US2063489A - Total taking mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 8, 1936. G, F] DALY I 2,063,489

TOTAL TAKING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TORNEY Dec. 8, 1936. G. F. DALY 2,063,489

TOTAL TAK ING MECHAN I SM Filed Sept. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /ZWZ ATTORN EY.

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES TOTAL TAKING MECHANISM George F. Daly, Johnson City, N.

Y., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 10, 1932, Serial No. 632,529

This invention relates to improvements in tabulating machines, and more particularly relates to an improved and simplified total taking mechanism for use in machines of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,762,145, issued June 10, 1930, to George F. Daly and Ralph E. Page.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type indicated with a novel electrically operated total taking mechanism wherein electrical impulses controlled by a differentially set member control the differential setting of the recording device.

Another object is to provide an electrically operated total taking mechanism for a multidenominational accumulator in which each de nominational accumulator element controls electrical impulses, with a novel and improved means to select only those impulses which correspond with the setting of the particular accumulator element.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide in an electrically controlled total taking mechanism, a novel and simplified impulse selecting commutator.

A further object is to provide a novel commutator having in view the reduction in bulk, weight, and in the cost of manufacture of said commutator.

With these and incidental objects in view, the mechanism includes certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described, with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a detail view, showing the accumulator gears and the improved commutator.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of v a portion of the commutator, a number of parts being shown broken away, better to show the construction.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the printing mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram of an electrically operated, card controlled tabulator, embodying the principles of the present invention.

General description For illustrative purposes the invention is shown applied to an electrical tabulator of the type disclosed in the above mentioned patent to Daly and Page. The circuit diagram (Fig. 5 of the application) with the exception of the total taking mechanism, is similar to that shown in the above mentioned patent.

During adding operations the machine is driven by a tabulating motor TM (Fig. 5) under the control of a group of cam controlled and relay controlled circuits, indicated generally at l0. During the reset operation the machine is driven by a reset motor RM, under the control of a group of contacts and relays indicated generally at H.

When the machine is operated by the tabulating machine motor TM the usual tabulating cards bearing differentially arranged index points or perforations are fed first past a set of upper analyzing brushes UB and then, exactly one machine cycle later, the cards are fed past a set of lower analyzing brushes LB.

As the perforated cards are fed past the lower brushes, the index points or perforations thereon permit instantaneous closing of circuits to energize accumulator magnets 12. The timed energization of these magnets controls mechanism well known to the art, to enter data, interpreted from the cards, onto the accumulator wheels.

Energization of the magnet l2 closes a contact I! whereupon a printer magnet I4 is energized to control the selection of type for the purpose of printing characters corresponding to the entered data.

Accumulators The accumulator is of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,307,740, issued June 24, 1919 to C. D. Lake, and includes gears I5 (Fig. l) rotatably mounted on a reset shaft 16, suitably supported in the machine. These gears mesh with and are driven by gears 11, mounted on a shaft 18, under the control of the counter magnets 12.

An indicating wheel I 9 having indicia engraved or otherwise suitably marked on its periphery, is secured to each of the accumulator gears I! to enable the operator to read the data directly from the accumulator through a sight opening 20 in the cabinet or casing 2|.

Printing mechanism The printing mechanism (illustrated in Fig. 4) with which the instant invention is adapted to be used, is substantially the same as that disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,822,594, is sued May 15, 1923 to C. D. Lake, and, described briefly, includes a plurality of spring-retained type elements 22, slidably mounted in the enlarged upper end of a vertically disposed type carrier bar 23. The bar 23is guided near its upper end and lower end to permit vertical reciprocatory movement for the purpose of selecting the particular type element 22 from which an impression is to be made.

To eifect the vertical movements of the bar 23 a cam 24 is secured on a total taking shaft 25, which shaft is given one complete counterclockwise rotation at each total taking cycle of operation by a reset motor RM (Fig. 5). Cam 24 cooperates with an anti-friction roller carried on the free end of an arm 3| freely mounted on shaft 32.

As the rotation'of the cam 24 rocks the arm 3| clockwise, the arm 3| at the proper time, acting through a projection 33, rocks an arm 34 fast on the shaft 32, together with said shaft in the same direction. A crosshead operating arm 35 fast on the shait 32 and connected to a printer crosshead 36 by a link 31, also receives the clockwise movement imparted by the cam 24 to impart an invariable reciprocatory excursion to the crosshead.

The printer crosshead 33 is adapted to be reciprocated on tabulating operations by a tabulator printer cam (not shown) securedon a tabulator shaft (also not shown) which shaft is driven by the tabulator motor TM (Fig. 5). The tabulator printer cam operates an arm 43 (Fig. 4) pivoted on the shaft 32 which arm 43 in turn rocks an arm 41 integral with the arm 34.

The configuration of the tabulator printer cam is such that on tabulating operations it rocks the arms 46, 41 and 35 clockwise thus raising the crosshead 33 which carries the type 22 past the printing point on a suitably supported printing platen 33, in synchronism with the travel of the card past the sensing brushes. On total taking operations the type elements are moved upwardly in synchronism with the rotation of an electrical impulse emitting device.

The type bars 23 are raised through the medium of a spring pressed finger 39 pivotally carried by the crosshead 33. If, during the upward travel of the crosshead, an obstruction is interposed in the path or the type barv 23, the upward movement of said bar is arrested, whereas, due to the flexibly held finger 39, the crosshead is permitted to complete its invariable excursion.

At the proper time, after the impression has been taken from the selected types, the cam 24 reverses the direction of movement of the train of mechanism including the arms 3|, 34, and 33 to lower the crosshead to its normal position. As the crosshead 33 is lowered to normal, a restoring bar 40 carried by the crosshead picks up and restores the type bars 23 to their normal position.

It is to be understood that a type bar 23 is provided for each denominational order accumulator gear i3.

The device for arresting the upward move-' ment of the type bar 23 in synchronism with the chine.

impulse emitting device (to be described later) and in accordance with the setting of the corresponding accumulator gear l3 includes a spring pressed stop pawl 4| (Fig. 4) normally held in ineffective position by a detent 42. Both the stop pawl 4| and its detent 42 are pivotally supported by a cross bar 43 suitably supported in the ma- A link 44 connects the detent 42 with an armature 43 associated with the previously described printer magnet' i4. When the magnet is energized it attracts the. armature 43, drawing the link 44 toward the right (Fig. 4) to release the detent 42 thereby permitting the stop pawl 4|, under the influence of its spring, to engage the proper one or a series of notches on the right hand edge (Fig. 4) of the type bar 23 in order to stop this bar in a position commensurate to the setting of its corresponding accumulator gear l3. Total taking mechanism The total taking mechanism includes a series of arcuate commutator units 3| (Figs.- 1, 2, 3,

and 5) suitably supported in the machine. Each oi the commutators is provided with segments 32 corresponding in number to the several digit indicating positions of the accumulator wheel l3. A common conductor 33 extending the entire arc of the commutator is separated from the segments 32 by a suitable insulation 34. Bars 33 and 33 01' insulating material are placed along side oi the segments 32 and the conductor 33 respectively. Outside of these insulators 33 and 33 are located suitable strips 31 and 33 and the complete commutator assemblies are suitably supported in the machine by cross rods 33 and".

A rotatable brush including four double contact arms 3|, 32, 33, and 34 (Figs. 1, 2, and 5) cooperates with each of the commutators 3| to close the several circuits between the selected segment 32 and the common conductor 33. The contact arms are secured to a hub 33 to which is also secured a gear 1| meshingwith the gear l1, the brush assembly being rotatably mounted on a shaft 12 suitably supported in the machine.

Referring to Fig. 5 it may be seen that the corresponding segments 32 on each commutator are connected to common wires or other suitable conductors 13 so that all the 3 segments are connected in multiple, all the 3" segments are connected in multiple, etc.

The common conductors I3 are connected to a series of brushes 14, which brushes are adapted to contact an electrical impulse emitting device 13 (shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5). This emitter includes an annular contact ring 13 with which a brush 11 cooperates to supply electrical energy to the emitter from a suitable source. The ring 13 is secured to a drum 13 secured on the total shaft 23. The drum 13 carries a series 01 diil'erentially located contact points 13 electrically connected to the ring 13. The points 13 are adapted, as the emitter is rotated by the total shaft 23 in synchronism with the advance of the type bars 23, also operated by the shaft 23, successively to make contact with their particular brushes 14, thus energizing the corresponding printer magnets l4 to stop the type bars 23 in position corresponding to the setting oi their respective accumulator gears l3.

Referring now to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the ratio of the gears l3 and 1| is l to 2, the gear 1| making one hall of one complete rotation, while the accumulator gear |3 completes one rotation. It follows that ii the segments 32 were spread out over the entire 180, two brushes, for instance, 3| and 33, would be necessary to sweep the commutator segments once for each rotation of the gear l3. But, since one o! the objects of this invention is to make the commutator small, compact and inexpensive, the end segments 32 designated 3" and the 3" are separated by an angle of less than 90". Consequently, it brushes 3| and 33 only were provided, the brush 3|, when the accumulator gear l3 passed from the "4" to the 3 position, would pass out of contact with the commutator whereas the brush 33 would not yet be in contact with said commutator.

To overcome this segments 32 are so spaced that when the accumulator gear i3 rotates one step, the gear 1| and the brushes 3| to 34, inelusive, rotate two segmental steps. It will be noted that the segments 32 (Fig. 1) reading from right to left are indexed 3, 3, 3, 2, 1, 3, 3, 4, and 3. Thus, when the gear l3 advanced from "3 to the brush 3| rotateacounterclockwise past the "3 segment to the "I" segment, etc. The brush 32 is so spaced from thebrush 3| that whenthebrush 3| restsonthe 4" segments: 15

indicated by dotted lines at 6|, the brush B2 rests one segmental step to the right of the segment as indicated by dotted lines at 62'. Thus when the accumulator gear I5 advances from I to 5 the brush 6| leaves the commutator whereas thebrush 62 advances past the 0 segment to the 5 segment. This continues until the gear l5 completes a full rotation and passes from 9 to 0, whereupon, the brush 63 comes into contact with the 0 segment of the commutator, and the brushes 63 and 64 repeat the above described operation for the second rotation of the gear l5.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that each commutator segment 52 receives an electrical impulse from the emitter I5 at the instant the particular type 22, corresponding to that particular segment 52, arrives at the printing line.

In order to obviate any possible interference of the total taking circuits with the listing circuits during adding operations, the commutators 5| and the impulse emitter 15 are disconnected from the energy source during such adding operations. The mechanism for effecting this disconnection includes a pairof relay contacts connected in series in the total taking circuit of each printer magnet. A group of these contacts 80 are operated from a solenoid 8| energized under the control of contacts 82 operated by a cam 83 on the total shaft 25.

During adding and listing operations the contacts 82 are open, but during total taking operations the cam 83 closes the contacts to energize the solenoid 8| which in turn closes the associated relay contacts 80, thus energizing the total taking circuits. 4

A recapitulation of the operation of the total taking mechanism will now be given with special reference to Fig. 5.

During the previous addingor listing operations the groups of brushes 6| to 64 inclusive were set to positions commensurate with the setting of their corresponding accumulator gears l5, it being borne in mind that one brush of the pairs of brushes contacts a segment 52 and the other brush of this pair of brushes contacts the common impulse emitter is rotated during total taking' operations to bring the contact points 19 successively into contact with the brushes I4 in order that each of the conductors 13 may receive an impulse exactly at the time the corresponding type 22 arrives at the printing position opposite the platen 38. As the contact point indexed 9 contacts its brush H the printer magnet i l of each accumulator standing at 9 is energized by an electrical impulse to arrest the type bar at the 9 position in the manner previously described.

The circuit extends as follows: from the brush 11 connected to one side of the energy source to the -conductor ring 16 of the emitter, thence through the 9 contact point 19, its brush I4 and the conductor 13 to all of the 9 commutator segments52.

If an accumulator gear l5 is standing at 8 its corresponding brush ,62 or 64 is in contact with the 9 segment '52 closing the circuit through the common conductor 53 to the relay contacts 80, thence through the printing magnet II to the other side of the energy source. In

' this manner all of the accumulator gears l5 rotation of the impulse emitter I5 and subse quently to the selection of said types, an impression is taken therefrom on a suitable record material. .Any suitable mechanism such, for instance, as that disclosed in the above mentioned patent to C. D. Lake may be provided to actuate the types to effect the impression.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a total taking device, the combination with an accumulator element movable to different digital positions, of a group of digit circuits, a commutator comprising interspersed digital segments each connected to the corresponding, digital circuit, and pairs of spaced brushessettable according to the setting of the accumulator element, one brush of each of said pairs of brushes being adapted to cooperate with certain of the digital segments and the other brush of said pairs of brushes being adapted to cooperate with certain other digital segments to select the digital circuit corresponding to the setting of the accumulator element.

2. In a total taking device, the combination of an accumulator element, a circuit distributing commutator having interspersed digital segments, and means comprising pairs of spaced brushes settable according to the setting of the accumulator element, onebrush bf each pair 01 said brushes being adapted to cooperate with certain of said segments and the other brush of each pair of said brushes being adapted to cooperate with certain others of said segments according to the digital position of the accumulator element.

3. In a total taking device, the combination of an accumulator element, a, circuit distributing commutator including interspersed digital segments, plural pairs of brushes, and means to rotatefthe accumulator element and the brushes,

said brushes being so spaced that one brush of each pair of brushes contacts the lower value 'segments and the other brushes of each pair of brushes contact the higher value segments according to the amount accumulated on the accumulator element.

4. In a total taking device, the combination of an accumulator element, a commutator having digital segments the lower order digital segments being interspersed with the higher order digital segments, a plurality of pairs of brushes, one brush of each pair of brushes being spaced to stop on the lower value segments and the other brush of each pair being spaced to stop on the higher value segments, and common means to enter amounts into the accumulator element and to rotate the brushes correspondingly.

GEORGE F. DALY.

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