, a gate co-operating with said arm, a pivoted trip member adapted when in one position to trip the clutch and when in another position to permit the clutch to engage, an intermediate member between the pivoted trip member and the total taking mechanism, an operative connection between said intermediate member and the control arm, a removable connection between the control arm and the displaceable member of the cyclic control device, an operative connection between the control arm and the detent pawl for the ratchet and an operative connection between the control arm and the pivoted trip member, whereby when the control arm is in one position in the gate the intermediate member is in position to transmit motion from the total taking mechanism to the trip member to permit the clutch to engage and to reset the nut member by raising the detent pawl from the ratchet, and the displaceable member of the cyclic control device is also connected to the trip member whereby, when the machine has made a predetermined number of revolutions, the

Y trip member is moved into position to permit the clutch to engage, whereas when the control arm is in a second position in the gate the trip member is connected tol the total taking mechanism and disconnected from the displaceable member of the cyclic control device, whilst when the control arm is in a third position in the gate the trip member is disconnected from the total taking mechanism and connected to the displaceable member of thecyclic control device and when the control arm is in a fourth position in the gate the vtrip member is disconnected both from the total taking mechanism and from the displaceable member of the cyclic control device.

6. In a .tabulator printing machine adapted to print account statements on paper fed to the machine from a roll or like supply, and comprising total taking mechanism, paper feeding means adapted to move the paper through the platen at intervals an amount which is complementary to the length of the account, a clutch adapted normally to connect said paper feeding means to a source of power and clutch controlling means for holding said clutch out of engagement, and a cyclic control device comprising a control member adapted to be advanced a predetermined distance for each cycle of the machine, and a displaceable member a lapted to be moved by the cyclic control member after said control member has been advanced to a predetermined extent; the combination of means for operatively connecting the clutch controlling means at will to the displaceable member of the cyclic control device or to the total taking mechanism, or to both, whereby said paper feeding means may be caused to operate at will either after the machine has executed a predetermined number of cycles or on the occurrence of a total taking operation, and means for rendering inoperative the clutch controlling means whereby the paper feeding means may be caused to operate at each cycle of the machine.

7. In a machine which prints items and totals, the combination with a counter settable to act after a predetermined number of printing cycles, means for taking a totfl, and long-feed mechanism for the paper, of means for initiating an operation of the long-feed mechanism comprising a part settable by hand to four positions, means whereby in two only of said positions said counter is connected to cause actuation of said initiating means, and means whereby in two means for taking a total, and long-feed mechansm for the paper, of means for initiating an operation of the long-feed mechanism comprising a part settable by hand to any one of the four/corners of a rectangle, movement of said part vertically connecting the total taking means to initiate a long feed of the paper, and movement of said part laterally connecting said counting means to initiate a long feed of the paper.

ARTHUR THOMAS.

FRANCIS GUY SYDENHAM ENGLISH.

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