US2131918A - Printing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

'7 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY A. w. MILLS PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7; 193

Oct. 4, 1938.

QM my A. W. MILLS PRINTING MECHANISM Oct. 4, 1938.

Filed July '7, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

N ATTORNEY- Oct. 4, 1938. A. w. MILLS 2,131,918

- PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGQ 3.

INVENTOR.

wzaapd BY ATTORNEY A. W. MILLS PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1936 Oct. 4, 1938.

7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1938. w MILLS PRINTING. MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July '7, 1936 ATTORNEY Oct. 4, 1938. A. w. MILLS 2,131,918

PRINTING MECHANISM Filed July 7, 1936 v Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.13. -F|G.12.

SALES REPORT F'IRESIDE LUMBER C0 'SALESMAN COMMODITY VALUE 'z o JONES STREET JOHN JONES TIRES 40525 CLEVELAND OHIO TUBES 497a H" -I CHA fly \A INS 3 519 93500 605000 PATCHES 3654 |00750 50000 V.A. KATZ TIRES 652I6 500o 090550 TUBES 18227 575000 3900500 I CHMNS 9450 B. L. VERGE Tl RES 53354 TUBES l64-20 CHAINS 4615a PATCHES 5524- F IG.14.

INVENTORY REPORT ITEM uun' COST QUANTITY TOTAL cos ACME 2350 26 61 100 ETHER 2845 120 341400 TONONE s5 WESTERN 3420 31 1 0502 o HQTTEX 13s 125 11000 LIBERTY 214 QUEEN 2 79 94 2622 a DUPLEX 2a ROTARY 1 s25 17 v 25925 wss'rsnu 2143 1 2 2571s 7 INENTOR ATTORNEY to operate for other cycles.

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 PATENT OFFICE I rnm'rma MECHANISM Albert W. Mills, Endicott, N. Y., asslgnor to Internationai Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 7, 1936, Serial No. 89,277

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to record controlled machines in general and, more particularly, to printing mechanism for such machines.

s'Ihe broad object of the invention is to provide an improved printing mechanism which is simpler and more flexible than former printing mechanisms.

A further object is to provide means controlled by records and adapted to suppress printing operations.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide improved means for eifecting group indication or non-repetitive printing of data which is sensed in each of a succession of record cards.

In prior machines, group indicating has been effected by mechanism which prevented the positioning of type bars, or, by preventing the sensing of the record cards. The present arrangement contemplates the use of so-called hammer locks which may be selectively operated to take an impression from the type bars. These hammer looks, when properly set, prevent any selected type bar hammers from operating for certain cycles of the machine and allow these hammers Due to the flexibility of the arrangement, it can be used to prevent repetitive printing of group indications when the tabulating machine is conditioned for listing, that is, printing from each record card. It can be used to control the selection of printing; that is, it can select certain cards or portions of cards for printing and eliminate all others. ther be utilized for the prevention of over printing of indications and totals which ,would normally occur when the setting of the machine is shifted from "listing to tabulating without changing the plug connections.

, Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for causing the selective printing of debit and credit amounts.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the printing of zeros by a group of printing elements.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings; and the invention also constitutescertain new and useful features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a portion of the machine embodying the presentinvention,

It can fur Fig. 2 is an outside view of the printing mechanism showing the drive therefor.

v Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the printing mechanism as viewed from the left in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the column splitting mechanism as viewed in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the column splitting mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an isometric view showing the arrangement of the hammer lock and control mechanism therefor.

Figs. '7, 8, and 9 are details showing various operative positions of the hammer locks.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view showing the type bar and zero printing control mechanism.

Fig. 11 shows a fragment of a record card.

Fig. 12 is a sample of a record showing the manner in which zero printing is controlled.

Fig. 13 is a sample of a record showing the manner in which group indicating is efiected.

Fig. 14 is a sample of a record showing the manner in which the printingof selected items is suppressed.

Fig. 15 is a circuit diagram.

Fig. 16 is a timing diagram of the essential circuit controlling devices.

The printing mechanism may be of any suitable form, but for convenience may be assumed to be substantially identical with the one described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,016,682, granted October 8, 1935. It includes the usual platen it (Fig 1) and a number of vertically movable type bar assemblies including carriers 12, slidably mounted on each of which are type heads 13. The purpose of this type of construction will be explained more fully hereinafter. Each type head has type elements it adapted to'print the numerals 1 to 9 and the letters A to Z. The type elements M are arranged in nine groups in the following order from top to bottom in Figs. 1 and 10: Q. 0 5, E, N, V; 4, D, M, U; 3, C, L, T; 2, B, K, S; 1, A, J. Below the type elements M are two zero type elements Ma, Mb referred to hereinafter as the numeral zero and the alphabetic zero, respectively, which are separated from each other by a distance equal to that between centers of three successive type elements I4. The numerical type elements l4 correspond to the usual numericaltype elements of a conventional Hollerith type bar, but are spaced far enough apart to make room for three alphabetic type elements between successive numeral type elements.

The numeraltype elements are selected for a printing operation in identically the same manner as in conventional Hollerith tabulating machines, for instance, as in Patent No. 1.822594 under control of a perforation in one of the index point positions 1 to 9 of a record card column. The alphabetic type elements are selected under control of combinations of perforations, each of which may comprise a perforation in one of the index point positions 0, 11, and 12, with another in the-remaining nine index point positions; thus, the letter I of the type group is selected by the combination of a 9 perforation and a 12 perforation in one of the columns of the record card; the letter R by a 9 perforation and an 11 perforation. The entire code is similarly arranged and the particular combinations are as set forth in my copending application Serial No. 701,444, filed December 8, 1933.

The selection of the alphabetic type elements I4 is effected by arresting each carrier I2 in the appropriate position corresponding to the value of a perforation in index point positions 1 to 9 of the record card and by further movement of the type head l3 relative to its carrier one, two, or three steps according 'to whether the other perforation of the combination necessary for a selection is in the 12, 11, or 0 positions, respectively.

As a matter of convenience, the four positions of the type elements in each group will be termed zones 1, 2, 3, and 4, the numeral type being in zone 1, the letters A to I being in zone 2, the

letters J to R in zone 3, and the letters S to Z' in zone 4, the 0, 11, and 12 perforations which control the selection of the alphabetic type elements will be termed zone perforations." mechanism which effects relative movement between each carrier l2 and its type head l3 may be termed the zoning" mechanism.

Each carrier i2 is provided with a series of stops l5 which in Fig. 1 are labelled 0 to 9 and represent the corresponding index point positions on the record card. As the carrier i2 is moved upwardly, the stops I 5 move in succession to pass a stopping pawl IS. The latter is held in the position of Fig. 1 by a latch I! which has connection l8 with armature i9 of the usual printing magnet 20.

When a type carrier is used to print numerals only, it will, of course, be controlled by a single perforation in one of the index point positions 0 to 9, inclusive. In such case, each type head l3 and its carrier I2 is maintained in the relationship shown in Fig. 1, and as the card is passing the lower analyzing brushes, a circuit completed through the perforation in the card will energize the magnet 20 in a well known manner and will effect the release of pawl i6, causing it to engage the stop i5 corresponding in value to the location of the single perforation in the record card column. This operation results in bringing the corresponding numeral type element in the type headv l3 to the printing line.

The carriers l2 are moved upwardly by a cam operated shaft 2i which carries arms 22 having depending link connection 23 with a ball 24 pivoted at 25. Also pivoted at 25 are actuating arms 26 which are connected attheir free ends to the lower extremity of carriers l2 through link connections 21. Arms 26 are urged in a clockwise direction by springs 28 which are connected at their upper ends to a cross bar secured to arms 22. Thus, as the arms 22 and ball 24 are rocked in a clockwise direction by shaft 2|,

The

the springs 26 will rock the arms 26 in the same direction and will cause elevation of the carriers. i2.

The manner in which the type bar assemblies comprising carriers I2 and heads l3 are constructed to permit relative movement will now be explained, after which the zoning mechanism whereby such relative movement is effected will be set forth briefly.

The carrier i2 is shown in Figs. 1 and 10 as being provided with a slot 29 and a guide 30 which are adapted to receive a slotted block and the lower end 32 respectively of the type head i3, the block sliding within the slot 29 and the lower end 32 sliding in the guide 30. A spring 33 whose lower end is anchored to the carrier i2 is provided at its upper end with a hooked member which engages the lower edge of an opening in the shank of the type head l3, the spring 33 tending to resiliently hold the head I 3 in cooperation with the carrier i2.

Mounted upon the lower portion of each carrier I2 is a slide 36 provided with grooved blocks 31 which cooperate with suitable slots in the carrier i2. A spring 39 anchored at its lower end to the carrier l2 and at its upper end to the slide 36 tends to move the slide downwardly to bring a shoulder 40 in the slide into engagement with a block 4| riveted to the carrier l2. With the parts assembled as in Fig. 1, the spring 39 draws the slide 36 downwardly and spring 33 urges the type head l3 in the same direction so that the lower end 32 thereof engages the slide 36.

It is plain that if the slide 36 is moved upwardly relative to carrier I 2, the head i3 will move likewise.

A spring-pressed latch 42 pivoted at the lower end of the carrier i2 is adapted to cooperate with three shoulder stops 43 formed in the slide 36. When the slide is moved upwardly one or more steps with respect to the carrier, the latch 42 will cooperate with one of the steps 43 to hold the parts in their displaced relationship. The manner in which such displacement is automatically effected under control of the zone perforations in the card will now be explained.

Associated with each alphabetic type bar assembly is a vertically slidable comb 44 which is adapted to be moved downwardly and then upwardly during each cycle of the machine. Each comb has a series of three stops or lugs 45 which on the upward movement of the comb passes a stopping pawl 46 in synchronism with the passage of the zone perforations O, 11 and 12 by the upper analyzing brushes of the machine. Each pawl 46 is controlled by a zone magnet 41, the. energization of which operates its armature to release pawl 46, allowing the latter to be moved by its spring into engagement with one of the stops 45. By this action, further upward movement of the comb 44 is prevented for the time being. The combs 44 are moved upwardly by means of a spring 5i and moved downwardly by a bail 52 secured to a shaft 53. The ball engages the upper ends of the combs and moves the latter downwardly whenever the shaft 53 is rocked at the proper time by a suitable cam (not shown).

The comb 44 has pivoted thereto an arm 55 whose free end lies in the path of movement of the associated slider 36 and whose lower edge rests upon a bail 56 which is pivoted at 51. Under control of the zone perforations the pivot point of arm 55 may take one of three positions below that of Fig. 1. In this figure the parts are shown with the comb in the position it assumes when no zone holes are present in the card; that is, when numerals only are to be printed. When the carrier I2 is in its lowermost position, the ball 56 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction to move the arm 55 in a similar direction into engagement with the lower extremity of slide 36. It will be apparent that the distance which the free end of arm 55 is moved upwardly under control of the ball 56 depends upon the location of the pivot .point ofarm 55 at such time. Thus, if the pivot point is located as shown in Fig. 1, the free end of arm 55 will be moved upwardly to a position where it barely touches slide 36. A zone perforation in the index point position will result in the movement of the free end of arm 55 three steps upwardly from the position of Fig. 1. A perforation in the 11 position will cause it to move two steps, while a perforation in the 12 position will cause it to move only one step above the position in Fig. 1. These steps of movement are, of course, transmitted to the slide 36 and it, in turn, will be moved upwardly one, two, or three steps in accordance with the setting of the related comb M, the latch 42 carried by the carrier I2 serving to hold the slide at its displaced position with respect to the carrier.

Ball 56 is actuated through the medium of a toggle mechanism comprising links 66, one of which is pivoted to the bail and the other is pivoted to an arm M. The point of connection of the links 58 carries an arm 62' which is also pivoted toan arm 66 secured upon a cross shaft 65. The shaft 65 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction once each card cycle by a suitable cam (not shown) thus tending to straighten the toggle comprising links 56.

Referring to Fig. 2, an arm 66 carried by a rod 61 is adapted to be rocked from the broken line position to the solid line position of Fig. 1 prior to the straightening of the toggle links 58. When shaft 65 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction under control of its cam, the right end ,of arm M will be engaged by arm. 66 so that the pivot point of the toggle will be restrained against downward movement and subsequently straightening of the toggle will cause the bail 56 to rock in acounterclockwise direction. I

In Fig. 2, it will be noted that the rod 61! carries an arm 68 whose upper end is adapted to be engaged by the free end of an armature latch 69 operated by a magnet 10. Energization of this magnet will permit arm 68 to rock in a counterclockwise direction under the influence of a spring and thereby rotate the rod 61 and the arm 66 to the solid line position of Fig. 1. The magnet I0 is in series with a switch H (Fig. 15) and cam contacts I2 which close once at the proper time in each card cycle to energize magnet I0. When the machine is used for printing numerals only. the zoning mechanism may be partially disabled to lighten the operating load on the machine by opening switch II so that the magnet Iii remains deenergized and the arm 66 rem'ains in the position shown by broken lines in Fig. 2 and straightening of the toggle through the action of the conrating numeral type.

index point positions only, the mechanism controlled by the zone magnets 41 will not be effective to shift slide 36 relative to carrier I2 and the type assembly will be arrested differentially, purely by the operation of print magnet 20, as in former Hollerith tabulating machines. On the other hand, if a zone perforation also appears in the 0, 11 or 12 positions, the magnet 41 will be effective in conjunction with magnet 26 to control the zoning mechanism, as described, to c use selection of one of the three alphabet type s a- In the present arrangement of the type elements which differs from that in prior machines in the location of the zero type elements, if no perforation appears in a given column, the associated carrier I2 will move to a position where the blank position immediately below the type element I la (Fig. 10) is at the printing line. If only a zero perforation is present in a column, the type element Ma is positioned under control of the magnet 26. If the zoning mechanism is operative, the sensing of a zero alone in a column will cause positioning of the lower zero type element Mb at the printing line... Whether or not a zero is actually printed will de" pend upon the operation of the type hammers as will be explained hereinafter.

Referring now to Fig. 10, each of the type carriers 12 is provided with a stop '15 which cooperates with a cross member 18 to position the type carrier when its movement is not otherwise interrupted. When the zoning mechanism is ineffective and pawl I6 is tripped to position the type element I60. on the printing line, the stop I will have moved to a position where its upper end engages an arm 'II rocking the latter counterclockwise to cause clockwise rocking of latch member I9 to raise hook 60 thereof out of cooperation with a bail 6i. As will be ex- .plained hereinafter, this raising of hook 80 prevents the tripping of the printing hammer in the associated type bar position through member I9. With the zoning mechanism operative, the

type head 13 would have been displaced upwardly three steps to present the lower zero type element Mb to the printing line and in this case, also, the cooperation of stop 15 with arm 'l'l would rock member I9 to the same position and again tripping of the associated type hammer would have been prevented. With no perforation in the column, the carriers I2 would have risen an additional step. presenting the blank space following either of the type elements I la or I41) and consequently no printing can take place in either position regardless of whether or not the associated printing hammers are tripped.

In my prior application Serial No. 701,444 and in U. S. Patent No. 2,016,682, the type elements were so arranged that when no perforation was present in a column, one of the zero type elements was presented to the printing line and it was necessary to provide additional mechanism to prevent printing from these zero type elements in certain positions. With the present arrangement whereby no type elements are presented to the printing line when a column is blank, the provision of this mechanism is obviated and zero printing only takes place when a zero perforation is present to definitely position the type elements. The manner in which printing of the zeros is effected under control of the column splitting mechanism will be set forth after the printing hammer mechanism has been explained.

The printing hammers are designated 82 in Fig. 1 and are controlled in substantially the same manner as those in U. S. Patent No. 1,867,026, granted July 12, 1932 to J. R. Peirce and in application Serial No. 442,348, filed April 7, 1930 by J. R. Peirce. Such differences as exist will be described in detail hereinafter. The type hammers 82 are operated by springs 83. Normally, hammer latches 84 pivoted on a cross shaft prevent the springs from forcing the hammers into contact with the heads of type elements I4, I4a or Mb. The hammers are re-latched after each operation by means of a cam operated bail 88 mounted on a shaft 81. Pivoted to each latch 84 is a spring operated hook member 18 normally in position to be engaged by ball 8i secured to a shaft 88. The latter is operated by a cam (not shown) which functions once each card cycle to draw any members 18 through their hooks 88, which may be in the position of Fig. 1 to the left and operate the latches 84 to release the related hammers 82 for actuation of their springs to strike the type elements at the printing line. Each member 18 cooperates with an arm 11 which, as explained, cooperates with the stop 15 on the carrier. This stop is so placed that movement of the carrier to any printing position for printing from any of the type elements above element I4a will not disturb the member, and hook 88 will remain in cooperative relationship with the ball 8 I.

The column splitting mechanism is substantially identical with the one described in the Peirce U. S. Patent No. 1,867,026. A hammer coupling member 83 (see Figs. 1, 4, and 5) is pivoted to the upper end of each latch 84. The members 83 have narrow tongues 83a which are adapted to underlie bent-over lugs 84b formed in the adjacent latch 84, which lugs act as stops to limit counterclockwise movement of member 88. A bent-over lug 838, formed in each member 83, permits only limited clockwise movement of each member 83 by contact with the edge of the latch 84 to which said member is pivoted. A short arm 820. formed in each member 83, has a rivet or boss adapted to engage holes 83d in latch 84 to retain members 83 in the operative position of Fig. 5 or the alternative inoperative position in which lug 93b engages latch 84. Each member 83 also has an abutment 83c adapted to engage the lug 84b of the next adjacent latch 8 to the one on which said member is pivoted.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be assumed that the three coupling members 83 shown correspond to the units, tens and hundreds denominational orders ranging from bottom to top, respectively, of a bank assigned to printing data and that all are in the position of Fig. 5. If the hundreds type bar now moves to print a 4, for example, its latch 84 will be rocked clockwise (Fig. 5) as described above, to release the hammer for the hundreds type bar. The abutment 83e of the hundreds coupling member will, by engagement with the lug 84b of the tens latch 84, rock the latter clockwise also. The latch 84 of the units type bar will also be operated by the tens latch 84, due to the abutment 83s of the coupling member 83 of the tens latch engaging the lug 84b of the units latch and rocking the units latch 84 clockwise with reference to Figs. 1 and 5. Thus, if neither of the units and tens type bars are arrested in one of the numerical positions 1 to 9 or A to Z, inclusive, the three type bars corresponding to the three coupling members 83 shown in Fig. 4 will print 400.

Now, if the upper member 83 (Fig. 4) associated with the hundreds type bar is moved clockwise (Fig. 5) until its lug 83b stops further movement of said member, the abutment 83c of this member will move to a position below the lug 84b of the tens latch 84. As a result, the moving of the hundreds type bar to the 4" position, as before, will cause an ineffectual movement of the coupling member of the hundreds latch 84 and neither the tens nor units latch 84 will be operated, and only the numeral 4 will be printed. It will be seen that the coupling members 83 may be selectively set to inactive position to split the solid bank of type bars intoarbitrary groups and under these conditions, any type bar assuming a position to present either of the zero type elements I 4a or I4b, will, through members 93, cause zeros to be automatically printed to the right of the operated type bar, up to the point where a coupling member is set to inactive position.

An example of the manner in which zero printing is effected without the use of special mechanism is shown in Fig. 12. In this figure the levers 83 of Fig. 5 are set to the position shown in that figure in the sections designated A, so that positioning of any typebar in these fields will cause tripping of the hammers 82 in all lower order positions. Thus, when the card bearing the street address is analyzed, the type bars will be set to the positions indicated with two of the bars adjusted to present zeros for printing. The hammers for printing the two zeros are tripped under control of the hammer which prints the numeral 2. The hammer in the position between 200 and Jones isalso tripped, but since the type bar in this position is at a blank position, no printing takes place.

The circuit connections for controlling the operation of the zone magnets 41 and the print magnets 28 are shown in Fig. 15. A typical circuit established by the zone perforations is traced as follows: from left hand line wire 85, upper contact roll UCR and an upper brush UB, through a 0, 11, or 12 perforation in the record card, a wire 86, a plug wire 81, a magnet 41, and cam contacts 88 to right hand line wire 88. A typical circuit established by a perforation in the 1 to 9 positions is traced as follows: line wire 85, a magnet 28, a wire I88, a plug wire I8I, a wire I82, a lower brush LB, a lower contact roll LCR, through a hole in the record card and cam contacts I83 to line wire 88. ,As described before herein, a circuit is also established through magnet 18 when switch 1I is closed, as would be the case when alphabetic printing is being done.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 6, each of the type hammers 82 is notched to provide a shoulder I84 above each of which is located a leaf spring latch I85 secured at one end to a bar I86. Supported on the bar I86 by a pivot rod I81 is a pair of cam levers I88 and I88, a pair of which is provided for each latch I85. The lever I88 has its camming surface at a slightly greater distance from the pivot point I81 than the lever I 88 and when rocked from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 7 will depress the latch I 85 from the dotted line position of Fig. 7 to the full line position where the free end of the latch lies in the path of shoulder I84 of the printing hammer. With the latch in this position, the hammer is effectively locked against operation for all operations of the machine. The lever I88 when rocked to the position of Fig. 8 will move the latch I 85 from the dotted line position in this figure to the full enough to interfere with the operation of the printing hammer. The supporting bar I06 is mounted for oscillation on pins H journaled. in the frame of the machine and may be rocked in a counterclockwise direction as will be explained. When so rocked, as indicated in Fig. 9, the levers I09, which have been rocked to the position of Fig. 8, together with their latches I05, will assume the position of Fig. 9 wherein the latches now cooperate with shoulders IM .to block the printing hammers. Those latches I which have not been preset by the levers I08 or I09 will assume the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 9, wherein they do notinterfere with the operation of their respective hammers. It will thus be seen that in positions in which the levers I09 have been preset, blocking of the hammers will take place when the bar I06 is rocked. This is brought about as follows:

Secured to the bar (Figs. 3 and 6) is a bracket I II which has pivoted thereto a link II2 whose lower end is connected to an arm H9 normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2 by the armature II I of a pair of magnets H5. Arm H3 is pivoted on a stud M6 on which is also pivoted a bell crank I I! having a pin IIB underlying the arm II3. The lower arm of the bell crank lies in the path of a roller II9 on arm I20. Arm I20 is part of the linkage controlled by complementary cams I2I which-serve to reciprocate the type bars once each cycle of the machine and during the operation roller I I 9 causes counterclockwise rocking of bell crank III to raisearm II3 slightly away from armature II I. It is at this time that magnet I I5 may be energized and if energ'ization takes place, arm H3 will be permitted to move in a clockwise direction and rocking of bar I06 will consequently take place. Energization of magnet H5 may take place under control of a special perforation in the 11 index point position of a record card, such as indicated at X in Figs. 11 and 15. Upon sensing of this perfora tion by one of the upper brushes U3, a circuit is completed from line 95, upper contact roller UCR, X" perforation, brush UB, wire I22, plug connection I23, pick-up winding of a relay R8, cam contacts CFB, timed to close when the X hole is at the brush UB, upper card lever contacts UCL, to line 99. Energization of relay R9 will close its contacts RBa to provide a holding circuit traceable from line 95, wire I24, contacts R811, upper holding winding of relay R8, cam contacts CF22, to line 99. As indicated in Fig. 16, this holding circuit will be maintained throughout the remainder of the cycle and during the first half of the next following cycle during which the record card having the X perforation will traverse the lower brushes LB, during which time the data perforations will be sensed by these brushes to position the type carriers. Energization of relay R8 will also cause closure of its contacts Rlic and if switch I25 is in its full line position, a circuit will be completed during the next cycle through cam contacts CFM, which extends from line 95, through cam contacts CFI I, relay contacts RBc, switch I25, hammer lock magnet H5, to line 99. In this manner, record cards containing the special X perforation will cause locking out of those hammers whose levers I09 have been preset to the position of Fig. 8 so that printing in those positions will not take place.

I If switch I25 is in its dotted line position, the opable from line 95, contacts CFH, normally closed relay contacts R8b, switch I25, hammer lock magnet II5 to line 99. In this case, the energization of relay R8, in response to the sensing of the X hole, will cause opening of contacts R8b and the operation of the hammer lock will be suppressed for cards having this perforation.

Fig. 13 illustrates a report as it would appear when listed with the hammer locks under X punch control. In this report the first four lines represent data contained on four cards, each of which contains the name John Jones" and of which only the first card contains the X perforation. The levers I09 in the field in which this name of the salesman is to be printed are set to the position of Fig. 8 and switch I25 is moved to its dotted line position so that the hammer lock operation is suppressed for the X" punched card and locking is effective for other cards. Alternatively, all the cards, except the first card of each group, may have the X punching; in which case, with switch I25 in its .full line position, the same report will be printed; that is, the hammers will be locked for all the X punched cards and they will be free to operate for the non .X punched cards.

Fig. 14 illustrates a report in which the hammer lock control is used for printing certain portions of certain cards and eliminating the printing of these same portions of other cards as in the case where the management does not wish the cost figures of certain items to be printed although they .are punched in the tabulating cards. Thus, in the report of Fig. 14, the hammer lock levers I09 are set in the unit cost and total cost positions in the sections of the type bars which are to print unit cost and total cost. The switch I25 is set in its full line position and the third, sixth, and eighth cards are X punched. Another manner of controlling the hammer locks to eifect group indication which does not require X punching either the first or subsequent cards of a group may be effected as follows:

A tabulating machine to which the present in vention is applied is provided with contacts which are closed during total taking operations which follow the accumulation of data from each group its contacts R22a, thus establishing a circuit from line 95, lower card lever contact LCL, closed if there is a card in position to pass the lower brushes, contacts R'Ib, a plug connection I30, contacts R22a, upper winding of relay R8, contacts CF22, to line 99. dotted line position, the closure of contacts CF'Ifl will prevent the energization of .hammer lock magnet I I5 so that printing will take' place when the first card of the next group passes the lower brushes. The contacts TS are opened during card feeding operations so that the hammer lock magnet H5 is energized for each record card after the first printing of the group indication data is suppressed for such record cards. With this arrangement, the report just described in Fig. 13 may be readily obtained without X punching the cards themselves.

It will be apparent that printing from record With switch I25 in its cards may be selectively suppressed or enabled for the handling of a variety of problems.

A further example 01' the use of the mechanism may be in handling of debit and credit values. For example, where credit amounts are periorated in their true value in a card field and the same field is utilized to record the combinations oi debit amounts, in such case, if all credit cards are "X punched and switch I set in its dotted line position, only the true credit figures will be printed and the printing oi complements of debit items will be suppressed.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention asapplied to a single. modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit oi the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a machine or the class described, a plurality oi difierentially positionable type carriers, record sensing means and means controlled thereby to cause positioning of said carriers, printing hammers, one for each carrier, means normally operative to trip said hammers, presettable means arranged to select one or more of said hammers for suppression of operation thereof, and means controlled by said sensing means to render said presettable means eflective to prevent operation oi said selected hammers.

2. In a machine of the class described, means for sensing a group of record cards, one or more of which may contain a special designation, type carriers, and printing hammers therefor, locking means for said hammers, selectively settable means positionable to render said locking means normally effective or ineflective, and means controlled by said sensing means in response to the analysis of said special designations for reversing the normal condition of said locking means.

3. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of differentially positionable type carriers, printing hammers, one for each carrier, means for actuating said hammers, latches normally holding said hammers against action, a bail for releasing said latches, a second, manipulative latch for each hammer partially advanoeable to hammer locking position, record sensing means and means controlled thereby to eflect completion of the advance of said partially advanced latches to thereby lock said hammers against operation.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 in which each of said second latches is separately ad- Justableto partially advanced position whereby any selected hammer or group 01' hammers may ultimately be locked thereby.

5. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of type carriers, a printing hammer for each, means for tripping said hammers for printing action, a pivoted bar, a plurality of latches, one for each hammer, carried by said bar adjacent to the corresponding hammers, means for moving one or more of said latches partly toward the corresponding hammers without engaging the same, and automatically operated means for rocking said bar to move said partly advanced latches into locking engagement with their hammers.

6. In a machine having a-plurality of type carriers and a printing hammer for each, a zero printing device for type elements which normally move to a blank position unless selectively moved to a position to print a zero or other'character, means for disabling the printing hammers in positions in which the carrier is set to print zero and means controlled by a hammer related to a carrier set to print another character for render- .ing the disabled hammer effective to print zero from its carrier.

. 7. In a machine of the class described, means for sensing record cards for data representative of debit and credit amounts, including means for determining the character of the amount sensed, type carriers controlling in accordance with the amount sensed, printing hammers and actuating means therefor, and selectively settable means controlled by said determining means for causing the suppression of said actuating means for either kind of amount.

8. In a machine of the class described, means for sensing a group of record cards, one or more of which may contain a special designation, type carriers, printing hammers, one for each carrier, means normally effective for actuating said hammers to eiTect printing of data from each card of said group of cards. means controlled by said sensing means in response to the analysis of said special designations for suppressing the operation of the hammers for the card or cards containing said special designation, and selectively settable mechanism for causing said suppressing means to eflect suppression of less than all of said hammers whereby only part of the data contained in cards having said special designation ALBERT W. MILLS.

will be printed.

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